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Steve_ Shaffer

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Many More Golf Course Obituaries -- new ones added
« on: June 28, 2019, 11:36:21 AM »
From Robert J. Vasilak's  World Golf Report:

http://worldgolfreport.blogspot.com/


The National Golf Foundation reports that 198.5 18-hole equivalent golf courses – typically, according to the trade group, “value oriented, public facilities in the best-supplied areas” – bit the dust in 2018. Here are a few that the NGF can allocate to 2019’s closings. 
– Jack’s Mountain Preserve, originally known as Old Fort Golf Course, has bitten the dust, due to what’s said to be “a lack of new and returning golfers” and “less and less support from the community.” The course, outside Asheville, North Carolina, was designed by John Van Kleek, who once called it his “masterpiece.”   
– Riverside Golf Course, the oldest municipal track in Indianapolis, Indiana and, reportedly, the fourth-oldest in the United States, will end its 119-year run at the conclusion of this year’s golf season. The 18-hole layout, one of the city’s 13 golf facilities, will be replaced with an “ecological park.”   
– Sherwood Hills Golf Course, outside Ogden, Utah, has hung a NO TRESPASSING sign at its main gate, and it reportedly isn’t answering phone calls. The nine-hole layout, designed and co-owned by Mark Ballif, opened in 1973, and a local newspaper says “its fate is up in the air.”   
– Links Golf Club, a 30-year-old venue in Hudson, Florida with an 18-hole, Steve Smyers-designed course, hosts its final rounds this month. The Tampa Bay Times reports that the club’s owner, Matthew Lowman, pulled the plug “after failing to entice surrounding neighbors to invest in club memberships.”   
– Village Greens Golf Course, an 18-hole, executive-length layout in suburban Reading, Pennsylvania, may be razed and replaced with apartment buildings and a medical center. Donald Robitzer, Jr., the grandson of the course’s designer/builder and the current owner of the 33-acre property, submitted the redevelopment proposal.   
– Springs Ranch Golf Course, an 18-hole, Dick Phelps-designed layout that’s operated in Colorado Springs, Colorado since 1997, may give way to residential development. Pending a successful rezoning, a local homebuilder is expected to buy the 200-acre property.     
– Willow Brook Golf Course, in suburban Allentown, Pennsylvania, has lost nine of its 18 holes to proposed residential development. The course, which made its debut in 1929, aims to be, in the words of its pro, “the best nine-hole facility we can be.”

    – Sycamore Creek Golf Course, a nine-hole, municipal track in Fort Worth, Texas, will soon close for a two-year infrastructure project, and it may not reopen. Sycamore Creek hasn’t turned a profit since 1993,according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and the city suspects that the course’s 66 acres would better serve local residents as a park.
« Last Edit: August 12, 2019, 04:04:26 PM by Steve_ Shaffer »
"Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses ... "  Adlai Stevenson
Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone: "We're bigger than US Steel."
Ben Hogan “The most important shot in golf is the next one”

Kalen Braley

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2019, 11:49:13 AM »
Steve,

Thanks for posting that.  I've driven by Sherwood several times and it was always empty.  I think it was a victim of not being near a populated area (Logan is 15 miles away), 9 hole format, and having very little architectural interest.  This really isn't a loss per se.

But losing WingPointe near the airport certainly was a gut punch.  I drive past it everyday, and still bums me out...

Matt_Cohn

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #2 on: June 28, 2019, 10:48:19 PM »
The Ranch in San Jose, CA also has closed. But with due respect to the people who worked and lived there — speaking from a solely golf perspective — no loss. A true Doak zero.

Kevin_Reilly

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #3 on: June 28, 2019, 10:59:11 PM »
They probably didn't spend enough on constructing it to merit a Zero.  It is most likely a Doak 1.
"GOLF COURSES SHOULD BE ENJOYED RATHER THAN RATED" - Tom Watson

Tommy Williamsen

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2019, 11:38:00 PM »
Not sure if this has been posted but GOLF STYLES listed obits for some Mid-Atlantic courses.


https://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?i=578547#{%22issue_id%22:578547,%22page%22:20}
Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

Jeff Schley

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2019, 03:21:55 AM »
Not sure if this has been posted but GOLF STYLES listed obits for some Mid-Atlantic courses.


