First, I will apologize to the people that not only put the event together but those of us that attended the first event with Tees and Coins. The thread should have never been deleted and the fact that it was is pretty shitty.
I would never apologize to Jake though. I absolutely can not stand people like him not only in the golf world but just in the world it self. I still remember telling a few guys that I knew heading down to the trip that I wish I would have known someone like that would be there. As soon as he started posting on the thread I could just tell this was someone I did not want to spend time with.
Since he demands that he hosted, I want to also say that the best part about the trip to Jax was not his hosting of a round. This page, to me, was created for one reason. To have golf nuts with the same kind of interests talk golf and maybe get together and not only enjoy the game but the gear. We would celebrate things like head covers from all over, putts, shafts (Autoflexes mostly) golf bags (Link Masters mostly) and anything else would could all get our dirty little hands on. Back during this trip a lot of you guys that couldn't make it were waiting and scrolling on the IG page that showed good shots, bad shots, peoples bags, head covers, etc. We went to play a course that had hosted the Players just two weeks before and that was cool but I know for me it wasn't the highlight.
Golf wise, the coolest round was on my first day. I flew into Jax really knowing no one. I met @Jaybananapantsarthur and @TFixer5 either a week or maybe 2 weeks before we left. After playing a round we did have an instant group chat that still goes on to today. I had known @Putterho as "internet friends" for prob close to 10 years. Yet, somehow, the four of us ended up at a little 12 hole course called the Yards. I changed into a brand new golf shirt (John loved that I had a in the wrapper Peter Millar shirt to change into) in the parking lot and we went out, carrying our own bags about 4 hours after boarding our flights. None of us played well but we struck it around quick, played some putting comps on the practice green and enjoyed our time. If anyone would have seen us not only on the course but in the restaurant after they prob would have assumed we played as a group like that all the time. That night, I figured that was what Tees and Coins was about.
The next day I went and had a fitting at TPC Sawgrass, I guess Jake hosted that too? I figured since there aren't a lot of professional options in the Philadelphia region, while I was down there I'd check some stuff out. The funny thing, the master fitter I used, was a golf nerd just like us. He laughed when he grabbed clubs out of my bag and said things like "how am I supposed to fit you into something better that this?". We actually didn't even use all the time that I had booked. He then took me out onto the course in a cart and showed me around. I had played there 10 years earlier and he wanted to show me some changes. He took me back to the players only range and introduced me to some pro's. I guess I have Jake to thank for that too. That night, Troy and John told me where they were going to dinner and I got in my rental car and met them and other guys on the trip that I had never met. Don, Kevin, Joe. They liked to egg Troy on to get us going about Jordan golf shoes. Again, just a night full of guys at a table, some of us knew nothing about it each other but we had a blast.
The next day we played the Stadium course. Honestly, I couldn't tell you what anyone in our group shot. I can tell you Swaggy @vincent walked in a 10 footer on hole 1 and we all went wild. I can tell you Kevin drank more Seltzers then any human should. Pretty sure it was his kids 2nd birthday that day back at home as well hahaha. I can tell you Josh actually appreciated being a member at Sawgrass. Not one time did he talk about it being his. He said it was always and dream and was happy to make it a reality after all those years. I can tell you we met up with the group in front of us on the 17th tee box. Sun was running out and we were all trying to get into the house and finish 18. There were a ton of water balls. Ryan some how hit it about 2 grooves low, skipped across water, across green, and made it stop on the walk way. I made an uneventful par and then hit it directly into the water on 18 but we had an absolute blast. The course, honestly, didn't matter. We had caddies that were club nerds. We talked skins games they play in over at the Yards. We talked the hot piece of ass that worked over the Yards (shout out to her if she's still there. She makes the pro shop smell like roses). We talked about Kevin getting home in 2 on 16 and making par and me leaving it just short on the fringe of the drivable par 4 and making par. We killed it.
We then all went back to our rooms, changed and had dinner together at I believe it was Graham Mcdowells place. All guys from this page. Was really my first time seeing guys like Damon, talking to Ryan, talking to Adam who was another guy I had known from the old WRX days. Mark was there, Swaggy V, Max. Just a good group. Trash was talked, head covers were bought, random shit was given away from the guys. It was all in all just a cool night. I wanna say 12-14 guys that 90% knew absolutely nothing personal about each other, enjoying each others company.
The next day we played The Valley. I played with Troy, Damon, and Ryan. I remember Damon really golfed his ball but other than that I remember a lot of water balls. I think some of us were hitting that wall. Valley is def a tough track if you don't know where you're going. To be fair, it's all in front of you but mentally you can't take a shot off. After 18, we parked and waited as the other groups were getting in. Let's just say some guys had more cocktails than others. After the round is where I got into the situation of sitting with someone I had no interest in interacting with but I was not going to be rude about it. Looking back, I probably should have just left like some of the guys did but I wore it. It's life, there will be people that you just don't like. Fake a smile and relax. Nothing lasts a life time and neither will those forced conversations.
Look, I know this is a long drawn out post but that event should not just be deleted. This group of guys from up and down the east coast got together and had a hell of a time. It would not have mattered if we played every round at Sawgrass or every round on Jax Beach. If every meal was at a bar or if every meal was at a 5 star restaurant. You had like minded people talking shop, period. If you wanted to hear about Wine lockers and how cool someone thought they were, there was a guy there for you too.
To end I want to give a shoutout to Don because honestly without his activeness on this page in the beginning I really doubt any of this would have ever come together. Yes, there were others involved and obviously Josh being down there was a huge thing. Eddie putting this page together on the "business/computer/technology" side, all these things came together. I joined this page because of Josh, he's who I knew, he's who's post I saw saying hey join this page and chat about being a golf nerd but theres no doubting who made the page active. Deleting the thread for the event takes a lot of that out of the history of this page and for that I am regretful. I'm not surprised it was asked because of who asked it, I am though disappointed it was actually done. It is what it is and I really do hope that those that do deserve credit for putting that together will always get that credit. BTW I was side messaged from Jake letting me know that he doesn't remember me but knew right away that "he hosted me" It's all just weird.
I'd say I've dragged this post long enough and I am not going to go back and read through it to check grammar and spelling. This is honestly the first time I've been on this site on an actual computer and I came on here to write this, not really knowing where I'd go with it. So I'll say to the original crew of the event Don, Eddie, Josh, Kevin, Joe, John, Troy, Damon, Max, Adam, Vincent, Mark... enjoyed it boys. Glad it came together the way it did. You all have open invites anytime you are in my area. Same with the other handful of guys on this page that we continue to text and BS about golf and life. If you ever see me on IG at a club you want some gear from, slide in that DM. I'll let you wear it without becoming a member. Hell that's what half this damn place is about. Fairways and greens boys, hit em straight.