Post 5 of 9 – Field of the Dream Series
I didn’t set out to build a chatbot.
I started by writing blog posts—simple stories about golf, food, and the business behind it. I wanted people to understand what we do at Sugarbush, and why we do it that way.
Then one day it hit me:
What if someone could talk to my blog?
Ask it a question, and get a reply in my tone. Not generic. Not corporate. Just… me.
The Problem
I was answering the same things over and over.
- What are your simulator hours?
- Do you have league info?
- Can I still book Night Golf?
- What’s the sauce on the prime rib sandwich?
I’d already written all of this somewhere—either in a blog post, a flyer, or a text to my team.
But none of it was searchable. None of it felt alive.
And if I wasn’t online to answer, people were left waiting.
So I Built It
I used ChatGPT to help code the JavaScript for the front end.
I hosted the project on Replit, and connected it to the ChatGPT API.
Then I fed the bot what it needed to sound like me:
- Blog posts from MyJLStory
- Golf Course event info
- Tee time logic and booking language
- Restaurant specials, hours, and policies
- Key phrases I always use, like “Play golf, not your golf swing” and “Score first. Swing second.”
Right now, the chatbot is still in development.
It hasn’t been approved by upper management yet, so it’s not visible to the public.
But here’s the important part: it works.
The proof of concept is live and testable, and I use it internally to explore questions, test tone, and prep answers before going public.
What It Can Do
- Answer basic questions: tee times, pricing, simulator hours, events
- Direct people to the right blog post or sign-up page
- Help staff double-check policy info or hours
- Stay on-brand, even when I’m not available
This isn’t some massive corporate AI build.
It’s a one-person project that works—because it was built with care.
Why It Works
When it’s ready to go live, this chatbot will do what most “contact us” forms can’t:
Start a real conversation.
This bot knows my tone. It knows my offers. And it knows when to keep it short or go deeper.
It doesn’t replace me—but it supports me in a way that lets me do more.
Your Turn
Ever wish your knowledge could speak for itself? Drop a comment or subscribe—I’ll show you how I made it happen.
AI is like the Field of Dreams.
If you build it, they will come.
With AI, if you dream it, you can build it.