DevRickus
The Dirty Jerz
Or when Jed yelled for him to hold off putting............
Recap & Review - 2015 THP Legacy
Or when Jed yelled for him to hold off putting............
Cjgolf25
Well-known member
Dude you were awesome yourself. Im so glad that Mike paired you and I together for the PM Alternate shot match. We did develop some great chemistry and that was a big reason why I felt comfortable. It was even more fitting to play alongside you on Sunday as well. You really kept me in check all weekend and for that I thank you brotha.
I have no doubt at all that Mike putting us in the same cart for Sunday Singles was a HUGE factor in the success we had individually.
mikedean441
6X HOF
#MasterPlan
- Staff
- #155
The man had every single detail planned out. He thought of everything.
lightningbolt44
Well-known member
Cjgolf25
Well-known member
Part 2
Friday: I can remember waking up thinking to myself, wow I can’t believe this day is here. I took a shower and waited patiently as Ron, Gregg and Jeremy took there sweet time to get ready. I was like a kid waiting for my mom and dad to tell me its okay to start opening christmas gifts.
When we finally got to True Blue, you can see the excitement on both team’s faces. I walked back and forth in the hallway waiting for the stupid clock to strike 9. When it finally did, we were given the green light to walk outside. That was such an awesome walk to the range, I had a smile that would not leave my face. When we got to the line of Bridgestone and Wilson bags, we were greeted by JB who said a few words. We took some pictures and then it was game on. I ripped all the plastic off my clubs and just had to stare at them for a little bit. At that moment, it still didn't feel real that this was all happening.
I was so gitty on the range, hitting everything in my bag. I was jumping back and forth between the flight scope and were I had my bag. I wish I could tell you how many balls we actually hit, but I do know we did go through three massive buckets.
After lunch, in which all I can do was joke about Jeremy ordering a hot dog, we made our way to the back nine of True Blue. I didn't play particularly bad but in all honesty that nine holes was kind of a blur to me. I was still caught up in the moment of what we were getting to do.
At dinner we got to here the pairings. I waited with anticipation, as I already knew that I would be out last with Patrick. Then it was announced, we will be facing fairband (Dave) and Dave Alvarado (Dave) in the morning. Curtis and I would have our hands full with golf4life (Brett) and T2GRN18 (Kevin)…….
Friday: I can remember waking up thinking to myself, wow I can’t believe this day is here. I took a shower and waited patiently as Ron, Gregg and Jeremy took there sweet time to get ready. I was like a kid waiting for my mom and dad to tell me its okay to start opening christmas gifts.
When we finally got to True Blue, you can see the excitement on both team’s faces. I walked back and forth in the hallway waiting for the stupid clock to strike 9. When it finally did, we were given the green light to walk outside. That was such an awesome walk to the range, I had a smile that would not leave my face. When we got to the line of Bridgestone and Wilson bags, we were greeted by JB who said a few words. We took some pictures and then it was game on. I ripped all the plastic off my clubs and just had to stare at them for a little bit. At that moment, it still didn't feel real that this was all happening.
I was so gitty on the range, hitting everything in my bag. I was jumping back and forth between the flight scope and were I had my bag. I wish I could tell you how many balls we actually hit, but I do know we did go through three massive buckets.
After lunch, in which all I can do was joke about Jeremy ordering a hot dog, we made our way to the back nine of True Blue. I didn't play particularly bad but in all honesty that nine holes was kind of a blur to me. I was still caught up in the moment of what we were getting to do.
At dinner we got to here the pairings. I waited with anticipation, as I already knew that I would be out last with Patrick. Then it was announced, we will be facing fairband (Dave) and Dave Alvarado (Dave) in the morning. Curtis and I would have our hands full with golf4life (Brett) and T2GRN18 (Kevin)…….
- Staff
- #158
I'm going to guess the room where he does his best thinking
Shakey
#TheGolfWhisperer
Shakey's Legacy Recap - Part 1
Shakey's Legacy Recap - Part 1
I'll start out by thanking our sponsors Wilson Staff, Bridgestone, KBS & Lamkin. Not only were they generous with the equipment & swag, but it was great to interact with the extremely knowledgeable reps. Duffy from Wilson & Corey from Bridgestone. Duffy spent quite a bit of time trying to get me dialed in with the driver & and hung out w/ us in the villa after dinner on Friday.
Of course thanks to THP for hosting an event like the Legacy to give us golf crazed maniacs a place to live & talk the sport we love. A lot of other people put in a lot of work to make the Legacy happen. For fear of leaving someone out, I won’t name names, but you're efforts are greatly appreciated.
Anyway, on to the recap…
After looking at all the possible flights into the MB area, I decided to fly into Savannah late Tuesday so I could get a round in with the guys on Wed. Gregg was flying into Charleston early, so I was able to swing by& pick him up. We had a good hour & a half car ride to Pawleys Island & by the time we got there it was just like hanging out with an old friend.
After attempting to check in, we hit a burger joint & then headed to True Blue to meet Jeremy, Ron & Captain Mike. I‘d met Ron & played with him at the “East Texas Masters” with the DFW crew in March, but the everyone else on the team was new to me. I played OK on the front, but heated up on the back 9. We all played pretty close to our hdcps, & had a blast while doing it. BTW, I think that’s the first time I heard the phrase “you got greggdrews’d”, but it definitely wouldn’t be the last. Some how Ron & I squeaked out a win vs. Gregg/Jeremy in a friendly game of best ball while Mike sat back & cracked one liners. By the end of the round it was obvious that Team Heritage had a serious chance of bringing home the hardware. After dinner, we hung out at the villa. CJ arrived next & fit right in. Curtis & his wife Connie made it in next and lugged all their stuff up to the 3[SUP]rd [/SUP]floor. Oops, wrong villa. They were back on the ground floor.
Thursday it was up early for another round at True Blue. This time I got to play with Jeremy against Ron & Gregg in best ball. Jeremy was steady early & kept us in the match while I struggled to a +8 on the front. On the back I caught fire again & shot a +2. One of the guys remarked that I went from Tom Sledge to Tom Watson on the back 9, so I got tagged with nickname of Mr. Watson. Even though we played well, we were thoroughly greggdrews’d by R&G. I think we got closed out on 15 or 16 even though we both shot right around our handicap.
Next it was a quick trip over to Caledonia with Curtis. Making the drive down the road to Caledonia is an experience almost like walking into one of the massive renaissance cathedrals. Our mouths were hanging open as we slowly cruised down the lane enshrouded by live oaks & Spanish moss. I must have been in a trance because I off loaded the golf clubs & left the car right in the middle of the drive way while I went inside to pay. That got quite the laugh when I finally came back out.
Back to golf... Ron & I were paired up again & we were off & running from the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] hole. I hit a decent drive, Ron’s approach got caught up in the wind a little & ended up in the front bunker, I got it out of the bunker, but only about half way to the pin. Then Ronaldo (Ron’s golf pro alter ego) showed up & drained the 25’ putt for par. That led to a confidence building 40/43 round that may or may not have been fueled by a little swing lube. Our friendly competition for the round was Rock & Patrick. Patrick had just got into town & jumped on the course with no warm up. Without the warm up time he was a little rusty, but both he & Rock were beasts off the tee. Rock could be described as sneaky long, but Patrick flat out mashed every shot he took. Thursday night we all got together at Mike’s villa & the captain bought us pizza.
Shakey's Legacy Recap - Part 1
I'll start out by thanking our sponsors Wilson Staff, Bridgestone, KBS & Lamkin. Not only were they generous with the equipment & swag, but it was great to interact with the extremely knowledgeable reps. Duffy from Wilson & Corey from Bridgestone. Duffy spent quite a bit of time trying to get me dialed in with the driver & and hung out w/ us in the villa after dinner on Friday.
Of course thanks to THP for hosting an event like the Legacy to give us golf crazed maniacs a place to live & talk the sport we love. A lot of other people put in a lot of work to make the Legacy happen. For fear of leaving someone out, I won’t name names, but you're efforts are greatly appreciated.
Anyway, on to the recap…
After looking at all the possible flights into the MB area, I decided to fly into Savannah late Tuesday so I could get a round in with the guys on Wed. Gregg was flying into Charleston early, so I was able to swing by& pick him up. We had a good hour & a half car ride to Pawleys Island & by the time we got there it was just like hanging out with an old friend.
After attempting to check in, we hit a burger joint & then headed to True Blue to meet Jeremy, Ron & Captain Mike. I‘d met Ron & played with him at the “East Texas Masters” with the DFW crew in March, but the everyone else on the team was new to me. I played OK on the front, but heated up on the back 9. We all played pretty close to our hdcps, & had a blast while doing it. BTW, I think that’s the first time I heard the phrase “you got greggdrews’d”, but it definitely wouldn’t be the last. Some how Ron & I squeaked out a win vs. Gregg/Jeremy in a friendly game of best ball while Mike sat back & cracked one liners. By the end of the round it was obvious that Team Heritage had a serious chance of bringing home the hardware. After dinner, we hung out at the villa. CJ arrived next & fit right in. Curtis & his wife Connie made it in next and lugged all their stuff up to the 3[SUP]rd [/SUP]floor. Oops, wrong villa. They were back on the ground floor.
Thursday it was up early for another round at True Blue. This time I got to play with Jeremy against Ron & Gregg in best ball. Jeremy was steady early & kept us in the match while I struggled to a +8 on the front. On the back I caught fire again & shot a +2. One of the guys remarked that I went from Tom Sledge to Tom Watson on the back 9, so I got tagged with nickname of Mr. Watson. Even though we played well, we were thoroughly greggdrews’d by R&G. I think we got closed out on 15 or 16 even though we both shot right around our handicap.
Next it was a quick trip over to Caledonia with Curtis. Making the drive down the road to Caledonia is an experience almost like walking into one of the massive renaissance cathedrals. Our mouths were hanging open as we slowly cruised down the lane enshrouded by live oaks & Spanish moss. I must have been in a trance because I off loaded the golf clubs & left the car right in the middle of the drive way while I went inside to pay. That got quite the laugh when I finally came back out.
Back to golf... Ron & I were paired up again & we were off & running from the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] hole. I hit a decent drive, Ron’s approach got caught up in the wind a little & ended up in the front bunker, I got it out of the bunker, but only about half way to the pin. Then Ronaldo (Ron’s golf pro alter ego) showed up & drained the 25’ putt for par. That led to a confidence building 40/43 round that may or may not have been fueled by a little swing lube. Our friendly competition for the round was Rock & Patrick. Patrick had just got into town & jumped on the course with no warm up. Without the warm up time he was a little rusty, but both he & Rock were beasts off the tee. Rock could be described as sneaky long, but Patrick flat out mashed every shot he took. Thursday night we all got together at Mike’s villa & the captain bought us pizza.
