Recap Thread - 2014 Morgan Cup

Kenn was interested in every single participant in this Morgan Cup (as was every rep), not just his TaylorMade guys. I'll remember fondly the time when at dinner on Friday, he told Henri, Rob, and myself about some cool stories about TaylorMade. Their white club head was born from their former CEO making a joke to his doctor.

Sitting on the floor with Ellie throughout last night all I could do was think about this event. You guys put the ultimate cap on the ultimate event. When you are hosting something like the Morgan Cup, you know the selection process will take some away from entering. You know you will alienate some from selections. You know that the long journey with minimum post counts will take some more out. You know that 50 guys from the internet will drop down in Myrtle Beach. And what do you expect? I cant answer that, but I can put it this way...You provided us, the tour reps, the companies and the golf courses something so special that it can never be put into words despite how hard I am trying.

We knew going in it was going to be a very different event. A different feel. And outside of the name, be a completely different Morgan Cup. The changes were great we thought, but the people made it what it was. We talk with adjectives and descriptives like epic, amazing, awesome, etc and on the internet those work well. Who knew that it would work so well in describing an entire weekend of festivities all the way down the line.

I can say thank you every day and it will not mean as much as I want it to. I have some things I am working on that hopefully spells that out and thankfully I believe the coverage will speak for itself from these amazing volunteers. At the end of the 2013 event, its no secret how emotional I was, and this one, barring some stuff weighing on my mind, it would have been even worse.

You guys brought the goods and truly took the name of iconic characters to a new level.
All I can do is say thank you.

I need some time to compose my thoughts after reading those spectacular words from JB. Epic.

I was going to do a video recap but with all the emotions going on there would be no way I could get through it so here goes:

My journey started on October 30th, 2013. Why do I know that date? That was the date I was asked to join staff and become part of Team THP. The emotions that went through me that day were pretty similar to the emotions that went through me when I got to Myrtle Beach. I just cant believe that I get to be a part of this and represent THP. I dont feel like I deserve any of this but I am extremely humbled and appreciative of everything Josh, Morgan, and THP as a whole, has done for me.

I drove down with Kevin (T2GRN) which was an absolute blast. We had about 7 1/2 hours and there was not much silence. Kevin has been a good friend of mine since meeting him in Atlanta last year so this was a perfect fit for me. We talked about everything from golf, to THP, to just life in general. It was a pleasure to share that ride down to the MC with him and it's something I will never forget.

Upon arriving, I got to meet my teammates. Going into the event, I had only ever met Jman, ddec, Freddie and Mike Dean despite having spoken to these guys on a daily basis for a very long time so it was a pretty big thrill for me. Just hanging out talking to these guys and sharing stories and laughs was something I will never forget. From day 1, they ALL embraced me as part of the team. Sure there were some rough patches but I think when you have guys that care so much about something, its natural to happen. I can honestly say that thanks to this experience, I have 7 brothers for life and nothing will ever change that. I will have more to say about these guys in a bit.

Going out to dinner at La Playa on Thursday night and meeting a good portion of my fellow participants as well as Josh from Bridgestone and Hashtag Chad was just awesome, despite the fact that some of us never actually got our food (I was told it was probably a good thing). Just a bunch of guys and girls hanging out, shooting the breeze and sharing laughs and drinks. It's like we had all known each other forever. It was a great setup for the weekend.

Staff Sponsor day is a blur. I remember us all huddled in the hallway at True Blue and hearing MikeG say something to the effect of "Lets go Boys". It was the first time I really got butterflies in my stomach. Walking out to the range and seeing all of those staff bags and then seeing one with my name on it was something I cant even put into words. It got dusty out on that range that day. It just so happened to be my birthday that day and I couldnt have possibly asked for more. Tons and tons of people wishing me a happy birthday and having a bag full of awesome gear with a few surprises from Callaway. We did our thing with Chad and then the rain came and pretty much washed us out after 2 wet and soggy holes.

Saturday morning, round 1, will forever go down as my favorite round of golf I will ever play. My partner War Eagle and I played against WCBM and Castor. There was some unreal golf played during that round. We went back and forth the entire time and there were some amazing shots. Something happened during the round that the 4 of us agreed to not discuss but lets just say WCBM is as standup a guy as I have ever met. To have your opponent come running over to you after you make a long birdie putt to halve the hole, put his arm around you and tell you how proud he was of you and encourage me the entire round was more than anything I could imagine. He will always have a special place in my heart. Castor, you were incredible my friend. Hitting clutch shot after clutch shot. Every time we thought we had a chance to take a lead you would do something crazy like stick an iron to 3 inches.... My partner and brother, War Eagle, I thank you. There were times when we could have fallen apart but we leaned on each other and hit some really clutch shots. The words you said to me as we walked up to the 10th green are something I will never forget. I still get emotional thinking about it. Despite the fact that we lost ultimately, it was a great great match and all 4 of us played out of our minds.

Saturday afternoon, round 2 was something I was looking forward too for a long time. Especially since Jman and I had a chance to be partnered in Indy. Donne and Paladin, you guys were worthy opponents. We all hit some great shots and some not so great shots. The result really doesnt matter in the end. We all had a great time. When the matchups were announced, I was immediately happy to see Donne's name. We had played together in Atlanta last year and it was such an enjoyable round. Based on what I saw, your game has come along way and that driver you were fit for was a bomber. I have never seen you hit the ball like that before. Paladin, admittedly, I didnt know much about you but that all changed this weekend. You are a great dude and if you just keep working your game will come around. You hit some really great shots so just focus on those and continue to keep pushing. The game is there. Also, please pass along my thank you to your wonderful wife Rebecca. It was wonderful to have her out there with us and I am glad she was able to share that with you. James, my friend. My brother. What else is there to say that we havent said to each other already. I will have more on James later..

Sunday Singles were a little different animal for me. I was matched up to play Coers and riding along with Jake (which was an awesome surprise) and v.man. I wont make any excuses. Some day's the game just doesnt show up and maybe I was nervous or tired or both, but my man Andrew showed up to play. Every time I tried to get something going he would hit a clutch shot. We talked alot during the process about staying positive and just continuing to work and you absolutely did that. I was extremely proud of you and it was an honor to play against / with you. Jake and Ken, it was also a privilege to watch you guys do battle. There were some great shots and most of all I think we all came away and had a great time.

Now that that is done, I want to talk about my brothers on Team THP a bit. I will go one by one so as to not miss anyone:

Captain Hawk - This man understands what it means to be a leader. He leads by example. There was never a question in anyones mind that he was putting in the work. Waking up early and riding the bike and exercising and changing his lifestyle both on and off the course. There were times when I was tired and didnt want to practice to exercise but I thought about him. With 2 kids, a wife and job, finding a way to get it done on a daily basis. I had no excuse. I wanted to bring everything I possibly could to the table for this guy. Sitting and chatting with him during the week and listening to his epic stories were another piece of this I will cherish forever. There were some times during the process where I wavered and it was always Ryan that sent me a quick text or gave me a call and things were straightened out almost immediately. It was an honor to play for you and would happily do it again without question.

Mike Dean (aka 441) - It's been a long road since we first met in Connecticut last year. Being part of this team with you, has been awesome. You always kept it light and always knew when to say the right thing seemingly. Even this week you had me loose and ready to go. Thank you for just being yourself. When you talk to Mike, there is no persona on and off the course or the forum. What you see is what you get. I am thankful I got to share this journey with you.

Dean - I was really looking forward to the road trip with you and Pete. I was almost looking forward to that as much as the event. Sadly that didnt work out but hanging with you this week and listening to your advice and stories about the event was really something awesome. You just get THP and the event and always have. I would be remiss if I didnt thank your wonderful wife Jen for allowing you to take a crack at this one more time. I think it just felt right to have you as a part of this event. Watching you and Jake walk up 18 one last time is something I feel very fortunate to have been able to witness.

Freddie - Panda, you are just the coolest dude. The Team THP father. You always were there looking out for us and making sure we were on the straight and narrow. Sometimes in the heat of things it's easy to get your feelings hurt but as we spoke about, when you take a second to step back and think about it, you were really pushing us all to be better. Both on the course and off of it. I will never forget the phone call you made to me when you were driving home from ATL. I was in a very bad place with everything going on with my daughter and just knowing you cared enough to make that call meant the world to me. I am literally sitting here with tears in my eyes typing this. I love you brother and am so thankful to have you in my life. And you made us some awesome food while down there. I need that fritatta recipe.

