The Live Update thread for Shaft Up #1 with UST Mamiya is here.
Two lucky THPers are on their way to Las Vegas for a few days at Caesar’s Palace, a club fitting with Danny Le from UST Mamiya and some new equipment from Mizuno. Multiple rounds of golf with Chris Voshall and Danny Le to round out the trip at beautiful Dragon Ridge Country Club and Cascata and you can follow along with all of it.
The Itinerary
Wednesday: Club Fitting with Danny Le as the participants get fit for new Mizuno equipment. Then a round of golf with Chris Voshall and Danny at Dragon Ridge.
Wednesday PM: Group dinner with everybody
Thursday: Round of Golf at Cascata
Friday: Fly Home with new equipment Fit for their game
Does this sound like fun? If so, make sure to follow along, as we might be announcing how to enter to win a trip just like this one, to Shaft Up #2 with UST Mamiya being held at Major Championship Venue, Bellerive.
The comments are going to be coming fast and furious for this one, so follow along for all of the fitting information and of course to find out if you are going to win our contest. There will be some shaft knowledge, some new products and of course we are there to answer any questions on UST Mamiya products and Mizuno equipment as well. If you have a question you want answered, post it below.
Posted by the club…
View attachment 9004892
#13 at Dragon Ridge
Back to the damn car then… ?
What was your favorite hole you played this week?
At Cascata selfishly 18 was incredible, 3 had outstanding views and played far downhill and allowed for extremely long tee shots, 6 with the Vosh putt was a great moment on the trip, 7 had an amazing view into the short par 3 with a waterfall to the side it was a gorgeous hole, Danny making a killer putt on 15 to stay alive from a decent distance was incredible to see, the course seemed as if it was made for postcards. At Dragon Ridge #2 on a long par 3 downhill was a great hole, many on the back 9 had great holes framed by some incredible looking architecture, and you constantly had views of the strip in the background. Long winded answer to I can’t pick just one I guess they both had immaculate views and conditions.
That definitely goes to show you how top notch both courses were. Sounds like there were about 29 favorite holes! So cool.
Just looking back at the thread and now I remember why my back has hurt since Wednesday! @Vosh68 with the pro finish! ?
Tough question! Sooo many good holes out there… There were ones I played extremely well and others that score didn’t do the beauty justice, but awesome…
Have to check this thread back again, but a couple that stick out…View attachment 9004987View attachment 9004990
Shoutout to @Gman79 and @Golfers Anonymous also for letting us vicariously live through you. You guys did awesome out there and represented well!
The pictures make it look like the fairways are sooo narrow. More open than it appears?
Definitely not as narrow as they seem on the pictures in most cases. The beauty of the courses and the conditions were just incredible. The speed at which the Cascata greens were rolling was the quickest I’ve ever played in my life. Even the uphill putts seemed like a level putt. At the club house when leaving to go to the range they had posted a 11.5 stimp reading for the conditions for the day.
Memories for a lifetime
That is SO COOL that you did that! I would have to do something similar!
Woah. Did you enjoy the fast, pure consistency of the greens? Or did it make it super difficult?
The forecaddie was a saving grace because the greens were so subtle in many spots. Where I would read right to left it would actually be the opposite and as far as downhill vs uphill the same they are tricky. The forecaddie was great he’d tell you which way for the break, and what distance to hit to. But the entirety of the round was great and highly enjoyable and recommended.
That’s awesome man. Had so much fun with you guys this week.
Yes, but definitely not open like ohio golf. Still need to be accurate. There was never a chance for trees to stop anything and playing from other fairway was usually did not exist… Rough was not long like ohio but was penalty on spin… Truly a different type of golf.
So good…
Being a former caddie, I know how much value they can add. Very neat!
That is perfect.
My Wednesday started at 2:15 in the morning due to the inability to sleep with the excitement of heading to Vegas for a few days of fun and golf. Headed to the airport and Ohio provided the most Ohio weather possible in snowing overnight to cover all the green surfaces with heavy wet snow that made me even more excited to get to the airport and get the heck out of the state for a few days of travel. Arrived at CVG just before 5 that morning and got through TSA smoothly minus the pat down from the agent for the screening , talk about a wake up. Boarding started around 5:45 to head to Chicago where I would meet up with @Gman79 to head to Vegas from there. When I got there I began to get a little worried because boarding was about to start and I hadn’t heard anything from Gman as to whether he had made it yet and it was also my first time flying with my clubs and all I could think of was the guys loading and unloading the plane where having there own version of the olympics with bag tosses in and out of the planes. But Gman made it in time to board and we were on our way to Vegas with our own aisle as we sat across from each other and neither of us had anyone in the seats beside us so it made for a comfortable trip out West. The views on the way out where incredible once we were closing into Nevada looking at all the Canyons and rivers cutting through the rocks. Once we arrived to Las Vegas we headed to the baggage claim then out to pick-up where we met up with JB, Danny, and Vosh to head to Dragon Ridge for our first day out in Vegas and received all our incredible swag in our greeting packages.
