Photography and Words by Dwayne Tucker | TuckerTookThat
A few years ago, I met Scotty Sobek here in Miami.
We crossed paths in the neighborhood, and after seeing some of my photography, he mentioned that one day he’d love for us to work together.
Fast forward a few years, and this past summer, he reached out. He needed some portraits, we talked through a few ideas, and we made it happen.
Sometimes that’s how good things come together.
Scotty is originally from Detroit and now lives in Miami. He’s a DJ, a vinyl enthusiast, and, as I discovered during one of our shoots, a painter as well. I’ve had the opportunity to watch him perform live, and one thing I can say about him is that his passion for what he does is real.
I have a tremendous amount of respect for that.
Photography has always been such an important part of my life, along the journey, I spent time exploring music and pursuing my own creative ambitions there too. I know a little about the hours that go into developing a craft, the uncertainty, the sacrifices, and the belief you have to maintain in yourself long before other people recognize what you’re building.
The creative world isn’t easy. The music industry certainly isn’t.
And talent alone isn’t enough.
You have to show up. You have to practice. You have to study what you love, keep improving, and find the courage to put your work into the world.
Golf has taught me something similar over the years. You can practice the same shot a thousand times and still have days when nothing seems to work. But you keep showing up because you understand that progress is built through repetition.
Practice creates progression.
I believe that applies to just about anything worth pursuing.
It’s one of the reasons I gravitate toward people who are genuinely passionate about what they do. People who have dreams and are willing to put in the work to make something of them.
When I pick up my camera, I’m chasing something too. I want to make photographs that matter. Photographs that have a life beyond the day we create them. Images that somebody might look back on years from now and recognize as part of an important chapter in someone’s story.
That’s what excites me about photographing artists.
You’re not simply making someone look good. You’re helping create a visual record of who they are, what they believe in, and where they are in their journey.
Working with Scotty was an opportunity to contribute a small piece to the story he’s building.
And now, seeing him on the lineup for III Points Music Festival here in Miami is another accomplishment worth celebrating.
Scotty, congratulations on the work you’ve been putting in and the opportunities you’re creating for yourself. Keep chasing those dreams, keep manifesting, keep painting, keep playing records, and most importantly, keep believing in the work.
Thank you for trusting my team and me to create these photographs with you.
I see a bright future ahead of you, and I’m looking forward to seeing where your journey takes you.
If you’re heading to III Points, get familiar with the name Scotty Sobek and show him some love.
The first impression begins in the parking lot where golfers gather before heading to the first tee.
You have to really love golf to willingly leave Miami and sit in South Florida traffic for a tee time.
Anyone who lives here understands exactly what I mean. Every highway feels crowded. Every trip seems to take longer than it should. For years, I convinced myself that once golf season ended and the snowbirds returned north, traffic would ease up. Somehow, it never does.
That’s why when I do make the drive, I’m hoping to find something worth talking about.
Taking on a demanding approach shot. The bunker protects the left side while trouble waits long and right. A hole that rewards commitment more than caution.
A few months ago, UP BahamasAir’s Inflight Magazine, The official inflight magazine of BahamasAir, asked me to recommend a public golf course near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. It was a good question.
Many Bahamians fly into Fort Lauderdale regularly for shopping, business, and long weekends. Whenever we’re traveling, we’re always looking for things to do, places to eat, and ways to make the most of our time. If you’re traveling with your clubs, adding a round of golf to the mix is usually a pretty good idea.
Located roughly 10 to 15 minutes from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Hollywood Beach Golf Club is one of the more convenient public golf options in the area. Whether you’re squeezing in a round before heading home or looking for somewhere to play shortly after landing, location alone makes it worth knowing about.
But convenience only gets a course on the list.
The real question is whether it’s worth playing.
A Course I Once Overlooked
Every good golf course eventually asks you to earn it on the greens.
Years ago, I remember driving past Hollywood Beach Golf Club and wondering why such a well-located property felt forgotten.
It seemed like the type of place that should have been a centerpiece for the local golf community, yet never quite stood out to me. At the time, golf wasn’t experiencing the surge in popularity it enjoys today, and public golf throughout South Florida looked very different than it does now.
Fast forward to today and the course feels like it has found its footing again.
