A top amateur golfer was standing in the offside bunker on the 9th hole of the St Andrews golf course on Wednesday. Most would have flinched at the surface of the sand. Not Lee Elder, because he was acutely aware of the dangers in this hazard, and would have been following the safest course of action for any golf partner. For Elder, and the club member Mark “The Spider” Eaton, they would proceed to take photo after photo and make hundreds more of this combination of golf and photography. The result was this remarkable display of how a raw amateur golfer can study the surroundings of one of the greatest golf courses in the world, and eventually turn his photos into a career as a professional golfer, teaming up with (no joke) Jimmy Walker.
The record, Elite Championships Professional Golf Final Photographer’s Game: The Drive, The Putt, The Pardon, and the Shot – plus a photo from a recent PGA Tour event – is posted below. Thank you to the fine editors of Slant magazine for printing it!
Podcast: I Saw Lee Elder Play at St Andrews Blog
Elder wins the driving-putt competition by less than one foot, with a 15-foot putt for the win.
Elder comes up just short on the putt, as Jimmy Walker claims second place.
The goal for this feat, included in the rules of engagement of a Super 25 tour event in the 2000s, is to photograph a golf round at St Andrews for 25 holes in one hour.
Good start. Lee takes nine shots during his 72 holes of play, and despite having to play with the support of his boss – who must probably have suggested he visit and learn more about the course from the likes of Elder – finishes second.
After the final round, Lee had to show his partners and fans all around the course the photo he took of all four of his holes-in-one (his first 2 on No 2, and his ‘Secker’s’ on No 3 – when he used a 9-iron to hole out – from 12 feet and 16 inches).
And he did just that, and did it all at St Andrews!
Podcast: For all you eagle in Houston readers, all together now, “Ace Lee!”
Thanks to John Young for these images, and thanks to Dan on #@Bloginity for the Twitter hashtag.