Tag Archives: 19th Hole Story

2015 #GolfChat Survey and Awards | @DaveHeald

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#GolfChat Survey

Thank you to everyone who participated in #GolfChat this year.  When I started #GolfChat in January, 2015, I had no idea what to expect.  I’ve had a blast running and participating in #GolfChat.

Since #GolfChat questions come from you, I thought it only right to make the direction of #GolfChat up to you too.

I’d love to see #GolfChat expand in 2016 to make an even larger impact in the golf industry and want your ideas on how we can make that happen.  I’d also like to recognize your favorite #GolfChatters with our first ever #GolfChat Awards . . . which I thought would be a fun way to recognize those of you who participate in #GolfChat.

Lastly, I also thought my website might be a good place to build commentary surrounding growing golf and wondered if some of you might want to be contributors to the 19th Hole Media website.

I’ll be looking for contributors in two different areas:

  1. Growing Golf – If you have ideas on how to grow golf we’d love to include you as one of the contributors to the 19th Hole Media website. We are working on a style guide for our contributors page.  We want to make sure the articles related to growing golf are relevant, accurate, well-written and appropriate for our audience. Each article will display the author and a short bio. Please answer yes to our become a 19th Hole Media contributor in our survey and leave your email address if you’re interested.
  2. 19th Hole Media Stories – A 19th Hole Story is a story you like to tell at the 19th hole.  If you have a 19th Hole Story you’d like to share, please answer yes to the question on wanting to share your 19th Hole Story.

Take the survey by clicking on the button below – https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1MPJiLrMePyTA-bfh2VmKws6b1aQLrWnXUEbmaGXi3Lk/viewform

Answer as many questions as you want.

#GolfChat Survey

Bridgestone Golf

As you all know, the Bridgestone Golf Team has been participating in #GolfChat for the past few months.  I sent them a few copies of my book, The Social Golf Course and in return they asked me to take their golf ball fitting (http://www.bridgestonegolf.com/product/ball-fitting).

After finishing the Bridgestone Golf Ball fitting, they sent me this nice care package in time for the Holidays including my fitted golf ball and a couple of Bridgestone Golf Hats (gave one to my Dad, who told me he only plays Bridgestone by the way).

Thank you to the Bridgestone Golf Team. We’re looking for more opportunities to work together in 2016 for our fellow #GolfChatters.

Golf Unfiltered Podcast

Last week, Adam Fonseca, aka @GolfUnfiltered, invited me on as a guest to his Golf Unfiltered Podcast.  We talked about my involvement in golf, social media and, of course, #GolfChat.

Take a listen – http://golfunfiltered.com/golf-unfiltered-podcast-51-zeb-welborn-2015-12-16

P.S. – ignore the photo @GolfUnfiltered chose of me.  I used that photo to show people what not to do on social media. 😉

#GolfChat Questions

#Q1: What was the most interesting thing to happen in golf this week? #GolfChat

#Q2 submitted by @1bearderdgolfer: Putters excluded, what is your oldest non-souvenir piece of golf equipment or accessory?

#Q3 submitted by @seanmrivers: What’s the best hole you have ever played? #GolfChat

#Q4 submitted by @johnkim: Who will be #PGAShow in January? #Golfchat

#Q5 submitted by @foleysmith555: Should every golfer have a golfing hero? Is it important to have a role model? #GolfChat

#Q6: Did you take the #GolfChat Survey? Yes or No? Any Thoughts? https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1MPJiLrMePyTA-bfh2VmKws6b1aQLrWnXUEbmaGXi3Lk/viewform #GolfChat

Golf Chatter Bio: @DaveHeald


Real Name: Dave Heald
Location: London, Ontario, Canada

What Do You Order from the #GolfChat Bar?

I enjoy a cold beer in golf season and a Crown Royal on ice in the off season. 

How Did You Get Into Golf?

My Dad used to take me fishing every Sunday morning. The only thing I ever caught was a cold so one day on the way home I asked if we could go golfing instead. I have never picked up a fishing rod since. 

What Are You Doing in Golf and Why?

I am a Certified Professional Golf Instructor through C.G.T.F. and work at East Park Golf Gardens in London, Ontario as their Pro and Clubhouse Manager. For the last 3 years I have also written a weekly column during golf season for a local newspaper, The Londoner” called “Let’s Talk Golf”. Mostly tips and instruction with the odd opinion piece.

