It’s interesting how different worlds find ways to overlap. I was talking with a new friend the other day about traditional golfing societies and coincidentally came across a rare story about the painting: “To the Society of Goffers At Blackheath.”
Blackheath is an inner suburb of London and some say it’s where golf was introduced in England — the year, 1608.
Below is a fascinating story where an individual found a print of “To the Society of Goffers in England” behind an old mirror from his grandmother’s house and wanted to know its value. He asked an appraiser who consults with WorthPoint – “an ebay for antiques,” and below is the appraisers story and appraisal.
Mike Wilcox, of Wilcox & Hall Appraisers, is a Worthologist who specializes in Art Nouveau and the Arts and Craft movement.
This print has a long history, and is one of the most copied of the early golf prints. The original “To the Society of Goffers At Blackheath” was based on a painting by Lemuel Francis Abbott (1760-1802) and was issued by Valentine Green as a Mezzotint print, circa 1790. It is one of the first golf portraits ever published, and the Blackheath golf course depicted in the print was a primitive five-to-seven-hole golf affair, its members being wealthy merchants.
Based on the records that survive from those early days, the Blackheath club had 45 members at the time depicted in this print. The print itself shows William Innes (1719-1795), Blackheath’s captain, and an unnamed Greenwich Hospital Naval pensioner serving as caddie. Originally, it was printed in black & white and hand-tinted. Of the 50 first-issue prints, it is estimated less than 15 are still in existence.
Like many early Mezzotints prints, this one has been reproduced as lithographs, etchings, offset prints, etc., since the early 19th century. Without actually physically examining the print, it is difficult to determine the date of issue. But most prints were produced from the late Victorian period to 1920s. The clue to the origin of your print, though, is the name “R. Powell Of London” and the dimensions, both of which match the earlier reprints, which could make this a 19th century reproduction of the original.
Most of these early reproductions currently sell in Fine Art Auctions more than any other market, where the Powell prints list with presale estimates in the $400-$600 range. More recent 20th-century examples of this print can sell for less than $50.
Bobby Jones left an impression on the people of Scotland that may never be replicated. The fantastic video below has clips that will make you shiver. After watching I couldn’t be more ready to watch this year’s Open Championship held at St. Andrews.
It even mentions their goal at the bottom of the dining room menu: “in attempt to provide the greatest golf experience ever…”
Pine Valley Golf Club is a true golfer’s dream.
In a sport where exorbitant amounts of money is thrown at clubhouses, facilities, course design, and the desire for extreme exclusivity, a humble cove hidden in the corner of a New Jersey middle class neighborhood lives up to its bold desire to be “golf’s greatest experience.”
The 18th hole at Pine Valley.
How did a course whose historical footprint consists of only two Walker Cups and a Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf match become one of the game’s premiere courses? The answer is very simple: the golf course is that great.
Every hole is your own isolated chess match. Many blind tee shots lead to wide fairways and rough that isn’t U.S. Open thick; I wish it were, so errant shots would have a greater buffer before disappearing into the New Jersey pine barrens. The unparalleled characteristic that Pine Valley has from any other course is the balance of risk-reward in each approach shot. I’ve never stood over a shot that could be so intimidating and yet so fair all within the same swing.
Like any of golf’s hallowed grounds, Pine Valley also comes with its share of “must talk about” features after the round:
The short par three 10th, has a sand trap nicknamed, “The Devil’s A**hole,” (DA). This hazard is approximately twelve feet deep but depth is only the first challenge. If I were to drop ten balls in the DA, I bet you all ten would be touching each other after the last one came to rest. Such a narrow, deep bunker leaves you a few options: blast out backwards or sideways.
The 13th hole is described by Bobby Jones as “the greatest par-4 in the world” (being from Atlanta I had to tie this trip back to Bobby some way). A blind tee shot leaves a long iron into a green where left is death and short right is the safety play.
There is not one rake on the entire course. The foot rake is all you need, this is even so with green side sand traps.
The overall facility matches Pine Valley’s aim: provide golf’s greatest experience. The range (pictured below) gives you the opportunity to practice “as real of a shot as one can get on a range” — as you fire at multiple, well-groomed practice greens.
The Driving Range at Pine Valley
The snapper soup is a must have. Do not leave the grounds without at least having a cup.
Even the showers are worth putting in writing.
Pine Valley is a club where the ambitious goal is achieved as its reputation is strengthened after each completed round — all while being no more and absolutely no less than the initial intent: a true golfer’s dream.
