TBTL #4554: "Tee Shots & Terrible Towels"

Date: September 15, 2025
Hosts: Luke Burbank (B), John Sklaroff (A) [Filling in for Andrew Walsh]

Episode Overview

This vibrant Monday episode welcomes John Sklaroff as co-host while Andrew attends to family matters. Luke and John lean into their rapport, riffing on golf misadventures, the quirks of meeting strangers while playing, Pittsburgh Steelers fandom in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest, and the inside baseball of TBTL donor logistics. Throughout, the episode is shot through with TBTL’s signature blend of mundane hilarity and affectionate self-deprecation—a mix designed to bring listeners both comfort and comic catharsis.

Key Discussion Points

1. Golf Adventures With Strangers

Timestamps: [02:33] – [29:13]

• Luke’s Golf Weekend

  • Luke recounts his “killer weekend” playing golf with his brother Sam and two strangers, detailing his anxiety about etiquette, technical skill, and being paired with others.
  • Never having driven a golf cart before at age 49, Luke admits to feeling “oddly nervous” about all the unwritten rules and logistical steps.

• Golfing Etiquette Demystified

  • Discussion on complex and arbitrary golfing customs (e.g., not stepping on someone’s ‘line’ on the green), with John poking fun at the seriousness of these traditions.
  • Quote [10:30] – John (A): "A lot of the unwritten rules are silly, this is absurd to me because, one, you're not playing on pristine...there are other people stepping all over the greens all day. So, like, those divots are likely there already."

• Being Paired With “Terrible Towel” Guy

  • Luke and Sam are paired with a Steelers fan who has little actual knowledge of the Steelers, much to Luke's amusement and gentle exasperation.
  • Quote [13:00] – Luke (B): "I want to let everyone know...that I have not been on a real golf course in like 20 years and that this could really suck."

• First Tee Jitters and Modest Victories

  • Luke describes deep nerves before his first swing, but manages to stay on the fairway and gets a par—relief washes over him, which sets the tone for a relaxed round.
  • Quote [25:54] – Luke (B): "I was the relief that, like, washed over me was palpable...it was the only par that I got the whole day. Yeah, it was the first hole."

• Mutual Incompetence as Bonding

  • The group’s actual play is as average as Luke’s—lots of talk about ideal shots but few delivered—leveling the social stakes and making the experience fun rather than stressful.

• Golf as a Gateway to ‘Cart Life’

  • The delight of driving the cart is only marginally related to the sport itself; John and Luke riff on this simple pleasure.

2. The Mystery and Magnetism of Chain Restaurants and Local Amenities

Timestamps: [41:36] – [44:53]

• Local Costco FOMO

  • Luke bemoans how the new Ridgefield, WA, Costco (in donor Michelle Coggin’s town) could have been mere minutes from his house, but local leadership only wanted to lease, not sell, land.
  • Quote [44:05] – Luke (B): "I almost had that Costco, like, two minutes from my house...I am, I have to say, I was retroactively—and this is what exurban life is doing to me—depressed that that one could have been at my very doorstep."

• Perpetual Lines at In-N-Out

  • John is mystified at the willingness to wait hours for chain food, referencing local excitement around Olive Garden and In-N-Out openings.

• Changing Face of Local Commerce

  • Luke shares about new development nearby and reminisces about adjusting to the lack of walkable amenities, contrasting big-city life to rural Washington.

3. TBTL Behind the Scenes: Listener Donations and Thank-You Logistics

Timestamps: [51:08] – [56:21]

• Mailing Out Thank-You Gifts

  • John explains the logistics behind mailing TBTL donor thank-you gifts (harmonicas, melodicas, stickers, tambourines) and the sense of community in seeing familiar names.
  • Quote [51:27] – John (A): "It is not a thankless job...People are just very gracious and grateful. I feel the love and I'm thankful for that love."

• Shipping Notes & Treat Discourse

  • The shipping software pings them every time a shipment is made—a technological thrill for John, and a reminder of the ongoing, year-long thank-you process.

4. Streaming, TikTok Trends, and What We’re Watching

Timestamps: [65:50] – [71:43]

• What Are We Watching?

  • Luke contemplates starting the HBO show “Task” (with Mark Ruffalo), recommended for fans of ‘Mare of Easttown’.
  • John and his partner are pacing themselves through ‘The Bear’ and have recently watched the Netflix catfishing documentary.
  • Quote [66:44] – Luke (B): "Do you find yourself yelling ‘Yes, Chef!’ to each other in the kitchen when preparing dinner?"

• TikTok Trend Taxonomy

  • Both riff on what makes a trend go viral, the chaotic ecosystem of TikTok, and how certain memes propagate within specific demos (with the “holy freaking airball” meme as an example).

