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

SuperStroke
There have been some serious nuggets dropped in here this morning. It seems like a lot of us have been putting some serious pressure on ourselves. The Vets have been there before and have learned from it. The newbs are finding their way on the journey and coming to conclusions about prep, enjoyment and the total experience. To me, this conversation, in here, right now, is one of the better things about the Morgan Cup Journey. The camaraderie, the sharing of the experience and the passing along of advice. Love this in here today.......Thanks Guys!

BTW, I too, have been pressuring the hell out of myself and that stops this weekend. Focused attention to the prep? Yes? Pressuring myself? NO MORE. There will be plenty of pressure later in July.

JM
 
I hear ya Kang, starting this #JourneyToBetter for #THPMC has made me a different person for sure. Sometimes good sometimes bad. Good is me doing something I believe I can accomplish and sticking with it even when I don't get the results I want. Bad me coming home after after a round of golf and playing like crap and just thinking of all the money on equipment, lessons, training devices and hours I have spent on this game and still playing bad. Wife doesn't like when I come home down on myself and me thinking if I can ever be a great golfer. Makes it almost feel like a second job, which I wish it was my first job but just doesn't pay the bills. I just gotta stay positive and really stay at it, because I know I can be better and will be better. Someday and somewhere this guy name Coers will be shooting scores, but right now I am still searching that and Waldo.
kc720 said:
This rings so true. Thank you. I have been putting so much pressure on myself, even my wife commented about how cranky and frustrated i get when i dont play well. I need to take a step back and enjoy the journey. It sure has been a heck of a ride so far and it still has yet to climax. From now on i will still work on improvement but strive to enjoy every step of the way
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So much awesome in this thread today. Puts a big smile on my face.
 
In past years I would read through the threads and think you guys were crazy. After getting a taste for it this year, there are just so many emotions and thoughts go through your head. Especially for us that havent experienced an MC. Throw on top of that JB and GG saying that this year will be totally different and it just throws your mind for a loop. Daily, I think of what more I can do to give me even the slightest edge. My teammates have been tremendous in helping me keep my priorities and head straight. Having teammates and playing team sports is something I have sorely missed and this is the reason.
 
Thanks to everyone for sharing their thoughts. Man, much as I'm looking forward to getting to Myrtle and making The Morgan Cup happen, I feel like this journey is going too, too fast. I'm doing my best to savor every step.
 
This great discussion this morning made me sit back and take stock a bit. It's funny how you don't notice how the stress of trying so hard for this affects your demeanor. I have been happy with my work and lessons in preparing for this has gone, while, like others, somewhat frustrated waiting for it all to come together on the course. A lot of that came to a head a couple of weeks ago in our Member/Member Tournament. This is one that I very much wanted to win, and felt it would be a good measure of how I had progressed in my Morgan Cup preparation. Immediately prior, I had found out that I would have surgery on my shoulder the Monday after the tournament and would be out of action for at least two weeks. I was extremely stressed about it, and it showed immediately. While teeing of on #1, I had to step back because a bunch of my buddies were chatting it up and laughing so loud that I couldn't hit. I immediately fired a string of expletives at the guys that would have made JeffReedMo proud (sorry Jeff buddy, I say that lovingly), and then striped one down the middle as a deafening hush took over the crowd. Well, that's just not like me. The next morning as we were gathering before round two, I was called up before the group and presented with a "Grumpy" hat and award, and was asked to wear the hat for the entire round. It was all in fun, of course, and I did wear it, but not proudly.

Thought you would enjoy that little anecdote. The incident makes more sense to me now that I've read this morning's posts in here and pondered about it.
 
v.man said:
This great discussion this morning made me sit back and take stock a bit. It's funny how you don't notice how the stress of trying so hard for this affects your demeanor. I have been happy with my work and lessons in preparing for this has gone, while, like others, somewhat frustrated waiting for it all to come together on the course. A lot of that came to a head a couple of weeks ago in our Member/Member Tournament. This is one that I very much wanted to win, and felt it would be a good measure of how I had progressed in my Morgan Cup preparation. Immediately prior, I had found out that I would have surgery on my shoulder the Monday after the tournament and would be out of action for at least two weeks. I was extremely stressed about it, and it showed immediately. While teeing of on #1, I had to step back because a bunch of my buddies were chatting it up and laughing so loud that I couldn't hit. I immediately fired a string of expletives at the guys that would have made JeffReedMo proud (sorry Jeff buddy, I say that lovingly), and then striped one down the middle as a deafening hush took over the crowd. Well, that's just not like me. The next morning as we were gathering before round two, I was called up before the group and presented with a "Grumpy" hat and award, and was asked to wear the hat for the entire round. It was all in fun, of course, and I did wear it, but not proudly.

Thought you would enjoy that little anecdote. The incident makes more sense to me now that I've read this morning's posts in here and pondered about it.
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Ken, you're just awesome, plain and simple. Being on your team and getting to know you over these past several months has been one of the many highlights of this journey. We are all stressing a little bit. I shot a 46 and almost wanted to cry because I felt I was letting my team down. I don't get worked up over a lot, so that shows how much I want to do well for you guys. I'm dialing things in, and the urgency is very real, but when we get to Myrtle in July, I just want bro hugs, fist bumps, and great times as the reward for all of this work.
 
