My biggest focus at this 72nd PGA Merchandise Show was getting the word out on my latest project. I’d been coaxed into being the new president (or, I think the title should be executive director) of the Golf Travel Writers of America. It’s a 20-year old organization that has been led by Bruce Vittner, a very nice guy from Rhode Island who befriended Joy and I in our early years attending the show and got us involved in the GTWA.
Bruce didn’t want to keep up the grind of leading the group and wanted me to do it. I was reluctant at first, but decided that reorganizing the group would be a worthwhile project as well as potentially being fun. That led to me being in charge of the annual meeting, held at the PGA Merchandise Show, and I was delighted by the turnout.
Joy is now the GWTA treasurer and two other friends, Tom Gorman and Dan Vukelich, had joined me in getting the reorganization going. We had 22 enthusiastic travelers attend the annual meeting, some returning members and some new ones. When it was over we had an international membership, with Stephan Guertler (Austria) and Grant Fraser (Canada) on the greatly revised roster.
We hope to revive a past GTWA feature, a golf outing held around the show dates. We have one scheduled on Friday at Heathrow Legacy, the first course in the Concert Golf Partners string of 36 private clubs. Weather might hamper this one, since it’s been cold and raining most of our time here in Orlando but Concert’s Michael Abramovitz – a long-time GTWA member – is optimistic we can get the event in before everyone leaves town.