https://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?i=578547#{%22issue_id%22:578547,%22page%22:20}
Pretty long list of NLE and some 70 plus years old.
"To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice your gifts."
- Steve Prefontaine

Thomas Dai

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #6 on: June 29, 2019, 03:32:42 AM »
There's a wonderful website called Golfs Missing Links that has details including photos, maps/locations etc of hundreds of courses that no longer exist in the UK and Europe - a real treasure trove of information and a terrific piece of work by those involved in putting it together -
https://www.golfsmissinglinks.co.uk/
atb

Jim_Kennedy

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #7 on: June 29, 2019, 09:21:35 AM »
I was sad to see the closing of Penny Branch GC in Furman SC. It was family owned and a fun place to play in one of the quietest locations imaginable.


The 9 hole Front Royal course in FR, Va also closed, but a few folks ( including a local superintendent donating his time) have been working on it and trying to bring it back, although the greens needed some serious work. I hope they make it, it's a worthwhile place and the stretch along the river is very peaceful/scenic.     
"I never beat a well man in my life" - Harry Vardon

Tommy Williamsen

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #8 on: June 29, 2019, 10:04:41 AM »
The closing that makes me the saddest, personally. is Fort meade, Maryland. My Dad was stationed there when I was a teenager. It had two courses and a lot of memories. Lou Graham was an assistant there before he went on to win the US Open in 1975. Carl Rasnic was the head pro, who taught me about golf and life. We kept in touch until his death in 1995 (?). Bill Sporre was also an assistant who became a standout mid-atlantic player. We kept in touch until he retired a few years ago. I won the boys club championship, worked on the grounds crew, and spent most of my waking hours at the club. I loved the place. It helped me grow up.
Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

Adam_Messix

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #9 on: June 29, 2019, 02:05:50 PM »

Well, at least there is some good news from the Golf Styles article, Cavaliers CC is still open. 


The closing of the old Hercules CC saddened me as it was a really good track with some nice movement to it.  Three Little Bakers was pretty good too, but pace of play seemed to always be an issue. 


I had not heard of Penny Branch's closing, it was just a bit too much out of the way in an area with a multitude of public options. 

Eric Strulowitz

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #10 on: June 29, 2019, 02:24:29 PM »
I  can only speak for myself, but pace of play has become worse than ever.  And you can't get people off these obnoxious cell phones.  It gets really hard sometimes to round up a foursome, because a 4.5 + hour round  plus getting there  and going home basically ties up the day.  It just ain't worth it.  The other thing I have noticed a lot of is single players everywhere, even on a weekend.  Alll they do is tie up the golf course, it is shocking how many are out there hitting multiple balls and not letting people through.  For folks with limited time and a low tolerance for stupidity and inconsideration, why would you want to waste your valuable  time playing golf.  It just takes one inconsiderate player, just one, to back up an entire course and the rangers do nothing,  everyone is so afraid these days of upsetting the customer, so they say nothing. 


Many folks I know are working more hours than ever,  and some are working two jobs.  Golf becomes a lower priority.  Expect many more course closures.  No doom and gloom, golf will always be around.  Take it from one that loves the game, there are many times I defer to other activities these days, 4.5 hour rounds are ridiculous and the rudeness and inconsideration does not make for  pleasureable  day, it just raises your blood pressure.


« Last Edit: June 29, 2019, 02:26:04 PM by Eric Strulowitz »

A.G._Crockett

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #11 on: June 29, 2019, 05:49:05 PM »
I was told that Possum Trot at Myrtle Beach is closing this summer.
"Golf...is usually played with the outward appearance of great dignity.  It is, nevertheless, a game of considerable passion, either of the explosive type, or that which burns inwardly and sears the soul."      Bobby Jones

Edward Glidewell

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #12 on: June 29, 2019, 06:06:48 PM »
I was told that Possum Trot at Myrtle Beach is closing this summer.


I've heard the same. The owners of the land aren't willing to renew the lease for the golf course; they want to develop it instead.




And pace of play is a serious issue. I occasionally play with a friend from work and we decided that from now on we are going to be driving an hour or so each way to play because that's the only way we can play in a reasonable amount of time. The overall time spent will be the same, but we would both rather spend an extra hour driving than spend that hour on the course waiting for people in front of us to play shots. We tried to play last Friday morning, and ended up quitting after 9 holes because it took 2 hours and 45 minutes to play the front.

