Latest news with #Nic
SBS Australia
18 hours ago
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Talking to kids about the climate crisis
Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts. Nic: This is a lifelong conversation that we are all going to be a part of and we need to see it in that way. If you need a break, take a break, come back to it later. Don't see it as an all or nothing. Don't let yourself burn out. We've got too much pressure to let something like this take away the positive change that we can create for our kids. SB: Extreme weather events – whether floods, fires or cyclones – have become increasingly common. Scientists say they're fuelled by climate change, and that the world is currently off-track to limit a global temperature rise to prevent the worst impacts of the climate crisis. Nic Seton is the CEO of an activist group called Parents For Climate and he wants to do something about it. I'm Sophie Bennett and in this episode of the Beta Blueprint, we'll discuss how parents can help influence change and how to navigate climate conversations with young kids. SB: Thanks for joining me Nic, to start with why do you get into climate activism? Well, I grew up on the fringes of suburbs in Logan and Queensland and really saw a lot of expansion and just with the local community felt very concerned about new freeways and the removal of forests. And then as I grew older, I realised that this is actually a big global condition that we've kind of industrialised to the point of actually undermining our own ecosystems. And I got really engaged in climate. I signed up for everything I could find to sort of campaign and make a difference. And then seven years ago I became a dad and that's when it all got very real in a different way. I sort of stopped thinking about climate change and started feeling it, particularly during the Black Summer bushfires. My 3-year-old boy at the time suffered quite acute bronchiolitis and was hospitalised a few times with need for oxygen and he was one of thousands of kids who were struggling to breathe under 90 days of constant smoke. And we were in Sydney, we're not in the middle of the bush, but we were really feeling it hard and it felt very personal. It is hard to describe, but if you've ever had a moment where your kid is in danger and you want to do something to protect them, it's very, very motivating. And I saw Parents for Climate around that time and I thought that's absolutely the organisation I want to be a part of and to help other parents respond to that constructively and make a difference for their kids. SB: Yeah, I remember that summer it was truly horrible. So, with the Parents For Climate group, can you tell me a bit more about it? So I literally just saw a notice in a cafe, in a cafe window in the inner west of Sydney and it just said, come along, we're just having a meetup, we're doing a playgroup. Bring your kids, we've got toys. We're having a chat about climate activism. I thought, well, that's a great place to start because most parents don't really know what actions to take or don't have a lot of time, but if you can fit it in because you need a play date and frankly socialising your kids and meeting some other parents is pretty important to you, especially with young kids that just fit our schedule beautifully. And so it just so happened to be that we were coming together for that and for a positive conversation about climate action. And yeah, I really found a home there. SB: When you mentioned before that you said you started really feeling climate change rather than just being aware of it … would you describe that feeling as climate anxiety or a heightened level of fear? Definitely, I'm one of those people that want to know as much as possible on the issues of things like climate change. And I do as much reading as I can and reading different perspectives and I think it sort of led me to understand that we're going to struggle to deal with some of the fallout of climate impacts for the next few decades as a community, as society, and also just as individual families. And this really hit home when I was talking to Professor Mark Howden, so he's an ANU climate scientist and one of the lead authors on the Impacts report from the most recent International Panel on Climate Change and he is also a dad. And he said, yeah, look, I'd gladly talk to your community online. We ran a webinar and people just sort of said, how bad is it? It was a hard conversation. He really sort of said, this is what we know could happen. But he also said something that was very motivating, which was we could turn this around in the lifetimes of ourselves, not just our kids, but our own eyes could witness our kids' world becoming safer from a climate perspective. If we get it right, if we get on top of this, the next few decades will be hard, but there is a world we will live in if we get it right. And that's so powerful to hear because while knowing your kids have to go through so much growing up and all the change that comes with that and there's going to be hard times, you accept that and still do everything you can to set them up for success. And I think climate change is no different. SB: Ok, so when it comes to practical action, what are you doing now as a parent? Look, I sometimes describe Parents for Climate as both a home for those parents who maybe are starting their journey into climate action and just need a sense of community and to be seen and heard and felt and respected and belong. But it's also a strategy. Parents for Climate plays a really big role in power and politics because 12.5 million Australians are parents. It's the majority of voters. There might be grandparents, there might be carers, there might be single parents, but we've all got this innate prioritising of our kids' best interest going on. And research in the Climate Compass, which looks at attitudinal profiles towards climate change, shows us that about a quarter of those parents are already alarmed or alert, they're engaged, they're switched on to wanting to do something about climate change, but in another quarter the bit that start to cross over into the middle of the normal curve, they're concerned but they're quite passive. They're not given the time, space, opportunity, or access to make a difference. And that's what our organisation is focused on is working with those people who are active to really connect with and support those who aren't yet active. But if asked, they have a strong opinion to express and want to see things that are in the best interest of their kids and that could be really powerful and we're already seeing it play out. The current parliament has a cross bench made up of climate champions, which wouldn't be there if it wasn't for the mums in particular