Escape to Golf: The Beauty of The Muni Through the Lens of Golf Photographer Patrick Koenig

Photographer and golf enthusiast Patrick Koenig knows a thing or two about golf courses.

A must-follow for lovers of golf photography on Instagram, @pjkoenig has played nearly 1,100 courses in his lifetime according to an excel sheet he uses to track his play and has taken photos at over 700 of the courses.

Each course has presented a different opportunity and perspective, but the beauty of the muni is something Koenig truly believes is worth preserving through his work.

“The trick as a photographer is to capture the vibe of a place,” Koenig said. “Whatever that experience is — that feeling — and somehow share that through your photographs. When you go to a place that has a different vibe, you have to capture it… That’s why I take photographs. I love this space and want to preserve it and share it with other people.”

And while municipal courses like Bethpage Black have hosted the likes of PGA Championships, it’s the sense of community that truly sets them apart.

“The muni courses, people just want to play golf,” Koenig said. “A lot of the other stuff is stripped away. It’s pure and it’s open to everybody. Golf is one of those things that everybody can love and unfortunately we’ve gotten this reputation as an elitist, exclusive sport. Muni golf says ‘forget that, everyone should be able to play.’”

Koenig has had the opportunity to play some of the best, most picturesque courses in the world, but you can hear in his voice when he talks about the uniqueness of muni courses that he has a true love and passion for capturing them through his lens.

“I love being challenged as a photographer,” Koenig said. “A lot of these places [municipal golf courses] don’t have the maintenance budgets to frame picture-perfect views. That is when it gets fun. You can go find the beauty in these places. It exists in unique angles. That is really fun as a photographer.”

Check out some of Koenig’s work below and be sure to give him a follow on Instagram so you can #EscapeToGolf whenever needed.