For a century, Oklahoma has been at the crossroads of American golf: Bolt, Moody, Jameson, Morgan, Tway, and Coe were born there; Hagen, Hogan, Nicklaus, Woods, Lopez, and Sarazen competed there; Nelson, Zaharias, Palmer, Wright, Floyd, and Snead won there. It is hardly surprising that the U.S. Open returns to Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the year 2001, or that Golf Digest ranked Oklahoma City the fifth-friendliest golf city in the country.
The Story of Golf in Oklahoma chronicles the links history of the Sooner state, from championships to courses to personalities. Previously unpublished material includes numerous color and black-and-white photographs, layouts of Oklahoma courses, and detailed appendices documenting the dates, locations, champions, and winning scores of every Oklahoma Open as well as of other prominent golf championships played in Oklahoma. The book also includes lists of winners of the Oklahoma Golf Association, the Women's Oklahoma Golf Association, the South Central PGA section, and a comprehensive player register, including biographical data, about native Oklahoman golf champions and other champions who have lived in the state. Oklahoma's golf legacy has been one of the best-kept secrets in American sports--until now.
"Del Lemon's Story of Golf in Oklahoma is a timely narrative that depicts our state's distinguished first century of golf, a story I believe the rest of the golf world will find interesting as well. The book is not just about Oklahomans. It also includes accounts of numerous players from other states who have won championships there. At one time or another, almost all the great American golf champions--from Walter Hagan, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, and Gene Sarazen to Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Nancy Lopez, and Tiger Woods--have been part of the tapestry that is Oklahoma golf."--Susie Maxwell Berning, winner of eleven LPGA championships, including three U.S. Opens
Oklahoma Boasts:
- The first player to shoot 63 in the British Open (Mark Hayes)
- The first NCAA champion from west of the Mississippi (Walter Emery)
- The dominant amateur player in Masters Tournament history (Charles Coe)
- Some of the finest golf courses in the country, due to Oklahoma's rolling terrains and ideal turfgrass
