# Chapter 4: Clubs & Courses

Golf · Chapter 4: Clubs & Courses · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/golf/interesting-facts/chapter-4-clubs-courses/)

Famous clubs and courses: Augusta, St Andrews, Pebble Beach, America's private clubs, the links of Ireland, Scotland and England, strange places, deserts and resorts, and club traditions.

## 4.41 Augusta National's Secrets

The home of the Masters: its old nursery, its hole names, its trees and its customs.

### Test 1: Augusta National

- Fruitland Nurseries, run by the Berckmans family. (Source: Augusta National Golf Club; Masters.com, course and history)
- He ran the club and the Masters as chairman until 1976. (Source: Augusta National Golf Club; Masters.com, course and history)
- Every hole is named after a tree or shrub. (Source: Augusta National Golf Club; Masters.com, course and history)
- Amateurs in the Masters may stay there during the week. (Source: Augusta National Golf Club; Masters.com, course and history)
- With the player's name on the back. (Source: Augusta National Golf Club; Masters.com, course and history)
- Mobile phones are banned for them. (Source: Augusta National Golf Club; Masters.com, course and history)
- The club was founded in 1932. (Source: Augusta National Golf Club (2012), statement on new members)
- The 1st, 5th, 12th and 18th. (Source: Augusta National Golf Club; Masters.com, course and history)
- The 12th, 13th, 15th and 17th. (Source: Augusta National Golf Club; Masters.com, course and history)
- About sixty trees line the lane. (Source: Augusta National Golf Club; Masters.com, course and history)

## 4.42 St Andrews Beyond the Old Course

The seven courses of the St Andrews Links and the customs of the Old Course.

### Test 1: St Andrews

- The 5th shares with the 13th, the 2nd with the 16th. (Source: St Andrews Links Trust, courses and history)
- It is new only next to the Old. (Source: St Andrews Links Trust, courses and history)
- It opened in 1897. (Source: St Andrews Links Trust, courses and history)
- Walkers and dog owners use it. (Source: St Andrews Links Trust, courses and history)
- Names are drawn the day before. (Source: St Andrews Links Trust, courses and history)
- A charity set up by Act of Parliament in 1974. (Source: St Andrews Links Trust, courses and history)
- The outward holes have white flags. (Source: St Andrews Links Trust, courses and history)
- Centuries ago, then 1895, 1897 and 2008. (Source: St Andrews Links Trust, courses and history)
- The 1st, 4th, 10th and 14th. (Source: St Andrews Links Trust, courses and history)
- Champions stop on it for photographs. (Source: St Andrews Links Trust, courses and history)

## 4.43 Pebble Beach

The cliff-top links by Carmel Bay, its US Opens, its neighbours and its owners.

### Test 1: Pebble Beach

- Samuel Morse built it for his resort. (Source: Pebble Beach Company, history of the courses)
- Both were amateur champions. (Source: Pebble Beach Company, history of the courses)
- Nicklaus finished second. (Source: USGA, championship venues, 1982 US Open)
- Koepka was three shots behind. (Source: USGA, championship venues, 2019 US Open)
- Robert Louis Stevenson walked this coast. (Source: Pebble Beach Company, history of the courses, Spyglass Hill)
- Arnold Palmer was another of the owners. (Source: Pebble Beach Company, history of the courses)
- Lanny Wadkins won it. (Source: PGA of America, PGA Championship history)
- 1972, 1992, 2000 and 2010. (Source: USGA, championship venues, US Open history)
- 1919, 1928 and 1966. (Source: Pebble Beach Company, history of the courses; Cypress Point Club)
- It stands beside the 17-Mile Drive. (Source: Pebble Beach Company, history of the courses)

## 4.44 America's Private Treasures

Seminole, Baltusrol, Winged Foot, Shinnecock, Cypress Point and Merion.

### Test 1: America's private clubs

- A Donald Ross links by the Atlantic. (Source: Seminole Golf Club, history)
- On three of its courses, from 1903 to 1993. (Source: USGA, championship venues, Baltusrol Golf Club)
- Hale Irwin won at seven over par. (Source: USGA, championship venues, 1974 US Open)
- One of the five clubs that founded the USGA. (Source: Chicago Golf Club, history; USGA, championship venues)
- On Long Island. (Source: USGA, championship venues, Shinnecock Hills)
- Over 200 metres of ocean and rock. (Source: Cypress Point Club; USGA Golf Journal)
- In Westchester County, north of the city. (Source: Winged Foot Golf Club, history)
- 1891, 1903, 1913 and 1932. (Source: USGA, championship venues; club histories)
- Long Island, New Jersey, Georgia and central Florida. (Source: USGA, championship venues; club histories)
- Nobody can read the wind from them. (Source: USGA, championship venues, Merion Golf Club)

## 4.45 Ireland's Links

Portrush, County Down, Lahinch, Old Head and the Irish major winners.

### Test 1: Ireland's links

- Max Faulkner won it. (Source: The R&A, Open venues and history)
- By six shots. (Source: The R&A, Open venues and history, 2019 Open)
- The course lies at Newcastle, County Down. (Source: Royal County Down Golf Club, history)
- When they shelter by the clubhouse, rain is coming. (Source: Lahinch Golf Club, history)
- A course record in the North of Ireland Championship. (Source: Royal Portrush Golf Club, course records)
- Holes run along the cliff edges. (Source: Old Head Golf Links, history)
- Named after a nearby castle; Valley is the second course. (Source: Royal Portrush Golf Club, courses)
- 1881, 1888, 1889 and 1892. (Source: Golfing Union of Ireland; club histories)
- 1947, 2007, 2010 and 2011. (Source: The R&A, Open venues and history; USGA, championship venues)
- The stone is moved when the hole is. (Source: Lahinch Golf Club, the Old Course)

## 4.46 Scotland's Open Venues

Carnoustie, Muirfield, Troon and Prestwick: their nicknames, famous holes and champions.

