143. Visit to KY/WV/PA/OH
This trip came about because of a planned meeting (and round of golf) of the Board of Global Golf Centurions Club (GGCC) at Oakmont CC. The meeting and golf round were scheduled for July 8 and 9 so I built an itinerary around that base. Then, one week before the trip, Oakmont was informed by a guest who had stayed overnight that he had tested positive for COV-19. As a result, our stay and meeting were cancelled by Oakmont and the golf cancelled by us. I was already booked for a bunch of other courses so decided to proceed with a revised itinerary.
Spring Valley Golf Club, July 5, 2020: I set my alarm for 3:15am Sunday morning July 5 in order to catch a 6am flight to Lexington KY (with a connection in Charlotte, NC). Both flights were fairly full and both arrived early which eased the pressure of a tight connection. During the late 1990’s I traveled to Lexington several times to visit one of Atlantis Plastic’s plants located there. It is the center of Kentucky’s horse country and the area is filled with spectacular horse farms. A beautiful charming city.
Spring Valley was built on a former dairy farm in 1949 and two years later on July 4, 1951, Ben Hogan played in an exhibition match there, with a high school golf star named Gay Brewer, Jr caddying for him. Brewer went on to win the Masters in 1967, and finished second in the 1976 Westchester Classic Pro-Am while playing with moi. Small world of golf again!
I was here because Spring Valley made its way onto Golf Digest’s first two “lists”, the 1966 and 1967 200 Toughest in USA. Originally designed by Buck Blankenship, their website claims that Keith Foster was involved with its restoration. I will simply say that the course shows zero signs of ever being restored, and certainly not by an architect of Keith Foster’s caliber. The course today is 6735 yards from the tips and is fairly hilly. My game was set up by a fellow panelist, Phil S. who lives in KY and previous set me up at Olde Stone and had arranged my game at Keene Trace for this afternoon. About two years ago Phil was my guest at Brookline. My hosts said the course had recently been purchased by a real estate developer and most people assumed it had a maximum of two years left…but who knows. It is a slightly better than average golf course…but certainly not a “200 toughest”. Good to have in one’s rear view mirror. I had a lackluster 45-42 = 87 playing from 5873 yards (par 72).
Keene Trace Golf Club (Champion Trace), July 5, 2020: Keene Trace is a large club with 36 holes. Its Champions course currently hosts the PGA Tour’s Barbasol Championship, which normally would have been played this year July 16-19 opposite The Open Championship, but both were cancelled due to the COVID Pandemic. It was on my high priority list as it had hosted the USGA’s Senior Amateur Championship in 1994. It was completed in 1987 and designed by Arthur Hills. With a fairly late start (4:30pm) I needed to play quickly which was no problem as the course was relatively empty and two groups quickly waved me through. The course is similar to many courses built around a real estate plan in the 1980’s and as such has long distances from green to next tee. It’s difficultly is a function of well protected greens and fairways and deep rough. It has never been on a USA Top 100 or Top 200.
I hit the ball well this afternoon with a 38-42 = 80…but it needs to be noted that I played from 5241 yards. This would prove to be the first of six straight days with temperatures in the 90’s and (I think) humidity in the same range. No surprise given where I was and of course I used a cart everywhere…and stayed very hydrated.
After the round I drove past Louisville to the Fort Knox area where I was scheduled to play Lindsey Golf Course first thing Monday before heading north to Cincinnati.
Fort Knox Lindsey Golf Course, July 6, 2020: If you are from my generation you cannot forget the James Bond movie “Goldfinger”, which was the third and by far the most extreme from a technology standpoint…at that time. Its success set up a trend that IMHO eventually ruined the Bond movies as they became too extreme. While the golf in “Goldfinger” was filmed at England’s Stoke Park Golf Club (I have not played), in was meant to be England’s Royal St. George’s (which was supposed to be hosting the Open Championship this week…but will do so instead in a year). Major portions of the film were made at Fort Knox…and you will remember this building (the gold depository) which lies just 200 yards (and lots of barbed wire fences) south of Lindsey’s 3rd tee (see next page).
Suffice it to say that the gold depository was the highlight of my visit. Lindsey was built in 1933 and designed by Buck Blankenship and Morgan Boggs. Byron Nelson triumphed in the 1943 Kentucky Open conducted here. I could hardly wait to get the round finished (I teed off just before 8am and was done by 10:05). USA 200 Toughest in 1966 (but not included in 1967)…supposedly. But not very good or tough today.
