Today's Top 10: Vintage Golf Treasures You Can Own for Under $50

These days there's a massive nostalgia for the 20th century.  As a result, idiosyncratic objects once considered archaic and uncool, are reemerging from attics and basements.  Vintage artifacts from decades past are being coveted by collectors and sought after by those seeking to reconnect with what now seems a simpler time.

Golf, in a sense, came of age in the 20th century, and as a result it's not difficult to find a diverse array of fascinating items from the game's past.  Whether or not you'd ever want to bring them into your home, it can be comforting to know they're out there... and for those who are so inclined, golf collectibles can be quite accessible.  Check out my top 10 list HERE.

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Women's Golf: The Babe, The Queen Bee and Who's Coming in Second

There's probably not a competitive female golfer in the world who doesn't aspire to be a Babe.

That's Babe with a capital B, and the Babe in question... the one everyone wants to emulate... is the legendary Babe Zaharias.

Now there's a contemporary golfer who's actually achieving those aspirations.

With her US Women's Open win yesterday, on the undulating greens of Sebonack Country Club,  Inbee Park reached a level of... well, Babedom... that hasn't been seen since 1950.

Like the iconic Mrs. Zaharias did in the mid-20th century, the 24 year-old Korean has won the season's first three majors.  If Park wins next month at the Ricoh Women's British Open she'll actually be able to best the Babe by winning the season's fourth major.

Mind you, there were only three majors back in 1950.  Had there been more, The Babe would have had them in her sights and I suspect she'd have won them. One of her best known quotes, reflects the confidence that would likely have taken her there: "The Babe's here, who's coming in second?"

At Sebonack fellow players spoke about Park's performance with amazement. Brittany Lincicome went so far as to say it seemed she was, "...playing a different golf course,"  and Paula Creamer asked, "What are you going to do when you go against someone that hot?"

I have a feel next month at The Old Course in St. Andrews I'm guessing we might hear that famous Babe Zaharias quote adapted for the 21st Century: "The Queen Bee is here, who's coming in second?"

US Open 2013: Inspire Your Style With Merion's Red Wicker Baskets

Merion-Inspired Red Wicker Bags                      via TheGolfGirl on Polyvore

When you're universally known as the "toughest test in golf", you've clearly got a reputation to uphold.

Each year the US Open attempts to ensure its fierce singularity with a shifting roster of venues and a wide variety of course set-ups.

Firm greens, narrow fairways and unforgiving rough are among the arsenal put into play to have players confronting a formidable adversary time and again.

It can all seem a bit... well... draconian, and when the whole "small offences/heavy punishments" thing becomes wearying, it's got to be nice to have an element of lightness and whimsicality to focus on.  This year, at moist, marshy Merion Golf Club, the whimsical element comes in the form of wicker basket. Eighteen of them to be exact. They come in both red and orange, and sit atop the steel pin at each hole on the historic East Course, replacing the more conventional cloth drapeau. The "wickers" provoke an endless stream of commentary and a general sense of ... well something like wonderment.  There are several theories as to how Merion came to favor these iconic woven "standards".  The New York Times' Bill Pennington explores a couple of them in his article on the topic and James Achenbach provides additional details in his informative GolfWeek story.

I won't be surprised to see a few weekend spectators accessorizing their gallery garb with some red woven whimsy. I, for one, feel that would be a stellar style statement for the 113th US Open.

Historic Merion Will Certainly Be This Week's US Open Golf Star

Merion's Iconic Red Wicker Baskets               photo credit: Penn State Turfgrass via photopin cc

While the weather in Haverford, PA looks a bit questionable, there can be no doubt at all that Merion East... with her "white face" bunkers and red wicker baskets... will be much discussed as US Open week gets underway.   

Fans, players and media will surely be awed by the course's history, but will also be weighing in on the venue's ability to accommodate a 21st century major.  We can also be assured of a copious dose of opinionating on the changes that have been made to the venerable course to ensure that the "grand old lady" can stand up to the way modern technology has affected the game. 

Bill Pennington's New York Times article on the "US Open's Audacious Experiment" presents an overview of what's at stake this week on the fairways and greens of Merion East, and how it may affect future debate on the future evolution of golf.

I won't be in Haverford this week... much to my chagrin... but I'll certainly be soaking up the golf history vicariously through those who are, and closely following their conversations on Merion's 21st century challenge.  In the meantime I'll be reposting some of the many bits I've written on Merion over the years.  

Miss Georgianna Bishop, The Connecticut Golf Girl Who Won at Merion

Georgianna Bishop

In just a few weeks the 2013 U.S. Open Championship will tee off at one of the country's most iconic golf courses.

Merion Golf Club is a National Historic Landmark and its East Course... where a hand-woven, red wicker basket tops each pin... has hosted the Open four times.

The scene of some of golf's most memorable moments, fans of the sport tend to associate Merion with names like Hogan, Jones, Trevino and Nicklaus. Few, however, connect Merion with Georgianna Bishop.

Miss Bishop, who can be observed in photos wearing ankle length skirts and swinging hickory shafted mashies, was a native of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and in 1904 she won the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at Merion.

