T E X A S
THE BOOT RANCH
By John Companiotte
Not only does a new member and resident of the Boot Ranch , a golf course home community in central Texas , get to enjoy a remarkable living environment , they are provided a custom-fit pair of M . L . Leddy alligator cowboy boots . That is how the founder of the Boot Ranch , Hal Sutton , conceived of the appropriate celebration for each new member .
“ Boots are synonymous with Texas , and I wanted our members to have a pair of Leddy ’ s that identify them as members at Boot Ranch ,” said Sutton . “ I like to say Augusta National Golf Club does green sport coats , and we do black alligator boots . They ’ re very unique – they ’ re a keepsake forever .”
Sutton had an outstanding career as an amateur and professional golfer . He achieved 14 victories on the PGA Tour , including the 1983 PGA Championship and the 1983 and 2000 Players Championships . Sutton was also the PGA Tour ' s leading money winner in 1983 and named Player of the Year . He played on four U . S . Ryder Cup teams ( 1985 , 1987 , 1999 , 2002 ). As an amateur he won the 1974 Louisiana Junior Amateur , the 1979 Western Amateur , the 1980 North and South Amateur , the 1980 U . S . Amateur , the 1979 and 1980 Western Amateur , the 1980 Northeast Amateur , and was the 1980 Eisenhower Trophy medalist , part of the 4-man US team . With a broad experience of the world ’ s best golf courses , where he excelled , he decided twenty years ago to create his own version of a great layout in a place he enjoys , on a landscape that appears to have been destined to be a golf course . He succeeded . The course is
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