As part of the fun surrounding our 50th anniversary, Golfweek has been walking down Memory Lane with a number of former employees who helped make the brand what it is today.
We continue the series with a writer who worked his way into the job of traveling the world and playing golf, Martin Kaufmann.
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When did you work at Golfweek (what years)?
2003-2019
Martin Kaufmann worked for Golfweek as a staffer.
What was your Golfweek title, and give us a brief description of what you did.
I was hired as assistant business editor, covering equipment companies and retailers for my first three years on staff. In 2006, I became managing editor of The Golf Life, a new section of Golfweek dedicated to travel, real estate and architecture. I also wrote Golfweek’s television and media column for most of my 16 years on staff.
What’s your current title and company?
I’m an independent editorial contractor working on projects for various clients, including the occasional project for Golfweek.
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What’s the one moment you’re proudest of while working with Golfweek?
There are a number that come to mind, but perhaps my favorite story was based on a week-long road trip I did with David McLay Kidd through the Pacific Northwest in 2014. I wanted to explore the arc of David’s architectural career. He went from being the industry’s wonder boy when he opened Bandon Dunes in his mid-20s to being the bad boy of the architecture world with his creation of brutally difficult courses such as Tetherow and The Castle Course. By the time we did our road trip, David’s design philosophy had come full circle and he had become the industry’s most vocal evangelist for building fun, playable golf courses that players of all handicaps can enjoy. I knew that story was going to be a home run, in part because David, aside from being a great architect, is one of the most entertaining storytellers I’ve ever come across.
What’s the ‘hair-on-fire’ moment you remember most vividly?
I’d probably go all the way back to my first few years on staff as a business writer, when we’d spend four or five long days at the PGA Merchandise Show (at the time, the show ran through Sunday), then have to crank out stories on Sunday nights and early Monday for expanded show coverage.
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What’s your favorite golf course you’ve played and why?
It’s obviously difficult to pick one, but Royal Dornoch probably is the closest thing I’ve had to a spiritual experience on a golf course. For all of the excitement that preceded my visit to Dornoch, I walked off 18 feeling even more energized than I had felt on the first tee.
(Editor’s note: We appreciate all the former employees who have contributed time and effort to this feature. The golf journalism community is a small one and we’re proud of the achievements of all our former colleagues.)
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Golfweek 50th anniversary memories: Martin Kaufmann handled architecture, TV
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