Aerial of the Day #235 - 28 Oct 2002

[Scott_Burroughs]

Yet another GCAer gets his mug in Links Magazine.  Sure a
bunch of them were in the SI Golf Plus article on GCA, but
within the last year, at least 4 GCAers have been in Links.  
First was "architect groupie" Tommy N, who struck the now
famous "Emperor" pose, then the Archipalooza article had a
pic of Tom Doak and Ran M chatting it up in the Bandon
Dunes Lodge, then the most recent issue (Nov/Dec) has a pic
of our own "Jonathan" (Cummings) kneeling on the Swilcan
Bridge with his 4-some.  Unless it's a wild coincidence and is
another Jonathan Cummings.  


Back to this.  I will be out again all day today and tomorrow,
and we should have yet another substitute host both days.


Does this course rest on it past acclaims or is the course that good?

[WilliamWang]

Scott asked me to chime in with some clues and then to reveal the course as he is out for the day.

is this course close to the cradle of the king?

[mike_malone]

In some competitions they put this  on the head of the winner.
 Recently played here and was underwhelmed.

[mike_malone]

Understand the king tinkers as much with the course as he does with his golfclubs.

[WilliamWang]

if i was in the vicinity of this course and after carding a "33" on the front, i might reach for a cold one.

would the comedic geniuses Stan & Ollie have played this course?

[Dan Grossman]

I was surprised that James Braid and not the
architect of this course was the first person
voted off the island in the Dead Architect Survivor.

[WilliamWang]

would rocco mediate recognize this course?

[WilliamWang]

This is the course on which a certain urbane mr. barnes went Bear hunting, twice in one day!

[WilliamWang]

okay, one last smattering of clues before revealing the course.

it's possible in late august to watch a "friendly skins game" between tiger, davis, tom and the king on this course.

the course has had its share of majors.

this course could be called the western sibling of waynesborough country club.

[SPDB]

I'd much rather play the other course in town, even if it really is only a 9-holer.

[WilliamWang]

Okay, this is the Laurel Valley Golf Club of Ligonier, PA,
designed by Dick Wilson and Joe Lee in 1960 with various
changes by Palmer and Seay in 1988, and continous
tinkering by Palmer.  Formerly ranked in Golf Week it has
since fallen out of the Top 100.  Still ranked in Golf
Digest at #51 and ranked 4th in the state.

Laurel Valley hosted the 1965 PGA Championship won by
Dave Marr over Jack Nicklaus and Billy Casper.  Also, the
Ryder Cup of 1975 where Brian Barnes defeated Jack
Nicklaus 4-2 and then 2-1 on the same day.  See reference
to Bear hunting.

It's also hosted the 1989 U.S. Senior Open won by Orville
Moody.

Rest on its past acclaims refers to "resting on its laurels"

"cradle of the king" refers to nearby Latrobe, birthplace of
Arnold Palmer.

Mayday's references to "crowning winners" refer to laurel.
The tinkering bit refers to Arnold Palmer.

Geez, this really gets tedious referencing the clues.  How do
you do it Scott??

"Ollie and Stan"  refers to Laurel and Hardy.

"33" refers to Rolling Rock Beer brewed in nearby Latrobe,
and like most of my clues is nebulous at best.

Rocco Mediate is a member here and when the Marconi
Pennsylvania Open was played here did fairly well, but
I'm not sure if he won.

SPDB's clue refers to nearby Rolling Rock Club with its original
9 hole layout, expanded to 18 by Brian Silva.