Last edited:
Shakey
#TheGolfWhisperer
Part 2
Part 2
Christmas morning finally arrived & we all gathered in the club house at True Blue while our equipment was set up. It felt like hours before we finally got the OK to go down to the range & see all our stuff lined up. After all the picture taking & getting to meet Duffy & Corey, we were finally allowed to rip into our equipment. We were told that some of us didn’t get the driver shaft that was ordered because they didn’t have them in stock, so the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] thing I did was yank the driver to check the shaft. Sure enough, I was one of the guys. I had requested a Tour Green, but got the Tour Blue instead.
There is no use in denying it, I was crushed & I’m sure it showed in my face & body language. The reason I was so down is because I had finally found a shaft profile that worked perfect for about 3 months earlier. greggdrews sent me a Speeder VC6.2 and it totally changed my tee shots. I went from a big 220 yard fade to a 240 yard small fade with that shaft. When I asked the forum which shaft was most like the Speeder, everyone said to go for the Tour Green. After a few iron swings to loosen up, I grabbed the driver & proceeded to launch rainbow after rainbow with 4K plus spin. Duffy worked with me a lot with various settings, but I just wasn’t happy with the result. I finally just put it down & resigned myself to 200 yard drives for the event & went to work getting used to the rest of my bag.
After hitting all my other clubs, I decided to give the driver a go again to see if I could find any adjustments that would get better results. Multiple stance, ball placement & grip changes later I finally hit on a magic combination that produced a much lower & piercing draw flight. Elated with the change, I was able to move on & head up to the club house for lunch.
When we finished lunch & headed out to the 10[SUP]th [/SUP]tee for our practice round, I made it a point to jump out on the tee box 1[SUP]st[/SUP]. I was going to prove to myself that I owned this new swing by putting it on display in front of everyone…. And proceeded to hit a massively overcooked draw into the next fairway over. Oof! Gut shot. I also might have dropped a four letter word that was recorded on the GoPro right after Mike had previously warned me that it recorded sound too. Sorry JB & GG. Anyway, I waited for my group to hit their drives & re-tee’d & put one out there in play pretty close to the other bombers in my group (Patrick, Jeremy & Rock). By the end of the round I figured out that as long as I didn’t go hard after a drive, the shaft performed perfectly. With the mulligan off the 1[SUP]st[/SUP], I managed to shoot a +4, so I was pretty happy that. After Friday night’s dinner, our team got together to discuss pairings & order we would go off the next day.
More to come
Part 2
Christmas morning finally arrived & we all gathered in the club house at True Blue while our equipment was set up. It felt like hours before we finally got the OK to go down to the range & see all our stuff lined up. After all the picture taking & getting to meet Duffy & Corey, we were finally allowed to rip into our equipment. We were told that some of us didn’t get the driver shaft that was ordered because they didn’t have them in stock, so the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] thing I did was yank the driver to check the shaft. Sure enough, I was one of the guys. I had requested a Tour Green, but got the Tour Blue instead.
There is no use in denying it, I was crushed & I’m sure it showed in my face & body language. The reason I was so down is because I had finally found a shaft profile that worked perfect for about 3 months earlier. greggdrews sent me a Speeder VC6.2 and it totally changed my tee shots. I went from a big 220 yard fade to a 240 yard small fade with that shaft. When I asked the forum which shaft was most like the Speeder, everyone said to go for the Tour Green. After a few iron swings to loosen up, I grabbed the driver & proceeded to launch rainbow after rainbow with 4K plus spin. Duffy worked with me a lot with various settings, but I just wasn’t happy with the result. I finally just put it down & resigned myself to 200 yard drives for the event & went to work getting used to the rest of my bag.
After hitting all my other clubs, I decided to give the driver a go again to see if I could find any adjustments that would get better results. Multiple stance, ball placement & grip changes later I finally hit on a magic combination that produced a much lower & piercing draw flight. Elated with the change, I was able to move on & head up to the club house for lunch.
When we finished lunch & headed out to the 10[SUP]th [/SUP]tee for our practice round, I made it a point to jump out on the tee box 1[SUP]st[/SUP]. I was going to prove to myself that I owned this new swing by putting it on display in front of everyone…. And proceeded to hit a massively overcooked draw into the next fairway over. Oof! Gut shot. I also might have dropped a four letter word that was recorded on the GoPro right after Mike had previously warned me that it recorded sound too. Sorry JB & GG. Anyway, I waited for my group to hit their drives & re-tee’d & put one out there in play pretty close to the other bombers in my group (Patrick, Jeremy & Rock). By the end of the round I figured out that as long as I didn’t go hard after a drive, the shaft performed perfectly. With the mulligan off the 1[SUP]st[/SUP], I managed to shoot a +4, so I was pretty happy that. After Friday night’s dinner, our team got together to discuss pairings & order we would go off the next day.
More to come
Last edited:
Shakey
#TheGolfWhisperer
Saturday morning was beautiful. Team Heritage was on the range early & we were ready. Ron & I were paired against Cace & Eric for Best Ball & it turned out to be an epic match. I was so amped up that I over swung on the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] tee. I was lucky that the shot hung on enough to catch the left edge of the fairway by the waste area & went on to par the whole with my only pop of the round (thanks Eric!). The lead changed several times & it all came down to 18 as it should. I bailed right into the woods trying to guide my ball into the fairway & struggled in with a bogey. Ronaldo came thru for us and dropped in a par that forced Cace to par the hole with a pop to end the match AS. When all was said & done it was one of the most fun & emotionally draining matches I’ve ever played.
On to Alt Shot against Cace & Geoff. Right off the bat, I put us in trouble by swinging full bore and drawing a ball over the road OB. We recovered OK to take the lead, but Cace & Geoff tightened up & eventually caught us. They used the strokes they got on 13 through 16 exactly like they should have & won all 4 holes. I had a chance on 16 to push the match to the 17[SUP]th[/SUP], but got a toilet bowl lip out from 6’. I was pretty much inconsolable at that point. I felt like I’d let the match slip away by missing too many greens & convincing Ron to play more conservatively than we should have when we had the lead. Ron being the amazing partner & friend that he is, wouldn’t let me dwell on it, and reminded me we had business to take care of Sunday.
Saturday night was Captain Mike’s best moment. He built us up by telling us we had played the best golf he had ever seen at a THP event, but… our putting absolutely stunk. If we would have made the short putts & lag putted to gimme range, we could have been up way more the 1 point. We all took it to heart & vowed we would focus on that on Sunday. He also nailed the pairings order. I had multiple thoughts on being in the 4th group. I was worried that I wouldn’t get to finish, & that he was trying to hide his weak link after the display I put on Saturday afternoon in Alt Shot, but I was also happy that he had enough faith in Patrick & I to bring it home on 18 if it got to that point. I found out later that he also wanted to group me with Patrick to help tame his intensity a little. Patrick himself will tell you that he can get very intense on the course. My job was to keep his head in the game if he hit a bad shot. With me being the old man of the group, I embraced the role & also picked up a new nickname… “Dad”.
More to come...
On to Alt Shot against Cace & Geoff. Right off the bat, I put us in trouble by swinging full bore and drawing a ball over the road OB. We recovered OK to take the lead, but Cace & Geoff tightened up & eventually caught us. They used the strokes they got on 13 through 16 exactly like they should have & won all 4 holes. I had a chance on 16 to push the match to the 17[SUP]th[/SUP], but got a toilet bowl lip out from 6’. I was pretty much inconsolable at that point. I felt like I’d let the match slip away by missing too many greens & convincing Ron to play more conservatively than we should have when we had the lead. Ron being the amazing partner & friend that he is, wouldn’t let me dwell on it, and reminded me we had business to take care of Sunday.
Saturday night was Captain Mike’s best moment. He built us up by telling us we had played the best golf he had ever seen at a THP event, but… our putting absolutely stunk. If we would have made the short putts & lag putted to gimme range, we could have been up way more the 1 point. We all took it to heart & vowed we would focus on that on Sunday. He also nailed the pairings order. I had multiple thoughts on being in the 4th group. I was worried that I wouldn’t get to finish, & that he was trying to hide his weak link after the display I put on Saturday afternoon in Alt Shot, but I was also happy that he had enough faith in Patrick & I to bring it home on 18 if it got to that point. I found out later that he also wanted to group me with Patrick to help tame his intensity a little. Patrick himself will tell you that he can get very intense on the course. My job was to keep his head in the game if he hit a bad shot. With me being the old man of the group, I embraced the role & also picked up a new nickname… “Dad”.
More to come...
Last edited:
mikedean441
6X HOF
Some good stuff so far DAD
Shakey
#TheGolfWhisperer
Shakey's Legacy Recap - The End
Shakey's Legacy Recap - The End
Sunday Singles. That just sounds so cool. We were asked early if we wanted to go with another group format on Sunday, but the response was a resounding “NO”. We all wanted the chance to golf our own ball & have every shot be on our own shoulders.
From the time I woke, I was in a rare mood for me. Some might call it focused, in the zone or whatever, but I was definitely there. My pre round range session was spot on & I spent a good deal of time on the practice green dialing in the putter with some smooth electronica thumping in my earphones. Off to the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] tee we go & the feeling got more intense. I knew good things were going to happen. Then I see Ron. There was no other way to describe him other than a tiger pacing back and forth in a cage just waiting to be released to maul somebody. This only served to amp me up even more.
When it was finally time for the 4[SUP]th[/SUP] group to tee off, I couldn’t slow my swing down enough to keep from over drawing it again into the waste bunker on the left, but it was long. I punched out of the waste area to 95 yards, my perfect GW distance, & then stuck it to 15’ for the par. Dave (Fairband) fought hard after some trouble off the tee & barely missed covering me up with one of his 5 strokes on the match.
From there I went on to par the next 6 holes in a row with no trouble, but Dave kept making magical chips & draining putts from everywhere to keep the match within reach. On the 7[SUP]th[/SUP], I hit a fat tee shot that left me a little short of the green. I played too much break with my chip & missed the downhill 6 footer for par to card what would be my only bogey of the round.
After another easy hole on 8, on 9 I flushed a drive to about 250 out. Then I “overpured” my D200 2 hybrid & ended up in the frontbunker with 20 yards left over a massive bunker lip into a flag on the top tier. Instead of taking the safe route as I usually do, I went for the stick. Somehow I hit the best long greenside bunker shot of my life with the amazing 54* Wilson Staff Traction Control tour grind wedge & put it to around 9’. I safely 2 putted & went on to the next hole with a solid lead.
I was able to escape with another par on the 560 yard par five 10[SUP]th[/SUP], even after chunking a shot out of the waste area. I put the next shot on & sunk a severely downhill & breaking 10’ putt.
#11 was a GIR & 2 putt par & I also managed to get up & down from a bunker behind the green on 12 for par as well. That put poor Dave at dormie going into 13. I honestly felt bad for him because he was playing great golf, but just had the bad luck of catching one of, if not the best round of my life to that point.