To this point I would guess that Lindsey was the worst of the 1966/67 courses (about 250)…but with about 80 more to play, that position is not secure. No one to blame but myself…I chose this bucket list! Ended up with a 43 – 46 = 89 as interest in the round waned… Course is 6796 yards (par 72) from the tips and my tees were 6043 yards…long for me these days.
After round purchased some food supplies for my drive to Cincinnati and Terrace Park…which has to be better.
Terrace Park Country Club, July 6, 2020: The drive to Terrace Park took about 2:40. Course was a major step up…meaning reasonably good. Stretches to 6858 yards; I played a ”hybrid “ course from 5544 yards. Given how hilly the topography of Cincinnati is, I was surprised by Terrace Park’s topography…front nine was very flat on a “plateau,” and the back nine sits on another plateau about 40’ lower than the front. The club was founded in 1910 and moved to its present location in 1931. Several other websites claim its architect was Arthur Hills but I have my doubts, given that Hills was born in 1930…makes me a bit suspicious. I fired a 41 -45 = 86 clearly showing signed of tiredness on the back. This was another of the 1966/67 Golf Digest lists…it was on both. Overall a good course with well protected greens, although bunkers are a bit shallow.
Hurried through my last few holes to finish before threatening clouds got much closer and just made it in time. About 10 seconds after loading my car and leaving the club’s parking lot, it started raining fairly hard…not surprising as this was another day with 90+ degree heat and high humidity.
The drive to Huntington WV (just across the OH-WV state line) would take about 2:45 and include a stretch of about 5 miles when I was moving about 30mph through brutal thunderstorms and 40+ mph winds. Not fun at all but got through it with no harm.
Guyan Golf & Country Club, July 7, 2020: I am ashamed to admit that I did not know anything about this club prior to planning this trip. I planned a visit simply because Guyan hosted the 1977 US Girl’s Junior Championship. When researching the club while planning the trip, I learned that Guyan had been William Campbell’s home club for some 87 years…no typo there (although given he passed away at age 90 in 2013, it is not totally clear how he became a club member at age 3). Guyan’s clubhouse has a room that houses his collection of trophies and the following plaque sits at its entrance…read it carefully as it is mind boggling. If you have doubts about his playing ability, please note that as an amateur, Mr. Campbell (as he is universally referred to at the club):
-finished tied for 23rd and 34th at the US Open at the respective ages of 31 and 41;
-finished tied for 36th and 38th at the Masters at the respective ages of 42 and 44;
-won the US Amateur at the age of 41 and reached its semi-finals at the age of 50.
About everyone in West Virginia refers to him as the finest gentleman they had ever met.
The course is extremely hilly with close to zero flat lies, and is fun to play. I played from its Green tees (5034 yards par 71) and started off with a double bogey 7 on #1 followed by three bogey 5’s and holes 2-4…then played two over par on holes 5-17 before finishing with a bogey on #18 for a 41 – 38 = 79, not too shabby for an old man with a rebuilt heart!! Drove it very well (hitting 11 of 14 fairways…and was in right rough on the other three drives) but still pretty short. Net net...cannot complain. After the round talked with Guyan’s GM, Allan Thatcher, and received a full tour of the clubhouse. Allan is a retired businessman and a member of the club who was asked to serve as GM a few years ago and loves it as a part time gig!
The club opened for play in 1922, designed by Herb Strong. Strong had emigrated from England to the USA in 1905 having caddied at Royal St. George’s in the 1890’s. In 1916 he was one of the organizers of what became the PGA, and was its initial Secretary-Treasurer. Upon arriving in the New York area, he soon became head pro at The Apawamis Club in Rye NY. Caddying and playing at Sandwich and then serving as HP at Apawamis made Strong quite comfortable designing courses in very hilly areas. Among these are Canterbury CC (OH), Saucon Valley CC (PA), and four in the NYC area…Engineers CC, Metropolis CC, Nassau CC, and Inwood CC. Five of those six are built are hilly terrain and all are masterfully designed...as is Guyan.
Berry Hills Country Club, July 7, 2020: After an easy 50-mile drive directly east to Charleston, I arrived at Berry Hills for my afternoon round. Berry Hills opened in 1952 and was designed by William Gordon who also designed The Stanwich Club (CT) and Saucon Valley (Grace) (PA). Berry Hills was on the Golf Digest 200 Toughest lists in both 1966 and 1967, and with its trouble right on most holes probably deservedly so.
I had been forewarned that Berry Hills’ topography was more extreme than Guyan’s and that there is tons of trouble if you hit it right. I played a self-designed “hybrid” course (White/Gold tees) totaling 5460 yards (par 70). Hit 11 of 13 fairways and left rough on the other two…so avoided right side trouble. Lost only one ball…and that was on left side of #13 costing me a double. Ended up with a 42 – 39 = 81 which was pretty good. Greens at both Guyan and Berry Hills were in excellent condition but a little slow (necessary to keep them alive in the continued 90+ degree heat).
