OK , that ’ s a bit much . . . but , seriously , Virginia has a rich golf history , one that holds up well in comparison to its sister states . Our Commonwealth is the source of some of America ’ s all-time finest players , most celebrated venues and , as a result , some of its most remarkable golf stories .

But simply having a rich golf history isn ’ t enough . To take full advantage of the experience , people should know it and incorporate it into their golfing lives . The noted author Michael Crichton once said , “ If you don ’ t know history . . . you are a leaf that doesn ’ t know it is part of a tree .” Had he been a golfer , he might have said , “ If you don ’ t know your golf history , you won ’ t fully appreciate and enjoy your round of golf .”

A part of our mission at the VSGA is to “ serve the needs of golf in Virginia .” Implied in that is the need to record our state ’ s golf history and make the rich context it offers readily available to all Virginians .

GIANTS OF THE GAME While sunshine states like Texas , Florida , Georgia and California have been home to most of our country ’ s finest golfers , Virginia , despite its relatively cooler clime , bellies up to the conversation with familiar last names like Snead , Strange , Wadkins and Giles . Throw in players like Chandler Harper , Donna Andrews , Bobby Cruickshank and Keith Decker and you ’ ve got a pretty strong “ A ” team . These giants of the game are forever a part of Virginia golf .

Additionally , Virginia is home to a wonderful collection of quality and diverse courses , spread across an area five times the size of New Jersey .

Do these words conjure a smile : Cascades , Kinloch , James River , Golden Horseshoe , Ballyhack and RTJ ? They should . . . in each case , the courses ’ ownership / membership , design , business models , events , successes and failures provide the context that define these magnificent venues . There are more great courses where these came from .

And , while it ’ s true that USGA and professional major championships are rarely

Sam Snead , winner of more than 80 PGA Tour events and a Ryder Cup veteran , was a true Virginia golf giant .

contested in Virginia , it ’ s equally true that the Commonwealth often hosts multiple national-level events every calendar year . In 2021 alone , the LPGA , and PGA Tour Champions carried on a tradition of topof-the-charts play on Virginia soil . The Covid-cancelled 2020 USGA Mid-Amateur Men ’ s Championship has been rescheduled at Kinloch and Independence Golf Clubs in 2024 .

KEEPING HISTORY ALIVE Given the richness of Virginia ’ s relationship with the game , we set out here to ensure that the special sauce that sets Virginia golf history apart isn ’ t lost in the fog of time .

Starting here , you ’ ll be able to read accounts of some of the first shots hit in the Commonwealth ; reflections on some of the latest wins ; narratives outlining some of America ’ s earliest — and finest — courses and their creators ; firsthand back stories to today ’ s relatively “ instant ”

VSGA ARCHIVES