Monday, June 10, 2013

Writing Process


I think my biggest struggle for this assignment was bringing Grand Prairie to life. It's a very unique golf course and Ann and Jim are really great people, so I hope I did them justice. In my redrafting for the second piece, my main focus was to make the family element of the course more clear. I tried to emphasize how Ann and Jim's family has made Grand Prairie what is to today, and explain why they want to retire to the little course instead of San Antonio, Texas. I talked with Ann's daughter Caitlan, so I think that helped to bring in the family element also.

Overall, I'm pretty pleased with the end result. The writing and reporting process was less stressful this time around, but I still worry that the piece isn’t focused enough. I tried to bring more of the family element into the lede by making the connection to Grand Prairie being like Ann’s home. I also switched the opening scene from the Thursday night women’s league to a young family I observed right before I interviewed Ann. I tried re-working where I put the course description, but in the end, I felt it worked out better by leaving at the beginning of the piece.

Slideshow


A Family Affair


Grand Prairie is a nine hole public golf course with 1,710 yards of gently rolling terrain. It’s located on Grand Prairie Rd., its namesake, just off of Drake Rd. Twelve golf carts are neatly parked in three rows to the side of the pro shop, a small, light blue wood-sided building that resembles the modest family homes that line the street. A “life is good” sticker smiles in the center of the green door’s glass frame. 

Entering the pro shop is like being welcomed into the home of Ann Roscheck, 54, manager of Grand Prairie. The combination of her kind face, framed by her golden brown bob, and the intimate ambience of the pro shop, creates a family feeling that hangs in the air alongside the faint aroma of baking chocolate chip cookies. Single plastic roses, bolstered by fake daisies and babies breath, are neatly compiled in clear glass vases centered on each of the six tables in the corner. A black frame on the countertop displays a picture of Ann’s son Anthony holding his newborn daughter Anna.

Behind the counter is Ann’s daisy dog Bogie, who immediately attracts the attention of two young boys with miniature golf bags strapped to their backs, entering the pro shop with their parents. The dad heads straight to the counter to pay for golf, whereas the mom scans the racks and walls of women’s golf equipment and apparel. More than 80 percent of all floor merchandise is tailored to women, except for three hanging men’s polos, and several non-pink golf bags and golf balls.
“Tommy, isn’t this cute?” the woman asks her husband, holding up a floral pink skort to her waist. He feigns a smile, but Ann is quick to jump in, sensing the husband’s disinterest.

“That will be perfect for golfing in the summer,” she beams, shining a white smile. “I need to get a few for myself.”

Unlike the typical golf establishment, Grand Prairie’s short course caters to “old betties, young kids, and college students,” according to Ann. It’s welcoming to newcomers and doesn’t shy away from families and children. In fact, along with junior leagues, Grand Prairie hosts instruction at their course for the Junior Golf Association.

“We’re all about families,” Ann says, tugging at her silver watch. “We know our customers and we know their families. People walk in, they tell you their life story, and bring all their children.”

Ann and her husband Jim, 61, have been operating Grand Prairie since 1991. The golf course is owned by the Township, so the couple leases the property in a series of five year agreements.

“We operate the golf course and pay the Township a percentage of our revenue from green fees and memberships,” Jim explains. “The concessions and merchandise are ours, but basically we operate the golf course inside and out for the Township.”

Jim looks as if he belongs in the pages of Golf Digest, sporting khaki dockers and a grey Ralph Lauren sweater, paired with white golf shoes. 

Previous to Grand Prairie, Jim managed the three city owned golf courses for 28 years: Eastern Hills, Milham Park, and Red Arrow.

Since 2000, the couple has been living in San Antonio, Texas, where Jim operates seven golf courses. Ann comes to Kalamazoo in April when Grand Prairie opens and heads back down to San Antonio when the course closes in September. They alternate between Texas and Michigan at least once a month, though they try to see each other every two weeks. Jim is currently in Kalamazoo awaiting the birth of another grandchild -- the third in four months.

To Ann and Jim, golf and family are synonymous, as it was golf that brought them together in the first place.

“I was seeing this guy, it was nothing serious but he was really in to golf,” Ann explains. “He tried teaching me, but every time we went out both of us ended up frustrated. So I decided to get a professional lesson and Jim happened to be my instructor.”

“I swept her away from her boyfriend and changed her life forever,” he says, a large grin stretching across his sun-tanned face.

Ann bursts out in a fit of laughter, and nods her head. “It’s true,” she smiles. 

The couple has been married for 27 years and, together, have five kids from their previous marriages. Their children and their parents have all worked at the golf courses they have managed. 

