The 2015 Grandaddy Live Update Thread - The Golf Trip Of A Lifetime
Well I am through security and on my own.. For the first time in a few days I'm not surrounded by my amazing teammates and I am already sad. I have a lot to say (imagine that), but for now I am going to wait for the recap thread to come up to post them.
I miss you all and I consider all of you family now.
I miss you all and I consider all of you family now.
vFLASHv
Member
It sounds like you led everyone to a great time Jman! I know Callaway was amazing, but definitely must not forget the THP staff who makes life for the average joe all kinds of special. I've been able to meet Fup, Canadan, Ddec, JB and GG and I hope to one day meet you as well JMan! Here's to 2016 and more incredible experiences with THP!
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Picture this – you are a member of Team Redemption. It’s 730pm on Wednesday night. You are back in the hotel, feeling drained. Slowly packing up the stuff you brought and all the stuff you have just earned. You pause to refresh the forum to make sure you haven’t missed anything.
Up pops a post from me. Caption is something like “#StripeShow Doesn’t Rest” or “Already back at it” and below that is a just-taken picture of Velardo at the Crossings’ range, wearing his Grandaddy pullover and the championship belt, and he's grinding over a bucket of balls. That’s right, we dropped our stuff at the office and then we went over to the range to hit a bucket, mere yards from where you guys are in the hotel at this moment.
<Record scratch noise> Only this didn’t happen. It was supposed to happen. But it couldn’t, and here’s why…
The ZooCrew said our goodbyes at the bus in the Callaway HQ parking lot and then a few of us went into the office to drop some stuff off and tidy up. I half-jokingly said “anyone want to hit a bucket?” and instantly had a handful of takers before we realized that it probably wasn’t the best idea. However the idea did come up that it would make for a great post to have a picture of Velardo wearing the belt on the range, so me and Chris decided to add a few minutes to our trips home to get the epic shot.
We split up in the Callaway parking lot and agreed to meet in the lot at the Crossings. I arrived first and then saw Velardo pulling in. He gets out of his car and says “I really want to get this shot but there’s a problem.” The way he said it had me immediately worried - he had a concerned look on his face and his tone was unusual. He leans his hand on the back of his car and picks up his flip-flopped foot….and the bottom of his foot is all bloody and there is a small pool of blood in his flip-flop. (Scroll past the below photo if you are really squeamish...it's really not that gross though.)
“I was walking to my car and didn’t see the curb and I smashed my toe right into it.” I turn on the flashlight on my phone and look at his big toe. He dinged it pretty good. “How bad is it?” he asked. “I don’t think it’s stitches but it’s not pretty and you’re not walking down to the range” (which is about 400 yards from the parking lot.) “No, no, I’ll walk down there and we’ll just stage the photo and we’ll go….we have to get the picture” Me: “No way Velardo, we’re going back to the office to clean you up, or to Urgent Care down the hill, or you’re going home right now to clean it up there.”
After eventually accepting that it was a bad idea to stroll a quarter mile and then pose on a range mat while trailing blood, he agreed to get into his car to drive home. But not before he started rehashing how amazing the entire Grandaddy experience was and how emotional the goodbyes were with Team Redemption. I had to cut him off. “Velardo! I love you man and I know this was amazing, but let’s call a timeout on this conversation for the moment and pick it up after you’ve taken care of yourself. Get in your car and drive home and let me know when you get there and have this thing cleaned up.”
Later last night he sent me a picture. Not pretty but not catastrophic. He came into the office this morning feeling fine.
All-in-all, a very Velardo way to end an event like the Grandaddy.
Hope everyone’s travels today are uneventful, thanks again for an incredible experience.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Up pops a post from me. Caption is something like “#StripeShow Doesn’t Rest” or “Already back at it” and below that is a just-taken picture of Velardo at the Crossings’ range, wearing his Grandaddy pullover and the championship belt, and he's grinding over a bucket of balls. That’s right, we dropped our stuff at the office and then we went over to the range to hit a bucket, mere yards from where you guys are in the hotel at this moment.
