Meet our friend Dave Baysden. Dave is a talented artist from Charlotte, NC and has quickly made a name for himself over the past few years in the golf space. He has painted many iconic venues and his work proudly hangs in a lot of our favorite clubhouses. Over these past few years we have gotten to know Dave quite well and most recently hung-out with him at The Bungalow down in Jupiter. Not only is Dave a great artist but he is also a great person and his kindness and personality are what we admire most about him. Get to know Dave below! 1. At what point did you decide to quit your full-time job? Did you ever think you’d be a full-time artist? My wife and I had begun talking about if leaving my full-time job would be a possibility back in 2019 as my small interest in painting had begun to build to a point where I was staying up way too late at night to paint. I was loving it, but I couldn’t really focus on painting. When I was at my day job I was thinking of the paintings I wanted to be working on and I started to feel overwhelmed by it all. However, I was in a ‘safe’ job at a big engineering firm where I was doing creative work in their planning department.  I did enjoy it and really liked the people I worked with. Like many folks, Covid expedited decisions that, honestly I may not have made. I felt stuck in that job, but I was providing for my family and had always told myself I didn’t have to ‘love’ my work. Brutal to even type that now. I never dreamed of being a full-time artist, let alone working for myself. Sure, maybe it was in the back of my mind, but if you had told me 10 years ago that I’d be doing what I’m doing now; I would have laughed at you for sure. I do believe that it is something that’s always been in me. We are each created with certain interests and gifts and we’re all unique. It just took me 40 years and a pandemic to trust that God had built me to do this and that he was going to make the journey work!  I never had purpose in my work before, but now I do. I pray that my work points people to the idea that God loves us. It’s that simple. He is a personal and loving God that wants us to live a full life and one that brings glory to him. I can say without a doubt that this story isn’t the universe working itself out in my favor, but rather God purposefully designed a path where I would be able to best bring him glory. I lived a fine life, loving my wife and family, but I didn’t have purpose in my life or work. The day my job ended, I’ve never felt the need to trust and rely on God more than I did then; and wow has he worked wonders. I’ve met some of the best people and have been able to paint special moments for people as gifts and memories. Capturing places where folks have spread ashes of loved ones, places where folks have left golf balls as memories for their relatives that have passed, and capturing first homes, proposals, hole-in-ones, and vacation spots. Now, I’m working harder than I ever have in my life and loving every minute of it. I’m just beyond grateful for the path I’m on, the people I’ve met and the places I get to capture. I’m thrilled where things are going and for new opportunities, including something I’ve started alongside a bunch of great men, called Restoration Club. We feel called to build a community in golf where you leave from trips encouraged to be better husbands, fathers and friends. We have our first event in May and looking forward to many more where we’ll play golf, encourage and point each other to Jesus and then head home rested, restored and ready to serve those we love the most. 2. Your style is so unique, who are some of the more influential artists to you? An artist’s style is such a fascinating thing to observe. Mine has developed over the few years that I’ve been painting and the more I paint, the more I am discovering it. It’s one reason that I didn’t paint for most of my life. I thought I needed a style to paint, but actually I needed to paint to develop a style. I imagine my style will change over the next few years as well. I have new ideas I want to try to incorporate and so we’ll see where that goes. Some of my most influential artists: SORRY This is a LONG list.  :) Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth and Andrew Wyeth are huge inspirations since my childhood for their unique styles, mastery and composition. Norman Rockwell is probably the first artist I remember being drawn too. Bart Forbes: current artist. I found his work when researching TPC Sawgrass. I can’t wait to get there one day and see his paintings in the clubhouse. I exchanged emails with him a couple of years ago and he couldn’t have been nicer.  