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A Good Walk Spoiled

Photo from Library of Congress

In honor of National Golf Lovers Day, may I present Miss Katharine Harley, winner of the 1908 U.S. Amateur Golf Championship at the Chevy Chase Club, Chevy Chase, Maryland.

If you have a moment, check out this interview with Miss Harley in the New York Times. 100 years on, and hand-wringing over the future of the sport is the same as it ever was. She holds the popularity of tennis as one of the factors to blame for waning interest in golf. As more of a tennis person, I find her comments ironic. Tennis, like many other sports, is always worried about the 'leaky bucket' of players being lured away by other sports such as golf.

Miss Harley also confesses she did not take up the sport seriously until 'about three weeks' before the championship! Okay, full disclosure: she goes on to explain she had been playing golf for seven years prior to that, so I guess she had some experience to fall back on. Then, as now, the length of time a round of golf takes to play was problematic in attracting new players. Then, as now, the short game proved to be the deciding factor in her victory.

I have dabbled in golf. I had heard it was not particularly female-friendly. I am sorry to report I did find this to be the case. My female golf friends were awesome. But the chauvinistic and patronizing attitudes of the male players and golf course staff put my tail in a knot just about every time I played.

Best of luck to all the gals out on the links past and present. Go out there and represent for those of us who don't have the patience.

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