Dave Baysden: Golf's New Favorite Artist

If you have been into golf’s social media scene over the past year or so, then you have undoubtedly heard of Dave Baysden. It could be from his recent cover with Caddie Magazine, his unreal projects with Seamus Golf, or simply his playful photos of PGA Tour events. Whatever it may be, one thing is for certain. Dave is incredibly talented with the brush (or tee) in hand, and rightfully so, is being recognized for it.

Dave has been into art since he was a kid but only started putting himself out there about four years ago. Luckily for us, a couple of good buddies pushed him outside of his comfort zone. If not, the world of golf may have never been graced with his work.

It was always something I was afraid to share. Fear just always ate at me. I had some good buddies that pushed me a lot and would say “hey you’re gifted at this, not everybody can do this, let people see it, just do it.” This challenged me… I always said I could paint and I’m not doing it. Let’s just give it a go.” – quote from today’s podcast with Dave

This challenge to share his work with the masses was right around the time when The Master’s commercials come back on the air and the bug for spring golf becomes an epidemic. For a guy who always loved the beauty of a course and it’s surroundings, what better place to start then by painting a few scenes of Augusta. Dave brought the fairways to life in his own unique way and began sharing them on social media.

Over the coming months, he stayed consistent with his work. Fun sketches recapping the day’s events became commonplace for his followers. Like any great idea that gains traction, doing it differently than everyone else is a necessity. Dave was bringing his own flavor of art to the game. Couple his distinctive style with the power of the golf communities on social media and his growing brand developed into opportunities throughout the industry.

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And that’s the great thing about social media. It gets a bad rap a lot, and rightfully so for a few of the obvious reasons. But for someone like Dave who has a talent that just needed a little exposure, it’s a gold mine. No matter what your passion is, there are people around the world who like it just as much as you. And Dave was able to connect with a community of golfers that enjoyed his take on the game.

Over the years, Dave has continued to add new styles to his craft by thinking outside the box. One of those techniques is completing an entire painting with just a golf tee. Yes, that’s right, a golf tee. And they are incredible. Dave was nice enough to give me the first one he ever painted seen below.

The moral of Dave’s story – on the other side of fear is opportunity. He has worked with brands and courses from around the country while meeting like-minded people along the way. So if you have a talent that you are waiting to put out there, just do it. And while you’re at it, take a few minutes out of your day to listen to this week’s podcast episode with Dave to hear his inspiring story about how taking the leap can enrich your life in so many ways.