I remember being drawn to the artwork in old Sports Illustrated magazines and come to find out through our emails that he was likely the artist for most of those pieces. The way he captures a scene and the people in it are inspirational for sure. LeRoy Neiman: His out of the box creativity. Inspires me to not be contained to a particular way of looking at a scene. Steve Penley: I’ve loved his work for a long time, but it was in an interview I read of his where he said that in order to be a successful artist (meaning survive on being an artist), he had to learn to paint quicker. To me that looks like painting without fear. I used to paint afraid of messing up. Now I paint without that fear and from a place of not needing to ‘save’ paint. I realized a dream last year when I found out I’d have work in the same building as his at the Georgia offices of the USGA in Atlanta. Still amazed at that turn of events! Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes): Love his creativity and watercolor style. I have always loved his work and I have a huge desire to do a kids book and develop a storyline on some characters I’ve created. Cartoon and illustration have always been a big part of my work. Josh Jensen: A super talented friend of mine in Charlotte who paints beautiful abstract art. He actually pushed me to paint several years ago and still challenges me to grow and develop. Steve Whitby (Creative director at a church I was at 7 years ago):  He led a group of artists and saw that I was being held back from pursuing anything in art because of fear. He was primarily responsible for me taking the very first steps of becoming an artist. I owe him more than he’ll ever know. My contemporaries in the current golf art space constantly inspire me and I’m humbled to even see my name alongside theirs: Joshua Smith, Joshua Davis, Aimee Smith, Josh Bills, Lee Wybranski, Mike Cocking, and many others. 3. Other than golf courses, what are some of your favorite subjects? I tend to draw from my life experiences growing up for what I enjoy painting the most and for me that is typically tied to the outdoors, fly-fishing, hiking, kayaking, exploring.  I grew up visiting my grandparents in Wilmington and Charleston, so I’m heavily drawn to low country marsh scenes. The Low Country of South Carolina calls to my soul! 4. We’re coffee people… what’s your go-to order at Brakeman’s Coffee and Supply? What's the story behind the shop? My go to order at Brakeman’s depends on the weather.  :) Hot summer day: a “Ticket Please” - it’s our espresso milkshake made with our house beans Cold Rainy Day : almond milk latte with a touch of vanilla. Typical morning: black coffee Typical afternoon: iced coffee with a splash of cream The shop is located in downtown Matthews, NC in an old 1925 Bungalow. It used to be the home of gentleman who worked for the Seaboard Rail line that runs right through downtown Matthews. The town grew up around the rail line and they have a caboose outside the town hall. Brakeman’s really came out of the idea of wanting to create a place of community for our little town. Two other couples and my wife and I dreamed up this idea, found the bungalow, designed the interior, made the logo and then started selling coffee on our front patio while we had construction done on the inside. The town has supported us from the get go and even through the pandemic when we delivered bags of beans around town! Amazing! For me, I love good coffee, but it was more about building a space for people to gather. I love going there and just watching people interact in a space that we built. Honored to play a small part in that, but more so grateful to get to see it. The name obviously comes from the town’s connection to train history, but what we loved was that the Brakeman’s job is to control the speed of the train. Life is speeding by so quickly most days, that we want Brakeman’s to be a spot to slow down and enjoy time, be that with friends, family or just you and a book. I can’t say enough good things about the experience and for how Matthews has supported us. 5. What’s your ideal 10-song playlist? I’m a TERRIBLE person to ask about songs and especially specific songs. Let’s do this in no particular order… John Mayer The Band Darius Rucker Sturgile Simpson Brent Cobb Chris Stapleton Need to Breath Drew Holcomb Van Morrison George Strait 6. What’s your favorite item in your golf bag? / What’s the “best” course you’ve ever played? Almost every item in my bag has a story. I’ve bartered for it all with paintings. My favorite item might be the bag itself. It’s a Mackenzie bag that I got from Zac Blair’s - The Ringer II. It’s the only oval shaped opening mac bag ever, courtesy of me leaving it propped up beside my buddy’s jeep. He backed out not knowing it was there