The series "A picture tells ... " is a collaborative effort between writer Richard Pennell and photographer Simon Pope. Together, they combine prose and images to reflect on a game that golfers anywhere can relate to. The gallery will be updated each week.
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Hole No. 13, Cleeve Hill Golf Club, Cleeve Hill, England | Photo: Simon Pope
“The course is dry and firm, and as we plot our way across the rolling landscape, the wind blows away cobwebs and errant shots alike. We remember what golf used to be like — wild, natural — and imagine a world in which everything is this simple. Hit it, find it, hit it again, and in between shots chew the fat with friends or gaze at the natural splendor all around.”
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Nole No. 11, Hoylake, Royal Liverpool, England | Photo: Simon Pope
"The course gradually draws us towards the dunes, which is where our gaze naturally drifts. The first few holes look simple, but are clever. We learn where to put our ball and where not to, and our hearts sing that golf which looks this plain on the surface can be this good, for this is the sort of golf we love.”
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Hole No. 18, Minchinhampton Old Course, Gloucestershire, England | Photo: Simon Pope
“Minch Old seems to exist as a rare and respectful custodian of the purest version of golf, the version we all fell in love with somewhere along the way, regardless of our location at the time … it celebrates the unadulterated pleasure of being in a dialogue with nature while knocking a ball round on foot. And under a vast sky, with mountains in the distance, we all savor this feeling of great freedom, of spaciousness, while the skylarks provide a heavenly soundtrack from their lofty perch above."
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Hole No. 1, Rosapenna, St. Patrick’s Links, County Donegal, Ireland | Photo: Simon Pope
“We emerge into a sky that seems endless, and by the fourth tee — perched brilliantly above the most gorgeous of holes along the coast — we four are spellbound by St. Patrick’s, and though the wind and Tom Doak batter us, in each other’s eyes there is only enchantment … For here, in the wind off the ocean and the bobbling run of a chipped recovery, lies the visceral spirit of the game, the essence of golf.”
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Hole No. 18, Durness Golf Club, Durness, Scotland | Photo: Simon Pope
“In the simple act of knocking a ball around, in landscapes too wild and wonderful for words, I have learned to sometimes leave the past and future alone, and to find the exquisite, delicate beauty that resides in the present.”
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If you would like to submit your own images / thoughts for consideration, please email to shall@buffalogroupe.com. Images must be high resolution and text should be limited to 75 words maximum.