#Cookie - My roommate and buddy. When I found out we were rooming together I was kind of hesitant if thats the right word. We didnt talk a whole lot one on one leading up to the event. But that big old hug you gave me when we met up at the villa erased all of that. We shared a ton of laughs and I couldnt be happier for you with that Ace. You worked your tail off and played out of your mind this weekend. #Jerkie will live on forever and I am proud to call you my friend.

War Eagle - Ryan, we have known each other for a while but finally getting to meet you was one of my highlights for the weekend. Playing 2 rounds with you this week was special for me. There were a few moments this weekend when you spoke with me that really choked me up. I said it earlier but the words you spoke to me during our round gave me so much confidence and really brought out a fire in me and another level I didnt know I had. And again, when we were leaving Sunday night, you had some more words for me. Nothing to do with golf, and everything to do with life. Once again, I am sitting here with tears in my eyes typing. Your friendship means the world to me and I couldnt be happier about the way we played Saturday. Like I said earlier, it was my favorite round of golf ever.

Jman - James absolutely BLEEDS THP Green and White but even more than that, he is a great and genuine friend. I am so happy I got to experience this with you as a fellow first timer. Always there with advice or encouragement. Another guy that leads by example. Just out every day beating balls until his hands literally bled. You brought everything you had to the event both on and off the course. I am so freaking proud of you. I am so excited for you to become a father. Charlotte and Amanda are incredibly lucky to have you in their lives just as we all our.

I know this is becoming extremely long winded but bear with me. I need to mention a few people:

Flog - I was and still am, absolutely heartbroken for you buddy. You worked your tail off and deserved to experience this with us. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this difficult time.

Canadan - My long time Canadian brother. When I found out we would be in the event together, I couldnt have been happier. You were a rock for me during all of this. Imparting wisdom and knowledge on me and telling me what I needed to hear, not what I wanted to hear at the right times. Words cant describe what our friendship means to me and I cant thank you enough.

DCBrad - We spent alot of time talking about the MC, life, and Step Brothers. I know I told you down there but I wanted to say it again. Thank you. Thank you for ALWAYS being there when I needed to talk. I appreciate it more than you know.

MWard - This guy has been the brother I always wanted. Since meeting him in Atlanta last year, there hasnt been a day that has gone by that we havent spoken. I am so happy for you and your team that you were able to pull out the victory. Little Hitler, I believe is what the joke was. I would play for you any day. You led that team to victory. Every one of those guys would run through a wall for you and that speaks to the type of person you are. I am fortunate to be able to see you 2 more times this year and I cant freaking wait.

Fupresti - Punchy. This is a guy I never met before and someone I gradually started talking to during the process. He has become one of my best friends and guy I look to for support and a laugh when I need it. It was awesome to finally meet you this weekend and cant wait until September when I get to see you do the truffle shuffle on the tee box (I didnt forget)

Trout - aka Wicked Cool Homeless Man - This dude is as cool as they come. We exchanged some messages here and there during the process but he sent me something that I have saved and referred back to quite a but during the process. We had never met before this weekend but something tells me this wont be the last time. Thank you for just being you Marc. This would be a whole lot better world with more people like you in it.

There are alot more people I need to thank and will do so soon but last but certainly not least, Josh and Morgan. You guys dreamed up this event so an average guy like me could feel like a rock star. Mission accomplished. You both know how I feel about you already so I wont go into to much detail but it was an honor and a privilege to wear the Team THP colors. I wouldnt have had it any other way.

Staff Sponsor Day was something else. JB can say a million times that something is going to be better, and I always believe him, but you never get a true sense until you're living it.

We started off in the Team THP villa eating an awesome Fritata breakfast created by the Konghacker himself and ended up heading over to the clubhouse about 10 minutes ahead of time. Walk in the door and it's just crazy. Tons and tons of THP'rs running around. Said a few hellos and was standing in the hallway as MikeG yells, "Are you reaaaaady?"

That was pretty intense. Just a mass of people pour out the door and towards the range. We get there and pretty much immediately get to the business of picture taking. Everybody is jacking around like always, but we got that done pretty efficiently. A couple brand new staffers fall over and you can feel 50 cringes at the same time. I'm trying to sneak peaks in my bag since I'd never seen 90% of what was in there.

Pictures were over and we basically set free. This is where Staff Sponsor Day was so different. Each company had their own idea of what they wanted to do, and there were NO LONG BORING VIDEO SHOOTS IN THE BLAZING SUN. Wooot to that.

Met Drew from Bobby Jones and you could tell he was rather blown away. He chatted with us and took some pics of our sweet outfits.

I hit the putting green first. Wanted to scope out the wedges I'd be playing - plus the range was like a frenzy of people that was sort of tough to crack. Found out the putter I'd been so scared of wasn't that scary after all, so that was nice.

Eventualy Big Papa Keith came in - he'd had a rough night getting to MB from Huntington Beach, but was fresh as a daisy. Keith is the ultimate cool guy. Truly just laid back and enjoyable to be round. He basically said to us, "We can't talk about your clubs or take photos for the live updates, so I just want you all to have fun." He wanted us to go hit the stuff and do what we wanted, which was really a breath of fresh air. Showed up about an hour later with a couple travel coolers full of Coors Light, apologized that it was Coors Light (as if he needed to do that), and then we all sat around talking about the event, the equipment, the #journeytobetter, and his company.

It all just felt different to me. So relaxing and so much a moment of feeling like it was truly our day to celebrate the moment. In the background we heard chants from the Bridgestone guys, so Cobra doing some fun looking media stuff, Callaway guys getting their Hashtag on, and TaylorMade guys' jaws dropping from the awesomeness of their rep. Thanks for changing things up. Media day went from a hot, sort of long and boring day to what was at the time the best day I'd ever spent on the range at a THP event.

In between all this I worked on dialing in irons and some wedge numbers, had closest to the pin competitions, and shook a million hands. JB called the caps together for a little meeting and said something about a big surprise coming, though nobody really grasped how big it would be.

After that, waited in the cart for the rain to pass, but it wasn't to be. Lightning sent us off the course, so we hit the showers and relaxed the rest of the day.

Some great recaps in here. I've been busy catching up at my office, but I am working on getting everything down. It's a lot to process and a lot to try to remember, but as I begin writing, I can't help but sit and laugh at some of the things we did over the week. It was too much fun. Lots of great recaps already, thanks guys, they've been fun to read.

Love all the recaps. I've been sitting here at work for the last 2 plus hours, just reading through every word. What a fantastic journey and I appreciate you all taking the time to allow us to see and feel what each of you experienced. I have been following along in all the MC and team threads and I have really enjoyed every detail that has been shared.

I will apologize to you all (even though it may be a couple days before I post it) for the length of what is flowing from my brain to the keyboard. I am at 670 words already and have yet to talk about a single thing from this weekend or process. Not that this is really surprising to anyone who's ears are still tired from listening to me talk this weekend.

adwillingham said:

I will apologize to you all (even though it may be a couple days before I post it) for the length of what is flowing from my brain to the keyboard. I am at 670 words already and have yet to talk about a single thing from this weekend or process. Not that this is really surprising to anyone who's ears are still tired from listening to me talk this weekend.

Click to expand...

I can't wait to read it Donne. I enjoyed our conversation in the villa Sunday night, and can't wait to hear more.

adwillingham said:

I will apologize to you all (even though it may be a couple days before I post it) for the length of what is flowing from my brain to the keyboard. I am at 670 words already and have yet to talk about a single thing from this weekend or process. Not that this is really surprising to anyone who's ears are still tired from listening to me talk this weekend.

Click to expand...

Looking forward to reading it Donne.

Recap #2-The Matches

Hawk took care of the Staff sponsor day so Im moving right to the matches.

