The 2015 Grandaddy Recap Thread - Thanks For The Memories

One day...One day!

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I'm not going to say any predictions about that but I will say that I absolutely would do anything to be a recap contributing member of this thread next year because the emotion TR members are pouring into their recap just makes me appreciate (even more) what this event, THP, Callaway specifically the zoocrew, are all about and what I want to be a part of. Big ? and thank you to everyone involved in the GRANDADDY.


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Such a great video. If these threads and live updates and recaps don't make you want to be apart of this event you don't have a pulse.
 
Amazing stuff! Sounds like what I imagine 3 days in golf heaven would be. THP is a special place.
 
Is it a bad thing that I am almost more jealous about the bag and the clubs than the event itself. Makes me definitely want to get in to an event though.
 
Wow that was awesome. Are you sure its not Photoshopped because im not sure a place can look that perfect :D. If i could only play that course for the rest of my life i would be a happy man.
Great photo's of all the competitors and the laughs that were had, also i noticed the carts look mean as with mags and stuff. Im still making my way through the live thread(the joys of having to catch up after work), then ill be back here to read all the recaps.
 
So that video was down right fantastic. Well done. This was an amazing follow. Can't wait to see who's going next year tomorrow!!!
 
Love this thread. Thinking about the future is cool, but I'm going to just soak in what was by reading recaps as it is a special thing when it comes to something like this. I'll for sure have a couple more Posts today.
 
Loving the recaps guys, I haven't 'skimmed' through any of them. Looking forward to some more.
 
Wow, that video is powerful. I love seeing these recaps, and I'll try to get mine up this weekend.

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Great recaps so far everyone. Can't wait to read the rest of them.

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Loving the video and just read through all of the recaps so far

Everyone involved from all sides of this event is what really makes it and if I had a chance to only play in 1 golf event ever, anywhere in the world with any group of people, this would be it

Thanks for the recaps and I am looking forward to reading more of them
 
Some great recaps so far guys! Can't wait to see more. The live thread and the recap thread is one of the best ways to relive this experience over and over.
 
Ok so ill try to keep this shorter than my recap post, but im not making any promises. #TeamRedemption. You guys are my second family. It was an honor to play for you 11 and I couldn’t be more thankful I got to represent THP with you all.

Jman - My captain. Our leader. You could hear it in your voice how much this event meant to you. It was contagious. From the moment I got your “Welcome to the team” PM and read everything you had to say and how we were going to do things differently, I was 100% all in. I would follow you into battle any day. There were a few moments throughout the week where we both looked at each other and just smiled in awe of what was happening. I know you had a very long road to the grandaddy and its honestly one I can respect the hell out of. My kids are my everything. And to know that my leader was willing to put his unborn child before himself told me everything I need to know about my captain. Harry said it but I will repeat it. It would be an honor to have you as my boy’s teacher. You have my ultimate respect.

Ddec
– My goal for next year is to get as good as you are in front of a camera haha your on the course videos were gold. Not to mention you played your ass off all week. I know we had met previously at other events but it was awesome to get to know you better. Some things will always stick with me… Scotty doesn’t know and sleepy selfies will be a couple of them

Rallo
– The legend of Rallo continues to grow. Ive never seen someone make a name for themselves so fast haha everyone on THP has now been RALLO’D. We played every round together and it was more than fun. It was cool to see you settle in as time went by. To say you were nervous to start is an understatement lol but lets be honest here. This is the biggest stage for an amateur golfer to be on. And I thought you handled yourself like a pro. One last thing, Im sorry J

Nebgolfer
– The MVP of #TheKing. It was pretty awesome meeting you. You remind me of an old friend who passed away a couple years ago and was very unique. He was unlike anyone else I had ever met. Very kind, very positive and just always fun to be around. You always had something positive to say no matter the situation. I know it hit you hard after the event when we were standing around all the bags waiting to load up in the bus for one last time. Believe me, it hit me hard too. I respect the hell out of you for being who you are and for bringing the good vibes to our team.

