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.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

How appropiate. I finally here from you again on my birthday Tom. For some strange reason this does please me a little. Might have to check my meds.

Sorry hear about your wrists, lay off the self-pleasure a little as Dave would say and see it heals a little.

I feel your pain about work. I;m running a job with 30 guys under me and I;m only 27 just.

That is awesome news that the JAMBOY is back. Sounds like the mother of road trips you have lined up for '10. I look forward to reading about it. Sound's like a hell of adventure to say the least.

And when Dave the Pom gets on here, don't forget to save the first 2 copies of the book for us. God knows we've been waiting long enough.

Later
Dave the Kiwi

Tom Collins said...

Well happy freakin' birthday. Great to hear from you.

You crack me up. I know you guys have been waiting a while. But I mean..don't you think I'VE been waiting a while too? I'm just as pissed. I guess I just didn't know the ending until now.

And we'll see how far I get in 2010. All I know is that if I'm going to go down...it's going to be in flames. Hope to hear from you soon Kiwi.

Anonymous said...

BTW, just read the first "e-book". And..... 50 pages, dude have you not heard of chasing women.
Anyway I digress, I love it. Back to writing of the JB we've all known from the start. Very very good. As for Universal Golf. I read but can't really "get into" it, because as you, all magazine articles sound the same, the words are just in a different order.

Keep it going mate. I might even have to splash out and get a Visa just so I can read it.

Tom Collins said...

Glad you enjoyed the first e-book. The second will come out next Tuesday, November 17th.

My goal is to have a new e-book for each event I attend ready every Tuesday. And you're right--50 pages was a bit extreme. I think future e-books will have to be 25 pages or so, mostly due to time constraints related to travel / survival time on the road.

For this next event, I tried to simulate what next year will be like, complete with sleeping in my car. It's a little gnarly and smelly so far, but I think the second e-book is turning out to be even better than the first.

But again, I'm really glad you liked it, and I'm grateful you feel the same way I do about golf articles in general...it makes me feel like I'm not completely insane for my feelings on the subject.

Sabrina Sander said...

Hello
thank you for the free ebook and your tips here on the blog. This will really help me to master the simple golf swing and lower my score.
Cheers
Sabrina

tim said...

Great post! I like your style of writing and as an avid golfer myself, I respect your love of the game. Check out my blog if interested. Golf Drills.