Tim Rosafort's death at the age of 66 from complications of Alzheimer's disease will resonate throughout the golf world, where he was beloved by players, journalists and golf fans. As a senior writer at Golf Digest and sister publication Golf World for more than 20 years, Tim's pioneering work and gentle spirit made a singular impression on his colleagues. Below we've shared some reflections on one of the stalwarts of our brand and our game.
The image I have of Tim arriving at the press center in the morning with his freshly pressed suit and tie on a hanger and a broad smile on his face. No one liked what he did more than Tim Rosafort.
There was also a vulnerability in Tim's behavior that is very rare among "TV people." He had a touch of uncertainty about himself that was endearing and believable. I think it was done through the mill of the editing process with his years in a weekly sports magazine. This made him sensitive to the struggles we all face at work and in life.
Everyone trusted Tim. So he had everyone's mobile number and everyone called him back. You knew he was going to give you a good blow. And even when he received the most inappropriate setbacks, life was met with a smile on his face and gratitude in his heart. —Jerry Tarde
When I first started working at Golf Digest, of course all my friends and family asked if I knew Tim Rosafort. He was the ubiquitous face of the magazine on TV as well as our prolific columnist. All I could tell them was that "Rosie" existed in a different classroom. The editors and writers I worked with sat at desk computers, dressed ready to take it out of the office in case a game of golf started. Tim wore a perfectly fitted suit with a poppy tie and traveled to another world.
I first met Tim at my first PGA Tour event. He was smartly walking from one appointment to the next as I wandered through the practice of carrying a green beddrag with a notebook and backpack. I was astonished as he pulled out not one, not two, but three cellphones from the inner chest pocket of his blazer. This was the era of blackberries and flip-phones, so not as unimportant cargo as in bulk. "These are my tools," he told me. "Never be without your tools." One point he was trying to impress was his attention to my writing style, but I believed I could do more as a reporter. He couldn't have been more correct. I spent some more time with her that week and could hardly believe all the pros who had texted her before. He had built up unmatched confidence knowing which scoop to sit on.
A former football player, I'd bet he was the one who could command a whispered swarm. Every word Tim said you stayed, and he always had something encouraging for the young people on the staff. I was fortunate to eventually get to know Tim better, and I will try to pass on many of his lessons to the next generation of writers.
A story about Tim Rosafort being kind to a young man in golf is pretty anecdotal in itself because Tim was kind to so many people in golf. There was a time when he had so little incentive to do so that he was incredibly kind to me.
Setting Scarsdale, NY In 1997 there was the Walker Cup at Quaker Ridge Golf Club. I was 22 years old covering the event for the local newspaper, and Tim was there for Golf World. In his never-ending search for nuggets of information, Tim read a story I had written and apparently liked it enough to walk through and introduce himself. A friendship was born. We learned that we grew up close to each other and at one point we both had editors of the same newspaper. Years later, Tim would send me notes with either compliments or story ideas; When the job opportunity opened at Golf Digest, I breathlessly called Tim to ask for help. He cut me He said, 'I have already spoken to him.