Cdpkook132
– Colin aka airplane flip flops haha I don’t think there was a time I saw you not smiling while we were there. Another THP event rookie, I thought you handled yourself very well. You said something to me and JRod and Mike G at the hotel bar that really showed me the type of person you are. You said, ”Man I wish my wife was here to see all of this”. It takes a lot for someone to be going through what we were and be selfless enough to wish others you loved could experience it too. Its extremely hard to deal with your situation of being long distance from your wife but its also inspiring to watch you too sacrifice in the now to create a better tomorrow. Kudos

TLeishman34 aka TBaker34
– The gentle giant. It was pretty cool to watch you break out of your shell. We had met at LIITA but didn’t interact much and I regret that because you are an awesome dude. Another one of our team members who was able to deal with harsh circumstances in the lead up to the event but you handled it so well. You were another one who had it hit hard as we were about to leave and it honestly was awesome to watch. Not many people are “man” enough to show the emotions when they hit you, but im just so glad you didn’t hold back. We were lucky enough to go through something only 18 THPers had done previously and I know for a fact you didn’t take that for granted. Next time im visiting my family in North Carolina we are teeing it up and im not taking no for an answer lol

TexasHacker
– I feel like I got ripped off by only getting to meet half of what you used to be haha. You are a true life inspiration. Hitting the goal of 50 lbs lost is HUGE. You took everything this week in stride. I paid particular attention to you the whole week because you had gone through this before but you were just as excited as we all were and that made it more exciting for me. Im glad we had the chance to meet and im glad you taught me a thing or two about when to reply to certain posts and when not to haha

Misike
– My Ohio brother. You made it impossible for me not to practice. We live in the same climate and if you are taking the time to practice in the cold then I better make sure im doing that also. Im glad the Frozen Fog didn’t stop us from getting to golf nirvana lol We had met previously at the Pittsburgh Invitational and one of my friends was your partner and had nothing but good things to say about you so I knew our team gained a good member when your name was announced. We HAVE to play a few rounds together next season. Seeing our bags on a cart together would be so awesome to see

Harvmp28
– Matt…probably the biggest surprise for me. I had no clue what to expect out of you. And man am I glad you were a part of this team. Everything you said all week just made me laugh. The way you were able to put words together just made me smile. The looks on your face every time something else was given to us was priceless. You are one of Long Islands finest and I hope we get to share a round together sometime in the future.

Mikeg_74
– My brother from another Texan mother. Ive never met someone so down to earth and so genuine. We hit it off from the beginning and really built a friendship and brotherhood I will value for the rest of my life. To see someone who grew up with the life challenges you did and become successful in life and still be so willing to give is truly inspiring. I meant what I said to you when we said our goodbyes. Enjoy that beautiful family of yours and hopefully we get the chance to tee it up together soon. #PlumbBob

JB
– The man with a vision. The man with the drive to see that vision come to fruition. I understand that without Callaway and the people there that the Grandaddy is probably still just a dream, but without you that dream doesn’t even exist. Seeing the combination of you and GG work together is inspiring for any couple. You guys live a different life than most of us. You guys live in the forefront of the forum and don’t really have the privacy we all do with our significant others. It makes me want to be a better husband and I cant thank you enough for that. When I found THP in 2011 I had no clue it was going to change my life. You have built something so valuable to me and my family and I am forever grateful for that. Some of lifes greatest people are right here in this forum and I wouldn’t have been blessed to meet them without your vision. So I will say it again, Thank You. More than you could ever know.
 
Thanks for the kind words Phil.
As for ddec, he would rather just be known as "The Talent".
 
Don't forget Flat Brim Selfies!

I need to start putting words down on paper. So much to say about this event and the team.
 
Sunday Travel Day:

Woke up early, packed the car and got the wife up and around to drop me off at the airport. I don't fly often and especially out of our small Regional Airport, so of course I over thought my arrival time for the Airport because I'm already just over the top excited to be in Cali. I get to the regional airport and have to wait 10 minutes for the United counter people to show up and check my luggage, then went and sat for 15 minutes because security wasn't even open yet for the gates. Apparently you could show up 15 minutes before boarding time and make your flight here but with #TheGrandaddy of Em All on my mind I wasn't going to be that lenient with my time, I'd rather wait and know I'm there.

It was a pretty quick flight to Chicago, little over an hour plus gained and hour in time change so it seemed shorter. Once we landed I immediately got my phone out and turned airplane mode off because none of my United Flights for the trip had GOGO internet access. Hopped on Tapatalk and saw Misike was waiting at our gate to San Diego. He and I were on the same flight from Chicago to San Diego, and I was just pumped to meet one of the many great people I would be experiencing this incredible opportunity with. It was a little bittersweet as we got to chat it up as we waited for boarding and then parted ways at our seats for the 3 hour 45 minute flight to sit in solitude and think about what lies ahead.

