Celebrating 21 years of GolfBlogger feels almost surreal. If my blog were a person, it’d be enjoying its first legal sip of bourbon about now. Little did I know that reaching this anniversary would coincidentally align with my own personal milestone — retirement! After stepping back from teaching this past June, a whole world of opportunities, both on the golf course and off, suddenly opened up.
One of my first ventures was an ambition I’ve held for years: dedicating a full month to playing golf amidst the beautiful autumn landscapes of Northern Michigan. It was a dream come true. Another tick off my bucket list was attending the PGA Show in Orlando this January. You can catch all the details of that escapade in a post linked here.
Currently, I’m soaking up the atmosphere at a role-playing and miniatures gaming convention — GaryCon in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, to be precise. As a long-standing fan of Dungeons and Dragons since the mid-70s, visiting the hometown of its legendary creator, Gary Gygax, feels like a pilgrimage.
April holds another thrilling moment as I head to the Masters for the Golf Writer’s Association meeting and watch the practice rounds. Beyond that, there’s a list of exciting plans, both golf-related and otherwise, waiting to unfold.
GolfBlogger started as my creative outlet, a way to satisfy the itch for regular writing that I missed since pivoting from journalism and public relations in Washington, D.C. to teaching. Blogging was a fresh frontier in 2004, so I dived in. They say you should write about what you know and love — for me, that boiled down to a decision between public policy or golf.
Needless to say, golf came out on top.
Initially, I didn’t foresee anyone actually reading the blog. So to have developed a dedicated readership (that still surprises me!) is something I greatly cherish. The real value of GolfBlogger isn’t just in visitor numbers — it’s in the community and friendships formed. Folks like Tony and Alisanne Korologos, John Duval, Tom Lang, and so many others have enriched my life significantly.
This past year, between rounds at various courses, my heart has been captured by the historic Washtenaw Golf Club. With 120 years of history, the club and its staff, including Dave and Karen Kendall, have been exceptionally welcoming.
In 2024, I proudly maintained my streak of golfing at least once a month in Michigan, with my March round marking the 121st consecutive month.
While numbers aren’t everything, they do reflect the dedication: in the last year alone, I’ve cranked out 621 articles, featuring 25 new course reviews. In total, that makes 326 course reviews under my belt. I also dabbled in product reviews for various golfing gear and penned pieces reflecting my personal golfing escapades, essays, and thoughts.
GolfBlogger serves my interests first, focusing on content that excites me rather than what might chase the biggest clicks. While I may not match the relentless output of major websites, this one-man show finds joy and fulfillment in crafting every post.
And so, the journey continues. I have no plans of stopping. Thanks to all who have followed along — your support means the world. I plan to keep golfing and writing for as long as possible, well into the next decades of my life.
As always, thank you for being a part of this adventure, and here’s to many more years on the golf course and beyond.