A Little History
Hollywood Beach Golf Club first opened in 1924 and has served South Florida golfers for more than a century. While the course has often been associated with Donald Ross, golf course architect Richard Mandell, who led the redesign of Hollywood Beach Golf Club, shared that extensive research found no evidence connecting Ross to the original design. Today, the course reflects Mandell’s vision of creating a strategic and enjoyable public golf experience while preserving the character that has made Hollywood Beach Golf Club a favorite among local golfers.
Public Golf Matters
A few memories ride with me every round. Every headcover tells the story of another course, another friendship, and another day spent chasing this game.
While I’m fortunate to spend time around private clubs such as Coral Ridge, Lago Mar, and Shell Bay, I’ve always believed public golf is where the game truly grows.
Public courses are where beginners fall in love with golf.
They’re where friendships are formed.
They’re where junior golfers learn.
They’re where communities are built.
The best public golf courses don’t just provide a place to play. They provide a place to belong.
After my visit, I could understand why local golfers continue to support it.
First Impressions
Water is never far away and often becomes part of the decision making.The mature trees give the course much of its personality and frame many of the holes beautifully.
The first thing I noticed was character.
Hollywood Beach Golf Club sits right in the middle of a neighborhood, yet somehow the routing works surprisingly well.
The property feels almost like a large square, with portions of the front nine working around the perimeter while sections of the back nine move through the interior of the property. Despite the surrounding homes, the course flows naturally from hole to hole and never feels cramped.
Mature trees frame many of the holes and help give the course character, creating a classic South Florida atmosphere that is becoming increasingly difficult to find.
The layout rewards good decision making.
There are opportunities to be aggressive, but there are consequences for missing your target. On several holes, a miss left can quickly bring out of bounds into play. On others, water waits on the right side. A few holes punish misses in either direction.
It’s not an overly difficult golf course, but it asks you to pay attention. The further the round progresses, the more you begin to appreciate positioning and course management over simply trying to overpower it.
When people ask me about public golf near Fort Lauderdale, my mind usually goes to Jacaranda West and Emerald Hills.
Jacaranda has benefited from recent improvements and remains one of my favorite public golf experiences in South Florida. Emerald Hills has also improved over the years. The last time I played, the greens were finally moving in a much better direction than previous visits.
Hollywood Beach Golf Club belongs in that conversation.
Not because it’s trying to compete with either course directly, but because it offers a different experience. It has history, character, and a layout that keeps you engaged without beating you up.
Through My Lens
The routing asks you to think your way around the course. Water and out of bounds appear throughout the round without ever feeling excessive.
Before golf, I’m a photographer.
And the funny thing is that the longer I spend around golf courses, the more similarities I find between photography and course maintenance.
A well-retouched beauty portrait and a well-maintained golf course have more in common than people realize.
The details matter.
Removing imperfections from a photograph isn’t much different than repairing ball marks on a green. Clone stamping distractions from an image is not unlike filling divots in a fairway. The things most people never notice are often the things that separate good from exceptional.
While playing Hollywood Beach Golf Club, I found myself paying attention to many of the same things I notice when creating photographs.
Light.
Texture.
Composition.
Atmosphere.
The way shadows moved across fairways.
The way mature trees framed certain holes.
The way golfers interacted with the landscape around them.
Golf courses, much like photographs, are made up of thousands of small decisions. The best ones rarely need to tell you they’re special.
You simply feel it.
I didn’t take nearly as many photographs as I would have liked during my round, but I did bring along my Nikon Zfc and made a few images worth sharing.
Those photographs accompany this article and help tell the story better than words ever could.
No golf trip feels complete without spending a few minutes inside the golf shop.Sometimes it’s the smallest details that become the most memorable.
Course Conditions
Golf courses don’t maintain themselves. A quiet moment behind the scenes while the maintenance team keeps the course moving.While golfers chased birdies, another story quietly unfolded as new hole markers were being built for the course.
The course presented itself well during my visit.
Greens rolled consistently and the property showed evidence of care and attention. Nothing felt overly manufactured or forced. The experience felt authentic, which is a compliment I don’t give lightly.
