Joshua C. F. Smith Golf Landscape Paintings

Streamsong Golf

2012-01-31T19:06:00.000-08:00

Red Course @ Streamsong Golf, photo by Keith Rhebb

Just returned from a fantastic trip to preview the Streamsong Golf Club's 36 holes. After having a Rock Creek Cattle Company trip postponed last year as well as a Cabot Links visit pushed into the future, it was great to get the wheels up and research some upcoming oil paintings at this "Instant Classic". The Red course is built by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw and the Blue course is built by Tom Doak. This resort will WOW any golf lovers who find it. The courses are slated to open late this year and are open to the public. To have 36 built on amazing sand dunes and representing some of the best work of Doak and Coore Crenshaw is truly "Bandon Like". The terrain is like a combination Sand Hills of Nebraska and Lost Dunes of Tasmania, Aus, with some large lakes scattered around the property.
My trip was sponsored by Tom Doak with the thought of doing a couple of oil paintings. Took hundreds of photos, but will start it off with an amazing construction photo taken by Coore Crenshaw shaper/photographer Keith Rhebb.

This is a photo of the Red. Keith was kind enough to tour me around the Red course after I had the opportunity to play the Blue with T. Doak. It is going to be hard to compare these two. I don't really see the need, they are both winners. Will post some of my photos soon of both courses.

Cheers.

Josh CF Smith

Renaissance Cup, Old Macdonald and Bandon Dunes

2011-12-19T19:28:00.001-08:00

Not to confuse you...This photo is one I took of the new Conservation Course at Bandon Dunes. Now, enough about that...

Every year Tom Doak hosts an invitational tournament for friends and colleagues at a course that he has designed or improved. The point is to unveil some new work and glean feedback from those in attendance. You partner up with one person and play fourball scratch 9 hole matches. Previous winners have included Ben Crenshaw, Mike Keiser, Fred Muller to name a few. It isn't the easiest invite to procure...and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that I had hopes of someday getting the chance to play. To my surprise, a timely email to Tom on another subject unfolded into an invitation to play in my first Renaissance Cup hosted at Old Macdonald at Bandon Dunes. It was really a great time, we even upset the "ringer" team and won our first match. What a fun course to play Match Play on !!! Got a chance to meet a few other like minded ladies and fellows and as a bonus spent a beautiful morning walking around the new Conservation Course at Bandon. It is a quaint little, 13 hole par three course that Coore and Crenshaw draped over "linksy" dunes overlooking the Pacific. I cannot wait to return to play it and paint it, along with Old Macdonald.

A Painting of Tenth at Bel Air Country Club

2011-09-09T18:04:00.000-07:00

The Tenth at Bel Air C.C. nearly finished. Been busy the last couple of months working on this Oil of Bel Air C.C. This is a painting for the current back to back club champion. It is a view from up on a the balcony above the dining room. I've always enjoyed capturing architecture assuming it really adds to the texture and beauty of the scene. Many golf lovers are drawn to historic structures such as this famous bridge at Bel Air. Other iconic structures that we love, of course are, The Windmill at NGLA, the halfway house at Pine Valley, The Clubhouse at Cypress Point, Royal and Ancient at St. Andrews, The Clubhouse at Shinnecock Hills, and so on. Hopefully I will continue to have the opportunity to paint all of these. They are almost logos in their natural state.

Happy Friday,

Josh

Ben Cox Fundraising Effort

2011-07-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

Wanted to point your attention to one of the greatest rags to riches fundraising efforts in recent history. Jim Colton, a golf lover who often takes caddies while playing Ballyneal Golf Club, was touched when he heard of a skiing/snowboarding accident to one of the regular caddies. Ben Cox was partially paralyzed and his life was changed forever. Jim thought he could raise a couple thousand dollars through his golfing mates by staging a Golf A Thon at Ballyneal in order to help out Ben and his family with medical bills. The word spread very quickly and donations have come from all over the golfing community. To date over $100,000 has been raise for Ben's medical care. What a great "Man For Others" Jim Colton is.
Jim played 155 holes in one day, all walking with a caddy. Over 45 miles of golf at Ballyneal Sun up to Sun down. Glad we could help with a donation prize, a threesome at Cal Club. See Jim's Blog link below.

http://www.wegoblogger31.com/2011/07/whats-story-rory-glory-ben-cox-108155.html

Sincerely,

Josh Smith

Unique Take on an Original Oil Painting

2011-05-17T18:46:00.000-07:00

Greetings Golfers...

