I'm very pleased to have my images included in two outstanding publications this month. One, Atlanta Country Club's 50th Anniversary Book, is the best book of its kind I've seen. The other is The Golf Sport, a new, upscale golf magazine I highly recommend you check out.
The Beautiful Par 3 3rd Hole
ATLANTA COUNTRY CLUB'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY BOOK
Atlanta Country Club's golf course is one I've photographed more than any other. I sort of consider it my home course, photographically. I sold my first golf course photo in the Pro Shop, and they've sold more of my work than any other club. Their web site is also full of my photos. So three years ago when Bob Hart, a club member charged with overseeing the golf section of their upcoming 50th anniversary book, asked me if they could use some of my photos in said book I naturally agreed. And that's when the trouble started. For the next two and a half years, the book committee, ably headed by Tom Kempton, kept "requesting" additional shots. Again and again. At first, it was simply a matter of their needing a shot from the tee on 9, etc.. Shots they wanted for the book that I hadn't taken. No problem. Then it was a need for "better" photos of certain holes. And then, of course, there was the renovation of the 11th green complex, necessitating yet another photo shoot! The requests only stopped when the book was passed on to the publisher/printer. I joke. Not about the repeated requests for additional photos, but certainly about the committee's abuse of my good nature. Anyone who knows me is aware that I have no good nature, so how could they abuse it?
But all the work… and my part in this monumental effort was small in comparison to the efforts of those involved in the overall project… was well worth it, and the recently released book is the best of its kind I've seen. Even if they weren't using my images, the book has tremendous depth and is a very good read. For many years, Atlanta Country Club hosted The Atlanta Classic, a PGA Tour event won by some of the game's best players. That section is particularly interesting. But the hard work put into this book by Tom Kempton, Bob Hart, Tom Nixon and many more resulted in a fine publication, and I'm proud that my photos of their fine golf course are a part of it. If you'd like to purchase a copy, they have them in Atlanta Country Club's Pro Shop. Just call (770) 953-1211 for information.
THE GOLF SPORT - A GREAT NEW UPSCALE GOLF MAGAZINE
This month's issue of the new… and completely unique… The Golf Sport features three of my images in a section titled "The Course". And I'm told this is the first time they've used a single photographer for all three of the featured courses. Prior issues have had photos of golf courses in exotic locations like Yingkou, China; Pokhara, Nepal; and Sun City, South Africa, so that may explain why they have typically used multiple photogs. Whatever the reason, I'm thrilled to be in the mag!
When publisher Ryan Stalvey approached me about showcasing my work, he asked if I'd like to submit specific photos. I suggested, as an alternative, that he visit my online golf course portfolio and make his own selections. He's an experienced publisher, familiar with golf course photography, and I was confident he'd choose wisely. He selected an image of the clubhouse at Liberty National Golf Club… a highly exclusive club with Manhattan as its backdrop, and one of my favorites… but the other two were anything but exotic, or even exclusive, golf clubs. One is Mountain Dell, an excellent muni in Salt Lake City, Utah and the other is Blueberry Plantation, a wonderful public stay-and-play property in Alma, Georgia. What the images have in common is that they are all sunrise images, something that's become a bit of a trademark for me. It's good to know that an important element of my work is noticed by folks in the biz whose work I respect!
But more about The Golf Sport. It's worth checking out. There are no golf tips, no interviews with touring pros and no reviews of the latest golf gear. Well, that's not entirely correct. This month's issue features a lengthy article on the new Aston Martin Golf Collection by MD Golf, Europe's number one golf brand. But that's atypical. The magazine is about the golf "lifestyle". Why do we play? What else do we play? And beyond sport, what else interests us? There are articles by current writers, like Jameson Parker; articles from the past by folks like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Francis Ouimet; and artwork by the likes of Henry Hintermeister and Leroy Neiman. Eclectic is a word that comes to mind.
As I mentioned earlier, this is a new magazine. I believe the upcoming June/July issue will be their 4th bi-monthly publication. So watching these folks define and redefine their voices and watching The Golf Sport grow and thrive should be quite an adventure. You can find out more… and subscribe, too… at GolfSportMag.com. Or if you're feeling old-fashioned, you can simply call 888.315.2472 for subscription info.
