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Stalag Golf, P.O.W. Style
While visiting the USGA Museum archives I was exposed to something special that made me realize how important golf is to many of us. As an Army veteran myself, I appreciate others’ sacrifices for country both past and present. This is a short story of sacrifices past.
Many brave soldiers and airmen were captured and taken prisoner by the enemy during World War II. Many of these men were imprisoned in German prisoner of war camps, or stalags. These soldiers endured hardships many of us will never even begin to understand. Many more never made it home alive as these hardships took their toll on them, cutting their precious lives short. For the most part, our enemies certainly did not care about the welfare of their prisoners of war.
How does golf fit into war? Well, it seems that in between the valiant struggle for daily survival, our boys found a way to play a little golf. Who could blame them? This goes to show that to many of us, golf is really more than just a game, it is a way of life and could even provide a momentary escape from a prison camp. Not an escape outside the walls, although many of those were certainly attempted. I mean an inner escape where golf became a refuge of sorts from the monotomy of prison life.
It seems that the YMCA and the American Red Cross found a way to send over many items to our brave boys. Food, medicine, clothing, shoes and in fact, golf clubs were even included in these care packages. It seems crazy, the notion of playing golf in a prison camp. It seems even crazier that the ememy would allow such a thing. One can only surmise that our boys must have had some extra time on their hands and that their captors wanted them occupied so as not to cause trouble for the guards.
I searched in vain all over the internet to see what I could learn about the POW’s and golf. Without access to special library files, the pickings were pretty slim. Almost all I found was a former American bomber crewmember’s personal website about his ordeal and capture which led to his imprisonment in Stalag Air Luft 3. This man is surely well into his 80’s by now, but he took the time to exchange a few e-mails with me about the subject of golf and stalags.
Arthur Starratt found it a tough pill to swallow that GI’s would even use leather from their boots to make something silly like a golf ball. According to Mr. Staratt, “It’s hard to believe guys would cut up their shoes to make golf balls. At Stalag Luft One the goons would issue a P.O.W. a pair of shoes that were never the right size. So you would walk all over the camp to find someone who had your size and than he would walk around to swap with some one that had his size. When you got a pair that fit, cutting them up to make golf balls would be the last thing I would do.” Ahhh, obviously Mr. Staratt was never addicted to golf. My passion for the game leads to believe that all that was needed was a very small piece of leather to construct the ProV1 of the day. I don’t want to make light of others’ struggles, but during basic training we constructed a real chess board out of paper and hid it from the drill sergeants. We played chess in the barracks every chance we got, it was simply an escape from the nightmare we were in. Certainly, not the real hell prisoners of war experienced, but similar situations, none the less. I have to believe, that if the guard’s allowed it, the men would find a way to play. I did locate a short 1995 New York Times interview with another stalag survivor. He painted a much different picture of prison camp conditions. According to POW Joseph Boyle, “Golf hazards were a little unique. If the drive went close to the fence, the golfer would signal to the watchtower, and the German guard with the gun would motion that it was all right to pick up the ball. There were no caddies in this prison camp in Poland called Stalag Luft III.” According to Boyle, in Stalag Luft III, there was time for golfing. “We played for Canadian candy bars, recalls Boyle, 50 years after his liberation. A hole-in-one would be worth half a candy bar. Even during the worst war the globe has ever seen, captured prisoners stayed healthy with the help of games.” This is why I believe these men played on, whatever the game might be. In this case, our beloved game of golf.
According to Boyle, “The Y.M.C.A. had sent over a few clubs and some balls, but somebody had been unable to resist the urge to whack the balls far over the fence, so there was a need to come up with a new supply, preferably less aerodynamic.”
"My friend, Harry Indierie, from Huntington, L.I., had studied engineering," Boyle said. "He was the pilot and I was the co-pilot when we were shot down over the Brest peninsula. He made a graph about one-eighth scale of the two parts of a softball. We would take the cover of an old basketball or the top of a leather boot and cut them into figure eights.”