Favorite #GolfChat Topics?

Speeding up the Pace of Play. I believe it should be taught to all as a important part of Etiquette. I believe that most people who play too slow are not fully aware of the impact they are having on those who play behind them.

Favorite Golf Quote?

“Swing your Swing” (Arnold Palmer)

Favorite Golf Destination and Why?

In Canada there can be no finer golf experience that the Banff Springs in Alberta. Last spring I also had the pleasure of playing Kauai Lagoons. Very different golf experiences but both breath taking and worth a trip.

How Do You View the State of the Game of Golf?

I know that the catch phrase these days is “Grow the Game” but I can’t help but wonder of we don’t need to pull back a little and consolidate our strong base. Golf grew at unsustainable rates for about 20 years and now we seem desperate to try and maintain that momentum. Golf is a great game and will always be here. I have to admit that I am not a fan of the non traditional offerings we are seeing like Fling Golf and Foot Golf. They look like fun activities but please don’t be fooled into thinking they are golf. In my opinion, they are simply ways for desperate owners to fill tee times.

Who Are Your Favorite #GolfChatters and Why?

I enjoy reading and participating with all who come on Tuesday evenings for #golfchat. 

Favorite Golfers and Why?

I do like a lot about some of the new breed in today’s game like Rory, Jordan and Jason but there is only one and never will there be another Jack Nicklaus.

Weekly Reminders

Do you have updates to share with the #GolfChat community.  Email me with the cool things you’ve been up to and I’ll be sure to share those with our #GolfChat members!

Comment below if you have any comments, questions, or ideas as it pertains to #GolfChat.

Learn more about some of my Top 82 Golf Twitter Accounts to follow in 2015 – http://19thholemedia.com/top-82-golf-twitter-accounts-follow-2015/

Want to get more involved with #GolfChat and be notified via email about upcoming #GolfChat’s and opportunities.  Sign up for the #GolfChat newsletter!  – https://welborn.leadpages.net/golfchat/

Do You Have Any Suggestions for #GolfChat Questions?  Share Them With Us!

Join us weekly for #GolfChat, every Tuesday at 5pm PST!

For more information about how to participate in #GolfChat, please check out this article – How to Participate in #GolfChat Twitter Chat – http://19thholemedia.com/how-to-participate-in-the-golfchat-twitter-chat/

New #GolfChat Calendar:

1st #GolfChat of the Month = Surprise #GolfChat
2nd, 4th and 5th #GolfChat of the Month = Regular #GolfChat
3rd #GolfChat of the Month = Themed #GolfChat
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The Social Golf Course Edition of #GolfChat | @AdamJFonseca

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Thank You #GolfChatters

To say thank you for supporting #GolfChat this year, I’ve decided to give away a digital copy of the book John Hakim and I wrote, The Social Golf Course for free on August 4 and 5.

Please share The Social Golf Course with as many golf enthusiasts as you can.

When you finish reading it I hope you’ll review the book in Amazon.

And, if you enjoyed it enough, we hope you’ll buy a copy to give to a friend.

Thank you for joining #GolfChat this year.  Can’t wait to hear what you think about the book!

#GolfChat Questions

#Q1 What was the most interesting thing to happen in golf this week? #GolfChat

#Q2: What makes golf special? #GolfChat

#Q3: What is the coolest thing you’ve ever seen on social media as it pertains to golf? #GolfChat

#Q4: What is the best way to attract new golfers to golf? #GolfChat

#Q5: What is your favorite 19th Hole Story? #GolfChat

#Q6: What questions would you like asked in future editions of #GolfChat?

Golf Chatter Bio: @AdamJFonseca

Real Name: Adam Fonseca
Location: Chicago, IL

What Do You Order from the #GolfChat Bar?

Total IPA freak here. Anything over 60 IBUs is preferred. Revolution Brewery’s Anti-Hero is the favorite.

How Did You Get Into Golf?

I worked as a caddy growing up at a local country club. Most of my co-workers played on their high school or college teams and I picked up pointers from them over time. And an alcohol habit. But who’s counting?

What Are You Doing in Golf and Why?

