“We can’t wait to get On the Road Again”

“We can’t wait to get On the Road Again”

by Cam Schultz

April 29, 2019 marks the 86^th birthday of country music legend and my all-time favorite songwriter Willie Nelson. Shotgun Willie’s way with words have always marveled me. So much so I often listen to his music when looking for literary inspiration.

That’s where I found myself a couple days ago. Listening to Sirius XM channel 59 when VGM Club’s very own red-headed stranger, Mike Woltz, walked in my office. (Mike fancies himself a strawberry blond but let’s stay with the former for the sake of this blog post.)

As Mike told me about his upcoming May travels, a familiar riff faintly played in the background:

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♪On the road again♪

♪I just can’t wait to get on the road again…♪

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“That’s it, Mike!” I exclaimed. “Willie and you just gave me our next blog post!” Mike quickly left my office with a confused look on his face.

                                           ♪The life I love is makin’ music with my friends♪

For everyone’s sake (thankfully) we’re not making music but rather talking shop with our friends—traveling from coast to coast connecting with our members and partners that is. The VGM club team will see over 1,200 of our members and nearly 300 partner contacts in the month of May alone. From seeing dozens of turfheads, chefs, and club managers at various chapter events we support to driving through the gates of individual clubs we service, our team looks forward to help in any way we can. Here are a few special trips on tap this month:

• Our red-headed stranger (you all remember Mike) and Carla Boss will be flipping burgers and supporting the  volunteers helping VGM member Kasey Kauff as Trinity Forest Golf Club hosts the AT&T Byron Nelson again this year. Along with donating our time, we are supporting with some funds and these cooling towels which will come in handy for everyone if temperatures hit the century mark like they did last year.
• Chris Kehe and Mike Sawyer are looking to defend their title at this year’s Chicago Club Chef Association charity golf outing. (Come on guys, haven’t you ever heard of playing business golf!) Don’t worry though, Chris and Mike are givers too. They helped raise over $13,000 for the association with the help of VGM partners Sysco, ALSCO, Gatorade, Chef’s Cut Real Jerky, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Chef Works, Jackson Family Wines, and Lagunitas Brewing Company. (link to landing pages, alcohol companies link to Top Shelf page)
• Our Carolina crew of James Hockman and Maddie Bertsch will be waking up early each morning of the Wells Fargo Championship to lend a hand to Keith Wood & his team at Quail Hollow Club. At least all the volunteers will be well hydrated thanks to our friends at PepsiCo who donated cases of water and their new Gatorade Zero. James, let’s make sure those bunkers are raked very smoothly!

                                           ♪Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway…♪

…and the runway, and the hallways. In order to see that many friends in the club industry, our team will travel through 31 states, drive over 23,000 miles, board 73 connecting flights, and log 135 hotel room night stays.

                                           ♪and our way is on the road again♪

It’s a labor of love that we all share. The best way to spread the value of VGM Club to those in our industry is to be right there with them. So we hit the road in May. And we’ll do it again in June. And in July...

It’s a sweet song that keeps on playing.