Ed Levine
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A selection from Maximum Golf : a spread featuring Melania Trump from the very first issue in June 2000,
a Caddyshack illustration from the April 2001 issue & a cover and spread featuring Kevin James and Ray Romano for the May 2001 issue.
Ed Levine: 17 years ago, Maximum Golf Magazine embodied a lot of firsts. For Rupert Murdoch, Chairman of News Corp, it was going to be a springboard from which to launch other US publications. For me, it was the first time I got to lead the art department of a national consumer magazine taking over the helm after AD, Florian Bachleda left for another gig. It was a first in content--it was not your father’s golf magazine. Maximum Golf was squarely aimed at young men, riding a tsunami of new golf cool thanks to a young Tiger Woods. Its recipe was staple golf content (gear, game tips, and tournaments) with a dollop of GQ and Details fashion, a healthy dose of irreverent Maxim "lad mag" appeal as shown in the spread of our future FLOTUS, Melania Trump, in a tub of golf balls, and long form journalism. It was a celebration of everything golf, especially the fun side. For example, the editors overwhelmingly voted Caddyshack as the GREATEST golf movie ever made and it deserved a feature about its backstory. The magazine profiled "all golfers," which included rockers Van Halen, Steven Van Zandt, and actors Sly Stallone and Jack Nicholson. The covers usually featured professional golfers so the Kevin James and Ray Romano celebrity cover story was a departure.
I had the honor and privilege of working with some of the smartest, passionate and creative editors, designers, photographers, and illustrators in the industry. It’s a shame the economy took a downturn soon after we launched, ending the magazine's life before it could get its sea legs.
CREDITS:
Art Director: Ed Levine
Senior Art Director: Pino Impastato
Illustrator: C.F. Payne (Caddyshack)
Photo Director: J. Tyler Pappas
Photographers: Michael Grecco (Kevin and Ray); Antoine Verglas (Melania)
Editor-In-Chief: Michael Caruso