in those electorates who decided to change their vote from their traditional pathway to that particular option. SB: So you're talking about driving political change, but maybe not through some of the more reactionary ways you tend to see in the media, like people throwing paint on famous artworks or blocking ports and roads. That's right. I think the media's really good at showing those moments, those peaks of conflict or action that are maybe a bit more polarising. And to be honest with you, I know that very well because my background, I spent seven years working with Greenpeace in different countries. I specialised in how to engage audiences and get their attention on issues by creating big spectacles and polarisation moments. Like to give you an example, back in the early 2000's, tweens, I was figuring out how to attach iPhone cameras to the tops of climber's helmets so that a team of female climbers could scale the outside of London's tallest building and hang a banner. And we managed to get the attention according to YouGov polling of half the country in the UK during that moment. SB: It's interesting too that you've come from that background working with GreenPeace and doing those big stunts. Do you still believe that they're effective? Yeah, in climate campaign circles, we often refer to this as different theories of change. How does change happen? And generally speaking, we don't all agree on the theory of change, but we all agree that we need all of them because we don't know which one's going to be the most effective till we try it. And the metaphor I use is if you want to put out a fire, you're going to need a pretty big blanket and you're not going to be able to be covering every corner yourself. You're going to need a lot of people tanking on different corners. One succinct way to put it is we need to build bridges on climate. We've learned in Australia that polarisation, partisanship and extreme points of view can cost us so much time and so much energy and so much missed opportunity. We've got to build common ground. We've got to agree on there's the principles that's in everybody's best interests because this isn't an us versus them that's totally manufactured and made up, it's everybody's kids altogether. Let's get it done for them. SB: Your children are 4 and 7, have you started discussing the climate with them? How do you plan to navigate those conversations? I think on a personal level, the conversation we have in our family about climate change, we've done a bit of reading and we've made some of these resources available on the Parents for Climate website. It's important not to go too heavy, too hard and too strong on the emotion side of this conversation. These are big conversations. Any big world issues, global conflict health and pandemics, climate change, you don't just drop it all on top of your kids with all of your feelings. You've got to listen to them first. So you've got to ask them, what do you know? What have you heard? How are you feeling about this? And get a read on where they're at so that you are not trying to shape it. Then you've got to check yourself how do you feel as a parent? And if you are not in the right emotional space to be giving them a constructive and positive direction, don't go there. Just take a break. You don't have to solve the problem with them in every moment, but of course if you are ready to listen to them and say, okay, where are you at? Got it, let's talk about this and talk about it in constructive terms because it's a problem that we are solving and it's always got to be in that frame because if we say to kids, this is a problem and there's nothing you can do about it that's so disempowering. It's not good for their self-esteem, not good for their mental health at any age, and it's also not true. We're at halfway to a 2030 target already on renewable energy. We're seeing 40% in Australia. There's terrific examples of how renewable energy or climate solutions are happening at a grand pace that is actually really exciting. And so it's really useful to point to those examples of this is how we're dealing with this problem and talk about how would you like to engage with that. They might talk about careers or ideas or they might say, let's do some art and drawing and create pictures. Sometimes when I go into classrooms, I really love pulling up a slide that comes from a Bluey episode where they picture the future. They just do a sort of brief landscape and they picture the future of what Bluey might look like when she's an adult and the kids point to the screen and they call out all the things they can see, like solar panels and the plants are on the buildings and the car is electric. It's really exciting to think about the future where we're building together, and I think that's the attitude we need to give our kids so that it builds them up, makes them feel strong and resilient and also gives them some control. SB: So being in classrooms and having your kids at home, do you think this generation will be different to previous ones? Definitely. I think, and the teachers do an amazing job here when kids are learning about influence and media or discourse or advertising or geography and weather cycles and rain patterns, and they're coming home with this immense interest and fascination in what they're seeing in the real world, not just at school, how the weather's behaving. And so we're talking about it all the time. I think it's something that we just need to be ready for. There will be a lot of changes in our own world. Right now for example, our organisation's looking at the fact that for the last few years we've had a pattern of the back to school week being one of the most heavily impacted in Australia by unnatural weather disasters. We are observing this stuff and our kids are too, and it's hard to know where things will happen and when, but we need to be ready to have those conversations and to equip the kids with the understanding. We also need to be ready as a community, we need to be ready to have a conversation about what types of changes might we need to make. How can we set schools up so that they have solar powered air conditioning with a battery that's resilient to power outages during heat waves because that's an issue that's affecting kids' health and their access to education or as in the case of countries like the Philippines, do we actually need to talk about, and I know this might alarm some parents who are just done with the school holidays this year, but do we need to talk about moving the academic calendar? Because if the first week back at school is too heavily exposed to risk, particularly risk to health, but also education, we might need to think about how to adjust to that even if it's uncomfortable. SB: Yeah, that's