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It’s the first trip of the THP Event series called Shaft Up with UST Mamiya in 2022. For those that have missed the previous years, Shaft Up is a series of 3 events on the THP Forum where lucky winners win a full fitting, golf at amazing course, new equipment and oh yeah, it is all 100% free including airfare.
Before getting ahead of ourselves however, Shaft Up is coming and just because you will not be at Ballyhack with Danny Le from UST Mamiya, and myself, does not mean you cannot win an amazing prize.
How to Enter Two THP Forum Members are heading to Roanoke to get fit by into the new Callaway Rogue ST drivers along with a premium UST Mamiya Shaft. Then they will be playing as a twosome against Danny and myself. Those forum members are @will and @hackitup
Step 1: Post below and include the following information.
Who will win the match? To make things even, we will be giving up a stroke per hole in match play. What is your current driver? What shaft is in your current driver? What is your favorite UST Mamiya driver shaft?
Step 2: Follow along with this Live Update Thread and see if you were right and if you are the lucky winner. The updates will kick off below beginning today.
The Prize: The lucky winner who predicts right, will win a brand new Callaway Rogue ST Driver with premium UST Mamiya Shaft.
If you like our weekly contests, make sure you share them across the social media platforms below and check back each day for more new exclusive THP content.
Entries must be submitted by Monday April 11th at 11:59pm ET. The winner will be chosen randomly from those that guessed right. Please remember only one entry per person.
Yes! Thank you for letting me hit them. The Recoils felt great and any concern about control was gone pretty quick. I even hit the 5-iron pretty well, though I don’t know that I’m ready to cut mine down to 8-iron length just yet. lol
Yeah, the new driver will bring most of the par 5s in range at my home course, but I need to be able to hit 3 wood off the turf consistently. I might go that route and work my way down the bag and do wedges last.
Day 2 was a big day with lots of golf, the driver fitting, and good food. I was pretty excited to get the day started and see the course. We got ready and headed to the clubhouse for breakfast. It was a buffet style breakfast with pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, roasted potatoes, oatmeal, and maybe one other thing? It was good. Real good. After that we went to the putting green and did some chipping and putting while waiting for the maintenance crew to finish up the range. The entire property is meticulously maintained and the range is no exception. Once they were done, they brought about range balls and filled the box at each station with Titliest ProV1x balls. Most looked like they could be new. I can only recall one other course I’ve played having Titleist range balls. Very nice indeed.
It was a little cool out and there were a few drops of rain here and there. I was worried it might turn into a more steady rain, considering my luck, but fortunately it stopped and the clouds even started clearing once we were on the course. So after warming up at the range, we headed to the first tee. First tee nerves are REAL. I can’t imagine the first tee jitters at something like the Morgan Cup with everyone watching. The fact that hole 1 can be a bit visually intimidating didn’t help. Short is bad, left is no good, and right is only slightly less bad than the other two. Somehow, I hit a decent drive and the practice round was underway. I won’t go hole by hole, but I did learn a few things. One, the greens were going to kick my butt. They were in such great shape and they were pretty fast. Add in the crazy undulations and 3 putts were plentiful. The other thing I learned was the importance of knowing where to hit your shots on this course. Lastly, Danny has some serious game and JB was no slouch either. Even with a pop per hole, we were going to need to play well to win the match on Wednesday. Oh, I also can’t overstate how stunning the course is. The views were breathtaking on each and every hole.
After a fun practice round on the front 9, we headed back to the range to start the fitting. I was so freaking excited for this! I’ve never been fit a club, so this was going to be awesome. After Danny got everything setup, I started with my current driver to get some baseline numbers. I was playing a TM Sim Max with the Fujikura Ventus Red 5-S shaftLaunch was staying in the 7-9 degree range and ball speeds in the 140s with a high of 149. Spin was on the low side, around 1400-1700, though most were in the 1400 range, if I remember correctly. I think my longest carry was around 251 yards.
First up, we tried the Rogue ST Max D with the LinQ Blue shaft. Numbers were better, but I was going left a bit too much. Swapped in the ST Max and it was much better. Then we tried the LinQ Red and man it was good! Long, high, straight bombs! Danny wanted to try the Helium Nanocore shaft and the results were also really good. It ended up coming down to the LinQ blue and LinQ Red, but Danny had me try the LinQ Red one last time and it was pretty obvious that was the fit. It also felt like I had just a bit more control with the LinQ Red and that just further helped my confidence. Launch angle was up in the 9-11 degree range, spin was 2000+, ballspeed in the 154 range, and one of my best carry distances was 269 yards (can’t remember if that was the longest, but I think it might have been). Big time increases for me and dispersion was much better.
