It always seemed that Augusta National was made for his game and he recorded four runners up on those hallowed grounds. Most famously he and Johnny Miller finished runner up to Jack Nicklaus in the 1975 Masters, which has over time become one of the most memorable finishes in Masters history. In 2020 Weiskopf was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died in August last year at the age of 79. After his playing days were over, he took to the broadcast booth, but primarily is known for his 40 brilliant golf designs. He is credited with adding the Ocean and Cliffs Courses to the Olympic Club in San Francisco. His work at Troon North in Arizona and Loch Lomond in Scotland have been lauded worldwide. He is credited with designing two great Ohio courses, Double Eagle, north of Columbus and Quail Hollow near Painesville. Tom Weiskopf was somewhat of an enigma as a golfer, but his golf course designs will live on as a testament to his love of the game and Watch this entertaining interview here: Mou – insert black rectangle Her family lived near the Bonnie Brook Golf Club and her first golf club was a putter that she bought for a dollar, at the age of 12, with money earned from selling golf balls she had found. She was forced to endure the laughter of the boys who caddied at the club because she used that putter to hit full shots. It was her only club. “Through the years I have met a lot of people and made a lot of dear friends,” Spork said. “It was fun to go to work every day and teach because people who came to me wanted to learn how to play. Learning to play the game of golf is like eating an elephant. It’s overwhelming unless you eat just one bite at a time and slowly digest it.” Shirley passed last year at the age of 94. She lived through the Great Depression and World War II, she helped found the most successful women’s sports leagues in the world and was one of the leading teachers of her time. She did it all with a quick wit and flair for life. appreciation for providing the best elements of golf course design. Newest Hall of Famer, Shirley Spork Has Ohio Ties It was announced last month that Shirley Spork would be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Although Spork, one of the original 13 founders of the LPGA, was born in Michigan, she had deep ties in Ohio. She traveled with the other golfers during the fledgling days of the LPGA, but her passion leaned more to teaching the game. She earned a teaching degree from Eastern Michigan University and taught Physical Education at Bowling Green State University. Shirley started the first women’s golf team at that school. She and her good friend Peggy Kirk Bell, who had also started a women’s team at nearby Findlay University arranged the first golf matches for women golfers. Spork went on to convince the LPGA to start an LPGA Teaching arm and helped bring more women into the game of golf. Back 9 Report was fortunate to interview Ms. Spork during the Solheim Cup held at The Inverness Club in Toledo. Ohio Golf Journal
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTQ2Nzk4