Eric Strulowitz

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #13 on: June 30, 2019, 03:21:31 AM »
I was told that Possum Trot at Myrtle Beach is closing this summer.


I've heard the same. The owners of the land aren't willing to renew the lease for the golf course; they want to develop it instead.




And pace of play is a serious issue. I occasionally play with a friend from work and we decided that from now on we are going to be driving an hour or so each way to play because that's the only way we can play in a reasonable amount of time. The overall time spent will be the same, but we would both rather spend an extra hour driving than spend that hour on the course waiting for people in front of us to play shots. We tried to play last Friday morning, and ended up quitting after 9 holes because it took 2 hours and 45 minutes to play the front.


Sort of a shame, not a world class venue by any means, but a really fun course at a reasonable price.


Can't believe they are still "developing" there.  That town has lost all its charm, it is a crowded, congested mess The traffic is off the charts, the prices are off the charts, and every survey puts it in the top 100 for crime.  Does not seem like a quiet relaxing place to retire, and the golf is nowhere what it used to be.  Rounds are long, overpriced, and conditions are spotty.

Edward Glidewell

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #14 on: June 30, 2019, 04:36:17 PM »
Can't believe they are still "developing" there.  That town has lost all its charm, it is a crowded, congested mess The traffic is off the charts, the prices are off the charts, and every survey puts it in the top 100 for crime.  Does not seem like a quiet relaxing place to retire, and the golf is nowhere what it used to be.  Rounds are long, overpriced, and conditions are spotty.


I wouldn't want to retire in Myrtle Beach itself. If you go a bit south to Pawley's Island, or a bit north to the NC beaches (Sunset, Ocean Isle, Holden), though, those are very nice areas.


There's still a lot of solid golf up and down the Strand (some of the best is down in Pawley's, actually), but I'd agree that the conditions are hit or miss these days. You almost have to do some scouting before making a tee time, because most courses down there could be in excellent shape or in poor shape at any given time. I've played at courses just about 6 weeks apart and had them nearly perfect one round and barely playable the next.

Steve_ Shaffer

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #15 on: June 30, 2019, 05:05:46 PM »
We tried to play last Friday morning, and ended up quitting after 9 holes because it took 2 hours and 45 minutes to play the front.

Take it from one that loves the game, there are many times I defer to other activities these days, 4.5 hour rounds are ridiculous and the rudeness and inconsideration does not make for  pleasurable  day, it just raises your blood pressure.


The above posts are the reasons I joined a private club. If one receives a letter from the club for slow play, believe me you can't blame it on your guests. You are responsible.
« Last Edit: June 30, 2019, 07:58:40 PM by Steve_ Shaffer »
"Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses ... "  Adlai Stevenson
Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone: "We're bigger than US Steel."
Ben Hogan “The most important shot in golf is the next one”

Jeff Evagues

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #16 on: June 30, 2019, 06:56:37 PM »
Can't believe they are still "developing" there.  That town has lost all its charm, it is a crowded, congested mess The traffic is off the charts, the prices are off the charts, and every survey puts it in the top 100 for crime.  Does not seem like a quiet relaxing place to retire, and the golf is nowhere what it used to be.  Rounds are long, overpriced, and conditions are spotty.


I wouldn't want to retire in Myrtle Beach itself. If you go a bit south to Pawley's Island, or a bit north to the NC beaches (Sunset, Ocean Isle, Holden), though, those are very nice areas.


There's still a lot of solid golf up and down the Strand (some of the best is down in Pawley's, actually), but I'd agree that the conditions are hit or miss these days. You almost have to do some scouting before making a tee time, because most courses down there could be in excellent shape or in poor shape at any given time. I've played at courses just about 6 weeks apart and had them nearly perfect one round and barely playable the next.

I played Southern Dunes south of Phoenix a few weeks ago and the greens were perfect. Went back a few days ago and they were terrible.
Be the ball

John Kirk

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #17 on: June 30, 2019, 07:09:23 PM »
A 1.2% decline in golf courses is not too concerning.  It is, however, the 12th or 13th consecutive year of decline.