Next up, Danny started working his magic on Hackitup. I don’t know all of the shafts they went through, but I heard some impressive carry distances and based on the shots I was seeing, there were some serious gains being made. After the fitting we went back to the cottage to change into shorts, while Danny put together out new drivers, then headed to the clubhouse for Lunch.
Lunch was fantastic. The pulled chicken tacos were GREAT. After lunch, we headed to 10 to play the back 9. It started as well as I could’ve hoped with a great drive. I missed the fairway just a little left on 11, but I think I hit every fairway after that with the new driver. I can’t stress how huge that is for me, considering how much I have been struggling off the tee recently. Confidence was sky high at this point. Hackitup and I played the back pretty well. We even managed a birdie on hole 17. It was so much fun! After the back 9, our original plan was to go back to the front, but there was a group going out, so Hackitup and I went to play the back again, while Danny and JB headed back to the cottage to do some work.
The second round on the back was fun and we managed to score pretty well. The extra time with the new driver was nice and it gave us more opportunities to play those crazy greens. Though, I still don’t know that it helped me putting. It was a great afternoon. There wasn’t many people on the course, so we were able to play at our own pace and we still had plenty of time to get cleaned up and ready for dinner after the round. I actually had enough time to go do some shopping in the pro shop. Got me a shirt and putter head over, got my father-in-law a divot tool, a ball marker for my niece, and a tshirt for my wife. Also grabbed some of the little markers while I was there.
Like all the other meals, dinner was great. I went with the ribeye this time with their steak fries and it was wonderful. Dessert was a chocolate cremeux (I think that’s what it was called?) I’m still not 100% sure what it was, but it was good. After dinner we headed back to the cottage and saw that they had the lights on and the pins placed on the 18th green. Me, hackitup, and Danny went out and did some night putting, which was pretty cool. All in all, it was just an awesome day. The course was amazing, the driver fitting turned out even better than I could’ve hoped for, and I got to hang out all day with some awesome people.
Awesome stuff! I want that driver setup and putter cover! ?
One of my favorite shafts ever. You will love them I bet.
If my preferences haven’t changed, and I don’t think they have you are probably right. I like the lower part of the shaft to feel like it’s powering through the ball and the upper part of the shaft to feel firm and stable. From what I remember that was how the Recoils performed.
Driver setup is just a great combo and has made a huge difference for me. The putter cover I just love so much. I was eyeing it every time I went in the pro shop and finally decided I had to have it.
Good decision. I think you’d be regretting it if you hadn’t bought it.
Oh I 100% would have regretted it. Every now and then I get something right though. lol
After day 2 which consisted of hitting at the range, driver fitting, 27 holes of golf, and lots of good food, day 3 was going to be exciting and bittersweet at the same time. I was looking forward to me and @hackitup playing a match against @JB and @DannyLe, but also a little sad that this incredible experience would be coming to an end. Everyone got their stuff packed up and loaded in their vehicles and then it was time to really get the day started. We had an 8:00am tee time, so we all pretty well skipped breakfast for some range time before going out. I did grab a Clif bar and a drink on the way out. After a short warmup, we were off to the first tee.
I’m going hole by hole as best I can remember it. We were playing the Ballyhack tees for the match, so I’m listing the yardage on the scorecard, though some played longer/shorter and I’m including the results/score below.
First tee nerves are still a thing and I ended up just in the right rough off the tee. Hackitup was in good position, so we played from there. Hackitup hit his 2nd shot OB. I hit a nice wedge into the green, but couldn’t make a putt to capitalize on it. Good good to halve the hole and move to #2.
JB/Danny – 4 hackitup/will – 5/4 AS
On hole 2, I hit a low line drive off the tee and I saw it heading for the junk. I assumed it was gone, but we ended up finding it while playing hole 5 as it had bounced out and into the connecting area between hole 2 and 5. Hackitup hit another great drive and had us in great position. I hit an 8 iron to lay up and then 54* into the green. Hackitup’s approach was right rough. I though my approach was going to be really good, but it bounced right and left me a short chip onto the green. 2 putts later and another bogey to halve the hole.
JB/Danny – 5 hackitup/will – 6/5 AS
This was playing longer than the scorecard indicated, so I went with my 3 hybrid that I had not hit in a few rounds. Needless to say, I failed miserably. Hackitup hit a good shot to the front edge of the green and we managed a par net birdie to win the hole.
JB/Danny – 4 hackitup/will – 3/2 1UP
Neither of us hit great tee shots here and Danny Le was doing Danny Le things, like hitting all the fairways. We were hitting from the rough and, at Ballyhack, that made life more difficult. I hit my approach and it somehow managed to stay out of the greenside bunker. I was able to chip from there and two putt for a bogey to halve the hole.