interesting. What other changes do you think need to be happening right now? Yeah, look, this all kind of falls out from solving climate change for kids can be boiled down to a few basic points. We need to make sure that we stop making the problem worse. And so we're talking to parents about what kind of products are you experiencing that might be creating unnecessary pollution or not necessarily accounting for that pollution accurately. Another aspect is that we need to make sure that kids are safe at school and in any environments they go to. That means looking at what are the adjustments we need to make to keeping them safe from a lot of the impacts we can't avoid. Schools should be resilient in places of learning. We already know that childcare centres have a legal requirement to maintain safe air temperatures, for example. Schools need to be supported to do that too. Many states have already done significant air conditioning rollouts. There are still massive gaps in some states and that really needs to be backed up by clean energy and solar panels because ultimately that is just the most cost effective way of getting it done. Schools are open during the day, they cool during the day and they need to use that daytime energy. It also creates a different kind of grid equation which can benefit community at large when it comes to solar supply and renewable energy and its impact on wholesale electricity prices. We also want to make sure that kids are safe at home. Unfortunately, not all homes are able to do that without support. You've got low income homes, you've got renters, you've got social housing that just don't have the agency or the autonomy to make changes to their living conditions and frankly should be supported to also have an efficient all electric and air conditionable home so that they can withstand the worst effects of heat and storms. And lastly, we just need to make sure we're getting it done in a way that's really visible to our kids. We want to make sure that we're building essentially resilient infrastructure in the form of schools and childcare centres in particular that are powered and backed by solar and batteries because we think at scale, not only could that be fantastic for the equation of each of those individual centres and sites, but at scale that would actually be a significant change, like top 10 electricity users, if you include all the energy and carbon that goes into schools and drop-offs and all of this, we could be talking about the fifth biggest energy consumer industry in Australia. It's just getting our kids educated at high school and primary school and childcare centres. If we tackle that by saying, well, why don't we just use that roof space, that huge roof space to turn that around, then we can get that done. And that's something that we've been working on. Some states have worked with us towards some progress. We've seen about 71 million across three states unlocked to fund solar and battery installations. We think it should be Australia wide. It's a bit of a no brainer, and I think a lot of the politicians we're talking to agree with us. We just need to get it up to the hierarchy of issues on their agenda. SB: It's good to hear you talk about those large scale projects. Just reflecting on my own childhood, there was a lot of talk around individual action like recycling and eating less meat and obviously while they're good things to do, just that list of things you've just said, it's clearly putting the responsibility on governments and businesses rather than only individuals. Do you think there has been a transition in the way people consider who is responsible when it comes to climate change? I think so. I think a lot of Australians are sort of coy to the notion that they are responsible for this. This is a bigger systemic issue and we see it in polling, across polling from all sides of the spectrum, hearing that Australians want more action from government, they want more action from industry and business. They get that those actors are capable of making differences that an individual simply can't by themselves. But also it's potentially really positive to think about individual action because if you show your kids in your own life that you take care, you do some active transport, go walking or bike riding rather than driving your car on the occasion just because it's good for us and it's the kind of world that we want to create, show how you're managing your own household waste, things like that. Not only does that help your kids see and feel and get involved and feel quite a degree of agency and empowerment, it also helps us all to see ourselves as agents of change and just to feel good about making that little difference that we can make. Because at the end of the day, these are big issues that are beyond the capability of an individual. So we have to think, well, what can we control and focus on that. But I highly recommend connecting with others because if we connect, we get stronger and that means we can affect the big picture and that's something that we're focused on doing. So we are trying to present big ideas to parents so that we can get them on board. But of course it starts with what can we do at home and how can we get our kids involved? And that's something to be really proud of as well. I think the number one trap that I want people to watch out for is feeling like they're not doing enough. I mean, God, it's hard enough as a parent these days to not feel guilty for spending too much time at work or not doing everything you can for your kids or all of those extra clubs you could be going to with the sports involvement or whatever, take the pressure off. You are not responsible for this issue. Do what you can. And if the best you can do right now means you have to use a product that might not be perfect, that's fine. Let's focus on working together to fix the supply chain so that you are not responsible for that decision on your own. SB: Yeah, I think that's an important message to send out. And just quickly before we wrap up, is there any other final advice you have for parents navigating climate activism and raising kids? This is a lifelong conversation that we are all going to be a part of and we need to see it in that way. If you need a break, take a break, come back to it later. Don't see it as an all or nothing. Don't let yourself burn out. We've got too much pressure to let something like this take away the positive change that we can create for our kids. So I do want to remind everybody, particularly parents, that the world's not on your shoulders. Let's shoulder it all together because you're not alone and you don't have to do it all, all the time. SB: That was Nic Seton, I'm Sophie Bennett and you've been listening to the Beta Blueprint.