#13 was playing around 360 yards into a solid left to right quartering wind. We both put great tee balls out there & had around 115 yards to a front flag location. My ball was above my feet, so I choked down on a 9 iron & hit a punch shot that I thought was all over the flag. It ended up on the fringe about 15’ below the hole, but Dave’s ball got hammered by the wind & he got a nasty lie in the sand. When it was all said & done, my par was enough to win & I took the match 7 & 5.
While all this was going on, Patrick & Geoff were having a helluava match. I don’t know how many times the lead changed, but no matter what happened, Patrick stayed calm & collected & took care of business. I thought he was going to lose it on #4 when his approach hit a rake that someone (thanks Rock!) left out of the bunker by the green. To his credit, he reeled in his emotions & was up 1 on Geoff when we got the call that Heritage had the tournament wrapped up. Speaking of Geoff, what a gentle giant he turned out to be. He didn’t have his best game Sunday, but he fought &clawed to stay in the match as well. I would have loved to see how their match would have ended if it would have been needed to decide the winning team.
Whew! Now that we were done the gravity of what had just happened started sinking in. I walked up the fairway on 15 to see a bunch of my boys by the green. The hugs started & I got teary, but managed to keep it together long enough to throw my bag on with Dave & head to the club house.
Then it came time to join my teammates at the club house. As I walked up, the emotional dam was in danger of giving way as the team hugs started up again. When it got to Ron I couldn’t hold it anymore so I had to take a moment & walk off by myself behind the 18[SUP]th[/SUP] green to gain a little composure.
The rest of the celebration & dinner that night was just a blur. I had put my heart & soul into this event & was mentally & physically exhausted.
Wrapping up, I just want to say a final thanks to our team. I may not have mentioned all the guys specifically in my recap, but there was something special about the way we all gelled that can’t be explained. I could have been paired with any one of you for the matches & been happy.
Captain Mike… JB made a wise choice making you a captain. I wasn’t sure what to expect from you, but you molded a bunch of strangers into a dominant team. The wry sense of humor, the poignancy when needed and laid back attitude was just what our gang of misfits needed.
I almost forgot to mention one other guy that needs some kudos. Ricky is one heck of a guy too. I think he was nicer to us than to his own team (just kidding). I’d love to tee it up with you one day.
Well, that's it. My Legacy. And I'm damn proud of it!
Shakey's Legacy Recap - The End
Sunday Singles. That just sounds so cool. We were asked early if we wanted to go with another group format on Sunday, but the response was a resounding “NO”. We all wanted the chance to golf our own ball & have every shot be on our own shoulders.
From the time I woke, I was in a rare mood for me. Some might call it focused, in the zone or whatever, but I was definitely there. My pre round range session was spot on & I spent a good deal of time on the practice green dialing in the putter with some smooth electronica thumping in my earphones. Off to the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] tee we go & the feeling got more intense. I knew good things were going to happen. Then I see Ron. There was no other way to describe him other than a tiger pacing back and forth in a cage just waiting to be released to maul somebody. This only served to amp me up even more.
When it was finally time for the 4[SUP]th[/SUP] group to tee off, I couldn’t slow my swing down enough to keep from over drawing it again into the waste bunker on the left, but it was long. I punched out of the waste area to 95 yards, my perfect GW distance, & then stuck it to 15’ for the par. Dave (Fairband) fought hard after some trouble off the tee & barely missed covering me up with one of his 5 strokes on the match.
From there I went on to par the next 6 holes in a row with no trouble, but Dave kept making magical chips & draining putts from everywhere to keep the match within reach. On the 7[SUP]th[/SUP], I hit a fat tee shot that left me a little short of the green. I played too much break with my chip & missed the downhill 6 footer for par to card what would be my only bogey of the round.
After another easy hole on 8, on 9 I flushed a drive to about 250 out. Then I “overpured” my D200 2 hybrid & ended up in the frontbunker with 20 yards left over a massive bunker lip into a flag on the top tier. Instead of taking the safe route as I usually do, I went for the stick. Somehow I hit the best long greenside bunker shot of my life with the amazing 54* Wilson Staff Traction Control tour grind wedge & put it to around 9’. I safely 2 putted & went on to the next hole with a solid lead.
I was able to escape with another par on the 560 yard par five 10[SUP]th[/SUP], even after chunking a shot out of the waste area. I put the next shot on & sunk a severely downhill & breaking 10’ putt.
#11 was a GIR & 2 putt par & I also managed to get up & down from a bunker behind the green on 12 for par as well. That put poor Dave at dormie going into 13. I honestly felt bad for him because he was playing great golf, but just had the bad luck of catching one of, if not the best round of my life to that point.
#13 was playing around 360 yards into a solid left to right quartering wind. We both put great tee balls out there & had around 115 yards to a front flag location. My ball was above my feet, so I choked down on a 9 iron & hit a punch shot that I thought was all over the flag. It ended up on the fringe about 15’ below the hole, but Dave’s ball got hammered by the wind & he got a nasty lie in the sand. When it was all said & done, my par was enough to win & I took the match 7 & 5.
While all this was going on, Patrick & Geoff were having a helluava match. I don’t know how many times the lead changed, but no matter what happened, Patrick stayed calm & collected & took care of business. I thought he was going to lose it on #4 when his approach hit a rake that someone (thanks Rock!) left out of the bunker by the green. To his credit, he reeled in his emotions & was up 1 on Geoff when we got the call that Heritage had the tournament wrapped up. Speaking of Geoff, what a gentle giant he turned out to be. He didn’t have his best game Sunday, but he fought &clawed to stay in the match as well. I would have loved to see how their match would have ended if it would have been needed to decide the winning team.
Whew! Now that we were done the gravity of what had just happened started sinking in. I walked up the fairway on 15 to see a bunch of my boys by the green. The hugs started & I got teary, but managed to keep it together long enough to throw my bag on with Dave & head to the club house.
Then it came time to join my teammates at the club house. As I walked up, the emotional dam was in danger of giving way as the team hugs started up again. When it got to Ron I couldn’t hold it anymore so I had to take a moment & walk off by myself behind the 18[SUP]th[/SUP] green to gain a little composure.
The rest of the celebration & dinner that night was just a blur. I had put my heart & soul into this event & was mentally & physically exhausted.
Wrapping up, I just want to say a final thanks to our team. I may not have mentioned all the guys specifically in my recap, but there was something special about the way we all gelled that can’t be explained. I could have been paired with any one of you for the matches & been happy.
Captain Mike… JB made a wise choice making you a captain. I wasn’t sure what to expect from you, but you molded a bunch of strangers into a dominant team. The wry sense of humor, the poignancy when needed and laid back attitude was just what our gang of misfits needed.
I almost forgot to mention one other guy that needs some kudos. Ricky is one heck of a guy too. I think he was nicer to us than to his own team (just kidding). I’d love to tee it up with you one day.
Well, that's it. My Legacy. And I'm damn proud of it!
Last edited:
Agreed Tom. Our team really had something special going, and it was just so much fun hanging out and playing with you guys.
It was such a pleasure and an honor to tee it up and spend 4 days with you guys.
It was such a pleasure and an honor to tee it up and spend 4 days with you guys.
Saturday night prior to the dinner we had a quick team meeting in the party Villa because Mike wanted to let us in on his strategies and go over a few things with us before submitting his final lineup for Sunday Singles.
I think we were all in agreement with what he had already set up and personally I thought he did a damn near perfect job of both predicting what the opponent would do and setting his own team up for massive success by pairing the right guys together and in the right order. Basically, Captain #441 is THE EFFING MAN and I was so proud he was our leader. A great golf mind, a great guy, and the perfect man to lead a Championship Team. Plus, I'm just thankful he didn't orchestrate a trade to offload me after my poor practice round on Thursday morning.
During the official dinner all I could think about was matchups. I was really proud and happy with what I had accomplished already on Saturday but I knew that Sunday Singles was where my Legacy would truly unfold. I knew that I would be giving strokes away once we put me second in the order, so I was mentally prepared for that from the get-go. When it was finally announced that I would be playing against Cace (Orange Hog) in Match #2 I'm not sure how I felt initially. Excited, confident, worried would probably all apply. I decided that it was the damn perfect matchup and that all the other stuff would be settled on the golf course. Our eyes met across the room and we were both thinking the same thing...we needed our best tomorrow to take down a worthy opponent. Here were two golfers with honest handicaps, tournament experience, and a desire to win.
Sunday morning comes around and everything is a blur. I just want to get to the 1st tee and hit my ball but time is moving too slowly.
After what felt like an eternity on the range/practice green we were off. Both Cace and I took our first drives to pound town and were sitting pretty in the fairway. He popped on the first hole and I knew I wouldn't win it unless he made a drastic error - which he didn't. 1 Down heading to number 2.
He also won hole #2 after a dreadful showing by yours truly, not the start I wanted. Hole #2 might be the dumbest hole I've ever played BTW haha. 2 Down.
Hole 3 - We both in the GIR but I was much closer. 2 putts for me and 3 for him gets me back into the match. 1 Down.
Hole 4 - I picked driver trying to be aggressive and put some pressure on him...which didn't work when I blocked it right into an adjacent fairway behind some trees. He popped on the hole and that was enough to seal my fate there. 2 Down.
Hole 5 - I hit a big fade off the tee to a wide fairway but just rolled into the rough at the edge of the landing area while Cace hit a damn near perfect bomb cutting the corner and finding the fairway. I pulled off a one in a million shot over the massive trees to about 8 feet (52 wedge from 149) with a Tiger-swipe and Cace found the greenside bunker on the right. He gets up to about 15 feet and I'm thinking the hole is mine. He converts his up-and-down with an amazing putt and I push my putt just right...we halve the hole. Still 2 Down.
Hole 6 - I can't remember what the heck I was doing but I hit a blocked 5i off the tee into the waste bunker. Cace hit to good position. He hits the GIR and 2 putts for the win on the hole. 3 Down, Uh-oh.
Hole 7 - We both hit poor tee shots on this par 3 but I managed to get it up and in in fewer strokes than him. 2 Down.
Hole 8 - I hit driver on an aggressive line and was just short of some trees. Hit a wedge up to the green and 2 putts for par to win the hole. 1 Down.
Hole 9 - We both hit perfect tee balls, perfect 2nd shots, and hit our 3rd shots to about 8 or 9 feet each. He pops on the hole so I figured I was doomed. I get in with par and he hits his first putt 2 feet past. Like a DICK I make him putt it out because I need something to go my way. I felt bad when he missed it but I needed the push nonetheless. 1 DOWN.
Hole 10 - I hit my tee shot into some trees trying to cut the corner and he hit his 3rd into some crap. He popped on the hole so our equal scores gave him the win. 2 Down.
Hole 11 - I went long but chipped close and got in with par. Cace found some trouble on the left side and it was my hole. 1 Down.
Hole 12 - This is where I found my game again and started to play some GOLF. FIR - GIR and the hole was mine. All Square.
Hole 13 - Again FIR GIR on my part and the hole was mine. 1 UP. My D200 was singing at this point...point and shoot.
