Golf Cognoscente shoot at Stone Eagle in Palm Desert turns out simply ... SPREZZATURA

When five months of work culminate in one big day there is a lot on the line... We as the entire crew of Golf Cognoscente were so fortunate and blessed with all components coming together like MAGIC! It was simply ... Sprezzatura (effortless genius)!

The weather was Desert Supreme on Friday Dec. 5 .... clear and sunny mid-70s. We all arrived a day early on Thursday to scout the Awesome Stone Eagle property in haze and clouds. I had tried to add an automotive component to the shoot but to no avail ... well when we were getting ready to make the hike up to the golf course at 1100 feet of elevation, from the pro-shop this retro sounding car pulled up ... a mint condition Champagne 1940 Packard convertible owned by Stone Eagle member Robert MacLochlen. We found a way to get it ON the driving range by way of gravel path and security gate and it was the perfect Gatsby era prop to our shoot.

We combined an HD Video DVD shoot and photo shoot all in one day and ended up with 3.5 hours of High Definition Video content and 680 photographic images. Our Golf Iconoclasts were Stone Eagle Pro Emeritus Al Geiberger, Ashworth principal partner and creative Director John Ashworth and Renaissance Golf Course Architect Tom Doak.

The format is truly one of a kind. Play golf with our feature subjects of Golf Cognoscente Magazine at a spectacular venue and record it photographically and on HD video to create an authentic and visually compelling new multimedia platform in Golf. Scott Clark played a few holes with Tom Doak, yours truly played a few holes with John Ashworth and Tom Doak and John Ashworth played a few holes with John Ashorth draining a 25 footer on the 18th for a natural birdie! The Fashion shoot took place with the Packard on the range and on 18 and 19! My great friend Al Geiberger was our host and instructed both Tom Doak and myself. He also explained the single pivot technique and put some HONMA equipment to the test.

Over the next couple of weeks I will chronicle the entire shoot, but for now I want to thank my business partner Scott Clark, our videographer Whitey Wilson and our photographer Erika Seress for a Fabulous job pulling this all together. Our Golf Cognoscente marketing partners Antas Golf, Marbas, HONMA, Martin Dingman, Walter Genuin, Esquivel, Dorfman-Pacific, Jox Sox, MacKenzie golf bags and E-motion are true visionary companies for coming on board and sharing our vision.

I would like to thank John Fitzpatrick and Ted Lannon of Stone Eagle for allowing us to shoot at Stone Eagle, which Tom Doak calls his most visually dramatic project above Cape Kidnappers and Pacific Dunes ( I have proof ). It was a fantastic experience to shoot our premier issue at such an AWESOME and unique venue. From the pro-shop staff, to the golf pro, to the food & beverage staff ... the treatment was world-class!

Auke

Severiano Ballesteros the virtuoso is in my prayers

The latest news is that Severiano is stabilizing after three brain surgeries. I hope and pray he makes it through the toughest challenge of his life and will be able to enjoy health and prosperity in his later years. Having read most or all of the news articles during these trying times for "Seve", something was amiss.

Yes, a reference to the European Arnold Palmer was nice, but here is my contention. Where are the personalities today? Some cognoscente in the fine arts state that supreme talent only arrives once a century, well I guess we'll have to wait maybe 10, 20 or 50 years? What about Tiger Woods? With all due respect to Tiger and his phenomenal record ... a lot of what made Seve truly Seve was his swashbuckling personality in his prime.

Let me go back a little further in time in the American Golf history books and give you my equivalent of Seve on this side of the pond ... Walter Hagen. A self made swing and a short game that would put the scare in every player that walked up to the first tee to face him! In today's global commercial sports world a kid with that much talent would be "robotted" by age 12.

I am reminded of Payne Stewart's dad to his new high school coach....."You can teach him to be on time and behave, but don't change his swing". When I used to watch the Chrysler Cup in Sarasota in the early '90s, I was always mesmerized by Chi Chi Rodriguez' incredible talent and individualism. Will we see another Walter Hagen, Chi Chi Rodriguez or Seve Ballesteros among the crop of current or up and coming Tour players? Will we be impressed by low scores and long drives for the sake of the game or are there others yearning to have virtuosity and individualism sprinkled in among this great game's most important ingredients?

Seve you are an original ... may you fully recover to enjoy the golden years of a life that has given so much joy to golf aficionado's the world over.

In creative spirit

Auke

A photo shoot like no other

My last day at the Payne Stewart Golf Club in Branson, Mo. was a GREAT experience…. a photo shoot with 11-year-old "little Payne" Baron. If his swing is an indication watch out PGA Tour 2020! He will be the best dressed for sure in plus fours.

We hit balls on 3, 4 and 18 and in this picture Bob Allen and I - in appropriate attire with Fore ltd shoes - are admiring Baron's swing on the 4th tee. His sister Courtney and his mom photographer Kimber were absolutely delightful ... a great time was had by all.

I will most certainly return soon, to what I consider the premier golf course and must travel Golf destination in the Midwest -- The Payne Stewart Golf Club!

Auke