5. Nostalgia, Sports, and Local Color

Timestamps: [49:08] – [50:53]; [61:56] – [65:07]

• Dunwoody, GA, and Calling Places ‘Tiny’

  • Luke apologizes to listener David in Dunwoody, GA, for calling his city “tiny,” after being corrected that it's really just a suburb of Atlanta.

• Chicago Adventures and John Cusack Sighting

  • Luke reminisces about the time he took the “kids” to a Cubs game courtesy of owner Tom Ricketts and sat near John Cusack – a massive cool-parent moment.
  • Quote [63:15] – Luke (B): "I've never had more baseball cred or more just--no, no more fathering cred...we were watching a Cubs game at Wrigley Field next to John Cusack."

• Movie References and Gently Mocking Film Tropes

  • John and Luke discuss ‘Gross Point Blank’ and radio inaccuracy in film, riffing about how movies always depict studios without headphones.

6. Existential Dread, Pop Culture Mirrors, and Handmaid’s Tale Comps

Timestamps: [71:23] – [72:43]

• When Dystopia Hits Too Close
  • The hosts acknowledge the difficulty in watching ‘Andor’ and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, given current political realities—what once seemed like hyperbole now feels prescient.
  • Quote [71:43] – Luke (B): "I remember when the Handmaid's Tale came out...now I'm just like, what I would give for it only being the Handmaid's Tale."

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Performing for Strangers:
  • [13:00] Luke: “I just don’t want them to think that I don’t know that I’m bad at this, because I know, you know?”
• On Golf Group Dynamics:
  • [17:59] John: “He’s flying it on his bag, though. It is his personality. He’s putting it out there on front street.”
• On Hitting Par:
  • [25:54] Luke: "Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. I was very, I was—the relief that, like, washed over me was palpable."
• On Costco Near-Misses:
  • [44:05] Luke: “I almost had that Costco, like, two minutes from my house, which would have…”
• On the Never-ending Quest for Treats:
  • [54:42] Luke: "...if I don’t have some little fun treat out there that’s in the process of being processed and mailed to me..."
• On Viral Internet Culture:
  • [58:59] Luke: "I am so completely incapable of imagining what the next trend will be, you know..."
• On TV’s Uncanny Prescience:
  • [71:43] Luke: "...it is now so much worse than the Handmaid’s Tale. Like, I just remember thinking, like, that's—we're being a little dramatic here people. And now I'm just like, what I would give for it only being the Handmaid's Tale."

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Start | End | |-----------------------------------------------|------------|------------| | Playing Golf With Strangers | 02:33 | 29:13 | | Chain Restaurant Mania & Costco FOMO | 41:36 | 44:53 | | TBTL Donor Logistics & Thank-Yous | 51:08 | 56:21 | | TV Talk (Bear, Mare of Easttown, TikTok) | 65:50 | 71:43 | | Dystopia vs. Reality: Handmaid’s Tale | 71:43 | 72:43 |

Memorable Moments

• Luke’s “Cart Life” Revelation: Realizing that sometimes driving the golf cart is the best part of playing.
• Encountering a Steelers Fan With No Steelers Knowledge: The hilarity of sporting a Terrible Towel while relying on only a vague understanding of team history.
• John’s Donor Box “Show Pic”: The idea of proudly showing off the stacked boxes of mailed thank-yous, relishing the logistical grind.
• Meta Podcast Jokes About Audio Drops and Jobs: The recurring bits about who’s “doing the job” and wry technical self-deprecation.
• Golf Scoring App Absurdity: The app literally wouldn’t allow Luke to log as many strokes as he took on one hole.

Tone & Style

Conversational, gently self-mocking, filled with affectionate asides and lightly absurd tangents. Jokes and throwback bits arise organically. The energy is upbeat, with John’s presence bringing a lively yet grounded dynamic as he fills in for Andrew. Well-paced, with generous space for both hosts’ stories and the familiar TBTL mix of the trivial and the tender.

For the TBTL Completist or the Curious

If you love self-deprecating “guy tries to golf with strangers” stories, mid-tier Pacific Northwest sports rivalries, and inside looks at how your favorite public radio-adjacent podcasts actually ship your loot, this is essential listening. Also a treat for anyone sentimental about Chicago, Costco, or the subtle joys of driving a golf cart.

Sample Quote for Sharing

“My whole thing was I just wanted to have one hole where I hit a couple of shots that felt like I was playing golf—not like an alien who had been quantum leapt onto the golf course and was holding a golf club for the first time.”
—Luke Burbank [26:01]