JB/Danny – 4 hackitup/will – 5/4 1UP
I finally hit a decent drive, but Hackitup was in prime position after another great drive. Since his drive was closer and had a better angle at the flag, we played from there. If I remember correctly, I think Hackitup went a little long on the approach. I hit GW and thought it was going to be really good, but it landed on the false front and I had to watch as my ball rolled a solid 20 yards or more back down the hill into the fairway. I hit a decent pitch from there and we both finished with a bogey to halve the hole.
JB/Danny – 4 hackitup/will – 5/4 1UP
I topped my tee shot here and I’m still not sure how the ball managed to travel almost 200 yards and end up in the rough on the right side of the fairway. It was a bad shot and I got lucky. Hackitup took an aggressive line at the green, but came up just a bit short. We played my tee shot from the rough, which made a short par 4 more difficult than it should have been. We both missed on our approach and then 3 putted for double bogey. Danny of course was playing fairways and greens and made par to get back to AS.
JB/Danny – 4 hackitup/will – 6/5 AS
I hit my tee shot into the left bunker here. Hackitup hit a great shot to get on the green. I think we all 3-putted this one for bogeys, but that was enough for us to win the hole and get back to 1UP.
JB/Danny – 4 hackitup/will – 4/3 1UP
Another topped tee shot for me. I had pretty well lost my swing off the tee on the front 9 and was about to get frustrated. I really appreciated the encouragement from Hackitup and even when we weren’t hitting our best shots, we were able to focus our attention on what a stunning course we were playing and what an amazing experience we were getting to participate in. I can’t thank Hackitup enough for being such a great cartner. He hit another great drive here and left us a wedge into the green. I hit my 54* into the green and 2-putted for par. Hackitup and Danny were in some trouble after their approaches and I can’t remember exactly if JB finished at par or bogey on this hole. In any case, we were up 2.
JB/Danny – 5 (or 4?) hackitup/will – 4/3 2UP
I finally hit a solid drive was lined up a little right. That’s not gonna work out on this hole. Again, Hackitup hits a solid drive and we were in good position in the fairway. Hackitup went after the green on the second shot, but ended up in the junk on the left. I hit a 7-iron to lay up and then hit my 54* and stuck it pretty close. I was feeling pretty good about my irons and wedges at this point. 2 putts and a par net birdie to win the hole. 3UP through 9!
JB/Danny – 5 hackitup/will – 5/4 3UP
Found my swing on hole 10 and hit a really nice drive. Hackitup went left and got into some trouble on the second shot. I copied my strategy from hole 9 and hit 7 iron to lay up. This hole was longer, so had a GW in this time. Pulled it a little left, but everything that lands left on this green gets a good bounce back right. Ended up about 12 feet or so behind the hole for birdie. 2 putted for another par net birdie to win the hole.
JB/Danny – 5 hackitup/will – 5/4 4UP
I hit another good drive here and ended up in the fairway to the right of the bunker in the middle that guards the approach to the green. Hackitup had the green light to bomb it at that point and hammered his tee shot, but it went a little right. We got down there to play from my tee shot and I was ready to go, so I grabbed my 58* and picked my target. I knew I needed to just get it onto the green and let it release towards the hole. The swing felt good and the ball landed where I was aiming and I’m thinking we might have a makeable birdie putt. The ball just kept tracking and tracking towards the hole and next thing I know it hits the flagstick and drops! EAGLE! My first ever eagle and it happens at a THP event! How freaking awesome is that?! With the Eagle net Ace, we were 5UP through 11!
JB/Danny – X hackitup/will – 2/1 5UP
We were pretty pumped up after the eagle and I hit my drive too far right. Hackitup went left, while JB and Danny were in prime position in the fairway. After their approaches, there was no chance of halving the hole with a drop from where we were. We talked about it, but thought it was better to just move onto the next hole.
JB/Danny – X hackitup/will – X 4UP
JB hit a phenomenal shot with his hybrid to about 6 feet on this hole. Talk about putting on the pressure. I hit hybrid and pulled it left into the bunker. We played my tee shot here and the bunker was firmer than I expected. The club bounced up into the ball and went way across the green. Hackitup, seeing what I did, tried to avoid that, but ended up short in another bunker. Couldn’t get close enough with my par putt, so ended up with a 3-putt double bogey.
JB/Danny – 3 hackitup/will – 5/4 3UP
Hackitup went left on this one and I went right, but managed to stay in the fairway. Left a lengthy approach shot and I hit mine heavy and in the junk. Took a drop and hit another shot heavy, so that pretty much took me out of the hole. Hackitup saved us here and hit a good approach and made bogey to halve the hole.
JB/Danny – 4 hackitup/will – 5/4 3UP
I hit a solid drive on this hole and we played from there. We went the safe route and hit layups to give us both a wedge into the green. I hit what I thought was a good shot, but the ball released and it was off the green just far enough to make for a tough chip. Neither of us could get up and down for par, which is what we would’ve needed to halve the hole, as Danny made a nice birdie to get one back.
