Golf's Tradition

It’s been described as “a long walk spoiled” by journalist and author John Feinstein. Its leading practitioner is a 30-year-old self-described “Cablinasian.” The sport in question is golf -- an extraordinary game that has been played in some form for hundreds of years since its development on the links of Scotland.

From the Old Course at St. Andrews to Carnoustie, from Pebble Beach to Augusta and Oakmont (site of its eighth U.S. Open), few sports have as many hallowed grounds as does golf. No two courses anywhere in the world are alike, and each course is as much a participant in a tournament as the players themselves.

Tiger Woods and Annika Sorenstam currently stand at the top of their respective tours, but there are a number of challengers to their supremacy. The most notable include Karrie Webb, Se Ri Pak, and young phenom Michelle Wie among the women, while the men’s tour features “Lefty” Phil Mickelson, Chris DiMarco, and internationals Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, and Sergio Garcia.

Since 1980, many of professional golf’s veteran players have moved over to the PGA Champions Tour, originally known as the Senior PGA Tour. Many great golfers, such as Hale Irwin, Tom Watson, Craig Stadler, and Lee Trevino, have extended their careers with success on this tour.