Cosmopolitan
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Where Do Cierra and Nic Stand After ‘Love Island USA'?
As Nicolandria Nation continues to rejoice in their victory, Love Island USA season 7 alum Cierra Ortega is getting real about watching her main man and BFF get together on national television. Over the weekend, Cierra spilled all the tea on her time in the Villa in a four-part TikTok video series, and revealed where she stands with Nic Vansteenberghe and Olandria Carthen now that Love Island USA is over. Spoiler alert: It's not great. 'I came out thinking Nic and I are in this amazing place,' Cierra recounted in her fourth Q&A video. 'We're closed off and have these strong feelings for each other.' Emerging from the Villa only to see that the entire fandom had been rooting for Nic and Olandria to couple up—including Nic's family—'hurt,' she it hurt even more when she watched their relationship continue to develop after she left. Cierra continued, 'Two things can exist at once. I can be sad for myself that I am mourning this relationship and all these things I thought were going to happen between us, and I can also be happy for two people I care about.' But while she may be at peace with Nic and Olandria's new relationship, she's less content with their actions since leaving the Villa. 'When I first came out and I could appreciate the friendship and relationship and memories and find beauty in their situation because I thought they'd come out and embrace me,' she explained. But when she didn't hear from either Nic or Olandria after the season ended, 'the more hurt I became.' She continued, 'As the days went on, it just kind of felt like I never existed, like the friendship Olandria and I shared had never existed, like the relationship Nic and I shared had never existed.' As for where she and Nic stand now, Cierra said, 'The answer is that we don't. We don't stand on any business.' Ouch. Regardless of what you think about Cierra's actions, the fact that neither Nic nor Olandria have reached out to her since leaving the Villa is understandably hurtful—especially given the obsession with being a 'girl's girl' this season. That said, it's also unclear if Cierra has reached out to either of them, though Chelley Bissainthe confirmed last week that Cierra was reaching out to cast members. Cierra ended her video saying that she had to accept that she wasn't going to get closure from Nic on their relationship. And it looks like we are, too, because she also revealed that she won't be attending the Love Island USA season 7 reunion.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Love Island effect: The unrealistic beauty and dating standards of reality TV
Love Island USA wrapped up its latest season earlier this month. Like its previous renditions, Season 7 moved just as relentlessly. Within seven days, Huda (Mustafa) and Jeremiah (Brown) had already coupled up, shared a bed, and were even talking about moving in together. At some point, Huda revealed to a fellow contestant, Nic (Vansteenberghe), that she was a mom. Nic called her 'Mamacita,' then asked in all naivety, 'Mom of what — a dog?' It was awkward, a little ridiculous, and instantly everywhere. Even if you have never watched a full episode of Love Island, you would have seen the clips. Whether it's through Instagram reels, reaction clips, or memes in group chats, the show finds a way to reach you. The structure is simple. Gather a group of beautiful people, place them in a luxury villa, and see who couples up. They share beds within days, while producers introduce new contestants to test their loyalty. The public votes on who stays, and by the end of six weeks, they are expected to form serious relationships or at least make it look like they have. The pace stays intense, and the connections are shaped more by the demands of the format than by the people themselves. For teenagers like me, these shows often become unwitting blueprints for how we begin to understand relationships. The stories unfold at triple speed, with perfect lighting and carefully edited reactions, building a version of romance that focuses more on momentum than on connection. Slow or uncertain beginnings start to feel like 'red flags', and not being chosen can feel less like part of a show and more like a sign that you weren't worth picking in the first place. The show is built around the thrill of being desired. Getting chosen becomes the prize. That logic does not stay inside the villa. It follows us home. Over time, it becomes all too easy to associate love exclusively with sculpted abs, flawless skin, and bleached teeth. During the 2021 season of Love Island UK, Google searches for lip fillers rose by 49 per cent, searches for liposuction increased by 33 per cent, and mentions of Botox went up by 82 per cent. This growing trend of body dissatisfaction and desire for cosmetic procedures even earned the name 'the Love Island effect', driven by the show's promotion of narrow beauty standards. According to a 2018 poll by the UK-based YouGov research firm, two in five women aged 18 to 34 who watched the show said they felt more self-conscious about their bodies and appearance after viewing it. Additional research from the feminist group Level Up found that nearly a third of viewers had considered dieting to lose weight. One in five viewers said they would whiten their teeth, and more than one in ten were more likely to consider getting lip fillers. The contestants may change every season, but the body types stay the same. This constant repetition of a single body type shapes how we see ourselves, especially as teenagers still learning to navigate identity and self-worth. When shows continually reward the same physical features, they reinforce the idea that desirability