Celebrate America with Golf in National Parks

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY, fellow Americans. I hope you’re having a safe and enjoyable Independence Day weekend. Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns called the national parks America’s best idea in his PBS miniseries by the same name. Brought to my attention by Janeen Driscoll, formerly of the Pinehurst Resort, here’s another good idea: golf in national parks.

If you’re visiting a national park this summer, you might want to pack the golf clubs. Following are a handful of national parks that have one or more golf courses within their boundaries, some constructed nearly a century ago.

Anacostia National Park, District of Columbia
The Langston Golf Course is an 18-hole course that includes a driving range. More info

Yosemite National Park, California
The Yosemite Golf Course is a 9-holer that was built way back in 1918, five years before Bobby Jones won his first major. More info

Glacier National Park, Montana
Glacier Park Lodge Golf Course is also a 9-hole track that has the oldest grass greens in Montana. It was built in 1927 by the Great Northern Railway. More info

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
This is the place to play if you want to maximize yardage on your drives. The altitude at Rocky Mountain National Park ranges from 7,500 to 14,259 feet, and there are three public golf courses to choose from. One is a 9-hole executive course. More info

There are also a large number of golf courses within driving distance of America’s 392 national parks. And if there’s no room for golf clubs in the car because of too much luggage or camping equipment, you can often rent or borrow a set. I’ve been known to do that on occasion.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Image: bingpoint-uk/Flickr)

3-Year-Old Boy Hones Game for Q-School

WHEN ALEXIS THOMPSON RECENTLY turned professional to play on the LPGA Tour at the age of 15, some questioned whether she was too young for the rigors of tour life and openly wondered about the potentially damaging attention she might receive. But Thompson is a grizzled veteran compared to a 3-year-old Arizona boy who may enter the PGA Tour’s Qualifying School this fall.

The boy’s agent told ARMCHAIR GOLF in an email that his young client got an even earlier start in golf than Tiger Woods and other golf prodigies. The boy began making arm movements in his mother’s womb that simulated a golf swing and has aspired to play on the PGA Tour since he was 1. That was when he watched Woods beat Rocco Mediate in a 19-hole playoff to win the U.S. Open.

“He’s that good,” the agent said, “and he has a great attitude. Nothing keeps him down for very long.”

One large roadblock that stands in the boy’s way is the PGA Tour’s age rule. A player can enter Q-School at any age but isn’t allowed to become a PGA Tour member until his 18th birthday.

“We’re looking at it and talking to Ponte Vedra,” the agent said. “That’s all I can say right now.”

Apparently, business opportunities are also available. Golf-related companies and mega brands are always on the lookout for the game’s newest star players.

“Several potential sponsors are interested in signing him. He’s a great kid. He really is.”

For now, the boy’s parents and agent are guarding the boy’s identity should they decide to enroll him in preschool and forgo the Q-School bid until he’s 4.

−The Armchair Golfer

(This is an ARMCHAIR GOLF spoof.)

(Image: The Geary’s/Flickr)

Joe Ogilvie and the Dreaded De-Greener

“Last week at Hartford I had two de-greeners, and that’s never a good thing.”
—Joe Ogilvie, on Thursday at the AT&T National

JOE OGILVIE IS PUTTING much better. And that, along with the Fourth of July, is cause for celebration. Because poor putting sucks, especially when you make your living by said putting.

How bad has it been for ol’ Joe? He explained it to the press after carving a 66 out of Aronimink Golf Club for a share of the first-round lead with Arjun Atwal, Jason Day and Nick Watney at the AT&T National.

“Last week at Hartford I had two de-greeners,” Joe said, “and that’s never a good thing, to have one. I usually have one maybe every three years, and to have two in the same tournament—for those of you at home, de-greeners is where you hit the green and putt it off of it.” (Laughter in the media center.)

De-greeners! That’s just perfect. I hadn’t heard that one, but it’s priceless as that credit-card empire likes to say. If Joe and his PGA Tour comrades don’t mind, I will give de-greener the acronym “DG” and file it in the ARMCHAIR GOLF acronym list with my recent addition, “SPD” (Sudden Putting Disaster). Actually, I think they’re cousins.

“So this was a lot better,” Joe said, finishing his thought. “I’m feeling more and more comfortable over my putter.”

And that makes me feel more comfortable. And probably you, too.

−The Armchair Golfer

Related:
Paul Lawrie and the Eight-Putt Green