"For the inside, we would cut off some rubber from the heel of a boot. Then we’d take the innards of a softball and wind them very carefully. Then we’d borrow a needle and linen thread from the one guy in camp who was allowed to repair boots. We sewed the two cover pieces on tightly. Then we rolled the ball on a table top to make it tight, and we dampened it so it would shrink. Then we’d wax it. It looked like a miniature baseball."
American WWII POW constructed golf balls stored away at the USGA. WOW, is all I can say.
Boyle said that the the makeshift golf balls would only fly 50-75 feet, so even the best driver in camp, Sparling Bernadotte Anderson, whom Boyle says later had a whirl as a professional — couldn’t lose them.” There are many great and historical golf balls out there, but maybe none so special as these two on display at the USGA. They look like tiny little baseballs, made out of darkened shoe leather. How did their course play? "The ground was flat and sandy, so we’d smooth it out with pine needles and make our own putting greens," Boyle said. "We made our own putters from wood trim from the barracks. We played pitch-and-putt golf, using a used milk can for the hole."
Someone spent a lot time and hard work making these limited flight POW golf balls.
After a lengthy Google search, I finally located part of an October 1944 Prisoner of War newspaper that told a neat story about American prisoners playing golf in captivity.
If you would like an interesting and historic read, feel free to download the story here.
When you have the chance, thank a veteran for their past or present sacrifices, it allows us to play real golf on real golf courses. By the way, hey Choeppner, THANKS!
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Morning 9: Tiger’s Monday practice round | Brooks, Sergio switch putters | Masters eclipse glasses
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7 PGA TOUR courses you need to play
Golf is a unique sport in that you can play where the pros play and make golf history of your own. Nothing in golf can compare to playing a world-renowned course and following in the footsteps of the game’s best golfers. The feeling is incomparable, and it’s one we think more golfers should experience!
To get you started, here are our picks of the best PGA TOUR courses you can (and should!) play:
PGA Tour courses you can (and should) play
- Pebble Beach
- TPC Sawgrass – Stadium Course
- Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill
- Torrey Pines – South
- Harbour Town
- PGA National – Champion
- Innisbrook Resort – Copperhead
Pebble Beach Golf Links (AT&T Pro-Am, U.S. Open, PGA Championship)
One of the most recognizable golf courses in the world, Pebble Beach Golf Links is the definition of a bucket golf course. Golfers will play iconic holes like the par-3 7th to the stunning par-5 18th. Enjoy great views of the Pacific Ocean as you play amongst the clifftop fairways and make memories that will last a lifetime when you play this PGA TOUR and major championship course.
TPC Sawgrass – Stadium Course (THE PLAYERS Championship)
Home to arguably the most famous par 3 in golf, the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass is a top bucket-list course designed by Pete and Alice Dye. A challenging layout awaits that will test all facets of your game, especially shot shaping and course management. Subtle elevation changes, undulating greens, and unique bunkering add a degree of difficulty that stump even the best players in the world. Not to mention one of the best finishing stretches in golf with the long par-5 16th, the iconic 17th hole island green, and the testy par-4 18th.
Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill (Arnold Palmer Invitational)
A course fit for “The King” is what you will experience when you visit Orlando and play Bay Hill’s Championship Course. This classic Florida layout offers generous landing areas off the tee with few trees, but bunkers guard the greens and large ponds will make you rethink your shot choices. The course is only available for members and guests staying at The Lodge, so a stay is required to play this stunning course. But with year-round sunshine and pristine course conditions, it is never a bad time to visit Bay Hill!
Torrey Pines – South (Farmers Insurance Open, U.S. Open)
Another California clifftop course that should be on your bucket list is the South Course at Torrey Pines. Located just north of San Diego, this annual PGA TOUR stop has also hosted two U.S. Opens, which adds to the allure of the property. Narrow fairways and tall rough combined with amazing views of the Pacific Ocean and the California coastline make for an unforgettable round of golf. Large bunkers and elevation changes add to the challenge of the course, but the moderately sized greens offer golfers some respite. Who would’ve thought that a municipal course could be so exciting?
Most recognized by the famous red and white striped lighthouse behind the 18th green, Harbour Town is the brainchild of Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. While the course is relatively short for a PGA TOUR event, the challenging design offsets length for accuracy with the narrow fairways framed by overhanging trees making it a shot makers course. A majority of the course winds through the wooded and sandy terrain before looping back towards the coastline with the final two finishing holes playing along the water.
