The History of Pinehurst An Excerpt from a 1927 Golf Magazine)

Pinehurst memorabilia is highly collectible. They range from wooden shafted clubs stamped “Pinehurst” and “Donald Ross”, the famed “Putter Boy” Sun Dials, scorecards, prints, US Open and other Tournament Programs, etc. Here is an article that takes us back to 1927 that will give you a unique historical prospective of these great courses.

PINEHURST BEGAN...A FLASHBACK

A RYE FIELD IN 1896 - FOUR CHAMPIONSHIP COURSES. FAMOUS THE WORLD OVER IN 1927

PINEHURST BEGAN. It didn't grow like Topsy. This spot in North Carolina that sometime or other is a part of every golfer's experience, was the result of a plan, a carefully thought out and executed idea of one James W. Tufts of Boston, and since carried to its present development, by his son Leonard.

But the present Pinehurst, with its four courses totaling 24,977 yards, its yearly struggles fought by the professional, the amateur and ranking women golfers of this and other countries for a major part of the golf spoils, gives scarcely a picture of its "boyhood" days.

Standing on the country club steps, one can hardly imagine that the view before you of the rolling fairways dotted by towering pine trees could have been any different. Yet it was once a rye field where sheep browsed and grazed.

One day in 1897 James Tufts and Dr. D. Leroy Culver tried their clubs over the field and decided it would go - for golf. In the fall of that year these two men laid out the first Pinehurst course, to measure, 2,561 yards for its nine holes, and constructed so that those who found this too long, might play six holes that in themselves made a shorter course. Natural conditions favored sand greens, which were adopopted and the entire layout proved so satisfactory that it was increased by the fall of 1899 to eighteen holes measuring 5,203 yards and covering 150 acres. George Dutton together with Leonard Tuft were responsible for the work.

Pinehurst had begun.

The country's devotees came from the outset, finding the south a suitable winter habitat to enjoy this sport, which current journal claimed would "soon become as popular as tennis and croquet." Pinehurst was fortunate in having a great many man of national prominence visit its hotels, besides Edward Everett Hale, John D. Rockfeller, William McKinley, among its guests, it also claimed Harry Vardon, Walter J. Travis and Donald Ross as golfers. Vardon during his Amercian trip in 1900 spent much time on the Puinehurst course giving exhibitions and at that time established a course record of 73. This mark stood until Donald Ross, who became club professional in 1900 following John Dunn Tucker, clipped it to a 71. Travis found a place among the earliest of tournament winners.

An increased popularity of the game, and the greater number of golfers among the visitors resulted in the building of a short nine holes course slightly over twelve hundred yards, which was used chiefly as a practice grounds. Donald Ross, who has since designed each of the four present day courses, changed this nine hole layout during 1903, improved it, and made it 2,750 yards, a basis for the present championship course of 6,559 yards over which the North and South open is played each spring.

Major tournament life was just about flourishing at this time, although the North and South idea advanced by Henry Haynie of Newton Center, chairman of the board of governors of the country club, had bourne fruit two years previous. The first North and South amateur title tournament was played in 1901, as it was believed that a sectional championship would bring together the best players in the North and in the South. George Dutton of Boston was the first winner after a two round total of 169 made by Dr. L. Lee Harban had won the medal. George Voight, this spring, to win the twenty-seven medal that has been awarded, cut away thirty-four strokes from Harban's total when he carded a winning 135.

Naturally the amateur tournament was meant to be the chief prize for the title-seeking golfer. But there was time enough between morning and afternoon rounds in this event, since the fields had not exceeded sixty entries, for a professional three-ball exhibition, a driving contest and ladies' tournament. Once having a place on the porogram, they steadily grew in size and importance. Thus the "women's championship," later the North and South, and the open or Southern open, as offshoots of the amateur tourney, took their place in the sectional championship series. In 1903 Donald J. Ross began the formidable list of open champions by winning the thirty-six hole test with 147; Miss Myra D. Paterson of Englewood, who led the qualifiers with 101, also triumphed in the finals of the first officially recognized women's championship.

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