The author of A Course Called America will be signing books and talking with attendees in booth 2373 this Wednesday from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
By Pat Jones
Aquatrols is pleased to host one of the golf world’s most engaging authors, Tom Coyne, in booth #2373 at the 2023 GCSAA Trade Show. Coyne will sign 100 complimentary copies of his latest book, “A Course Called America,” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the show’s opening day, Wednesday, Feb. 8. Attendees can also bring their copies of his works as well.
Coyne is an award-winning author, journalist, and podcaster who has established himself as someone with deep insights about the game as well as a keen grasp of what makes golf courses special. You can read his very impressive bio here (https://www.tomcoyne.com/bio) but we also reached out in advance to find out what interests him about our side of the golf world.
Have you been to the GCSAA show before? What are you expecting?
This will be my first visit to the GCSAA show and I don’t know quite what to expect. As a veteran of the PGA Show, I’m excited to visit a show with more tractors and fewer quarter-zips! I’ve been told it’s a must-visit as it gives you a real insight into the people and products that make golf possible. For me, it feels like a peek behind the golf curtain, and I couldn’t be more excited about that.
In your travels what have you learned about superintendents and greenkeepers that other golf aficionados should understand better?
I’ve learned a lot about greenkeepers in my travels–first, I’ve learned how hard they work and how complicated their jobs can be. From staffing to maintaining equipment to managing memberships–there is so much that goes into the job that doesn’t have to do with growing grass, requiring a whole host of skill sets that one might not expect. I’ve also seen how passionate they are about the work, and how that passion goes beyond early alarm clocks. The supers I’ve spent time around live and breathe their golf courses. It’s a connection that’s sort of inspiring, and even a little mystical for a novice like me.
Is there one particular turfhead who really made an impact on you?
I grew up playing golf in the Philly suburbs at Rolling Green Golf Club where I got to know John Gosselin. John is over at Aronimink now where he’s restored their Donald Ross beauty with Gil Hanse and has hosted the PGA Tour in 2010 and now has the 108th PGA Championship scheduled in 2026 as well.
What I learned from John was that superintendents can be, and maybe should be, crazy about the game as well. He’s a very strong player and it was always special to see him enjoy the course that he and his team had produced. It was sort of like the chef sitting down for dinner with you. It was great to see that after all the hours and the effort, that love for the game still sticks with you.
What do you think supers can learn from your books and essays?
I think my books and stories in The Golfer’s Journal might help any reader remember the things that they love about golf — whether that be the places, the people, the competition, or whatever. The things I write hopefully reconnect readers with their best golf days, and perhaps inspire them to get out there and find more.
I think it might be interesting for supers to read about some of the courses and conditions I’ve found in my travels, places that might have different approaches to agronomy or architecture, and places with rare and long histories of which they might not be aware. But most of all, I hope my books and articles might remind greenskeepers how much their work matters because it is their work upon which a whole world of stories and experiences is built — experiences that so many of us could hardly live without.
Are you excited about the event?
I can’t wait for the GCSAA show and the chance to meet supers and greenskeepers in a new setting –away from the grass and on a showroom floor! I’m also excited to check out the gear and equipment and technology. There is so much I don’t know about that world we golfers aren’t supposed to see, and I’m thrilled for the chance to learn more.
Author’s Schedule
10:00 am: Meet & Greet with Tom Coyne
11:00 am: Presentation highlighting Tom’s travels that relate to his books
11:30/11:45 am: Q&A session with attendees
12:00 – 1:00 pm: Book signing begins; 100 complimentary copies available while supplies last
Please visit Aquatrols during the GCSAA Conference and Tradeshow at booth 2737 to meet Tom. Free copies of “A Course Called America” will be available but supplies are limited.
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