JB/Danny – 4 hackitup/will – 6/5 2UP
We both pulled our drives left on this one. Hackitup crushed it and was too far into the junk to find. My tee shot hit the hill and rolled down into a relatively flat area. We had a really long approach and hitting from the junk, so I knew I had little chance of reaching the green and would probably end up in trouble. We both decided the smart move was to lay up and try to wedge it close. Everything seemed to come up short on this hole, as both JB and Danny were short on their approaches. Danny was in an impossible spot in the junk and JB was in the bunker. JB got in with a bogey and my first putt came up woefully short. In effort to not make the same mistake twice, I blew the next one 4 feet or so by the hole. Not sure of the exact length, but definitely not a gimme. It was mostly straight, so I made a confident stroke and watched the ball hit the left edge of the cup and proceed to make a full lap and then some around the cup, before falling in. Push to the next hole.
JB/Danny – 5 hackitup/will – 6/5 2UP
Trying to close out the match, but JB and Danny refused to take of the rally caps. Me and Hackitup both hit our tee shots heavy and came up short. Mine was in a playable spot, so we climbed down and tried to get on the green. JB and Danny went long, but were much closer to the hole. That actually left them in a tough spot as well. I came up short on my pitch shot and then again on my putt. Finally got the ball in the hole for a triple bogey. Hackitup hit a putt for bogey that was dead on-line and hit the flagstick and bounced back out. I honestly thought it was in, because it wasn’t moving that fast. So double bogey net bogey. That left Danny with a putt for par to win the hole. It looked like it would have a little left to right break. Danny hit it on what looked like the perfect line, but it just never broke. It stayed dead straight and burned the edge of the cup. A half inch to the right and it would have lipped in. So we halved the hole, which ended the match 2&1.
JB/Danny – 4 hackitup/will – 5/4 2&1
We played 18 for fun because it’s just an awesome finishing hole. Hit my drive just barely in the left rough and then hit a nice 7-iron into the green. The 18th green is absolutely massive, so I was pretty happy to make 2 good putts and end the round with a par.
Day 3 Goodbyes and Travel Home
After the round, JB and Danny needed to get on the road. After saying goodbye to JB and Danny and thanking them profusely for such an amazing experience, Hackitup and I went to the clubhouse for lunch. Both of us tried the burger and shake and, like the rest of the food we had here, it was excellent. We got the shakes to go and they came in plastic Dormie cups to keep. After lunch, we parted ways and headed home. My trip home was uneventful. Picked a random exit to stop for dinner and ended up at Wendy’s. After the last couple of days of such amazing food, it felt kind of like paying $8 for a bag of disappointment. I made it home safely and immediately began telling my wife about everything. I’m still talking about this experience and will be for some time.
I hit another good drive here and ended up in the fairway to the right of the bunker in the middle that guards the approach to the green. Hackitup had the green light to bomb it at that point and hammered his tee shot, but it went a little right. We got down there to play from my tee shot and I was ready to go, so I grabbed my 58* and picked my target. I knew I needed to just get it onto the green and let it release towards the hole. The swing felt good and the ball landed where I was aiming and I’m thinking we might have a makeable birdie putt. The ball just kept tracking and tracking towards the hole and next thing I know it hits the flagstick and drops! EAGLE! My first ever eagle and it happens at a THP event! How freaking awesome is that?! With the Eagle net Ace, we were 5UP through 11!
That was an awesome shot. It landed and started rolling like a putt, immediately tracking for the hole with perfect pace. And that wasn’t an easy chip to the elevated green. The stoke-meter was off the charts after that shot.
Trying to close out the match, but JB and Danny refused to take of the rally caps. Me and Hackitup both hit our tee shots heavy and came up short. Mine was in a playable spot, so we climbed down and tried to get on the green. JB and Danny went long, but were much closer to the hole. That actually left them in a tough spot as well. I came up short on my pitch shot and then again on my putt. Finally got the ball in the hole for a triple bogey. Hackitup hit a putt for bogey that was dead on-line and hit the flagstick and bounced back out. I honestly thought it was in, because it wasn’t moving that fast. So double bogey net bogey. That left Danny with a putt for par to win the hole. It looked like it would have a little left to right break. Danny hit it on what looked like the perfect line, but it just never broke. It stayed dead straight and burned the edge of the cup. A half inch to the right and it would have lipped in. So we halved the hole, which ended the match 2&1.
That flag stick was brutal. I swear it hit dead center at pour in speed and just deflected left to the low side. I was mid fist clench when it happened. That’s one of my shots I’ll remember though. I thought I read it perfectly and made a good stroke but it just didn’t pan out. Can’t do much more than that.
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