Golf Cognoscente makes debut at PGA Merchandise Show

With boxes of the Golf Cognoscente magazine fresh from the printer in Commerce, Calif. arriving on the exact day of the HONMA Sake party, it was a back breaking pace for me at the PGA Merchandise Show. We were fortunate enough to have the GolfChannel Web site doing an on-camera interview, which we will see soon on www.golfchannel.com.

The Sake tasted great and I needed it! Traversing the Show floor several times gave me the opportunity to see our current marketing partners Antas, Dorfman-Pacific, Walter Genuin and Marbas. I had some great conversation with potential future marketing partners like the Golf Bar 1st and 10th Tee, Winston Golf Company, Tifosi sunglasses, Ahead, Nespresso, Malcolm de Mille etc.......

The print piece came out looking beautiful and the feedback was just great. It was good to reconnect with a lot of people and to show our new luxury Golf Cognoscente platform. I spent the evening with the Walter Genuin crew at Corona, the amazing cigar boutique on Sand Lake Road and have to confess....the beer tasted great!

The second day we had a Champagne party at Antas and a busy day circulating the magazine to make our presence known. I was honored to be invited to the HONMA dinner at Ming Court with the entire delegation from Japan. The new HONMA product looks absolutely fabulous and we are truly proud to have the Rolls Royce of golf clubs as our exclusive golf equipment marketing partner.

The third day is traditionally a little lighter in attendance, but I had the chance to finalize a lot of things, including a meeting with our potential British partner Fairway to Green. A lot of exciting opportunities will come out of this show, because we offer a niche print, Web, HD Video and event platform in the luxury golf market.

I am now settled in the Palm Beach area and invite everybody to become involved in our efforts to create a Consortium of luxury Golf brands that will execute at a world class level. We will soon announce our first event...stay tuned....

Ciao...

Auke.

The Aukesphere merges with www.golfcognoscente.com

Let me first wish all our Fashionable golf aficionado's a blessed Holiday season. I hope 2009 brings you health, prosperity and most importantly unprecedented Style!

I am stoked to announce that the Aukesphere will merge with our brand spanking new effort www.golfcognoscente.com , the multimedia platform, which we expect will be the benchmark for visceral execution in Golf photography and High Definition Video.

The logo you see on the right is created from our photo shoot at incredible Stone Eagle and will become our calling card. The Golf Cognoscente Consortium will lead the way in luxury golf brand marketing and will become the most fashionable address for all your Stylish Golf wardrobe, - accessories and equipment needs!

In 2009 look for in-depth features of all member brands and a killer introduction at the PGA Show with a sake hour at HONMA and a Chivas tasting at Antas. We will inform you of the GCC tapings and events ... you have to be there, to experience the finest in Golf & Style!!!!

I will see you at www.golfcognoscente.com and around the country at fabulous Golf venues.

Respectfully and always in Golf Cognoscente Style,

Auke.

Golf Cognoscente shoot at Stone Eagle in Palm Desert turns out simply ... SPREZZATURA

When five months of work culminate in one big day there is a lot on the line... We as the entire crew of Golf Cognoscente were so fortunate and blessed with all components coming together like MAGIC! It was simply ... Sprezzatura (effortless genius)!

The weather was Desert Supreme on Friday Dec. 5 .... clear and sunny mid-70s. We all arrived a day early on Thursday to scout the Awesome Stone Eagle property in haze and clouds. I had tried to add an automotive component to the shoot but to no avail ... well when we were getting ready to make the hike up to the golf course at 1100 feet of elevation, from the pro-shop this retro sounding car pulled up ... a mint condition Champagne 1940 Packard convertible owned by Stone Eagle member Robert MacLochlen. We found a way to get it ON the driving range by way of gravel path and security gate and it was the perfect Gatsby era prop to our shoot.

