Forget the Golf Channel’s The Big Break. If you really want to get a sense of what it takes to succeed at the highest levels of golf, then you’ll want to tune into The Grind 2007, an online reality show conceived and sponsored by Odyssey, makers of the new White Hot XG Marxman and Black Series milled putters. Unlike most reality shows, this one is actually…real. And in the end, it will likely all come down to one thing: the putting.
The Grind is the true story of four golfers who have devoted their lives to the sport and who are currently playing on the Nationwide Tour, the proving ground for the PGA. More than just purses or trophies, they’re competing for a Tour Card—the coveted ticket to the pros—by finishing in the top 25 of single season earnings. This is the second year for The Grind, following last year’s inaugural season.
Your four grinders this year are Bryn Parry, Ben Bates, Chad Collins and Ricky Barnes. On The Grind 2007 web site, you can read their journal entries, watch videos, send them comments and questions, and ultimately get an unprecedented glimpse at daily life on the Nationwide Tour.
PutterZone.com asked Rob Arluna, director of brand management for Odyssey, to explain the origins of The Grind. According to Rob: “The genesis of The Grind was the notion that it all comes down to one putt, which is something we talk a lot about at Odyssey. What separates the guys who make it from those who don’t is usually the putting. If you make that last putt on the last hole, then you get your shot at the big leagues.”
He continued, “What we wanted to do was chronicle what it takes to be on the Nationwide Tour. There are a lot of people out there who feel that if they just quit their day job, they could go out and make it. We wanted to give those people a dose of reality and a sense of what it really takes. We wanted to explore some of the characters on the Nationwide Tour, and to show what’s involved in getting from tournament to tournament, to reveal what bad days—and good days—look like through the eyes of the players.”
Check it out at www.TheGrind2007.com.
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Forget the Golf Channel’s The Big Break. If you really want to get a sense of what it takes to succeed at the highest levels of golf, then you’ll want to tune into The Grind 2007, an online reality show conceived and sponsored by Odyssey, makers of the new White Hot XG Marxman and Black Series milled putters. Unlike most reality shows, this one is actually…real. And in the end, it will likely all come down to one thing: the putting. 