I don't know if Tim was the only reason I got the job, but golf was one of the main reasons he encouraged me to pursue a career in journalism. He was my first great mentor, a model for how to navigate the world of golf with kindness and grace. —Sam Weinman
Contrary to what you might believe in this day of talking people, people in print journalism don't naturally transition to television, not without getting lost or thrown literally—small and sometimes awkward— The skills and attitude that made him admirable in his original form. pursuing journalism. As I watched Tim Rosafort's easygoing nature on the small screen from afar, what struck me most was that there was no change in not only his ability to develop sources and tell stories, but his behavior. was even more impressive. If there was an easy way to describe their craft, it wasn't getting the scoop, it was giving them. Rosie shared, whether it was the profile of a particular player, breaking news of a coach's insight before the final round or an open invitation to a round of golf at any club in South Florida, where he always seemed to be the one. But personally, even though I knew he was such a worthy person in the small world of golf journalism, Rosie never spared my personal dealings with making me feel like I was a man of all wisdom and that He was the one who wanted to learn more. It is this genuine curiosity, always with a smile that was childish in spite of his shaven head, which clearly made him such a reliable writer among a collection of unrivaled sources. But as someone who hasn't been particularly comfortable on the video side of this job, Rosie's easy-going nature always found a way to ease my anxiety when our way into the Golf Channel or similar areas. passed over the years. Less than a minute before going live he once told me, "Remember, you know what you know. That's too much. Just talk about what you know. Do you." Then, that grin, and after that everything was easy. He was certainly honest, generous, encouraging. That's how I'll remember him because that's what he was. —Mike Stachura
My first job in Golf Media was as a reporter/fact-checker for the then new Golf Plus section of Sports Illustrated. Tim was new to SI, not just golf journalism. He had just been hired to write a number of sports and industry stories that packed the tiger-fated weekly special segment. We were both on the biggest stage for the first time, and we became fast friends and allies in SI's notoriously cutthroat political scene. Tim was a tireless and meticulous reporter with a vast collection of sources. My job was to make sure her copy—through SI's lengthy editing process—still contained her carefully reported facts—so that she could maintain the trust of those sources. He didn't have to spend the extra time (and hard work) teaching a relationship starter the art (and hard work) of building relationships, finding the real story, and telling the truth, but his aimless generosity and mythically straight beneficiary of getting to know Tim Shooting. It was an honor to be on the same masthead with him for more than 20 years. —Matthew Rudy
I first met Tim at the 1988 Masters and played golf with him for the first time since the 1993 Ryder Cup at The Belfry in England on Monday. He set the tea time. This was one of many ways in which Tim shared his rich contacts in the golf world. From the start, Rosie made it easy for people to get to know her because of her gentle, courteous way of interacting. He invited you into his world and generously shared what he knew and what he knew. When we started working together on Golf Digest and Golf World in 1998, my appreciation for the nature that Tim had in him grew. As a journalist colleague, he played the game the same way he played college football—as a true fellow.
Rosie and I had another bond right off the bat. I always saw myself as a reporter more than a writer, and the same was true for Tim. The part of journalism he loved was gathering information, finding out the why and how of something or someone. Few people were as good at it as Tim. He had everyone's number on his phone and because he never burnt anyone by betraying trust or misrepresenting what he said, everyone always called him back. And that's the bottom line. Rosie was very good at what she did because of treating people with respect. In a time of tremendous change in the news business, Tim Rosafort was one of those who gave journalism a good name. —Ron Siraki
Tim had the most killer Rolodex in golf. Players, caddies, agents, administrators, club owners and mixed golf tycoons all liked and respected him, and most of them were on speed dial. Most of us were jealous of his contact list and how easily his calls were returned. There is no shortcut to how they achieved it. Tim was dedicated, reliable, honest and fair for 40 years. He was big game in every way. -guy yokom
Count me among a group of young journalists who will never be able to thank Tim Rosafort so much that I started writing golf. I was assigned the amateur beat at Golf Digest's sister publication, Golf World, and my boss, Geoff Russell, said that it might be smart to go to Florida and meet with Tim during the week of the Coleman Invitational, a high-profile middle -Amateur event just above Rosie's house in Palm Beach Gardens. The idea was for them to introduce me to some people I could then call to help with my amateur coverage. I had heard about Tim's impressive network of sources, but I witnessed his famous Rolodex come to life as he connected me with dozens of influential golf industry people during an evening at Seminole Golf Club. As I was leaving, I thanked him for what he did, but by the time I got back home to Connecticut, Tim had left a voicemail message with a few more names and numbers, he thought I was just should be in the case. It was Tim, who was always on the lookout for others. Since then, he and I often talked about golf and writing. I loved knowing that a successful journalist like Tim had the same insecurities that I did and that he, like me, struggled with the worries of being on the road and away from family. Seeing how he carried out all his tasks, I was relieved that it was possible. I wasn't the most important person in Rosafort's Rolodex, but when we talked, he always made me feel that way. —Ryan Harrington
I first met and worked with Tim in the late 1990s, before I even started at Golf Digest. I was a young golf reporter trying not to trip over the gallery ropes, but Tim made me feel like part of a gang covering PGA Tour-golf hacks. I always appreciated how he treated me even though we both knew I clearly didn't. Later, I edited Tim's "Tour Insider" column in Golf Digest for several years. Most people think of Tim as a hardcore reporter, but it always impressed me how tied he was to every word he wrote. If I changed something in his column, he would know in a jiffy, and we had several phone conversations, debating even the most subtle edits. It was no work for him; It was personal. —Ron Kasprisky
We have never lost a golf match.
