Top four moments of 2014

If I keep saying it, you might stop believing it. But this year, my fourth year with Golfdom, was my best year yet. ¶ I know, I said that last year. And probably the year before, too. ¶ But read on and check out my top four highlights of 2014 and tell me I’m wrong.

4. 2014 TOCA awards

I had high hopes for the 2014 Turf and Ornamental Communicator Awards, an

Some of the haul from that night at the annual TOCA awards…

annual awards competition among the various green industry trade magazines.

But my expectations were blown away when Golfdom snagged 21 TOCA awards this year, including Karl Danneberger nabbing the Plant Health Writer of the Year Award, and eight awards for myself, including four awards for feature stories and two awards for column writing.

It’s a feat I don’t expect to repeat, but we’ll sure try.

3. The other Augusta

The Masters is always a highlight of my travel schedule. This year was no exception.

The annual Golf Writers dinner was held next door to Augusta National this year, at Augusta CC. I had planned on calling Augusta CC’s superintendent weeks in advance to set up a meeting, but got busy. Next thing I know, I’m driving to the airport, and I still hadn’t made that call.

Greg and me in the ACC bar, pre-GWAA meeting.

So I call a friend and learn the superintendent’s name and number while I’m driving. On a whim, I dial him up. Greg Burleson, CGCS, answers.

Masters week is a busy week for Burleson and Augusta CC. Yet Greg was kind enough to fit me in his schedule the very next day.

Greg couldn’t hang out for long, but he still had time to buy me a beer in the packed clubhouse bar and trade a few stories.

All these golf writers from around the world were converging on Augusta CC at that moment, but do you know how many of them got to break bread with ACC’s superintendent and learn more about the business?

Just one.

2. Staying at The Pit

The Pit clubhouse, AKA my hotel for the 2014 U.S. Open!

It’s a topic I covered in this space previously (“This place is The Pit,” June 2014), but during the 2014 U.S. Open, I was invited to stay at The Pit, a golf course that shut down but was purchased by Pinehurst Resort and used to house some of the crew.

A view of what was the golf course.

Living in a closed-down clubhouse isn’t the lap of luxury. But the guys I got to meet, witnessing their hard work and dedication and seeing the sun rise there will be a memory I keep for a long time.

1. An unexpected dinner with the Victoria National crew

Just last week I made a quick stop in Evansville, Ind., to visit the team at Victoria National Golf Club.

As I left the Carolinas GCSA Conference and Show, I tweeted out that I was on my way to Evansville, and asked Golfdom’s 3,000-plus followers if anyone had a good restaurant suggestion for the city.

Upon landing, I received a direct message from Victoria National superintendent Kyle Callahan, inviting me to dinner. I knew I would have his attention the next day, but since I was arriving later in the evening, I decided to leave him alone on my first night in Evansville.

An impromptu dinner with the Victoria National crew was my No. 1 moment of 2014. Thanks for your hospitality, guys!

But Callahan took me out that night to Knob Hill Tavern, the crew’s favorite local pub. And most of the crew showed up to meet me — we were seven strong by the time we got to our table.

For a guy like me, going from the expectation of eating an overcooked cheeseburger alone at a chain restaurant to making six new friends at a cool little local pub, that just sums up why I love my job.

It’s not the golf courses I get to visit. It’s the people I get to meet there.