and the ring at the top of the bag was so strong it only cracked my driver shaft. Pretty amazing luck and an even better bag, plus it reminds me of some pretty epic golf days at Sweetens. Pacific Dunes - a dream trip to Bandon and playing on the Oregon Coast, highlighted by my personal best round on my favorite course there. Mid Pines - This spot is amazing. You feel like you’re just enveloped in the course. The history, silence and pines just create this bubble that you enter into and I’d play there everyday if I could. Sweetens Cove - where I learned about golf as community and where I decided I wanted to play this game for the rest of my life. 7. Your favorite Draddy item? Impossible question: Graham Polo (big fan of button pockets and 4 buttons plackets) Jack Polo - just the most comfortable long sleeve polo ever Russ Sweatshirt - everyday wear

PGA Tour rookie Greyson Sigg first learned to play golf on the other side of Rae's Creek at Augusta Country Club and spent every spring break making the short drive over to Augusta National, where his mom serves as an executive assistant to the chairman. Greyson was born and raised in Augusta, GA and honed his skills at Augusta Country Club eventually earning himself a spot at the University of Georgia. At Georgia he would go on to lead the Bulldogs to a SEC Championship as a Co-Captain in his junior season. We decided there was no better time to catch up with the Augusta native, and member of The Brothers Draddy for a quick Q&A about The Masters.    Favorite Masters moment? My favorite Masters moment has to be back in 2005 when Tiger chipped in on 16 to go on and beat Chris DiMarco. I mean I don't think there's any other shot or moment that can compare to that one.   Greyson at Augusta National Golf Club circa 2015      Favorite hole at Augusta? My favorite hole at Augusta National is probably going to be 13. It's a great risk reward par 5, you can be pretty aggressive off the tee and hit one up the left side and try and turn it over. There's been guys in the past that have hit 8 iron into there. It's a pivotal hole come Sunday at The Masters and guys are really trying to get that hole, it's the last hole in Amen Corner and it's one that's really important.   If you were to win the Masters what would be on the menu for the Masters Champions Dinner? For my Master's Champions Dinner I think I'm going to have to keep it pretty southern. We're definitely doing some fried chicken, some vegetables and some mac & cheese. For dessert we'll probably do something along the lines of chocolate cake or chocolate ice cream cake, because that's what I like.  

Here's a little taste of what's in our headphones as we lead into The Masters this week. Spread the Georgia vibes with friends by subscribing and sharing our "Georgia On My Mind" playlist.

To know Brad Woodger is to know The Royal & Ancient Chappaquiddick Links on Martha's Vineyard. The course is the embodiment of Brad's outlook on life and the game. We sat down with Brad to pick his brain and hear in his own words what Royal Chappy means to him. TLDR: The Royal & Ancient Chappaquiddick Links is an experience in the game unlike any other. It has personality and it doesn't try to pretend it's anything it's not. It's the epitome of accessibility in the game and is a trip we'll treasure for many years to come.  "The greens were, in the early days, surrounded by fencing to keep unwanted livestock off.  Seems antithetical, but my grandparents swore it true." Draddy: Can you give us a 1000ft view of the history of the RACL?Brad: The Royal and Ancient Chappaquiddick Links (RACL) was established 1887-ish. It was built by my great grandfather, Frank Marshall, who lived in Needham MA. The land on Chappy lent itself to the laying out of a course, as it was mostly just an open sand plain, unpopulated by trees.  My guess too is that they had all this land at their disposal (over 200 acres) and he wasn’t one to sit idly without a project! Frank married in early 1900 and brought his growing family of relatives with him to Chappy. Some 40 or so assorted members of the clan would descend upon Chappy in May and stay until October. They’d bring sheep, horses, goats and cattle with them…and obviously really settle in for the summer. The greens were, in the early days, surrounded by fencing to keep unwanted livestock off. Seems antithetical, but my grandparents swore it true. By about 1910 though the “greens” were transitioned to hard packed sand. I believe they were returned to grass in the 1920’s before going completely dormant in the ‘30s (due to war and The Great Depression). Frank’s son, Bob, had moved to Chappy and began building cottages in the late 40’s. His daughter, Mary, and her husband Ham Kelly settled shortly thereafter.  