Good afternoon! Welcome to Shanks. This week, we will be betting on the WW Technology Championship, which will be the first ever event hosted at a Tiger Woods designed course, if you can believe it.

Golf Trivia: How many calories do you burn in an average round? Answer Below.

Here's what we've got for ya today:

• Phil’s 3 Best Gambling Stories

• A Golf Horror Story

• What is The Netflix Cup?

• Shots Heard Round The World

• Early Lines: WW Technology Championship

• Thing We’d Buy If We Weren’t Broke

Phil’s 3 Best Gambling Stories

Whenever there’s a lull in the professional golf schedule, we like to take a trip down memory lane. This particular lull, we were thinking about Lefty and his reputation for enjoying an on-course wager. Google did not disappoint. Below are three of our favorite “Lefty Gambling Stories” from the internet golf archives.

1. Paul Azinger’s Story

“I had some big games with Mickelson. He was virtually unbeatable. Payne Stewart and I were playing Ben Crenshaw and Mickelson. By the time we got to the 18th hole at Bay Hill, it had gotten a little out of hand … We get to the last hole, and it’s like $1,600. We get to the 18th green, and we all have birdie putts. Mickelson is the closest, and he has about a 14-15 footer down the hill. We all miss … If (Mickelson) makes it, we lose $1,600. If we beg out, we forfeit $800. But if he misses it, we only lose $400. So Payne says, ‘I’m out.’ I said it was downhill, right-to-left. He’s not making it.

So Crenshaw jumps in and says, ‘I’ll take Payne’s side.’ So he gets his guaranteed $800. I looked at Mickelson, and I don’t know if I can say this, but I said, ‘Putt it, bitch.’ Mickelson looks at me and walks over to the putt. Dead center. He makes it dead center and smiles. Payne starts smiling and high-fiving Mickelson because I just lost $1,600 and he only lost $400. I was so mad. That’s when I knew Mickelson was going to be a really good player. I just knew it.”

2. Cheech Marin’s Tin Cup Story

“We were between scenes, standing around, and someone came up with a bet. There was this really tall pine tree, and someone said to Phil Mickelson, “I bet you can’t put your shoulder against the tree, drop a ball and hit it over the tree.” The shot basically had to go straight up. Everybody threw in a hundred bucks. I think there was $1,200 in the pot. And he did it! When the ball was still in the air, Mickelson bent over, picked up the money, and put it in his pocket.”

3. Picking On Tiger

As the Associated Press' Doug Ferguson wrote in 2011, Woods faced off against Mickelson only once in a practice-round match. It was at the 1998 Nissan Open, and Mickelson, who won big, put photocopies of Tiger's old $100 bills in Woods' locker along with a note reading, "Just wanted you to know Benji and his friends are very happy in their new home."

Sources: AP News, Golf Magazine, ESPN.

A Golf Horror Story

What are you doing if you get stuck behind this nightmare?

What is The Netflix Cup?

List this event under “Things We Didn’t Ask For.” More than anything, The Netflix Cup feels like an overbloated and expensive publicity stunt. Oh, you haven’t heard about this yet? Let’s go over the details we know for now:

• Netflix’s first-ever live sports event featuring athletes from their hit shows “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” and “Full Swing”

• Formula 1 drivers and PGA golfers will pair to compete in a match play tournament at Wynn Golf Club

• Players include: Alex Albon (Williams Racing), Pierre Gasly (BWT Alpine F1 Team), Lando Norris (McLaren Racing), and Carlos Sainz (Scuderia Ferrari), Rickie Fowler, Max Homa, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas.

• Golf tournament – November 14th; Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix – November 18th

So, are we going to watch this? YES, of course we are. But if we’ve learned anything about past golf publicity events, it’s best to leave the golfing to the professionals. We fell asleep during this years version of The Match. 

Check out The Netflix Cup trailer here.

Shots Heard Round The World

Former PGA Tour Pro Known As “Lil Commish” Pens Open Letter.

Viktor Hovland Wins ‘Pro-Scratch’ Invitational

Former LIV Golfer Makes It Through First Round of Q School

Will Zalatoris Sets Course Record - Gets Ready For Comeback

The Power Loading Formula.

Early Lines: WW Technology Championship

At first glance, we like Lucas Glover at +2500.

Will that famous LAB Putter still be hot?

Golf Thing We'd Buy If We Weren't Broke

The golf world is really leaning into this whole Netflix Cup thing, and while we are skeptical about the hype, we are most certainly not bummed about the whole Speed Craft Collection which features tons of TaylorMade hardware with Oracle Red Bull branding all over it.

Let’s explore the expensive gear available.

1. Stealth 2 Plus Driver: $700 - We of course, always recommend getting fitted for your driver before purchasing, but something tells me that if you’re buying this driver, (which is $100 more than a standard Stealth 2 driver) you’re not exactly concerned about about what your golf game feels like on the course. 

2. Speed Craft Driver Headcover: $100 - This is an absurd price for a headcover. But here, you’re paying for the names/logos here... and by that I mean TaylorMade, Oracle, Red Bull, and F1! 

3. New Era Paddock Bucket Hat: $50 - Only 50 bucks for a sick bucket hat?? Get this. Who cares if it isn’t sunny on the course these days. This is a great find, and even better, not sold out!

Needless to say, the Speed Craft Collection is expensive. But let’s not forget we’re crossing golf and Formula 1 here, which are like some of the world’s most expensive sports. 

Check out the whole Speed Craft Collection here!

Trivia Answer: About 1200-3000 Calories for a 4.5hr round of golf.

That’s all folks! See you Wednesday with some WW Technologies Championship bets.