depends on conforming to a narrow and often artificial standard. The more we see that version of beauty celebrated on screen, the more we internalise it as the only way to be wanted. It begins to distort how we relate to our bodies, how we measure ourselves against others, and what we come to expect from romantic attention. Beauty starts to feel less like something personal and more like a checklist, one that is difficult to reach and even harder to maintain. This does not mean Love Island should be cancelled. It's fun, no doubt. But just because something is entertaining doesn't mean it is harmless. Season 7 of Love Island USA became the most-watched original season of television on the streaming platform Peacock. It even had a huge social media presence, racking up 1.7 billion video views and impressions on Peacock-owned social channels. Research into past viewership shows that Love Island, a franchise that has existed since 2015 across countries, attracts a large audience aged between 16 and 24, a highly impressionable group. In 2019, the BBC reported that children as young as eight were also watching the programme, even though it aired after the 9 pm slot in the UK. Arguably, the show's reach makes it a prevailing cultural phenomenon. Then there are spin-offs like Netflix's Too Hot to Handle or Perfect Match that follow similar formats. These shows shape how we think about intimacy, about bodies, about each other. Recognising that influence does not ruin the experience; it simply makes space for reflection. Streaming platforms could play a role in creating such a space by including short post-show segments that feature therapists or relationship educators to offer perspective on what the viewers have just watched and how it may shape their ideas about love, self-worth and appearance. These segments could even include former contestants to reveal the 'behind the scenes'. Greater transparency around the contestants' cosmetic treatments or enhancements could also help challenge the illusion that what we see on screen is completely natural or effortless. Many schools have already begun teaching students media literacy. It is important to incorporate lessons on social and emotional learning and have conversations about how emotion and desire are constructed in reality television. The goal is not to shame people for enjoying the show, but to give viewers the tools to recognise what is scripted, what is curated, and what deserves to be questioned rather than absorbed without thought. At the very least, we should be aware of what we are watching and what it's asking us to believe. The writer is a student in Mumbai
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Phil Collins' hospital dash and hospice rumours - what we know about his health
Phil Collins' hospital dash has sparked a flurry of rumours about the musician's health, with fans left fearing the worst, but what do we really know about his health? Speculation that Phil Collins was in hospice care has been dispelled following a hospital visit for the renowned drummer who has not been the only music legend of his generation to be struck down by illness. A spokesperson for the Genesis legend clarified that Collins is actually in hospital undergoing knee surgery, and is not on his deathbed. The rampant rumour that Collins was in hospice care sent shockwaves through his fanbase just days ago, causing distress among admirers already mourning the loss of other cherished stars like Ozzy Osbourne earlier this week. Earlier in the year, Collins did acknowledge his declining health. In a conversation with MOJO, he expressed a waning interest in making new music due to his "very sick." condition. He remarked, "I keep thinking I should go downstairs to the studio and see what happens. But I'm not hungry for it anymore. The thing is, I've been sick. I mean very sick.", reports the Mirror US. "It's still kind of sinking in a bit," admitted the Grammy-winning artist. "I've spent all my life playing drums. To suddenly not be able to do that is a shock." Collins, who began drumming at the tender age of 5, noted that his lifelong dedication has "taken its toll on my hands, legs. "If I can't do what I did as well as I did it, I'd rather relax and not do anything," he stated. "If I wake up one day and I can hold a pair of drumsticks, then I'll have a crack at it. But I just feel like I've used up my air miles." The singer performed his last concert with Genesis in 2022 as his mobility issues worsened progressively after a spinal injury in 2007 resulted in severe nerve damage. He took to the stage with Genesis bandmates Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks at London's 02 Arena, with his son, Nic, on the drums. The Against All Odds singer managed to complete the show while seated comfortably in a chair, joking that he might have to 'find a real job' due to his ongoing health struggles. Although he didn't elaborate on his current health status during the farewell performance, Collins has faced several health challenges over the years. In the 2024 documentary Phil Collins: Drummer First, he spoke about his deteriorating physical health. The star is renowned for his exceptional drumming skills and powerful vocals as part of the British rock band. He also holds a special place in the hearts of younger fans for his work on the "Tarzan" film, particularly his Oscar-winning song You'll Be In My Heart. In 2017, Collins was diagnosed with drop-foot, a condition that resulted in a loss of sensation in one of his feet. At the time, he revealed that the condition was a "result of a back operation which makes it difficult to walk." In his documentary, Nic disclosed that his father had major neck surgery in 2015, and has been using a cane to assist with walking ever since.