What's more concerning is the 4.8% year-over-year decline in rounds played "attributable in part to the third-wettest year on record nationally dating back to 1895 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association)."

Support your local golf course as best you can.  Until there is a significant negative change in the economy, the golf business will continue to get smaller gradually.  Personally, I don't buy the argument that the economy is currently robust.


http://wearegolf.org/industry-news/national-golf-foundation-releases-2019-golf-industry-report/
 
« Last Edit: June 30, 2019, 07:13:36 PM by John Kirk »

Daryl "Turboe" Boe

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #18 on: June 30, 2019, 10:54:03 PM »
A 1.2% decline in golf courses is not too concerning.  It is, however, the 12th or 13th consecutive year of decline.

What's more concerning is the 4.8% year-over-year decline in rounds played "attributable in part to the third-wettest year on record nationally dating back to 1895 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association)."

Support your local golf course as best you can.  Until there is a significant negative change in the economy, the golf business will continue to get smaller gradually.  Personally, I don't buy the argument that the economy is currently robust.


http://wearegolf.org/industry-news/national-golf-foundation-releases-2019-golf-industry-report/


Certain segments of the economy are certainly robust including the heavy industrial segments that I play in, but I know there are other pockets that are softer than last year.


Another thing that I have not seen discussed as much as I would have anticipated that cannot bode well for the long term health of the golf industry is the changes in last years tax code that made golf (and other sporting events, or pursuits) not deductible as a business/entertainment expense.  They changed the private club deductibility years ago, but I could still take clients golfing (or to a ball game) and consider it entertainment.  But now I cannot.  This is going to be a huge long term change for golf industry.  For me specifically it is terrible as most of my customers still know me as "the golf guy" and always want to play.  Depending on how good of a customer or how good of a relationship I have with them I will tell them now I will pick up meals and drinks but the golf itself now comes straight out of my pocket.


I will still do entertaining associated with golf because I love it, and I am known for it, but for anyone on the fence the lack of deductibility for entertainment purposes will certainly make golf as an entertainment vehicle more difficult to justify.
Instagram: @thequestfor3000

"Time spent playing golf is not deducted from ones lifespan."

"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm."

Jeff_Brauer

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #19 on: June 30, 2019, 11:11:44 PM »

Daryl,


The World Atlas of Golf, circa 1974-ish, devoted its forward to the same notion, that golf was dead because deductions were reduced.  I doubt that will be a factor as much as changing tastes of Millennial's.  We were warned that our generation wouldn't necessarily take to golf as our fathers did, but we largely did, although less clubby and more pay as you go.


I suspect the Millennials will continue to drift away from the game, but then again, golf has been going strong for nearly 600 years and weathered a few bigger challenges than
Millennials.
Jeff Brauer, ASGCA Director of Outreach

Mark Pavy

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #20 on: July 01, 2019, 03:31:37 AM »
Morisset GC closes......an omen?
https://mccl.com.au/

Kalen Braley

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #21 on: July 01, 2019, 01:46:12 PM »
I think we've all known for quite a while that golf was overbuilt here in the States.  So this looks to be mostly correction type of stuff .. certainly nothing I would consider surprising.

But I will agree with John K on the overall state of the economy.  Utah is growing like crazy right now and housing units are popping up left and right.  Problem is, according to a recent article, approx 3 in 4 of new jobs being created in Utah pay under $15. There is lots of opportunity to go from one crap paying job to another, but little movement upward.

Pete_Pittock

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #22 on: July 01, 2019, 04:29:45 PM »
A 1.2% decline in golf courses is not too concerning.  It is, however, the 12th or 13th consecutive year of decline.

What's more concerning is the 4.8% year-over-year decline in rounds played "attributable in part to the third-wettest year on record nationally dating back to 1895 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association)."

