BPBM’s boss, Ryan, played a bucket list round at Kiawah’s Ocean Course during 2017. Almost everything was perfect. Almost. Teeing off at No. 3, he was saddened to learn that the fairway live oak—the one he had played countless times via Xbox, the one that Rory McIlroy had gotten stuck during the 2012 PGA Championship—had fallen. Despite his par on the hole, that regret lingered, and he would pitch an obituary for the tree to The Golfer’s Journal. That narrow concept became an exploration of a species, a golf course, and especially of the man who designed it.
The brass at TGJ were kind enough allow us to publish the first section as a preview, and we wholeheartedly encourage you to pick up a copy of the Winter 2018 issue and read the rest. Not only because it’s an excellent publication—true, engaging feature stories…not wedge reviews… and exquisite photography—but because Ryan doesn’t really pick up steam until Part 4. Anyway, consider picking one up.
For now, enjoy Part 1 (note that edits may have been made for length in the actual, published version):