Dear Harvey,
This past April, Uncle Charlie McDowell and his good friend, Jim Logue, hosted a gathering of Van Patten descendants at Pine Valley Golf Club. It was lovely to play Pine Valley with Charlie, Jim, some of my favourite cousins, and two of my sons-in-law. However, the most meaningful for me was the chance to play it with our daughter, Emily. Let me share a few things on this Woman Power Wednesday, since Emily was the only lady on the trip. Well done, eBug!
I’ve been fortunate to visit Pine Valley GC several times over the years. In fact, some of my most cherished golf memories were created during those trips. See photos from past PV boondoggles in this link and learn more about Uncle Charlie’s golf resume.
About Pine Valley Golf Club
Nestled within the sandy pine barrens of southern New Jersey, Pine Valley Golf Club isn’t just exceptional—it’s the epitome of excellence that golfers whisper about in hushed, reverent tones.
- Pine Valley’s creator, George Arthur Crump, was no experienced architect. In fact, Pine Valley was his first and only design. Like Harper Lee writing To Kill a Mockingbird or Orson Welles debuting with Citizen Kane, Crump’s sole effort was nothing short of a masterpiece.
- With assistance from legends like Harry Colt and A.W. Tillinghast, he crafted a course of unparalleled strategy, beauty, and seclusion.
- At Pine Valley, every hole feels like a world unto itself—no two alike—making it a once-in-a-lifetime creation that continues to set the benchmark for golf’s most magical places.
Thinking back to junior and University golf
Recently, I’ve been playing golf with a few talented juniors at my home club – The Richmond Golf Club. Also, a friend from Hayling Golf Club near Portsmouth, shared a video of his athletic thirteen-year-old daughter swinging the driver as if she’s on the LPGA Tour. It reminded me of Emily’s days playing junior and university golf.
It’s Complicated
And speaking of, here’s a video I will always treasure, titled It’s Complicated. The video features Emily talking about the trials and tribulations of being a college athlete – a ‘student, artist, athlete’ as they were known at Savannah College of Art & Design. Shout out to Emily’s talented teammate Corinne Gran-Woods, who produced the video.
Golf as a shaper of people
Golf has shaped much of who Emily is today, extending far beyond her years on the course. The game required early mornings, long practice sessions, and a constant balancing act between coursework, art projects, and tournament travel. Those same skills—time management, discipline, and persistence in tough times—have carried straight into her professional life. Now thriving at YETI in the field she studied, apparel design, Emily still relies on the lessons she learned walking the fairways. Such as, patience in the process, attention to detail, and the quiet confidence that comes from setting a goal and seeing it through.
Hope you enjoy all of this, Harvey. I’ve shared some photos from the trip below.
gPage
P.S. Thanks to SCAD Director of Athletics and Golf Coach, Amanda Workman Haverstick for the opportunity she gave Emily. We are also grateful for the top-notch golf instruction from Anne Marie Gildersleeve and Lonny Alexander, and for what they meant to Emily through the years.
“Millions of people were charmed by the homespun golf advice dispensed in Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book, a sports classic that became the best-selling sports book of all time. Yet, beyond the Texas golf courses where Penick happily toiled for the better part of eight decades, few people knew the self-made golf pro who coaxed the best out of countless greats — Tom Kite, Ben Crenshaw, Betsy Rawls, Mickey Wright — all champions who considered Penick their coach and lifelong friend.” – Kevin Robbins, author of Harvey Penick: The Life and Wisdom of the Man Who Wrote the Book on Golf.
