Golf needs friends right now.
Our beloved sport has so much to offer and is so wonderful yet a newbie would be hard pressed to glean this by tuning into the weekly telecast of the drab PGA Tour. Indeed, across the media landscape, Ben and I can’t readily find a source of inspiration to delve deeper into the ancient game.
Rather than just whine, let’s do something about it. GolfClubAtlas.com is starting a new section entitled ‘Best of Golf.’ It will highlight various aspects that reveal the game’s essence. This new feature will replace the Art & Architecture section, which will roll up underneath the new section.
The Best of Golf will include many things: detailed descriptions of the game’s great holes, superb greenkeeping practices, special traditions (e.g. President’s Putter), favorite locker rooms (e.g. the barn at Forest Creek), neat customs (e.g. kummel at Prestwick), cool items (e.g. hand-made specialties, be it equipment or MacKenzie golf bags), people (e.g. Harry Easterly), must read books, etc. Ideally, if someone were to ask why you are such a nutter for golf, you will be able to direct them to this section as proof of the game’s many faceted pulls.
As a first entry, I have penned a detailed analysis of the mighty 5th hole at Pinehurst. My next effort will be a personal version of Pat Ward-Thomas’s Best 18. Hopefully, someone will pen an article on George Bahto, the Man. How about a once in a lifetime golf trip you took with your son? A 1,500 word essay on an epic match, like when my birdie dropped at 17 at Sand Hills and Pat Mucci burst into flames at losing 2&1 to a guy with hickories?
What about one on the life of a Greenkeeper? A chronicle on one of the GCA events?
As you can tell, this section will step outside the strict confines of golf course architecture. We do so for the reasons stated above. Plus, the number of In My Opinion pieces submitted over the past ~nine months has been disappointing. We hope that by expanding the range of topics additional impassioned/compelling articles will be presented.
We will take it live soon. I make this post ahead of time because Ben and I aren’t entirely sold on the prosaic name ‘Best of Golf.’ ‘Best’ is used so often these days as to have lost its meaning. Joe Andriole thinks it should be “Exemplars”
and we have batted around “Elysian Fields” as well. ALL SUGGESTIONS ARE MOST WELCOME but they need to be three words or less.
Anyway, we hope that you will enjoy this new and expanded offering on GolfClubAtlas.com.
Best,