Below is an excerpt from California Golf & Travel Magazine’s Q&A on John Ashworth.
I met John Ashworth like most of you did, on the racks of my home golf course back in the 80’s. He was everywhere. That cool transcendent relaxed-fit cotton golf shirt, which hung off my slim shoulders, I’d pick up the sleeves in my pre-shot routine because that’s the way Freddie did it. Couples, that is. It was Fred Couples who put Ashworth on the map, but it was the fashion-forward sense of the brand that got Couples, John Cook, Mark Wiebe, Ernie Els and Jim Nantz all wearing Ashworth in the early days. The iconic logo, a napkin sketch by the late and great Barry Grimes, was known as “The Golf Man.” The black-and-white ad campaigns of Couples and company rolling around in convertibles.
(Q) Do you have fond reflections on the Ashworth days?
(A) Definitely. I loved the collaborative days with Barry Grimes, the photo shoots and catalogs, the clothes and what we were creating. The timing was right, the stars aligned and we caught lightning in a bottle. It was long before the days of cell phones and computers, and looking back now, I’m not sure how it was even possible. I was 27 years old and moved to Los Angeles without a clue about the fashion industry, but what I did have was lots of energy. They say ‘ignorance is bliss’? I got my Masters degree in the school of hard knocks. I was making sales calls out of the trunk of my car, but with the help of a lot of talented people, we managed to figure it out.
(Q) When people ask you about Goat Hill Park, when they ask how they can get that same success and vibe that you’ve achieved in Oceanside, what’s your advice?
(A) The business of golf is kind of weird, and I have a whole new respect for anyone operating or managing a golf course of any type. Every day something can go terribly wrong. That being said, if I’m asked what’s the secret sauce that has worked at Goat Hill Park? I would say, focus on great greens and keep the rest of the course in the best shape possible. Keep it simple, hire friendly people. It’s like inviting friends over to your backyard to hang out and play a game. Be welcoming and relaxed, it’s all about the hang. Avoid anything that feels uptight and the basics we’ve adopted are: A) No overbearing dress code. B) An eclectic playlist of music going at all times around the clubhouse and driving range. C) We’re dog-friendly.
For the full story of Ashworth, the man and the brand, as told by John and Hank Ashworth, Fred Couples, John Cook, Mark Wiebe and more, listen to this Fire Pit Podcast:
For the full story of the 2023 Wishbone Brawl at Goat Hill Park, click here.