From the Desk of BTG —
Morning Folks,
For those that are new here, I write monthly updates on the newsletter. These will give you an inside look on what is working, what’s not working, and anything else I think is relevant. The goal here is to give you all a look under the hood (and an opportunity to make impactful suggestions).
BTG
Introduction
I started this newsletter on May 28th, 2025. The first post was How to Dress When Playing Golf, and it was sent to 0 readers. I wanted to put my thoughts on golf and the current trajectory of the game on the internet. I was just talking to myself to start, and it turns out a few other people share my opinions.
As of writing this, we are a small but mighty readership of 3,142 golfers committed to upholding and respecting the traditions of the game. This has been 100% organic growth through my Twitter, Instagram and referrals. Cool to see. Thank you all for reading. If you’re new here and want to catch up, I’d recommend the following articles:
MoM Growth Metrics
Our open-rate and CTR remain strong, good enough to be in the top 10% of Beehiiv newsletters in both categories, which is awesome to see. I have no idea if it is any good or not, and frankly I don’t care about the data at the moment. I enjoy writing about what is important to the preservation and celebration of our great game, and that’s where my focus lies.
Other Data
Small sample size, but the content resonates!
Reflections, Aspirations
I think it’s important to have a north star in any business venture. Something to work towards to keep myself motivated each day.
My north star? I’m coming for Golf Digest. It won’t be tomorrow, it may not even be 3 years from now, but I’ll get there. It’s what I will chase until I can’t chase it anymore. The content has become stale, the website is unreadable, and I don’t know a single person that subscribes to their email list/ newsletter.
I loved reading GD - it was all I consumed in high school and college. I looked forward to the day each month when the magazine was delivered in the mail. It was the best golf content before the internet turned the media space on its head.
Weak writers continue to hide behind big brands, whereas the best ones build their own followings online. GD has been coasting on its brand name for too long. Digital media has left it behind.
Anyway, I’ve found the right niche in the golf community, and will continue to build upon this foundation it until I cannot build anymore. Stay tuned.
Asks
If you like the newsletter, all I ask is that you mention it to your friends/golf team/Dad etc. You don’t even have to send them a signup link, just mention it or forward them an email that you like/ learned something from. It goes a long way, and I’m a huge believer in word-of-mouth.
Product Updates
Imperial Hats will become available before end of year. I’m working on setting up a Shopify Store along with merch you can buy here. The Shopify store will be for special edition and limited-release merch only.
The newsletter will roll on 3x weekly on M/W/F, with our Saturday column for premium readers 1-2x per month.
A BTG WITB will be coming when we hit 5k subscribers or 10k Twitter followers, whichever comes first.
Accomplishments & Wins:
0 to 3k+ subscribers in a few months (organically) is something I am proud to say I have accomplished so far. But in reality? It’s just a number on a screen, and we’re just getting started. I love to write and opine on what I believe is important to preserve the game I care so deeply about.
I love creating and tiering golf items on Twitter, and a few have managed to go viral. It’s been a blast and a great way to get the word out about the superior brands and clothing in the game.
Failures & Learnings
I’ve scrapped CPC ads in the newsletter for now. The built in ad network that beehiiv provides is robust, and I could run ads fairly consistently, but the advertisers aren’t the right fit. There will be ads on the newsletter at some point, but it has to be the right fit for the audience. I’m going to be picky.
I’m trying to grow on Instagram. I’m not a visual person, and I also don’t really want to doxx myself yet. Any tips or insights for what you all want to see would be greatly appreciated.
Content for the Weekend - Walker Cup Edition
2017 Walker Cup Day 2 (full TV coverage, sickos only)
Thoughts, Questions, Suggestions?
Email me [email protected]
Talk soon,
BTG