Hole 14 - We both pulled our tee shots a touch but he found the green and I didn't. He hits a phenomenal long putt and takes the hole. All Square.
Hole 15 - I hate this hole. HATE IT. I hit the GIR and then 3 putted like a fool, such a critical error this late in a tight match. Cace found trouble with his 2nd but recovered well and won the hole with his pop. 1 Down with 3 to play and I'm feeling the pressure now.
On #16 I airmailed the damn green somehow and proceeded to the drop zone where I lagged it to a lousy 12 feet. Cace was short off the tee and chipped up to 15 feet, then 2 putted for bogey. I needed to drain the 12 footer to have any shot of winning the match. I read it from a thousand angles, stepped up and drained the B1TCH! BOOOM! What a huge boost that was for me. 1 DOWN. I knew he would get a stroke on both 17 and 18 so it was go-time for me. Time to execute.
Hole 17 was another textbook hole for me. FIR - GIR and the hole was mine after an error on his part. All Square going to 18 and the momentum was all mine at this point.
Hole 18. What can I say? Hole 18 at True Blue to settle our incredible match...it was perfect. On the tee we shared a hug and a few words which basically amounted to "Whatever happens, this was AWESOME!". I stepped up and piped a hybrid to perfect position and then hit to about 13 feet from there. It was enough for Cace to forfeit the hole and give me and Team Heritage the Legacy Victory.
At that moment 6 months of hard work, prep and sacrifice passed through my brain. We hugged it out in the fairway and we were both on the brink of tears. Was it really over? So MUCH went into this weekend from so many perspectives but I couldn't have even imagined a better ending and a better guy to share it with. Our walk up 18 fairway will forever be etched into my memories and will shape who I am as a person going forward.
I almost broke down again after when my wife showed up to congratulate me but managed to keep it together. She gave up so much for me to not only come down to Myrtle, but to put in all the practice and prep that I needed to in order to be ready. I left it ALL out on the course and I'm so proud of how I competed and how I performed.
What is my Legacy? I battled. I fought through adversity. I did everything I could out there and won as many points for my team as possible. I was a good husband along the way and a good husband when it was over. I will be a good rep for Wilson Staff and for THP in the days to come.
I couldn't be happier and more proud of the Legacy that I fought for.
More personal stuff to come.
I think we were all in agreement with what he had already set up and personally I thought he did a damn near perfect job of both predicting what the opponent would do and setting his own team up for massive success by pairing the right guys together and in the right order. Basically, Captain #441 is THE EFFING MAN and I was so proud he was our leader. A great golf mind, a great guy, and the perfect man to lead a Championship Team. Plus, I'm just thankful he didn't orchestrate a trade to offload me after my poor practice round on Thursday morning.
During the official dinner all I could think about was matchups. I was really proud and happy with what I had accomplished already on Saturday but I knew that Sunday Singles was where my Legacy would truly unfold. I knew that I would be giving strokes away once we put me second in the order, so I was mentally prepared for that from the get-go. When it was finally announced that I would be playing against Cace (Orange Hog) in Match #2 I'm not sure how I felt initially. Excited, confident, worried would probably all apply. I decided that it was the damn perfect matchup and that all the other stuff would be settled on the golf course. Our eyes met across the room and we were both thinking the same thing...we needed our best tomorrow to take down a worthy opponent. Here were two golfers with honest handicaps, tournament experience, and a desire to win.
Sunday morning comes around and everything is a blur. I just want to get to the 1st tee and hit my ball but time is moving too slowly.
After what felt like an eternity on the range/practice green we were off. Both Cace and I took our first drives to pound town and were sitting pretty in the fairway. He popped on the first hole and I knew I wouldn't win it unless he made a drastic error - which he didn't. 1 Down heading to number 2.
He also won hole #2 after a dreadful showing by yours truly, not the start I wanted. Hole #2 might be the dumbest hole I've ever played BTW haha. 2 Down.
Hole 3 - We both in the GIR but I was much closer. 2 putts for me and 3 for him gets me back into the match. 1 Down.
Hole 4 - I picked driver trying to be aggressive and put some pressure on him...which didn't work when I blocked it right into an adjacent fairway behind some trees. He popped on the hole and that was enough to seal my fate there. 2 Down.
Hole 5 - I hit a big fade off the tee to a wide fairway but just rolled into the rough at the edge of the landing area while Cace hit a damn near perfect bomb cutting the corner and finding the fairway. I pulled off a one in a million shot over the massive trees to about 8 feet (52 wedge from 149) with a Tiger-swipe and Cace found the greenside bunker on the right. He gets up to about 15 feet and I'm thinking the hole is mine. He converts his up-and-down with an amazing putt and I push my putt just right...we halve the hole. Still 2 Down.
Hole 6 - I can't remember what the heck I was doing but I hit a blocked 5i off the tee into the waste bunker. Cace hit to good position. He hits the GIR and 2 putts for the win on the hole. 3 Down, Uh-oh.
Hole 7 - We both hit poor tee shots on this par 3 but I managed to get it up and in in fewer strokes than him. 2 Down.
Hole 8 - I hit driver on an aggressive line and was just short of some trees. Hit a wedge up to the green and 2 putts for par to win the hole. 1 Down.
Hole 9 - We both hit perfect tee balls, perfect 2nd shots, and hit our 3rd shots to about 8 or 9 feet each. He pops on the hole so I figured I was doomed. I get in with par and he hits his first putt 2 feet past. Like a DICK I make him putt it out because I need something to go my way. I felt bad when he missed it but I needed the push nonetheless. 1 DOWN.
Hole 10 - I hit my tee shot into some trees trying to cut the corner and he hit his 3rd into some crap. He popped on the hole so our equal scores gave him the win. 2 Down.
Hole 11 - I went long but chipped close and got in with par. Cace found some trouble on the left side and it was my hole. 1 Down.
Hole 12 - This is where I found my game again and started to play some GOLF. FIR - GIR and the hole was mine. All Square.
Hole 13 - Again FIR GIR on my part and the hole was mine. 1 UP. My D200 was singing at this point...point and shoot.
Hole 14 - We both pulled our tee shots a touch but he found the green and I didn't. He hits a phenomenal long putt and takes the hole. All Square.
Hole 15 - I hate this hole. HATE IT. I hit the GIR and then 3 putted like a fool, such a critical error this late in a tight match. Cace found trouble with his 2nd but recovered well and won the hole with his pop. 1 Down with 3 to play and I'm feeling the pressure now.
On #16 I airmailed the damn green somehow and proceeded to the drop zone where I lagged it to a lousy 12 feet. Cace was short off the tee and chipped up to 15 feet, then 2 putted for bogey. I needed to drain the 12 footer to have any shot of winning the match. I read it from a thousand angles, stepped up and drained the B1TCH! BOOOM! What a huge boost that was for me. 1 DOWN. I knew he would get a stroke on both 17 and 18 so it was go-time for me. Time to execute.
Hole 17 was another textbook hole for me. FIR - GIR and the hole was mine after an error on his part. All Square going to 18 and the momentum was all mine at this point.
Hole 18. What can I say? Hole 18 at True Blue to settle our incredible match...it was perfect. On the tee we shared a hug and a few words which basically amounted to "Whatever happens, this was AWESOME!". I stepped up and piped a hybrid to perfect position and then hit to about 13 feet from there. It was enough for Cace to forfeit the hole and give me and Team Heritage the Legacy Victory.
At that moment 6 months of hard work, prep and sacrifice passed through my brain. We hugged it out in the fairway and we were both on the brink of tears. Was it really over? So MUCH went into this weekend from so many perspectives but I couldn't have even imagined a better ending and a better guy to share it with. Our walk up 18 fairway will forever be etched into my memories and will shape who I am as a person going forward.
I almost broke down again after when my wife showed up to congratulate me but managed to keep it together. She gave up so much for me to not only come down to Myrtle, but to put in all the practice and prep that I needed to in order to be ready. I left it ALL out on the course and I'm so proud of how I competed and how I performed.
What is my Legacy? I battled. I fought through adversity. I did everything I could out there and won as many points for my team as possible. I was a good husband along the way and a good husband when it was over. I will be a good rep for Wilson Staff and for THP in the days to come.
I couldn't be happier and more proud of the Legacy that I fought for.
More personal stuff to come.
T2GRN18
Active member
14th hole Caledonia: I hit a great 2u. ArmyGolf gets up and smashes driver over the corner. Looks at me "put that in your pipe and smoke it". Haha we shared many laughs all weekend. I look forward to playing again with this great dude!
cpljohnst
Go Jackets! Go Sun Devils
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2011
- Messages
- 15,330
- Reaction score
- 111
- Location
- Villa Rica, Georgia
- Handicap
- 16.0 GHIN
Curtis it was great following along online and seeing you play well in your matches! Really happy for you former teammate!
greggdrews
Active member
This is like my 5[SUP]th[/SUP] attempt at this recap lol. I’m not good at putting stuff into words so here it goes.
I’d like to start out by thanking our amazing sponsors Bridgestone, Wilson Staff, Lamkin and KBS! They made this possible and it was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget and always cherish. Oh and the equipment is just outstanding from all of the companies! We were lucky enough to have Corey from Bridgestone and Duffy from Wilson there to ask any questions we had. Both guys are super easy to talk to and so knowledgeable. Corey even went out of his way to get Josh from Bridgestone on a video chat while we were on the range to answer a question he wasn’t sure of the answer to, how amazing is that.
I also need to thank JB and GG for opening up this door for everyone involved. They put in so much work behind that scenes far far in advance and for that I will always be grateful. Then you add in all of the hard work Canadan put into this weekend and stepping up last minute to help out, that was just fantastic of him and I thank you for that Dan.
My weekend started on Wednesday flying into Charleston where I had Shakey aka Dad aka Mr. Watson picking me up. We had about a 1.5 hour drive to our villa and pretty much right off the bat it felt like we knew each other for a long time. I think THP just seems to make things work with people meeting each other for the first time. The ride went quick and then we played a round with Jeremy and Ron at True Blue. We played a best ball match to help prep for the weekend and the match stayed close. Everyone started out the weekend playing well, even Mike practicing his one liners for the weekend and even made up a new nickname for me, short game warrior. After golfing both teams got together for a group dinner which was a blast.
Thursday started with a good breakfast at True Blue followed by some range time and then some more best ball with me and Ron vs Tom and Jeremy. Again it was another close match with all of us playing well. I had an absolute blast playing with these guys and left that round feeling confident with my teams game. After the morning round I saved Ron’s life but got to lunch too late to save Jeremy’s. Ron was going to get the hotdog but when I got the burger he followed along. After lunch we headed to Caledonia to play alt shot. It was me and Jeremy vs CJ and Curtis. This match was a battle until the end. I thought multiple times I was going to have to call 911 for Jeremy but he toughed through all of the sickness to finish this practice round. CJ and Curtis played great and CJ hit an amazing approach shot on 16 using Jeremy’s ball lol. There was a little mix up where we both played the wrong ball. After the round we had a team gathering in Mikes villa to just chill and have some pizza.