“It’s very much a family business,” says daughter Caitlan Stangl. Caitlan, 29, is a realtor at Jacqua Realtors in Kalamazoo. She has only worked at Grand Prairie for the 2012 season, but says that she has been associated with the course her entire life.

 “With Grand Prairie you really become familiar with all aspects of the business and can better serve everyone,” she says.

Caitlan has two daughters: an 11-week-old baby Annie, named after her mother, and seven-year-old step daughter Ella. As a mother herself, she is inspired by her parents, recalling a very pleasant childhood.

“We’re a blended family with exes and step children and half children and different fathers and mothers,” she says, exhaling heavily. “It all gets very complicated.” However, as busy and difficult as she knows it must have been for her parents, she remembers the vacations, fun in the pool, lemonade stands, and movie nights.

Caitlan has witnessed her parents’ relationship evolve throughout their marriage, and notes that the distance during Grand Prairie’s operation isn’t easy on them.

 “After this many years, this many trials and tests, they still want to be near and close to each other,” says Caitlan. “My mom will be sad when Jim goes back to Texas, but she has me, my brother and her grand kids to keep her company.”

Given the strong bond of the Roscheck family, it is no wonder why Grand Prairie deliberately caters to families. This family influence has helped Grand Prairie differentiate itself from the 10 other golf courses in Kalamazoo, and the additional 15 within Kalamazoo County. 

“We have a very unique situation in Kalamazoo because there’s too many golf courses for its population,” Ann says. This factor, combined with the decreasing popularity of the sport nationwide has put a lot of pressure on local courses to lower their prices.

According to National Golf Foundation statistics, the number of golfers in the U.S. has fallen by 13% in the past five years, and golf memberships have dropped by one million since the early 1990’s.

Time and money are key factors in the sport’s decreasing popularity. However, it is exactly these factors that have contributed to Grand Prairie’s success.
“When all the other golf courses were really struggling, we were doing really well,” Ann explains. When golfers couldn’t afford to play at their country clubs, Grand Prairie became a more economical option.

A round of golf at Grand Prairie is $8 and $14 to ride, compared to $20 to ride at Milham Park and $17 at Eastern Hills. Grand Prairie also offers special pricing for students, seniors, and juniors.

In addition to affordable pricing, seniors like Sylvia Tyler, 65, are drawn to the course’s short length.

“I’m old,” she says with a grin in her purple polo and plaid shorts combination. “I can’t get around like I used to. Nine holes is plenty.” Sylvia has been golfing at Grand Prairie for 22 years, and plays on the Kit Kats, the Thursday night women’s league. 

Ann has found that their nine hole course also suits the needs of families.

 “Our lifestyles have changed,” she says. “Fathers are more involved with raising their children, and it’s expensive. If they can get around the course in an hour, as opposed to five, they’re saving time and money.”

Tom Button, 51, has been golfing at Grand Prairie since 1991. He lives half a mile down the road, first coming to the course with his two sons. Both of them participated in the Junior Golf Association instruction and learned how to golf at the course. Their youngest son, Zach, now 22, worked at Grand Prairie for six years.

“With the kids out of the house we really just come out and play for fun,” Tom explains. His wife has just begun taking instruction from Ann and they both play on a mixed league, the Twilighters. “We know Ann and Jim really well so it’s a nice environment to play golf in,” he says.

Ann and Jim plan to maintain the family friendly atmosphere by keeping the course in the hands of their family. Ann says that eventually the plan is for Jim to leave his current position in Texas and retire to Grand Prairie. Two of their children currently live in the Kalamazoo area, and another is planning on moving back shortly.

“We both love Texas, but our family is here,” Ann explains. “We want to retire and spend time with our grand children. We also have parents here that we will eventually have to take care of.”

Ann hints that she’d like Jim to retire sooner, rather than later, and says that “he’d spend his days giving instruction and cutting the grass.”

Jim lets out a loud cackle and runs his fingers through his white-grey hair.
“That’s what you get when you marry a younger woman, they’re always trying to keep you going,” he says. “But you’re right, Grand Prairie would be a nice place to retire to.”




Word Count: 1,583
Intended Publication: The Kalamazoo Gazette



Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Gospel Mission Drafts

So I decided to delete my Gospel Mission drafts. In the past few classes we've been talking about our responsibility as journalists, and it's made me think about my article in particular. The people that I spoke with are in incredibly vulnerable situations -- they rely on the Gospel Mission for food and shelter, and yet they were willing to share their insights in to the forced aspect of religion in exchange for the Mission's services -- for that I am very grateful. Even though I did not include my subjects' last names, Gospel Mission is mentioned and so is the director. Therefore, I thought I owed it to my subjects to respect their situations and take down the posts. I thought I'd share that with all of you just in case anyone stumbles across my blog and notices there are some gaps..