Sat AM: Hawk and I vs V.Man and Mpeterson

The day had finally come and I was ready and as anxious than ever. I now knew what to expect from Hawk and had teed it up with Vman before so that left Matt as the wildcard. We started off well winning the first hole and then went back and forth for awhile. I think late on the front 9 we got into trouble and they won a few holes in a row and it was pretty much down hill from there. They played very well together. When Ken missed the green it was usually right in front and was usually on a hole where the pin was up front so he got up and in quite a bit. Matt gave them some solid distance off of the tee and they used that to their advantage. Neither team putted really well, but they trumped some of our good shots with better shots on par 3's and to me that was all the difference in the world.

Finished the match and felt like Hawk and I played pretty well, looked down at the scorecard only to find out we had actually only lost by 2 strokes....it was that close.

The loss stung a bit but once we hit Caledonia it was time to move on.

Sat PM: Hawk and I vs Castor and Mmaynard11


Now ive played with both of these guys before so I knew what to expect and knew we would have to grind it out to get a point or 2 this afternoon. I knew it was going to be a long day when they got up and down from the road on #1 for a halve after we went Fairway/Green and 2 putt for par. The entire front 9 was back and forth, no team going more than 1 up at any point in time. We came to 8 1 down and so all the pressure was on us. My approach put us on in 3 and we lucked out when Castor went right into some junk which would eventually lead to us going into #9 All square. THis hole was playing crazy short, like I could throw a golf ball onto the green from the teebox short. Hawk caught it a little fat and we were short and in the trap. I got us out and we had a long putt for par which we missed and they won the hole and the match with a par.

The back 9 was no different and was another grind. Back and forth back and forth, Hawk and I played old man golf and just hoped they would make a few mistakes we could capitalize on. We were 1 up going into #16 and I sat in the fairway with 7 clubs debating on what to hit. We were 180 carry over water which is just not my shot so I laid up with a PW down to the bottom left near the tree. Castor was closer out of the rough on the right side and put it long on to that big hill. Hawk puts us on in 3 and then we were fortunate enough to win the hole after a tough chip shot went into the water.

I wanted to end this thing on #17 in the worse way. I had played the par 3's really well and had been hitting my irons pretty good. I wanna say it was 160ish with the pin middle back of green. I hti the ball flush but pushed it right into the sand. Left Hawk with a tough sand shot over a huge lip which he wasnt quite able to clear. I went down there and hit my best sand shot of the week to maybe 6-7 feet above the pin. The boys were in front of the green and had some work to win the hole and a putt was missed that gave us the halve for the hole and the match.

Being the last ones on the course we played 18 for giggles, hit a few tee balls, a few approaches and then moved on.

This round will go down as the most fun and competitive round of golf all rolled into 1 that I have ever played. Back and forth nonstop all afternoon long, everyone encouraging each other to play good golf and very complimentary of the good shots that were pulled off. Like I told those guys on the 17 green, Id go out and play another 18 with them right now I was that jacked up and having so much fun. It felt good to get a point and there wasnt much that was going to take that smile off my face.

Heres a pic that I will cherish forever of me and my boys on #18 tee




Sun Singles vs Amart

Andy beat my a$$, no sugarcoating it at all. I got myself in trouble off the tee into some "unique" spots on the course and just couldnt recover. The dude played exceptional golf and he may have been something like +1 on the day. Seemingly hit like every fairway and green. My "A" game wouldnt have beat this guy on this day and it still pains me I played so poorly. Not sure what changed between Sat and Sun but my god it was UGLY.
I did however get to witness a great battle between J4U and Adwillingham. These guys played some good golf and that match was back and forth all day long. It was honor to tee it up with all 3 of these guys and Id do it again in a hearbeat.

Fittingly I made my last "shot" on True Blue a chutt for the hell of it. It was after that shot that it hit me that it was all over and the last 8 months of work, lessons, range, playing for this weekend was all coming to an end. As you guys will probably see my emotions were high but I left everything I had at True Blue/Caledonia and it was just mentally and emotionally draining.

While things didnt end as I had hoped for my team and myself, I cant focus on the negatives of the weekend because they were completely dominated by the positives.

1 more recap to go...

Match Recap

Round 1. Jman and ddec vs Smithfaced and Scarnici

First off, these two guys that we were faced against are 2 friends of mine. Jordan is someone that I talk to throughout the week and during every Cowboys football game. Christian and I have played together up North before and the guy is an absolute blast to be around. Always smiling, always positive, and always looking to enjoy the day. So when this matchup was announced I was pretty pumped to be sharing it with 2 guys that I knew and 2 guys that I knew would really make it a fun round of golf.

Being partnered with James, that seemed kind of surreal to me. You know back in January I spent an entire week with James at the PGA Show. We had lots of good conversations and developed a little bit of teamwork while on the floor at the show. We even used teamwork to decide what kind of McFlurries to get, much to the dismay of JB. Anyway, at that time I was not yet in the MC, I had made my decision that it was time to not play. However having an open and honest conversation about it, Jman and JB both knew how much I had been waffling on that choice and that given the chance, I would jump back in. Anyway, going in to our match James and I were ready. We played the format on Thursday and played quite well.

Walking on to the range in the morning I told our opponents that I was going to practice all the putting that I need to do. I dropped a ball close to the hole, said oh that’s good and scooped it up. I guess that was both good and bad to be honest, because throughout the match I didn’t make many putts, but my scooping ability was top notch. Looking back at the action on the course, I really can only think of 1 putt that I actually made and that was the putt on 13 that Jordan talked about.

That first tee shot, I will lie to you say it gets easier every time. This year prior to that shot I was joking around with people on the tee, singing, rapping, doing whatever it took to not allow me to think about that shot. Last year I hit a stinker off of that tee, this year I hit a nice drive that found the middle of the fairway. It’s a good thing too, because my partner, let’s just say he held the pose nicely.

Our game plan, like everyone else was to get an early lead and we did that. Thanks to some solid play and some tough lies for Jordan and Christian, we were 4 up after 8. We kind of made a mess on 9, but still had a chance to tie the hole and my putt slid by the hole. 3 up going to the back 9 and changing format. Those 2 played great during this format. Our 3 up lead vanished like a fart in the wind(Shawshank Reference). At one point I remember James looking at me saying “we are fine don’t worry.” While I knew that was true, I’m a bit of a realist and I responded “I know we are, but buddy we are leaking oil and fast.”

At the end of the day, this match went to 18, who wouldn’t want that? Hitting shots in to 18 with a group of THPers watching is just great stuff. Even though Captain Hawk yelled at me. James had found the water, and our spot was about 112 yards to the pin. I liked that distance and grabbed my club, meanwhile I look at Hawk and he is furiously waving me to come closer. I took my shot and the ball hit 10 feet under the pin and spun back a bit. He wasn’t mad when I explained to him the numbers. It ended there, high fives and hugs for my two buddies that really took it to us.

Christain, as you already probably know doesn’t miss a fairway. It’s awesome to watch and annoying to play against. Jordan was hitting this stinger style 3w that was just crazy good. These guys played so well together, they were a great match.

You're fired for that by the way.

Hawk said:

You're fired for that by the way.

Click to expand...

I could only imagine what would have happened if that shot didn't work out.

Bittersweet to even start my recap as it means this is really coming to an end. I need to start by thanking Josh and Morgan. These two are very smart and talented. They could do anything they put their mind to and they choose to put in very long hours and travel around the country to make THP what it is today. I will never be able to thank the two of them enough and I am a better person because of their friendship.

I was shocked to be asked to captain Team Paradise and honored by the thought that I was worthy of the post. It was so much fun getting to know these gentlemen and I couldn’t be happier with the way they represented themselves and THP. Thanks for making it easy on me.

WCBM – I had an instant calm come over me when I heard the news that he would be my Assistant captain. Tim is such a great guy and we were instantly on the same page with every decision and move along the way. I know we both wanted to play a little-ish (read: a lot) better than we did on the weekend but I am not sure I would change a thing. I enjoyed giving you a chance to see parts of Caledonia that you didn’t know were there.

Scarnici aka Micro Machine aka The Quiet Riot – This guy can flat out play. Getting to know him over the last 7 months has been terrific and I have always thought of him as a laid back guy. Watching him roll up to 17 during round one in a close match was a trip. He was pumped up and very intense, yet he was able to be ultra competitive without losing the fun joy of the event. He made it look easy but I know how much hard work he put into it.