Maybe it’s because I’m burnt out of the current professional golf circuit, but the only place for me to get un-sensationalized golf stories with authentic accounts of human triumph is through history. One of golf’s greatest feats is the comeback of Ben Hogan. After being struck by a Greyhound bus, doctors predicted Hogan would never walk again. His legs were crushed at impact and a main reason he survived was his selfless act to protect his wife by throwing himself on her lap right before impact.
“The man they said never would be able to play again regained the United State open golf championship today at Merion Golf Club.”
Ben Hogan after the 1950 U.S. Open.
Ben Hogan wins the 1950 U.S. Open
Hogan was always someone who beat the odds: the odds of him making it to the Tour, of overcoming his father’s suicide, and battling back from his car crash. That summer Monday in 1950 is stated best by the NY Times:
“Yesterday his challenge to the disbelievers was on the line.”
What escapes the average golfer is that Hogan had a 1 stroke lead over Lloyd Mangrum and a three stroke lead over Tom Fazio; however on the sixteenth hole, Mangrum incurred a two stroke penalty which gave Hogan a three stroke lead on both competitors with two holes to play. Hogan dropped a two tier putt for a birdie two on the long par-3 seventeenth.
The New York Times article ends the story by referring to the nickname Ben had growing up:
Then the bug alighted on Mangrum’s ball at the sixteenth, and the penalty for handling the ball sealed the victory for Little Ben.
Below is a great interview with Hogan discussing not only his comeback, but also his mental approach. A great gem:
The home course of Bobby Jones is still a keystone to much of Atlanta’s golf community. The history and voluminous stories behind the course and its resurrection are fascinating. Numerous books have been written about East Lake’s story but there is one book that has flown under the radar and is pretty hard to find. Actually, I think there is only one available here.Where Bobby Learned to Play is a collection of memories from his friends. It takes each hole and matches a story to it — stories rarely heard. Today’s post is about how the game helps solidify friendship. I think it is underestimated in mainstream culture how many great relationships and friendships can be created through the game. The following excerpt originated in Golf is My Game but I found it in Where Bobby Learned to Play so will credit accordingly.
Bobby Jones on “Friendship:”
Then it occurred to me to speak of my interpretation of the words ‘friend’ and ‘friendship’ which are amongst the most import in our language, and yet so often loosely used. Friends are a man’s priceless treasures, and a life rich in friendship is full indeed. When I say, with due regard for the meaning of the word, that I am your friend, I have pledged to you the ultimate loyalty and devotion. In some respects friendship may even transcend love, for in true friendship there is no place for jealousy. When, without more, I say that you are my friends it is possible that I may be imposing upon you a great burden than you are willing to assume. But when you have made me aware on many occasions that you have a kindly feeling toward me, and when you have honored me by means at your command, and when I call you a friend, I am at once affirming my high regard and affection for you and declaring my complete faith in you and trust in the sincerity of you expressions. And so, my fellow citizens of St. Andrews, it is with this appreciation of the full sense of the word that I salute you as my friends.
- Bobby Jones when he accepted the honor of Freedom of the City of St. Andrews in 1958. The last American to be given the honor before him was Benjamin Franklin.
The indepth, benevolent interrogation by Charlie Rose doesn’t escape the game we know and love. When I heard that Tom Watson would be on the other side of the round, oak table I knew it would be something to TiVo. Below is the 32 minute interview and the summary that follow.
- Charlie opens the interview with a look back at Watson’s chip-in on the 17th at Pebble.
- Watson truly believed he could win the Wednesday night before the start of the tournament.
- His example of what makes his experience beneficial is fantastic; trust and confidence in the course made his 6 prior experiences at Turnberry such an advantage.
- Watson on links golf “That’s links golf, you just don’t know.”
- Tom’s hatred of failure is what drove him to succeed.
- The caddy-player relationship in Watson’s life is amazing. Bruce Edwards spent over 30 years on the bag with Watson.
- When the ball was in the air on 18 at Turnberry in 2009, Watson thought it would be 77′ all over again.
- Watson’s major motivation for great play at the Masters this year was his son being on the bag.
- To be great at anything, you’ve got to have conviction that you’re great. Tom believed that.
- Everyone always talked about Jack and his strategy around the course. Watson puts it in much simpler terms by saying, “Jack was the best at taking the element of risk out of an individual shot.”
Two Questions Watson Asked Hogan: it surprises me that Tom only met Ben once.
- Do you ever think a tall golfer will ever be one of the best players?” Hogan responded by saying “Absolutely.”
- How nervous did you get when you were playing in competition? Hogan replied, “Tom, I was so nervous I was jumping out of my skin.”
- Charlie asks “Why would you wake up and not warm-up well if you in the lead?” A simple question, but yet, it cuts to the heart of the enigma is that is the game of golf. Watson replies that is just the way the the game is and feel is such a big factor.