Monday, June 3, 2013

Process Writing

Grand Prairie is an incredibly unique golf course and I hope that comes across in my writing. I really enjoyed working with Ann and Jim. I spent a lot of time there and they were very welcoming and helped me with everything I needed -- their warmth is definitely characteristic of Ann and Jim as a couple, but also of Grand Prairie as an establishment. Talking with Ann, she told me about the unique situation Kalamazoo is in with too many golf courses for its population. Therefore, doing more research about national statistics of golf's popularity, I decided to frame Grand Prairie as a business model and state of mind that is in response to the waning life of the sport -- how Grand Prairie is working to redefine what golf is through their short course and unique clientele.

I know I talk about that angle in my piece, but I'm wondering if it needs to be more clear. I still have to go back and add in many more narrative details and descriptions, particularly about Ann and Jim, as well as Tom Button and Sylvia Tyler. For this draft I'm most concerned with structure and the quality of information. All your ideas and comments are definitely appreciated!

Grand Prairie Profile Rough Draft


Grand Prairie Golf Course sits quaintly on its 1,710 yards of gently rolling terrain. Twelve golf carts are neatly parked in three rows to the side of the pro shop, a small, light blue wood-sided building that resembles the modest family homes that line Grand Prairie Rd. The front of the pro shop faces an expanse of green, and a tall, white flag pole hoisting an American flag that waves high above the one story building. A “life is good” sticker smiles in the center of the green door’s glass frame. 

Entering Grand Prairie’s pro shop is like being welcomed into someone’s home. A faint aroma of baking chocolate chip cookies hangs deliciously in the air. Floral headboards adorn the windows and single plastic roses, bolstered by fake daisies and babies breath, are neatly compiled in clear glass vases centered on each of the six tables in the corner. Grand Prairie is a golf course with a woman’s touch as the homey decor is accompanied by explosions of pink throughout the pro shop: pink golf bags, pink apparel, and even a chest of pink and yellow balls, dispersed with the occasional white straggler here and there. Over 80% of all floor merchandise is tailored to women, except for three hanging men’s polos, and several non-pink golf bags and golf balls.

Ann Roscheck, manager of Grand Prairie, stands smiling behind the counter in the back of the pro shop with her Daisy dog, Bogie. [insert description]. The Kit Kats, the Thursday night women’s league, pour through the door wet and sticky from a rainy two hours of golf. 

“Ann, I have a complaint,” bursts Sylvia Tyler, 65, approaching the counter in her purple polo and purple plaid shorts combination. “You didn’t tell the golf gods to turn the rain off!” 

“Every year on Thursday, for the last two years, it rains for the Kit Kats,” Ann explains. The Kit Kats are one of Grand Prairie’s oldest leagues. Sylvia, for example, has been a Kit Kat for 22 years.

“We have our own niche here at Grand Prairie,” Ann says. Unlike the typical golf course, Grand Prairie is only 9 holes and caters to “old betties, young kids and college students.” 

Ann and her husband Jim have been operating Grand Prairie since 1991. The golf course is owned by the Township, so the couple leases the property in a series of five year agreements.

“We operate the golf course and pay the Township a percentage of our revenue from green fees and memberships,” Jim explains. “The concessions and merchandise are ours, but basically we operate the golf course inside and out for the township.”

[insert description of Jim]

Previous to Grand Prairie, the couple managed the three city owned golf courses for 28 years: Eastern Park, Millham, and Red Arrow.

Since 2000, the couple has been living in San Antonio, Texas, where Jim operates seven golf courses. Ann comes to Kalamazoo in April when Grand Prairie opens and heads back down to San Antonio when the course closes in September. They alternate between Texas and Michigan at least once a month, though they try to see each other every two weeks. Jim is currently in Kalamazoo awaiting the birth of another grand child -- the third in four months.

He says that clientele is what differentiates Grand Prairie from the larger golf courses he has managed.

“Grand Prairie is more family friendly where as the other courses cater more to men. Here it’s women, more seniors, and more children on a course better suited to their skill level.”

It is this unique clientele that has differentiated Grand Prairie from the 10 other golf courses in Kalamazoo, and the additional 15 within Kalamazoo County.

“We have a very unique situation in Kalamazoo because there’s too many golf courses for its population,” Ann says. “Golf has really gone down since 9/11. The sport can’t keep dropping and survive.”

According to National Golf Foundation statistics, the number of golfers in the U.S. has fallen by 13% in the past five years, and golf memberships have dropped by one million since the early 1990’s.

