Written By: Jay Baker
Let’s be real. MyGolfSpy hasn’t been full of sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows when it comes to discussing the current state of the golf Industry. Don’t believe me, here are exhibits A, B, and C for the record. We have definitely received our fair share of criticism for opining about the golf crash of 2014 based on facts presented in those articles. The good ol’days have definitely passed us by and the recent golf forecast has been a cruel mistress with tales of net downs, loss of rounds, and even golf course closures. As one very large OEM Rep so eloquently told me recently, “She gone”.
The Silver Lining
However, it’s not all doom and gloom out there. Many silver linings exist that golfers forget about. The simple truth is that golf needs to survive and you can help save it. Why you ask? Well, this article is going to take a few moments to investigate certain stories that prove golf ultimately is a good thing and while we may be going through a cyclical downturn, it’s important to help grow the game so that more silver linings can be created.
Last year I did a piece on the Mizuno JPX Invitational that you can find here. Go ahead, I will pause for a moment while you to read it… All right, everyone back? Wait a tick, you didn’t click on the hyperlink did you? I see how it is. Well, basically the JPX Invitational is Mizuno’s opportunity to give back to valued consumers and give the average golfer the professional treatment. We could easily hit copy and paste on last year’s article and call it a day. Frankly, puff pieces are not our thing at MyGolfSpy as we have previously demonstrated. This year, Mizuno added a specific twist to how they chose the JPX Team that I believe makes all the difference.
Mizuno JPX Team and Invitational
The change started with Mizuno Ambassador Stacy Lewis. For those of you who are not familiar with her story, she overcame Scoliosis that threatened her golf career. She was diagnosed at the age of 11 and had spinal fusion surgery when she was in high school. Through golf, she was able to overcome the odds against her and go on to a very profitable career on the course playing the game she loves.
Lewis’ story inspired Mizuno to change the criteria of how they chose the JPX Team. Over 6,000 golfers submitted entries at playfamously.com and a 12-player team of average golfers, over the course of 6 rounds, were assembled based on their personal stories of how golf helped them overcome individual struggles. Each player was outfitted head to toe with Mizuno gear and apparel.
Meet Team JPX
You can find the roster and the stories here, but I have also provided CliffsNotes below:
Jeremy Thee– 1st Round Winner, From: Denver, Colorado. Jeremy used golf to kick his polio square in the teeth. golf provided a release from all the anger and frustration that came along with the debilitating disease, which he was diagnosed with when he was 6 months old.
Tony Taylor– 1st Round Winner, From: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Tony has two tours of duty in Iraq and 1 tour in Afghanistan because terrorism isn’t going to kick it’s own butt. golf has been instrumental in helping the US Marine return to civilian life.
Jerry Leonard– 2nd Round Winner, From: Pearl River, Louisiana. A high school biology teacher and football coach, Jerry had to step up and help the community overcome the destruction to his high school caused by hurricane Katrina. Golf inspired him to focus on rebuilding things “one shot at a time” so that the task wasn’t overwhelming.
Kadin Mahmet– 2nd Round Winner, From: Crown Point, Indiana. Kadin was a police officer until he was severely injured in the line of duty. It sounds like the opening to the story of RoboCop, but this is real life and Kadin had to have his spine re-built. The doctors encouraged Kadin to walk in order to help with his rehabilitation. That’s when he turned to golf to achieve the much needed exercise and peace of mind.
Michael Bracy– 3rd Round Winner, From: Detroit, Michigan. Mike is a CNC machinist dedicated to being a positive role model for his son after growing up without a father himself. Golf allows for Mike and his son to spend time with each other as well as provide positive morals and life lessons.
Stephen Cox– 3rd Round Winner, From: Orlando, Florida. Stephen has the high-pressure job of being a firefighter. There are no good days when he gets a call. A little over a year ago, Stephen took up golf after playing in a firefighter charity golf tournament. He continues to play because it relieves stress from the job on his day off.
Tim Buckland– 4th Round Winner, From: Edmonton, Alberta. As a 3-time cancer survivor, Tim learned the game from his grandfather. His passion for golf helped him cope with his cancer treatments (3 times), while giving him another reason to five-knuckle-shuffle cancer (3 times).
Joe Wechsler– 4th Round Winner, From: Reston, Virginia. Living out of your suitcase is a real situation these days for many American workers, such as Joe. He rarely gets to see his wife or 18 month-old son because of his job as a project manager for a consulting firm. He makes the sacrifice so he can provide a better life for his family. Golf allows Joe to get re-centered and remind him of the important things of life when he is on the road.