Public golf facilities have a difficult job. They must balance maintenance budgets, pace of play, accessibility, and golfer expectations while still creating an enjoyable experience for players of all skill levels.
Hollywood Beach Golf Club does a good job of walking that line.
Tucker’s Golf Pick
After spending time on the greens at Hollywood Beach Golf Club, I was reminded that confidence with the putter starts long before you arrive at the course.
I’ve spent countless hours practicing on the Perfect Practice Putting Mat, and it’s one of the few training aids that has earned a permanent place in my routine. Whether I have ten minutes before work or an evening at home, it helps me stay sharp on pace and start line before taking those same strokes to the golf course.
So, is Hollywood Beach Golf Club worth the drive from Miami?
I think so.
Not because it’s the most exclusive course in South Florida.
Not because it’s the longest.
Not because it’s the hardest.
But because it offers something that’s becoming harder to find: character.
If you’re flying into Fort Lauderdale and looking for a convenient public golf course near the airport, Hollywood Beach Golf Club is worth considering.
And if you’re a South Florida golfer looking to explore beyond your usual rotation, it may surprise you the same way it surprised me.
Stay tuned,
Tucker
Editor’s Note (July 2026): An earlier version of this article stated that Donald Ross designed Hollywood Beach Golf Club. After publication, golf course architect Richard Mandell, who redesigned the course, contacted me to share that his historical research found no evidence connecting Ross to the original design. The article has been updated to reflect that information. Thank you to Richard for helping improve the accuracy of this review.
After a serious knee injury, years of physical therapy, caddying and carrying camera gear for a living, I found something every golfer should probably be doing.
You would think years of basketball, skateboarding, running, biking, boxing, and just about every extreme sport I could get myself into would have been the thing to finally mess my knee up.
Nope.
Golf got me.
One step.
That is all it took.
Late June of 2019, walking on the golf course, I stepped into a grass covered hole I never saw coming. In an instant, I injured my meniscus, damaged my lateral ligament, and chipped my patella.
The timing could not have been worse.
I had a golf trip to Torrey Pines planned for August.
Suddenly, I went from thinking about birdies and ocean views to wondering if I would even be able to walk the golf course.
Anybody who loves golf knows that feeling. When something threatens your ability to play, you suddenly realize how much the game means to you.
Golf has introduced me to incredible people and places over the years, including many of the courses I featured in my Best Golf Courses In Miami guide.
Weeks of physical therapy followed. Then more therapy outside of insurance. More appointments. More money. More work trying to get my body back.
And somewhere in that process, I found my way deeper into yoga and stretching.
Years later, that journey eventually led me to stretch therapy in Miami, where I found Stretch Space and started looking at mobility, recovery, and performance differently.
Not the “touch your toes for thirty seconds” kind of stretching.
Real stretching.
The kind that makes your body feel like somebody finally hit reset.
Years later, that recovery journey eventually led me to Stretch Space Miami.
Golf Quietly Beats Your Body Up
Most people do not talk about that enough.
Sure, we are not taking NFL hits, but hours of walking, rotation, bending, uneven lies, range sessions, carrying bags, long car rides to golf courses, and repetitive motion add up.
And for me, golf is only part of it.
Photography is still my first love.
Much of my work involves carrying heavy camera gear, long production days, and constantly being on my feet. You can see some of that work throughout my photography portfolio.
Golf may have become part of my personality, but photography is the thing that built me.
That also means lifting heavy camera gear, standing for long productions, driving long distances, kneeling for angles, and putting my body through more than I probably admit.
Feeling good physically stopped becoming optional for me a long time ago.
Mobility affects everything from how you rotate through the golf swing to how you feel walking 18 holes.
Massage Feels Good. Stretching Feels Necessary
Now before the massage people come for me, let me say this.
I love a good massage.
Personally, I am a two hour massage guy.
After a long shoot or a brutal production day, there are times when getting a massage honestly feels cheaper than checking into a hotel room just to sleep for two hours before driving home. Some of the best naps of my life have happened on a massage table.
And yes, massages feel good.
But if I am being honest, there are times I have walked out of a massage feeling more sore than when I walked in.
Stretching feels different.
Stretching feels corrective.
Stretching feels like maintenance.
Honestly, I think stretching should be human mandatory.
