Golfdom Files: What’s ahead for golf in wartime?

Photo: Golfdom archives

The 2020 golf season has been … different, to put it mildly. Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, golf is currently not permitted in 15 states, though routine golf maintenance continues across the country. The PGA Tour schedule is set to resume at the end of June with the Travelers Championship. Winged Foot Golf Course is now waiting for September to host the 2020 U.S. Open.

From 1942 to 1945, the U.S. Open was canceled altogether due to World War II. In a February 1942 Golfdom feature, four veteran greenkeepers gave their views on how wartime restrictions affected the golf industry. Walter E. Langton, superintendent of San Gabriel (Calif.) CC, framed what World War I looked like in the U.S. and how different World War II looked in comparison — a striking picture, given how the coronavirus is changing daily life for Americans in 2020. Edward B. Dearie Jr., another greenkeeping expert, explained how in tough times, golf must adapt to minimal maintenance but that the industry is up to the task.