Friday was Christmas morning for all of us. The walk to the range was a feeling of excitement, anticipation and joy. When we got up on the range and seeing all of those bags, you just could not get the smile off of anyone’s face. I felt like a kid again. Getting our equipment and taking the plastic off and seeing all of the goodies they threw in was just surreal. We all knew the clubs we were getting but it just felt different than when you get new equipment on their own. It was simply amazing. Getting to hit all of our new equipment, talking to Corey and Duffy, doing a video for Bridgestone and talking to one another about everything that was happening is something I’ll never forget. After all of that awesomeness we played the back 9 at TB for a practice round. Me and Ron played best ball vs CJ and Patrick as well as our own match on the side. I didn’t play my best and Ron won the first 4 holes. Heading into the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] hole Ron said to me “don’t let me beat you 5&4, you will never live that down” and I knew that was true. On top of that pressure was the fact that the 14[SUP]th[/SUP] hole was a contest hole thanks to Duffy and Wilson Staff, closest to the pin wins a custom wedge. I knew I needed something special and the pressure from both just made me focus more, I stuck the ball to a few feet and beat Ron on that hole and won the wedge. Thank you again to Duffy and Wilson staff for that amazing opportunity. That one shot gave me so much confidence as far as what I can do under pressure, it started to show me the hard work was paying off.
Saturday morning we hit the range before it even opened. Both teams arrived focused and ready to go to battle. I was paired with Jeremy and we were facing Martsy and G4L. The nerves on the first tee are real and for me didn’t end until after 3 holes. My hands were shaking and all I could think was please make contact with the ball lol. Me and Jeremy started out strong winning the first hole and then things changed. We blew up the second hole to go back to even and then Buzzsaw Brett woke up and proceeded to birdie 3 of the next 4 with Geoff paring the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] with a stroke to beat our 4 straight pars. We tried to battle back but those guys just had no give and closed us out early. It was great playing with and getting to know both of them. They can straight up play and showed it. In the afternoon me and Jeremy felt the need for redemption and I think that gave us a little more focus. We were paired against Eric and Jed and knew we had to bring our best in Alt shot. It started out close but after a few holes me and Jeremy just clicked and were bringing it all. Best shot of the day was when I hooked my drive into the water and Jeremy hit a low punch under the trees to 5ft to give me a birdie putt. Jed and Eric battled all day and never gave up for a second. They are two great guys and it was a blast going to battle vs them.
Sunday was the start of singles. Team Heritage was at the range early knowing their small lead would be hard to keep vs Team Tradition. I was facing Erky and after seeing him play the day before I knew it would be a tough test. Right out of the gate we were battling back and forth with no one giving in. Just when I thought I had him in a spot to win the hole he would sink another 8ft putt to halve or win the hole. Eric is a putting machine and is never out of a hole! He also hit an amazing wedge shot out of the water on 16. The ball was half under water and he put it to about 15ft and then barely missed the par putt. I happened to make my only putt all day to go one up at that point with two holes to go and feeling the pressure to pull out a win for my team. Just after that we were informed the match was over and Team Heritage had pulled out the victory. Eric is a great guy and great competitor and I look forward to teeing it up with him again.
Pulling up to the 18[SUP]th[/SUP] with my teammates waiting to celebrate the victory was a level of emotion that I never thought I would have after this was done. You just can’t understand what you are going to feel at that moment until you are there. I will always get the chills thinking about how special that was. This whole weekend was more than I ever thought it would be even with all of the hard work everyone was putting in. No one out there can hang their heads and be disappointed. Everyone battled hard and gave it their all and should be proud and hold their head high. The Legacy we all have made is something no one can take away from any of us.
Both captains did an amazing job and put in so much hard work for our benefit and for that I thank you. Both Dev and Mike were nothing but 100% positive and supportive of everyone out there no matter the team and gave words of encouragement to everyone. They are both just pure class guys.
Mike you were about all I could ask for out of a captain. Always having positive comments and being encouraging when things weren’t going well. Also not being afraid to criticize with phrases like “you guys need to fix your putting, it’s the worst display of putting I’ve ever seen”. Seriously though I would love to go to battle for you anytime anywhere. It was my honor and pleasure to be on your team and I’m glad we could repay your hard work with what you with what you really wanted, a 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] HOF tag lol.
CJ, Curtis, Tom, Rock, Ron, Jeremy and Patrick you guys were allstars as teammates and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of guys to compete with. You guys gave everything and I couldn’t be more honored to be part of this team. I can honestly say after this weekend we are no longer just teammates but family. No matter what happens from here on out like Mike said, no one can take what we did away from us and that will always be something special.
In the end this was about creating a Legacy and in my mind that’s not for me to decide but rather up to my peers to make that decision for me.
I know there is 1000 things I want to say and/or I’m forgetting and will add that with time. This truly has been the time of my life and I thank everyone involved for every part of this weekend and making this happen.
I’d like to start out by thanking our amazing sponsors Bridgestone, Wilson Staff, Lamkin and KBS! They made this possible and it was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget and always cherish. Oh and the equipment is just outstanding from all of the companies! We were lucky enough to have Corey from Bridgestone and Duffy from Wilson there to ask any questions we had. Both guys are super easy to talk to and so knowledgeable. Corey even went out of his way to get Josh from Bridgestone on a video chat while we were on the range to answer a question he wasn’t sure of the answer to, how amazing is that.
I also need to thank JB and GG for opening up this door for everyone involved. They put in so much work behind that scenes far far in advance and for that I will always be grateful. Then you add in all of the hard work Canadan put into this weekend and stepping up last minute to help out, that was just fantastic of him and I thank you for that Dan.
My weekend started on Wednesday flying into Charleston where I had Shakey aka Dad aka Mr. Watson picking me up. We had about a 1.5 hour drive to our villa and pretty much right off the bat it felt like we knew each other for a long time. I think THP just seems to make things work with people meeting each other for the first time. The ride went quick and then we played a round with Jeremy and Ron at True Blue. We played a best ball match to help prep for the weekend and the match stayed close. Everyone started out the weekend playing well, even Mike practicing his one liners for the weekend and even made up a new nickname for me, short game warrior. After golfing both teams got together for a group dinner which was a blast.
Thursday started with a good breakfast at True Blue followed by some range time and then some more best ball with me and Ron vs Tom and Jeremy. Again it was another close match with all of us playing well. I had an absolute blast playing with these guys and left that round feeling confident with my teams game. After the morning round I saved Ron’s life but got to lunch too late to save Jeremy’s. Ron was going to get the hotdog but when I got the burger he followed along. After lunch we headed to Caledonia to play alt shot. It was me and Jeremy vs CJ and Curtis. This match was a battle until the end. I thought multiple times I was going to have to call 911 for Jeremy but he toughed through all of the sickness to finish this practice round. CJ and Curtis played great and CJ hit an amazing approach shot on 16 using Jeremy’s ball lol. There was a little mix up where we both played the wrong ball. After the round we had a team gathering in Mikes villa to just chill and have some pizza.
Friday was Christmas morning for all of us. The walk to the range was a feeling of excitement, anticipation and joy. When we got up on the range and seeing all of those bags, you just could not get the smile off of anyone’s face. I felt like a kid again. Getting our equipment and taking the plastic off and seeing all of the goodies they threw in was just surreal. We all knew the clubs we were getting but it just felt different than when you get new equipment on their own. It was simply amazing. Getting to hit all of our new equipment, talking to Corey and Duffy, doing a video for Bridgestone and talking to one another about everything that was happening is something I’ll never forget. After all of that awesomeness we played the back 9 at TB for a practice round. Me and Ron played best ball vs CJ and Patrick as well as our own match on the side. I didn’t play my best and Ron won the first 4 holes. Heading into the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] hole Ron said to me “don’t let me beat you 5&4, you will never live that down” and I knew that was true. On top of that pressure was the fact that the 14[SUP]th[/SUP] hole was a contest hole thanks to Duffy and Wilson Staff, closest to the pin wins a custom wedge. I knew I needed something special and the pressure from both just made me focus more, I stuck the ball to a few feet and beat Ron on that hole and won the wedge. Thank you again to Duffy and Wilson staff for that amazing opportunity. That one shot gave me so much confidence as far as what I can do under pressure, it started to show me the hard work was paying off.
Saturday morning we hit the range before it even opened. Both teams arrived focused and ready to go to battle. I was paired with Jeremy and we were facing Martsy and G4L. The nerves on the first tee are real and for me didn’t end until after 3 holes. My hands were shaking and all I could think was please make contact with the ball lol. Me and Jeremy started out strong winning the first hole and then things changed. We blew up the second hole to go back to even and then Buzzsaw Brett woke up and proceeded to birdie 3 of the next 4 with Geoff paring the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] with a stroke to beat our 4 straight pars. We tried to battle back but those guys just had no give and closed us out early. It was great playing with and getting to know both of them. They can straight up play and showed it. In the afternoon me and Jeremy felt the need for redemption and I think that gave us a little more focus. We were paired against Eric and Jed and knew we had to bring our best in Alt shot. It started out close but after a few holes me and Jeremy just clicked and were bringing it all. Best shot of the day was when I hooked my drive into the water and Jeremy hit a low punch under the trees to 5ft to give me a birdie putt. Jed and Eric battled all day and never gave up for a second. They are two great guys and it was a blast going to battle vs them.
Sunday was the start of singles. Team Heritage was at the range early knowing their small lead would be hard to keep vs Team Tradition. I was facing Erky and after seeing him play the day before I knew it would be a tough test. Right out of the gate we were battling back and forth with no one giving in. Just when I thought I had him in a spot to win the hole he would sink another 8ft putt to halve or win the hole. Eric is a putting machine and is never out of a hole! He also hit an amazing wedge shot out of the water on 16. The ball was half under water and he put it to about 15ft and then barely missed the par putt. I happened to make my only putt all day to go one up at that point with two holes to go and feeling the pressure to pull out a win for my team. Just after that we were informed the match was over and Team Heritage had pulled out the victory. Eric is a great guy and great competitor and I look forward to teeing it up with him again.
Pulling up to the 18[SUP]th[/SUP] with my teammates waiting to celebrate the victory was a level of emotion that I never thought I would have after this was done. You just can’t understand what you are going to feel at that moment until you are there. I will always get the chills thinking about how special that was. This whole weekend was more than I ever thought it would be even with all of the hard work everyone was putting in. No one out there can hang their heads and be disappointed. Everyone battled hard and gave it their all and should be proud and hold their head high. The Legacy we all have made is something no one can take away from any of us.
Both captains did an amazing job and put in so much hard work for our benefit and for that I thank you. Both Dev and Mike were nothing but 100% positive and supportive of everyone out there no matter the team and gave words of encouragement to everyone. They are both just pure class guys.
