I was able to get a number of “big” names to write blurbs for my book – Tom Watson, Jim Nantz, Dan Jenkins among them – and it was a pleasant experience for me. How did I do it? I just asked – politely. I started with Bill Fields, who wrote the foreword to my book. I connected with him 4 years ago when I wrote an article and submitted it to Golf World magazine, where he was an editor at the time. Although he wasn’t able to run the story, he treated me with respect and I appreciated it.
When I began doing consultant work at the USGA I had the chance to meet him in person and he’s just a really nice guy, and has met huge names in golf, including telling me about conducting an interview with Tiger Woods in the latter’s bedroom when Tiger was still a teenager. We’ve shared dinner and talked about Dean Smith, Michael Jordan, and North Carolina basketball, in addition to golf. So he was an easy choice to write the foreword.
Initially, when my agent told me I’d have to get the endorsements of some recognizable names to get a publisher, I spent the month of January 2015 reaching out. I found contact email addresses on the net, sent a cover letter and the proposal for the book, and asked if they might consider writing a blurb if I found a publisher. To my astonishment, I found a lot of success. I sent out 48 letters, got 30 responses, and of these 16 ended up writing a blurb.
These included award-winning writers James Dodson, Al Barkow, Don Van Natta (Pulitzer Prize as well). All were so gracious. When I thanked Jim Dodson he said he liked the work and that we “are all toiling in the same vineyard.” For me, an unknown guy with no portfolio, this response was both gratifying and humbling. It made me feel like a peer. Charlie Sifford’s son Charles, Jr.; Renee Powell, LPGA pioneer, a great lady who has done so much for the game; and Jane Blalock, who won 27 times on the LPGA. They have all been so great. Thank you. Next time I’ll tell you about Tom Watson.