One of the best parts of my job is hearing from our members about how The Golfer’s Journal has deepened their love and appreciation of the game. Or how it has connected them with new friends and like-minded golfers. We hear these types of messages all the time and they’re shared with the whole team on our internal Slack channel. It’s impossible to quantify just how inspiring and motivating these messages are.
TGJ is now 5 years old and it only exists because of the support of you and a few select sponsors. What started as a way to tell golf stories without the commercialism and clutter so pervasive in mainstream coverage has turned into a calling of sorts.
I’ve worked in various forms of media for a long time and it’s not an exaggeration to say that I’ve never experienced anything like the community that has formed around this experiment. In typical media, the advertisers are the customers and the reader or viewer is the product. You’re all bundled up by demographic and sold to advertisers. For those media companies, delivering value to the advertisers is their goal.
As you know, we’ve flipped that script: We hand select only a few sponsors who believe in our mission, which frees us to focus on celebrating the game and the people who play it. Our members are our customers. Our events exist to bring people together from all over the world. Our online community does the same.
I’ve said many times before, and I still truly believe that golf is a force for good. It can be a vehicle for personal growth and a great unifier. In an increasingly divided world, it cuts across political and ideological divides and creates common ground, camaraderie, and an empathy for one another in a way that very few other activities do.
Even when playing alone it provides a connection to nature and creates space from our hyper-connected world. Through that lens, if The Golfer’s Journal inspires people to play more golf, experience new places and cultures and brings people together, then I believe it’s doing its part to change the world for the better. And as a member of The Broken Tee Society, so are you.
So, I have a favor to ask. Whether you’re a Premium member or someone who has simply signed up for our newsletter: Please help us spread the word. Share our features and social posts. Like, comment and engage in our community. Of course you can always gift a membership or refer friends or consider becoming a benefactor by upgrading your membership, which itself brings a host of new benefits. But awareness is just as important to us. We’re still so early.
I know personal recommendations can be awkward at times, and I’m not suggesting you become a missionary for our cause, but I will say that our product and our community really does get stronger with every new member. If you love the content we produce and all the benefits of membership and feel that it has improved your golf life and appreciation for the game, I only ask that you give us the opportunity to provide that same experience to your friends and playing partners.
As a thank you, I’m excited to announce our first ever “Member Appreciation Day” taking place on July 27, 2022, when we’ll be doubling your member discount for the day. All members will receive 20% off apparel and merchandise while Premium members will get an incredible 40% off. This is a one-off event, so mark your calendars.
There’s no denying that we’ve created the best jobs in the world for ourselves. We have a lot of fun, and get to do things that most golf sickos only dream of, but I assure you, we take your support and our jobs very seriously. Our goal is to bring you along for each adventure through the stories we tell and the once-in-a-lifetime, bucket-list experiences we create for our members. In short, we’re totally committed to honoring your investment in us.
Thank you again for your support and for a wonderful first five years.
Brendon Thomas
Founder, The Golfer’s Journal