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
PGA Tour Vet Goes Unrecognized In 'Undercover' Club Fitting At Golf Store
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The 3M Open was heating up at TPC Twin Cities entering Day 3. Thorbjørn Olesen led the pack with a score of 14-under-par, while Jake Knapp started the day just one stroke behind him. However, amid all the score discussions, arguably the week's most viral moment came outside the ropes, away from the course even, at Golf Galaxy store in Blaine, Minnesota. PGA Tour pro Zac Blair shares hilarious incident Zac Blair, who got into the 3M Open field as a late alternate on Wednesday, posted a hilarious video to Instagram that's quickly become a fan favorite. With the course closed due to storms on Wednesday, Blair headed to Golf Galaxy for a casual club fitting, but as an "undercover". He got dressed in sweats, a blue T-shirt and let the staff treat him like any weekend golfer. OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 12: Zac Blair of the United States hits a tee shot on the 10th hole during the first round of the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 12,... OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 12: Zac Blair of the United States hits a tee shot on the 10th hole during the first round of the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 12, 2025 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. (Photo by) More Getty Images Nic, the fitter, helped Blair but had no idea he was working with a Tour pro who's earned nearly $8 million in career prize money. When Blair requested a Titleist driver, Nic told him to "get his shoulders loose" and hit a few shots so they could measure his clubhead speed. The 34-year-old, enjoying the moment, agreed, swung a few pro shots and acted along. At one point, Blair's friend, who was recording the whole incident, asked Nic to guess the Tour pro's handicap. "I'll say probably one ... a regular one," Nic replied as shown in the video posted on Blair's Instagram handle. "I'm a 2.5 so," he added. "So you think he's better than you?" the friend questioned further. "Umm no," Nic replied with confidence. The moment was pure comedy. Blair is known as one of the shortest hitters on Tour. After a few swings, Nic fitted him with a driver that Blair later used to shoot a bogey-free 64 in Round 1 and 72 on Day 2 at the 3M Open. That was a good enough score to make the cut and head into the weekend at 6-under. Blair's Instagram caption made it clear the video wasn't meant to mock anyone. In fact, he praised Nic's knowledge and fitting skills. "Pt. 2 had to head back to golf galaxy and scoop that driver @nicholasurban1988 got me fitted in! Thanks again for putting up with us and pumped to have him out watching at the 3m this week!" he captioned his next post by sharing a video of meeting the fitter again and thanking him. This isn't Blair's first brush with a club-fitting incident The Salt Lake City, Utah, native faced a similar situation in Canada two years ago when his driver broke down mid-round. At that time, all the equipment trucks had left the tournament, and he had to scramble to find a replacement, again, without being recognized. The 34-year-old turned pro in 2014 and played college golf at BYU. Though he's still chasing his first PGA Tour win, he's had notable finishes, including a T4 at Zurich Classic last year, T2 at the 2023 Travelers Championship. He also made headlines during U.S. Open week last month with a 120-yard putt at Oakmont that went viral. As of this week, Blair entered the weekend round at TPC Twin 8 shots behind the leader. More Golf: Still not 100% Charley Hull Admits 'Scary' Collapse at Evian Impacting Play
