CONTEST Live Update Thread: The Victory Cup with Mizuno Golf

Dude Mizuno is on it. Overnight shipping? Impressive!

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It's taken a bit longer to put together my thoughts on day 2 - but here ya go.
TLDR: Think "Ludicrous Speed".... it all moves so fast that I really didn't fully comprehend what was going on until now a week later.

Day 2 – Singles at the Stadium Course.

To start out, many of us have been grinding over the last few months. I've played some of the best and some of the worst golf of my life this year. And while it's not necessarily about the swing or score during events, to play one of the most iconic courses in the world, you really do put pressure on yourself to play well. And to play this iconic course with brand spanking new clubs that you’ve never hit yet know they are so good and so pure – you really really want to play well. (looking back at video and now playing a few rounds - I recognize I was swinging so damn hard and not rotating through my swing. lol!)

I can’t lie and say the nerves didn’t come into play. I was all good until I got on the range and was able to see parts of the course. Everything that I had prepared for, vanished in that moment and I felt like I had never swung a club….. ever. And then the speed of a THP experience took over. Putting green, JB, Vosh, and Walker giving instructions…. And on to the first tee. All that I had remembered about the course, the holes, the greens…. Vanished into thin air. All I wanted to do was get off the first tee without completely missing the ball (I almost missed on day 2! LOL!). Luckily enough – I hit a baby fade to the middle of the fairway and played relatively well for the 1st 4 holes. @That post was just steady eddy though – knowing that I couldn’t keep up even par for the whole time… boy was he right.

On hole 4 I put a bad swing on the ball and my old ex-girlfriend Mizz Hozzel Rokkett decided to give me a shoulder tap and remind me that she’s always in the back of my mind. And seriously – I couldn’t get rid of her the rest of the time at Sawgrass. “Working through some things” was a very nice way to describe the mentally debilitating series of events that occurred over the course of the next 5 holes. In addition, the wind… oh the wind on the next few holes. Oh….. and the water. It’s everywhere. If it was right – I found it. If it was left, I found it. And…. Bermuda grass. I’ve never played it… and really don’t care to do so in the future (I will but right now I don’t want to). Talk about bad lies and what that stuff does to your ball if you’re not in the fairway. I was a mess and @That post was playing solidly. So proud of him.

In the end, I was able to figure some things out and eek out a win on #15. My favorite 3 holes of the course were 16-18. My fav was probably 18. 17 is iconic, but without the grandstands, it loses some of the sparkle. 16 is an awesome par 5 that if you hit the right tee shot, you’ll have a chance to go for it in 2. In which… I left the eagle putt woefully short – never supposed to do that. The live stream on 17 was so much fun…. Even my wife watched it with her kids during math class. 18 is such an intimidating hole though. Go left – water. Go right trees. Hit the fairway …. It’s only about 30 yards wide. Shoot your shot and hope for the best. All in all, the round was so much fun… and mentally exhausting – but so worth it.

Dinner that night was so so so good. I might still be full from that dinner. The atmosphere at the restaurant was perfect – once again @GolferGal made the perfect location and food selections. After dinner, we got back and decided to wind down with another cocktail and wait for @MMaynard – which I decided it was more important for me to hit the hay, so I was ready for the next day. (Spoiler – my swing was just as bad…. ☹).

My real takeaway, a week later, is the speed at which everything happens is just ludicrous. (Think Spaceballs and “Ludicrous Speed”). It’s all the excitement of the event, the drive to ensure the forum is taken along for the ride, the desire to play well with the beautiful new sticks in your hands, the want to represent the brand of THP and Mizuno as well as possible, and the personal expectations that one sets for an event like this. There was so much coming at me, and I could barely see what was directly in front of me. It’s taken me a full week to really comprehend everything that went down… and I’m not fully sure I was able to take everything in and appreciate all the little things since it was my first and so far, only experience. Maybe the next one I’ll have a bit of an understanding of how everything works. Hopefully next time I’ll be able to stop, slow down, and enjoy all that is a THP experience.

I’ll work to put together my thoughts on Day 2 – the course was spectacular, water everywhere again, and the group was fantastic. The best part of this experience, beyond the course and the experience, is the friendships that were created during the leadup and time at Sawgrass. JB, Vosh, and Walker are all class acts and so much fun to be around and play with – even with all the ribbing we were given on the course! 😊
 
I got back to town and my prize pack was waiting for me.

