Ralph Kennedy, the first man to live the GCA dream

[Neil Regan]

Ralph Kennedy was a founding member of Winged Foot, in 1921. He had caught the bug some 10 years before. By 1951, he had played more than 3000! courses around the world. To date, he remains the subject of the only golf article ever published in National Geographic.
 The man had good taste, too, and an experience that might resonate particularly with this GCA site. Consider the following:

Among the best, Pine Valley, near Clementon, N.J., and Cypress Point, at Pebble Beach, Cal., stand high on his list, although he believes that for some reason Pine Valley plays a few strokes easier than it did about 20 years ago. “At least, it does for me,” he said. Mr. Kennedy also has a warm regard for Mid-Ocean, in Bermuda; Broadmoor, at Colorado Springs; Capilano, in Vancouver, B.C., and he considers Jasper Park, in Canada, one of the most scenic.“On 11 of the 18 holes at Jasper Park,majestic mountain peaks are the markers for your line of play,” he remarked. After he had driven at Jasper Park and came walking up to his ball, he found a small bear standing over it, sniffing couriously.“What do I do now?” he asked the pro in perplexity. “Oh, he’ll beat it as soon as you get near,” the pro explained, and the prediction was borne out.
 Mr. Kennedy also likes Augusta National, “because it is tough and easy-tough for the good player and easy for the dub. ”He scored 82 there the first time he played it.
 No matter how many courses he sees, however, he remains loyal to Winged Foot. “I don’t know any course less taxing for the man of advancing age,” he explained. “There are no hills to climb. Yet, nobody ever murders our par.”

Here is a link to an article about Ralph Kennedy published in 1951:
The Dr. Livingstone of Golf
By HARRY ROBERT
USGA ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
http://turf.lib.msu.edu/1950s/1951/511116.pdf

[Thomas_Brown]

I enjoyed the read.
I had no idea WF was started by such an enthusiast.

Tom

[stovepipe]

Nice reading N, have found your input very interesting. Must try and find a £million and play some or these greats, dont suppose you could lend a few £s? oh well worth a try....

[wsmorrison]

The USGA has the collection of scorecards that Mr. Kennedy amassed over the years.  They reprinted the July 1952 National Geographic Magazine for me with the article on "Playing 3,000 Golf Courses in 14 Lands" written by Kennedy.  The USGA also copied the courses designed or redesigned by William Flynn that I wanted to research.  These scorecards are a treasure for researching golf architecture history in that they show various stages of golf course evolution.  We are able to identify routing and/or hole changes over time when matched with other cards, original drawings, and tournament records.

Golf researchers and memorabilia collectors please take note:

One course we'd like to have scorecards or other archival information on is the Old Course at the Homestead.  The resort has very little information on the existing course at the prior to Flynn's redesign.  If anyone has original or copied scorecards of this course prior to Flynn's redesign, it would be very helpful to determine what the Ross course was like before Flynn's redesign so that we can determine what changes Flynn made to the routing and the holes.

Donald Ross started the redesign of the Old Course at The Homestead in 1913, the work was put on hold for a time during WWI and completed in 1918.  Flynn redesigned Ross' work in 1925 after completing the Cascades course in 1923.

[Lou_Duran]

nregan-

Thanks for this link and the one for Behr's article.

Previously, Jonathan Cummings and Mike Cirba were my role models.  I believe that JC has played something like 800 different courses and MC close to 700 (and MC has scorecards for all them).

When my wife starts complaining about my golf wanderings, I can now cite Mr. Kennedy's accomplishments and perhaps buy a temporary truce.  While she was somewhat impressed with Jon's and Mike's numbers, she should be blown away by Mr. Kennedy's.  Let's see, if I can play 180 new courses each year, I can catch up in maybe 15 years.  That will be a tough sell.

[RJ_Daley]

It seems Mr Kennedy actually increased the number of courses played per year as he got older.  How many of you horses are actually keeping the score cards of new courses that you play and getting them signed?  I know Mike C has the cards, but then having an official of the club or pro or DOG sign them is extraordinary.  Matt Ward must have an extensive library of course notes to do his articles.  I wonder Matt if you keep the journal or diary of courses played with intent to someday compile them in a publication?

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I am in awe of Mr. Kennedy. If one played a different course every other day, it would take almost 17 years to play that many courses. I do hope the time comes in my life to be, as Lou noted, in the same company as Jonathan or Mike.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Mr. Cummings is at least 3rd in line in number of courses played amongst GCA regulars.  One has played over 1000 and another who isn't too hot on Florida golf is close if he hasn't gone over 1000 by now.

Bob McCoy was in the 900's as of a year or so ago.

Past GCA poster "YTTseng" claimed over 1000 played.

Mr. Kennedy is my hero.  I wonder what his final total was when he died?

I have scorecards of 273 of the 274 courses I've played -but certainly not attested.  Heck, probably 50-75 of them were closed for the day at dusk when my rounds finished, so I couldn't have gotten them signed regardless!  Have 600-700 scorecards of different courses overall.

[SPDB]

what's the missing scorecard?