By the mid-fifties, they were starting to reclaim land that had become tree’d and overgrown during the dormant period. They chose an unpopulated/unhoused 14 acre parcel adjacent to the Big Camp to begin bringing the course back. They renamed the golf course the Inland Ball Watcher’s Society - perhaps to put their own identity on the new incarnation. Their new logo was a cartoon bird, wearing a scarf, that was in distress as a golf ball approached its head (seriously). They did, however, retain the Royal moniker for a boat launch that they dubbed The Royal Chappy Yacht Club (RCYC).  Their flag sported an upside down crown.  Maintenance during this period was performed by Ham Kelley with a John Deere tractor and a Land Cruiser with gang mowers trailing (by the time I took over in 1987, the Land Cruiser had completely lost its brakes, and I relied on the weight of the gangs to slow my roll. No one died during this time frame, though I certainly pushed the envelope. Draddy: When did you get involved?Brad: I took over maintenance and management of the course fully in 1988. My position was gained through attrition, as no other grandkid had either the inclination nor the time to take it on. I had little, to no, experience in turf management…but saw an opportunity to squat on my grandparents Chappy property for as long as I proved useful. With his assistance, I laid poly pipe to all the the greens and tees, and added wire to automate the watering. This was a big project that nearly broke me…but only the first in a list of many challenges to come. In 2004, summer neighbor and friend loaned Kim Bennett (longtime prior girlfriend) $750,000 to renovate the existing 6 holes to 9. We bought 3 more acres at a reduced rate, allowing for conservation, and reclaimed existing land to accommodate a new 1st, 7th, and 8th hole. We worked mainly with the existing design - only rerouting to incorporate the new holes. Proper irrigation was installed with a central control, and all the greens and tees were renovated (or freshly constructed) using a zero-balance process. Very little material was brought in or out, but rather existing earth was excavated, screened, and then laid back down, graded and seeded. Most of the trees cut down were chipped and used to fill an old bottle dump behind the new first tee (Kim and I spent 3 full cold wet April days, attempting to remove all the bottles from the dump until we hit a car chassis and what appeared to be another 10-15 feet deep of solid bottle waste). By 2010, the course was ready to reopen as the Royal and Ancient Chappaquiddick Links.  I thought it only fitting to return it to its original brand, and borrowed from prior logos and the tongue-in-cheek seriousness of my ancestors to birth Sir Reginald. By 2012, I was mostly on my own, without the help I’d become accustomed to, but even more engaged and dedicated to its perpetuation. George’s ownership allowed me to pay myself and increase play. I was thus able to dedicate even more time and effort to the development of the Royal Chappy. I have been the sole marketer, laborer, manager, merchandiser, designer, social director, CFO, and mechanic for the golf course for the past 10 years. And here we are now.     Draddy: Tell us about the RACL Fleet of vehicles. Brad: Growing up in the summers on Chappy, I was enamored with the old cars and trucks used primarily for transportation.  The smells, sounds, and appearance of these cars WERE Chappy to me.  Everything about Chappy was so throw-back, unadorned, and simple - particularly it’s transportation.  Spurred by this aesthetic, I had vowed as an 8 year old to one day own my very own VW bus.  So, when the opportunity arose, I purchased a bus from a surfer in Santa Cruz and had it shipped to Boston.  It promptly broke down on the on-ramp from Andover onto Rte 95 after 3 miles of travel. I was blessed with sitting in it, waiting to be towed to Woods Hole, while blocking traffic, and having motorists scream at me.    "You can’t manufacture the smell of a well-used old car with a new vehicle, nor can you replicate the feel or the ride. Chappy is different - I didn’t want anything ordinary showing up at the ferry to pick people up. For many, the pick-up vehicle was going to be the first tangible experience with the Links…so it had to right.  The cars manage expectations…sort of set up the vibe.  We’re not bringing you to a country club, so we’re not picking you up in a Cadillac Escalade."  I mean, what else would you expect to arrive at our “clubhouse”.  And ultimately, Royal Chappy is a lot about telling a story and attempting to replicate everything I loved as a kid about Chappy and golf.   