Amy Newman– 5th Round Winner, From: Concord, North Carolina. As a former collegiate softball player, Amy always enjoys the chance to get the competitive juices flowing on the course. The problem was that Amy’s phone and work schedule didn’t cooperate with her golf. She has learned patience and the ability to stay in the moment by leaving her phone in the bag while she enjoys her round.
Joe Bracamonte– 5th Round Winner, From: Fresno, California. Joe is a middle school Vice Principal that used golf as motivation to lose 60 pounds and create a more healthy life. Today, he teaches his students the values of golf and how they can use the game to overcome everyday obstacles.
Eric Berry– 6th Round Winner, From: New Haven, Connecticut. As an Opera Singer, golf has taught Eric how to overcome his performance anxiety by visualizing and relying on “muscle memory” rather than trying to force a situation. Overcoming the singing yips has given him the chance to continue to perform at some of his profession’s biggest stages.
Josh Kruger– 6th Round Winner, From: Henrico, Virginia. No relation to Freddy, Josh is a forensic scientist in the US who originally lived in South Africa. His son moved back to South Africa after meeting the love of his life and suddenly Josh was without his best friend. Josh and his son use golf to provide the connection needed to span the 8,000-mile separation until they can tee it again in person.
Here are the final results from the 2nd Annual JPX Invitational held at Country Club of the South, John’s Creek, Georgia:
STROKE NET PLAY
- Tim Buckland 68
- Joe Bracamonte 76
- Eric Berry 76
- Jeremy Thee 77
- Tony Taylor 81
- Stephen Cox 84
- Kadin Mahmet 85
- Michael Bracy 87
- Josh Kruger 88
- Joe Wechsler 92
- Amy Newman 97
Why Should You Care?
I am assuming that if you are reading MyGolfSpy you love the game of golf. Okay, love might be a strong word, but you do like the game of golf; it means more to you than your latest Tinder of the week relationship. Your passion for golf most likely has a story about the impact it has had on your life. It’s probably not unlike some of the stories you read above. If you have a story, I invite you to please share it in the comment section below. You never know whom your story might help.
The stories are why you should care about the Mizuno JPX Team. There is more to this event than just publicity or a product giveaway Mizuno really cares about giving back to their loyal fan base and helping their fellow golfers. They could certainly make more noise about the event in order to create press, but Mizuno doesn’t. I think it would defeat the purpose of the JPX Team.
More OEMs should help spur the growth of golf by taking this type of initiative to tell individual stories. Going undercover on scripted reality shows doesn’t count either. Chances are, every golfer can relate to at least one member of the JPX Team. Creating experiences that golfers can share for a lifetime, as well as telling their story, is a great way not only to reach an audience but to also create brand loyalty.
Golf’s Impact on Society and Individuals
The bottom line is that golf is important to our society on both a large and individual scale. Other than a few rogue players, the PGA Tour provides much more consistent role models than the NFL, NBA, or MLB. The importance is seen on and off the course. This year, the PGA Tour eclipsed the $2 billion mark in charitable donations. Even the contrarians can’t deny that the impact of the PGA Tour’s ability to raise money for charity far exceeds even the NFL, the most powerful sports organization in the USA.
These numbers do not take into account the numerous local and regional charity scramble tournaments that help raise money for various causes. The First Tee is another example of how golf has impacted our society. If you recently watched the Nature Valley First Tee Open @ Pebble Beach you would have heard more stories about how golf has impacted people’s lives for the better. I could go on and on with examples of how golf creates a better world, but you have to get back to Candy Crush. Ultimately, everyone’s participation in golf helps create jobs, charitable donations, and personal growth.
So here is my ice bucket challenge to everyone who reads this article. In the next 12 months, share your passion for golf with someone who has never played. You can take them to the range, play 9 holes, or even spend a couple of hours at Top Golf. Impart the difference golf has made in your life and how it could help with theirs, as the Mizuno JPX Team has done. Golf will grow faster with goodwill than it will with gimmicks. I think we will all be surprised how much an individual effort can help grow this wonderful game.
Dean
10 years ago
Great idea but I really feel its only a small part of bring people to the game. I look at what stops most people the biggest is cost of Courses, equipment and course design making these course to long. Golf is not a cheap sport to play when compared to other sports. Even if you get someone interested can they afford to play more then once a month or more then 8 times a year. As for myself I am retired on a fixed income. I play at best 3 times a month some months 2. Am I good at this game? Not really but I do have a great time playing it. All of my equipment I have was bought used including the balls I play with. The only thing I have bought new are shoes. can’t afford a set of new irons at 500 to 1000 dollars or these 400 dollar drivers. In order to get a decent price at the course I use golf now on line. Over all this is why I feel the game is destroying its self COST.