[Photo: Chris Gurney photography]
Australian Golf Digest caught up with Melbourne filmmaker Chris Martin (check out his work on Instagram by clicking here), who grew up next to a golf course in Western Australia. After a childhood spent around the game, Martin turned his attention to skateboarding and then to filmmaking. Now, with his short film The Bug, he explores the hilarious rollercoaster of emotions golfers experience on the course. Here, Martin discusses his journey, the inspiration behind The Bug, and his vision for future golf films. Read the Q and A with Martin and watch The Bug below:
Australian Golf Digest: How did you first get into golf?
Chris Martin: Well, I grew up next to a golf course in Western Australia, and my granddad was a pretty keen golfer. He used to take me to the range, so I knew how to swing a club from the age of six. Golf was always there in my life, but I never took it too seriously. By the time I discovered skateboarding, I let go of golf and found a love for filmmaking through skating. Watching skate videos and shooting with my mates got me into making films. So, when I picked up golf again as an adult, it felt natural to combine both passions.
Image: Chris Gurney photography
Australian Golf Digest: Tell us about the inspiration for The Bug. How did the idea come together, and what was the process like?
Chris Martin: The inspiration came during a round of golf with my best mate, Anthony. We’d been watching a lot of golf ads and thought they were a bit boring. We were talking about how the old Nike ads in the 2000s were silly and fun, with Tiger [Woods] and Rory [McIlroy] doing crazy stuff. We loved that style and wanted to bring back that vintage, 1990s/2000s golf vibe in a modern way. Throughout the round, we kept spitballing ideas—like trying to hit the guy in the range cart, funny golf clichés, and other moments everyone’s experienced on the course. We made a list of about 50 ideas and narrowed it down to what we could realistically shoot. The whole process, from that conversation to shooting, took about a year, with another six months in editing.
Australian Golf Digest: What are your goals for The Bug and your future in golf filmmaking?
Chris Martin: It would be awesome to work with a big golf brand like Titleist or TaylorMade on a campaign. For viewers of The Bug, I just want people to relate to it. Whether it’s a kid hitting stingers into the range cart or an older guy trying to relive his best rounds, I hope there’s something everyone can connect with. The message is to capture the real part of golf—how, in spite of all the frustration, we keep coming back because of those rare, perfect shots. If people understand that, I’d be happy.
Watch the bug below:
