So, I’ve sent out my proposal to a few of the big companies to see if there is any interest in this little venture of ours.  I’ve also been doing some more research into how I can help to promote the tour.  I came across a website called golfsponsorship.com and I’m not sure what to think.   It looks like it is more of a service for up and coming professionals looking to support their playing career.  There’s a package they sell for $79.95 and I’m a little hesitant to purchase this because I don’t know if the information will pertain to what I’m trying to accomplish (also, is it just another scam).  Maybe it’s the real deal and it might help some golfers out there to realize their dreams.  If anyone has any feedback on the subject, I’d love to hear it.

Another site that keeps popping up is Pro Launch Golf Sponsorship.  I’ve this website commented on all over the place with mixed reviews, but it at least seems to be legitimate.  Their services start at $49.95, but then they go up pretty dramatically, but it does look like it is more relevant to my work.  As I’m looking at their website, I’m really impressed with the detail that goes into their programs.  They have very specific ideas and goals for launching your image, writing proposals, website creation, financial structuring, online tutoring, and professional photography.  Very nice!  But again, all of these options you do have to pay for.  If there is anybody who is looking into serious professional sport sponsorship, you should take a look at this.  I’ll probably jump in, as soon as I get the financial courage.  Wish me luck!!!

Sorry it’s been a few days since my last post, but the weekend always seems to be a little crazy for me.  So I’ve got a very rough draft for a marketing proposal that I’ve been working on to find some sponsors for My Golf Journey Across America.  I guess I’m going to try to hunt down marketing directors for golf companies to see if any of them would like to be a part of this.  I figured that I don’t need a huge budget, and the exposure that could result from this should turn out a great ROI for any company involved.  Like I said in an earlier post, I’m going to be documenting by video and print every day of the trip, and I’ve also decided that I’m going to contact all of the local news stations in the areas I’ll be visiting to try to get a little more exposure.  I think it would be easierto get one big sponsor, but maybe getting a few smaller sponsors would work as well.  What do you guys think?  Also, what do you think of the idea?  Would it be entertaining to read about somebody trying to golf the Top 100 Courses in America in one year?  Would it be interesting to see how an average golfer can get onto some of these elite courses?  What other kind of content would be most satisfying to read/watch?  Would it be better to be a little more lighthearted, or would it be more interesting to read/watch the more dramtic side of the journey?  Let me know what you think.  I love feedback!!!

I’ve been talking to a bunch of people on the forums at TheSandTrap.com and I’ve been getting some good ideas from them.  Somebody had the idea of getting a sponsor to put a wrap around my car for exposure, another said to use the name of the sponsor in the title of my blog.  Something like “TaylorMade’s Top 100 Tour Across America.”  You know, I was just thinking.  What if I combined the two ideas and put a wrap around my car that read “TaylorMade’s Top 100 Tour Across America?”  You know that everywhere I went, people couldn’t help but ask questions about what this was, and what I was doing.  I think a golf company would go for it, if there was some more exposure in it for them, like a magazine article, or some kind of TV coverage.  I think my best bet would be to contact all of the local news stations as I went from city to city and do brief interviews.  Do you think that would be something worth watching?  Of course I’ll continue to update my blog with print and videos, and maybe the readership could grow exponentially.  But what is the first step?  Do I try to pitch companies first, or do I try to pitch media first?  And when I do the pitch, what kind of presentation would they want to see?  I’m sure I can’t just go in there cold and say “Hey, I’ve got an idea!”  In what way could the golf companies maximize their opportunities with this project?  I wonder….

Something you’ve got to love about the 21st century is the instant connection you can get with people from all over the globe that share similar interests.  Through my blog, Facebook, and some great forums, I’m meeting and talking to some extremely fascinating people.  One of those great forums is theHackersParadise.com.  They’ve got some great content and some great discussions on their site.  There most recent article features the TaylorMade Performance Labs, and shows what custom club fitting in 2009 is all about.  If your a gear head like me, you definately need to check it out.

I have also run across a gentleman by the name of Mark Malone, Co-Founder of NXSGolf.com.  They created NXSgolf to afford people like us the opportunity to increase their rounds while saving money on thousands of golf items and links destinations.  It’s kind of like a marketing club just for golfers.  The site is really neat, and they also help communities set up golf leagues all over the country.  If you get a chance you should check it out.

Here’s another one for you, Brian Allman, President of Sweet Spot Golf.  Here’s a guy who has the guts to say “I don’t care that I’m a little guy going up against giants, I’m going to start my own golf club company.”  Any they are very unique and brilliant clubs.  Go to SweetSpotGolf.net and read the About Us section.  I love their statements, inspirations, and overall attitude towards golf and life.  Like they said, “The funny thing about an idea is that unless you act on it, it won’t do you or anyone any good.”

signed up at boxgroove.com yesterday to get access to a bunch of private courses that I would normally not get access to.  I the company is based out of Ohio because there are a ton of courses available there including a few on my list.  They also have a social community where you can meet golfers from all over the country, and a lot of them are members to other clubs as well.  I get all of this for $50 a year!  If you have ANY interest in playing private courses for small fees, then you need to check it out.  I’m excited because I’m slowly finding all sorts of people and resources to help me complete this journey.  I’ve decided to start with The Quarry at La Quinta, so I need to figure out a way to get invited to play the course.  I’ve heard that the head pros at a lot of these courses are actually quite open to letting outsiders play the courses, but I’m not sure how to go about asking.  As of right now I can’t say that I’m popular enough to promote their course on my blog (hopefully in a few months I’ll be able to get the readership up).  Speaking of getting readership up, please let me know what kind of info you guys would like to read about.  I love pretty much every aspect of golf, and can have conversations regarding the subject for hours on end.  I would love the feedback.

I’ve been getting great responses back from people on my blog, facebook, and the Sand Trap forums so I just wanted to say thank you.  This is one of the main reasons I love golf.  The golfing community is amzing!

I’ve decided that I wan’t a cause or charity to be involved with My Golf Journey because there needs to be another beneficiary besides myself on this quest.  I recently came across a website GolfCruiseSpa.com and they also have a group called Cruise for Cause.  This looks like a great concept and something I’m going to try to follow up on.  But any other suggestions would be very welcome. 

I was also wondering what kind of content would you like to see in this blog? I know that I will be describing the courses in great detail, as well as my adventures during this golf journey, but I was wondering what would everybody like to read about. Do you want to read about golf instruction? Golf equipment? How to get onto these courses? Wait a minute, that makes the most sense. Of course if you’re reading a blog about an epic adventure top play the Top 100 courses in America (as rated by Golf Digest), you probably want to know how you can play these courses, as well. I will do my best to relate my experiences 100% accurately as long as I don’t offend anyone. Of course, if I get invited to play by someone who wishes to remain anonymous, then I have to respect those wishes. I’m a pretty lighthearted person as it is, so you can expect my golf adventures to be lined with quite a bit of humor (particularly, my game). When I go through my club fitting process, I will be very detailed about how to find the best people possible. I will also update on how my game will improve, and by what means. I will most likely still be about a 10 handicapper when this journey will begin, so we will see how much I improve (if at all). But most of all, I would love feedback and hear about what you want to see and read. See you next time!

Now I know that my golf journey is going to take A LOT of money and resources, but how do I go about getting them? My first thought is to try to get a hold of as many Directors of Marketing for as many golf companies as possible, so any contacts would be greatly appreciated. And how in the world do I pitch this idea? It sounds like I’m trying to get an extended golf vacation paid for, but I’m trying to see what this kind of experience will produce. Just imagine the stories, the people, the memories of what could be shared from this quest. And I guarantee that the most memorable part about the entire trip will be completely unexpected. That’s the greatness about life. Throw yourself out into a brand new world and see what you get out of it. The best stories might not even be golf related. I just hope that the journey will be entertaining for not just me. I also hope that we can figure out how to at least get our feet wet. If I can get just a little bit of help to start the trip, I’m sure that more help will come once I get out on the road, and start sharing my adventures. I’m thinking of getting some kind of charity involved.  If there is a way to help people out while I’m living the dream, that would be amazing.  Also, any ideas on how I can get this blog read by more people. I have no idea what I’m doing, and I’m loving every minute of it!!!