Well this was a first for me. A diamond shaped Original oil painting. USGA official and friend of mine commissioned this perspective from the California Golf Club, "Cal Club". Visible are holes 3, 4 and 8. The Red Colored background is not part of the oil painting, but rather filler created by photoshop.

The owner had a hunch this would make a great painting and perspective and had the perfect spot in his home to display it.

Alister MacKenzie rebunkered the Cal Club along with Robert Hunter in 1927. Interestingly, if you were to walk about 4 or 5 miles directly forward and over the hill in the backdrop of the painting you would end up at Sharp Park Golf Course. An original Alister MacKenzie "golden age" seaside layout.

This was a really interesting project for me and I'm looking forward to the next one...Bel Air Country Club.

Cheers,

Josh CF Smith

Nice piece about Josh in Golf World

2011-02-28T12:09:00.000-08:00

Ron Whitten wrote a cool piece about Josh in this week's Golf World Magazine. We can't find it on line (yet), but here is a scan that you can blow up and read.

Yardage Book

2011-02-02T20:21:00.000-08:00

Since visiting Old Sandwich Golf Club a couple years ago, I've looked at each golf course a little differently. The architects, Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw and the club have done such an amazing job of turning back the clock there. From the moment you drive on site, you are overwhelmed with a timeless, throw back feel. While it was only built a few years ago, you would swear it is 100 years old. From the style of clubhouse, heirloom grassing choices, course hardware, down to the everyday maintenance, it screams Old and Wise. I left with great memories, a memory card full of photos, an OS baseball cap and probably the best yardage book ever created. While I don't have a photo of their book here, I do have photos of my first attempt at a Yardage Book.

Their yardage book was drawn by Bill Coore and features loose sketches of each hole tee to green. Each line was sketched with care as if he had designed the course... ;) ;) ;) When asked by the California Golf Club to create a yardage book of my own, my mind raced to the OS book. I asked myself how can I create something with such feel without ripping off the style completely. After sketching for a while with pencil, it became clear to me I needed to "dance with the date I brung" and oil paint the book. It would be completely original and give me a better chance to attain something special. My hope was to paint it in color and have the book produced in black and white. The Board of Directors overruled and wanted the book printed in color. Hope to be lucky enough to do another Yardage Book some day, in between Original Oil Paintings.

Cheers,

Josh Smith

Great piece in NCGA Magazine

2010-11-18T06:18:00.000-08:00

You can read it here on pages 58 and 59

Josh answered some great questions about his passion for painting and how he found his calling in the world of golf landscapes.

Tournament Prizes

2010-09-25T10:11:00.000-07:00

It has been a beautiful stretch of weather the last couple of days in San Francisco. This week I have been putting together framed and matted Giclees on Canvas for The California Golf Club. 20 contestants will receive a signed and numbered giclee reproduction of the back nine/clubhouse view painting that I completed last year at the EST. 1918 golf club.

Other exciting news, I have scheduled a trip to Bandon Dunes in two weeks. Cannot wait.

Bandon or Bust

2010-08-01T08:48:00.000-07:00

Not certain of a date yet, but I intend to get back up to Bandon Dunes this year to see the completed Old Macdonald. The rugged landscape and mother nature inspired golf is such a treat. Haven't been to the resort for over a year and am getting the shakes. When the trip is scheduled I also intend to revisit this Pacific Dunes 11 original and prepare it for a small run of "Giclee" reproduction on Canvas.

