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“ We have a Players ’ Championship — that ’ s one of our majors — in June ,” Gunter says . “ For the first time ever we had a women ’ s flight this year .”
Held at Ashley Plantation , Grace Coffey claimed the inaugural crown . The club ’ s other big tournament — the Association Championship — was conducted at Roanoke Country Club , an A . W . Tillinghast design , the following month .
In addition to outreach and an impressive tournament schedule , another point of pride are annual scholarships which are awarded to family members of the club . Generally , one or two $ 500 grants are made each year depending on the pool of candidates .
“ We have certain criteria like GPA to check off to make sure they ’ re qualified ,” says Gunter . “ We also have a golf tournament in May where we partner with the Shriners — and they help us out as far as generating scholarship funds .”
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GAME CHANGERS
In the early 1930s , Natalie Beale and Frank Claytor met while working at The Homestead . From all accounts it was love at first sight . Natalie was from nearby Warm Springs while Frank , an aspiring doctor , was from Tennessee . Beale had three brothers who caddied at the resort , and collectively they helped introduce Claytor to the game . Little did any of them
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know the impact such an introduction would have on Virginia ’ s golfing canvas years later .
At the time , Blacks were not allowed to play on the resort ’ s guest courses . Instead , staff play was relegated to a layout that traversed the side of a mountain befitting its moniker — the Goat Course . According to Mark Fry , The Homestead ’ s director of golf , and a Bath County native , “ It ( Goat Course ) was played where our current ski slope is .” There were nine holes that went up the slope and then back down … very hilly .”
The Goat Course served as a backdrop where Claytor likely developed not only his love for the game but also feelings for his soon-to-be bride . Eventually he and Natalie got married . The good doctor graduated as valedictorian from Meharry Medical School and the couple settled down in Roanoke where they raised eight children .
Thanks to the Claytors and their collective passion for golf , that Hot Springs hillside was not the only venue that helped provide a circuitous path to the game for an underserved segment of enthusiasts . At the time , golf was a segregated game in the Roanoke Valley and the closest available courses were across the state line . To combat the problem , Dr . Claytor , along with the help of his wife and seven sons , built something a little closer to home on the family homestead — Wagon Wheel Farm . One of Natalie ’ s brothers , Hugh ,
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LEFT : June Lewis , Nickey Wright and Grace Coffey . RIGHT : Pine Valley member Bennie Hopkins .
was also involved in its construction . A family undertaking , Claytor Farm proved to be fertile ground for the seeds of a new Association that was soon to sprout .
Dotted by pine trees , the Farm ’ s golf course featured sand greens with holes ranging in length from 75 to 225 yards . Putting surfaces were fashioned by digging circular pits that were filled with a mixture of sand and discarded motor oil , and they required no mowing . There were no bunkers on the course but there was a small creek that ran through the property . The layout featured just seven holes yet the property was an extremely popular gathering spot . The complex also included a swimming pool and a converted farm house that served as its clubhouse . It was there that Frank and Natalie and a handful of associates formed the Pine Valley Golf Association in October 1959 .
In addition to the Claytors , notable early members of the PVGA included George Long , Lawrence Hamlar , John Jackson , Frank Landers and Henry Whyte . All were responsible for helping change the complexion of the game in the local area .
Very few of Pine Valley ’ s current members ever played the Claytor ’ s golf course or knew any of the early game changers . Nickey Wright is one of the exceptions . “ I grew up in a time of segregation and we couldn ’ t play anywhere else ,” says Wright . “ I started playing golf at the Claytor Farm out there in Kingstown back in the ‘ 60s . My father was a member of Pine Valley . His name was Marshall “ Peaches ” Curtis . I thought he was pretty good in that he never had a formal lesson . He taught my sister and me the game . He tried teaching mom , but she ’ d rather play cards with the other golfers ’ wives .”
Wanting to play on 18-hole courses without having to travel to Winston-Salem or
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MICHAEL CARNRIKE ; PVGA ( 2 ) |