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The Ultimate Golf Event Period - The 2014 Morgan Cup - #THPMC

SuperStroke
DevRickus said:
The Morgan Cup means alot more to me than golf. Its a chance for me to show myself how far I can push myself to be better. Better as a golfer. Better as a teammate. Better as a member of THP. Better as a person. Nothing worth doing is easy. I want to represent THP and Callaway Golf in the best possible way on and off the course. Make no mistake about it, I am going to Myrtle Beach to win. I think about it every day. Growing up playing team sports, I missed the competition aspect of it. If someone told me last year I would be in the Morgan Cup I would have told them they were crazy. Alot has changed in a year and I am extremely thankful for every opportunity I have been given and every person I have had the fortune to meet. I remember watching last years Morgan Cup and talking to alot of people that were there and thinking how the Morgan Cup last year was such a special event, I didnt know how or if it could be topped. I am not sure it can or will but we are going to put our stamp on it this year. I am thankful for all the volunteers and forum members who have been encouraging us all through this process and will continue to encourage and support us. So the long and short of it is that the Morgan Cup means everything to me. It embodies everything that is THP. Golf, family, friends.
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You're an inspiration Dev and will do a great job in the Morgan Cup. :clapp:
 
DevRickus said:
The Morgan Cup means alot more to me than golf. Its a chance for me to show myself how far I can push myself to be better. Better as a golfer. Better as a teammate. Better as a member of THP. Better as a person. Nothing worth doing is easy. I want to represent THP and Callaway Golf in the best possible way on and off the course. Make no mistake about it, I am going to Myrtle Beach to win. I think about it every day. Growing up playing team sports, I missed the competition aspect of it. If someone told me last year I would be in the Morgan Cup I would have told them they were crazy. Alot has changed in a year and I am extremely thankful for every opportunity I have been given and every person I have had the fortune to meet. I remember watching last years Morgan Cup and talking to alot of people that were there and thinking how the Morgan Cup last year was such a special event, I didnt know how or if it could be topped. I am not sure it can or will but we are going to put our stamp on it this year. I am thankful for all the volunteers and forum members who have been encouraging us all through this process and will continue to encourage and support us. So the long and short of it is that the Morgan Cup means everything to me. It embodies everything that is THP. Golf, family, friends.
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Schmosby, I can't wait to meet you in person.
 
The Morgan Cup represents community, teamwork and golf! This is an incredible opportunity awarded to a lucky few each year. An opportunity to do something never seen outside of the professional tours. The MC is an opportunity to push our individual games to the next level and as a team support each other through the ups and downs. Through THP we are able to share our experiences with this great community. A community of like minded individuals who would love to be in our position. We owe it to ourselves, our community and our sponsors to show up in July ready to battle! I'm enjoying every minute of the ride and think about the Morgan Cup ever day. I know my teammates and fellow competitors feel the same way!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
 
The great thing about the Morgan Cup is that it doesn't have to mean the same thing to every person. Realistically, it would never mean the same thing to the person who has been a THP member for six months as it would to the person who has watched three Morgan Cups and dreamed of being in it or the person who is getting a second or third shot at the incredible experience. This event is so unique because it is the most individual, team journey I have ever had, and short of not meeting the pre-established qualifications, there is no wrong way to do it.

For me this time, there are two meanings, both are entirely intertwined, and this particular journey wouldn't mean quite as much to me without both pieces.