Once we went through the gates at Dragon Ridge the first thing that sticks out is all the architecture of the houses in the area in and around the mountains. At the clubhouse we loaded up into carts and headed in for lunch before the range and fitting. Lunch was great as it allowed us to talk to Danny, JB, and Vosh on all the stuff involved with the shafts and club heads and what to expect with the trip out to Vegas. Lunch included a chicken BLT that was a decent portion of food and tasted great. Once that was finished we headed to the range for warmups and the fittings with Danny. The entire fitting process was incredible from a equipment junkie side of things as watching the changes in the numbers as each aspect was changed during the process. I started with my gamer and gathered those numbers for Danny to compare to, then went into the fitting with the new ST-X head and the first shaft was the Helium Black which instantly brought down my spin and side spin to more of a desirable spot all while increasing the ball speed. Next up was a different option in the Helium line up and we had a really good combination in the head and shaft but Danny still wanted to get the spin down just a little more. From there head installed a LIN-Q Black into the head and it brought the spin down to a even better spot but the launch was slightly lower than what he wanted to see so Danny decided to turn up to the loft to the 11.625 degrees in loft and we had a great match as my spin, launch, side spin, and ball speed had all been improved greatly vs my original set up. To my surprise I would have never considered a low/low option in the shaft to help with my game, I would have pictured myself fitting into the Helium or the like due to the weight and what types of shafts I usually play but was surprised by the final set up and extremely pleased with the results and the numbers I was able to accomplish in something like this. Being able to geek out on the numbers was awesome as it allowed me to gain more understanding into what a fitter is looking for and to accomplish during the fitting. The entire day was breezy in that we had 25-30 mph winds and gusts the entire day, but to be able to watch both Danny and Vosh absolutely demolish the ball after each swing was awesome to watch and be around the banter back and forth was a fun experience that would last the entire trip. My play on the first day left a little to be desired as I couldn’t quite do my new equipment justice but it was still a blast throughout the round. The views that surrounded the course were incredible as being able to see the Vegas strip from so many locations and the contrast between the course and the waste areas was incredible and nothing quite like what we have back home. After the round we headed to Caesars to check in and take the luggage to the room.
This was my first time to Vegas so all I can say is WOW as this is different from growing up in a more rural setting and the only thing I can say is that inside the casinos is a wide swath of characters from nearly all sorts you could imagine. If you are a people watcher this is the place to be because I would imagine a place like the strip would be the equivalent of a major in that category. Dinner the first night was Carmines and it was special because it was just filled with great banter and stories the entire time. We posted earlier what we had in the forum and all I can say is wow as it was delicious and took me out of my typical comfort zone in food and drink. I would order that in a heartbeat again without a second thought. The night turned to the Casino after dinner at I watched a little before trying my luck a bit. Must not have much because that went by like a blur but the environment was great getting to learn the games and how to play. but the night wasn’t to long as by that point I think I’d been up for 23hrs and it felt like it, so I called it a night.
The next day came quickly and it was a bucket list day for sure. Breakfast was at a place called The Coffee Cup in Boulder City and was full of more great conversation and had maybe the moment of the trip at breakfast. I ordered the and omelette with toast and fruit. The food was great and meant to me that we were nearing our round at Cascata which all I can say is that it is by far the nicest course I have ever played on and every aspect was top notch from entering the front doors to going out to the practice facilities. My game was in a much better place here than the previous day large part in that JB’s photos allowed me to see a few things to fix quickly and Danny taking the time to help with swing thoughts. This course was an absolute masterpiece in course conditions and views through the thread there are many photos but even those do not quite do the course justice as it was immaculate. Teams this day had switched and I had drove the ball much better that the previous day which made the day all that more enjoyable. The weather was even better than the previous day as the wind had died down considerably. the day was full of great views, banter, and jabs that made the trip all that much better. I don’t want to ramble on about the course too much as there are many other pages that shows this. After the round we headed back to the Casino and dinner would be at 6 so it allowed for some time to walk the strip for a couple of hours and all I can say is this sure isn’t Ohio any more as you couldn’t walk five steps without smelling a strong stench of extra curricular activities everywhere. The architecture of the other casinos was great to see the different themes and styles of each of those. Dinner was at Ramsey’s Pub in Caesars Casino which didn’t disappoint as it was full of more great stories about golf stuff in general and travels around the world. Later in the night we went back to the room to prep for departures in the early morning.