Thanks @JB and @GolferGal for the sweet desk caddy and the shirt.
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I was a mess and @That post was playing solidly. So proud of him.
Thanks man! I’m glad I at least gave the appearance of having it together. When you were swinging well you hit the ball a country mile and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t shaking in my golf shoes. I knew on that course, in that wind, playing from the tips (for amateurs), your length was going to make it a huge uphill battle. It certainly was. I’m honestly surprised and thankful I was able to hold you off until hole 15.

It was nothing short of incredible how you were able to flip the switch at the turn. You found the 🔧. Really proud of you for that! You’re a great dude and I’m so happy I got to battle it out with you. 👊

Now that I am starting to dial the 923’s and have 20ish more yards from each club I hope we get a chance to play again (in a little less wind)🤣
 
This event recap is overdue and I apologize for my tardiness. But here it goes...

Notification of win
This event will go down as a very special event for me. Not for the obvious reason of Mizuno, THP, and Sawgrass but for one other reason...COVID. In April I was down and out with Covid. I might have had 3 hours of sleep overnight and just as I was going to sleep finally, the phone was dinging and pinging like never before. I tried to ignore the sounds but they kept coming in, GroupMe, text messages, THP notifications. I am thinking to myself I am having a nightmare. As I gather enough energy to pick my phone up @Davidhibler calls me...DUDE congrats!!! Huh?? Check THP...click. I check THP, fall out of bed with pure excitement, and coughing while trying to scream...I am going to TPC Sawgrass!!!!

Recap of Event
Day 1 - Meet up with @Lions81 @AuzzieMatt and @jmix18 at the Jacksonville airport and on @jmix18 flight from Atlanta were @Vosh68 and @texasranger2012 we greeted them at baggage claim. I am sure everyone can imagine the smiles on our faces but to see that same excitement from these 2 was great to see as well. The 4 of us head to TPC Sawgrass and get a bite to eat at Mulligans near the resort. We all saw the terrible Old Fashioneds that @jmix18 and I ordered. They tasted as bad as they looked. The highlight of lunch was @AuzzieMatt absolutely devouring his lunch in less than a minute. I think I had 2 maybe 3 french fries, looked up and his plate was clean with no crumbs. Lunch over time to kill some time before meeting up with @McLovin and @That post so we head over to TPC Sawgrass to take it all in. Since @Lions81 has played the Stadium Course before he provided us with a front 9 hole-by-hole description. We head inside and check all the cool nostalgic items in the clubhouse, really cool stuff. Of course, we head into the pro shop for a few items and sticker shocko_O. We head to the Marriott to meet up with the other guys, have some drinks, shower up and get dressed to head to dinner.
We walk into dinner and there they are, no not @JB, Vosh, and Walker but the blue Mizuno boxes. We all wanted to open these boxes JB grip and rip style but we did not know the protocol:ROFLMAO:. Instead, we all sat down for a remarkable dinner with strong drinks, great desserts, and even better conversation. Then we get the signal, "What are you guy's waiting for? Open those boxes!!" Done! Such a cool feeling for me to look around and see the excitement in not just the participant's faces but everyone in that room was excited for us. The bartender was stoked for us too, he was also a little jealous! Dinner, conversation, and unboxing is done we part ways but all end up back at the Marriott. Walking into the hotel was cool. Bunch of golfers standing in the lobby as we walk by with the blue box of goodness and you hear the whispers, "who are those guys", "where did they get clubs", "they must work for Mizuno", "JPX 921s???". I yell back to the last question, "nope even better and you cannot hit these until 9/23!" haha! A few more drinks with the fellas and off to try and sleep. I warned @Lions81 of what my wife calls "snoring" so he brings his sleep machine and we sleep to the soothing sounds of waves crashing in the ocean.

I thought I could do the entire recap in one post but my green bubble company is calling. Day 2 recap to come later today...
 
This event recap is overdue and I apologize for my tardiness. But here it goes...