Yesterday, the USGA launched usopen.com, the official website of the 113th U.S. Open.  The site contains myriad interactive features to provide live video, real-time scores, news and highlights throughout the championship. In addition there's a wealth of content on the rich history of Merion  and its past champions. That's where I encountered Georgianna Bishop for the first time, because despite my own Connecticut origins and my interest in women's competitive golf, I was unfamiliar with this inspiring lady golfer until now.

Georgianna Millington Bishop was born in Bridgeport in 1878 and played for Brooklawn Country Club.  Having taken place before there was an LPGA... before the advent of professional golf for women... Bishop nonetheless managed to carve out an impressive place for herself in CT golf history. Though she never again won the national championship, for a period she dominated women's golf in the nutmeg state. Winning the Connecticut Women's Amateur four times between 1920 and 1927, Georgianna Bishop was inducted into the Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame in 1959.

The USGA's Rhonda Glenn has written a wonderfully evocative account of Bishop's win at Merion, that I'd highly recommend to anyone interested in golf history and the early days of what was then known as Merion Cricket Club.

Women at St. Andrews: A Museum Exhibition & A Major Championship

For female golfers... and fans of the women's game... 2013 is looking to be a particularly excellent year for a trip to the "home of golf".

As you probably know, the 2013 Women's British Open will take place on the Old Course in St. Andrews from August 1st - 4th for only the second time in its history.

In addition, The British Golf Museum... just a pitching wedge away from the famous Old Course... will be presenting Ladies First: Pioneering Moments in Women's Golf, an exhibition that focuses on the history of women's golf.

Curated by a group of postgraduate students from the University of St. Andrews' Museum and Gallery Studies program, Ladies First, will feature historic artifacts, art and photography that promise to bring to life key events and characters from golf's past and the way it was played by women.

There are also numerous courses to play in and around the beautiful and historical town.  So, if you've been looking forward to making that trip to St. Andrews one of these years... this might be the perfect time to do it.

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2013 US Open at Merion - A Historic Course & Red Basket Golf Swag

2013 US Open Apparel & Accessories      presentation by GolfGirl via Polyvore

"I love Merion... and I don't even know her last name." ~ Lee Trevino

The quote is an amusing ode to the Golden Age golf course where, in 1971, Trevino won his second US Open in an 18-hole playoff over Jack Nicklaus.  

Nicklaus himself has admitted to a longstanding love affair with the Pennsylvania beauty, as have countless players, writers and fans. 

However over the past few decades, the beloved Merion, has come perilously close to becoming a victim of her historical layout. 

Some felt it could no longer stand up to the demands of a US Open; that modern equipment... and increasingly athletic golfers... had made the 135 acre course obsolete. Others cited the logistics of a 21st century tournament, with massive merchandise tents and huge corporate hospitality installations.

However Merion's magnetism... combined with the determination and creativity of it's members... ultimately won the day. Holes were lengthened, bunkers added and fairways narrowed down... and innovative solutions were put into place to handle logistics. In less than five months the US Open will again be contested on the fairways and greens of Merion's East course.

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Golf Collectors - Preserving the Treasures & Traditions of the Game

"Golf House"  Danbury, CT - December 2012   photo: © Golf Girl Media

As the final days of 2012 fly by I suppose it's natural to reflect on the passage of time.

That's what we've been doing of late, and it's inspired us to look a bit more closely at history.  The fact that we live in a historic home... in a town that was settled in 1685... means we don't have to look too far to find it.

Truth be told, for the past year we've been doing quite a bit of research on the history of our own Victorian house and the venerable Danbury, CT neighborhood that surrounds it, and... as I mentioned briefly a couple of months ago... we've discovered a fortuitous connection to our favorite obsession: golf.

Built by Scottish immigrants John and David Mclean in the1880s, for almost four decades the stately Queen Anne structure we've lived in for the past 13 years was home to another Scotsman, George Ferrier, who arrived in the US to promote golf equipment, made his way to Danbury, and in the early 20's became the golf pro at the town's new and burgeoning Ridgewood Country Club.  The dapper Scott married John McClean's daughter, Christine, in 1925 in a wedding that took place right here in the home her Father had built.  The newlyweds moved into the house and spent the rest of their lives here. George officially retired from Ridgewood in 1958 but remained active in golf in Danbury and became involved nationally with the PGA Seniors and as part of the Ryder Cup Committee.

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My Lady's Putt is so Cute - Antique Infographic Evokes Publishing's Past

While The Babe may not have approved, I'm quite sure "My Lady's Putt"... the humorous illustration at left... provoked ample amusement in 1930 when it was published in Punch magazine's yearly Almanack.  After all, the British weekly was the era's go-to source for sophisticated satirical humor, and competitive golf for women was still... relatively speaking... in its infancy.

The illustration is comprised of a series of whimsical golf drawings by Frank Reynolds - a British artist who often focused on golf - and each sketch features an individual woman and her own... um... unique putting style.

One woman holds a cigarette in one hand while casually putting with the other, another more determined lady reads her putts on the ground, spidermanwoman style.  Golf fashions of the day are illustrated along with the idiosyncratic putting strokes.

One can easily imagine the laughter, as upper class men passed the popular magazine around in the cloistered drawing rooms of London's venerable gentlemen's clubs.  Though many of those men no doubt recognized their own putting style somewhere in the illustration, that wouldn't have been discussed in the security of those segregated bastions.

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