CONCEPT
A NEW PLATFORM FOR GOLF’S CULTURE MAKERS
Contours offers a pathway to enjoy the greatest game in the world on a deeper level. We’re here for the golfer who senses there’s something more to the game - those who don't just want to look down at their scorecard, but instead look up and to take it all in.
We do this by supporting talented, globally-minded and original creators and culture makers within the game of golf.
The appetite for a stronger connection to the places we enjoy the game is growing – Contours helps bridge the gap between those making waves in the golf industry and those who play the game, by providing a space for golf creators to tell their stories.
We showcase the best and most interesting golf courses in the world, but also how to enjoy getting there, staying there and playing there. We go deeper, explore further and strike harder —elevating the experience of planning, dreaming about and enjoying the game of golf.
By working with Contours, our network of contributors gain the weight of a respected masthead, the support of our editorial team, a minimalist yet visually rich online platform, and the chance to be part of an annual printed book that will become a collectors item.
Contours offers a new model that we believe is better for creators, better for golfers and better for the game.
REMARKABLE
STORIES FROM AN EXTRAORDINARY GAME
Our stories should leave our readers and followers wanting to relay what they have read, heard or seen through Contours.
With a core focus of covering the most interesting golf courses in the world, renowned for their course design and playing experience, we also tell stories of how we got there, the little luxuries found along the way, the authentic or rare golf experiences that we uncovered, insights into the industry and into the people who make golf the greatest game. Some of the key topics we hope to cover on a regular basis includes:
ELITE GOLF COURSES + RARE GOLF EXPERIENCES
GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTURE + CONSTRUCTION
AUTHENTIC + LUXURY TRAVEL EXPERIENCES
INNOVATIVE EQUIPMENT + GOLF FASHION
INDUSTRY PROFILES + INTERVIEWS
“Nothing is more endangered in the modern world than the powerful combination of hard work toward meaningful goals joined with an exuberant embrace of the present moment.”
– Old Tom Morris
BENEFITS
FOR CREATORS, GOLFERS + THE GAME
By contributing to Contours, you become part of a collective of talented golf creators with the backing of a respected masthead. Contours will champion your work ethically and enthusiastically.
As a platform founded by creative workers, we will ensure you will always own your own content, have complete editorial control, and that appearing in Contours is an easy and valuable addition to your workflow. We want to empower golf’s culture makers to tell their own stories, make the game a more diverse, fun and interesting place to be, and help them make money doing it.
Digital
Contours supports our contributors with a complete digital publishing service on contours.golf. Contours will feature a weekly story running from February 1st – November 31st (42 weeks per year) that includes:
- A clean, advertising free, minimalist digital platform
- Beautiful typography, innovative layouts and high resolution, large-format imagery
- Editorial freedom, with guidance and ideation if requested
- Copy editing and transparent feedback and advice if requested
- Image optimisation and sharp presentation
- Sleek video embedding and playback
- Multiple customised layout templates to make your work shine
- Responsive design for mobile and desktop reading
- High performance servers
- Promotion of you and your work on our social channels
- Contributor profile pages including links to your work
- Ability to create your own subscriber base and monetise your work*
*Product roadmap late 2023
The top 25 – 30 stories from each season of Contours will feature in The Contours Annual – a timeless, collectable record of the most remarkable golf that we uncovered each year.
- Annual large-format, softcover coffee table book
- Textured cover with debossed masthead and unique UV coating
- 280 – 300 pages of heavy paper stock with a rich lustre finish
- Generous full colour spreads that respect and champion your work
- Grid-based layouts, minimalist aesthetic, bold creative typography design
- Beautifully printed photography & artworks
- All pre-press processing including ink conversion and optimisation
- Pre-sales announced through Contours channels in September
- Official launch October 1st every year
- Promoted through Contours channels with contributor features
- Shipping worldwide
CONTRIBUTOR TYPES
Contours provides an unique, specialist platform for golf photographers to present their work. Through our minimalist, generous and innovative page layouts that offer full width, high resolution images, the process of presenting your work online will be both easy and exciting.
For freelance photographers, use the backing of the Contours masthead to make approaching potential clients easier. Publishing with us offers you a powerful point of difference as a creator, by being able to present a client’ brand, destination or club in an authentic editorial setting, and promoted to a highly desirable audience.
In addition, our annual print edition brings the opportunity to have your work presented in a timeless, high quality publication that is set to grace clubhouse coffee tables all over the world.
Contours provides a space for those actively working on the design and construction of golf courses and facilities to tell their stories to an audience hungry to learn about their work. Build your global profile by engaging with our audience on a regular basis on topics such as:
- Expressing your golf design philosophy
- Providing updates on current projects
- Sharing research or trends in your field
- Telling anecdotes or remarkable stories from your experiences working in golf
Superintendents and golf course maintenance crew are some of the most dedicated, knowledgeable and interesting people in the game of golf. With access to some of the most unique and beautiful moments out on course, combined with an interest and passion for the finer details of the game, Contours can provide a space for you to educate and engage our readers.
- Turfgrass knowledge, tips and trends
- Stories from the cultivations of indigenous plants and natural areas
- Sharing research or trends in your field, for example in sustainability
- Telling anecdotes or remarkable stories from your experiences working in golf
For golf writers, Contours offers a well respected, uncluttered home for your carefully crafted words. With the support of the Contours editorial team, we will help ensure your work engages one of the most influential golf audiences in the world.
For directors producing video pieces built around the world’s greatest game, Contours offers an agency-style backing for your work. With a firm eye on the latest in visual story telling from around the world, there is no better way to reach a highly engaged audience of passionate golfers than through the Contours platform.
For artists specialising in golf who are looking for a clean, gallery style setting to present their work, Contours is the obvious choice. Offering a high level of respect and love for artistic works, Contours actively collaborates and elevates the work of artists.
AMBIENT GOLF VIDEO CONCEPT – ROYAL MELBOURNE WEST
HOW IT WORKS
1. Submit
Submit your story electronically using our simple submission form that will walk you through the submission guidelines to ensure all the files are what we need.
2. Feedback
Contours team provides honest, transparent feedback, and an initial copy edit if required. We bring value to the relationship by being clear about what works and what doesn't for your audience and ours.
3. Changes
Submit your updates, changes or additions based on our feedback and suggestions. Our aim is to elevate your work and help build your audience, so this step is crucial in bringing out the best the article can be.
4. Drafting
The Contours team creates a draft story on Contours.golf, including a final copy edit, that tell your story in the most engaging way, maximises the features of the Contours platform and makes your work shine.
5. Approval
We'll send you a working link to the story, which you then respond to with feedback or changes. We will quickly adjust and workshop the story towards final approval and an article you can be proud of.
6. Publish
Final changes are implemented, a release date is set that suits us both and the story is published on contours.golf
7. Promote
Once live, Contours promotes your story through the Contours email list and social channels, and you can promote to your own following too.
8. Print
At the end of the year, the best performing stories will be considered for The Contours Annual print edition - a collectable coffee table book featuring the most remarkable stories from the year.