Support your local golf course as best you can.  Until there is a significant negative change in the economy, the golf business will continue to get smaller gradually.  Personally, I don't buy the argument that the economy is currently robust.


http://wearegolf.org/industry-news/national-golf-foundation-releases-2019-golf-industry-report/
The sky isn't falling per this Bloomberg story. Participation up slightly, plus +10% at non-green facilities like TopGolf

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/golf-breaks-its-14-year-participation-drought/ar-AADHlux?ocid=spartandhp

John Nixon

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #23 on: July 01, 2019, 05:40:57 PM »
The link to the IBJ article for Indy's Riverside closing indicates that South Grove, another Indy 18 hole muni next door to Riverside, will close a year or two after Riverside. Being two inexpensive, accessible public courses in downtown Indy, their absence looms large among a certain demographic in the area. The article continues to indicate that Coffin, another muni across the street from Riverside, will then be modified in some way to accommodate the usual Riverside/SG customer. Coffin, a Tim Liddy design, has been mentioned a few times on this website. I think it's a vastly underrated design because maintenance issues prevent folks from being able to see the design. But Coffin is, in my opinion, much more difficult than Riverside and SG. I fear that modifying Coffin is just a way to say "make it easier".


In a similar vein, on Indy's north side, in Carmel, the last few years have seen the closure of 2 9-hole courses for development. I liked them both, inexpensive but not without enough of a challenge to serve as a good place to spend an hour or two. Grey Eagle, a public 18 holer in Fishers, was slated to close this year, though I've not kept track of what the exact situation there was. Likewise for Carmel's Wood Wind.

Steve_ Shaffer

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Re: More Golf Course Obituaries
« Reply #24 on: August 12, 2019, 04:01:30 PM »
Many more obits from the same source, including another one from Myrtle Beach-  The Wizard- and a Jeff Brauer design:


Earlier this year, it seemed that the pace of closings was slowing. Today, courses are dropping like flies. Here are a few that have recently departed.
     – The Wizard, a 23-year-old golf venue in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is on track to be sold to a residential developer. The 18-hole, Dan Maples-designed course was built to complement another Maples creation, the nearby Man O’ War Golf Club, whose future is said to be secure, at least until someone makes an offer that can’t be refused.     
– Hunter’s Creek Golf Club is for sale, and the smart money says that its next owner will convert its 186 acres into housing. The club, which has been in business in Orlando since 1986, offers an 18-hole, Lloyd Clifton-designed course that’s said to be Florida’s longest.   
– Henderson Municipal Golf Course, a venue in Henderson, Kentucky WEHT-TV says is “one of the oldest courses east of the Mississippi,” has reached the end of the line. The nine-hole, executive-length track, described by a local player as “the best around for training young golfers,” made its debut in 1909.     
– Dumas Memorial Golf Course, one of six tracks owned by the park and recreation agency in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, will almost certainly close at the end of the 2019 golf season. Few complaints have been heard, as the 18-hole layout is a major financial drain. It reportedly rang up just 12,134 rounds last year and required nearly $500,000 in subsidies to remain afloat.     – =Wanaki Golf Course, an 18-hole municipal layout in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, will definitely close at the end of the 2019 golf season. The nearly 50-year-old layout, a co-design by Larry Packard and Bob Lohmann, has reportedly operated at a loss for a decade.   
– Blue Fox Run, a 27-hole complex in suburban Hartford, Connecticut, may soon lose nine of its holes to residential development.If local government officials approve the plan, the property’s owner intends to place the surviving holes in what’s been described as “a permanent conservation easement.”     
– FDR Golf Club, which has operated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 1940, will end its run at dusk on Halloween. The city’s parks and recreation department has concluded that the 18-hole track is “no longer sustainable due to frequent flooding and unprofitable operations.”     
– Pine Grove Golf Course, an 18-hole venue that’s operated in Northampton, Massachusetts since 1970, will go dark by the end of the year. Its owner, Gil Verrillo, has concluded that golf is “a dead sport,”and he hopes that 100 acres of his property is worth $650,000 to the city.     
– Gene Torres Golf Course, self-described as “a touch of Scotland in the heart of Las Vegas” – that would be Las Vegas, New Mexico – has been put on a strict budget and isn’t likely to operate in 2020. The nine-hole, Jeff Brauer-designed layout has reportedly lost roughly $190,000 annually in recent years, and its owner, New Mexico Highlands University, would rather invest such monies in academics. 
« Last Edit: August 12, 2019, 04:07:20 PM by Steve_ Shaffer »
"Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses ... "  Adlai Stevenson
Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone: "We're bigger than US Steel."
Ben Hogan “The most important shot in golf is the next one”

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