Mike you were about all I could ask for out of a captain. Always having positive comments and being encouraging when things weren’t going well. Also not being afraid to criticize with phrases like “you guys need to fix your putting, it’s the worst display of putting I’ve ever seen”. Seriously though I would love to go to battle for you anytime anywhere. It was my honor and pleasure to be on your team and I’m glad we could repay your hard work with what you with what you really wanted, a 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] HOF tag lol.
CJ, Curtis, Tom, Rock, Ron, Jeremy and Patrick you guys were allstars as teammates and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of guys to compete with. You guys gave everything and I couldn’t be more honored to be part of this team. I can honestly say after this weekend we are no longer just teammates but family. No matter what happens from here on out like Mike said, no one can take what we did away from us and that will always be something special.
In the end this was about creating a Legacy and in my mind that’s not for me to decide but rather up to my peers to make that decision for me.
I know there is 1000 things I want to say and/or I’m forgetting and will add that with time. This truly has been the time of my life and I thank everyone involved for every part of this weekend and making this happen.
mikedean441
6X HOF
The Journey
I can still remember the day I received the text asking if I would be one of the Captains. While it didn’t take long to type up that YES Im not going to lie I was a little bit hesitant. Im as competitive as they come (despite my demeanor not changing much) and not actually “playing” was kinda hard to swallow, but like I said it didn’t take long to say yes.
It was however really cool to sit on the sidelines and watch the contests unfold and people get into the event. May or may not have led to a Mock Draft or 2 before the actual draft took place. In the interim I had reached out to all of the participants and asked a few questions, of which they all promptly replied.
This was also the first event in a really long time in which I didn’t personally know the large majority of the participants. Therefore I reached out to people that I knew had some form of relationship with all of the participants to get “more info”.
The draft came and went and I was really pleased with how my team took shape. Lots of guys that were looking to improve their games over the upcoming months before the event, so I couldn’t ask for much more than that.
Getting to know the guys over the 4-5 months of the Legacy was a lot of fun. You could see that they were just as determined as me to win with all of the work and rounds they were putting it…which eventually lead to lower scores and declining indexes. I had a few major items I emphasized more than anything in this journey:
1. A good short game crushes souls in match place.
2. Your game BETTER travel.
3. Have Fun
4. WIN
Its Game Time
Wednesday
Riding around with the guys on Wed was fun. Like Tom said it was pretty much me just harassing people with one liners while they slapped the ball around. I chimed in on a few holes with a few tips/tricks from prior experiences but for the most part just let them all take it all in. The group dinner was fun and JB surprising me with some pretty custom “swag” was very cool and unexpected and then eventually secured the swag from the sponsors which was again really appreciated. Hung out in the villas for awhile with the fellas and stayed up late enough to welcome Curtis (a few hours after CJ showed up) and his wife to MB after like 20 hours of travel on 3 different flights if I recall. Crashed in Kevin’s villa while Ricky selfishly hogged all of the A/C and before you knew it, it was Thursday.
Thursday
Spent some time on the range in the AM watching everyone hack away. McRock arrived and I said hello to him and his wife as I made the way over to the first tee. I put the guys in groupings that I was pretty certain would hold throughout the event. While the guys played their round, Dev and I went out and played a little Match Play against JB and Canadan. I managed to actually hit a few balls here and there in the air which seemed to shock all of my playing partners (look Im in the middle of a swing change, please don’t judge me). Dev and I secured victory after some stroke reallocation around hole 4 of the match, but hey a win is a win. I played decent, nothing great, nothing super ugly except on my 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] shot on 18 when some jackhole yelled something inappropriate during my swing and I decelerated with laughter as my ball went into the water. All in all a great round with some great guys having a few laughs here and there.
I then headed over to Caledonia and rode around with the guys as they played Alt-Shot. Just pulling into that place and making that drive to the clubhouse just reminded me so much why I love these courses. Saw some good shots out there….and a few not so good, but it looked like the guys enjoyed it. While just for fun a few of these matches were close and after a hit the wrong ball whoopsie on #16 the final group made it into 18 All Square which lead to a pretty solid and kinda comical ending.
From there we were originally going to go out to dinner but I made the decision to just order in as these guys had been out in the heat all day long and it just seemed so much easier to stay in (and also we stayed dry with all of that rain). This was a great time for everyone to get a chance to learn more about each other, share some stories of the day’s events and begin to focus on the task at hand.
Friday
I got down to the range early enough to meet Duffy (again) and Corey (for the first time). It was cool seeing all of the bags setup with the gear and the thoughts and emotions I had in previous years with my own gear came back for a brief moment. From there on out I just spent the morning taking pics as guys unwrapped their Christmas goodies. I watch a lot of guys hit a lot of balls on the range that day, some on the flight scope and some not. But the moment that sticks out to me the most was when Curtis was on the Flight Scope. Duffy had him take a few swings and with what I think was a 13* driver he was hitting some line drives (which is great when you are on tour, or in texas where the ball rolls 80000 yards) but that wasn’t the case here. Duffy took a look at the numbers make a few tweaks and Curtis proceeded to hit a bunch of BOMBS….the smile said it all and the guy was genuinely excited about how just a few changes made a world’s of difference.
After that and a quick bite to eat I followed the guys out onto the course for a nice 9 hole practice session. I primarily setup shop on the 2 par 3’s that hosted the contests (thanks Duffy) watched both contests won by Team Heritage members. And freaking Greggdrews almost aced one of them, that would have been insane had it dropped in the cup. By the time we finished up we had enough time to shower up and get over to dinner. Before dinner I pondered my pairings for Saturday and after spending a few minutes on my throne decided to go with my gut and submitted them via napkin shortly after. I felt very good about my lineup and outside of a few things I waiting til week of to do the bulk of the pairing pondering to help make sure I didn’t over think it.
Sitting at dinner waiting for matchups was cool. Lots of anticipation in the air, a few oooooohhhhsssss and ahhhhhhsssss and before you knew it our field was set for Saturday. Some late night carpet putting contests took place after that (best putting I saw all weekend J) and then it was time to catch some shuteye.
Saturday-Lets do This!
Got to the range early and made sure my guys were loose and chill. I knew the nerves would set in eventually but I tried my best to keep things real relaxed on the range knowing there was a lot of work to be done in the next 12 hours. My guys put on a CLINIC on hole #1. All 8 guys hit the fairways and there were quite a few bombs, not bad for the first tee at a major event. From there I spent the entire session riding around between the groups and for the most part just trying to stay out of the way, but offer positive words of encouragement along the way while getting score updates to pass on to the forum. The first group grabbed a quick lead so I stayed away from them until the 4 hole lead went to 2. I then watched them play 2 holes which they lost so I vowed to stay away til they were done (smart move on my part). The 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] group was done pretty quick (sorry boys) so the bulk of my time was spent with the back 2 groups, especially the final group of CJ and Lynchburg vs DA and Fairband. Back and forth that match went and Patrick got hot with the putter and CJ was hitting irons like a BOSS and that made all of the difference for us (after playing 18 when we didn’t think they had to etc etc) as we ended the AM session up 2.5 to 1.5.
Had about 30 minutes so headed over to Caledonia to help get things situated. Our start there was a little less impressive as Im pretty sure we had 2 guys OB off the tee on #1. However after seeing some really good golf I knew it was going to be a fluke and everyone eventually settled in and golfed the ball. I again managed to stay away from the first group and it again paid off. And just as I expected my Rambler/Greggdrews pairing battled back in the PM. Those would be the only 2 points for us in the PM as Team Tradition took the last 2 and we ended up going into Sunday with a 4.5 to 3.5 lead. The night before I told my wife that I wanted at least 4 points from my guys but would LOVE LOVE LOVE 5 points, well I got the best of both worlds with sitting half way between the 2.
Saturday evening-THE MEETING/Dinner
Im giving this meeting its own section because with such a close battle the order for Sunday was HUGE. I had a game plan coming into this event as far as singles and told myself the only way I deviate from that is if I was done A LOT coming into the round. CJ was going first plain and simple. Unless he came into MB playing AWFUL golf this was always going to happen. More than likely he was going to either get a bunch of strokes playing a lower capper or drastically reduce those strokes that a higher capper would be getting. From there I saw how well he played alongside Curtis and it was a no brainer to have them at least riding in the cart together. Pretty much the same for Jeremy and Gregg, I really felt confident they would match up well with whatever pairing was tossed their way. After seeing Shakey play for 3 days he was going to be one of a few people I would have in the final spot, I thought he could handle the pressure if needed and in this situation I also needed a calming influence for Lynchburg and Tom fit that to a tee. I think for the #5 and #6 spot I just looked at Ron and Rock and just points and gave them 1 or the other. I think the rest of the meeting was pretty much me going over what I liked that they did during the rounds and expressed my displeasure on the putting I saw from the team. I told the guys I had rough idea what I though Dev’s team would do for singles and I think I ended up pretty darn close. I wasn’t really too surprised by anything and I think that passed onto my guys as they seemed dialed in and poised to be ready for Sunday. Saturday night was an early night for the team and probably a good overall move as everyone seemed nice and refreshed for the all important round of their lives in just a few short hours.
Sunday Singles
My guys were at the range early….I mean like really early, it really made me proud and they immediately went to work. I didn’t have to say much as everyone knew just exactly what was at stake and I saw a lot of determined faces on that range so no words needed to be spoken. Off to the first tee where I was hoping for a repeat performance from the day before but saw that we were human after all and before you knew it all the groups were out on the course. And just like the previous days I stayed away from group #1 for the most part, but always knew where they stood thanks to the updates. I really bounced around a ton on this day as I wanted to know where we stood in any given match at any point in time. I saw some guys just out to early leads, some guys go back and forth in their matches and some guys battle from being down early. Through it all I never ever had a doubt they were not going to handle business and as the points came in 1 by 1 the emotional level increased as it was getting more and more real. I was there as CJ wrapped up the first point for the team and I made sure to let my man Kevin know that I was proud of him for all that he did before and during this event and that he needed to hold his head up high. CJ and I went around and just rooted our guys on and saw some really good golf being played by both teams. When we caught win that Curtis and Cace were on 17 we headed that way (long drive). During that time both Tom and Ron wrapped up their respective matches so little did Curtis know but he was playing hole #18 at True Blue to win THE LEGACY. I of course didn’t tell him that and just stood up on the tee with him, said a few parting words as he piped his drive down the middle. I then grabbed the camera and it only seemed fitting to video Curtis and Cace walking down #18 to finish out the hole. CJ and I stood just off of the 18[SUP]th[/SUP] green as Cace conceded the hole and then it finally dawned on me that we won. While I wish all of my guys were there with me at that time it was nice to be able to experience that with CJ and then we both made our way up the fairway to share that moment with Curtis. Then after a few minutes and a little bit of drama the rest of my guys made their way in and we all enjoyed the moment. A few photos, some crazy human pyramid, a speech, LOTS of champagne it finally hit me just what has been accomplished. I was sitting on one of the rocking chairs by myself as most grabbed lunch real quick and just enjoyed the peace and quiet and reflected on everything. The 6 months prior, the past few days and now this day. A whirlwind of emotions indeed but a moment I will relish forever.