Time and money are key factors in the sport’s decreasing popularity. However, it is exactly these factors that have contributed to Grand Prairie’s success.

“When all the other golf courses were really struggling, we were doing really well,” Ann explains. When golfers couldn’t afford to play at their country clubs, Grand Prairie became a more economical option. “Our lifestyles have changed,” she continues. “Fathers are more involved with raising their children, and it’s expensive. If they can get around the course an hour, as opposed to five, they’re saving time and money.”

Grand Prairie is helping to redefine golf by appealing to new types of golfers and changing the stiff stereotypes associated with the sport.

“Golf can be fun, it’s okay for golf to be fun,” says Anne.

That is why Grand Prairie has created an environment that welcomes new comers and doesn’t shy away from families and children. 

“Most big courses don’t embrace children, they actually kind of cringe. But we love children, she says.” In addition to junior leagues, Grand Prairie also hosts instruction at their course for the Junior Golf Association (JGA).

Ann provides lessons for golfers of all ages and all skill levels, often handing off her appointment book to Jim when he’s in town to take refuge in the air conditioned pro shop. 

“New golfers feel comfortable here,” Jim explains. “People unfamiliar with our golf course think they’re going to come here and zip around and play unimpeded, but that’s not the case. We have people learning out there.”

Tom Button, 51, has been coming to Grand Prairie since 1990. He lives half a mile down the road, first coming to the course with his two sons. They participated in JGA instruction and learned how to golf at Grand Prairie. Their youngest son, Zach, now 22, worked at the course for six years.

“With the kids out of the house we really just come out and play for fun,” Tom explains. His wife has just begun taking instruction from Ann and they both play on a mixed league, ‘The Twilighters.’ “We know Ann and Jim really well so it’s a nice environment to play golf in.”

“We’re all about families,” Ann explains. “We know our customers and we know their families. People walk in, they tell you their life story, and bring all their children.”

For Ann and Jim golf and family are synonymous.

“Golf has always been a huge part of our family,” Jim says. “Our kids have all worked at the golf courses, our parents have all worked at the courses -- it’s always been a big part of our lives.”

“In fact, I met Ann Marie at a golf lesson,” he says as a large grin stretches across his sun-tanned face. “I swept her away from her boyfriend and changed her life forever.”

Ann bursts out in a fit of laughter, and nods her head. “It’s true,” she smiles. 

The couple plans to keep Grand Prairie in the hands of their family.

“Eventually, the plan is for Jim to retire from his current position and move back to Kalamazoo full time and retire to Grand Prairie,” she says, giving him a slight nudge. “He’d spend his days giving instruction and cutting the grass.”

Jim lets out a loud cackle, running his fingers though his white-grey hair. 

“That’s what you get when you marry an older woman,” he says. “But you’re right, Grand Prairie would be a nice place to retire to.”

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Show and Tell

I read a lot of New Yorker and New York Times profiles ranging from Taylor Swift to Michelle Obama to Paul Higgis and Scientology. None of the profiles really gave me a sense of the "real" person behind the fame, which is something that I look for in a profile -- a deeper sense of the subject.  So I kept looking for something else and stumbled upon "Notable Narratives" from the Nieman Storyboard website. From 2006 to 2010, the Nieman Narrative Digest featured "outstanding examples of narrative journalism drawn from newspapers, magazines, radio and television." I pulled a few articles here and there and finally found one that hooked me.

"Remember His Name" by Gary Smith was published in Sports Illustrated in 2006, about Pat Tillman's service/death in the military told through the lens of Tillman's friend Russ Baer. Tillman played in the NFL for the Cardinals and enlisted in the Army after the 9/11 attack, and was killed in friendly fire in 2004 that was covered up by the military.

What I finally found in Smith's story, that I couldn't find in the profiles I had read, was a sense of character. Smith really uncovers the complexity of Tillman -- he wasn't your average red-blooded patriot that you would expect from someone who leaves a lucrative football career and joins the army. He was an atheist, and he didn't always (if ever) agree with the political situation in Afghanistan. This article isn't the best piece of narrative that I've read -- at times it can be a little jarring as it is told through the lens of Tillman's friend, and it is quite long -- however, the sense of character is incredibly strong and well done. Smith always does a good job in recreating scene weaving in elements from Tillman's past, military involvement and Russ's present situation.

Although using Russ as a lens was at time a little confusing, as I mentioned, I also thought that it was a really interesting way to frame the story. The beginning and the ending are strongly linked and I really enjoyed the overall setup. I always struggle with ledes and how to enter in to in article and Smith has really given me a lot to think about. 

Here's the link in case you want to check it out:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/magazine/09/05/tillman0911/6.html