In this recap, I am going to share how the fundamentals of golf and photography are similar, so you can improve your golfing and photography skills.

The Drop Zone’s podcast states, “9-hole golf is having a moment.” According to the podcast, the National Golf Foundation, “9 hole golf is up 15% in 2020.” Joby (the golfer in the photographs shown below) and I contribute to that percentage.

Joby’s contribution results from practicing; he is on his way to becoming a professional golfer. My shameless addiction to golfing created my contribution; I am not on my way to becoming a professional golfer. With that said, I’ll settle for being a professional photographer.

This quick 9-hole photo-story recap features Joby, while I practiced my skill set. As a result, we have better photographs for golf apparel lifestyle campaigns and portraits of golfers.

1. Practice and Preparation

Cobra King MB golf club swing.

Practice and preparation make life easier for golfers and photographers. In golf, practicing will grow your confidence in your game and prepare you for tournaments. On the other hand, practicing photography increases your confidence in capturing poses and trains you for paid photoshoots. As many professionals say, confidence helps you perform your best.

Recently, I received Birds Of Condor‘s new golf glove and Trap Golf‘s new hat to photograph. Those two companies are two amongst a number of new golf companies doing their part to grow the game of golf. Modern golfers appreciate trendy golf apparel, which these two companies bring to the golfing community.

Joby and I organized and photographed the images of these products while playing a quick 9 holes at Granda Golf Course in Coral Gables, Miami, Florida.

2. Understanding Your Equipment

Golf swing follow through.

If you want to improve your golfing or photography skills, understanding your equipment is important in making good shots.

For golfers, deciding and understanding when to hit driver is key. In the same vein, a photographer must know which particular lens to use and when.

This was Joby’s first time swinging his new Cobra King Forged MB golf clubs. Equipment for golf and photography is expensive. He was using KBS golf shafts (#SponsoredAd), and I was shooting with the Nikon 105mm lens (#SponsoredAD).

3. Developing Confidence

putting with confidence

Preparation and practice develop confidence. Performing with confidence conditions you to accomplish more.

confident golf swing

4. Detail Awareness and Observation of Elements

Sand captured in golf shot

Many elements force a golfer and a photographer to keep alert.

Attention to little details makes a difference on a golfer’s scorecard. For example, that tee box was sandy; note the club’s reaction. Wind into the face? Pay attention to club selection.

Meanwhile, photographers should confirm their details are on point. Are you using the right shutter speed? How is the light falling on your subject? The importance of detail awareness and observation of elements could be a book on its own.

5. Appreciation of Good Light

green side bunker photograph

Good lighting leads to good judgment, which creates good shots. We strive for those as photographers and golfers.

Determining distance becomes easier with good lighting as well.

long green side bunker shot

For example, when hitting out of a bunker, you first look at the sand. Is it wet or fluffy? Then you confirm with the feel of your feet. Good light will determine the best shot.

Next to fast-rolling greens, golfers prefer a perfectly lit green for putting. No golfer enjoys putting in the shadows of slow greens.

6. Paying Attention to Composition/Course Management

I tell my students that good composition makes a photograph exemplary. It’s important to learn how to frame your subject. Does the photograph tell a better story on the left side of the frame or the right side of the frame? Balance is the essence of good composition.

In golf, composition compares to course management. Golfers compose shots when thinking about the golf ball placement. Is it better to hit an iron to avoid a hazard? Would you purposely place your ball in a flyer lie to get extra distance on a long par 5? Do you need to play a certain club to get your ball back in play? Asking these questions will improve your course management and help you play better golf.

7. Using Imagination

Creativity is one of the biggest similarities between golfers and photographers. Simply put—or putt—your imagination will polish up your shots.

8. The Creator of Good Stories.

This photo tells a story of the quick 9 holes played at Granda with my buddy, Joby. This golf story includes memories of how one got up and down out of the green-side bunker after kicking off the stick for what would have been a birdie. Photography and golf are creators of good stories.

Stories hold the memories. Memory is more important in photography for the number of photographs you take (see what I did there).

