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Golf is a funny game, so why not take a look at it through the eyes of one of America's up-and-coming comedians, who also happens to be an avid player?
That's the thrust of Golf Road Trippin', a new golf travel show that premieres on GolfPass today. Over the course of six episodes (the first of which is free to view even without a paid GolfPass membership), the show offers an offbeat, fun-forward look at a diverse group of golf courses that should whet golfers' appetites for exploration as travel and trip planning become more feasible in the late stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The host: comedian James Davis. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Davis describes his upbringing as "hood adjacent" - safely ensconced in a middle-class neighborhood but close enough to the aforementioned 'hood (South Central L.A.) to be acutely aware of just how different life can be at either end of a city block. Davis explores this duality in his standup comedy, as well as in his Comedy Central show, "Hood Adjacent," which ran in 2017.
Golf is a theme in Davis' comedy, which mixes keen obvservation, personal stories and some clever wordplay. Like many of the most effective comics, he manages to make the audience simultaneously laugh and reflect on the poignancy of a subtle point he has made.
Davis admits that golf falls behind chess and checkers on the list of hobbies it's perceived as cool for Black people to have, but more than a punchline, the game is a passion of his; he played competitively through high school and still greatly enjoys his time on the course.
In this sketch that accompanies a clip of his standup on the subject, it is clear Davis has both a genuine love for golf and a sharp understanding of its cultural context and the racial dynamics and subtext at play when Black and white golfers meet.
Related: Comedian James Davis ready to change the way you view golf road trips
In the first season of Golf Road Trippin', Davis brings his unique take on the game to six golf courses in Southern California and Las Vegas, from a couple eye-popping resorts to beloved, affordable local haunts. To watch the first episode, which sees Davis attempt to duplicate one of Tiger Woods' most spectacular shots at California's Omni La Costa Resort, click here.
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