I can still remember the day I received the text asking if I would be one of the Captains. While it didn’t take long to type up that YES Im not going to lie I was a little bit hesitant. Im as competitive as they come (despite my demeanor not changing much) and not actually “playing” was kinda hard to swallow, but like I said it didn’t take long to say yes.
It was however really cool to sit on the sidelines and watch the contests unfold and people get into the event. May or may not have led to a Mock Draft or 2 before the actual draft took place. In the interim I had reached out to all of the participants and asked a few questions, of which they all promptly replied.
This was also the first event in a really long time in which I didn’t personally know the large majority of the participants. Therefore I reached out to people that I knew had some form of relationship with all of the participants to get “more info”.
The draft came and went and I was really pleased with how my team took shape. Lots of guys that were looking to improve their games over the upcoming months before the event, so I couldn’t ask for much more than that.
Getting to know the guys over the 4-5 months of the Legacy was a lot of fun. You could see that they were just as determined as me to win with all of the work and rounds they were putting it…which eventually lead to lower scores and declining indexes. I had a few major items I emphasized more than anything in this journey:
1. A good short game crushes souls in match place.
2. Your game BETTER travel.
3. Have Fun
4. WIN
Its Game Time
Wednesday
Riding around with the guys on Wed was fun. Like Tom said it was pretty much me just harassing people with one liners while they slapped the ball around. I chimed in on a few holes with a few tips/tricks from prior experiences but for the most part just let them all take it all in. The group dinner was fun and JB surprising me with some pretty custom “swag” was very cool and unexpected and then eventually secured the swag from the sponsors which was again really appreciated. Hung out in the villas for awhile with the fellas and stayed up late enough to welcome Curtis (a few hours after CJ showed up) and his wife to MB after like 20 hours of travel on 3 different flights if I recall. Crashed in Kevin’s villa while Ricky selfishly hogged all of the A/C and before you knew it, it was Thursday.
Thursday
Spent some time on the range in the AM watching everyone hack away. McRock arrived and I said hello to him and his wife as I made the way over to the first tee. I put the guys in groupings that I was pretty certain would hold throughout the event. While the guys played their round, Dev and I went out and played a little Match Play against JB and Canadan. I managed to actually hit a few balls here and there in the air which seemed to shock all of my playing partners (look Im in the middle of a swing change, please don’t judge me). Dev and I secured victory after some stroke reallocation around hole 4 of the match, but hey a win is a win. I played decent, nothing great, nothing super ugly except on my 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] shot on 18 when some jackhole yelled something inappropriate during my swing and I decelerated with laughter as my ball went into the water. All in all a great round with some great guys having a few laughs here and there.
I then headed over to Caledonia and rode around with the guys as they played Alt-Shot. Just pulling into that place and making that drive to the clubhouse just reminded me so much why I love these courses. Saw some good shots out there….and a few not so good, but it looked like the guys enjoyed it. While just for fun a few of these matches were close and after a hit the wrong ball whoopsie on #16 the final group made it into 18 All Square which lead to a pretty solid and kinda comical ending.
From there we were originally going to go out to dinner but I made the decision to just order in as these guys had been out in the heat all day long and it just seemed so much easier to stay in (and also we stayed dry with all of that rain). This was a great time for everyone to get a chance to learn more about each other, share some stories of the day’s events and begin to focus on the task at hand.
Friday
I got down to the range early enough to meet Duffy (again) and Corey (for the first time). It was cool seeing all of the bags setup with the gear and the thoughts and emotions I had in previous years with my own gear came back for a brief moment. From there on out I just spent the morning taking pics as guys unwrapped their Christmas goodies. I watch a lot of guys hit a lot of balls on the range that day, some on the flight scope and some not. But the moment that sticks out to me the most was when Curtis was on the Flight Scope. Duffy had him take a few swings and with what I think was a 13* driver he was hitting some line drives (which is great when you are on tour, or in texas where the ball rolls 80000 yards) but that wasn’t the case here. Duffy took a look at the numbers make a few tweaks and Curtis proceeded to hit a bunch of BOMBS….the smile said it all and the guy was genuinely excited about how just a few changes made a world’s of difference.
After that and a quick bite to eat I followed the guys out onto the course for a nice 9 hole practice session. I primarily setup shop on the 2 par 3’s that hosted the contests (thanks Duffy) watched both contests won by Team Heritage members. And freaking Greggdrews almost aced one of them, that would have been insane had it dropped in the cup. By the time we finished up we had enough time to shower up and get over to dinner. Before dinner I pondered my pairings for Saturday and after spending a few minutes on my throne decided to go with my gut and submitted them via napkin shortly after. I felt very good about my lineup and outside of a few things I waiting til week of to do the bulk of the pairing pondering to help make sure I didn’t over think it.
Sitting at dinner waiting for matchups was cool. Lots of anticipation in the air, a few oooooohhhhsssss and ahhhhhhsssss and before you knew it our field was set for Saturday. Some late night carpet putting contests took place after that (best putting I saw all weekend J) and then it was time to catch some shuteye.
Saturday-Lets do This!
Got to the range early and made sure my guys were loose and chill. I knew the nerves would set in eventually but I tried my best to keep things real relaxed on the range knowing there was a lot of work to be done in the next 12 hours. My guys put on a CLINIC on hole #1. All 8 guys hit the fairways and there were quite a few bombs, not bad for the first tee at a major event. From there I spent the entire session riding around between the groups and for the most part just trying to stay out of the way, but offer positive words of encouragement along the way while getting score updates to pass on to the forum. The first group grabbed a quick lead so I stayed away from them until the 4 hole lead went to 2. I then watched them play 2 holes which they lost so I vowed to stay away til they were done (smart move on my part). The 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] group was done pretty quick (sorry boys) so the bulk of my time was spent with the back 2 groups, especially the final group of CJ and Lynchburg vs DA and Fairband. Back and forth that match went and Patrick got hot with the putter and CJ was hitting irons like a BOSS and that made all of the difference for us (after playing 18 when we didn’t think they had to etc etc) as we ended the AM session up 2.5 to 1.5.
Had about 30 minutes so headed over to Caledonia to help get things situated. Our start there was a little less impressive as Im pretty sure we had 2 guys OB off the tee on #1. However after seeing some really good golf I knew it was going to be a fluke and everyone eventually settled in and golfed the ball. I again managed to stay away from the first group and it again paid off. And just as I expected my Rambler/Greggdrews pairing battled back in the PM. Those would be the only 2 points for us in the PM as Team Tradition took the last 2 and we ended up going into Sunday with a 4.5 to 3.5 lead. The night before I told my wife that I wanted at least 4 points from my guys but would LOVE LOVE LOVE 5 points, well I got the best of both worlds with sitting half way between the 2.
Saturday evening-THE MEETING/Dinner
Im giving this meeting its own section because with such a close battle the order for Sunday was HUGE. I had a game plan coming into this event as far as singles and told myself the only way I deviate from that is if I was done A LOT coming into the round. CJ was going first plain and simple. Unless he came into MB playing AWFUL golf this was always going to happen. More than likely he was going to either get a bunch of strokes playing a lower capper or drastically reduce those strokes that a higher capper would be getting. From there I saw how well he played alongside Curtis and it was a no brainer to have them at least riding in the cart together. Pretty much the same for Jeremy and Gregg, I really felt confident they would match up well with whatever pairing was tossed their way. After seeing Shakey play for 3 days he was going to be one of a few people I would have in the final spot, I thought he could handle the pressure if needed and in this situation I also needed a calming influence for Lynchburg and Tom fit that to a tee. I think for the #5 and #6 spot I just looked at Ron and Rock and just points and gave them 1 or the other. I think the rest of the meeting was pretty much me going over what I liked that they did during the rounds and expressed my displeasure on the putting I saw from the team. I told the guys I had rough idea what I though Dev’s team would do for singles and I think I ended up pretty darn close. I wasn’t really too surprised by anything and I think that passed onto my guys as they seemed dialed in and poised to be ready for Sunday. Saturday night was an early night for the team and probably a good overall move as everyone seemed nice and refreshed for the all important round of their lives in just a few short hours.
Sunday Singles
My guys were at the range early….I mean like really early, it really made me proud and they immediately went to work. I didn’t have to say much as everyone knew just exactly what was at stake and I saw a lot of determined faces on that range so no words needed to be spoken. Off to the first tee where I was hoping for a repeat performance from the day before but saw that we were human after all and before you knew it all the groups were out on the course. And just like the previous days I stayed away from group #1 for the most part, but always knew where they stood thanks to the updates. I really bounced around a ton on this day as I wanted to know where we stood in any given match at any point in time. I saw some guys just out to early leads, some guys go back and forth in their matches and some guys battle from being down early. Through it all I never ever had a doubt they were not going to handle business and as the points came in 1 by 1 the emotional level increased as it was getting more and more real. I was there as CJ wrapped up the first point for the team and I made sure to let my man Kevin know that I was proud of him for all that he did before and during this event and that he needed to hold his head up high. CJ and I went around and just rooted our guys on and saw some really good golf being played by both teams. When we caught win that Curtis and Cace were on 17 we headed that way (long drive). During that time both Tom and Ron wrapped up their respective matches so little did Curtis know but he was playing hole #18 at True Blue to win THE LEGACY. I of course didn’t tell him that and just stood up on the tee with him, said a few parting words as he piped his drive down the middle. I then grabbed the camera and it only seemed fitting to video Curtis and Cace walking down #18 to finish out the hole. CJ and I stood just off of the 18[SUP]th[/SUP] green as Cace conceded the hole and then it finally dawned on me that we won. While I wish all of my guys were there with me at that time it was nice to be able to experience that with CJ and then we both made our way up the fairway to share that moment with Curtis. Then after a few minutes and a little bit of drama the rest of my guys made their way in and we all enjoyed the moment. A few photos, some crazy human pyramid, a speech, LOTS of champagne it finally hit me just what has been accomplished. I was sitting on one of the rocking chairs by myself as most grabbed lunch real quick and just enjoyed the peace and quiet and reflected on everything. The 6 months prior, the past few days and now this day. A whirlwind of emotions indeed but a moment I will relish forever.
mikedean441
6X HOF
Thanks
JB and GG-Thank you for the faith you put in me to captain this team in the inaugural event for the Legacy. Thank you for giving us an outlet to build lifelong relationships with people all over the world and enjoy experiences that NOONE else in the world anywhere gets to experience. It was truly an honor.
Ricky-I know deep down inside you wanted to strangle me for asking the same questions over and over in the last few months, but thank you for putting up with me. It was a blast riding alongside you in this journey and I enjoyed our time together down in MB.
Team Tradition- The quality of golf played at this event was 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] to none. I said it in the video but it is the stone cold truth. Both squads had worked their butts off over the last half a year, and it showed on the golf course. You guys were a blast to hang out with and spend some time with on the course and you should all be very proud with how you guys played.