We combined an HD Video DVD shoot and photo shoot all in one day and ended up with 3.5 hours of High Definition Video content and 680 photographic images. Our Golf Iconoclasts were Stone Eagle Pro Emeritus Al Geiberger, Ashworth principal partner and creative Director John Ashworth and Renaissance Golf Course Architect Tom Doak.

The format is truly one of a kind. Play golf with our feature subjects of Golf Cognoscente Magazine at a spectacular venue and record it photographically and on HD video to create an authentic and visually compelling new multimedia platform in Golf. Scott Clark played a few holes with Tom Doak, yours truly played a few holes with John Ashworth and Tom Doak and John Ashworth played a few holes with John Ashorth draining a 25 footer on the 18th for a natural birdie! The Fashion shoot took place with the Packard on the range and on 18 and 19! My great friend Al Geiberger was our host and instructed both Tom Doak and myself. He also explained the single pivot technique and put some HONMA equipment to the test.

Over the next couple of weeks I will chronicle the entire shoot, but for now I want to thank my business partner Scott Clark, our videographer Whitey Wilson and our photographer Erika Seress for a Fabulous job pulling this all together. Our Golf Cognoscente marketing partners Antas Golf, Marbas, HONMA, Martin Dingman, Walter Genuin, Esquivel, Dorfman-Pacific, Jox Sox, MacKenzie golf bags and E-motion are true visionary companies for coming on board and sharing our vision.

I would like to thank John Fitzpatrick and Ted Lannon of Stone Eagle for allowing us to shoot at Stone Eagle, which Tom Doak calls his most visually dramatic project above Cape Kidnappers and Pacific Dunes ( I have proof ). It was a fantastic experience to shoot our premier issue at such an AWESOME and unique venue. From the pro-shop staff, to the golf pro, to the food & beverage staff ... the treatment was world-class!

Auke

Golf Cognoscente photo/HD Video DVD shoot set for Stone Eagle

What do you get when you put together like minded luxury Golf companies like HONMA golf equipment, Marbas Italian golf apparel, Martin Dingman leathergoods for life, Antas Golf hand tailored luxury in custom Golf slacks, Walter Genuin golf shoes, Esquivel custom shoes, E-motion sensor controlled electronic caddy, Mackenzie golf bags and Jox Sox ... Golf Cognoscente!

It almost looked like it was not going to happen, let's not pull the wool over the golf ball here ... times are tough these days. But here is proof that execution at a world class level will attract the right marketing partners.

I am delighted to report that John Ashworth will be there to shed his unique perspective on the world of authentic Style in Golf. The hottest Golf course designer on the planet, Tom Doak will "show" us the nuances and intricacies of Stone Eagle ... his gem in Palm Desert. My dear friend Al Geiberger will show us where to hit it at Stone Eagle and will uncover the secrets of the single pivot technique.

Golf Cognoscente will be launched in print at the PGA Merchandise Show with a launch party at HONMA during their first annual Sake-hour the first day of the Show and a cocktail hour at Antas Golf on the second day of the Show. Golf Cognoscente will only be available through our marketing partners and during the PGA Shows in Orlando and Las Vegas.

The shoot will be this Friday and we will share images and footage with our audience soon thereafter.

Stoked.......from Beverly Hills....Auke.

Golf Cognoscente taking shape beautifully in tough times

I am delighted to report that the premier issue of Golf Cognoscente is taking shape beautifully. We are receiving a tremendous amount of support in these tough times, due to the fact that we are creating a luxury lifestyle Golf magazine/HD video DVD property unlike any other.

The support from our publishing partner Beverly Hills Report is amazing and the content will be focusing in-depth on Couture and Golf. We will be shooting at Stone Eagle in Palm Desert on Dec. 5 and our major marketing partners HONMA equipment, Blue Star Jets private planes, Antas custom Golf slacks and Walter Genuin Golf shoes will be showcasing their product.

We can't wait to launch the premier issue at the PGA Show in Orlando and share our passion with 50,000 global attendees. I will keep you posted on developments closer to the publishing date.

Ciao....Auke.