Jersey Nate – Seeing your emotions on Sunday and how happy you were to have gone through this experience gave me chills. The same ones I got watching the #journeytobetter videos. You have come a long way with your golf game in a short amount of time. Just need a little more trust and confidence in your abilities and you will go a long way.

mmaynard – This dude is someone I couldn’t wait to meet in person. His excitement for the event and the effort he put in is well documented on the form. This guy brought his sticks with him all over the country and made sure he got in his practice time anywhere he could. I didn’t get much of a chance to see his matches in person but I am looking forward to seeing it on video as I am told the practice paid off.

Castor Hades – This guy just flat out makes me smile. What a fun guy to be a round. I think last year we all saw that he had talent but struggled a little. This year seemed to be his chance to show how good he really is and he didn’t disappoint. Almost an insane amount of golf, all shooting in the 70’s with the heat index over 100*, in pants no less. Henri was willing to stay up late for some conf. calls and took what I am sure was a lot of time and effort to make our Team Paradise videos look amazing and helping us gel as a group.

Flog2424 – I don’t think many realize how much effort this guy put in to get himself ready for this event. It is really difficult for me to put into words how sorry I am that he didn’t get to show his skills to the world on the weekend. Team Paradise missed having him around as much for what he brings to the table off the course as what he does on it.

Smithfaced – Your smile coming off 18 is exactly what I love about this event. I knew seeing you on the other side of the camera would be great but I didn’t know how much until that moment.

Puttin4Bird – Seeing Jake pop out from behind a door I instantly knew a bad situation had been made better. I am not sure anyone could step into that kind of role and do it better. I am glad you got to be a big part of the final MC.

Final Recap: Thank you


First off I must start with the volunteers. These guys/gals busted their ass all week long and the fruit of their labor will be shown in a few weeks. these folks were everywhere getting footage, taking pics, updating the forum or getting us drinks/snacks. No complaints, smiles on their faces, the ultimate selfless sacrifice of their time, labor and money to help bring the event to all of you (and hundreds of thousands of more people). It was said a long time ago and often but without you all there is no way this event takes place in nearly the form it did.

Secondly, a huge thanks to all of the other 39 guys that were part of this MC experience with me. I enjoyed getting to meet many of you (again) and even some of you for the first time. Bonds were formed and in different ways you all mean a lot to me and I cherish the bond we all have now after partaking in this amazing event.

Next, a HUGE thank you to Josh and Morgan. These 2 are the epitamy of selfless individuals. 40 Golfers, volunteers, guests, 5 companies plus apparel companies leads to a whole lot of work behind the scenes to make something like this happen. They dont have to do this event but Im certainly thankful that they did despite some obstacles along the way and some things going on on the homefront they pushed ahead. I think back to pre THP times in my life and at no point could I EVER have imagined participating in something like this, let alone twice. I think about the phone calls, the texts, the chats and the private messages Ive received from my friends on this site and Im thankful that you have provided us with an avenue to share our love of golf together.

Just like last year after my round as JB was on the balcony I told him that "this one was good". As always JB and GG push to improve and this MC and the experience was no different. You guys were right to bring it back and you are doing it right making this the end on such a high note. Thank you so much for this opportunity and thank you so much for your friendship.


Last but certainly not least, thank you to my wife.

She knew what this event meant to me and encouraged me to work on my game. She endured me taking 11 lessons and hitting the range 2-3 times a week and playing once a week for most of the spring and summer.
She knew the drive I had to play well, the drive to win and the drive to leave it all at MB and was there along the way each and every day.
She was there when I came home and could see the disappointment in my eyes but spoke encouraging words to me despite it being just a game.

My #Journey2Better started with being about golf, but when it was over it was more about life.

Thank you

This recap is going to be one of the tougher ones to do for me, only because of the amount of time I’ve been fortunate enough to chat with them on a daily basis. Hopefully to people who really wanted to see what our team atmosphere was like can read this and get an idea of how we came to be. In January, I had no idea who these 7 (now 8) guys really were. I had no idea how we as a team were going to collectively mold each other into a well oiled machine come Saturday morning at True Blue.

These gentlemen worked hard for their teammates for 7 months. They didn’t do it for me or themselves, but for the better of the entire team. We cheered each other on in preparation for the good results people had. We picked them back up after bad practice sessions or bad rounds (we may have lovingly knocked them around a bit first with sarcastic praise) and reassured them they were good enough that it wouldn’t happen again and to keep their head up. We came together even closer as people started to have nagging injuries that kept them from practicing, or injuries too severe to continue along in this journey. We embraced the newest member and made him feel like he had been here all along, even though his journey started only weeks before the event. In the weeks prior to the event as the pressure began to rise, the team rallied together to keep our spirits high on days when practice sessions weren’t quite what we wanted, or when scores went the opposite direction more than ever.

By Wednesday night leading up to the event, I knew that these brothers were ready. We were loose and as calm as we could be. We still made fun of each other relentlessly like brothers do to each other, just like we had done leading up to the event. We joked and reassured each other not to worry about minor things, but to just focus on the big picture and only on what was in front of you. When a bad shot happened, the first words out were always along the lines of, “shake it off, we got this. You’re good enough to get up and down from there” or on tee shots, “no worries, I got this one.” It was always positive or lighthearted when needed to ease any building tension or self doubt that might have been stirring.

This team came together for each other. While the running joke was that I ruled this team with an iron fist, it’s the farthest from the truth (and they’ll tell you the same thing BECAUSE I TOLD THEM TO, RIGHT? ). Through the entire process, we all lead and pushed each other through this journey to be the best we could be. As I told them leading into Sunday singles, “I could not be more proud of each and every one of you. No matter what happens tomorrow, you have all earned this. You’ve won no matter what the scores may be. Go out there and give it all you got, but most importantly, go out there and have fun tomorrow with your playing partners. Enjoy this opportunity to its max.”

I still couldn’t be any prouder. You earned all of this. Thank you for letting me have the privilege of being your captain for the last several months.

Talk about geling as a group. 8 guys I would do absolutely anything for! If only we could find a course to allow a 9some imagine the fun we would have!

Howzat said:

Bittersweet to even start my recap as it means this is really coming to an end. I need to start by thanking Josh and Morgan. These two are very smart and talented. They could do anything they put their mind to and they choose to put in very long hours and travel around the country to make THP what it is today. I will never be able to thank the two of them enough and I am a better person because of their friendship.

I was shocked to be asked to captain Team Paradise and honored by the thought that I was worthy of the post. It was so much fun getting to know these gentlemen and I couldn’t be happier with the way they represented themselves and THP. Thanks for making it easy on me.

WCBM – I had an instant calm come over me when I heard the news that he would be my Assistant captain. Tim is such a great guy and we were instantly on the same page with every decision and move along the way. I know we both wanted to play a little-ish (read: a lot) better than we did on the weekend but I am not sure I would change a thing. I enjoyed giving you a chance to see parts of Caledonia that you didn’t know were there.

Scarnici aka Micro Machine aka The Quiet Riot – This guy can flat out play. Getting to know him over the last 7 months has been terrific and I have always thought of him as a laid back guy. Watching him roll up to 17 during round one in a close match was a trip. He was pumped up and very intense, yet he was able to be ultra competitive without losing the fun joy of the event. He made it look easy but I know how much hard work he put into it.

Jersey Nate – Seeing your emotions on Sunday and how happy you were to have gone through this experience gave me chills. The same ones I got watching the #journeytobetter videos. You have come a long way with your golf game in a short amount of time. Just need a little more trust and confidence in your abilities and you will go a long way.

mmaynard – This dude is someone I couldn’t wait to meet in person. His excitement for the event and the effort he put in is well documented on the form. This guy brought his sticks with him all over the country and made sure he got in his practice time anywhere he could. I didn’t get much of a chance to see his matches in person but I am looking forward to seeing it on video as I am told the practice paid off.

Castor Hades – This guy just flat out makes me smile. What a fun guy to be a round. I think last year we all saw that he had talent but struggled a little. This year seemed to be his chance to show how good he really is and he didn’t disappoint. Almost an insane amount of golf, all shooting in the 70’s with the heat index over 100*, in pants no less. Henri was willing to stay up late for some conf. calls and took what I am sure was a lot of time and effort to make our Team Paradise videos look amazing and helping us gel as a group.

