As part of the fun surrounding our 50th anniversary, Golfweek has been walking down Memory Lane with a number of former employees who helped make the brand what it is today.
We continue the series with one of the employees who helped push us into the video era, Asher Wildman.
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When did you work at Golfweek?
2006-2012
What was your Golfweek title, and give us a brief description of what you did.
Host of Golfweek TV and blogger/podcaster.
Asher Wildman, left, was one of the first hosts on Golfweek TV. Shown here with Brian Harman and Golfweek’s Lance Ringler.
What’s your current title and company?
Weekend news anchor and investigative reporter at Spectrum News 13 in Orlando.
What’s the one moment you’re proudest of while working with Golfweek?
When I began in 2006, Golfweek was determined to create an online video presence. Producing video content for online platforms was a fairly new concept back then. I remember after our first year of producing content, we decided to push the needle even farther by streaming live play-by-play of the 2007 men’s and women’s NCAA Golf Championships. Not only did we have live coverage of the final few holes, we also created a true ESPN-like “College GameDay” feel. Working alongside good friend Lance Ringler was as fun as Lee Corso with Kirk Herbstreit. We had interviews throughout the day, play-by-play, commentary, and each day’s coverage, I remember being a minimum of eight hours. I don’t think many envisioned what we were capable of doing for those championships, but it felt like for the first time the sport got the recognition it rightfully deserved. Golfweek was a true pioneer in collegiate coverage, but we were also a pioneer in trying to bring the sport to a national spotlight, which I feel we did. I also recall one of our shots being used in an ESPN SportsCenter Top 10, which was also great to see.
Asher Wildman, left, was one of the first hosts on Golfweek TV.
What’s the ‘hair-on-fire’ moment you remember most vividly?
Not sure this qualifies, but here we go. I was asked to play in the am-am at the Players Am in South Carolina. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis came down to play as well. Bluffton, South Carolina, was going through a dry spell and the course was doing what they could water-wise when they could. I remember the head pro before we all went to our assigned starting holes telling everyone there are some slippery spots out on the course, so be mindful. I wasn’t. I had an awkward stance with an uphill lie. When I went to swing I slipped backwards, doing a roll down the hill. Totally lost my footing. Everyone in my group heard the strangest sound after I hit. No one knew where my ball went because they were all too shocked to see me rolling down a hill. We looked around the green for my ball. Didn’t seem like it hit a roof, so we just said, “lost ball,” oh well. The ball was found…but after walking off that hole’s putting green. My golf ball was wedged in a member’s private golf cart right through the front windshield. To say I was embarrassed would be an understatement. During the round, I apologized to the owner and got his info to pay for what I assumed would be to replace the window. For the next three hours or so, it’s all I could think about. At lunch, the member and owner of the golf cart came up to me to tell me, “I just got off the phone with the cart company and they said since I bought it last week the front window is under warranty.”
Asher Wildman now works on Spectrum News in Orlando.
What’s your favorite golf course you’ve played and why?
The Country Club of St Albans. I can still close my eyes and envision nearly every hole when I close my eyes. The course was in such pristine condition, amazing undulations, presented an abundance of different shot opportunities, and the staff was so welcoming. In a way it felt like playing a picture book, because I don’t recall seeing a blade of grass out of place, or even a brown spot anywhere.
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(Editor’s note: We appreciate all the former employees who have contributed time and effort to this feature. The golf journalism community is a small one and we’re proud of the achievements of all our former colleagues.)
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Golfweek 50th anniversary memories: Asher Wildman led video push
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