Notification of win
This event will go down as a very special event for me. Not for the obvious reason of Mizuno, THP, and Sawgrass but for one other reason...COVID. In April I was down and out with Covid. I might have had 3 hours of sleep overnight and just as I was going to sleep finally, the phone was dinging and pinging like never before. I tried to ignore the sounds but they kept coming in, GroupMe, text messages, THP notifications. I am thinking to myself I am having a nightmare. As I gather enough energy to pick my phone up @Davidhibler calls me...DUDE congrats!!! Huh?? Check THP...click. I check THP, fall out of bed with pure excitement, and coughing while trying to scream...I am going to TPC Sawgrass!!!!

Recap of Event
Day 1 - Meet up with @Lions81 @AuzzieMatt and @jmix18 at the Jacksonville airport and on @jmix18 flight from Atlanta were @Vosh68 and @texasranger2012 we greeted them at baggage claim. I am sure everyone can imagine the smiles on our faces but to see that same excitement from these 2 was great to see as well. The 4 of us head to TPC Sawgrass and get a bite to eat at Mulligans near the resort. We all saw the terrible Old Fashioneds that @jmix18 and I ordered. They tasted as bad as they looked. The highlight of lunch was @AuzzieMatt absolutely devouring his lunch in less than a minute. I think I had 2 maybe 3 french fries, looked up and his plate was clean with no crumbs. Lunch over time to kill some time before meeting up with @McLovin and @That post so we head over to TPC Sawgrass to take it all in. Since @Lions81 has played the Stadium Course before he provided us with a front 9 hole-by-hole description. We head inside and check all the cool nostalgic items in the clubhouse, really cool stuff. Of course, we head into the pro shop for a few items and sticker shocko_O. We head to the Marriott to meet up with the other guys, have some drinks, shower up and get dressed to head to dinner.
We walk into dinner and there they are, no not @JB, Vosh, and Walker but the blue Mizuno boxes. We all wanted to open these boxes JB grip and rip style but we did not know the protocol:ROFLMAO:. Instead, we all sat down for a remarkable dinner with strong drinks, great desserts, and even better conversation. Then we get the signal, "What are you guy's waiting for? Open those boxes!!" Done! Such a cool feeling for me to look around and see the excitement in not just the participant's faces but everyone in that room was excited for us. The bartender was stoked for us too, he was also a little jealous! Dinner, conversation, and unboxing is done we part ways but all end up back at the Marriott. Walking into the hotel was cool. Bunch of golfers standing in the lobby as we walk by with the blue box of goodness and you hear the whispers, "who are those guys", "where did they get clubs", "they must work for Mizuno", "JPX 921s???". I yell back to the last question, "nope even better and you cannot hit these until 9/23!" haha! A few more drinks with the fellas and off to try and sleep. I warned @Lions81 of what my wife calls "snoring" so he brings his sleep machine and we sleep to the soothing sounds of waves crashing in the ocean.

I thought I could do the entire recap in one post but my green bubble company is calling. Day 2 recap to come later today...
I want to say something that will come off as cheesy and/or stupid, but I dont give a ****.

If the world had more @Deebo76 in it, we would be in a better place. In this THP Experience, you were all smiles, chatting, having fun, making others feel comfortable and the entire thing was what it is all about.

Don't change a thing...Including that green text bubble.
 
I want to say something that will come off as cheesy and/or stupid, but I dont give a ****.

If the world had more @Deebo76 in it, we would be in a better place. In this THP Experience, you were all smiles, chatting, having fun, making others feel comfortable and the entire thing was what it is all about.

Don't change a thing...Including that green text bubble.
Couldn't agree more!
 
This event recap is overdue and I apologize for my tardiness. But here it goes...

Notification of win
This event will go down as a very special event for me. Not for the obvious reason of Mizuno, THP, and Sawgrass but for one other reason...COVID. In April I was down and out with Covid. I might have had 3 hours of sleep overnight and just as I was going to sleep finally, the phone was dinging and pinging like never before. I tried to ignore the sounds but they kept coming in, GroupMe, text messages, THP notifications. I am thinking to myself I am having a nightmare. As I gather enough energy to pick my phone up @Davidhibler calls me...DUDE congrats!!! Huh?? Check THP...click. I check THP, fall out of bed with pure excitement, and coughing while trying to scream...I am going to TPC Sawgrass!!!!