- The snowball effect of losing confidence happened to Tom midway through his career.
Watson finds “it.”
- His practice session on the range in 1994 is where Tom Watson discovered his secret. There are many similarities to Tom’s secret and the one of Ben Hogan.
- Wow, did not know Tom Watson thought about quitting the game.
- Learn from the best through observation.
- Watson equates ball striking to pitcher’s and their control of the movement of their pitch.
- The modern golf swing is epitomized in Sam Snead’s swing.
To get the most out of the any new golf exploration, understanding the history and tradition of the course, city, and culture is always a great place to start. This is the beginning of what I found:
The copy on The Honors Course homepage states it best:
Opened on July 2, 1983, the Honors Course was created to honor the game of amateur golf. The course is located just north of the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee in a community known as Ooltewah. In keeping with its philosophy, the course has hosted many amateur tournaments including the USGA Men’s Amateur and Mid-Amateur Championships, the Curtis Cup Matches, and the NCAA Men’s Div. I Championship.
Their logo is of the Martin Condon State Amateur Trophy — that is about as pure as it gets.
Founder and creator of The Honors Course is a man by the name of Jack Lupton. A good friend of Bobby Jones, his vision for The Honors Course was to “honor” Tennessee golf and particularly Tennessee amateur golf…definitely a friend of Bobby. He is the visionary not only behind one of the Game’s most hallowed grounds but also much of Chattanooga’s growth as a city and community. If you want to take a few moments to understand the depths of his vision, involvement, and philanthropy, I’ve linked a video from the Tennessee Valley PBS station about him and highly recommend it.
Jack Lupton has edge and that is transparent when interviewed in this 1986 interviewwith The Chattanooga Times.
He talked about the Riverpark. About skepticism and change. About the rich and the poor, the black and the white, the city and the suburbs. About how his father gave away money, and how he does. Mostly, however, he talked about his vision of Chattanooga. Here it is.
This is just the beginning of my research but this is what I have for tonight. There will be a few more about the course and culture as the tee time this Saturday approaches.
“Having tickets to The Masters is the best dowry a wife could have in the South.” Those were the exact words exchanged in a brief conversation I had with a young lady late last week. After thinking about it, the process, and the prestige, I sat and thought, she’s right. For those who don’t know, tickets to the tournament have gone through a major renovation in the past decade. As of 2000, there is no direct way to get Masters badges to the tournament.
Ten years ago, patrons would get their individual daily badges for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Most of the badges were obviously used, however too many were traded, exchanged, and sold with the help of the internets and all the sophisticated online resources which facilitated this type of communication and trade. Luckily, members began to crack down on this abuse of the system by first adapting to the times. First, they created a tournament badge. This cut down on the exchange significantly because if you sold your badge for Thursday it was gone for the rest of the week — unless you knew the person using it and they gave it back to you. Another major reason exchanging and selling badges were minimized because if you sold them to some who acted inappropriately on the grounds, their badges (your badges) would be taken away and you probably wouldn’t be getting another pair come this time next year.
So how do you grace one of the game’s most hollowed grounds; a place that fosters the sport’s greatest traditions by an organization that advocates its finest lessons?
When I ended the last post I was ready for Augusta. Now, being that it is only a few days away, the excitement in Atlanta, Augusta, the golf world, heck, the work world is reaching a tipping point. The Masters in the South is a cultural event. Most schools have their spring break this week (especially the ones in Augusta), and many people will miss work to attend the tournament. Before the economy turned sour, companies would rent houses for the week and host events, dinners, and cocktail hours. I remember in my college years at UGA, even the sorority girls cared about golf this week. It is more than just a tournament. So, I begin to harness my enthusiasm by writing about the tournament and one very important way the Masters has engaged its audience.
The Masters iPhone Application
The Masters nails it on the home page with a very simple, minimalistic design. Priority is placed on each different feature starting with the most important which is watching the tournament live. My review on the 2009 PGA App showed that the live feature is the most important. I remember watching Tiger finish his Saturday round while at the Braves game last August. The video was phenomenal and there was only about a 6 second delay from real time. I look forward to seeing how real time the app will stream. From the most prominent “Watch Live” button follows the Leaderboard, News, Course, Radio, and Photos. All will be explored below:
Three years ago, Golf Digest writer and Masters’ media legend, Nick Seitz aggregated opinions of fourteen veteran journalists who’ve each covered more than 40 Masters. These experienced writers provided their top Masters’ memories. To get more of the moments, I highly suggest downloading the PDF here, Masters Moments (3 page PDF), but if you are in rush, they are in list form below:
