Mizuno Play Famously Experience (CH3 on page 3, Luke Donald on page 4, Jonathan Byrd + Stacy Lewis o

[rozey]

Really great thread, write-up, etc...

I'm in the Pitt area as well and would love to get everyone from the forums together for an outing sometime this season. Let's try to make that happen!

[emac417]

man lee,
i'm jealous!
congrats!

[Matty Fatts]

Lee,

Looks like an amazing experience. Thank you for taking the time to share it with us. I couldn't even fathom being in your shoes! Big Mizuno fan.

Cheers,
Matt

[WVP]

Still Tuesday.....after lunch, I changed apparel again and was standing in the doorway of the room where we filmed the press conference. I see a staff bag being carried through the entrance and it strikes me as not my shiny new bag (really I caught the twitter name on the side), for a split second I was taken back and then Luke Donald walked through the door. Now I’m not sure if it was simply a contrast to CHIII being so down to earth and over the top friendly, but Luke really had a superstar presence that was felt when he entered the room. Friendly guy with a sharp and dry English sense of humor. We got along fine but really we’re both quiet guys and somewhat introverted personality types so there was less yapping between Luke and myself than there was with CHIII (and later with Jonathan Byrd).

We did some more takes of the press conference with Luke included.

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Only took a few tries and then we all got into carts and took off to the Red course at Doral to film some other scenes. We filmed some really fun clips that again show what I’ll be dealing with “Playing Famously” from now on. Luke taking pictures in my backswing, and teaching me how to give the death stare to someone that distracted me. Really funny stuffy and we were cracking up trying to film it.

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Next was perhaps the highlight of the whole experience for me, a clip where Luke teaches me how to “Practice Famously”. Honestly, watching this man putt and then being able to stand next to him in a bunker while he hit out of the sand is something I will remember forever. One of the premier short game players of this generation for sure. Luke asked me how my bunker game is and I almost felt silly answering him! I said that I’m good at getting out but I’m never really expecting to hole out like he obviously is…..I also asked him if he had any interest in testing out the newer versions of his #7 putter and he replied “this one seems to be working pretty well for me” – well yeah, I’d say so!

We move out to a 30 yard shot and then a full shot from the fairway (maybe 100 yards). Luke still had his 60 degree MP-T4 in hand. I ask him how far out he’ll use it and he said that we were pretty much at the limit. The pin at this hole was ridiculously tucked into the back right of a somewhat kidney shaped green – there probably couldn't have been a worse setup to try to capture great, flag seeking shots. For each of the prior shots, he hit 1-3 until he stuck them REALLY close to the flag, or in the hole. But for this one, he stepped into the first shot and dropped it a few feet past the flag and spun it back to 3” from the cup. The director who was filming from the green yelled “CUT!” jokingly – every single person was shaking their heads in awe. A truly ridiculous shot. Someone asked him what the yardage was and Luke eyed it and said “hmmm, 91 yards”, then pulled out his rangefinder, lasered it and showed it to us. Of course it read 91…… check this out:

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[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfHspIiyKmg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfHspIiyKmg[/url]

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After that we filmed an interview (somehow, as planes were flying over our heads every 10 seconds as well as Trump and his damn helicopter) and then took a bunch of still shots.

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That was it for day one, we headed back to the main room to gather our things and I went back to my room to catch up on my work emails and voicemails of the day. I had to take personal days off work but this was no vacation, I was whooped!

[JrMistMaker]

Subscribed for future updates!!! This is pretty awesome, congrats on getting picked. I just purchased a set of 825's on Saturday and found out about the contest the day after, hope i get to join you.

[WVP]

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[Sidetracked]

Wow what an experience with Luke Donald!

[Doc Mcstuffins]

What a great experience! You look smitten as a kitten next to LD! Dreamy!

[DavePelz4]

It's interesting for this shoot that they'd let Luke have RBZ in his bag. So totally jealous of your experience...

[Togatown22]

I was on the Doral WRX-IER trip and as Lee mentioned earlier, we met in the Charlotte airport while waiting for our flight to Miami. After the flight and getting settled in at Doral, we met up with Lee again with HipCheck and Greg down at the practice green, then up for a cocktail on the terrace. Lee, I have to say after seeing this thread I'm really blown away! I don't know how you handled it so well but in all the pics and video here you really look like a seasoned TV guy. You didn't even seem that nervous Tuesday evening when you were telling us what was in store for you on the trip...maybe some of that was because it would be impossible to wrap your head around what was actually about to happen! You're clearly the perfect pick for this Mizuno campaign; you struck me as a very genuine guy who I'd love to play golf with any time. Frankly, a great testament to this site as all the guys on my trip were the same way. What an awesome thing WRX is! Congrats to you, couldn't have happened to a better guy from my impression of spending a little time with you. Please shoot me a PM if you ever are heading to upstate NY, would love to get together for a beer and some golf.

- Jeff

[OhioGolfDude]

Congrats man, you are the envy of every WRX'er!

My entry is in for one of the "next" 11!

Take care,
OGD

[tbomb]

Unreal thread dude, love the details and pics, congrats again!!

[John75402]

Man.. that makes it even better that you got to hang out with CHIII. Such an awesome experience.

