A total recommitment. That’s been the mantra at TGJ HQ these past couple of months. As our membership and product offering has grown, so too has our need to be even more focused on our mission. When TGJ No.1 was released in 2017, we had no idea we’d have daily engagement with a passionate community of members or a full-time events team. We didn’t anticipate worrying about keeping our pro shop stocked, or that we’d be producing additional books, two separate podcasts and multiple films. It’s all possible thanks to your support, which we funnel straight back into building products and experiences that aim to celebrate the game and delight our members.
Captain Tom’s Ship
I’m excited to announce that beginning in January, Tom Coyne will assume the role of Editor of The Golfer’s Journal. As the host of our podcast, TC has become the face of TGJ and his writing has been instrumental in defining our voice. A bestselling author and former professor, Tom’s prominence, unique perspective, and global references make him the ideal person to lead us into the future. Tom has outlined a strong editorial vision for TGJ and I can’t wait to see where he takes us while at the helm.
As I mentioned above, our ever-increasing footprint requires A-level talent operating in every position. Travis Hill has somehow survived while wearing dozens of hats over the past seven years, and will now be able to focus his talent, experience, and energy on the Managing Editor role, allowing us to distribute editorial responsibilities and execute on some big ideas.
Personalized Experience
These changes come as part of our recommitment to our mission. As you’ve no doubt noticed, we’ve been sending new editorial features to your inbox every Sunday. In 2024, we’ll continue to tell stories on the devices and mediums you use every day. Our increased podcast and film cadence, along with announcements of new products and events, can make for a lot of communication. We see it as delivering extreme value to our membership, but I understand if the firehose of value might drown out phishing scams and nagging emails from your employer. With that in mind, I encourage you to curate your membership experience by selecting the types of communication you receive from us.
Known Pleasures
But before you make those selections, know that the 2024 Broken Tee Society Tour makes 2023’s lineup look cute by comparison. We’re proud to offer four international events (one of which is a guided tour of Ireland with Tom Coyne) along with over 30 confirmed U.S. events. The full schedule drops on January 9. There’ll be a live draft at 1pm EST in the Broken Tee Society Discord server featuring the entire TGJ crew.
We’re fully aware that the caliber of the courses we visit creates incredibly high demand, so we’ve done everything we can to create even more opportunities at a variety of locations and price points. Get those bucket lists down off the shelf, it’s time to cross off some names.
The Index Experiment
According to the data, thousands of you played better golf and lived better lives in 2023 thanks to The Index Experiment, and I’m thrilled that we’ll be continuing this grand experiment in 2024.
TIE is all about accountability, so I’ll admit that we could have done far better from a product and consistency standpoint. We’re hard at work rebuilding the interface and elevating the content we’re producing, including member-only masterclasses and bootcamps. We’ve also hooked your GHIN directly into the TIE dashboard so it will now update automatically. Less friction means more time to work on our games.
If you’re already enrolled (reminder: it’s free for members) you don’t have to do anything other than set new goals for 2024. For everyone else, New-Year’s-Resolution enrollment can be found here.
Quiet Please
The world is really loud. Somehow golf is even louder. Debate rages about so many aspects of our game. According to the internet, golf is an endless series of cart wrecks, shot tracers and heated arguments. But golf should be an escape from the noise of the world—a place to connect with people and nature and ourselves. It should be the quiet for our overstimulated minds.
How lucky then that we get to do what we do: Tell stories that allow you to luxuriate in the game. Create an experience designed for space, time and attention, where the only to-do list is the table of contents. We’re so fortunate that we get to put on events and travel to the world’s best courses with old, new, and soon-to-be friends. That we get to sit down with the most interesting golfers in the world and record the conversations, and make films about the beauty of the game.
The Golfer’s Journal aims to be the antidote to the algorithm. Striving for that goal feels as fresh and exciting today as it did when TGJ No.1 rolled off the press. We’re lucky to have sponsors and members like you who continue to support us and believe in our vision. So on behalf of the whole TGJ team, I offer our sincere thanks and wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.
With gratitude,
Brendon Thomas
Publisher, The Golfer’s Journal
