Dave,
I knew there was a reason you seemed pretty cool. Some of the military courses I've played in Hawaii and the Northwest are gems. Speaking of Augusta and the Master's, Ike's other favorite course was a little 9 holer on Oahu. I sure you have a few great tracks in the Midwest also. I remember playing a few forts as kids when 36 holes of golf and a cheeseburger for lunch would set us back 2.00. Today you probably have to pay that O-6 rate of 12.00!!
My brother and I were fortunate that my father took up golf at the end of his little league coaching tenure. I was happy to leave Babe Ruth and spend 12+ hours each weekend day at the course. I instinctively knew that a golden glove 1st baseman projected to continue hitting .260 wasn't going anywhere
Golf is the greatest learning tool ever imagined for youth. It teaches so much including morals, perserverance, communication and other values not generally seen. In a word, CLASS. A small group of us were allowed membership into the men's club at 16 reinforcing that all men are equal while on the course. Along with paying for some college, providing a living for a while at a range I built golf's lessons continue to be unmeasurable.
I have been collecting golf related items since I was a teenager. Have an assortment of clubs, balls scorecards and other interesting stuff. A few items I have sold include a Ping putter documented to be one of the first dozen Karsten produced in his garage in Redwood City with hand wrapped leather grip. Another less valuable but memorial was a prototype driver made by the Koken barber chair company that I ended up the founder's granddaughter. I've been through 100's of macgregor woods, wooden shafted clubs, old putters, balls, loose, sleeved and in display boxes and umteam sets of irons. My most recent acquisition and my current prized piece is a 1931 Penfold Man statue that was given to the family when they opened my local course I grew up playing. When the son passed a couple years ago the wife allowed my purchase. It's as mint as they come with even long original pipe still there.
Have a few autographs and photos and 1000's of scorecards primarily from the 60's and 70's. I love the quirky stuff like the greenskeepers best friend, the steel "Nigger Tees" in the box.
Since becoming involved here I've wondered when the "course used" equipment market will develop. There are sites that sell but not on baseball level. Also have 1930's and 40's advertising pieces and working on some original MacKinzie(sp)drawings of courses he completed.
The Greatest Things about Golf is the amazing assortment of golfers I played with. One in particular I'd like to say is what movies are made of but Tin Cup was a chump compared to this friend. An NCAA All American who couldn't even get a bet from a few still in the top 50 on the PGA`and the biggest screw up in the history of golf arguably, he wondered onto the range one day hoping to peddle a few lessons for beer. If this thread continues I share some golf stories that I feel are unrivaled.
But GOLF IS GREAT because at 52 I'm still able to drive down and play a spirited match with my father decades after our baseball careers would have terminated.