<Record scratch noise> Only this didn’t happen. It was supposed to happen. But it couldn’t, and here’s why…
The ZooCrew said our goodbyes at the bus in the Callaway HQ parking lot and then a few of us went into the office to drop some stuff off and tidy up. I half-jokingly said “anyone want to hit a bucket?” and instantly had a handful of takers before we realized that it probably wasn’t the best idea. However the idea did come up that it would make for a great post to have a picture of Velardo wearing the belt on the range, so me and Chris decided to add a few minutes to our trips home to get the epic shot.
We split up in the Callaway parking lot and agreed to meet in the lot at the Crossings. I arrived first and then saw Velardo pulling in. He gets out of his car and says “I really want to get this shot but there’s a problem.” The way he said it had me immediately worried - he had a concerned look on his face and his tone was unusual. He leans his hand on the back of his car and picks up his flip-flopped foot….and the bottom of his foot is all bloody and there is a small pool of blood in his flip-flop. (Scroll past the below photo if you are really squeamish...it's really not that gross though.)
“I was walking to my car and didn’t see the curb and I smashed my toe right into it.” I turn on the flashlight on my phone and look at his big toe. He dinged it pretty good. “How bad is it?” he asked. “I don’t think it’s stitches but it’s not pretty and you’re not walking down to the range” (which is about 400 yards from the parking lot.) “No, no, I’ll walk down there and we’ll just stage the photo and we’ll go….we have to get the picture” Me: “No way Velardo, we’re going back to the office to clean you up, or to Urgent Care down the hill, or you’re going home right now to clean it up there.”
After eventually accepting that it was a bad idea to stroll a quarter mile and then pose on a range mat while trailing blood, he agreed to get into his car to drive home. But not before he started rehashing how amazing the entire Grandaddy experience was and how emotional the goodbyes were with Team Redemption. I had to cut him off. “Velardo! I love you man and I know this was amazing, but let’s call a timeout on this conversation for the moment and pick it up after you’ve taken care of yourself. Get in your car and drive home and let me know when you get there and have this thing cleaned up.”
Later last night he sent me a picture. Not pretty but not catastrophic. He came into the office this morning feeling fine.
All-in-all, a very Velardo way to end an event like the Grandaddy.
Hope everyone’s travels today are uneventful, thanks again for an incredible experience.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
What a post Ethan. If that doesn't sum up how much this event means to you guys not sure anything well. Thanks for being such a great host and for taking on the bus snack and drink duties. A thankless job. I appreciate all you guys did for us, and you gave us memories to cherish for a lifetime
Wow. That looks amazingly painful. Heal up!
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- Admin
- #4,110
If that had happened to anybody else other than Velardo it would make less sense. In just yesterday's round he cracked his head twice on the top of the cart. He then walked into the cart from the front. Then he backed the cart into a sign knocking said sign out of the ground.
Then the bloody foot.
That is a champion. Or just a Wednesday for Velardo.
Then the bloody foot.
That is a champion. Or just a Wednesday for Velardo.
Harvmp28
Active member
Just landed in Chicago, next flight boards in like an hour, still on cloud 9 thinking about all of this! #NoPostEventHangover Not Yet At Least!
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Harvmp28
Active member
Damn Velardo! Love that you had to be talked into not bleeding all over the place lol
And it's funny too because when we got back to our hotel I told Mike G and TexasHacker I wanted to go hit a bucket of balls
And it's funny too because when we got back to our hotel I told Mike G and TexasHacker I wanted to go hit a bucket of balls
Dude I would have if it wasn't pitch black. I want to hit balls everyday with these new shiny things hahah
You just landed in Chicago? What gate is your next flight? Got time for a drink before you board?
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- #4,117
Wow, what a story that was. Can only happen to Velardo. With his luck though I'm surprised he didn't bash his toe look down and see a 10lb pure gold bar sitting there.
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- #4,119
mikedean441
6X HOF
Crazy stuff Ethan...sounds like this Velardo character is a trooper
Harvmp28
Active member
Gate F, Boarding at 1:45, did you beat me here? What gate will you be at?
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I think we're at A20
- Staff
- #4,123
I've never audibly said "wow" as much as I did this week in my entire life.
Incredible haul there man!!
- Staff
- #4,125
Yup and we've been fortunate to see some pretty cool stuff before.