After two years, three design companies and several start-and-stop attempts at giving the golf public a fresh new online destination, Fairways + Greens magazine has launched its long-awaited new website, www.fgmagazine.com.
Right of the first tee, the clean and accessible new site offers four issues’ worth of FG Magazine’s award-winning content dating back to October 2006, with dozens more archived issues to come over the next several months. There’s also an online “Shop” stop powered by www.mortongolfsales.com with thousands of products at their fingertips, including several FG favorites from the pages of America’s only “SuperRegional” golf publication. The “Play” zone helps players search for courses, get booking information and download maps and special offers. Soon to come is complete video and audio support including staff and industry dispatches from all corners of the golf universe, podcasts, photo galleries from FG’s vast image collection and much more.
But what really sets this site apart is its Web 2.0 (3.0?) look, feel and “community” sensibility. Through “Speak” and “Connect” mini-sites, FGmagazine.com visitors can join the publisher’s exclusive online community powered by cutting-edge GolfBuzz software. In a few quick sign-up keystrokes they’ll enjoy special subscription and contest offers and join in a golf-centric family of fellow players who use to site to log scores and track their on-course stats, add friends to their personal digital clubhouses, blog about their favorite courses and travel destinations and become part of FG’s living, breathing virtual inner circle.
“Over the past two years we’ve struggled to come up with just the right mix of traditional content and forward-pushing community tools, and we think we’ve done it,” says Vic Williams, FG’s publishing partner and executive editor. “And this launch only hints at what’s to come. We want to be the golfer’s go-to portal for everything they need to fill their bags with the latest equipment, scope out under-the-radar courses and play the trips of their dreams — with a decade’s worth of FG’s expert coverage right there to help them research places to play, stay, dine and generally enjoy life.”
Besides carefully edited direct online content, fgmgazine.com also provides links to complete digital editions of FG’s print product through Texterity software. Each issue is complete as it looks in print, with a page-turning interface and live links to all advertising and editorial content.
Celebrating its 10th year of covering golf, travel and lifestyle for the West and beyond, FG’s next issue — its popular year-end Signature Series — will feature a “boxing” theme pitting great golf destinations in head-to-head matchups. The main event is Pebble vs. Bandon, with undercards including Reno-Tahoe vs. Central Oregon, Las Vegas vs. Phoenix-Scottsdale, Santa Barbara vs. San Diego and several more. The issue will also include FG’s Holiday Buyers Guide, and will be distributed in late October.
For more information, visit fgmagazine.com or call (877) 399-4733.
