Golfers on the Front Lines

01.Client

Golf Digest
Workday

02.Term

2 Months

03.Scope

Content Direction
Creative & Art Direction
Remote Video Casting 
Video Production 
Full-Service Post-Production

04.Project Overview

For over 70 years, stories about everyday people that golf has been a cornerstone of Golf Digest’s editorial strategy. As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across America, the editorial team identified essential workers of all stripes that found themselves on the front lines against a deadly virus. This editorial series presented by Workday brought those stories to life.

The Healing Power of Golf

To cope with stress, many essential workers found themselves gravitating to the tranquility of a golf course. Whether it be a full 18 with family, a quick 9 alone, or chipping and putting after a 12-hour shift, the simple pleasures of golf provided respite from the pandemic.

Christine Bonamici

As a Physician’s Assistant in the emergency department at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Christine witnessed scores of patients struggling to overcome the effects of the novel coronavirus. After long shifts (and weeks), the golf course was the first place she would go to deal with the stress.

Calvin Gardner

A service line director at a Stamford Hospital in Connecticut, Calvin experienced both work and personal pain due to the pandemic. At the same time that his hospital began experiencing large volumes of patients, his father contracted the virus and ultimately passed away due to it. To cope, Calvin would play golf at a course just down the street from the hospital.

Haley Campbell

As a new nurse, Haley found herself on the front lines of a pandemic unlike any before it. Her hospital and more experienced colleagues had no idea what to expect as the virus took hold in New Jersey. On the weekends, golf provided the perfect opportunity to destress with her family in an outdoor setting.

Scott Russell

During the height of the first wave in New York, Scott worked seven straight 16-hour days with nearly every call related to COVID. After long shifts, golf became a sort of therapy for him. It was an opportunity to clear his mind and safely bond with friends in an outdoor, socially-distant way.

Defining the Look

Each of the shoots were shot 6k RED raw to give maximum flexibility in post. With a heavy emphasis on moving portraits and golf action, we opted for a naturalistic look paired with moments of high contrast to convey the seriousness of the subject matter. 

—Christian Iooss
Executive Producer, Golf Digest

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