US Amateur Golf Tour Coverage

Plantation Palms (2.25.06) & Bloomingdale Golf (3.11.06)

If you have been a loyal fan of my weblog, then you might agree that up through today this blog has served as an outstanding chronicle of my experiences with photography. Today's entry is no exception. This entry adds another dimension in my quest to experience anything and everything that photography has to offer.

Most of my acquaintances are not aware that yours truly was once an avid novice at golf. Not even those that know me personally have a clue that I ever spent a dime at a driving range. Before I draw you into a story about how good of a golfer I became I will go ahead and issue the spoiler. Admission #1: I am not going to lie to you - I sucked. Now that this declaration is out of the way allow me to proceed.

The most intriguing aspect of the sport for me was the simple fact that I used to downplay its complexity. I had the common misperception of the non-golfer: "It's a big waste of open space and you have to chase a little white ball around." Admission #2: I have a profound respect for the par golfer. The first time I ever played a round of golf I presumed the experience was right up there with a challenging game of putt-putt where a shot at par was more common than a 10 pin strike at the bowling alley. All I can do is look back and laugh. I sure learned my lesson after 18 holes. My interest was piqued. I wanted to know how the pros did it.

Whether the experience is in athletics or in a trade such as roller hockey, soccer, auto mechanics, or photography, if I have the slightest interest or ounce of curiosity, that is generally all it takes for me to lose control and dive into the abyss of learning. Not knowing enough about something and having a small interest was all it took for me. Try I did. Before I ever took a another swing (pardon the pun) at a golf ball seated atop a tee, I diligently spent my lunch hours and evenings reading websites chock full of tips, watching the pros on television, and even riding along on someone else's cart for another firsthand look. It only took somewhere close to 15 months for me to realize a mastery of the game required more than just a lesson or golf magazine subscription. I was probably 15 years too late to start pursuing a career as a PGA Tour hopeful.


My brush with golf was short lived but it brought me closer to understanding why those sucked in spent so much time, money, and energy pursuing that perfect game. There is a fine line in golf where you either maintain your sanity or straight up teeter on lunacy. Golf is truly a gentleman's game and one that I have a profound respect for. Invite me along for a round of golf and I am liable to join you. Just as long as we can pack a cooler full of beer and toss the score card, I will be your golf buddy any day.

Just last month I finally had the opportunity to merge a former interest in golf with a current passion for photography. A fellow co-worker of mine, affectionately known around the office as "Joe Dirt", introduced me to the gentleman here in Tampa that runs the show for the local USAGT chapter. There were no formal terms and conditions nor any promises of financial gain. All he could offer me was unlimited access to photograph and have free reign over covering his events. Incentive? The experience. For me it has always been about the experience. I have not proclaimed professionalism and may never do so, but the opportunity to cover such an event and have access to a course full of pro hopefuls certainly offers me more brick to pave my path towards success. Perhaps a few of the golf enthusiasts that spent their day sulking or celebrating their performances might gratuitously request to purchase an image of themselves.


I would like to thank the US Amateur Golf Tour Tampa for allowing me to spend a couple of afternoons chasing them with my camera. I would also like to extend a HUGE thank you to "Joe Dirt" for making the phone call and getting me connected.