Cybergolf Writers Reap Honors


A trio of Cybergolf writers has been recognized by their peers for their literary contributions to golf. The group includes Elisa Gaudet, Tony Dear and Jay Flemma.

Elisa, who handles our "On the Lip" column and hosts a website of the same name, was awarded first place by the International Network of Golf in the Travel Category for her Cybergolf article, "Golf a Romantic Affair at Cabin Bluff" (http://www.cybergolf.com/golf_news/no_bluffing_golf_a_romantic_affair_at_cabin_bluff).

Her citation came in late January. Just before being notified of the award, Elisa had released her first book, "Two Good Rounds: 19th Hole Stories from the World's Greatest Golfers," which, she informs us, is selling quite well.

Of her award, Elisa gave succinct credit to Cybergolf: "Thanks for all your help . . . always."

Tony Dear has won several writing awards over the years, with his latest also from ING. He received the Outstanding Achiever honor for his Cybergolf article, "One of These Shows Is Not Like the Other" (http://www.cybergolf.com/golf_news/one_of_these_shows_is_not_like_the_others) in which he took an inside look at the 2011 PGA Merchandise Show.

Tony has also been recognized through the annual contest conducted by the Golf Writers Association of America, including an Honorable Mention in 2011 for his piece on the Old Macdonald course at Bandon Dunes (http://www.cybergolf.com/golf_news/excitement_grows_over_old_macdonald).

After winning two 2007 Honorable Mentions for the News category on a feature about John Daly and in Special Projects for a story about Bulls Bay Golf Club, Jay Flemma finished second in the GWAA's 2012 Feature category for his piece on Dan Jenkins being named to the World Golf Hall of Fame (http://www.cybergolf.com/golf_news/dan_jenkins_doubleeagles_the_world_golf_hall_of_fame).

Jay, who has covered many major championships for Cybergolf alongside such great writers as Jenkins and another renowned Cybergolf contributor, Marino Parascenzo, is thrilled with this latest honor. "All thanks go to Cybergolf first," Jay said. "What a terrific place to call home, great writers and even better people. And a hearty congratulations to all the winners - especially Scott Michaux, Gene Wojciechowski from ESPN, and Jaime Diaz, the Lifetime Achievement Award winner.

"It's funny, I was packing my bags to leave for Albany for the weekend when the call came in from Jeff (Shelley, Cybergolf's editor) asking me to do the piece on Dan Jenkins," added Jay, whose "day job" is an entertainment attorney in New York City. "I couldn't believe the timing - it couldn't have been any worse because I was heading up to see a farewell concert of a rock band I'd repped as a lawyer for 15 years.

"There had been a six-month countdown to this final gig, a sort of 'This is your life party' for the band that everyone was going to attend, but I just couldn't pass up the chance to write about Jenkins. I fairly worship him as a writer and a role model. Besides - when the magazine needs you at crunch time, you have to come through. That's what it means to be a writer.

"So I made some last-minute phone calls and wrote a few apologetic emails to the band explaining what happened, unpacked and headed across the street to the little Greek restaurant to unpack and start writing over Greek coffee and mussels marinara.

"You couldn't ask for a better subject, the article pretty much wrote itself. At first I was petrified because here I am trying to write about Jenkins, but as we all know, there's no one like him. But over the weekend I got wonderful reminiscences from other writers and even had a few laughs with Dan himself. I laughed so hard with everybody I forgot about being nervous and just wrote what I felt about him in my heart. After all, there's a whole tent-full of us who all feel the same way about him. You can't help but make people happy with a subject like Dan.

"I'm really thrilled and grateful," Jay concluded. "They say the praise of the praiseworthy is the greatest reward of all, and when good people like the GWAA, the guys at Cybergolf, and all the folks at Golf Magazine are happy with my work, I know I did something right. These people are the greatest sportswriters in the world, and the ability to work with them in the media tent at tournaments is both an honor and a privilege I cherish deeply. And getting to mix what I love - golf and writing - and make a living out of it is a heartwarming blessing. The next tournament can't get here fast enough for me."

We congratulate and thank all our writers for their outstanding contributions to Cybergolf.