High Stakes and Limited Time
When you’re working with a pro like Justin Rose, time is everything. On the day we shot Ballmarker, we had less than two hours with him. That time had to cover not just this emotional short piece, but also a full commercial spot for another Lamkin product. And to top it off, the weather didn’t cooperate. This behind-the-scenes look at a Justin Rose golf commercial captures what it really takes to deliver under pressure.
The day started out overcast in San Diego. That wasn’t what we had planned for, but like anything in production, you have to roll with it. There are always going to be moving parts, and weather is definitely one of those things you can’t control.
Justin had just come off another shoot with a completely different company that same day. On top of that, he was dealing with some sciatica pain in his lower back, which made swinging a club pretty uncomfortable. Before we got started, he needed a break and some time to get his back worked on so he could loosen up enough to go through the motions.
We had already scouted the locations and done rehearsals with a stand-in. But with thunderstorms rolling in and limited time, we had to move fast.
Making the Most of the Commercial Shoot
Our first priority was filming the commercial spot. The concept centered around Justin swinging the club, which wasn’t ideal considering his back injury. Fortunately, the story was more about being inside the mind of the golfer. That allowed us to focus on close shots of his face and hands and minimize the need for full swings. He gave us a few takes at about three-quarter speed, and we made it work. There was one wide shot where we needed to see the full swing, and he pulled through for that as well. He was a pro and committed to helping us get what we needed, even though he wasn’t feeling his best.
Once we had what we needed for the commercial, we moved on to Ballmarker. This piece had a different tone. It was a social video with a personal story about what a ball marker means to Justin. We knew it would be driven by voiceover, so we focused on close-ups—his face, his eyes, and the marker itself. The goal was to stay in his head and make it feel honest and reflective.
Even with the time crunch, we had a clear list of what we needed. That’s one of the most important things on a day like this. You can adjust and improvise, but you have to know your must-have shots. For Ballmarker, that included the close-up of Justin, the moment with the marker, and a clear product shot of the grip. We got all of it just before the rain started to fall.
Recording the Voiceover in the Clubhouse
About 30 minutes after we wrapped the final shot, we moved into the clubhouse to record Justin’s voiceover. We knew we wouldn’t have much time, so our sound mixer came prepared. He built a small dampening box on-site to create a studio-like environment in the room we had. It gave us the clean, intimate sound we needed, and it allowed us to keep the production self-contained without sacrificing quality.
Why Collaboration Matters
In the end, we filmed two pieces and captured all of the voiceover in just a few hours. That’s the fun and the challenge of production. When you’re working with a celebrity, the schedule is tight and everything has to go right. Add in weather and physical limitations, and you really have to trust your team and stick to the plan.
We were fortunate to be working with ASO as our agency partner. They understood what it takes to get the job done and were incredibly supportive. They knew when to jump in and when to let us move, and their attitude throughout the day made all the difference.
The biggest lesson from this shoot is simple. Have a plan. Know what you absolutely need. And be ready to adjust when things don’t go as expected. That’s how you get the job done in real-world production.
You can watch the full Ballmarker spot and our other work with Lamkin Grips HERE
Visit Lamkin Grips to see more about the products featured in this spot.