Flog2424 – I don’t think many realize how much effort this guy put in to get himself ready for this event. It is really difficult for me to put into words how sorry I am that he didn’t get to show his skills to the world on the weekend. Team Paradise missed having him around as much for what he brings to the table off the course as what he does on it.

Smithfaced – Your smile coming off 18 is exactly what I love about this event. I knew seeing you on the other side of the camera would be great but I didn’t know how much until that moment.

Puttin4Bird – Seeing Jake pop out from behind a door I instantly knew a bad situation had been made better. Am not sure anyone could step into that kind of role and do it better. I am glad you got to be a big part of the final MC.

Click to expand...

As I sit here and think about the last 7 months, I cant help but think about past events. The first two were just not good (in my opinion), the third was a great step in the right direction and this one bringing it full circle to something so special, it will be talked about for years. Sure, part of the creation were the changes that made the event so special, but like any puzzle, the outline and changes are the pieces and the people are the ones putting the pieces in the right spots.

There is something powerful feeling about watching it unfold. Not in the "creator" mentality, but more of the proud father outlook. Creating something special takes time, understanding and a lot of mistakes to get it right.

This weekend can be summed up in one phrase for me "The people made it right".

Take your time, digest the wonderful event that just took place. Write a recap if you want to, dont if you dont. This event was about you, and despite some wanting to say otherwise, the entire thing will always be about you.

Round 2 and 3 ddec/War Eagle vs J4U/Vman - The most difficult match recap I've ever had to write


I’m going to keep these together, because even though they were 2 matches, it was the same guys and the same format.

We knew this would be a tough one, esp in this format. Vman, much like Christian, doesn’t miss the fairway. Also Doug is a bomber who hits the ball on a straight line damn near every time. I’ve played with Vman once before down at Grand Cypress, never with Doug before so I was looking forward to that.

We got up early, winning the first hole. We actually played that hole well, fairway, green, putt and conceded par. That lead lasted 1 hole as we lost hole 2 and then hole 3. 9 hole formats are tough, in fact I am not a fan of it. We got to 7 and were 1 down. It was my tee and that shot was in my head. During practice rounds I tried tee a driver down low, but that didn’t work. So here I tried the mini driver and doing the same thing. The ball hit some of the hanging branches and found itself on the front part of the hazard. We had a lie, but decided on an unplayable lie. Doug and Ken were in trouble, they ended up behind that big tree guarding the green. Ken had sank a crazy good 25 footer on the 5th hole, and here he used more magic, pitching it to inches. 2 down dormie, we had to be perfect on 8. We had a good layup short of the water, however knowing we needed to be right on the stick, we both dunked it in the water and that match was over.

Back 9 we halved 10. 11 was my tee and I told war going in to the week that hole was in my head, but I wanted the challenge. For quick hindsight, in 2012 I hit it in the hazard, and made a crazy good par out of it. 2013, hazard shot again. Thursday practice, hazard one more time. I teed up a 2nd ball that day and hit the middle of the green. Well on the shot that really counted, I stuck it to 15 feet after our opponents were out of position. That sure felt good. Those guys found trouble on 13 as well, although Ken once again showed some amazing short game worked. His heels were pretty much hanging off the edge of a deep bunker, had to go over the huge bunker that surrounds the green, off of a downhill lie, and he put it to some 8 feet. Unreal. Ryan and I layed up since they were in a spot of bother. We were left with a 15 footer and with a good read Ryan drained it. On 15 we took another hole after making a tricky 3 footer. 3 up dormie. Little did I know what the next 30 minutes of my life would be like.
So everyone on the forum that follows knows how this match ends. But here is my brutal honest assessment of what happened.

16 - a really good golf hole. Ryan as he did all day, pounded his drive and it just got in the left hand rough. With water short, I told him I was not going to hit anything that brought that in to play. I had a 6 and 7 with me, the 7 was what I chose, and I hit it well, but it jumped a little bit and flew the green. That was fine, I told him that was were I was going. Ryan chipped it up on the green from a not so good lie, leaving me with a 25-30 foot downhill putt. Well the lack of confidence with the putter showed up, I hit it the ball about 10 feet. We still had a bogey putt to win the match, but it was a long one and it didn’t drop. 2 up dormie.

17 - A par 3 that 2 days before I hit a nice shot 20 feet behind the pin. So good vibes were there. All I had to do was put it on the green and this match was probably ours. That didn’t happen. I left the face open and hammered it 25 yards right of the green OB. Next shot was on the left half of the green. If second shots were first, we’d be sitting pretty and I wouldn’t be writing this post with the feelings I am right now. 1 up dormie, going to 18.

18 - Ryan hammers driver down the left side, just in the rough. Was so unsure about what to hit here, so I took a 7 again. I am not sure if I have ever been so uncomfortable over a ball in my life. I backed off twice, just didn’t feel right. Well when I settled in, I pulled it and hit a liner into the flower bushes. Luckily on the scorecard it says on 18 free drop from there, so we ended up with that. Again leaving my partner out to dry in a bad spot. His next shot stopped near the fringe. I chipped that ball to 10 feet past the hole. Because of me, we made a 6, and when Doug poured in his 4 footer(or 12 if you ask him), the match ended AS.

I couldn’t compose myself. The final interview, I’m not sure if I looked at the camera once. I have never felt so lost on the golf course in my life. After congratulating those 2 fine gentleman, I just dropped down in to a catcher’s stance and let the emotions come out. You know I love this event. I love it for the team atmosphere it creates. I absolutely hate letting the team down and esp letting my partner who was hitting all the shots. That 30 minutes of golf and the 15 minutes after was just incredibly crushing. I couldn’t even look my teammates in the eye. It was awful.

Please don’t read this as if I am taking anything away from what Doug and Ken did. Those 2 guys hit all the shots, when they needed them. When we gave them an opportunity, they took full advantage. They played their hearts out and earned 1.5 points for that session.

After that long winded recap I just have a little more to say. First off, thank you to the volunteers. Cace, GregDan, Mike, Tyler, Kevin, Chris, Pete, and Trisha. You guys (and gal) were unbelievable. I watched guys literally sprinting on Sponsor day. Dripping sweat. Laying in the grass to take photos. Running to peoples villas for them to get things. Just above and beyond amazing. I cant thank all of you enough.

To the first timers of the event that I shared this experience with, it was awesome. Seeing some newer forum members go through this process and seeing them really come out of their shell and having those "ah ha" moments and really embracing what THP is all about was just awesome to see.

To the veterans of the event. Thank you. Thank you for all the work you put in to allow us to have this opportunity. Thank you for all of your wisdom and knowledge you imparted on us and made us feel like we deserved to be there.

Thank you to all the sponsors. Cobra/Puma, Bridgestone, TaylorMade, Callaway, Cleveland/Srixon. Without them, this doesnt happen. All 40 of us were treated like true tour pro's. An event unlike any other and an experience that none of us will ever forget.

Thank you to all of the families, wives, partners for allowing us to go down to Pawleys Island, SC and let loose. Allowing us to prepare for this event despite it taking time away from you. Allowing us to give it everything we had for our sponsors, teammates, and THP.

Last but certainly not least, I need to thank my wife Renee. This was an incredibly tough year for us as you guys probably know. She has always been my rock. The person I leaned on for support. When I was asked to join staff and be part of the MC, I wasnt sure what she would say. Without hesitation she said, you have to do this. You deserve it. As you guys know, being away from home and practicing and playing constantly isnt easy. We have all had to make sacrifices but so have our families and its not lost on me how much my wife sacrificed for me to be able to live out my dream. We moved into out new house on Saturday and I left on Tuesday. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done but my wife has been so supportive of everything I have ever done and I cant possibly thank her enough. Same goes for my wonderful daughter. Waking up on Friday of Staff Sponsor day and calling home to hear my little girl say "happy Birthday daddy. I love you" really set the tone for me for the weekend and was one of the best moments of my life hands down.

Here I go getting long winded again. I am sure I will have more thoughts pop up but thank you to the members of THP. On the car ride home, I had the chance to go through the live round threads and the excitement and support from all of you guys was just amazing. I have said it all along, the event was about 40 guys living a dream but it was also about THP and representing what type of people we have here and I cant thank all of you enough.

