Seattle, ‘Golf’s Golden Age’ and More

I’M IN SEATTLE FOR the holidays. We flew in on Christmas night from Charlotte, fortunate to avoid the snow storm that was bearing down on parts of the Southeast. My brother-in-law, our gracious host, has already gifted me with two things I can use: a Starbucks gift card (I really needed a strong cup of java this morning) and a golf history book titled Golf’s Golden Age: Robert T. Jones, Jr. and the Legendary Players of the ‘10s, ‘20s, and ‘30s.

Written by Museum and Archives Director Rand Jerris, the book is published by the USGA in partnership with National Geographic. It has the look and feel of a coffee table book, with mini profiles and classic photographs of the men who shaped amateur and professional golf in the early 20th century. So now I can brush up on Ted Ray, “Wild” Bill Melhorn, Denny Shute and many others.

On Thursday, this armchair golfer may see action on the course. We have a tee time at Chambers Bay, site of this year’s U.S. Amateur and the 2015 U.S. Open. My game could not be more rusty. I haven’t played since late summer. Nor do I have my clubs, or spikes, for that matter. I will play with a borrowed set of clubs and a pair of running shoes. It makes no difference. I will get to see the course so many people have been talking about.

−The Armchair Golfer

Arnold Palmer Makes an Arnold Palmer

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS? Arnold Palmer pours himself an Arnold Palmer, the half-lemonade, half-iced-tee drink he invented. The caddie is right there, too, in case Arnie needs anything. ESPN talking heads Scott Van Pelt and Stuart Scott are starstruck.

I have Arnold Palmer on the brain. Today I visited the Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History at USGA headquarters in Far Hills, New Jersey. It was my second visit to the new museum, which opened two years ago. If you haven’t been and you’re in the area, it’s definitely worthwhile. You can also tour the USGA Test Center while on site. The USGA is located just 40 miles west of New York City.

I also had the pleasure of having lunch with USGA Museum and Communications Director Rand Jerris. Rand took me to an Italian restaurant in Liberty Corner. We talked about golf history (big surprise) and how neither of us play much golf since becoming dads. We agreed that a lot has changed since our fathers’ generation.

It’s a problem for golf. Whether family life or other hobbies and interests, fewer and fewer people are willing to allot the time needed to play a full round of golf or devote the long hours to learn the game. As much as I love golf, I’m definitely in that category. It’s not that I don’t like to play; I just have other things I need to do in my current stage of life.

Back to the museum for a moment to mention a new exhibit titled “Swing With the Stars: Golf and Hollywood” that runs through Jan. 31, 2011. The exhibit features golf-related movie posters and black-and-white photographs of famous Hollywood personalities. To coincide with the exhibit, the museum is also hosting screenings of “The Greatest Game Ever Played” and “The Legend of Bagger Vance.”

Josh Flitter, the young actor who played caddie Eddie Lowery in “The Greatest Game Ever Played,” will be at the museum on October 28 at 6:30 p.m. for a question and answer session, followed by a screening of the movie.

More information:
USGA Museum on Facebook
USGA Museum website
N.J.’s USGA Museum aims to be ‘the Cooperstown of golf’ (USA Today)
The New Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History (Britannica blog)

−The Armchair Golfer