Had a good chance to chew the fat with head pro Barry Evans…very very good player (prior WV Open Champ and National Club Pro Champ).
Overall…good day in WV. Was pulled off course at Berry Hills for about 30 minutes due to thunderstorms but no problem getting the 18 completed. Now have played eight courses in WV with my favorites being Pete Dye GC, Greenbrier (Old White) (Post #1001), and Guyan. Pikewood National (played in 2013 before this blog commenced) has been pretty high on Golf Digest’s USA 100 Greatest for reasons I cannot understand.
Drive north to Pittsburgh took about 3:30 and would be the last really long drive of the trip. Arrived at hotel around 8:40pm, leaving just enough time to pick up some dinner (take-out of course) from a nearby restaurant! During second half of drive I could see big thunderstorms hitting the Pittsburgh area.
Allegheny Country Club, July 8, 2020: When we set up the round and board meeting at Oakmont (Post #18), I planned to play three courses in the Pittsburgh area on my various bucket lists (Allegheny CC, St Clair Golf Club, and Sewickley Heights Golf Club)…having already played Oakmont, Fox Chapel (Post #18), Pittsburgh Field Club (Post #60), and Sunnehanna (Post #115). I should add that I played Laurel Valley three times in 1986…and heard from two different people that most of the trees have been removed from Laurel Valley and the course is now fast and firm and hugely improved; but no extra time available this week.
I met Fergal O’Leary (who stayed at the same hotel) for breakfast and we took separate cars to the club (he was heading to Cleveland airport for his flight after our round). As we neared the club, the estates grew larger and more impressive. And ACC, with its magnificent clubhouse shortly loomed on the horizon. The only word for the locker room is “classic”. And the course is a perfect match. I had heard about the club from our former neighbors in Pinehurst, Steve and Becky Smith, who were members here when they lived in Pittsburgh.
During my two years in Pittsburgh for business school (1966-1968) I have never heard of or been to the area where Allegheny CC and Sewickley Heights GC are located, and this was my first visit to this area 14 miles NW of downtown Pittsburgh. All I can say is WOW!!
The club was founded in 1895 and originally golf was played on a six-hole course, which was expanded to 9 holes the next year. By 1902 the club had moved to Sewickley and a new course designed by Tom Bendelow. By 1913 Donald Ross was consulting for the club and his redesigned course opened in 1928. Ross continued to tinker with the course and finished his last changes in 1945 shortly after the conclusion of WW II. In more recent years, the club retained Gil Hanse to complete a major renovation of the golf course.
The golf course sits on three pieces of property that are separated by small country roads…reminding me somewhat of layout for Ocean Links in Newport, RI in the early 1900’s. With almost all of the trees gone, the turf quality is superb and the vistas magnificent. It is simply great fun to play…and the greens make the course pretty damn tough despite its relatively short length (6581 yards par 70). The terrain was fairly hilly…but seemed almost flat compared with West Virginia. The course, despite heavy thunderstorms the day before (the ones I saw during my drive north) played firm and fast. Big wide fairways give the player lots of options that change dramatically with pin position changes on these very tough greens…so pick your option but think about it first…the green slopes mean death if you end up on the wrong side!
We played with John Aber, ACC’s head pro (whose father had been a member of CCNC before passing away a few years ago), and Chris W., a member whose father, Craig, a former club champ and president, followed us in a cart and was most helpful to me in negotiating this superb track. Fergal, Chris and John played from 6581 and I played from 5548 yards. The weather and the company were simply perfect and the setting even better. All in all a superb morning…even better than yesterday morning at Ft Knox! Oh...my score was 42 – 46 = 88. Actually hit the ball better on the back nine but the back is 450 yards longer than the front (212 from my tees).
St. Clair Golf Club, July 8, 2020: After a quick lunch at ACC Fergal headed to Cleveland’s airport and I headed south about 15 miles to St. Clair GC. As soon as I arrived it was clear to me that this would be a long afternoon…the course was jammed with foursomes off every 10 minutes. I teed off as a single and prepared to wait on almost every hole. Amazing what COVID has done for the popularity of this game worldwide.