Like brushing your teeth.
Like practicing your putting.
Like taking care of the thing carrying you through life.
The older I get, the more I realize golf is a game of movement.
That is part of why I use CastleFlexx every single day.
Nobody is paying me to say that.
I am not sponsored.
I just believe in talking about what actually works.
If something helps me move better, recover better, and feel better, I am probably going to tell my golf friends about it.
That philosophy is a big part of why I created Golf Connections in the first place.
Which brings me to Stretch Space Miami.
I have tried other stretching places.
Cool and all.
But the difference between some places and Stretch Space feels like grabbing something quick at Smoothie King versus someone hand selecting fresh fruit, blending it specifically for your body, and serving it to you in a Baccarat crystal glass.
That is the difference.
Personalized.
Thoughtful.
Intentional.
You feel like somebody actually understands your body.
Stretch Space founder Maria Chernysheva saw a need for mobility focused care in Miami’s fitness community.
Why Stretch Space Miami Feels Different
When I met Maria Chernysheva, founder of Stretch Space Miami, something clicked.
I originally found Stretch Space because I was looking for someone who could come to my place.
My schedule is weird.
There are days where I have an hour break between projects and need to be right back into work mode.
Sometimes you just need somebody to help get your body right and keep moving.
There are honestly moments where I jokingly fantasize about taking Maria on production trips with me and sneaking her into client budgets they already think I am too expensive for.
Half joking.
Kind of.
When I asked Maria why she started Stretch Space, her answer made sense.
When she moved to Miami, everybody seemed to be a fitness influencer or trainer.
But nobody was paying enough attention to stretching.
And for her, that felt like a real need.
Turns out, she was right.
Better mobility can lead to better rotation, easier recovery, and more enjoyable rounds of golf.
Why Stretching Matters For Golfers
For golfers, I genuinely think stretching matters more than most people realize.
Better mobility.
Better rotation.
Better recovery.
Better chance at actually feeling good on the 16th hole instead of wondering why your back locked up on hole seven.
And let us be honest, if your hips are tight, your golf swing probably knows it before you do.
This is not about suddenly becoming flexible enough for yoga class.
It is about longevity.
Playing golf longer.
Feeling better.
Recovering faster.
Getting out of bed without making old man noises.
Taking care of your body is one of the smartest investments a golfer can make.
And something I appreciated about Stretch Space is this:
Not everybody walks in wanting to build muscle or become an athlete.
Some people simply want to feel good.
That matters.
In Miami especially, everything can feel like six packs, fitness content, and who looks the best in the mirror.
Sometimes people just want their body to stop hurting.
Sometimes people want to move better.
Sometimes people just want relief.
That is enough.
Not everybody comes in looking for performance gains. Sometimes the goal is simply to feel better.
Stretch Space Miami Locations
Maria has two locations.
One in Bay Harbor, right next to Bal Harbour.
And another in Sunset Harbor, which honestly feels like a no brainer for anyone playing golf on Miami Beach.
And if you are coming from somewhere else?
Let me exaggerate for a second.
Even if you are playing golf in Atlanta, the drive might be worth it.
Kidding.
Kind of.
It is just that good.
The best thing I have done for my golf is not swing related. It is taking care of the body that swings the club.
I believe in non gatekeeping.
If I find something that genuinely helps me feel better, move better, and show up better in life, I want to share it.
Because if my golf friends feel better, then maybe we all have a better time when we tee it up together.
Stretching has become one of those things for me.
Not trendy.
Not flashy.
Just effective.
And honestly?
The best thing I have done for my golf is not swing related.
It is taking care of the body that swings the club.
And if it helps me feel better carrying camera gear, walking golf courses, caddying, and showing up stronger in life, that sounds like a pretty good investment to me.
If you are in Miami and your body has been talking to you lately, maybe it is worth listening.
Hey, I’m Dwayne Tucker, a Miami-based photographer bringing lifestyle, jewelry, portrait, and sports apparel campaigns to life so your brand and products look their very best. On this blog, I share stories, inspiration, and a behind-the-lens look at my work. If you love golf, you’ll feel at home on Instagram @DwayneTucker, where I share clips from my rounds and connect with both the photography and golf communities.