The first piece is personal redemption and feeling happy about the way I conduct myself before, during, and after the event. I have spoken to this before, but while I participated in the inaugural Morgan Cup, I had no idea what I was doing and was in over my head. I didn't know how to prepare for it, didn't inherently know how to represent a sponsor (before and after the event), and didn't take full advantage of being immersed in the few days of camaraderie of the event itself. I know others view this differently, but it wasn't the personal losses (0-3), or the team loss that really got to me months after the event...and yes this realization took a lot of reflection...it was the fact that I wasn't happy with the effort I had put in after the fact. It took me two years, and some urging, to allow myself to apply for the opportunity again...which really allowed me to see the event the way you can from the outside looking in. As the last Morgan Cup ended, and there was going to be another one, I was ready this time to put myself out there and try to get in one more time, while saying (and I will still say this today) that if I ever got the chance, it would be the LAST one I participated it because other people deserve this opportunity as well. Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the forum, and I got that opportunity through a different direction (which I will come back to later), and through the first few months of this process, I am very happy with the way I am doing things this time. I am playing a good bit, I am taking good lessons and making tough but needed changes, and I am practicing with purpose for maybe the first time ever. The equipment aspect being delayed later in the process has been a tremendous thing for me as it has allowed me to focus on me. I will personally be at the Morgan Cup with no excuses, and what happens at that point is up to preparation and the golf gods, but regardless of the result, I will leave there fulfilled. From a purely personal aspect, the Morgan Cup means representing two great companies (THP and in my case Callaway) while playing the best golf I can and sharing this long journey (while immersing myself into those precious few days) with terrific people that I hope will be my friends for a long time.

The second piece is being the captain of Team Hackers and making sure I enable my seven teammates (and the 32 others to the extent I can) to have the journeys they want to have. I never once dreamed of being a captain. No one is more shocked to have received that offer than I am. I read that PM and wondered who JB had really meant to send it to because clearly it was a mistake. Once this impossible reality set it, I knew that I had to lead by example (see intertwining with first piece), surround myself with the right people (both inside and outside the event), and beyond those, make sure that the team I would eventually lead had the opportunity to achieve their goals. Realistically, there are five teams, and only one can lift the trophies at the end of this event. While I am doing everything I can to make sure that this team has the opportunity to be that team, failure to me is not being one of those other four teams. Failure to me is letting these guys make the same mistakes I made, and not get out of this journey what they want. To that end, I do lead this team differently than some of the other captains (not meant as a slight at all...quite frankly I would be hypocritical for demanding guys post 1000 times a month or get down to a 5 handicap when I cannot do those myself), I did construct this team based on personalities and potential, and I would not change anything that has been done up to this point.
 
Man Donne you have such an amazing way of expressing your thoughts with words. Im happy for you to have this 2nd chance to go about it the proper way and it will be satisfying to see that when its all said and done you will be able to hold your head up high knowing you gave it everything you could this go around.
 
mikedean441 said:
Man Donne you have such an amazing way of expressing your thoughts with words. Im happy for you to have this 2nd chance to go about it the proper way and it will be satisfying to see that when its all said and done you will be able to hold your head up high knowing you gave it everything you could this go around.
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Reading through my own post again, man do I use "..." and parenthesis a lot. An English major I was not.
 
You Morgan Cuppers rock! I wish that I could be there to personally root ya on but if I don't make it, I got my team favorite and of course my individual favorites. You guys know who ya are and if you don't, shame on ya. :D
 
This is so hard to really put into words but I will try to express what the Morgan Cup means to me. While I cannot elaborate completely at this time, this event has brought back to life a fire that had been missing for many years. I discovered THP during the 2012 Morgan Cup as I was laying in a hospital bed unsure if I would ever play golf again. I told myself that I would love to get in this event one day but alot of things would have to go right for it to happen.

Almost two years later here I am on this incredible journey which I thought would just impact me but as it turns out..... There is very little "me" involved in this journey.

Both of my parents right now are going through cancer battles. My dad is on year three of treatments for Stage 5 Melonoma and my mom was just recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Also throw in having a wife with a rare blood disorder and some continued personal injury struggles of my own and it is a wonder I can even get out of bed in the morning with a smile on my face...... Thanks to the strength God has given me and this very event I get up and try to give my all everyday. I have three people who are using me as inspiration right now and they want to see me succeed and overcome obstacles because in my strength.... They find their own strength. In reality, this is a piece of cake compared to what they are all going through. 5 AM workouts suck or those extra 20 swings on the range when people have said you arent going to be able to do this forever is scary but I am going to go down swing and not just stand on the sidelines and beg for pity.

