Michigan Golfer.TV Debuts in March
By L'Anse Bannon

On March 9th, six years to the day that the Michigan Golfer launched the world's first online golf magazine on the Internet, Michigan Golfer.com, Michigan Golfer.TV will appear on computer screens everywhere.

William Shelton, former President of Eastern Michigan University and long a student of the game, will host Michigan Golfer.TV. Joining Bill in this venture are: Joe Yunkman, CEO of Michigan Media, an Ann Arbor based transmedia firm; Tammie Bruneau of TAD and Company, a website design firm; Jennie McCafferty, of Jennie McCafferty LLC an Internet Consultant firm; Chris Lahiri, CEO of Lahiri Studios; Thad Gutowski, Director of Sales for the Michigan Golfer and Art McCafferty, Publisher of Great Lakes Sports Publications, Inc.

The show will attempt to capture the rich history of our sport by interviewing architects, golf professionals, instructors, golf course owners, golf business owners, golf fashion experts, golf equipment specialty stores, equipment manufacturers and other entities that contribute to fabric of the game. In addition, the show will go on the road to capture the greatness of our golf courses and resorts.

The idea for internet television came about because of the frustration that Art McCafferty had with his PBS based golf show, Golfing the Great Lakes. "Tom Durant, Larry Adderley and I did 70 half hour shows with Golfing the Great Lakes in our nine year run. The main problem with the show was trying to build an audience. While it was great to be in so many Midwest markets, the show start dates and schedule were all over the place. We would open the show in Michigan in early March and find out that our Indiana or Ohio stations did not begin the series until May or June. It was crazy," said McCafferty. " Show hosts and sponsors kept asking me when it would be on and I really had a hard time pinning it down. With our show now on the Internet, our viewers, sponsors and guests can watch it any time. You just have to go to the website, michigangolfer.tv and tap into a program. In addition, all the shows will be archived. McCafferty indicated that the show will be a featured link on their heavily trafficked michigangolfer.com Internet site.

"Last year, we had 170,000 reader sessions on our site and this year we are hoping that will increase to a quarter of a million. While it is difficult to guess just how many people will come in to view these 10 minute programs, we are hoping that the numbers will increase as they become more familiar with the show," said McCafferty.

Their first show on March 9th will feature an interview with noted architect, William Newcomb. Newcomb will discuss his early apprenticeship with Pete Dye, his design of the Donald Ross Memorial course at Boyne and some of his latest works at Thornapple Pointe, The Orchards in Wisconsin and the Calderone Farms Golf Club in Jackson.

On March 16th we will feature a virtual Michigan Golf Show highlighting Michigan vendors at the Chicago, Indiana and Cleveland golf shows. In successive weeks, there will be shows with architects, Mike Husby, Ray Hearn, Bruce Matthews III, Tom Doak and W. Bruce Matthews, In addition, Bill Shelton also interviews Bruce Matthews II about his grandfather, W. Bruce Matthews, known as "Michigan's First Golf Architect

Later shows will take the viewers onsite to Sylvan Resort, Boyne, Wild Bluff at Bay Mills, Grand Traverse Resort, Otsego Club, Crystal Mountain, Bay Valley Resort, A-Ga-Ming, St. Ives, Shanty Creek, Garland and Lakewood Shores to name a few.

Technically, the shows will differ from "regular" television programming because of the current limits of today's Internet bandwidth. Shows need to be shot against a stable background to maximize the bandwidth that is available. Pans, quick cuts and zooms are shooting techniques that do not adapt readily to the web video. However, Joe Yunkman of Michigan Media has developed a format, which will present the technology in its most favorable light.

If you go to Michigangolfer.tv now, you will find a welcome from host Bill Shelton and some preview clips of upcoming Wild Bluff Golf Course at Bay Mills which has signed on as one of the title sponsors of the show.