I’m a golf writer who has been featured on SB Nation, Yahoo, USA Today, Fox Sports and the defunct Back9Network. I’m currently the owner of GolfUnfiltered.com and the Golf Unfiltered Podcast.

Favorite #GolfChat Topics?

Whenever people start talking about what’s wrong with the game. There’s nothing wrong with golf. There’s plenty wrong with the people who play it.

Favorite Golf Quote?

The most important shot in golf is the next one. — Ben Hogan

Favorite Golf Destination and Why?

Myrtle Beach is great, but I’ll take Eagle Ridge Resort in Galena, IL any day. The finest golf you’ll find in the Midwest.

How Do You View the State of the Game of Golf?

Things are falling back toward reality in the post-Tiger Boom era. Professionally, golf has never been better. 

Who Are Your Favorite #GolfChatters and Why?

I have no favorites because everyone has been equally great. Except for @citizencage. That guy licks farts.

Favorite Golfers and Why?

Tiger Woods (duh)
Jordan Spieth (duh)
Graeme McDowell (played drunk golf with him once)

#GolfChat – How to Build a Genuine Community Online by Jeremy White CEO of Connect Golf

Marketing is, at its simplest, working out what people need and communicating that your product can serve them. Given the barrage of marketing messages, most people are switched off to traditional mediums, so it’s key to build the awareness first and that happens best in places where people are engaged. Mostly online communities. Only then might they switch on and start listening to what you’re saying.

You don’t need a college degree to figure it out. Common sense is all that’s needed and you’ve got that in bucketloads. Plus the courage to actually get out and give it a shot. No doubt there are plenty of history teachers and others who have a good idea to fill a niche, but they never have the guts to quit their jobs and carpe diem the heck out of their idea.

When I started building Connect Golf, I knew it needed to be attached to a community, but also knew communities were, understandably, suspicious of brands. It is also difficult to find communities without agendas. They exist, but it none represent the greater golfing demographic. The bigger social media platforms have some large communities when you look it on pure member numbers. However you can’t filter out the brands and individuals doing not-so-subtle self-promotion stuff or even the randoms posting pics of themselves on their latest golf holiday. Let me rephrase that, you can filter them, but you can’t be bothered. Most members aren’t even active and a post’s visibility is questionable to say the least.

It’s quite a coincidence, but true all the same, that I came to the view that a Twitter chat for golf was needed to solve most of the issues noted above – excepting the occasional and to be honest quite brilliant moderator stunts involving surprise female pro golfers and car brands (I’m a huge marketing cynic, but was happily tweeting with @lexus mentions). I realised that being a wannabe brand, doing it myself would probably lack credibility with participants, but the very next week I came across month 2 of #Golfchat. Problem solved!

Your role, experience, podcast, website, Twitter account etc. is based around the personal brand of Zeb Welborn, so while most people get that part of the exercise is to grow your own brand, they’re fine with that because they can see, hear and read the story behind it. Done for the right reasons and you’re building a no-nonsense community with golf at the core.

At the door to many online golf communities you have to read a heap of rules about what not to do on those platforms or forums, but with #GolfChat there’s none of that, yet people instinctively know how to behave. Yes we all want more business or more subscribers or more readers or more impressions or whatever, but the #GolfChatters generally understand that the way to build a brand via social media is to participate. Just participate and not sell. Pure and simple, we just talk golf and that’s cool from the perspective that we’re not in our usual sales mode. As John from @golfbloggercom would say, we’re just sitting at the #GolfChat bar and talking about the sport.

I’m usually your one paragraph email kinda guy who has a hard time not communicating a sense of rudeness due to brevity, but I look up here and have written a fricking novel about the things you’re doing right. I truly believe that what you’re doing is the best strategy to bring all the golf influencers together on a single platform for discussion.

Sincerely. Well done mate. Two thumbs up.

Jeremy White, CEO Connect Golf

Weekly Reminders

Do you have updates to share with the #GolfChat community.  Email me with the cool things you’ve been up to and I’ll be sure to share those with our #GolfChat members!

Comment below if you have any comments, questions, or ideas as it pertains to #GolfChat.

Learn more about some of my Top 82 Golf Twitter Accounts to follow in 2015 – http://19thholemedia.com/top-82-golf-twitter-accounts-follow-2015/

Want to get more involved with #GolfChat and be notified via email about upcoming #GolfChat’s and opportunities.  Sign up for the #GolfChat newsletter!  – https://welborn.leadpages.net/golfchat/

Do You Have Any Suggestions for #GolfChat Questions?  Share Them With Us!