Tim Rosafort and I became friends long before we became collaborators at Golf Digest because we shared the distinction of being one of a handful of writers who developed a relationship with golf great Jack Nicklaus—starting his Palm Beach Post. From the time of covering golf for mine and mine through my Ohio newspaper ties. We enjoyed the connection, and we reveled in the stories we could tell each other about this or that meeting with Jack. We compared notes. We understood privilege.
But what made us close was the golf that we got to play together. Like I said, we never lost. Whether it was a $10 game against other writers while we were on the road or as teammates in some "official" matches, Tim and I never lost a four-ball match.
The sport that cemented our invincibility – or at least our belief in it – came in 2004 at Birmingham Country Club near Detroit, when we were representing the United States in the Rolex "Writers' Cup", the rider of that year There was a match held before the cup. Oakland Hills. We were pairs of 8 handicaps, and we attracted two Brits, one playing for 3 handicap and the other 15. Long story short, 15 played like 3, and Tim and I were down 3. We were dead. And then we weren't. Somehow we rallied and after the 17th win, we had tied the match. Then I immediately hit my drive at 18 runs out of play. Tim Cool Fairway, Green, Put... Birdie Gone. And we won the darn thing, 1 up. We really hugged. We knew we were somehow doing magic together. And that was our point whenever we saw each other.
I always said this to Tim: He was easier to play with than he was to be with. And his kindness was reflected in everything he did. So he brought out the best in me several times, whether on the golf course or in a distant media center.
The last time I saw him, at the 2020 Honda Classic, when we sat together in the lunch room, there was just a brief exchange about what makes our friendship unique, the singular thread that has always kept us alive. tied together.
"We never lost, right?" As I was about to get up to leave, he said to me with a smile.
"No, we never did," I said, and then we exchanged a fist bump.
And we will be undefeated forever. —Dave Shedlowsky
I will never forget what a staunch journalist Tim was—and how much he cared about helping others understand the story correctly. I believe it was my first time covering the Players Championship in 2011 when he stopped at the Media Center. He was always in and out of TV, but he wanted to make sure I was fully prepared and ready to ask what I was working on. When I told me something about Tim Clark, he started giving me information. And when he looked in his backpack for some of his notecards, he handed me one of his two phones. I swear that thing didn't stop vibrating with texts and emails from her great list of contacts for more than a second. It was wonderful. But that's why he was so good at his job. He never stopped working on it. And as much as he knew about something, he was always digging for more. What a great man, and what a great role model for an aspiring writer. —Alex Myers
Before joining Golf Digest I worked with Tim as a researcher on Morning Drive. Every morning, he would walk into the newsroom at 4 am with the biggest smile on his face. He'll shout, "Hey Rai!" And give me a fistful before handing me a laundry list of stats and facts they'll need for the show. He always wanted to make sure he was right. Honesty was the epitome of his reporting, but Rosie was just that. He was kind to everyone he met and always tried to ask how you were. You can't find anyone who isn't a fan of Tim Rosafort. He made every show, every day and every one better. —Nicole Rae
I've probably known Tim since the mid-'80s, and his best memory was from the 1994 U.S. Amateur at TPC Sawgrass. Tim was there for Sports Illustrated, I was there for the Orange County Register, and our third, Larry Dorman, was for the New York Times. Tim noticed that we made time for golf—the three of us played 72 holes over three days on the Valley Course (while being played as amateurs on the stadium course). Temperature in the 90s or higher, with matching humidity. Sweat like dogs. Still, we didn't win a single match. Later, when we were collaborators at Golf World, he noticed that we played golf together on the Bay Course in Kapalua during the Tournament of Champions. Tim was the all-time best at setting up golf on business trips, yet the work never took off. —John Straise