PGA National – Champion Course (Honda Classic, Ryder Cup, PGA Championship)
With the prominent golf tournaments this course has held, it is hard to leave it off the list. A fantastic Jack Nicklaus design, the Champions Course at PGA National is also home to a famous stretch of golf holes called “The Bear Trap.” The fairways and greens are player-friendly while the bunkers and water hazards are the course’s biggest defense. You will enjoy a 5-star experience and feel like a professional when you visit PGA National’s Champion Course.
Innisbrook Resort – Copperhead Course (Valspar Championship)
One of the more under-the-radar courses on Tour, the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort still offers a challenge even to the pros. Designed by Lawrence Packard, the course, while not heavily wooded, requires accuracy with tight fairways, strategically placed bunkers, especially around the greens, and a decent amount of water hazards that come into play. As you head towards the clubhouse, you will encounter “The Snake Pit;” a collection of the most difficult finishing holes on the PGA TOUR.
There you have it, GolfWRXers. Have you played any of these PGA TOUR tracks? What was your experience? Let us know in the comments.
Editor’s note: This article is presented in partnership with Golfbreaks. When you make a purchase through links in this article, GolfWRX may earn an affiliate commission.
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Tour Rundown: 4 straight for Nelly | Bhatia outlasts McCarthy
A week of southern USA golf with a gambler’s flair, concluded on Sunday. The Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the national Drive, Chip, and Putt finals were celebrated in Augusta, Georgia. The LPGA offered its version of the OK Corral with the annual match-play event in Las Vegas. The Korn Ferry Tour gathered in Savannah, Georgia, for the Club Car Championship. Finally, the PGA Tour offered a final opportunity to qualify for this week’s Masters tournament, at the Texas Open.
In order to run something down, you have to be faster. Luckily for me, I took typing in school. Let’s run down a bunch of events this week, beginning in Augusta.
Augusta National Women’s Amateur: Woad wins
The ANWA begins play each year with 36 holes at Champions Retreat golf club, north of Augusta and adjacent to the Savannah river. A cut is made, and the finalists move to the storied Augusta National golf club two days later, for the third round. On Friday, every golfer in the field has the opportunity to play a practice round at ANGC, cut made or not. It’s a nice touch that sweetens the week for golfers like Carolina Lopez-Chacarra, who has missed the cut by one shot, each of the last two years.
Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad is currently the most successful contestant in ANWA history. The LSU all-america golfer has thrice finished inside the top three at Augusta National. This year, she posted minus-four to claim solo third position. Ahead of her was Bailey Shoemaker, a former New Yorker who now lives in Florida, and is bound for the University of Southern California. Shoemaker posted six birdies against zero bogies on day three, for a dream score of 66. She moved from one-under par to the top of the leader board, at seven deep.
As the golfers with leads began to lose their way, Shoemaker’s position looked better by the minute. Even the overnight leader, Lottie Woad of England and Florida State University, began to stumble. Her bogey at the par-five 13th dropped her two shots behind Shoemaker. It was then that magic returned to the National. Woad secured a birdie with a 15-feet putt at the long 15th, to move within one of the leader. After a par at the 16th, Woad faced the uphill climb of the final two holes.
At 17, Woad ripped a long drive up fairway center, then finessed a wedge to 15 feet, and holed the putt for a three. At the home hole, she was long with her approach, and faced a downhill putt from … you guessed it, just about 15 feet for the victory. As the putt turned left, into the center of the hole, the magnitude of what Woad had done began to sink in. Three-under par over the closing four holes takes a special something, and all Bailey Shoemaker could do, was smile and acknowledge Woad’s work.
The winning moment for Lottie Woad.#ANWAGolf pic.twitter.com/bedGPJ4wRQ
— Augusta National Women’s Amateur (@anwagolf) April 6, 2024
PGA Tour @ Texas Open: AB takes down DMC for second Tour title
It’s a good thing that Akshay Bhatia was paired with Denny McCarthy on day four, else he might not have believed what transpired. There was AB, with a four-shot advantage after 54 holes, targeting a second triumph and a Masters invitation. There was McCarthy, attempting to break through for his own, maiden Tour title. After nine holes on Sunday, the lead had swelled to six shots. At that point, the Silver Streak rolled into town.