For more information about how to participate in #GolfChat, please check out this article – How to Participate in #GolfChat Twitter Chat – http://19thholemedia.com/how-to-participate-in-the-golfchat-twitter-chat/
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A 19th Hole Story by Bob Pouliot

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Larry Velte, Bob Pouliot, Dave Kelley and Jeff Kelley

Larry Velte, Bob Pouliot, Dave Kelley and Jeff Kelley

This took place in October of 1992 …

Back in the day when Dave & Jeff Kelley, Larry Velte and I had a regular Saturday starting time on the north, we would team up against each other. This particular day, Dave and I teamed up against Larry & Jeff…

It was a very windy day… Due to the wind, we had an erratic match going, with the lead changing back and forth. We approached the par 3, 12th. Dave and I had the tee, set at 185 yds.. The wind was almost at gale force, in the direction of the green.

Dave selected a club and was getting ready to tee off… I interrupted and asked “Dave, what club are you hitting…?” .. Dave answered “5 iron.”.

I said… “Dave.. don’t you feel that wind? that’s WAY to much club…” Dave asked: “What club are you using..?” I responded “7 iron…” and wouldn’t let up…

Dave backed off and selected another club… and was getting ready to tee of again. I asked… “What club do you have now?” Dave responded.. “6 iron” Dave… (I ragged on him) “THAT’S WAY TO MUCH CLUB…”

Dave, a little irritated by now, backed off and asked again…”WHAT CLUB ARE YOU USING?”, I responded again 7 iron…”

Dave went to get another club… and I figured I might as well tee off…which I did… and badly. Shanked the ball off to the right..

Dave steps up to his ball… makes great contact…. hits the green… takes 2 bounces…goes in the hole..

I asked….”Dave…What club did you hit?” Dave responded “7 iron.” …… But I just used it to show you that you were WRONG!!!! I don’t remember who won the match…

Anecdote: The following week, unbeknownst to Dave, I hid a bottle of champagne in my bag… We approached the 12th … I popped the bottle

We all toasted Dave’s first Hole-in-ONE.. and still his only…

–Bob Pouliot

Do you have a 19th Hole Story you’d like to share?  Please contact me to post your story of an experience you had on the golf course.

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A 19th Hole Story by Larry Welborn

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There was nothing sweeter than playing golf with my Dad.

When I was attending Pepperdine College in the late 1960s, golf was a wee bit of a financial extravagance for me. So getting an invite to play with Dad was always welcomed.

He was a golf-playing lawyer then, a 10-handicapper with a smooth, self-taught swing.

He was never long off the tee, but usually pretty deadly with his irons, an original set of Pings.

My favorite memory is playing the South Course at Los Serranos with Dad and my two cousins, who were visiting us from Colorado on vacation in 1968 or ‘69. We engaged in the usual banter on the first tee about setting up our game. Besides a four-man best ball, we also agreed to paying a quarter for all pars and a buck for all birdies.

And then I blurted out, “How about $10 bucks for a hole-in-one?” Agreed.

So off we went, Dad was playing well. Had some pars, missed a few birdies putts, shot about a 42 on the front before he made the turn. It was a good day, playing golf with my Dad, that got even better on 12.

He had honors, and selected a 5 iron. He made a good swing, made solid contact, and held his follow-through as he watched the flight of his ball.

It landed on the front edge, took a little hop to the right, and rolled about 15-feet before it toppled into the hole!

Very, very cool. I saw my Dad make an ace.

The thing about the 19th Hole that day was that I don’t remember ever seeing him happier. He was smiling non-stop, and his smile grew especially wide when he made sure that my cousins and I each paid him the $10 bucks.

Dad passed away in 2009. He was 88. He had given his original Pings to Grady, one of his golf-playing grandsons, who later became a cart boy at Los Serranos.

I miss playing golf with Dad. But now I play golf with my sons.

And that is just as sweet.

19th Hole Story by Larry Welborn

If you have a 19th Hole Story that you would like to share, please contact Zeb Welborn at Zeb@WelbornMedia.com with your greatest golfing memory.

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