### Test 1: Scotland's Open venues

- Hogan found a narrow line down it in 1953. (Source: Carnoustie Golf Links, Championship Course)
- He needed a double bogey to win and took seven. (Source: The R&A, Open venues and history, 1999 Open)
- He came from ten shots back on the last day. (Source: The R&A, Open venues and history, 1999 Open)
- Narrow fairways and very deep rough. (Source: The R&A, Open venues and history, 1999 Open)
- He beat Phil Mickelson by three shots. (Source: The R&A, Open venues and history, 2016 Open)
- Fifty years after his first Open there. (Source: The R&A, Open venues and history, 1973 Open)
- The Open returned to Muirfield's list soon after. (Source: The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers (2017))
- 1931, 1953, 1975 and 2018. (Source: The R&A, Open venues and history)
- 1948, 1959, 1966 and 2013. (Source: The R&A, Open venues and history)
- Players must carry it or play short. (Source: Prestwick Golf Club, the course)

## 4.47 England's Championship Courses

Sandwich, Hoylake, Lytham, Birkdale, Sunningdale and Westward Ho!

### Test 1: England's championship courses

- The first of his five Open wins. (Source: The R&A, Open venues and history, 1894 Open)
- He hit irons off the tee on the fast links. (Source: The R&A, Open venues and history, 2006 Open)
- Mickelson and Johnson shared second. (Source: The R&A, Open venues and history, 2011 Open)
- He went on to win the Open that week. (Source: Royal Birkdale Golf Club, history)
- Thirty-three shots and thirty-three putts. (Source: Sunningdale Golf Club, history)
- Houses and a railway surround it. (Source: Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, history)
- On the Kent coast. (Source: The R&A, Open venues and history, Royal St George's)
- 1894, 1897, 1926 and 1954. (Source: The R&A, Open venues and history)
- 1954, 1961, 1971 and 2017. (Source: The R&A, Open venues and history)
- At Westward Ho!, since 1864. (Source: Royal North Devon Golf Club, history)

## 4.48 Courses in Strange Places

The highest, lowest, longest and coldest courses, and golf by runways and prisons.

### Test 1: Courses in strange places

- About 3,970 metres up, in Sikkim. (Source: Guinness World Records, highest golf course)
- Often called the lowest course on Earth. (Source: National Park Service, Death Valley; The Oasis at Death Valley)
- One hole in each roadside town or roadhouse. (Source: Nullarbor Links, official site)
- Just south of the Arctic Circle. (Source: Golfklúbbur Akureyrar, Arctic Open)
- The Louisiana State Penitentiary's Prison View course. (Source: Louisiana State Penitentiary, Prison View Golf Course)
- Players wait for planes to land. (Source: Royal Thai Air Force, Kantarat Golf Course)
- They use glowing balls on courses with no grass. (Source: Coober Pedy Opal Fields Golf Club)
- Below sea level, by the sea, about 3,300 and about 3,970 metres. (Source: Guinness World Records; club sites)
- Iceland, Thailand, then central and southern Australia. (Source: Club and tourism sites)
- At Uummannaq, with greens of packed snow. (Source: Visit Greenland, World Ice Golf Championship)

## 4.49 Desert and Resort Golf

Las Vegas, Dubai, Palm Springs, Bandon Dunes and Pinehurst.

### Test 1: Desert and resort golf

- Tom Fazio planted thousands of trees there. (Source: MGM Resorts, Shadow Creek history)
- Courses there had been sand before. (Source: Emirates Golf Club, history)
- White peaks rise over the Majlis course. (Source: Emirates Golf Club, history)
- Pete Dye designed it. (Source: PGA West, Stadium Course)
- Golf there is walking only. (Source: Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, policies)
- Ninety holes across several desert courses. (Source: PGA Tour, The American Express history)
- Watered from deep wells and canals. (Source: Visit Greater Palm Springs, golf)
- 1895, 1919, about 1990 and 1999. (Source: Resort histories)
- Five, ten and twelve. (Source: Resort sites)
- The putter's shadow tells the time. (Source: Pinehurst Resort, history)

## 4.50 Club Traditions

The R&A's driving in, the Silver Club, the Himalayas and club customs.

### Test 1: Club traditions

- On the first tee of the Old Course at eight in the morning. (Source: The R&A, club traditions)
- Caddies stand down the fairway where they think it will land. (Source: The R&A, club traditions)
- A custom since the 18th century. (Source: The R&A, club traditions)
- Run by the Ladies' Putting Club since 1867. (Source: St Andrews Ladies' Putting Club)
- Often with a dinner and prizes from the captain. (Source: England Golf, club competitions guide)
- Common at rural nine-hole courses. (Source: Scottish Golf, club guide)
- Partners hitting alternate shots keep rounds quick. (Source: The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, history)
- The caddie who gets it keeps a reward. (Source: The R&A, club traditions)
- 1754, 1867 and 1902. (Source: The R&A, club traditions; club histories)
- Held by the R&A and many clubs. (Source: The R&A, club traditions)

Sources: Primary/official sources only, no Wikipedia: club and resort histories, The R&A, the USGA, Guinness World Records, national federations. Facts already asked in golf Knowledge Testing (Amen Corner, the Road Hole, Sawgrass, Pinehurst No. 2's designer, template holes) are left out.

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