We land in San Diego, entrenched in conversation as we make our way to the Luggage Claim only to find our chauffeur waiting there with a Callaways Golf sign! All I could think is, 'its getting realer by the minute.' We had an interesting 20 minutes at baggage claim in San Diego to say the least. We were witness to a few Medical Emergencies right around us which makes for an awful helpless feeling, when sadly today the first word you gear in your head is liability. Misikes luggage was on the first load around, but my luggage took a little longer. Then we were off to the races! JB, GG, Jman, Misike, PhillyV, Cdpkook, and I were piling into a nice oversized van on our way towards Carlsbad! It's Sunday, and were THPers so half of the focus on the ride up was Football/Fantasy activity! Overall that ride flew by as the next thing we knew we were checking into our hotel in Carlsbad.

I hate the way traveling makes me feel, that stale air, so I got to the room showered and called the wife quick before heading down to the hotel bar/restaurant to meet more of #TeamRedemption. Worked my way around the bar meeting and greeting with the rest of this crew, besides Rallo, sharing some drinks and of course thoughts of what we were embarking on! Neubarth, the Emmy Wielding ZooCrewer, made a guest appearance for a few cocktails and set the tone for how awesome this trip is going to be! He was as down to earth as the entire #TeamRedemption squad and I knew then that this would be even that much more special, it settled some nerves for me as a humble person wondering how this opportunity ended up a reality.

With like 2 and a half hours before dinner, the stragglers at the bar gathered up and hit the rooms for a little reboot, which didn't last long as we all ended up down in the lobby before dinner anyway. We sat down for dinner and it was pretty awesome to have that semi private setting to just unwind and further mold the team I'm very proud to say we became. Jman gave a speech that revved me right up and revealed our pairings for our first 27 holes of #TheGrandaddy. Texashacker was sitting next to me and we had the first 18 together, I just turned, nodded, and said 'We got this!' and I could tell he was thinking the exact same thing. The food was almost as awesome as the company, and the food was really good. Best Mac and Cheese I've had in a long time, some kind of Honey-Brie spread for bread, flatbreads with various toppings, Fingerling potatoes with nice crispy chunks of Panchetta, maybe more but this is what's sticking out in my memory, the drinks flowed nicely, and did I mention the company was better than everything I just said .

Finley shows up and blows our minds! He saunters in pushing a luggage cart stacked with bags, and I immediately feel a rush, not adrenaline, but sobering, calming, disbelief. This feeling never changed the entire trip. I would feel the awe and just wonder, 'why, you have already knocked my socks off this whole trip', but it is #TheGrandaddy of Em All! We sat with our bags in front of us or on our laps as Finley gives us a breakdown of where we are headed in terms of our itinerary the next few days and again just seems unreal. His smile was infectious in that room and his words were heard with purpose. We were like kids at Christmas opening the duffle bags and exposing the generosity that Callaway continued to show us. Then we got Rallo'd, little did we know his entrance the first night was a sign of things to come and I don't think I would have it any other way, the buddy system would prove effective the next few days and for the Heavyweight fans out there, its the Body!!!! System in Lars' accent. He also went on to do one of the best apparel reviews I have ever seen before he may need his own YouTube channel for apparel reviews. We stayed and chatted at our dinner table for quite while, just chatting it up and keeping the drinks flowing, we culminated the night on the generosity of MikeG with a round of Patron, which apparently gave everyone the idea to lay all of the contents of their duffle bags on there hotel bed and take pictures. Funny how that magical liquid works. 12 hours in California and my expectations have been shattered already, no ECPC, no Hideaway, Cloud 9 has no ceiling and I'm smiling ear to ear! Day 2 ECPC/Callaway HQ to come...........



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Love the recaps everyone, it really was and is always awesome to follow along every year
 
A Jason Finley Recap

Yes he is a spider bite away from the Ultimate Super Villain. And yes the moniker is more fitting than people even know. Jason's role changed with in Callaway last year, and I was honestly concerned we would not get to work with him as much. His laughter is both ridiculous and contagious and he is a person that we have enjoyed working with on the golf side for a number of years.