Everything about this trip in Vegas was great, I wouldn’t for a second have wanted to of gone with anyone else, and make it different. The entire time was full of non stop laughs, jabs, great stories, or golf. Having the opportunity to be around Gman and the guys in the industry was absolutely mind blowing and had the feel of a guys golf trip to Vegas more than anything else. If anyone else has to think twice when these opportunities come up you should probably have yourself committed as there is something wrong with you. Danny is an incredible player and fitter and can’t thank him enough for putting together so much of this together and always willing to help out on the swing, Vosh is stick and a treasure trove of knowledge and his positivity is infectious, JB creating a place for all this to come together is incredible, and always with great color commentary, and then Gman great getting to meet in person and being able to have a trip of a lifetime together. So without dragging on to much more again Thank You @DannyLe , @JB , @Vosh68 , @Gman79 and the community for following along on this trip and reading this if you made it this far before looking at a different thread.
What a great trip and I hope we get to cross paths again at one of these.
Absolute blast, now just have to get back to a EST schedule.
Well done on the recap… Awesome spending this memory with you. Great golfer and a very knowledgeable club builder… I didn’t have much to contribute in our conversations as far as golf tech,but you answered a ton of my inquiries into club building and club upgrades. Awesome times.
I’ll do a full recap but had to fire back at the tagged post because it was such a. Great time being cartners and sharing laughs together.
Golf soon half way… Maybe with some THPers from each side.
Congrats on the new equipment and once in a lifetime experience, @Gman79 @Golfers Anonymous , and thanks for bringing us along!! I’m looking forward to your feedback on those drivers and shafts.
Definitely it is an amazing course that should be on everyone’s lists to get to.
That’s incredible. Just in the middle of nowhere, a beautiful golf course!
THP Events are like nothing else!
Assembling the amazing head and shaft combo while thinking of all the work that goes into these pieces and in building that we talked about all weekend….View attachment 9005290
? How has it taken you this long! ? First thing I did once I got home to make sure she was safe ?
Definitely talking about legalized green, right? RIGHT?
Haha exact reason I did not open it… Wanted to live the memories over the weekend and not worry what to do if she was broken.
Ok this might be kinda cool.??
Two ohio boys featured on Mizuno website- kinda cool is right!
We received notification and I thought this is great – its been so long since I played with THPers and I wanted to build off the last THP experience and memories there. I did just that! @Golfers Anonymous (GA) started texting a bit here and there asking if the other was able to play and then the emails started with Danny. Truly awesome and down to earth guy.
@Golfers Anonymous laid out most of the details, so I will add where appropriate.
I started the trip on Wednesday at 3:30am getting up and getting pumped to go to Vegas, a town I knew all too well, but only dreamed of playing golf. Never traveling outside of Ohio for golf, didnt realize how easy it is to get golf clubs to the destination. (fingers crossed they all go that way). Anyways huge dumptrucks full of snow were called for and I was celebrating that I wouldnt need to shovel or be housebound for the week due to the snow, however it created issues as nobody wanted to drive uber/lyft in Cleveland that day. I decided last minute to jump in car and drive to airport (i live close so wasn’t a problem other than making initial tracks as Ohio snow plows were retired for the season, or so it seemed). That kinda set off the day as a fast paced rat race from parking garage to CLE airport, to chicago airport. A funny message back and forth to GA mentioning a gray 1/4 zip to which responded a yea, only to realize we both were in 1/4 zips that were gray and didnt meet up before boarding flight. Oh well… 4+ hours to Vegas gave enough time to catch up about equipment used and life in Ohio.
We deplane and grab a selfie (GA’s 2nd ever, I feel honored). We are picked up by THP celebrities, Danny Le and Chris Voshall, two guys that I have seen everywhere in livestreams the past year or so during COVID and countless YouTube videos watched as a fan of golf. Also joining them JB, we met in Akron in 19 and always good to see him (usually means something great is about to happen). Sort of a whirlwind, picked up by minivan, SWAG bag dumped on us as we enter the van introductions flying and a bit of a fan boy amazement in my head and mind. I realize everyone has jobs, but it just seemed so cool these guys are "THE" guys at their respective companies and they picked us up (not to mention flew us out) at the airport. Best part is down to earth regular guys that you would meet at local course looking for an extra to fill out their group.
We talk about how jealous they are that we get to play golf in Ohio year round (joking), talk about prior trips to Vegas their luck at the tables until we pull up to Dragon Ridge, already looking at range and club house WOW! Desert golf is soooo cool. we have lunch and like i said going into this I am a sponge. I have probably the lowest golf IQ of clubs/heads/shafts golf technology of anyone on this forum, but am in a constant search to educate myself and technology and reasons why things happen or are built the way they are. WE DIVE DEEP! Danny is a super smart guy and starts throwing Shafts 501 level course material at me, a couple times i think he could sense I was in intro to Shaft technology and quickly backed up and explained everything. I appreciate it and thank him for taking time to do so. Vosh added how the two worked together with heads and club technology. Old clubs that were awesome and overall great lunch… Oh yeah – we had food too… My favorite dining out lunch Cajun Chicken Wrap did not disappoint.