I actually debated even doing this, but I am going to talk about my team a bit and some memories with them. It was all really personal and part of me didn't want to share that with the whole world, but share I will.

I had two goals for myself going into the Morgan Cup this time. 1) I wanted to win (fail) and 2) I wanted to make sure that my team felt that bond that is there for the taking. From the beginning I really just focused on what we could do to become as tight as possible. It wasn't always easy. Some may have noticed, but in this group you have some of the strongest personalities (that's a good thing) on this forum. However, blending such a mix of strong people into one unit is extremely difficult. The problem with strong personalities is they often take on a life of their own and you get fractured groups or people that clamor for power. Just the nature of the beast, and I knew that would be my biggest challenge.

My approach with you all was simple. I decided from the very beginning that if there was a problem I was going to reach out to you directly. The alternative just makes a mess out of things. Sometimes that meant we had some tough conversations, but in the end I think it built a group that was all in for each other. I wanted us to do things as a group whenever we could. We also had that unique bond created by being seen a little different than the rest leading up to the event. I also knew and expected that, and hold no grudges there. It bonded us and was a motivating factor in so many things.

I truly believed we were winning this thing until I was advised that it was in no way happening lol. I believed it with everything I had. Still can't believe it turned out like it did on that end actually, but I do know that we left it all on the practice tee and on the course. Our best wasn't good enough and that's the way it goes. At least the MC got our best though.

Ricardo - Look at what you've done Ricky. In the last year you changed your life for better health, provided your beautiful family a home, weathered some big storms, and improved your game probably more than any of the other seven of us. Look at what you've done! You should feel immense pride in that brother. I know there were many times you felt like it was too much to handle, but you handled it and came out better for it. I knew you could do it and here we are. You were the only guy on this team I hadn't met in person ahead of the event, but you'd have never guessed it. You're infectiously funny in person and your loyalty to THP and me in hard to match.

ddump - We broke the streak finally. It wasn't all that bad playing with you either! I always forget how much I enjoy being around you until I'm around you and this weekend will serve as my latest reminder of that. It always seems like a one-liner is coming out of that mouth of yours at the perfect time. You were a great asscap too, even though I threatened to fire you weekly. Everything I asked you to help me with you did and our team came out better for it each time. I know you felt some massive pain out there at Caledonia (as did I on #9), but know that we came into this as a team and we went down as a team. From this day forward I'll be taking 7 irons out of my bag and my plans of naming any possible future children Christian are now squashed, but hey. That's what happens some times.

Beags - Another person who went through so much to make this event. I knew all along how difficult it would be for you with the changes you'd made in your life the year prior, but you still somehow made the choice to do it and that is something I can't thank you for enough. I think the biggest showing of your commitment was how you took on the SLDR by determination and made it your biotch. Would have been very easy to get caught in the trap of feeling sorry for yourself there, but you came through with strength. You have a knack for making magic happen on the course when it counts and you did that numerous times this weekend. Sometimes your opponent did the same thing, but you still left it all there and should have zero ragrets on that end.

#jerkie - The pecs live on! God dammit did I push you leading up to the event lol. I hope you don't hate me for that. I think it paid off for you though. For those that don't know, we had a somewhat unique team in this event in that we didn't have a lot of really low caps, but rather a lot of mids. That meant I had to pick a few guys to really push to be my giant killers and who better than Cookie? This man knows no fear on the golf course. I needed you and you came through for me dude and that means everything. You got waaaaay out of your comfort zone with preparation, whether it was the lessons or dumping your membership to become well travelled. Thank you for that. When your name was called against Ward I just knew you'd take it to him like nobody else and what do you do? You ACE a hole, birdie the next, and show him what a buzzsaw feels like in real life. It wasn't for nothing either. That'll carry you well into December when you avenge my loss in California.

Freddiebear - I think Team Father that was said earlier is a good descriptor. You took care of us from day one and I'm always surprised at just how generous and thoughtful you can be. What makes it even better is that you never ask a thing in return. Truth be told, I'd give the world in return if I could, but I can't - so I'll just say thank you for everything. I think I blabbered that as I grabbed you on the 18th green as well, but in case you didn't hear over the sobs lol. We are all fortunate having had the chance to enjoy your presence on the team. Never scared to be upfront and always (ALWAYS) willing to help, whether it's somebody on our team or one of our opponents. That's the mark of a good man right there. I was also lucky enough to get cramps in my side from the laughs you created over the weekend. You play golf like very few can. With incredible skill and incredible humility.

Jamesman - First off, you were just what we (JB, Morgan, and I) needed when you came along. A true team player that saw the bigger picture. I leave that at that, but thank you for being who you are. We're alike in many ways and different in many others, but I think that's what makes us a good team. I need the guy with heart and you need the rational guy. What I always forget is that for what you exhibit in intensity, you also exhibit a true child-like love for the good times and that was really fun to see this weekend. What you are at at the core is a truly good person and that's the thing that is going to carry you to great places in your life, whether it be here or with your family. Quit being so hard on yourself and remember that all we do we do for fun, growing as people, and for the betterment of those that we love.

441 - Why do we email each other? I still don't get that, but I like it. Forget text messages. Lets go with effing email! God dammit are we similar. Both waiting for that magical day when golf actually becomes a strength, both skilled in business pursuits, and both devoted to our families. Not to mention the other things. Getting to know you over the preceding months was a true highlight of the experience, and for a couple rather cold blooded gentleman, I like to think we had a moment or two. We played some so-so golf, we played some very good golf, but better than that - we played with a smile on our face and picked each other up when we needed it. Seeing you follow along when I was getting closed out was something I'll always remember. Just having someone there that was on my side meant a lot, so thanks even though I missed two putts I'd made all day on Saturday.

Jake - I said this to somebody, but seeing you walk through the door on Friday was this odd sense of relief. Like everything was how it was supposed to be. Except it wasn't exactly how it was supposed to be lol. Your presence at this thing was the final touch on a magical weekend with my people, regardless of the circumstances. Losing you months ago was not an easy pill to swallow - not so much in a winning/losing sense, but because of where you and I have been in the last almost five years. This is a year you might want to forget ever happened, but what I see is a guy that found a bit of himself and some added strength he didn't know he had. It'll all be alright my friend and there is nothing I want more for you than some peace and a bright future. On the inside you have what everybody else wishes they had, so rely on that to carry you along and you will see nothing but good things ahead.

JB - What can I say man? Effing A did I want to bring home a trophy for you dude. I know you weren't there cheering on any team, but at the same time I know how much it would have meant. Above all, I guess I owed it to you to give it a shot - my best shot - and I can say that I did that. I lost count of how many times you asked me if I was having a good time, and I got a sense that was the most important thing to you. The answer is yes. This was all that I'd hoped it would be and for that I can't thank you enough. You've always been my number one supporter, even though I am who I am, and I can't thank you enough for that either. The feeeling is mutual and I work every day with the reminder of the greatness you've brought into my life. No matter what, through all the good and bad, we are on the same path and look at what that has born. A truly special place and time in our lives that few people will ever experience or comprehend. I can't wait for the next show in a couple months, because I know I'll leave it with the same great memories.

Morgan - I told you this, but know it - you're my sister and a best friend. Seeing the toll this took on you was not something I enjoyed at all. I'm glad that the final chapter was a good one. You touch lives with the work you do and I'm not sure you will every quite grasp the enormity of that. It's the most powerful feeling in the world, but in this case it was duplicated 40 times. Your sweat and effort changed lives. Think about that and be very, very proud of it. I know you never rest, but you can put the Morgan Cup to rest knowing that it was (and always will be) the greatest work you ever did.

Mward said:

This recap is going to be one of the tougher ones to do for me, only because of the amount of time I’ve been fortunate enough to chat with them on a daily basis. Hopefully to people who really wanted to see what our team atmosphere was like can read this and get an idea of how we came to be. In January, I had no idea who these 7 (now 8) guys really were. I had no idea how we as a team were going to collectively mold each other into a well oiled machine come Saturday morning at True Blue.