What he puts into The Grandaddy is nothing short of miraculous. We meet a few times a year to discuss. We exchange text messages about the event. We talk about it at the PGA Show. While I know how busy he is, the guy is a soldier and cares about what the Grandaddy is and can be. They had the perfect golf event in year 1. It became even better in year 2. So what happens in year 3? He asks THPers what makes it even better and adjusts accordingly. This year was absolute perfection in every way even including Jrod's handicap (which is more made fun of by Zoo Crew than anybody else).

He made sure the SWAG was over the top. The equipment speaks for itself and who wants to wait for it when you arrive home? Well Jason thought of that too, and got travel bags for everybody. I'll be honest and say he runs the risk of "expectation", but he is one of the only people in this entire industry that I feel will deliver any time THP needs anything at all.

There will be a day when I get a Texas Hacker vs Jason Finley event put together. Maybe product guys and THPers, but that is getting too far off topic. Jason made sure Morgan was part of the team. He made sure everybody was part of the team. Last year when he told me that I needed to play in the event, I told him I was skeptical and right after he cut his promo, I knew he made the right choice (not in me, but in where it was going).

He is active on THP, without being a sales guy, and will always be here to help anybody that needs it. He dishes it out, takes it and does it all in stride and its working with people like him, that make me enjoy my job each and every day. Im going to give The Ultimate Super Villain a new nickname. It's M&M, because despite his hard exterior, there is as genuine a person as there is in golf and someone that absolutely cares about their brand, the people there and the THPers they encounter.

First drink is on me....Now enjoy that celebratory thing this morning.
 
What jammies will JRod be wearing on the bus next year?
 
Breakfast of Champions! Thanks JB and Team Redemption!
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I'm surprised that Velardo has allowed that out of his sight!
 
I'm surprised that Velardo has allowed that out of his sight!

Or that Dnevs would wear it without boiling it first.
 
“Team Redemption” and THP-

Well, another Grandaddy is behind us and I have spent my morning eating a breakfast provided by THP to celebrate our victory and begin the talk about how the result will be different next year. The one thing I do know is whatever comes of next years Grandaddy will be a great time and we are looking forward to it as much as the group the Canadan will lead in 2016.

As we have said multiple times, this is one of our favorite times of year as well and something we all look forward to as well. Thanks to Team Redemption for being a part of it and a great group to spend a couple of days with and have a lot of fun.

The competition part is always great fun and provides the source to talk plenty of trash but it is just a small part of what the event is all about which all starts with a good group of people who love golf and above all else, a great time. So, regardless of the competition outcome, we all won in the fun and good time department.

Reading through the thread and the recaps it is always great to see how much fun and enjoyment everyone had and hopefully you can see we all feel the same way. I spent some time with Matt earlier this week and as we did last week we discussed other cool things we can do. We will always find ways to make it different but try to continue to make it the highlight of the year.

Couple people to thank as part of my recap:
-Josh and Morgan – Thanks for having the community to allow this group to come together and be a part of it.
-Matt Wood and The Hideaway Team – As many of you know, Matt has been a big part of this all three years now and is a tremendous part of how we are able to pull this great experience off. The entire staff at The Hideaway along with our host members are great and truly embrace the event as well.
-Harry – Without his leadership and embracing this event, it would not happen and his perfect record of good events and captaincy speaks for itself, he has led me to 5 HOF tags (in case any of you forgot we had 5 each)
-ZooCrew – A true collection of people all coming together to make this event really cool and a very good crew to still be a part of. Everyone does their part to pull off this event and make it special and the behind the scenes work to get this done is a tall task.
THP Community – Without all of the people following along the event would still be fun but seeing all of the people “watching it at home” is very cool and to hear from many about it is always great. Keep doing what you all do.
Team Redemption – Lived up to all the hype from the way you prepared for the event and represented the community and definitely did not break rule #1 for the event.

Finally, not to single out one member of Team Redemption but to my buddy Taylor……congrats on working hard on your goals and doing what you have done. It was fun to share a couple more rounds with you and the law of averages will come to fruition at some point down the road for you!

Thanks to everyone for allowing me to be a part of it and look forward to seeing what is next! Who is ready for the 2916 Grandaddy?
 
What jammies will JRod be wearing on the bus next year?

Whatever they are, let's just hope he is actually wearing them.....
 
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