You guys are getting me all kinda of fired up this morning.

Fantastic discussion and thoughts!
 
I don't think the train stops for me with the Morgan Cup. I thought that after this past weekend (90 holes in 2.5 days) that I wouldn't pick up a club for a week. But last night I was back to putting and hitting balls in my garage last night. I've got tournaments lined up the 4 weeks following the Morgan Cup and I've stated from the beginning that my prep for this season was already in progress before the MC and being selected accelerated things. Prepping for this event has been amazing, but it's not going to be the denouement of my season. This event is going to be a huge milestone for me, and then I have to keep moving forward with my game. This doesn't diminish what the Morgan Cup is and how great of an event I think it is. I'm just saying it's not the end of the road.

I think it's amazing that everyone is sharing their experiences. It's cool to see how everyone reacts after it's all over.
 
adamw238 said:
I don't think the train stops for me with the Morgan Cup. I thought that after this past weekend (90 holes in 2.5 days) that I wouldn't pick up a club for a week. But last night I was back to putting and hitting balls in my garage last night. I've got tournaments lined up the 4 weeks following the Morgan Cup and I've stated from the beginning that my prep for this season was already in progress before the MC and being selected accelerated things. Prepping for this event has been amazing, but it's not going to be the denouement of my season. This event is going to be a huge milestone for me, and then I have to keep moving forward with my game. This doesn't diminish what the Morgan Cup is and how great of an event I think it is. I'm just saying it's not the end of the road.

I think it's amazing that everyone is sharing their experiences. It's cool to see how everyone reacts after it's all over.
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It's not the end of the road, it just isn't the same.
 
Last year was amazing in so many ways and I can't wait for all you first timers to experience it. It's not like anything else I've experienced. Everyone had a blast on and off the golf course. I hope 2014 lives up to the hype. I'm 110% sure it will.
 
If nothing else, I have learned that the MC does something to people. Its for us to decide what that is, but its obvious that the person walking off the last green on that Sunday in July will not be the same guy who was selected in December. At least for me anyhow. Oh, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

JM
 
I am loving what I am reading this AM from both the VETS and the first timers like myself. I personally dont feel stressed about the MC but have been extremely thankful for what the opportunity has provided me thusfar. I know I speak for my team members when I say that the objective from the time we step on that property in July is to win the Cup. I know the overall objective is to have fun, represent our sponsors and THP and just getting to experience all of this I have no doubt that all of that will happen. In the end though, every shot I have taken.... Every lesson..... Every night in the Gym......Every ponder regarding equipment has been with the sole purpose of bettering myself and make sure that I have worked harder and am more prepared than anybody else in the field. This is a once in a lifetime experience and I want to make sure that I have done everything I can to be comfortable in my skin to where the nerves are just part of the experience, not because of who I am playing or because I feel there is something lacking in my prep.

Like Ken, we had our Member/Member a few weeks ago and I was amazed at how everything I said above came out in those 2 days. I felt like a different golfer under pressure than I ever had before. I wasnt afriad of outcomes because I know I had been working my tail off. While I didnt win, I was proud with my performance and have used it to go into the next phase of my prep. It helped me realize that I am on track and not settle but take it to the next step.
 
adamw238 said:
I don't think the train stops for me with the Morgan Cup. I thought that after this past weekend (90 holes in 2.5 days) that I wouldn't pick up a club for a week. But last night I was back to putting and hitting balls in my garage last night. I've got tournaments lined up the 4 weeks following the Morgan Cup and I've stated from the beginning that my prep for this season was already in progress before the MC and being selected accelerated things. Prepping for this event has been amazing, but it's not going to be the denouement of my season. This event is going to be a huge milestone for me, and then I have to keep moving forward with my game. This doesn't diminish what the Morgan Cup is and how great of an event I think it is. I'm just saying it's not the end of the road.

I think it's amazing that everyone is sharing their experiences. It's cool to see how everyone reacts after it's all over.
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The train might not stop, but I'm aware after the Morgan Cup I'll be slowing things down. I've shifted priorities on a lot of things to make this happen. It some ways it's brought a lot of balance, but in others it's shifted some things away from where they need to be long-term. Probably not something I would have noticed had I not put in for an audacious event like this. The perspective that The Morgan Cup has brought, like so much else bas brought, borders on provident.
 
ATLGolfer said:
I'm also taking my golf skills internationally in 2015. You can bank on that, Sir.
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Road Trip???


Proud Member of #TeamParadise
 
dcbrad said:
Dean, you know how I feel about you dude, and you say that round with me and WCBM did a lot for you? It did a ton for me too. Put me in a great frame of mind to go out and play some of the best golf I have ever played that weekend. It's a round a truly will never forget. Possibly one of the most fun rounds I have ever been a part of. I still will never forget playing #14 (Par 3) at TB with you guys, me hitting my 8i over the green into the woods basically and getting up and down for par from there. I remember Tim saying "Dude, you are going to surprise the crap out of people. You are gonna take some points this weekend." That comment somehow took the entire enormity of this event off my shoulders, and I just went out and had fun.