This event has given me life, a new found purpose in my game and has made me mentally tougher than I ever thought I could be. I know that there will continue to be struggles and days where I have to take breaks but this event is not about equipment. It is about being all I can be for those 3 days because so many things I have told me I couldnt. My team and captain know the rest of the story and I will share with you all the closer we get to the MC but just know that if you dont think you can make a difference or that this is just another event..... you are dead wrong. To my friends on here, my team, sponsor and THP..... Climb on aboard and know that I am fighting for you all too.
 
It will be interesting to see what you guys put down now to what you guys say about it after it's over. The meaning it has to you now will probably be totally different when it's over (in a good way).
 
As an member it means a lot to me, I get to see what it feels like to be a tour pro for a little while, the demands of sponsorship, the responsibilities of being a teammate, and the privilege of sharing Josh and Morgan's dream. I enjoy meeting new folks and building friendships and long term relationships is a given on my end but I love the competition, I am driven to win anything I enter and this is the biggest stage I'll probably ever stand on as an amateur. All BS aside I want to win!
 
For me I cant pinpoint what the morgan cup is to me, as it is evolving day by day. Ofcourse the obvious things are there. Team competition on a beautiful course to become victorious and hold the trophy (s).

However, day by day it changes. Maybe its being fairly new and not being a part or even here for previous cups. Speaking honestly, the first thoughts were simple. Win a competition, get some free gear, play some golf.
Then more an more members were picked. I followed along listening to the veterans and taking in as much as I could. My perspective changed from just playing golf to wanting to have my game the best it could be.

Teams came next and to be completly honest I havnt thought about equipment since this day. (Except putters, but that a permanent addiction). Once the communication started I knew I was on the right team (nothing against other teams) I just feel like the group we have were picked perfectly to help eaxh other and to fall into place like we had known each other for years. So now im all about my game and the team.

Yesterday it got thaat much more real with the spi instruction taking off. I started thinking equipment again. This time its different though. Its not what is shiny and expensive to feed my ego, but what is the best choices to build myself as a better player....a better team mate.

I cant pinpoint at this moment what this event means to me, as the evolution continues daily, but I can say that Ive enjoyed every step of this journey and aam thankful of all the experiences ive had and will continue to have because of it. Humbled, honored, privileged, dedicated and excited are emotion I feel daily thanks to the members that show support, my team, my sponsors, and thp and their team.
 
What does the Morgan Cup mean to me???

At initial thought the Morgan Cup was something a normal individual can't expect to comprehend at first. However as my journey began, I found myself taking my golf knowledge to limits I didn't know possible. I found myself reading up on equipment, the golf swing, and most of all looking at myself as an individual.

Knowing that not only was I now accountable to seven other teammates and thirty-three other MC staff members, I had the whole THP community following my every move. I took this opportunity to, and still are, to become more physically fit, better my golf game through instruction and practice, and most of all become an awesome teammate.

With that being said the journey is not over. By the end I will have experienced so many emotions, laughter, and agonizing trials and tribulations. What I do know is I plan to have my game where it needs to be so at the end of that weekend, I have no "what ifs???".

We have been given the opportunity that some will never experience in their life. Without the vision of two amazing people and the support of five great OEM's the Morgan Cup wouldn't exist.
 
Nate said:
It will be interesting to see what you guys put down now to what you guys say about it after it's over. The meaning it has to you now will probably be totally different when it's over (in a good way).
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Totally true. Can't agree with this enough.
 
Tadashi70 said:
First off this is not a thread to bash anyone or call out anyone. This thread will be used for the forum to share what the MC means to them.

It occurred to me that not every feels the same way about this event. I am guilty of thinking everyone should so I am curious what does the MC mean to you? Is it just another event? is it a good excuse to take a family trip? Is it a bonding experience? What?

