You read Tom Coyne's wonderful book about buying a run down golf course in the Catskills. You felt inspired. You laughed at Bill Murray showing up to dig bunkers. You cheered for the regulars in jeans who paid in cash. But then you put the book down and thought, "What can I do? I don't own a golf course." This guide is your answer. "Digging In" takes the core lessons from Coyne's journey and turns them into 13 hands on exercises for anyone who wants to care for a scruffy local place. A forgotten park. A weedy community garden. A dirty bus stop. A lonely bench. You do not need money, land, or experience. You need eyes to see what others walk past and hands willing to get dirty. Each chapter includes a lesson from Sullivan County, a diagnostic for your own place, a small exercise, a reflection prompt, and a rally tracker. You will take ugly photos, interview regulars, ask for discounts from local businesses, write a setback journal, plant flowers, honor forgotten history, and even create a symbolic supporter tier for friends who live far away. Written in plain language with no textbook formality, this guide is for readers who finished "A Course Called Home" feeling restless and ready to dig in. It is for dreamers who want to become doers. And it is for anyone who believes that one person, one small act, and one scruffy place can still be saved.