There's so much to talk about Tim that it's hard to know where to start. There's the obvious: his talent and tenacity. Always stick to facts while being sensational. Always making extra phone calls or texts. He was prolific as both a writer and reporter and a television personality. While perhaps best known for the latter, he didn't really like himself as a TV star but as a reporter who used to be on TV. Tim was also a wonderful colleague, always ready to help. When I was not on the site he gave me quotes from players about their equipment. He was also not protective of his extensive contact list. At the 2009 Open Championship, I was asked to try to get in touch with Greg Norman to get his thoughts on Tom Watson's struggle a year after Norman did. I asked Tim for help. "Greg is calling you in 10 minutes," Tim told me literally in less than five minutes after I asked. His humility was also amazing for such a successful man. He was never "Hey, look at me!" People. Instead, he preferred to support others. He was doing a TV spot at the 2006 Masters. He said he would call me to talk about Phil Mickelson using two drivers. As soon as I get on the phone, I hear Tim say, "If you're going to the bullpen, you can also call in the instrument's Mariano Rivera." She was a typical daily. A Ruthian person in our profession. -I. Michael Johnson
As a young employee of Golf Digest, I had the opportunity to work with Rosie on a number of smaller projects. I will never forget how he thanked me for helping me. A heartfelt hello when I saw him at the tournament; An email or text of encouragement—those little things go a long way when you're just starting out. I will always remember that he called me when I asked him for professional advice even after I left Golf Digest. He treated me like a friend, and I will always consider him the same. —Stephen Hennessy
In my 20 years of being around Tim at golf media centers, what I'll remember most about is how he could work in a room. In the later years of his career, working for the Golf Channel, he would visit veterans on the beat to get information on players he was close to. My boy was Phil Mickelson. He was "using" us in his own way—as we all do with our reporting brethren—but he did it so professionally and with such good-naturedness that it never bothered me. In fact, I felt honored, as he was the ultimate supporter. —Todd Leonard
The 2015 PGA Championship was my first major event for Golf Digest and I was nervous as hell not to spoil it. So imagine how I felt on Monday morning in Whistling Straits when I was on the field for less than 10 minutes and was reprimanded by a security guard for stepping somewhere I shouldn't have. As I felt my body shut in embarrassment, I managed to grumble, "Can you tell me where the driving range is?" Before the guard could answer, I heard, "I'm going over there now, follow me."
I was so new to golf that he didn't realize we worked for the same company. It didn't stop Tim from taking me to the practice area, giving me questions about who I was and what I did, giving me some tips ("You can't be afraid to piss off some people"), and Introduced me to a handful of people when we hit the range with "Meet my new friend" before leaving to hit TV. It may seem like a simple gesture, but when you're blessed with Tim, you're immediately a made-up person.
Unfortunately, I didn't have many face-to-face conversations with Tim after that. We used to meet each other in majors, usually only for a few minutes, although there were minutes that I cherished every second. But what they did for me that week in the Whistling Straits—to take an outsider out of the cold and make him feel warm—is a debt I will pay forever. —Joel Bell
When I was hired at Golf Digest in 2017, the great Tim Rosafort was nearing the end of his time here. Fortunately, I had the pleasure of speaking with him once at the 2017 Northern Trust in Glen Oaks, although our conversation was over the phone. Rosaforte had gotten my number from my boss, Sam Weinman, and he was calling to ask if I could take a quote for an upcoming piece from Justin Thomas he was writing. This task immediately became the mission of my life. Here was one of the greatest, if not the greatest, golf insiders ever in Golf Digest asking the little guy on the totem pole to grab a valuable piece of information for him. The fact that he relied on me for that task is still a moment that I still think about today, and I'm happy to report that I came for him. Two months later, at the President's Cup at Liberty National, we crossed paths again, this time in person, and Rosafort remembered exactly who I was, while our last correspondence had been a short telephone conversation from a few months earlier. As good a journalist was, he was better than a human being. —Chris Powers