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In March of 1947 the Broadway team of Lerner and Lowe premiered their first musical hit, "Brigadoon." The story revolves around two Americans traveling in Scotland who discover a misty Scottish village. They soon discover that the quaint little town only appears for one day every 100 years. The reader of OAKHURST by Paula Diperna and Vikki Keller will be reminded of the village of Brigadoon and the memory of a different and quieter time when not only the world, but also the world of golf, was a far different experience.
In 1884, on a 35-acre plot of land in Sulpher Springs, West Virginia, Russell Montague and three Scottish friends plotted a nine-hole golf course. The course was named Oakhurst Links. Its owners, designers, and players were unaware that it was the first golf course in the United States. Oakhurst, however, would not be able to lay claim to its title as America's first course for very long. By 1900 Oakhurst was just an overgrown field used for anything but golf. As Russell Montague would later remark, "Well, the boys just drifted away."
West Virginia is the home state of golfing legend Sam Snead. Snead, who recently died at the age of 89, became intrigued with the Oakhurst golf course when he occasionally hit practice balls there in the 1930s. In 1959 he learned that the ground was for sale. Snead convinced his friend Louis Keller to purchase the land. Thus began a 30-year effort to painstakingly reconstruct the Oakhurst Links.
If the story ended with the reopening of Oakhurst it would certainly be an interesting tale. But Oakhurst is more than a golf course brought back from years of inattention. Like Brigadoon, Oakhurst returned as a golf course that exists precisely as it existed when opened. Rather than fancy lawnmowers, sheep graze on the course and keep the grass cut. There are no Big Bertha drivers or graphite shafted irons allowed on the course, nor may a player choose between Titleist or Nike golf balls. Only equipment used in the 1880s is allowed at Oakhurst. Hickory shafted clubs and gutta-percha balls are the tools of Oakhurst. Even wooden tees are not allowed. To tee the ball, golfers take a small dab of sand and place the ball on the ground. As a final touch, each year the club holds the National Hickory Championship. Participants are required to wear golf apparel appropriate for the 1880s.
Oakhurst is available for public play, and information is provided in the book about playing the course. The authors have written a loving book about not only the rebirth of a golf course, but the chance to return to a time when golf was played in a far different and less hectic manner. For those who long to return to that spirit, OAKHURST is a must read. Golf historians will also find this a book that will add to their knowledge of the beginnings of golf in North America. Anyone who loves and enjoys golf should pick up this book and start planning a trip to West Virginia. I hope to see you on the first tee. I'll be the one in the gray plus fours.
--- Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman
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