Talk soon,

Josh

Sale in the Josh Store of several great images

2010-07-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

We are having a sale in Josh's online store including Harding Park, Royal County Down and the iconic 7th at Pebble Beach. See more here

A Special Father's Day Gift for U.S. Open Sunday at Pebble

2010-05-27T15:23:00.000-07:00

Josh has a great painting of the 7th hole at Pebble Beach as it was in 1929 available for sale in the online store. You can see it here. What better way to say "Thanks Dad!"

Golf Club Atlas Posting

2010-03-23T08:07:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Chip for posting a story on GCA about his new giclee print of the 11th at Pacific Dunes. He also shot a couple of fun pictures of the hole number written in pencil and also the print number. Glad you like it Chip !

As promised...National Golf Links Painting underway

2010-03-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

Taking a moment here to show the nearly completed National Golf Links of America painting.

I'm pleased with its progression and really think the perspective is iconic. It will be neat for the general public and golf loving masses to get a real appreciation for this place when it hosts the Walker Cup in 2013. We will get to see the course on TV!!!

It is considered by many, architect C.B. Macdonald's crowning achievement. Starting his involvment at the site in 1906, he was determined to build the most noteworthy course outside of the British Isles.

In the painting I aimed to capture the raw and linksy approach that they take to everyday maintenance. Playability and firmness outweighs "bright green". Based on its "fast and firm" conditioning and its exciting design which replicates or improves upon features from the best courses overseas, it is considered by many well versed golfers "the most fun golf course in America".

The new Joshua C. F. Smith giclees are here

2010-03-05T14:03:00.000-08:00

The newly printed giclees have just arrived and they look stunning! The images and the colors have been reproduced on Hahnemuhle paper with archival inks that will stay bright and sharp forever. The work looks great on the website, but in person it is different experience. The work will be on sale shortly at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon and Ballyneal in Colorado. Above is the image of the 3rd at Royal County Down, one of my favorite images.

Recent Work

2010-02-26T07:39:00.000-08:00

Good Morning!

Taking some time this morning to make my first blog post. Being kind of old fashioned, (early on I was sure that the whole internet thing was going to be a fad) I was one of the last people to buy a laptop. Soon thereafter Email began to make sense and it certainly seems like My Blog will follow the same path.

It has been a great winter for me, I've been in the garden state of New Jersey getting some further education. Being away from my wife has not been easy for these ten weeks, but I have been able to fill idle time oil painting some of my favorite subjects. Pebble Beach 18 as seen above in its finished state and National Golf Links of America 17 (NGLA) which is nearly complete. (I will post a photo it NGLA soon)

Back in San Francisco for a few days visiting my wife and my hope upon returning to New Jersey is that the snow melts so that the planned visit to Pine Valley is not shelved.

Talk soon,

Josh

New article about my work

2010-02-26T06:59:00.001-08:00

A very nice piece about me just came out in Pacific Northwest Golfer Magazine, Thanks to Editor, Tom Cade for taking the time to help out a fellow Oregonian.

On the East Coast

2010-02-26T06:43:00.000-08:00

I'm on the East Coast for a while finishing up my Agronomy course at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Thanks for all the great feedback on the new website - we have sold a number of prints and the interest has been very exciting. Tell all your friends to go and take a look! Here's a painting not on the site of the 9th at Cypress Point.

The New Golf Landscape Shop is Open

2010-02-26T06:42:00.001-08:00

You are reading this, so you found the new website. Thanks for coming. You can see the gallery of great golf course paintings and for the first time we are selling giclee prints on canvas and lithographic prints on fine art paper. Both are in limited editions and I will sign them all as well as providing a Certificate of Authenticity.

We welcome any ideas you have for the site and your comments.

Welcome (again - this time on blogger!)

2010-02-26T06:40:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog. Please check back soon for new entries.