Speaking of people living the dream, you’ve got to check out Matt Ginella’s blog.  He’s the Sr. Travel Editor for Golf Digest, and his posts are incredible!  Right now he’s golfing the Bandon Resort courses on the Oregon coast.  He has been a huge inspiration for me.  You can see his blog @ http://www.golfdigest.com/courses/blogs/mattyg

I’ve been trying to figure out how I am going to plot my course so I will be able to hit all 100 golf courses in one year. Since I live in San Diego, I though I would just go clockwise around the country. I have realized that won’t work since I will be hitting Idaho and Colorado during the winter. So now I will plot a course that will go counter clockwise. My journey will start in La Quinta, CA and then move to Vegas, Arizona and then to Texas (I think). Once I have my full course plotted out, I will post it here. I figure if I can play a course every 3 or 4 days, I’ll be able to finish the challenge. Here’s the hard part (actually, near impossible). How am I going to get invited to 84 private clubs in one year? And, how am I going to get invited in a 3 or 4 day window? It’s still August, and I am hoping to make A LOT of friends and contacts within the next few months, but this might turn into a quest to play the top 100 public courses in America (I know, not quite as sexy). The part that makes me laugh and cry at the same time is wrapping my brain around the fact that I need to get invited to play Augusta, Pine Valley, Cypress Point and a slew of other ultra exclusive clubs across the country all in one year.  So I’ve decided to throw all of my pride out the window and beg people across the country to help me out.  People like Brendon Elliott.  Brendon Elliot is the Head Professional at Winter Park Country Club in Central Florida.  I only just met Brendon on Facebook earlier today and I was drawn to his website   www.BrendonElliottGolf.com.  I don’t know Brenden, but he has a great profile about himself, responded to a question I wrote him, and has a great website, so I’m willing to bet he’s a pretty good guy.  I don’t know if he can help me out, but he is one of hundreds of people I will reach out to within the next year to help me live out this dream (it’s OK, pride is SO overrated anyway).  See you guys next time.

I’m only in Day 2 of the inception of this golf journey, but I need to put some serious thought into what I will need for this trip. Let’s start with the car. Since it will just be me, I won’t need a tremendous amount of room so let’s go with something economic and green; Toyota Prius. Hopefully the trunk has plenty of room for luggage (I think the clubs should ride shotgun, don’t you?). I would love some feedback on car selection. I also need to think about places to stay. This will take a little more thought. I need a big chain with locations all over the US, and I also need to be financially responsible. Any ideas? I’m thinking Best Western. Now I do have my clubs, but I’m thinking with a journey of this epic proportion, maybe it’s time to upgrade into some custom fitted clubs. I’ve always been a TaylorMade fan, but again, I would love feedback and suggestions. Do you think we can get a sponsorship from an oil company to help supply the gas (does this sound like too much of a reach)? I will need proper attire for all of the venues. Which clothing companies do you guys like best? Since I am going to be updating on a daily basis, we will need quality tech equipment (laptop, phone, camera, digital recording, etc.). I know I am leaving lots of stuff off the list, so again, any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

One more thing.  I just recently started to listen to this golf radio show called Loud Mouth Golf Radio.  You’ve got to check them out!  They are hilarious.  You can see what they’re all about @ http://www.loudmouthgolfradio.com/aboutUs.html

Saw a very cool new golf product today.  It’s called 5 Minutes to Tee-Time.  Here’s the website http://www.5minutestotee-time.com/.  Something like this is perfect for a guy like me.  I’ve got kids, so when I finally get some time for myself for golf, I usually get to the course with only 5 or 10 minutes to spare. It end up taking me 2 or 3 holes until I get comfortable and by that time it usually means I’m 3 or 4 over at that point.  It looks great, so I’m going to give it a try.

Something off topic real quick.  I originally had a blog that was very similar to this (actually it was the exact same thing), but it was on Blogger instead of WordPress.  I have found that WordPress gives me a lot more flexability to do what I want with managing my blog.  So if you think you’ve seen this topic before, it was probably just me.  Thanks.