St. Clair was founded in 1916 and moved to this location in 1954. The course was designed by William and David Gordon and then renovated by Keith Foster in 2007. Again, very hilly plus filled with about 5 water hazards. It is a good but not great course that could use some tree removal and less watering…at least IMHO. Contrast with ACC is simply stark…few options here…one way to play each hole (that doesn’t necessarily make it easy, but it certainly does not add to the thinking and fun factors). The front nine moved reasonably well (about 1:50) but the back nine slowed to a crawl (2:20). But I got it done and off the unplayed bucket list. I was very tired by the end of the round, and never bothered to keep score (might have been too tired to count that high). Was certainly looking forward to getting back to the hotel and a shower. Four straight days now above 90 was starting to get to me.
Fox Chapel Golf Club (just viewing), July 9, 2020: I have had the joy of playing Fox Chapel twice…in 2013 and 2015 (Post #18). IMO it is one of Seth Raynor’s great works…perhaps his 2nd best parkland track (Camargo is about impossible to beat). Right now it is in the midst of a renovation (I believe its second in the last 8 years) directed by Tom Marzolf, focusing primarily on greens and bunkers. Late start because of COVID but good weather is allowing them to catch up. Watch for this puppy to move up in the ratings game. It suffers from only one incurable issue…it rests in the shadow of Oakmont!
Sewickley Heights Golf Club, July 9, 2020: Boy, an hour riding around Fox Chapel in a cart and then just 18 holes of play…this is like a day off, and I needed it. I arrived early but the club was fairly deserted and was able to tee off early…until thunder storms rolled in as I was about to step on the 1st tee. That delayed play about 1:15 minutes which gave me a good chance to chat with head pro David Malatak.
First some history…the club was founded in 1961 under the leadership of Bud Semple. If that name rings a bell, it is probably because of Bud’s daughter, Carol Semple-Thompson, perhaps the most accomplished women amateur player in US history (and a long-term member of Alleghany CC). Bud Semple also served as President of the USGA from 1971-1974. The club’s architect was Jim Harrison who also designed Warwick Hills (MI) (Post #111) and Tannenhauf Golf Course (OH) (keep reading this post for about another 2 minutes). In both 1966 and 1967 Sewickley Heights was included in Golf Digest’s 200 Toughest.
It became clear with the first hole that this might be the hilliest course of the trip…also the course with the best bunkering by far (perhaps too difficult for the average club player…but simply beautiful and superbly shaped). By the second hole I wondered why one would build holes #1 and #2 with almost identical shapes and slopes…and then later see the same thing on holes #10 and #11. Additionally, the greens at Sewickley Heights are some of the biggest greens I have ever played…and in superb condition.
As I approached what I thought was the 13th tee, the warning siren went off again and it was back to the clubhouse…and I then realized that I was saved by the bell (or siren), as the tee was the 18th! Anyhow, this delay lasted 1:45 and I was just starting to think I would not get this finished when the all clear sounded and I zipped back out to finish…and finish I did with a very good birdie on #18 for a 43-40 = 83. I played the forward tees (5497 yards par 71) and hit the ball very well. Game coming around but still very short and unsure of distances.
Head Pro David M. told me to be sure to look for the huge mansion (supposedly 35,000 sq ft recently completed nearby and visible from the 16the hole…see picture below). Or is that Disneyland?
Drive to Alliance OH would take 90 minutes…just one more day left with a forecast of thunderstorms starting at 11am. And as a reminder, when I arrived at my hotel, it had no elevators or wi-fi as the building had been hit by lightning two nights earlier.
Tannenhauf Golf Club, July 10, 2020: Tannenhauf GC is in Alliance, Ohio, about 15 miles SE of Akron. I have played a fair amount of golf in this area …mostly between 1967 and 1980 with my very good friend from business school, Dale Johnson. Dale grew up in Warren, Ohio (20-25 miles NE of Alliance) and worked there for General Motors. For a good number of years we would do home-and-home trips to New York and northeast Ohio playing the best courses in both regions (here including Oakmont, Firestone South, Firestone North, Canterbury, Muirfield Village, Avalon Lakes, and Sharon Golf Club). Dale was a scratch player with the best short game I ever saw…and a great great guy. Sadly, in about 1998 Dale was killed in an accident while jogging in Mexico City on assignment with GM.
I can assure you that Dale never mentioned Tannenhauf as a candidate for playing, despite its vaulted status being included on Golf Digest’s first ever list (200 Toughest) in 1966. By the way, at most of the courses on this trip that appeared on either or both 200 Toughest lists, the head pro or manager was unaware of this and I was able to email them a pdf of both lists and the accompanying articles.
