Golfing at Terranea w Chris Lyons of a16z
Golfing with
Chris Lyons
of a16z
Christopher Lyons is President, Web3 Media at a16z crypto. Prior to joining the team at a16z crypto, he cofounded the firm’s Cultural Leadership Fund (CLF) and was instrumental in launching the first Seed Fund. Lyons joined a16z in 2013, first as chief of staff to co-founder Ben Horowitz.
An avid golfer, Chris tries to get on the green at least once a week. He spoke with Toasted Life about how he gets ready, from clubs to clothes.
What’s the first thing you do when getting ready for the golf course?
First I have to set the mood. I need a playlist that gets me in the right headspace, something that’s chill but also upbeat. I like the Focus playlists on Apple Music, and tend to choose something with light instrumentation, no lyrics. My favorite playlist at the moment is the Pure Ambient mix.
What do you wear? Does it change depending on the course?
Since Terranea is in SoCal, it gets pretty hot out. If I’m feeling basic and low effort, I’ll probably just wear something by Lululemon. They have light, breathable fabric designed with flexibility and a wide range of motion in mind. If I wanna flex, I might wear something by Eastside Golf. It’s Black-owned brand run by two men who played on the Morehouse golf team together. Their clothes I’d say are elevated athleisure. I also really like ActivelyBlack. I buy their performance shirt in bulk, it’s perfect.
What about the clubs? Is there a certain set you really like?
When I first started, I just got a complete set by Callaway. It’s a good, fairly affordable brand for when you’re learning the game. As I got more experienced though, I wanted different brands for different types of clubs. In my opinion. Titleist has the best wedges. My favorite driver is made by Cobra.
What advice would you give to folks who are curious about golf but haven’t set foot on a course?
Take lessons! Before investing in it seriously, see if you enjoy it. There’s a lot to learn, from the rules, to the different clubs, to gauging things like speed and distance. The PGA website has a directory of coaches by city. You can also find a coach through Golftec. If you’re not in a major city, see if your regional country club has classes, most do.
