T-Time Podcast // Ep. 71: All the Hot Topics: Favorite Attire, Golf Travel, Up-Leveling Our Game & Club Championships with Shannon Mercer
Tori and Shannon discuss various topics related to golf, including their initial meeting, women's golf retreats, body confidence on the course, packing for golf trips, the challenges of weight gain and the gym app, working on swing mechanics, memorable golf experiences, and future travel goals.
How They Met
Tori and Shannon met through a mutual acquaintance and bonded over their shared love for golf. They reminisce about their first interactions and how their friendship grew through their involvement in the golf community.
Women's Golf Retreats
They discuss their experiences with women's golf retreats, particularly their memorable trip to Scotland. They share their excitement for an upcoming retreat in Ireland and highlight the benefits of these trips, including the opportunity to play on unique courses and bond with fellow female golfers.
This year, Tori mentioned that she wanted to experiment with her wardrobe. She aimed to introduce cuter outfits, diverging from her usual style. While Shannon appeared bemused at Tori's intention, considering Tori always looked adorable, Tori stuck to her decision. She spoke about desiring something different from her ordinary look.
Melding Non-Traditional Golf Outfits
As part of introducing variation into Tori's wardrobe, she, alongside her sister Alix, searched for cool, comfortable, and potentially unusual clothing items. Their focus was on finding apparel outside the conventional golf-sweater domain. The primary reason behind this was that most golf-specific sweaters are exorbitantly priced and look strikingly similar. Instead, they decided to opt for regular sweaters - cute ones not designed particularly for golf. Ali's hunt for these sweaters led her to discover some stylish, stretchy, and affordable options, worth using even for golf.
Exploration of Different Brands
Breaking away from her typical golf attire, Tori even explored different brands for pants. Known for her preference for the Tail Mulligan pants during winter, she decided to shake things up with new styles and brands. She purchased two pairs from Anatomy and considered options from other brands as well. Further, she revealed that they plan to film a "golf closet episode" later in September, which will showcase a variety of golf pant options.
Skirts and Body Confidence
Fashion is all about experimenting with personal style and breaking age-old stereotypes, and skirts are not an exception to this evolving style rule. According to Tori and Shannon, women of all heights and ages can confidently embrace shorter skirts in their wardrobe.
Shorter Skirts for Taller Women
Conventionally, taller women, specifically those around and over 5'10", have been hesitant to wear shorter skirts for fear they may look too short when in fact, this is far from the truth. Tori, a towering beauty herself, candidly shares that shorter skirts don't hit right below her butt cheek area as she originally thought, busting one common misconception. Instead, they sit comfortably while enhancing her tall, statuesque physique. Moreover, she received more compliments when she decided to sport shorter skirts—an added bonus to totally revamping her wardrobe.
Age-Related Myths Debunked
Shannon strongly argues that older women can also effortlessly rock shorter skirts. She provides an example of a mature woman with a flattering figure, whose knee-length skirt shrouded her shapely legs. She firmly suggests that a switch to a shorter skirt would have showcased her excellent figure better and disregards concerns about wrinkles or bumps—indicating that style transcends age.
Shannon cites the transformation of her mother as a prime example when she exchanged her usual skirt for a shorter variant during a trip, and the impact was noticeable, seemingly having shed a few pounds instantly. Therefore, the shorter skirt not only alters the appearance but also boosts confidence..
The Art of Efficient Golf Trip Packing
Preparing for Unpredictable Weather Conditions
A year ago, Tori and Shannon embarked on a golf trip to Scotland. Packing for golf is a meticulous job, particularly when heading to a place where weather conditions fluctuate regularly. In Scotland, for instance, the hosts explain that the weather ranges from 50 degrees and sunny to freezing, stormy situations. Essential items, such as a rain suit and bucket hat, could potentially save the trip from being a complete washout.
Overpacking: A Common Mistake
One significant challenge Tori and Shannon discussed was the common tendency to overpack, particularly when preparing for cold weather. Layering up is a better method for accommodating fluctuating temperatures. However, the ladies humorously admit, that overpacking also brought about another problem - leaving no room for the goodies purchased during their travels.
Importance of Leaving Space for Souvenirs
Golf vacations often engage travelers through their unique, regional golfing merchandise. You'll find new lines and different looks in international pro shops, not available in local states. Given that you might want to bring a few mementos home, like items adorned with special logos, packing lightly makes room for these souvenirs. This advice is especially important for those with family or friends who are fellow golfers and might appreciate gifts from historic courses.
Working on Swing Mechanics
Tori opens up about her commitment to improving her swing mechanics and her recent struggles with her golf game. She shares her experience of seeking professional help, including lessons and fitness training, to address her ball-striking issues. Tori emphasizes the importance of consistency and faith in the process of making swing changes.
Chipping on Pinetop Lakes
Shannon recounts her recent golfing experience at Pinetop Lakes, a challenging course in Arizona. She highlights the importance of chipping and shares her success in improving her chipping skills. Shannon also mentions the positive impact of shorter skirts on her overall golf game.
National Club Championship Tournament
Tori discusses her decision to participate in the National Club Championship Tournament, which will be held at True North. She explains the significance of winning the White Mountain Country Club Championship to qualify for the national tournament. Tori reflects on the challenges she faced during the championship match and the unexpected support she received from the crowd.
The Unexpected Golf Gesture
Tori shares a heartwarming story about a golf gesture she experienced during a tournament. She recounts how a fellow golfer, despite being in a competitive setting, showed kindness and sportsmanship by giving her a putt.
Although she found it challenging, it was also a learning opportunity. Tori managed to win despite the tough competition and challenging course, revealing her resilience and determination.
A Return to Iceland
Shannon describes Iceland as breathtakingly beautiful, remarkably clean, and inhabited by exceptionally friendly locals. With a background rooted in the vibrantly outdoorsy state of Colorado, Shannon admits to having enjoyed the myriad of adventurous activities Iceland offers such as hiking, sightseeing, and exploring volcanic tunnels. However, she equally conveys uncertainty about coming back, having ticked Iceland off her travel bucket list.
The Attraction of Golf Cruises
Shifting gears, the conversation opts towards discussing the notion of a golf cruise Shannon recently discovered on Instagram. Both expressing an avid interest in golf, Shannon elaborates on the appeal of such a trip: it is a combination of both travel and golf, two activities that embody their ideas of an ideal vacation. The golf cruise uniquely arranges golf rounds at the various stops and countries visited, in this instance, the Mediterranean.
Continuing the cruise talk, Tori differentiates between her distaste for cheap low-end cruises and her enthusiasm about the high-quality cruise experience in Spain offered by Virgin Cruises. She points out the significant improvements in the industry, particularly the prominence of restaurants and the requirement of reservations, positively steering away from traditional buffet setups.
Subtopic: Golf Travel as a Shared Goal
The dialogue seamlessly transitions into revealing a shared aspiration between Tori and Shannon: golfing in as many different locations as possible. They see golf not as an isolated pastime, but as an integral part of their perceptions about travel and exploration. Shannon portrays her travel philosophy as proactive and immersive rather than entirely restful and passive, while Tori shares her anticipation about an upcoming golf trip to Ireland.
Updates and Future Plans
In ending the conversation, both Tori and Shannon tease at exciting future plans, whether it's the sold-out Desert Classic event, the secretive 2024 Creek Cup location, or a potential spa day between events. Anytime Tori and Shannon catch up, it's filled with laughter, friendship, and a shared love for adventure.
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