It’s hard to fathom sometimes that I reside within a twenty mile radius of Pine Valley Golf Club, the perennial #1 golf course in America. It’s actually quite maddening because, even though it is seemingly right around the corner, I most likely will never have the pleasure of staring down Hell’s Half Acre in person. Sure I can play a similar course across the street, but it’s not the same.
A chauvinistic smirk emerged on my face reading this blurb: “While Augusta National allows women to play, Pine Valley doesn’t even let women on the property” until I realized that, 99.99% of all males, including myself are in the same boat.
Maybe I’ll picket…
you couldnt be more wrong man. i worked at pine valley for 2 years on maintence as an intern. played the course MANY times and they do allow women to play after 12 on sundays and there was an “unofficial womens championchip.” also annika played when i was working there. though the course is very sexist, your comment about women coudlnt be more incorrect.
Following the 911 tradgety,Pine Valley opened its course to anyone who made a contribution to a fund for the families of the victims.I Believe the 1st foursome out was four women.
There are a few elite sports in the country and let me share my experience with rowing (which although growing like golf — it certainly is not a “sport of the masses”. What I find ironic about private golf clubs is that there is little or no consideration about the potential members’ ability to play the game or their contribution to the golfing community or potential golfing community. It would be great if one of the qualifications for membership was for a potential member to take (kids, the elderly, a member of the armed forces, etc.) for a round (whether it be at a private or public course). Let me share that the famous Kelly rowing family in Philly has more than the well know Henley story to claim. For, those who do not know JB Kelly, Sr. who won I believe 2 Gold Olympic medals in the 1920’s was barred to row at Henley because he had originally worked with his hands and was of Irish decent (heaven forbide that an Irishman win Henley). 30 years later the entry rules were relaxed and JB Kelly, Jr. won Henley “easily” many times. In closing, who was the first coach of an inter-city school which again spread rowing to students who w/o the benifit of this program they would again be on the outside looking in: JB KELLY III, who rowed at Harvard for 4 years, AND is the nephew of HSH Prinecess Grace of Monoco. HE GAVE BACK TO HIS SPORT!!!!
Seems to me more private golf clubs could do the same!! Let’s have potential private club members give something back to the sport as part of membership!!!!!!