A Fun Use of AI
I’ll admit it. I was a late adopter of AI tools. I didn’t see the value in them at first, but over time, I’ve come to appreciate their potential. One area where AI is handy is in writing emails for my golf league.
As the commissioner of a large golf league, I frequently send emails to league members. I tend to be verbose and overly serious in these emails. Over the years, I have been told I often sound angry or condescending. I decided to try using AI to help me write these emails in a more friendly and approachable manner - and Copilot has been a great help.
An Example Email
Sometimes we need to cancel a round of golf due to inclement weather. Here is an example of an email as I would write it in the past:
Due to the weather, and out of an abundance of caution, golf league matches are canceled for tonight. Tonight’s matches will be rescheduled for the end of the season.
It doesn’t sound angry, but it does sound a little too formal. When I asked Copilot to make the message more friendly, here is what it suggested:
The weather’s throwing us a curveball today, so we’re hitting pause on tonight’s matches. Safety first, fun always! We’ll slide this round to the end of the season and pick it up when Mother Nature’s in a better mood.
Enjoy your rain delay—maybe even practice your putting indoors (living room putting counts)!
I prefer the second message. It is more friendly, a little playful, and still gets the point across. It also sent the right vibe to the league members.
An Unexpected Result
In my golf league, we can use a substitute if you cannot make it to a match. When a golfer is having a hard time finding a sub, they often ask me to send out an email to the league members asking if anyone is available to sub. In the past, I would write something like this:
Barney Fife is looking for a sub on Thursday. If you can play, please contact him directly at 732-555-1212.
A few weeks ago, we had several golfers in need of a substitute for the week. When I asked Copilot to make the message more friendly, it did something I did not expect - it created nicknames for each of the golfers listed. Here is the message it created:
This is your moment to SHINE! A few of our golfers need subs this week, and this is your chance to step up, tee off, and be the golf superhero we all need.
TUESDAY, JULY 1 Bob “The Legend” Johnson is calling! Call or text: (703) 555-1212 Email: golfer1@golf.com
THURSDAY, JULY 3 Steve “The Rhythm Driver” Evans needs you in the lineup! Call or text: (704) 555-1212 Email: drummer@mymail.com
Henry “The Hammer” Thomas is ready to cheer you on from the fairway! Call or text: (304) 555-1212 Email: hammer@mymail.com
If your calendar is clear and your clubs are ready—answer the call! These fine folks will be eternally grateful and may even toss in a cold beverage or two.
I love the nicknames (and so do the other golfers)! They add a fun element to the message, making it more engaging. It also shows that AI can bring a bit of creativity to the table, which is something I never expected. Ever since this email, I have been asking Copilot to create nicknames for golfers when I send out these messages. It has become a fun part of our league communication.
Other Uses
One thing GenAI does very well is help rewrite text to give it a different tone. I have used Copilot and Gemini to help me rewrite text in a more friendly or enthusiastic tone. I have even used it to make my message more concise and clear. After experimenting with giving my golf league messages a more friendly tone, I decided to take up my game and use Copilot when sending messages to my fantasy football league. But instead of just making it more friendly, I ask it to take on vastly different tones. For example, I have asked Copilot to rewrite a message to sound like a town crier or a pirate. It has been a fun way to engage with my league members and keep things interesting. Though I don’t believe the other team owners fully appreciate my efforts.
Wrap Up
AI is good for many things. One thing it does exceptionally well is to help you rewrite text to give a message a specific tone. It is an excellent tool for making my emails more friendly and engaging, especially in my golf league. The unexpected creativity it brings, like creating nicknames for golfers, has added a fun element to our communication that I never expected. If you haven’t tried using AI tools like Copilot or Gemini for writing emails or other text, I recommend giving them a try. You might be surprised at the results!
