[jjeling]

I recently picked up a deal with the golf club where I work. I work as a starter/tee master and the club owner asked me to be his "head" photographer. He has never had one but figured I would just take pictures while Im working instead of doing work. There are going to be a few tournaments this year along with the college national championship. I am using a K10d and feel it will be good enough to do the job since they generally sit in one place for a bit of time. I am looking to get the Pentax 300m F4 star lens for the deal. If all goes well, they will probably send me to a couple LPGA tournaments as well.
Anyone with some experience in golf that might have some input. I was also thinking about the f4 200 star lens as well, but think I will be better off with the 300 and can use it for many other purposes.

[rfortson]

Cool! I've shot the practice round of the Shell Houston Open and 300mm is good. I've also used the DA*200. I could imagine the DA*50-135 would also be useful, but I've never taken it (that I can remember).

Here the set taken with the K20D and the DA*200.
2008 Shell Houston Open - a set on Flickr

And this set was taken with the K100D and an old SMC 300mm f/4.0 lens.
2007 Shell Houston Open - a set on Flickr

And don't forget the 21fps burst mode on the K20D. You can get some great swing sequences with it. These were taken with the 18-250 lens (which is also pretty good considering golf is usually played on bright sunny days).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rfortson/sets/72157606587040563/

[heliphoto]

...
I was also thinking about the f4 200 star lens as well, but think I will be better off with the 300 and can use it for many other purposes.

I haven't used any of the lenses in question (and I've never golfed), but if you can carry a bit more weight than the *300, you might consider the Sigma 100-300 f/4. It gets rave reviews from people and would be a very versatile lens for you.

Also, as rfortson suggests, pairing the 300mm with a 50-135 might be a good option. If only Pentax would make a 60-250mm f/4 weather sealed zoom ...

[Buddha Jones]

I would of had some great advice for you as I volunteered to work the Wachovia Championship, now the Quail Hollow Championship which gives me free reign on the course all week so I was going to shoot the practice rounds but I had to sit it out. I am however volunteering again this year so Lord willing I will be out there Mon-Wed. I plan on taking my normal bag which it the DA35LTD, DA*50-135mm and the DA*300mm with the Kenko 1.5x TC. Hopefully I won't have to use the TC, but if needed I can put it on the zoom to get to the ~200mm mark.

[Clicker]

whatever lenses you settle on just make sure you shoot from their right side if they're righties or their left side if they're lefties ...you'd be more likely to be on the right side more often

I say this because most if not all starter boxes/huts/spot are on the left of the tee blocks.

[jjeling]

whatever lenses you settle on just make sure you shoot from their right side if they're righties or their left side if they're lefties ...you'd be more likely to be on the right side more often

I say this because most if not all starter boxes/huts/spot are on the left of the tee blocks.

Thanks. Since I worked on the course last year, and will be working there all summer this year, I will have plenty of time to plan the shots ahead of time. My biggest concern is that the colleges and NCAA will be bringing their own photographers to the tournament. It shouldn't pose a major problem, but it would be nice to have the exclusive photographs of the tournament.

Just found this out today. Took some pictures of our pro-shop at the end of last season. Our club was ranked as part of the Top 25 private clubs in the country. It was also ranked 24th in the world in 2004.
In 2011 we are hosting the Senior Open.

Inverness Club