At the end of the day everyone that has gone through or will go through have different reasons for liking, loving or hating the MC. The reasons are your own and that is more than fine but I really would like to know what it means to you.

Again, this is not to question anyone's feeling or thoughts on the event. This is just a place to share without cluttering the other threads.

For me it's pretty damn special. It's an opportunity afforded to us by two very special people and a hand full of the best OEMs in the biz. It's a chance for average golfers to feel way above average. It's the spirit of competition and partnerships. It's an out of your comfort zone weekend with great people. It's sharing ideas, laughs, stories and emotions. It's a learning experience about people, golf and gear. For some it is a chance for them to shine on the big stage and maybe do something they have never done before and will never do again. It's the hand shakes, hugs, high fives, Tiger fist pump (mward) and body gyrations we all see from time to time. It's sharing a beer or a late night chat with someone you just meet and spent 9 hours in the SC heat chasing around a little white ball.


The Morgan cup is where four guys cemented their friendship for life. It's where memories are made and fashion trends are stretched beyond what we are used to. It's long travel plans, tired eyes and soar hands. It's a mental drain and a physical toll. The Morgan Cup, to a man, is what you make of it! For me its pretty damn special.
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This is such a special post. I couldn't agree more Freddie. To me it's about the bond and the journey. You are sharing an experience that will be watched by MILLIONS at some point or another. You are sharing an experience that is envied by millions. There is not a golfer on the planet who wouldn't be honored to experience what we get to. But to me it is deeper than that. It is about pushing each other and supporting each other to be THE BEST WE CAN BE as a collective unit come that last weekend in July. It's a journey quite unlike any other and one that can never be replicated or duplicated.
 
Being fairly new and only experiencing the Morgan Cups via You Tube I come away with a sense of family. There will be ups and downs, but in the end we are all there for each other like family always is. Those friendships that were already in place will be solidified even tighter. New friendships will be forged over a practice or competition round of golf. Individuals will learn more about themselves and who they are more so than they ever imagined. Flaws & weaknesses will be exposed, but not looked down upon because everyone is giving all they have for their team. The littlest social interactions or late night conversations will mean more than anyone can imagine. It will be easy to pick out the big things, but I suspect each of the 40 participants and 6 volunteers will come away better people and learn a little more about who they are in the process.

For me the Morgan Cup means "Personal Growth". Being a volunteer will allow me to see this event from a different perspective. It will allow me to understand how much this means to Josh & Morgan & grow as a THP member. It will allow me to be unselfish and give all that I have so that the true essence of this event is captured for the world to see. My hope that as I am boarding my plane on Monday morning I left a positive lasting impression on my THP family. I hope that all of THP will feel like if they ever need help, whether it's golf or in life, I'm only a PM or phone call away.
 
When I sit and think about the Morgan Cup or sit and talk about the Morgan Cup all I can do is to think how truly blessed I am to have been chosen to take part in this life changing journey.

There are times that I get home from a long day at work eat supper and feel like lounging for a few hours before I hit the bed. I sit there and think of the commitment that I made to myself, the commitment that I made to Josh and Morgan, the commitment that I made to my OEM’s, the commitment that I made to my Captain and Assist Captain, the commitment I made to my teammates, the commitment that I made to the other participants and the commitment I made to each and every THP’er that would give just about anything to be in my shoes. That is what pushes me to get up and get to work on my game or get on that treadmill and get it in.

I have been on this journey since the last week of November and it is amazing how fast time flies. This journey is teaching me how far I can actually push myself to be the best that I can be during that weekend in July. We have a team conference call every week and it is inspiring to hear how hard these guys are working. It’s great to go into Coach Beards Fitness thread and the practice range thread and witness all these guys putting in hours upon hours of work to better themselves for this event. This is what this event does to you. It drives and motivates you. If it was up to us this event will never ever go away but one day it will. Hell it was already gone. I tell you this I want nothing to do with this event not coming back. That is why I will continue to do everything that I can to represent the MC in the correct way.
 
