Former PGA Professional Joins Medford’s Affluent USA Magazine Writing Team

MEDFORD, Oregon—Jay Ewing, former PGA member and founder of Bird Golf Academy in Avondale, Arizona, has joined the writing team of southern Oregon-based Affluent magazine. Starting with the July/August 2007 issue, Ewing will become the Senior Golf Editor and write what he calls “Out of the Box” golf-related articles that will inspire, amuse and educate readers.

“I’m one of the lucky people who get to do what they love doing,” Ewing says, referring to playing golf and seizing the opportunity to write about the sport that has earned him some coveted titles. His latest win happened in 1998 at the World Pro Am at Pebble Beach. A year later, Ewing founded Bird Golf Academy to ensure that his personal golfing philosophy would reach a global student population.

To date, Ewing and his 20-pllus LPGA- and PGA-membered staff have provided professional golf instruction to students in every state of the nation and in 43 countries around the world. As he originally planned, Ewing is fulfilling his vision to provide students with the "Ultimate Golf Learning Experience®.”

While golf is at the center of Ewing’s work and play, he is no stranger to the luxury lifestyle. He admits to growing up with a silver spoon, to being educated with members of the British royal family and having such a strong connection to author James Michener, he called him Uncle Jimmy. “I was 12 years old before I realized Uncle Jimmy was a famous writer,” Ewing says. “We were close and he spent a lot of time talking to me about writing. I like to think that I learned something from him.”

Ewing is an author of two books and writes for both trade and mainstream publications. For Affluent, the golf pro says he will go off the beaten track of standard golf stories to give readers a fresh perspective on the sport and related subjects. An example of an article Ewing is considering for Affluent is on golf fashion, which he calls an oxymoron. “I have newspaper articles with pictures of myself in the early ‘80s. I was particularly garish then, but golf fashion in those days was borderline disgraceful,” he says. “It’s gotten better, but a golfer’ wardrobe tends not to be fashionable. I’d like to help change that if I can.”

The addition of Ewing to the Affluent writing staff comes on the heels of Editor-In-Chief D. W. Allen’s announcement that Stefanie Michaels, also known as Adventure Girl, would be joining the magazine as its Senior Travel Writer. According to Allen, the magazine is partnering with niche writers around the country to provide readers with an increased level of enjoyment and to gain credibility as a national publication. “We are in our third year as a company and have worked hard to establish a foundation of excellence,” he says. “At this point, we are moving into our next phase of publishing.”

Affluent serves a well-cultured population that desires relevant information that will enhance their luxury lifestyle. Though the magazine is based in Southern Oregon, it has an international scope, with feature stories that highlight things to do, places to see and products that improve the way of life for the financially fit.