These gentlemen worked hard for their teammates for 7 months. They didn’t do it for me or themselves, but for the better of the entire team. We cheered each other on in preparation for the good results people had. We picked them back up after bad practice sessions or bad rounds (we may have lovingly knocked them around a bit first with sarcastic praise) and reassured them they were good enough that it wouldn’t happen again and to keep their head up. We came together even closer as people started to have nagging injuries that kept them from practicing, or injuries too severe to continue along in this journey. We embraced the newest member and made him feel like he had been here all along, even though his journey started only weeks before the event. In the weeks prior to the event as the pressure began to rise, the team rallied together to keep our spirits high on days when practice sessions weren’t quite what we wanted, or when scores went the opposite direction more than ever.

By Wednesday night leading up to the event, I knew that these brothers were ready. We were loose and as calm as we could be. We still made fun of each other relentlessly like brothers do to each other, just like we had done leading up to the event. We joked and reassured each other not to worry about minor things, but to just focus on the big picture and only on what was in front of you. When a bad shot happened, the first words out were always along the lines of, “shake it off, we got this. You’re good enough to get up and down from there” or on tee shots, “no worries, I got this one.” It was always positive or lighthearted when needed to ease any building tension or self doubt that might have been stirring.

This team came together for each other. While the running joke was that I ruled this team with an iron fist, it’s the farthest from the truth (and they’ll tell you the same thing BECAUSE I TOLD THEM TO, RIGHT? ). Through the entire process, we all lead and pushed each other through this journey to be the best we could be. As I told them leading into Sunday singles, “I could not be more proud of each and every one of you. No matter what happens tomorrow, you have all earned this. You’ve won no matter what the scores may be. Go out there and give it all you got, but most importantly, go out there and have fun tomorrow with your playing partners. Enjoy this opportunity to its max.”

I still couldn’t be any prouder. You earned all of this. Thank you for letting me have the privilege of being your captain for the last several months.

Click to expand...

We gave it everything we've got, cap'n.

Everything we've got.

#DoWorkDotCom

Hawk said:

I actually debated even doing this, but I am going to talk about my team a bit and some memories with them. It was all really personal and part of me didn't want to share that with the whole world, but share I will.

I had two goals for myself going into the Morgan Cup this time. 1) I wanted to win (fail) and 2) I wanted to make sure that my team felt that bond that is there for the taking. From the beginning I really just focused on what we could do to become as tight as possible. It wasn't always easy. Some may have noticed, but in this group you have some of the strongest personalities (that's a good thing) on this forum. However, blending such a mix of strong people into one unit is extremely difficult. The problem with strong personalities is they often take on a life of their own and you get fractured groups or people that clamor for power. Just the nature of the beast, and I knew that would be my biggest challenge.

My approach with you all was simple. I decided from the very beginning that if there was a problem I was going to reach out to you directly. The alternative just makes a mess out of things. Sometimes that meant we had some tough conversations, but in the end I think it built a group that was all in for each other. I wanted us to do things as a group whenever we could. We also had that unique bond created by being seen a little different than the rest leading up to the event. I also knew and expected that, and hold no grudges there. It bonded us and was a motivating factor in so many things.

I truly believed we were winning this thing until I was advised that it was in no way happening lol. I believed it with everything I had. Still can't believe it turned out like it did on that end actually, but I do know that we left it all on the practice tee and on the course. Our best wasn't good enough and that's the way it goes. At least the MC got our best though.

Ricardo - Look at what you've done Ricky. In the last year you changed your life for better health, provided your beautiful family a home, weathered some big storms, and improved your game probably more than any of the other seven of us. Look at what you've done! You should feel immense pride in that brother. I know there were many times you felt like it was too much to handle, but you handled it and came out better for it. I knew you could do it and here we are. You were the only guy on this team I hadn't met in person ahead of the event, but you'd have never guessed it. You're infectiously funny in person and your loyalty to THP and me in hard to match.

ddump - We broke the streak finally. It wasn't all that bad playing with you either! I always forget how much I enjoy being around you until I'm around you and this weekend will serve as my latest reminder of that. It always seems like a one-liner is coming out of that mouth of yours at the perfect time. You were a great asscap too, even though I threatened to fire you weekly. Everything I asked you to help me with you did and our team came out better for it each time. I know you felt some massive pain out there at Caledonia (as did I on #9), but know that we came into this as a team and we went down as a team. From this day forward I'll be taking 7 irons out of my bag and my plans of naming any possible future children Christian are now squashed, but hey. That's what happens some times.

Beags - Another person who went through so much to make this event. I knew all along how difficult it would be for you with the changes you'd made in your life the year prior, but you still somehow made the choice to do it and that is something I can't thank you for enough. I think the biggest showing of your commitment was how you took on the SLDR by determination and made it your biotch. Would have been very easy to get caught in the trap of feeling sorry for yourself there, but you came through with strength. You have a knack for making magic happen on the course when it counts and you did that numerous times this weekend. Sometimes your opponent did the same thing, but you still left it all there and should have zero ragrets on that end.

#jerkie - The pecs live on! God dammit did I push you leading up to the event lol. I hope you don't hate me for that. I think it paid off for you though. For those that don't know, we had a somewhat unique team in this event in that we didn't have a lot of really low caps, but rather a lot of mids. That meant I had to pick a few guys to really push to be my giant killers and who better than Cookie? This man knows no fear on the golf course. I needed you and you came through for me dude and that means everything. You got waaaaay out of your comfort zone with preparation, whether it was the lessons or dumping your membership to become well travelled. Thank you for that. When your name was called against Ward I just knew you'd take it to him like nobody else and what do you do? You ACE a hole, birdie the next, and show him what a buzzsaw feels like in real life. It wasn't for nothing either. That'll carry you well into December when you avenge my loss in California.

Freddiebear - I think Team Father that was said earlier is a good descriptor. You took care of us from day one and I'm always surprised at just how generous and thoughtful you can be. What makes it even better is that you never ask a thing in return. Truth be told, I'd give the world in return if I could, but I can't - so I'll just say thank you for everything. I think I blabbered that as I grabbed you on the 18th green as well, but in case you didn't hear over the sobs lol. We are all fortunate having had the chance to enjoy your presence on the team. Never scared to be upfront and always (ALWAYS) willing to help, whether it's somebody on our team or one of our opponents. That's the mark of a good man right there. I was also lucky enough to get cramps in my side from the laughs you created over the weekend. You play golf like very few can. With incredible skill and incredible humility.

Jamesman - First off, you were just what we (JB, Morgan, and I) needed when you came along. A true team player that saw the bigger picture. I leave that at that, but thank you for being who you are. We're alike in many ways and different in many others, but I think that's what makes us a good team. I need the guy with heart and you need the rational guy. What I always forget is that for what you exhibit in intensity, you also exhibit a true child-like love for the good times and that was really fun to see this weekend. What you are at at the core is a truly good person and that's the thing that is going to carry you to great places in your life, whether it be here or with your family. Quit being so hard on yourself and remember that all we do we do for fun, growing as people, and for the betterment of those that we love.

441 - Why do we email each other? I still don't get that, but I like it. Forget text messages. Lets go with effing email! God dammit are we similar. Both waiting for that magical day when golf actually becomes a strength, both skilled in business pursuits, and both devoted to our families. Not to mention the other things. Getting to know you over the preceding months was a true highlight of the experience, and for a couple rather cold blooded gentleman, I like to think we had a moment or two. We played some so-so golf, we played some very good golf, but better than that - we played with a smile on our face and picked each other up when we needed it. Seeing you follow along when I was getting closed out was something I'll always remember. Just having someone there that was on my side meant a lot, so thanks even though I missed two putts I'd made all day on Saturday.

Jake - I said this to somebody, but seeing you walk through the door on Friday was this odd sense of relief. Like everything was how it was supposed to be. Except it wasn't exactly how it was supposed to be lol. Your presence at this thing was the final touch on a magical weekend with my people, regardless of the circumstances. Losing you months ago was not an easy pill to swallow - not so much in a winning/losing sense, but because of where you and I have been in the last almost five years. This is a year you might want to forget ever happened, but what I see is a guy that found a bit of himself and some added strength he didn't know he had. It'll all be alright my friend and there is nothing I want more for you than some peace and a bright future. On the inside you have what everybody else wishes they had, so rely on that to carry you along and you will see nothing but good things ahead.