Ive enjoyed reading "what does the Morgan Cup mean" writings, there are several inspirations for everyone. Hopefully we'll get a more people to share with the forum.
 
I have no idea what this event will mean to me at the end... All I know is that this journey has been wonderful and the excitement grows each and every day. When I sit down and think about the amazing beginning to this journey it still gives me shock and I wonder at times "is this really real?" What it means to me now is commitment. Commitment to myself to put in work and improve daily. Commitment to the THP community, JB and Morgan, my teammates and the rest of the participants. This commitment is what drives my motivation. To be honored to participate in an event of a life time is nothing to be taken lightly. I WILL do everything I can do to make this event the best it can be. Many past participants have said you get out of it what you put in. I will put everything I have into preparing for this and what I get out will be grand beyond my wildest dreams. This journey is special and everyday I am reminded of how special. All the hard work everyone is purring in is motivation! In the end I will know what this event means to me and it will be more special than I can imagine
 
The Morgan Cup. For me it was initially a cool thing, you know I didn't honestly know what to expect, I hadn't met any THP'ers, and I was a foreigner. Sure, excitement, gear, golf and all that, but I kind of had the feeling like when you are going to a big party, but solo. You don't know anyone, but there's a possibility that it could be a fun night. Maybe even meet someone.

I met someone. I met a lot of people. I had the best time of my life. I could do it again, even if we wouldn't play golf.

This year, is like I'm going to the same party, but I know some of the people, and I know that all the people I still haven't met will be just as awesome, and just as excited as all the others. For me The Morgan Cup 2014 is a chance to relive something that I believed was a one time deal, the party that you remember your whole life, the party that you compare to every event, every party, every round for the rest of your life. I get to relive that.

For me The Morgan Cup is the people. When I look back at the MC'13, I don't see in my mind the awesome putt I made on the 9th at TB on Saturday. I don't see the drive that hit someones bedroom wall on the 9th on TB on Sunday. I don't see the 55 yard pitch to 3 inches. I see your faces. I see the faces that welcomed me, the faces that encouraged me to play better golf, even though they were the opponents. I see your faces behind a glass of beer, behind a fork full of mac n' cheese, smiling, laughing, telling jokes, talking golf. I see happy.

For me the Morgan Cup is that long summer night, that party, that moment, that round of golf you want to last forever. But it will end, as will the party, as will that summer night, the moment will pass, but you remember those things, and those moments are moments you carry, cherish, look back to and hope you can relive them once again. Someday. Somewhere. That's what Morgan Cup is for me.
 
What does the Ultimate Golf Event Period - The Morgan Cup mean to me?

I'm sure it will mean something totally different once I've lived the entire journey and the event itself. But for now, It's pretty simple. It means the same as the day I was selected for the event. Two things came to mind soon after the initial shock wore off:

1. It is the Ultimate Personal Challenge for me to be the very best I can be on July 26, 2014. I have an obligation to myself to have my game, my body, and my mind ready to be the best I can be. Not the best golfer there. I'll never be scratch or plus. But the BEST I CAN BE.

2. It is the Ultimate Responsibility to 7 other team members, a sponsor, 32 Morgan Cup brothers, Josh and Morgan, and thousands on THP who will be watching, to succeed at #1 and be the BEST I CAN BE.
 