True Blue/Caledonia continue to be a perfect backdrop and host for these kind of events. From the villa options, to the staff (much better this year) to the absolutely breathtaking courses, I would put this resort up against just about any other out there in the US as far as overall quality and experience. Not to mention just how much fun it was to sit on the balcony on 18 at True Blue and watch golfers (heckle) finish up their rounds.
Canadan-Thanks for stepping up without being asked. As selfless as it gets and you really did an awesome job with the updates, the marshalling and being the photographer. But most importantly thank you for being an amazing friend who has ALWAYS been there for me through the thick and the thin. There aren’t many people out there I can say the same about which makes our friendship even more special. The 3 hour chat Saturday night was worth the trip to MB and back a billion times over.
My 2 biggest fans: Hawk and Ddec. These guys reached out to me numerous times throughout the last few months offering words of encouragement and every now and then a little bit of wisdom, just 2 standup classy dudes I am thank full to call my homies.
My wife Laura: Whew its getting dusty in here. But THANK YOU for being you. You know how much THP, my friends and golf means to me and you have sacrificed a lot so that I can enjoy these things without ever asking anything in return. You have been with me now for 3 of these July Journeys and have continued to be my rock of support.
My Guys (in order from Last out to First out on Sunday)
Shakey-Old man, it was a pleasure to meet you. Your game appeared to have stayed solid throughout the whole process and that showed this past weekend. Very impressed with how well you played all around between all of the rounds and thank you for being the calming force for Patrick on Sunday. Next time you are in Ohio, bring the D200 irons and just leave them…ok thanks. Also if you happen to get to do this again someday, please bring more underwear as Im not a big fan of commando Sundays.
Lynchburg14-It was awesome meeting you Patrick. And for all the craziness of the Saturday afternoon round if you sit back and think about it you played some really good golf for the weekend as a whole. Thank for bringing the special “lemonade” and being a burst of energy all of the time (seriously it was all of the time, like is there a shut off switch on this guy or what).
McRock-Mr Rock. I had 0 idea what to expect golf wise from you in MB but you BROUGHT IT big time. The work you had done on your game was evident and it was awesome watching you battle back on Sunday for the win. While you had a very quiet and calm demeanor on the course, you could tell you were a very intense competitor and had the desire to do whatever it took to secure the win. Hopefully the Mrs enjoyed herself in MB, her one lines about Gregg and Jeremy not getting to “play all of the holes” on Saturday morning was EPIC.
Lightningbolt44-Ron, AKA Ronaldo, but his name is really Ron but Ronaldo is definitely a WAY BETTER GOLFER. Thanks for being patient while I awesomely waited til the last minute to book my flight. You played some REALLY great golf down there and battled through some stupid lessons to get your swing back. Im so sorry you were roomies with Gregg, that stench had to be gawd awful. See ya in Michigan in just a few short weeks J.
Greggdrews-My short game warrior. The display you put on between the tee box and the greens was nothing short of amazing. Im very happy you played so well down in MB and having teed it up with you before I knew exactly what I was getting when I selected you….fairways and greens for DAYS (and when it wasn’t a GIR, you just went ahead and chipped it stupid close). I know you were the butt of a lot of jokes…a lot, but you took it like a champ.
Rambler-The man of many talents, Hot Dogs, Pizzas, Dongalisa’s, you played really well after the slow start Saturday morning (stupid Brett and all of his dumb birdies). Thanks for helping with my victory lap around True Blue in your truck with my trophy. 2 HOF tags in a few weeks is pretty darn impressive. Hopefully we can tee it up again sometime in the near future.
Armygolf-Mr Curtis, Mr 14* with 8* launch. You REALLY turned it around from the practice rounds and played some stellar golf all weekend long. It was a blast hanging out with you and hopefully your wife wasn’t too creeped out from your internet friends. That D200 driver was a machine for you, take good care of it.
Cjgolf25-I said it to your face but I’ll say it again, what you did out there was something truly special. On this huge stage as a “high capper” you came in there and played the golf of your life. No matter what NEVER let anyone take that away from you. And not going to lie but it was cool to be in the car when you told your wife you were being sent out first, your excitement was genuine and that’s what it is all about.
My Guys-You guys were awesome. You did everything that was asked of you, you had one heck of a run and accomplished some amazing feats this past weekend. The work, the sweat, the grind and the emotions that come with something like this help dictate the kind of person you are and the legacy you helped to create.
If you made it through all of that, I appreciate the time you took to read all of this. I hope me and my guys represented this event like it was meant to be as I know for certain everyone involved gave it their all.
I personally…I left it all down there, everything I had, while it didn’t play, I have A LOT invested in this event. Winning was part of my legacy, but more importantly making sure my guys had a good time and fully embraced this event and all that it was about is what I will remember and cherish til the end.
I wanted to come up with something witty to wrap things up with but instead I found a cool quote from John Allston that I think just about summarizes my thoughts.
“The only thing you take with you when your’re gone, is what you leave behind."
#Captain441
JB and GG-Thank you for the faith you put in me to captain this team in the inaugural event for the Legacy. Thank you for giving us an outlet to build lifelong relationships with people all over the world and enjoy experiences that NOONE else in the world anywhere gets to experience. It was truly an honor.
Ricky-I know deep down inside you wanted to strangle me for asking the same questions over and over in the last few months, but thank you for putting up with me. It was a blast riding alongside you in this journey and I enjoyed our time together down in MB.
Team Tradition- The quality of golf played at this event was 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] to none. I said it in the video but it is the stone cold truth. Both squads had worked their butts off over the last half a year, and it showed on the golf course. You guys were a blast to hang out with and spend some time with on the course and you should all be very proud with how you guys played.
True Blue/Caledonia continue to be a perfect backdrop and host for these kind of events. From the villa options, to the staff (much better this year) to the absolutely breathtaking courses, I would put this resort up against just about any other out there in the US as far as overall quality and experience. Not to mention just how much fun it was to sit on the balcony on 18 at True Blue and watch golfers (heckle) finish up their rounds.
Canadan-Thanks for stepping up without being asked. As selfless as it gets and you really did an awesome job with the updates, the marshalling and being the photographer. But most importantly thank you for being an amazing friend who has ALWAYS been there for me through the thick and the thin. There aren’t many people out there I can say the same about which makes our friendship even more special. The 3 hour chat Saturday night was worth the trip to MB and back a billion times over.
My 2 biggest fans: Hawk and Ddec. These guys reached out to me numerous times throughout the last few months offering words of encouragement and every now and then a little bit of wisdom, just 2 standup classy dudes I am thank full to call my homies.
My wife Laura: Whew its getting dusty in here. But THANK YOU for being you. You know how much THP, my friends and golf means to me and you have sacrificed a lot so that I can enjoy these things without ever asking anything in return. You have been with me now for 3 of these July Journeys and have continued to be my rock of support.
My Guys (in order from Last out to First out on Sunday)
Shakey-Old man, it was a pleasure to meet you. Your game appeared to have stayed solid throughout the whole process and that showed this past weekend. Very impressed with how well you played all around between all of the rounds and thank you for being the calming force for Patrick on Sunday. Next time you are in Ohio, bring the D200 irons and just leave them…ok thanks. Also if you happen to get to do this again someday, please bring more underwear as Im not a big fan of commando Sundays.
Lynchburg14-It was awesome meeting you Patrick. And for all the craziness of the Saturday afternoon round if you sit back and think about it you played some really good golf for the weekend as a whole. Thank for bringing the special “lemonade” and being a burst of energy all of the time (seriously it was all of the time, like is there a shut off switch on this guy or what).
McRock-Mr Rock. I had 0 idea what to expect golf wise from you in MB but you BROUGHT IT big time. The work you had done on your game was evident and it was awesome watching you battle back on Sunday for the win. While you had a very quiet and calm demeanor on the course, you could tell you were a very intense competitor and had the desire to do whatever it took to secure the win. Hopefully the Mrs enjoyed herself in MB, her one lines about Gregg and Jeremy not getting to “play all of the holes” on Saturday morning was EPIC.
Lightningbolt44-Ron, AKA Ronaldo, but his name is really Ron but Ronaldo is definitely a WAY BETTER GOLFER. Thanks for being patient while I awesomely waited til the last minute to book my flight. You played some REALLY great golf down there and battled through some stupid lessons to get your swing back. Im so sorry you were roomies with Gregg, that stench had to be gawd awful. See ya in Michigan in just a few short weeks J.
Greggdrews-My short game warrior. The display you put on between the tee box and the greens was nothing short of amazing. Im very happy you played so well down in MB and having teed it up with you before I knew exactly what I was getting when I selected you….fairways and greens for DAYS (and when it wasn’t a GIR, you just went ahead and chipped it stupid close). I know you were the butt of a lot of jokes…a lot, but you took it like a champ.
Rambler-The man of many talents, Hot Dogs, Pizzas, Dongalisa’s, you played really well after the slow start Saturday morning (stupid Brett and all of his dumb birdies). Thanks for helping with my victory lap around True Blue in your truck with my trophy. 2 HOF tags in a few weeks is pretty darn impressive. Hopefully we can tee it up again sometime in the near future.
Armygolf-Mr Curtis, Mr 14* with 8* launch. You REALLY turned it around from the practice rounds and played some stellar golf all weekend long. It was a blast hanging out with you and hopefully your wife wasn’t too creeped out from your internet friends. That D200 driver was a machine for you, take good care of it.
Cjgolf25-I said it to your face but I’ll say it again, what you did out there was something truly special. On this huge stage as a “high capper” you came in there and played the golf of your life. No matter what NEVER let anyone take that away from you. And not going to lie but it was cool to be in the car when you told your wife you were being sent out first, your excitement was genuine and that’s what it is all about.
My Guys-You guys were awesome. You did everything that was asked of you, you had one heck of a run and accomplished some amazing feats this past weekend. The work, the sweat, the grind and the emotions that come with something like this help dictate the kind of person you are and the legacy you helped to create.
If you made it through all of that, I appreciate the time you took to read all of this. I hope me and my guys represented this event like it was meant to be as I know for certain everyone involved gave it their all.
I personally…I left it all down there, everything I had, while it didn’t play, I have A LOT invested in this event. Winning was part of my legacy, but more importantly making sure my guys had a good time and fully embraced this event and all that it was about is what I will remember and cherish til the end.
I wanted to come up with something witty to wrap things up with but instead I found a cool quote from John Allston that I think just about summarizes my thoughts.
“The only thing you take with you when your’re gone, is what you leave behind."
#Captain441
- Thread starter
- Admin
- #172
Whoa Whoa Whoa...Seems like you are making excuses for that 2nd shot on 18. I did not see some Jackhole.
vFLASHv
Member
looks to me like both teams were winners here. Good stuff boys and glad to see everyone enjoy this one.
Oh man I forgot about that ha-ha!! I can be such a Richard sometimes, especially when I'm fired up.