[Rebel420]

WVP> huge congrats on the chance of a lifetime! Now if you could have gotten LD and CHIII to wear a Stillers or Mountaineers hat on National TV, you would be even more of a hometown hero!

Rozey>. I agree it would be cool to have a local outing. There are a decent number of us from the Burgh, and finding in this post, a lot of us in the west/south hills area. We all probably have seen each other on the range, on the course or at Golf galaxy a time or 3. If this ever comes to be, I'll throw in a box of cigars for us on the course (since I rarely drink these days). Perhaps the week of the Mylan Classic, since I know I'll have off work.

WVP>. Sorry for the temporary thread hijack. Again congrats! And as for losing amateur status, even if you do, I think it would be a small price to pay for this opportunity!

[rozey]

Continually a good read... up until the fifth pic after the "Practicing Famously" video --> say no to crack video crew guy!

I am scheduling an 825 fitting at Corsi's to check these irons out. And to enter the contest, it is unlikely Mizuno would pick more than one winner from the same regional area, but why not?

[Imp]

Wow. Just... simply amazing. Ya know, I think I'm quite OK with not getting past the 1st video after seeing all this exposure. I probably would have turned into a shadow of my former self at 15 years old where I just implode when I got kind of exposure to someone famous and stammer and stutter, etc...

I'm happy it went to someone else!

--kC
(And now I stand in front of people for days doing training. Go figure. )

[WVP]

[quote name='Imp' timestamp='1365164472' post='6766335']
Wow. Just... simply amazing. Ya know, I think I'm quite OK with not getting past the 1st video after seeing all this exposure. I probably would have turned into a shadow of my former self at 15 years old where I just implode when I got kind of exposure to someone famous and stammer and stutter, etc...

I'm happy it went to someone else!

--kC
(And now I stand in front of people for days doing training. Go figure. )
[/quote]

It was a bit of a departure for me as well. Surprised it doesn't show as much in these videos but maybe that's the magic of editing.

And yeah, as a very private person it's a lot of exposure and I've lost my anonymous internet presence but it's obviously been worth it. In the past few weeks I've done interviews with the local Pittsburgh news stations, ESPN radio and also the Golf magazine interview that was posted. On that note - make sure you guys keep your eyes open in upcoming Golf Digest and Golf magazine issues!



More to come, all of this was Tuesday at Doral. Haven't touched Wednesday yet.....

[robengel]

finally got my entry to work, I think, would love to join you 'on staff'!

[Johnny T]

Continued great work WVP! I will admit I'm a bit jealous (I made it to the conference call stage of the contest) but I think they made a great call choosing you. I would have had to change my pants repeatedly throughout each day had I been in your shoes. That wouldn't have looked good...

[mickeytbones]

What shaft did Luke have in his hybrid?

[atouchoverrated]

It's threads like these that got my started reading this forum....love it! I haven't gotten a chance to watch the Youtube videos because I've catching up on this thread at work (on lunch). Thanks for the updates!

[HiSpeed48]

This seems so cool! Congrats!

[WVP]

Hahaha.....

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuG6vKHBo64"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuG6vKHBo64[/url]

[WVP]

And yes, hitting basically my first shot in 6 months, in front of a production crew and Luke f'n Donald - talk about nerves....

[WVP]

And two more added!

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72j3nBTi9mA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72j3nBTi9mA[/url]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMLz2CEnkHs"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMLz2CEnkHs[/url]

[DavePelz4]

[quote name='WVP' timestamp='1365199399' post='6770245']
Hahaha.....

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuG6vKHBo64"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuG6vKHBo64[/url]
[/quote]

Great commercial and I love the shirt!

[drifter12]

that distractions video with 'the look'cracked me up nice videos lee!

[WVP]

[quote name='Rebel420' timestamp='1365134990' post='6765455']
WVP> huge congrats on the chance of a lifetime! Now if you could have gotten LD and CHIII to wear a Stillers or Mountaineers hat on National TV, you would be even more of a hometown hero!
[/quote]

I just put my Mountaineer headcover on my 825 driver! The bag was over the Mizuno limit, haha!!!

[quote name='rozey' timestamp='1365163213' post='6766243']
Continually a good read... up until the fifth pic after the "Practicing Famously" video --> say no to crack video crew guy!

I am scheduling an 825 fitting at Corsi's to check these irons out. And to enter the contest, it is unlikely Mizuno would pick more than one winner from the same regional area, but why not?
[/quote]

Hahaha....and good call on the irons. Let me know how it goes....

[quote name='atouchoverrated' timestamp='1365188684' post='6769213']
It's threads like these that got my started reading this forum....love it! I haven't gotten a chance to watch the Youtube videos because I've catching up on this thread at work (on lunch). Thanks for the updates!
[/quote]

Thanks. Takes a fair amount of time posting all this info and uploading these pics but all the great feedback makes it worth it. I know I like reading these kinds of threads as well.

[Moose_Hack]

Awesome to see a fellow Mountaineer win!

[jyamat]

I passed over this thread on multiple occasions not sure why but just did. Today I am sitting around as my four sons are playing Minecraft so I decided to jump in....wow!!! congrats!!!! I had goosebumps the entire time reading this thread.

I am sure the golf Gods are smiling over you winning. Cheers on a great season this year!

JY