LEFT : Donna Andrews RIGHT : JC Snead
classic courses ; and accounts of triumphs by some of Virginia ’ s — and the game ’ s — greatest players .
In this space you ’ ll find anecdotes , facts , figures , and observations that will enrich any Virginian ’ s knowledge and enjoyment of the game . We will cast a wide net to provide you insight on a wide range of fascinating stories .
Here are some of the story lines we are considering :
• An overview of the architects who framed the Virginia courses we play today , starting with the masters who comprised the early Twentieth Century ’ s “ golden age of golf course architecture ” then moving into the mid-century architects who elevated an almost-pastime into the profession it is today . Then we will highlight the new breed of architects who have birthed a second design renaissance that has placed so many tracks on Golf Digest ’ s Top 20 Courses in Virginia .
• A review of Virginia Golf Hall of Famer Sam Snead ’ s one-of-a-kind performance in the Masters , including wins in 1945 , ’ 52 , and ’ 54 , 14 top-ten finishes from 1939 to ’ 67 , and several significant , sometimes flamboyant losses .
• A summary of the important role the Omni Homestead Resort has played in golf in America and Virginia , with a particular focus on women ’ s golf , including the shocking win by French amateur Catherine Lacoste in the 1967 U . S . Open , the 1928 and ‘ 94 USGA Women ’ s Amateurs , and numerous Virginia championships .
• A review of presence of the PGA Tour , the PGA Tour Champions and the LPGA in Virginia golf , from the earliest tour events in the state , to the Kingsmill Resort ’ s massive support of professional golf over the past three decades , to multiple President ’ s Cups , to the uplifting story behind the current Dominion Energy Champion ’ s Tour event .
• The story behind Hermitage Country
Members of the Inaugural Class of the Virginia Golf Hall of Fame :
Lanny Wadkins , Vinny Giles , Curtis Strange , and Clyde Luther .
Club , especially its 1949 PGA ( won by Sam Snead ), and the relevance of its rebirth today as a municipal , 12-hole and First Tee facility .
• The history and the role of the Country Club of Virginia on state , regional and national golf . The club , founded in 1908 , houses three courses designed by renowned architects Donald Ross , William Flynn and Joe Lee and hosted the 1975 U . S . Amateur ( won by current Augusta National Golf Club president , Fred Ridley ), and flourishes today in a national spotlight .
• A rundown of the most compelling and fascinating State Opens of Virginia , which started in 1924 , were briefly considered part of the PGA Tour and — from 1958 to 1984 — shared a curious co-billing with the Virginia PGA Open .
These stories are just the top of the flagstick . Virginia ’ s remarkable golf history begs to be known by the people who help make it every day .
Let us know if you have a particular story that you ’ d like to see in these pages . By making our rich history more accessible , we look forward to helping you enjoy your rounds of golf even more .
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Contact Casey at kevincasey36 @ gmail . com .
vsga . org J ANUARY / F EBRUARY 2022 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 13