We headed to the range after lunch for warm up prior to our round. I admit – I HATE "eyes on me" during swings and range time. So this was a big out of comfort zone. Never did a fitting – amateur Hi-cap golf swing being watched by three amazing golfers!? basically reading numbers? YIKES well it went fine hit some warmups and knew the Ohio swing didnt travel to perfection, but doing well in the 30+MPH winds that we faced. Settled in and started to put some better moves on the ball… Danny looked at me and said RELAX big guy take a break – go slow. Seemed to cool the nerves and get me out of my head that i had to be perfect. Hit my current gamer with some right to left misses, pretty standard and the high spin that has plagued my misses appeared again 3,500 and one at 4k… we played with LINQ BLACK shafts. first one at 45or45.5 and things seemed to move in the right direction. tried one a 44.5 and bingo! Things looked good on a numbers perspective. The new 10.5 STX Driver with LINQ Black (low/low as the cool kids call it). helped put heavier setup that allowed my aggressive swing to live and breath, albeit a bit lighter "feel" because of the balance… technology is crazy.
We moved onto the course and BAM! full immersion in desert golf must have immersed my golf senses because I was having fun with the scenery and amazing views of the strip from the mountain. I was feeling the new shaft and while I wasn’t shooting lights out, I was hitting fairways with the new bomber quite consistently. It was a great day golfing with Chris and Danny. getting some gamesmanship as well as off course climbing going on. a few laughs and libations made for quite the day 1 of golf.
We headed to dinner a Vegas staple at Carmines. love the food and banter hearing about the rooms/discussion these guys have been a part of is truly awesome. I love golf but their historic golf knowledge takes it to a new level.
we played some tables after having some laughs and standard would you rather food discussions…threw some money to further enhance the our future visits to the fabulous Las Vegas strip.
Day 2 started early, however for my midwestern brain, I was up before the sun… got dressed in the Cascata Blue scripting for the day. We went to a Triple D recommendation Coffee Cup. Breakfast tacos were a great choice and continued some of the business side of golf and innerworkings of golf companies. Also some funny stories about things that were not as they seem and failed. Ready to pick up where we left off the day before we roll into an abandoned road with a classic metal gate with Cascata printed on a rather boring sign. we drive up the road surrounded by desert and BAM! there is was the oasis that is green lush grass with a few ponds and running "stream" CASCATA. The clubhouse was immaculate with said running stream running through it and the golf cart launch point underneath the pro shop. No expense spared in this place including locker rooms and gift shop. Range was picture perfect, managed to get a few good strikes in and headed to the glass like putting green… It was going to be challenging golf. Albeit a rough round for me, I can say the banter and one liners of the day kept me fueled with passion. some of the places you hit drives from were pure zen. Saying the greens were challenging was an understatement. Half the fun was watching others hit huge breaking putts and listening to the caddy tell us where the ball needed to be hit in disbelief only to watch the ball go zooming by. Great finish here by GA to close out the match.
headed back for a lighter fare dinner, but not before showing GA the Strip and touring different hotels and enjoying a refreshing walking beverage. Dinner was good with some jokes and more stories of traveling in the golf industry and seeing the world early night of gambling. After dinner, vouched to head out, but GA and I started talking about the day which led to putting and hitting clubs in the room before packing them up. once packed, hit the pillow and all motives for more gambling were eliminated. Guess thats how you know THP is in vegas when golf talk and putting outweigh debauchery in the streets. Oh well! Next Time!
Alright if you are still reading, apologies! Hope you are not passed out droolling on the keyboard. I started short and concise with the recap, but memories continued to pour out and wanted to capture truly how awesome THP is in the experience side. I am sure others have done huge experiences or various others, but for those that havent, if you can get out of your comfort zone, plan to have an amazing time and get out of your hometown, these are truly amazing events that build memories and a smile from ear to ear that continues to shine no matter what score you shoot! THP, @DannyLe @Vosh68 @JB you guys are awesome and no matter how big and grand your status at respective companies, taking time to share in moments like this enlighten golfers and show us a truly fun time it a truly amazing gesture I wont soon forget.
2021 Shaft Up #1 – Vegas is in the books. More about the club will be posted soon!
The fact that Danny reached out after event is awesome – I am sure talking to Gman and GA was not #1 on priority list, but he made time kudos to you!
Come and knock on my door when you are in Ohio!