Bhatia played a decent back nine, overcoming a bogey at ten with three other birdies. And he got annihilated by McCarthy. The 2015 Porter Cup champion made but one par on the inward half, at the 11th. He wrote “birdie” on the other eight holes, closed in 28 (eight under for the nine) and tied Bhatia at 20-under par. Rory McIlroy probably felt good about his 66, which moved him to third position, but he could only claim the “A” Flight on this day. He was nine shots back of the playoff.
As for the playoff, it was an anticlimax. Moments after making birdie at the par-five closer, McCarthy could not repeat his sucess. Despite a celebratory shoulder injury, Bhatia did make four, and the tournament and Masters invitation were his.
An update on Akshay Bhatia’s shoulder injury. https://t.co/iYKkZXlTKc pic.twitter.com/U08UYGHmiX
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 7, 2024
LPGA @ T-Mobile Match Play: No JK; NK has four straight
If it looks like stroke play, and smells like stroke play, it just might be match play. The LPGA took a page from the Western Amateur script this year. Three rounds of stroke play took place from Wednesday to Friday, as the field was trimmed to 65, and then to 8. The great eight then went head to head to decide who moved on and who went home. Four golfers tied for the eighth position, and three holes later, Moriya Jutanugarn had defeated Yuka Saso, Brooke Henderson, and Hae Ran Ryu for the right to move into match play.
Leona Maguire had been the queen of Shadow Creek, site of the event, and she preserved that royal title with a 4 & 3 win over Jutanugarn in round one of knockout play. Joining her in the semifinals were Sei Young Kim (6 & 5 over Rose Zhang), Narin An (1 up over Minami Katsu) and Nelly Korda (3 & 2 over Angel Yin.) The penultimate round saw Maguire (3 &2) and Korda (4 & 3) emerge triumphant, creating a dream conclusion pitting two of the top young talents.
Proponents of match play point to the elimination of all other competitors save the one. Medal-play aficionados reply by saying shoot a number and let the chips and putts fall where they may. On this day, Leona Maguire posted plus-two through the fifteen holes of the match, while Nelly Korda played the sequence in three below par, It doesn’t matter which style of competition you prefer. A five-shot difference tells you all that you need to know, about who played better that day.
On the occasion of her fourth consecutive victory on the LPGA circuit, Nelly Korda is the best player of this day, this week, this month. What a run.
Nelly is NOT messing around on 15 ???? pic.twitter.com/CZILDIECjJ
— LPGA (@LPGA) April 8, 2024
Korn Ferry Tour @ Club Car Championship: Fisk takes risk and wins in Savannah
Philip Knowles and Kevin Roy each had thoughts on a first-time win on the KFT this week, but their hopes and dreams were postponed. Knowles dropped back from 1st to 3rd with a final-round 71. He tied John Pak and Max McGreevey at 12-deep, two shots behind the first-place tie. Roy posted 72 and finished one shot farther back, in a tie for sixth at minus-eleven. The spotlit stage for overtime was occupied by Rob Oppenheim and Steven Fisk. Fisk closed with 68, moving up two shots in the process. Oppenheim went one better, finishing off a day-four 67 with a jittery 36 on the inward half.
Oppenheim turned in 31 shots on Sunday, and looked for all the world to be on his way to a convincing victory. Nerves and jitters got in the way, and he matched bogeys and birdies on the way home for minus-14. In the playoff, Steven Fisk was able to negotiate par from the final hole at The Landings, and it was enough to earn the title. Oppenheim’s bogey-six relegated him to a coveted, but frustrating, second-place finish. And for those not in the know, it was Fisk who earned the breakthrough, initial victory on the KFT.
It doesn’t get more clutch than this ?
Georgia local Steven Fisk chips it within inches to make a tap-in birdie on his last and join Rob Oppenheim at the top of the leaderboard. pic.twitter.com/gGF1ZD5f54
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) April 7, 2024
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