Recap of Event
Day 1 - Meet up with @Lions81 @AuzzieMatt and @jmix18 at the Jacksonville airport and on @jmix18 flight from Atlanta were @Vosh68 and @texasranger2012 we greeted them at baggage claim. I am sure everyone can imagine the smiles on our faces but to see that same excitement from these 2 was great to see as well. The 4 of us head to TPC Sawgrass and get a bite to eat at Mulligans near the resort. We all saw the terrible Old Fashioneds that @jmix18 and I ordered. They tasted as bad as they looked. The highlight of lunch was @AuzzieMatt absolutely devouring his lunch in less than a minute. I think I had 2 maybe 3 french fries, looked up and his plate was clean with no crumbs. Lunch over time to kill some time before meeting up with @McLovin and @That post so we head over to TPC Sawgrass to take it all in. Since @Lions81 has played the Stadium Course before he provided us with a front 9 hole-by-hole description. We head inside and check all the cool nostalgic items in the clubhouse, really cool stuff. Of course, we head into the pro shop for a few items and sticker shocko_O. We head to the Marriott to meet up with the other guys, have some drinks, shower up and get dressed to head to dinner.
We walk into dinner and there they are, no not @JB, Vosh, and Walker but the blue Mizuno boxes. We all wanted to open these boxes JB grip and rip style but we did not know the protocol:ROFLMAO:. Instead, we all sat down for a remarkable dinner with strong drinks, great desserts, and even better conversation. Then we get the signal, "What are you guy's waiting for? Open those boxes!!" Done! Such a cool feeling for me to look around and see the excitement in not just the participant's faces but everyone in that room was excited for us. The bartender was stoked for us too, he was also a little jealous! Dinner, conversation, and unboxing is done we part ways but all end up back at the Marriott. Walking into the hotel was cool. Bunch of golfers standing in the lobby as we walk by with the blue box of goodness and you hear the whispers, "who are those guys", "where did they get clubs", "they must work for Mizuno", "JPX 921s???". I yell back to the last question, "nope even better and you cannot hit these until 9/23!" haha! A few more drinks with the fellas and off to try and sleep. I warned @Lions81 of what my wife calls "snoring" so he brings his sleep machine and we sleep to the soothing sounds of waves crashing in the ocean.

I thought I could do the entire recap in one post but my green bubble company is calling. Day 2 recap to come later today...

That sound machine might have been the real MVP of the weekend. Glad we got to share a room buddy and it was great to get to know you. Hope we get to hang out again in the future.
 
In the end, I was able to figure some things out and eek out a win on #15. My favorite 3 holes of the course were 16-18. My fav was probably 18. 17 is iconic, but without the grandstands, it loses some of the sparkle. 16 is an awesome par 5 that if you hit the right tee shot, you’ll have a chance to go for it in 2. In which… I left the eagle putt woefully short – never supposed to do that. The live stream on 17 was so much fun…. Even my wife watched it with her kids during math class. 18 is such an intimidating hole though. Go left – water. Go right trees. Hit the fairway …. It’s only about 30 yards wide. Shoot your shot and hope for the best. All in all, the round was so much fun… and mentally exhausting – but so worth it.
The class watching the live feed is so great
 
Loving my 4 Fli-Hi. Had a CLK 2H a couple years back I really liked as well. Was there any mention of a new one at the event or is it just hush hush at the moment?
 
Loving my 4 Fli-Hi. Had a CLK 2H a couple years back I really liked as well. Was there any mention of a new one at the event or is it just hush hush at the moment?

i don’t recall discussing a new fli hi. but we talked plenty about how great it is, and how it’s in bags of non sponsored tour players.
 
i don’t recall discussing a new fli hi. but we talked plenty about how great it is, and how it’s in bags of non sponsored tour players.
CLK?
 
Aww yeah

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Hey all…. Look what came in today!
Type 1 Omoi. 35 inches and all Black!!! Thank you THP and Mizuno! Can’t wait to use it tomorrow!!

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Look what showed up in a fun blue box today…. #TeamWalker

MCraft V in Blue. Will be posting my thoughts in that thread but wow is it stunning and feels great. Awesome that they included a weight kit to really get it dialed in.

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Look what showed up in a fun blue box today…. #TeamWalker

MCraft V in Blue. Will be posting my thoughts in that thread but wow is it stunning and feels great. Awesome that they included a weight kit to really get it dialed in.

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So pretty!!! Love the headcover and you're right, the extra weights are a nice touch!
 
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