Ohio Golf Journal November 2018

It was announced that Ohio native, Peggy Kirk Bell will be enshrined into the World Golf Hall of Fame in June, preceding the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Most of today’s golfers are not familiar with the name Peggy Kirk Bell, but to the women’s game and to the game of golf in general, she ranks with Arnold Palmer, Bobby Jones and Sam Snead. James Walker Tufts is recognized as the founder of Pinehurst and the man responsible for bringing Donald Ross to the area, but just down the road in Southern Pines, Peggy Kirk Bell and her husband Warren, a former NBA star, turned Pine Needles into one of the most popular stops in the greater Pinehurst area. In 1953, they addedMid-Pines to their domain and both properties are still owned and operated by membersof theBell family today. Like Arnold Palmer at Bay Hill, golf fans would travel to the Pinehurst resorts, just to meet Miss Peggy. In 1921, she was born Margaret Anne Kirk in Findlay, Ohio. Even though young women were not encouraged to pursue athletics, she was an exceptional athlete. She did not take up golf until she was 17-years-old, but compiled one of the best amateur records of all time. She attended Rollins University in Winter Park, Florida and her golf game continued to improve. She won the Ohio State Championship three consecutive years in Peggy Kirk Bell to be Enshrined in tŽƌůĚ 'ŽůĨ ,Ăůů ŽĨ &ĂŵĞ By Fred Altvater “Miss Peggy was the female Arnold Palmer”…… Jim Dodson O h i o G o l f J o u rn a l