Thursday, November 12, 2009

New Project

I realize that last post was a bit on the morbid side, and for that I apologize. I had just reached a point where concerns about my wrists and the stress of my job had pushed me over the edge. But at least that's all over and done with. I left my job near the end of September, and I'm in the midst of working on a new project that like to tell you about.

In the end of August, I was admitted into the Golf Writers Association of America. After years of wondering just what exactly I wanted to do with my life, a committee seemed to have validated that for me in one wonderful e-mail. This news jumpstarted my thinking, and all of a sudden I hatched a plan for 2010. I want to follow the PGA Tour on the road, in my car, and publish weekly e-books about my experiences. I now have the ability to obtain a press credentials, and I feel like tour coverage from the perspective of an obsessed fan, on the road, with a media pass, might just be something worth reading.

It's hard to explain without going to my new site, but in a nutshell, I am not happy with the current state of golf writing. If someone like me, who loves golf and loves writing, can't even make it through your average golf article without losing interest, then I feel there is something wrong with golf journalism today. I'm not saying I'm an expert on golf or on golf writing, but I feel like I know the sort of content that would hold my interest, and I'd like to throw my hat in the literary arena and give next year a try.

The problem is, I have no idea when I might be able to tee it up again. I'm moving back up north to New York to live with my parents for about a month before I head west to start my season-long journey to follow the PGA Tour, and between finishing up my book on my experiences caddying and preparing for the trip, I don't know when I'll be able to play golf. Well, the weather up in New York this time of year doesn't help either.

That is not to say that I want to stop this site, because it is possible that if I'm successful with what I'm doing, I will be able to afford to play golf and one or two days a week at whatever municipal track just happens to be near the tour stop. I mean come on: do you really think that I would follow the PGA Tour for a year and not bring my golf clubs? I am sure, however, that for the first two or three months I won't have the money to play golf because every spare dime I have will go toward gas, food, and caffeine. But I'm willing to make whatever sacrifices I need to in order to make next year work. I just need to put this site on hold for a while. Then again, I really haven't been posting anything of interest due to my wrists anyway, and for that I am truly sorry.

I'm going to make a serious effort to keep my golf game in shape while on the road, so that I'm ready to take advantage of any golfing opportunity that comes my way.

In October, I was able to score some media credentials for the Turning Stone Resort Championship, and I kept a detailed account of my experience for all seven days that I was there. I even had an editor look over my work, and organized everything in the form of an e-book. The e-book is free to download from the new site, and it should give you some indication as to how my writing will look during next season. I'd like to hear what you guys think.

I cannot thank you guys enough for reading me while I was trying this little endeavor, and this is something I will most certainly pursue in the future, but for now I need to prepare for one hell of a 2010. I hope to hear from you while I'm on the road.