217 (18STRONG): The RGV Tour: Living in an RV Down by the Golf Course with Patrick Koenig

What this episode covers

Today I am especially excited to bring on our special guest, Patrick Koenig, Founder of the RGV Tour. Have you ever wanted to just quit your job and go on an endless golf trip, traveling around the states, playing the best courses, hanging out with golfers from all over the country, golfing with celebrities, and doing it all in a pimped out RV? If you said yes, you basically just described the RGV Tour and the life of our guest, Patrick Koenig. Patrick decided to quit his job about a year ago and pursue his passion for golf and golf photography. He bought an RV, decked it out (including a rooftop driving range,) named his adventure the “Recreational Golf Vehicle Tour” (RGV Tour) and invited anyone and everyone to come out a play with him. To this date, he has played over 360 golf courses since last February, played in 47 states with over 700 golfers and travelled over 32,000 miles in the RGV. Today we get a VIP pass into the last 10 months of the tour; the story behind it, the antics, and it’s future moving forward. Patrick Koenig’s Background * Patrick Koenig is an avid golfer who loves to capture some of the outstanding moments he encounters on the golf course through amazing photography. His mission is to share my stories, excitement and love for the game of golf with others. * He resigned from his sales position, purchased a recreational vehicle (RV), and turned it into a recreational golf vehicle (RGV) where he is touring the country playing golf raising money for kids and golf. * The best part about the RGV Tour is that it will be raising money for a worthwhile cause, The First Tee of Seattle. The First Tee of Greater Seattle positively impacts the lives of young people by building character, instilling life-enhancing values and promoting healthy choices through the game of golf. Patrick believes that every aspect from his relationships to his finances has changed for the better because of golf. * With an original goal to present a check for $10,000 at the season-ending check ceremony, The RGV Tour has successfully crushed the original goal and has currently raised over $17,000 for The First Tee of Great Seattle. Highlights from this Episode * Patrick starts the episode by giving us some background on the RGV tour and its inception. Everything from what his life was like before the RGV tour to what inspired him to take this unconventional leap from his 9-5 to touring the country playing golf in all 50 states. * How he is raising money for the great cause, The First Tee of Great Seattle, and also how every donation is going straight to the cause and not into his gas tank. He is completely funding this tour out of his own pocket. * The balance between playing golf and shooting golf photography, and how he was able to get such great pictures/drone footage of some of the top courses in the states. * The highlights from the tour, pros, and celebrities he played with on the tour like Bill Clinton, where he could and could not play, and how improvised some of the on-the-fly planning was when traveling from state to state. * The experience, demands, and tolls on his body and fitness while traveling for the last 10 months and playing golf every day. He gives us the inside look at what he does to stay healthy and lean (through his patented “Swedish Fish” Diet.) He also dives into the different stats he has collected (Distance traveled, birdies within 2 feet of the hole, courses played, etc.) * His take on the age-old question here at 18Strong: Playing more often and beating balls vs. playing less and more technical. He also dives into how his golf game has improved from playing over 300 rounds over the last 10 months. Parting Questions Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore? Caddy Shack What would your walk-up song to the first teebox be? “Seek and Destroy” by Metallica