DARREN CARROLL + WHISKEY RANCH

June 7, 2022
When craft-bourbon upstart Firestone & Robertson was looking to expand its production capacity by building a new distillery in its hometown of Fort Worth, founders Leonard Firestone and Troy Robertson stumbled upon a golf club for sale as they pored over the city’s commercial real estate listings. But they hadn’t stumbled upon just any golf club. They’d stumbled across Glen Garden.

If the name rings a bell it’s because you may have heard it mentioned in some stories about a couple of Texas kids named Ben and Byron who caddied there. Turns out they even played each other for the caddie championship across nine of its holes, way back in 1927. That would be “Ben” as in Ben Hogan. And “Byron” as in Byron Nelson.

girl biking around the city with her dog in the front basket of bike

Our photographer Darren Carroll, himself an avid golfer and student of golf history, and who had the opportunity to get to know and photograph Mr. Nelson on numerous shoots for Golf Digest and Sports Illustrated, relished the chance to photograph this gem of golf’s bygone era for The Golfer’s Journal.

In constructing “Whiskey Ranch,” Firestone and Robertson have preserved most of the historic course; the original 6th and 7th holes have been moved to make way for a state-of-the-art distillery and event space. Stop by, sip a bourbon out on the porch and look out over the fairways. Or better yet, play a couple of holes. Either way, You just might sense the ghosts of some of golf’s greats out there.

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THOSE 3 REPS + FRESHLY COOKED CREATIVE

May 28, 2025
🪄 Bringing Our Brand to Life with Freshly Cooked Creative 🪄 When we set out to celebrate our 36-year journey - and communicate who we are today - we partnered with Freshly Cooked Creative to help us tell that story visually and memorably. The result is a stunning animated piece that begins with our sapling logo and grows into a vibrant, flourishing tree. It’s more than a beautiful metaphor. The animation reflects our evolution: deep roots in the industry, decades-long relationships, and a future full of growth and possibility. Every frame is intentional, designed to reflect our expanding capabilities and continued relevance in the creative space. But Freshly Cooked didn’t stop at animation. They delivered a complete brand package built to meet today’s marketing demands. We now have: Four optimized formats of the animation for use across digital platforms Custom-designed web icons, Zoom backgrounds, and event signage Branded social media assets and sticker graphics for both digital and in-person impact Thanks to Freshly Cooked Creative , we now have a dynamic, versatile visual system that honors our past while positioning us for what’s next. Curious how Freshly Cooked can help bring your next campaign, pitch, or brand refresh to life? Check out their latest work and reach out to us if you want to see more!

ICONIC + JAMES NELSON

May 21, 2025
✨ Why Custom Illustration Matter ✨ Why icons deserve a second look! Icons are often treated like a checkbox - something to grab from a stock library or pull from an existing UI kit. But when they’re built intentionally, they become one of the most quietly powerful tools in your creative arsenal. Custom icons do more than reinforce a brand. They clarify communication. They guide users. They bring visual consistency to even the most complex projects - across digital, print, packaging, environments, and campaigns. Illustrator James Nelson approaches icon work with that kind of purpose. His sets are clean, strategic, and built to flex—whether they’re solving for user experience, packaging hierarchies, internal comms, or large-scale marketing systems.

ROLLING LOUD + LINCOLN DURHAM

April 1, 2025
✨ Lincoln Durham - 3D Character Design + Animation - Rolling Loud Music Festival ✨ Lincoln Durham created this dynamic sizzle reel showcasing some of the 2D and 3D animations he developed for the Rolling Loud Music Festival across various cities, in collaboration with Zellus. These animations were primarily used for social media promotions and as NFTs to further engage festival fans. The original artwork, provided by an undisclosed artist, served as still illustrations that Lincoln brought to life by adding motion and sound. For the 3D scenes, he sculpted and rigged characters inspired by the 2D illustrations, using them as a foundation to build out a story line based on direction from Zellus. Lincoln’s ability to seamlessly blend 2D and 3D animation, along with his expertise in motion and sound design, brings energy and depth to every project. His work for Rolling Loud is just one example of how he transforms static illustrations into immersive, high-impact visuals. Looking to elevate your next project with dynamic animation? Consider Lincoln for your upcoming creative needs!