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Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Dear Harvey: First Woman Captain (The Richmond Golf Club)

Harvey on the practice tee at Austin CC
Dear Harvey,


Like in the States, the Pandemic brought a boom to golf in the UK. So clubs in our village have a waiting list. I have joined a small club north of us, known as Sudbury Golf Club, with a beautiful course overlooking the city designed by Harry Colt. The members there have been so lovely and welcoming. 


Last Saturday, I played in a four-ball as the guest of Brad Berwick at The Richmond Golf Club, a parkland track in the village of Petersham in Surrey located a few minutes from our home. The club borders Richmond Park (one of London's 8 Royal Parks) and shares a rich history and abundance of wildlife. Golf always amazes me as such a great connector of people. Or, in your words, "If you play golf, you are my friend!" 


Playing with Aarne Aho, Andy Frost, and Brad, we had a spectacular walk followed by drinks in the stately clubhouse, where I met the first woman to be 'Captain' of the club, Captain Tamsin Loke. (Tamsin followed 129 men in this role!) Meaningful to me, as it was the same day Cathy and I learned that Austin Country Club's membership committee would be formally reviewing Emily's application for membership. Here's a short video of Tamsin sharing what it meant to her to be selected for this role.


Most clubs in England have a Captain, a Lady's Captain, and a Junior Captain. The Captains coordinate and play in golf activities throughout the year, at the club and around the section. The Captain also has a chosen charity that the club supports. I love this idea and wish I could bring it back to the States one day.


Maybe I will,


gPage


Letters to Harvey from The Kingdom:

Other 'golfy' scribblings:
"Millions of people were charmed by the homespun golf advice dispensed in Harvey Penick's Little Red Book, a sports classic that became the best-selling sports book of all time. Yet, beyond the Texas golf courses where Penick happily toiled for the better part of eight decades, few people knew the self-made golf pro who coaxed the best out of countless greats -- Tom Kite, Ben Crenshaw, Betsy Rawls, Mickey Wright -- all champions who considered Penick their coach and lifelong friend." - Kevin Robbins, author of Harvey Penick: The Life and Wisdom of the Man Who Wrote the Book on Golf.
"And if you play golf, you are my friend." - Harvey Penick
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