9. Remembering to Have Fun

In golf and photography, it is important to remember to have fun. You can not improve your golfing and photography skills otherwise. Our emotions become lost in trying to make good shots after bad shots. Bad shots are inevitable, and it’s frustrating to capture images out of focus. Arguably, it is more unsatisfying to miss a putt by a foot outside the wrong edge of a hole from lack of focus.

Regardless, golf and photography should be fun. Trust in all the similarities, as they’ll not only make you better golfers and better photographers, but also make you better people.

P.S. If you are a golfer and you take photographs of your rounds, please tag me on IG at @DwayneTucker. I want to see your golf photographs!

Samsonite hard case golf travel bag is the way to go when you want to take your clubs with you. Samsonite would have lost a sale if I had to rely solely on the photographs displayed on their Amazon store. If I wasn’t familiar with the bag, and if my only judgement was based upon the poor photographs I would have not spend the $200 + on that bag. 

Luckily for them (and for me) I am familiar with the bag so I made the purchase. The bag is truly a great golf travel bag.

I am here to share information about the bag, along with better photographs that we made of the Samsonite Golf Travel Case. We made the photographs to display the bag as it should be shown. Now you can learn about the details, durability, and see the quality of this golf bag to help you decide your golf travel bag purchase.

Travels With The Bag

I became familiar with the bag when I needed one to travel to my first Torrey Pines’ Golf Course trip. A friend at the time recommended using his Samsonite before I purchased any other travel bag; he swore by it. The bag worked out perfectly! I was able to fit a Titleist stand bag along with an Asher Golf Sunday Cary Bag into the Samsonite.

Recently I made a trip to Dallas Texas to play a few golf courses. I was there to participate in the 2020 I Am A Golfer Foundation Charity Tournament. I needed a travel bag of my own. Without doubt, the Samsonite Golf Travel Cover – Style 6850 was the one for me. I was appalled at the product photographs shown on their amazon page however. The least one should do is have strong product shots when selling products online. (Somebody tell Samsonite to contact me for better product shots please!)

Listed below you will find the pros provided by Samsoite about their bag. At the bottom of this article you’ll the photographs we made. A link is also there you or somebody you know want to purchase the bag. If you use that link we’ll make two dollars for showing you good photographs 🙂

But First, Here is The Only Con

When I read reviews on Amazon, I go directly to the 1start section. It’s better for me to see what people don’t like about a product first. Then I compare the 5start section before making my decision.

I can’t say that I relate to the poor stars section of the website. The only con about this bag is the size. Truth be told however, all golf travel bags / covers will be big in size. That is a con if you Uber around like we do. On the Torrey Pines trip I took two golf sets because there were two of us. I’m attached to my sticks and don’t like to rent clubs if I don’t have to. Because of the bag, we had to order Uber XL to and from the airport. The Uber XL fits the other luggage and the golf bag with room to sit comfortably.

On the trip to the studio to photograph the images I ordered a normal Uber. I did so to test if putting down the seat and sliding the bag into the trunk would work; it did. Not all drivers are going to be okay with putting the seat down so keep that in mind. Time for everybody is precious, especially when traveling. On the way to and from the airports I used Uber XL to save a potential hassle. 

Here are the pros shared about Samsonite’s Style 6850:


– Super Strong and light Sold ABS shell provides durability, and good looks.

– Four multi-directional “spinner” wheels allow *the bag to glide effortlessly. 

– Internal compression straps to hold *the golf bag securely. 

– Padded, quilted interior with extra foam cushion for better production of club heads.

– “Spinner” wheels make it easy to push or pull. 

– “Two comfort grip handles for easy lifting.” 

– Locking capability for additional security. (TSA will cut your lock open regardless so keep that in mind.)

– Beautiful full-length interior lining.  

Photographs We Made Of The Samsonite Golf Travel Cover

hard cover golf bag
spinner wheels on samsonite golf bag
Beautiful full-length interior lining.
Samsonite Golf Travel Bag

(Click Here To Purchase The Golf Travel Bag On Amazon)