[George Pazin]

Interesting take, that's not even close to my dream.

Don owning the course in Texas, that's living a lot closer to my dream.

Greg Ramsay putting together the project at Barnbougle, that's living a lot closer to my dream.

Dick Daley or Paul Hermsmeyer getting to build in Nebraska, that'd be closer to my dream.

Tom Paul getting the land at Ardrossan to pursue his course, that'd be a lot closer to my dream.

I'd trade my own project for the opportunity to play 1000, 2000, 3000, whatever courses.

Guess Tom Paul's right about golf being a big game with room enough for anyone!

[Scott_Burroughs]

The missing scorecard is the Robert Trent Jones course at Palmetto Dunes (Hilton Head).  Played it 2 or 3 times during the family week vacation in summer of 1983 (paid for only one round  ).  Had scorecard afterwards but lost it somehow years ago.  Also played the Fazio course once and still have that scorecard.  Hills course hadn't been built yet.

We were staying on the 1st green/2nd tee, and once the last group would go by, I'd jump out on the 2nd tee and play from there - clubhouse was closed by the time I played up 18 and down 1.  Did play one paid round w/mom.

Was first time at Hilton Head and haven't been back since to get a current scorecard.  Have been close, Savannah, Okatie, and Beaufort.

[SPDB]

George - My dream is taking a knee in the lower left

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I love all the above. I guess being ADD means I have a lot of dreams and sorta all at once. lol

[Scott_Burroughs]

Sean,

Good choice.  I would also like to be in one (heck, all) of these pics.

As was the case this year with KP2, missing it by less than 2 weeks in NorCal, I will miss KPIII by a week in SoCal.

[SPDB]

Scott -
My dream has nothing to do with being in
the pic. I was merely talking about the
dreamy guy referenced by my post.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Ah.  I read too much into it, not realizing who that was actually kneeling there.  I still want to attend these events.

[George Pazin]

And I thought only my wife called me dreamy....

Wasn't trying to disparage anyone else's dream, just pointing out that there are others besides playing tons 'o courses.

[Scott_Burroughs]

I should clarify.

Certainly, I don't want to just play new courses all the time, because I'd prefer to spend my time on quality courses, and get to play some very good ones more than once to appreciate them and gather all of their nuances, etc.  But I would like the freedom to roam, as it were.  There are so many good courses out there, that it would take a lifetime, regardless.

I'm not all about golf.  I wouldn't mind getting back into past loves, such as racquetball, more than 10 softball games a year, windsurfing, more tennis than a few times a year, volleyball, more VT football games, and others....

[Jim Franklin]

Geez, I thought I played a lot. I have been keeping track since 1994 and have played 365 different courses to date. I will be adding at least 6 more before the year is out, but 3000, I better get a move on it!

[frank_D]

wow

if i'm calculating this right, mr kennedy played, on average, 125 rounds every for eight years from 1932 to 1940 while he was 51 to 59

[in those eight years he logged 1,000 additional rounds during that period]

EVERY sat and sun for AN ENTIRE YEAR is only 104 rounds compared to mr kennedy averaged 125 rounds per year

and further i notice mention of a MRS kennedy - and i'm wondering "how the hell did this guy do it"

then again that was back in 1951

[T_MacWood]

Kennedy did an interview for the NY Times in the 30's after another of his milestones (maybe 2000) and was asked to list the best golf courses in the world. His answer:

Pine Valley
Yale
CC of Havana
Timber Point
Winged Foot
The Sagamore

[frank_D]

Kennedy was asked to list the best golf courses in the world. His answer:Pine Valley / Yale / CC of Havana / Timber Point / Winged Foot / The Sagamore

CC of Havana must have been some place - has anyone here ever played it ?

[Tom MacWood]

bump

[RSLivingston_III]

He had a contemporary named John Bailey that traveled from 1931 to 1963, many times playing in national amateur championships. He published a book about his golf travels of this time titled 'Enthusiastic Amateur Golfer Wanders the World'. Actually his wife had it published as he didn't live to finish it. The book is very rare but it is worth it just for the picture of the girl caddies in Bali. Surprised his wife used that photo when it went to press.
Good read. Going to have to read through it again one of these days.

[Neil Regan]

Tom,

  Thank you for bumping this.

  For several years I have been gathering various items documenting Mr. Kennedy's lifelong quest.
  So far I have notices or articles about him reaching 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, and various other numbers. I also have a few pictures of him.
  He was a founding member (1912 or 1913, iirc) of the New York Athletic Club's golf group, the NYACers. It was men from this group who founded Winged Foot in 1921. He played in at least their first 25 club championships.

  Real soon now I hope to install a Ralph "Red" Kennedy display at Winged Foot. My notion is to ask visitors to contribute a scorecard and/or ball from any of the golf courses on Kennedy's list. I wonder if it would take longer than Kennedy's 45-year career to match his collection.

  I discovered this interesting bit of lost history: Ralph Kennedy was the model for this Saturday Evening Post cover in 1935. Those of you who are familiar with Winged Foot might recognize the scorecard and pencil that he is holding. We still use those today.

.