Everyone experiences this event differently, I am just hoping that everyone has that "Ah Ha!" moment, like I had at #14 on TB with those two goofballs.
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How the eff did you hit it into the trees behind 14??? :alien:

I'm a little late to the party on this one, but for the first-timers that are preparing for this event: RELAX. I put so much pressure on myself the last 2 years that my game suffered in the middle of the summer and then came back as the MC got closer. dcbrad can tell you, I was so down about my game last summer when I was talking with my teammates, and all of them kept pumping me up and saying that I would be fine. What I did is put the event on a pedestal: I wanted to win so damn badly that I didn't think that I could ever be ready enough, if that makes any sense. I was so nervous that I wasn't going to play well and I was going to let my teammates down, I was grinding too hard trying to get ready and it was counterproductive.

After I finally figured out that I just had to put my best out there, even though it would be better than some people and worse than some other people, I relaxed and played better golf. All you can do is play the best that you can, and for all 40 of you, that's going to be different. Don't try to prepare in a way that might not work for you just because someone else did it that way last year, prepare in your own manner to the best of your abilities and put that work to use in the MC, and you won't be disappointed in your efforts, win or lose.
 
Wanted to finally get some thoughts in here while on my lunch period. What a great bit of discussion today...expectations, how we push ourselves, and the final leg of this journey for us all.

The MC has changed a lot for me. My diet and eating habits have changed for the better. I've been exercising more. I've gone from a 42 to a 38 inch waist, and I'm lighter than I've been in years. My range and practice sessions are more focused. I keep trying to tell myself to keep up this work and let the chips fall where they may in Myrtle.

I've been getting a little frustrated by my on course performances this season, perhaps putting too much pressure on myself. Today reminded me of how all 40 of us should be proud of our collective journey together, and how we need to savor every last moment before the final putt drops.
 
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arydolphin said:
How the eff did you hit it into the trees behind 14??? :alien:
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I'll take "Blading an 8i Horribly" for 200, Alex. :alien:

You were awesome last year dude. You were such an asset to Team Paradise. Playing the first six holes at Caledonia with you and Jake, and having you walk us through the layout on each tee was awesome. Another fond memory.
 
Paladin said:
The train might not stop, but I'm aware after the Morgan Cup I'll be slowing things down. I've shifted priorities on a lot of things to make this happen. It some ways it's brought a lot of balance, but in others it's shifted some things away from where they need to be long-term. Probably not something I would have noticed had I not put in for an audacious event like this. The perspective that The Morgan Cup has brought, like so much else bas brought, borders on provident.
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True.. Very true.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
This thread today has been grand. I'm glad you guys are laying it out there for everyone to see. We get to know one another through these types of discussions. Next year everyone will be a vet and this process will continue. This thread today is laying the foundation for the future of the MC. I have no insight as to whether or not there will be another but if this keeps up I don't see how there couldn't be.

the MC brings out the best and the worst in people. And we have seen that throughout this process. The stress of becoming the best you can. The stress of not letting you teammates down. The stress of leading 7 different personalities. The stress of choosing gear and making plans. The stress of keeping up with our everyday lives, families, friends and self. These and many other stressors tend to change a person and from what I have seen today, it's all for the better.

The way I see it boys we work together from this point forward on the remaining steps of this journey it will be a blast. Stay your course of working out, practicing, honing those skills but look to one another across the 40 of us for that added push, smile or internet pat on the back. I think we have reached that apex point and now as one unit can enjoy the twist and turns as we head down the hill into the greatest effn weekend of golf we will see. In the end one team will hold the cup but all five teams will stand on that balcony over looking the pond on 18 with a sever sense of pride and accomplishment. Hugs will be given, tears will be shed and faces will hurt from smiling. We will have completed the journey and will be better for it.

Keep up the great work and remember you are not alone on this quest. Look to left and right, you'll see some along side you doing the exact same thing!
 
Excellent post Panda.

It is hard for me to believe that we only have two months left of a journey that started almost six months ago. I am having so much fun this time around getting to officially play mentor to Team Hackers and anyone else who is willing to listen to my rambling. I actually dread this being over without something else upcoming to fill that drive to continue improving. Freddie and others are right though, there are some balancing stresses I won't miss.

I have more prep and practice to do for sure, and can't wait to see where everyone progresses to in these final 60-some odd days.
 
Very well said Panda
 
VERY well said Freddie. Today's talk is what I always believed the Morgan Cup is about. Everyone laying it out on the line good or bad for EVERYONE to see. All participants leaning on not only each other, but the THP community as a whole for support. I've put so much pressure on myself to start this golf season off that I pretty much took all fun out of the game for me and set myself up for failure. No one is perfect ESPECIALLY in this game, and I was trying to reach perfection in a very short period of time. What I've come to realize is that I may not be able to reach perfection but while working hard and having fun I can play some pretty damn good golf. I want all 40 of us to bring our best games to the Cup. I want every match to go 18 holes so we can put out the best product for all of the THP community following along. We owe to them!
 
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