INSIDER Q&A
V
eteran golf journalist Joe
Passov, also known as
"Travelin' Joe," has spent
the last 30 years teeing it
up at courses around the
world and sharing his insights with
readers, listeners and viewers in a fash-
ion that informs and entertains.
Some of the highlights of his career
include being a staff editor for Golf Il-
lustrated, a course rater for Golfweek,
and for 13 years answering readers'
questions in his "Ask Travelin' Joe" col-
umn at GOLF Magazine and golf.com
about where to play, stay and dine.
Travelin' Joe has also covered two
dozen major championships and Ryder
Cups, and remains the youngest person
ever appointed to the Golf Digest Na-
tional Course Ranking Panel, which he
did in 1987 at age 24.
He's won multiple writing honors,
including the 2019 Donald Ross Award
from the American Society of Golf
Course Architects, and he currently
writes and co-hosts a radio show in Ari-
zona. His website, TravelinJoeGolf.com,
highlights an array of golf courses and
resorts, as well as golf course history
and design.
We queried Travelin' Joe to reveal a
little more about himself and to get his
opinions about some of the top tracks
in the game…
uuu
how many different courses have
you played in your lifetime? After
keeping track for a long time, I let it
slide for a few years. Then my old Golf
Magazine/Sports Illustrated colleague
Gary Van Sickle told me about a new
app called GolfPlayed.com. It lets users
check off every course they've ever
played, keep a running total and be
part of a community of like-mind
course chasers.
My final count – so far – is 1,339
different courses. I also reckoned that
from course tours and attending tour-
naments, I had walked all or parts of
another 500 courses. I have the score-
cards to prove it!
My total is pretty respectable, but
Gary has me beat. He's at 1,400-plus.
However, I've got him topped for
breadth, having played in all 50 states
and in 35 countries.
uuu
what is your most memorable ex-
perience on the golf course? Where
do I start? My entire professional career
has been an embarrassment of riches.
I've made three aces, teed it up with 11
major championship winners, caddied
for Jack Nicklaus – until I was replaced
travelin'
man
AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST
JOE PASSOV SHARES INSIGHTS
ON HIS CAREER PLAYING THE
TOP COURSES IN THE GAME
"My final count – so far – is 1,339 different courses. I also reckoned
that from course tours and attending tournaments, I had walked all
or parts of another 500 courses. I have the scorecards to prove it!"
<<< travelin' Joe passov
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