Draddy: What's in your headphones when you're ripping around on the mowers? Brad: "I listen to music, switching between playlists everyday, ALL the time I work on the course. I try to temper my indignation and sourness each time someone wants to tell me something while my headphones are on. I try. Music, to me, flavors everything…and is my lone true comfort in life." Music has informed my life basically from age 1. A song has the unique ability to transport me to a very specific time/day in my life, generating distinct feelings that are otherwise lost. From the eerie attraction to the Door’s Riders on the Storm to the jubilant cheesiness of the Bay City Rollers’ Saturday Night - my youth was spent switching moods dependent on the song…and it’s all carried over to today. While most kids in my neighborhood were painting there faces and spitting out lighter fluid flames, I was daydreaming to The Beach Boys and Steve Miller - pretty certain that I was born to surf the waves of La Jolla rather than ride mini bikes through the puddles of the dirt woods behind my house.   Each year had its own song - most of which reminded me of a particular crush: Seasons in the Sun/Paula Kahn; Mandy/Terry Herrick; December 1963/Debbie Goddeau;  Evil Woman/Robin Bomar; Dyer Maker/Jennifer Ace…you get the picture.  And then there were songs related directly to sports - Genius of Love/Track and Field; Box of Rain/X-Country; Africa/Skiing; Ballroom Blitz/Baseball; Sultans of Swing/Golf.   That association and love of music is no less strong today.  New Wave 80s, Alternative 90’s, Lo-Fi 2000s…I don’t live a decade or a day with listening to music.     Draddy: Any closing thoughts for Draddy Community? Brad: While Royal Chappy is a highly highly personal experience for me, I think a decent amount of its charm comes from me trying to translate these feelings into the golf experience. I’ve taken the task and the joy of shaping the golf course into what I believe it’s always been as a life’s calling. There is little spectacular about Royal Chappy - it doesn’t have the lights or bunkers of Sweetens Cove, the acreage of other 9 holers, or the prestige of some of the other older course. But it IS authentic. It is the 2 bedroom cabin on the seaside, waves and wind playing through the windows. It is not AC and perfectly performing plumbing! I take pride in its maintenance, but I take equal pride in its low key friendliness. Everything I liked, and fear lost, about being a kid is embodied in Royal Chappy. It exists only through a confluence of fortunate circumstances and hard-won battles.  There have been dozens and dozens of times it could have (SHOULD have) failed, but here it is.  It isn’t like any other course.  Not a one.

We snuck away for a little retreat to Martha's Vineyard. In the short time we got to spend on the island, we knew it was our speed. It's a place where an old Jeep Wagoneer is a badge of honor and time with friends and family is everything.⁠⁠ Spending most of our time on Chappaquiddick, we hit one of golf's hidden gems and enjoyed some oysters and wiffle ball on the beach. Here's a little preview of our adventure. We fueled up at Rosewater Market & Takeaway. We recommend their Egg & Cheese sandwich with the Works and Linguica. A brief ferry ride across Edgartown Harbor and we met up with Brad of The Royal & Ancient Chappaquiddick Golf Links Brad is all-time. We caught up with him for a bit after our round and he embodies this playground of a course. Low-key and distinctly Chappy. He makes it all look effortless. Even down the the vehicles that meet you at the ferry to shuttle you to the course. "You can’t manufacture the smell of a well-used old car with a new vehicle, nor can you replicate the feel or the ride. For many, the pick-up vehicle was going to be the first tangible experience with the Links…so it had to be right. The cars manage expectations…sort of set up the vibe. We’re not bringing you to a country club, so we’re not picking you up in a Cadillac Escalade." - Brad Woodger, Manager & Superintendent at R&A Chappaquiddick Links LEFT: Billy and his brother Greg. The relationship that formed the inspiration for B. Draddy (aka Brothers Draddy). RIGHT: The Crow Bus and Mr. Pickles are the [not-so] trusty chariots that await visitors arrival on the other side of the car ferry across Edgartown Harbor. Don't worry, Brad is reliable... it's just a toss up what vehicle you're going to get that day. You'll need to either pick up a permit or know somebody who has one to drive onto the beach on Chappaquiddick. Luckily, we met up with our buddy Rob to show us the ropes in his FJ40, not before we were able to flag down The Signature Oyster Farm deck boat and grab some fresh oysters right off the dock.