JB - What can I say man? Effing A did I want to bring home a trophy for you dude. I know you weren't there cheering on any team, but at the same time I know how much it would have meant. Above all, I guess I owed it to you to give it a shot - my best shot - and I can say that I did that. I lost count of how many times you asked me if I was having a good time, and I got a sense that was the most important thing to you. The answer is yes. This was all that I'd hoped it would be and for that I can't thank you enough. You've always been my number one supporter, even though I am who I am, and I can't thank you enough for that either. The feeeling is mutual and I work every day with the reminder of the greatness you've brought into my life. No matter what, through all the good and bad, we are on the same path and look at what that has born. A truly special place and time in our lives that few people will ever experience or comprehend. I can't wait for the next show in a couple months, because I know I'll leave it with the same great memories.

Morgan - I told you this, but know it - you're my sister and a best friend. Seeing the toll this took on you was not something I enjoyed at all. I'm glad that the final chapter was a good one. You touch lives with the work you do and I'm not sure you will every quite grasp the enormity of that. It's the most powerful feeling in the world, but in this case it was duplicated 40 times. Your sweat and effort changed lives. Think about that and be very, very proud of it. I know you never rest, but you can put the Morgan Cup to rest knowing that it was (and always will be) the greatest work you ever did.

Click to expand...

Really dude? I have to work today. Thats the second time I have sat here sobbing at my desk because of you. You sir, are the man.

Recap - Part 1

Recap - Part 1

My Morgan Cup History:

I know this is something I have said to so many people this past week, but I was a part of the inaugural Morgan Cup back in 2011. In the first iteration, we had “only” 16 guys and 2 sponsors, and while there was no script to follow and no spelled out requirements to abide by, what I remember from that first journey is mainly regrets. Regardless of the fact that my Team Hackers got destroyed and that more importantly that there are only 6 of us remaining from the original 16 guys who participated that event (amazing guys that I truly love and respect: Amol, Dean, Jake, JB, and Jrod), there are two things that I have agonized over for almost three years that I first allowed to disqualify myself from entry, then finally used as motivation to hope to get one more chance to do them the right way.

First was the build-up. In 2011, I had no idea how to prepare for this event. I played more than normal, and I took a couple of lessons, but this was the first event I had ever needed to prepare for, and I had no clue how to do so. I played well enough that this wasn’t an issue to anyone else, but as reflection occurs, it was to me. Also from a build-up perspective, I did not do enough on the forums (post counts, etc). This was partially because I did not know what was expected, but I probably would have done the bear minimum anyway because it was already more than what I normally did. In the moment, this didn’t feel wrong, but time reveals a lot.

Second was the aftermath. There are two parts to this as well, and they kind of go hand in hand. One, I let the “Hangover” really hit me hard after this first MC, and after the event, I didn’t see a golf course for two months, and maybe went to the range twice. Two, and the real reason for the regret, was that TaylorMade had been kind enough to let us play the R11 irons amongst the other equipment and, while I was not the only one, they did not get from me the forum presence, review information, and quite honestly, the respect that they deserved after that event. While I know there were other layers, I have felt a level of self-imposed, personal responsibility for the past two Morgan Cup that TaylorMade chose not to participate in.

This personal regret shaped the way I proceeded through the past two Morgan Cups. In 2012, there was no way I was entering, and in 2013, I had no plans of entering until I talked to JB and War Eagle in Atlanta during the sign-up period. Being unsuccessful was a needed part of this healing process. During both events, I loved playing the role of someone who had been there and was willing to discuss the “process” and what I had learned from my mistakes. I was so excited to follow along as a supporter and help my THP family in any way I could. I took particular care to try to offer thoughts to the rookies as this can be a very difficult event to navigate if you haven’t been to a previous event and/or seen it transpire in the past.

By the end of the 2013 event, with the notorious “Eff it, let’s do it again”, I knew I would try to get in to give myself one chance to quell the personal demons. If it didn’t happen, it wasn’t meant to be, and I would have played the same supportive veteran role gladly and supported the 2014 version. Well, that all changed the morning of October 11, 2013.

Captaincy:

So, October 11, 2013 started much like any morning. I had gone to bed decently early, and got up the next morning, got ready for work, and opened my email quickly and saw that I had a PM from JB. So I dash over to THP to find a message entitled “A quick offer”. Out of respect for him and for brevity (ha ha), I will quote only a couple sentences: “We would like to offer you a spot as a captain of the 2014 Morgan Cup. Your immediate response will be "I’m not the right man for the job" I have a feeling, but myself, my wife and some close to us strongly disagree. We think you are the perfect person for the job.”

If you have ever had that moment in life where something happy has ever just come out of left field and smacked you upside the head, that was pretty much the first emotion of this moment. I believe my first audible comments were “Oh my God, Oh my God” to which my wife responded “What’s Wrong?!?” Then she walks in, sees me crying (yes, a common theme to come), and I drop the happy news.

Ok, so, let me say that I must quote Bubba Watson here from his Masters win. While I had dreamed of being IN the Morgan Cup again, it had 100% honestly never crossed my mind that I would be asked for this honor…thus “I never got that far in my dreams”. That said, here was my reply:

“I am in complete and utter shock. I actually am having that out of body feeling where I'm wondering if I am awake.

<Deep breaths>

You're right, I don't feel like I am the right person for this, particularly with how many great folks haven't had this honor. That being said, there is no chance in hell I would pass up that opportunity. So, yes, yes, a thousand times, yes.

I am beyond honored and thank you both so much for the opportunity to do this.

Donne”

The only bad part was that for three days, I had to keep this a secret until it could be announced in the forum. Hawk and Mward had already been announced as captains, and within seconds of the thread announcing me being posted, I had PMs from both of them welcoming me to the club as well as many more from dear friends offering congratulations and help. There is nothing like having your THP family support you for something you do not feel deserving of (and yes, I mostly have let that go). Adding Howzat and Canadan as captains in the following days and weeks was amazing, and off we went.

Before I go further, there are several people I want to speak to right now:
JB and GolferGal – Thank you both for everything you give up to give us the amazing place we get to experience daily. It is amazing to think of all the personal things that have gone on in the past three years, and you all have endured, learned, and put your foot down to say “Damn it, we will not let this beat us, we will get better and better.” We are all blessed to be living in the creation of your dreams. I cannot thank you all enough for having more faith in my abilities to fulfill this role than I ever did. Beyond that, I cannot tell you both how much you all mean to me as friends and what THP has meant to my life over the past five years. You reach a point in life where experiences are more important than items, and I found THP right at that point, took the plunge of driving down to Florida to play golf with folks from the internet, and found a second family that I love almost equally to the one I was born into. Without you two, I would have never had had any of that.

Hawk – One of the things I think about often with THP is how without this connection, there is no reason you would cross paths in live with someone that you now can’t remember not knowing. What are the odds that even with THP, you happen to be visiting family in Florida, and I happen to do something so out of character as driving to Florida to play golf, so that the stars align and we share our first round of golf at the original THP get together. To share this journey with you has been perfect beyond belief. For you to have had a hand in making this dream possible, and for your continued friendship, I offer my sincerest gratitude. You are what THP is about to me in every sense of the phrase.

Canadan – Until you were named as the fifth captain, I felt I had taken a spot that was rightfully yours. Your fervor and love for both THP and the Morgan Cup is infectious and contagious. I feel like I have known you forever, and we are proof that there is no single way to do this journey correctly and justly. Just knowing that you would never let us fail as a group was enough to take me through moments where I was tired of the day to day.

Mward – You are the only person who could title your congratulations note “Enemy” and I would know exactly the context and tone and appreciate both. While we never discussed it, we actually ran our teams from very similar paths, you guys just made it count on the course a whole lot more. I am proud to have shared this captain’s group with you, and congratulate you and Team Dot Com with every fiber of my being.

Howzat – One of the things that is interesting about THP is that two people can go to a lot of events and never seem to cross paths. I embarked on this journey less than two weeks after I met Erik and Tricia in Las Vegas. You are both wonderful people, completely genuine, and I appreciate having you as friends. It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know you better through this experience.

Erica, Laura, Melissa, and Tricia – Thank each of you for providing the same support to your wonderful husbands that my own wife provided through this journey. This is not an easy ride to be on, and while the rewards (both personal and material) are fantastic, I know the daily grind and conversations of non-stop golf, THP, and Morgan Cup become old over the nine months. You all are wonderful to put up with us.