Let Battle Commence...2 publishers go after the online weekly audience

There is a newcomer today to the online weekly golf magazines. Global Golf Post has had the Monday morning market to itself for 6 months or so and done a fine job. Today in steps the 600lb gorilla, Conde Nast, with its Golf World Monday. Both feature great writers and it will be fascinating to see where this battle heads in the coming months. The business model for both is free to consumer supported by ads, so you have to figure Golf World has more "value add" opportunities with its pool of advertisers. Watch this space and more importantly sign up - they are both great and free!

Excellent new book - The Shallows

A new book by Nicholas Carr explores the interesting argument that the Web is literally altering our brain waves. With access to high speed internet we have the world at our fingertips and so dip in and out of information without ever really connecting the way we used to in "the good old days", you know with things like books and long form content. Today, we triple task and all of this is effecting learning patterns, especially those of our children, who are learning this from day one - unlike their parents. The challenge is can you can make it through the 276 pages?

Tin Cup on Capital Golf Weekly

Our client, Tin Cup was on last weeks Washington Capital Golf Weekly. You can see it here. Tin Cups are now available in over 50 retail outlets as well as on line at www.tin-cup.com.

Rose wins at Memorial

A terrific win by Justin Rose at Jack's tournament, The Memorial. It's many years since I represented Justin prior to MacDuff, but I couldn't be more proud of his victory at Muirfield Village. Justin is a class act and now that he has broken through with his first US win I hope it is the start of a wave of victories. If should certainly confirm his Ryder Cup spot. Well done Justin!

Old Mac is OPEN!

Mike Kaiser's new golf course at Bandon Dunes Resort is now open and looks wonderful. Golf Digest has done a great job putting together this short video piece about the property. You can see it here.

Wired iPad App Sells 24,000 Copies in First 24 Hours

Is that good or not? Well it sounds pretty good to me at $4.99. But, bear in mind they have over 650,000 print subscribers. It will be interesting to see how it pans out in the coming weeks. It's just great to see a new content tool being used effectively.

Wired for the iPAD - This is just the start

The major publishing houses are beginning to launch the first IPAD versions of their magazines. The iPAD Wired Magazine came out today and it is very cool. Check it out in the Apple Store as a download. I do wonder if it is sustainable at $4,99 per issue but is very well written and produced. My subscription to the actual old fashioned issue (it's made of paper!) is only $12 per year. This is just the beginning of a major shift in the way we consume news and magazine content. And iPAD 2.0 is coming!

I'm a Mac...and I'm a PC - gone but not forgotten.

It is a sad day. We hear Apple is dropping the Mac vs. PC ad campaign. It's being replaced with a new, rather boring "virtues of the Mac" campaign. Still, we now have a good excuse to show one of the best Mac ads ever featuring Gisele Bundchen. Now that is branding.

The 18th At The West Course, Wentworth...Oh Dear

The players at the BMW PGA Championship will be doing their very best to say nice things about the truly awful changes to "The Course formally known as Wentworth". Quite why the owner took it upon himself to turn a great golf course into "TPC Surrey" is unclear (Well, I think we do know that answer). What is clear is that the players are struggling to find a good thing to say about Ernie Els' re-do of The West. The great Harry Colt, who originally designed the course is spinning in his grave right now.

I have read the players talking about "great conditioning" which is code for "the design is awful, but at least the greens are good". If you do find yourself in Wentworth skip the West and play the wonderful East Course. And be quick because that could be the next under the architects scalpel!

“You need talent, luck, and persistence. Pick any two.”

A fun piece here about the 3 surprisingly simple steps to success by Sonia Simone. Perfect for the weekend read. Read it here.