So Glad Someone Had a Camera ...Streamsong Opening

Tom Doak, golf's most accomplished architect commissioned two Streamsong oil paintings as a gift to the Mosaic company. A year ago, he flew me out to play the juvenile version of the course with him. This was a great moment, as we had never golfed together and I hit shots while taking photos trying to figure out great painting angles, of which there were many. Fast forward a year to last weekend. The weekend was filled with amazing weather, two fantastic courses debuted and great personalities coming together. This presentation happened at the grand opening and it was fantastic as I finally got to meet Ben Crenshaw. He was pretty excited about seeing my painting of his course. He and Bill Coore couldn't have been more complimentary, but of course you would expect nothing less from these two gentlemen. Tom completely caught the ownership off guard with this generous gift. Thanks to Masa Nishijima for the best photo on the subject. Being among these three gentleman and talents is a moment I will never forget. Cheers to a great 2013 and a huge year in my life with the birth of our first Daughter expected within the month!!!!

Renaissance Cup, Old Macdonald and Bandon Dunes

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.

Yardage Book

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