Tannenhauf was built on a family owned dairy farm in 1959 and designed by Jim Harrison and Fred Garbin. It is still run today by the same family, and I had the chance to meet the grandson of the farmer who converted the farm to the golf course. The terrain here is very flat, with slight hills on 8 of the holes (mostly from a 20 yard wide and 10 foot deep culvert that runs through the property) and the other 10 holes are flat as pancakes. The fairways are tree lined (trees probably planted some 60 years ago) and mostly straight (about 5 doglegs). The greens are circular, have no overall slope, and very little mounding or breaks of any kind.
I teed of around 6:50am and my bogeys on holes 2, 3, and 6 were partially offset by good birdies on 4 and 8, yielding a one over 37 for the front nine (the course measures 6694 par 72 from the tips and I was playing from 5546 yards). After the birdie on #8 I realized this might be my perfect chance to final shoot my age…but I tried like hell to keep focused on the task at hand and “stay in the present”. Bogies on # 12 and #14 (a long par 4) were followed by birdies on #13 and the short downhill par 3 15th hole…bringing me back to one over with three holes to play…and needing to finish at no more than three over. My drive on the par 5 16th caught the left rough and I could not get home in three…and the 17this a longish par 4 where my drive also just caught the left rough. So I stood now on the 18th tee needing a simple par…and hit a good drive leaving myself 111 yards to the pin…normally a 9 iron but after my surgery I chose an 8 and hit it real good…and was shocked to see it land and then stop dead 4 yards short of the green and probably 40 feet from the hole. The entire course was almost rock hard and nothing but this shot stop quickly all-round long. You for sure know the rest of the story…I got my third straight bogey and my 76…and went looking once again for my birth certificate to make a small adjustment!! Close but no cigar for about the 4th time!! This one being my first real choke…or bad break. One of these days…
The Mayfield Sand Ridge Club (Mayfield), July 10, 2020: After a 45-minute drive I was in the eastern suburbs of Cleveland. In 2006 Mayfield Golf Club, which dates back to 1909 merged with the Tom Fazio designed (completed in 1998) Sand Ridge Golf Club and now operate as one club with two campuses and two very different golf courses…but both very good. I played Sand Ridge in 2015 (Post #17). I was at Mayfield this day because back in 1920 it hosted the 24th US Women’s Amateur (won by Alexa Stirling…her second of three straight Championships). Mayfield was designed by Bertie Way, who also built Firestone-South in Akron.
This course is loaded with blind shots and fun funky holes…totally different from Sand Ridge (and frankly IMO better as well). It obviously can be frustrating for someone negotiating it for the first time, but I am a big believer in the old Scottish saying “a shot is only blind once.”
From the tips Mayfield plays 6697 yards par 71 and I played from its Gold Tees (5479 yards). I had a solid 39 – 41 = 80 sinking a ton of putts on their very good greens. I played quickly (the course was fairly empty) as the skies were threatening all afternoon…and I wanted to get this one done and complete the trip’s 11 rounds on 11 courses. I had been able to tee off early and was finished by 2:15pm, despite confusion over the routing resulting in my playing the last 5 holes in the following order (14, 18, 15, 16, 17…and actually replaying #1 after 18 but that is too long a story). So it was done...all 11 courses (199 holes including playing Mayfield's #1 twice), plus driving some 979 miles.
Happily I was able to shower at the club (with my own soap and an individually packaged bath towel) before heading to Hopkins airport in Cleveland…for a flight leaving at about 9pm. I thought about going over to play Canterbury…a favorite track…but actually showed a bit of wisdom and relaxed at the airport instead.
Upon landing at Boston, I took a Uber ride home and discovered that the Uber pick up and drop off spot had been moved to central parking…a 10 minute walk from baggage claim…effectively killing Uber and Lyft as services for Logan Airport. Once again, the bureaucrats who control the taxi industry destroy a better form of competition and the consumer loses…but the bureaucrats keep power!! Other than that, it was great to get home…no golf for the next 3 days as I was exhausted.
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Current status:
Total courses played: 1,230
High priority to play: 31
to reclimb World Top 100 EVER for another time,
finish Golf Digest Top 200 USA EVER
finish Golf Week Top 100 Classic and Top 100 Modern EVER,
finish all Women’s Major and Senior Major sites EVER,
finish all USGA Senior Am sites EVER
finish World Golf Championships sites EVER
Then 23 more to finish US Junior Championships EVER
Then 73 to finish Golf Digest 1966/67 200 Toughest
Then 68 to finish USGA Women’s Am, Mid-Am, Senior Am and Girl’s Junior…to complete USGA current championships sites EVER.
TOTAL of 195 to go!!!!!...plus any new ones that crop up…finish by end 2022? doable if stay healthy!!
No rest for the weary…
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