Well now that I'm behind a keyboard I can finally give what the Morgan Cup means to me. Being a first timer I'm sure it's different to me than it is to the veterans. This post I'm sure will be long winded so bear with me. It all started for me on Jan. 13th when I read that I was selected for Bridgestone. That's when my journey started. My love for this event started when I first joined the forum looking for some club reviews and just kept digging deeper and deeper into the forum and everything that is the Morgan Cup. When I first found the threads I'd be lying if I said that I thought it wasn't all about getting the shiny new clubs, staff bag, scripting and some team golf at some amazing venues. That changed the more I kept digging. The Morgan Cup clearly meant a lot more than the shiny new equipment to most of the guys that have been blessed enough to participate in this wonderful event. Most all of the participants talked about the words "journey" or "bond" or "brotherhood" I didn't understand it, but I can tell you I wanted to understand it. I became so enamored with the event I just kept digging more. Since Jan 13th I have a start of the idea of the word "journey". I've practiced some facet of my game everyday since that selection thread. I've started lessons, I've taken on a swing change all with open arms, because I want to be the best golfer I can be for Bridgestone, for Josh and Morgan, and for all the world to see when they watch the recap. The word "journey" to me means hard work to become the best I can possibly be. I've never had a motivation like this and believe me when I say I'm obsessed with golf, but nothing has pushed me like this has. The great thing about this "journey" it has rolled over to my everyday life. Often times I'll come to a situation in my everyday life where I don't feel like doing something or won't have the desire to complete something or give everything my 100%. I take a minute and think to myself "Would you be willing do be this way with your golf game with The Morgan Cup, your teammates, Bridgestone, THP on the line? absolutely not, suck it up and get it done. Do your best, at EVERYTHING." The word "bond" is getting stronger by the day. I know it's clearly biased and I haven't had the pleasure of meeting the other Captains yet, but I believe I can say I'm representing the best Captain and Asst. Captain in this event. Canadan and DCBrad scream THP. I have the honor (or honour depending on the Capt :D) to push myself to the best for them and my other teammates, and because of them our team bonds more and more every single day. We are on the same page with everything. I've never felt so comfortable and open to complete strangers in my whole life. I believe the "bond" and "brotherhood" complete themselves during the weekend. The friendships and "networks" you make will be something to cherish forever. This post might be all over the place and not make much sense, but it's what the Morgan Cup is to me so far. Not sure if it's right or wrong, but I can tell you I keep grinding out everyday with the thought of this weekend coming up in July in my mind every single day. I told myself I wasn't going to take this lightly and I'm not.
 
As a watcher and supporter I do have a problem..... I can not decide which team to cheer for because all the teams are full of awesome THP'ers. I am going to be pulling for a 5 way tie :)
 
Late to the party because of work and then a horrible round of golf, but wanted to share my thoughts as well. The Morgan Cup has been a number of things to me, and I'm sure it will continue to be many more things before this ride is over. I joined THP because IceyShanks got into the 2013 MC, and I wanted to learn more about what it was, and honestly my first thoughts were "holy crap, $500 for a full bag worth of gear?? Where do I sign up?". Then I watched the coverage and the celebration, and still didn't really get it because I was too new to understand the bonds that exist across THP.

When I was picked, it was a mixture of "did that just happen?" and "holy crap, that just happened, what on earth did I get myself in to?" I knew/know the MC is special, and honestly, I have and continue to feel the weight of that responsibility, especially knowing that the return of the event is squarely on our shoulders. From the word "go" I was already making new friends, and I'm confident that wouldn't have happened had I not been bumped out of my comfort zone and into the spotlight.

Being picked for Team DotCom has been a special part of the journey as well. The bond we've already formed this early on has been amazing, and I look forward to it growing even stronger. These 7 guys couldn't be a better fit for my personality, and they motivate me daily to improve. Mike Ward might have a unique motivational style, but damnit does he do a fantastic job as a captain, and I wouldn't want to go through this journey with anyone else at the helm.

To summarize an already long post, the Morgan Cup is about personal growth, fellowship with like-minded people, and a whole lot of fun doing what we all love, all while being treated like freaking royalty by 5 of the greatest golf manufacturers around. In short, it's what every golfer dreams about, and truly is the Ultimate Golf Event, PERIOD!
 
sposey013168 said:
As a watcher and supporter I do have a problem..... I can not decide which team to cheer for because all the teams are full of awesome THP'ers. I am going to be pulling for a 5 way tie :)
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Seriously Roomie? I think we know there is a single team you need to support...

:)
 
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