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- This is One-On-One.

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- That's a good question, high five.

(upbeat music) - Hi everyone, Steve Adubato with my colleague, Jacqui Tricarico.

Jacqui, we honor, recognize, and remember the history of golf in New Jersey or New Jersey in the world of golf.

How would you frame it?

- You know, I think it could go either way.

I mean, New Jersey was kind of ground zero when Golf invaded America.

New Jersey has just some of the most accomplished players that have come out of the state.

We've hosted some of the most incredible events that has to do with golf.

The courses here, the architects that created the courses here is very notable as well.

And you know, even talking the LPGA having their ShopRite Classic tournament here since 1986 down in South Jersey, from where I'm from.

They've had it at Seaview Marriott for so many years.

I actually worked there.

- Outside of AC?

- Yeah, I actually worked there every summer when I was in high school, so got to see it happen there.

That has been such an important part of history of golf here in the Garden State, especially South Jersey.

Boosting the economy in that area of the state which was always really great.

- Well, we talked to Val Skinner, a great former, a former great, important figure in the women's golf world, Val Skinner, she'll talk about that.

But also this book and also my friend, Kevin Purcell, who heads up the Executive Director of the New Jersey Golf Association, if you will, and let's talk about this book right here.

Kevin Casey put this book out.

What is it and why does it matter?

- Yeah, it's this beautiful book, "Remarkable Stories of New Jersey Golf."

It is, it's a brick, it's a very large, it's more a coffee table book, but the pictures in there, the history, I mean he got so in depth about the history of golf in New Jersey, and the pictures are just beautiful.

You'll see some of those throughout our program here today.

There's facts and figures.

Over 250 photographs, I think, are in the book.

And it just covers the championships, events architects courses from 1980, from 1890, sorry, till today.

- Jacqui, I think I just threw my shoulder out picking up this book.

(Jacqui laughing) This is- - It's a big one.

- Jacqui, myself, the history of golf in New Jersey, New Jersey's place in golf history, we remember it.

[UPLIFTING MUSIC] [UPLIFTING MUSIC] - "Remember Them," is honored to be joined by Kevin Casey, the author of this compelling book you see over my left shoulder.

It is an amazing book.

"Remarkable Stories of New Jersey Golf."

Good to see you, Kevin.

- Great to be here.

Thank you very much.

- First of all, this book, and we'll put up the website so people can find out more.

Why the book and why is it so important?

- I don't think most people know the importance of New Jersey, and the idea of golf in the whole country.

We've had an enormous influence over the years, certainly in the beginning.

And nowadays, we, we're riding a high of new courses, and better golf than we've ever had, perhaps.

And it's just a really good story, that not only people in general don't know, but people who are golfers from New Jersey, don't seem to know as well as they should.

- You know, there are two figures we're gonna focus on.

There is so much golf history in this book, and so many important events on the PGA, the Professional Golf Association, the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour.

We, that's why Val Skinner, who is a great golfer, and a great humanitarian on this program as well.

But here's the thing that strikes me.

There are two people I wanna talk about.

First, Maureen Orcutt, Player of the Century, who, and we'll show some pictures of Maureen Orcutt.

Who was she, and why so significant?

Please Kevin.

- Remarkable lady.

I wish I could've met her.

In 1907, she was born.

By the time she was about 19 or so, she'd won the club championship at her club.

By 1924, she won her first state amateur championship.

By the early 30's, she was among the best players in the nation.

She won, she was on the Curtis Cup team, which is the national Team.

She came in second in the 1927 US Amateur, and then did the same thing in '36.

And what made her special though, in so many ways, is she was still competing.

She still won a national amateur championship a senior amateur championship, in 1968.

In other words, she, her time as a top level competitor spanned practically the whole country.

The whole century.

- Hold on one second.

Did she, I'm sorry for interrupting Kevin.

She played seven decades, and 99 years old, played seven decades?

- Well, I think seven decades may be a little much.

But she won her first tournament in '24, the state amateur, and then she won her, a national championship in 1968.

- Hold on.

But she played, I mean, again, playing as a kid is one thing, but 42 year span, 10 golf championships, second female sports journalist for "The New York Times."

What's up with that?

'Cause I'm gonna talk about John Shippen Jr. in just a second.

So go back.

What's this thing with "The New York Times," and the sports journalist?

- Well, she was rare for a lot of reasons.

One of the things that she did that was different, was she was a journalist.

And she was the second sports writer, and she focused on golf for "The New York Times."

She also wrote for the journal.

She was a working woman.

She was out there paying for her golf, where many of her competitors were not necessarily paying directly for their golf.

- You know, what's interesting is that as you look at this book, and the website we'll cover up again, "Remarkable Stories of New Jersey Golf," incredibly important figures, golf courses, golf events.

That's why we had Kevin Purcell talking about the New Jersey Golf Association, a whole range of things.

But John Shippen Jr., First American born golf professional, and first black golf professional?

- John Shippen, he was born in 1879.

He played in the second US Open, it was at Shinnecock.

He was working there.

And the USGA in, 1896, allowed Shinnecock Hills the opportunity to name somebody from their club to play in the event.

And it was all professional.

It was the day after the US amateur held there as well.

There were 30 pros in the event.

And John Shippen played along with a a member from the Grounds Crew at- - Shippen was 16 years of age, if I'm not mistaken.

- He was 16.

- How did he do?

- He did really well.

He was like two shots off after the first 18 holes.

Played 36 holes first day.

Both days.

36 holes the day they played.

And he shot a 78 and a 83, and ended up tying for sixth place.

And he played in five more.

And he was a professional.

So, and the rules were very strict in those days.

So he became a professional when he earned his $10 that day.

- By the way, a New Jersey connection, right?

Shippen resided half of his life in New Jersey, right?

- Yeah.

And then, and that's, it seems like we're going a little far field, but there was a place called Shady Rest, which was black operated and owned, and bought by and for blacks in- - Is that Union County?

- Scotch Plains.

- Go ahead.

- In Scotch Plains.

It's now called Scotch Hills Golf Club.

It's a public, a municipal course in Scotch Hills.

He was the head pro, the green superintendent.

He managed everything about the club for 30 years.

It closed in 1964.

- John Shippen Jr., matters.

So do so many others, but iconic, important historical figure.

Please, final comments if you could, Kevin.

- Well, I get asked so many times, more than any other question is, "Who's the best golfer that ever came outta New Jersey?"

And- - Go ahead.

- Well, no, I'm not sure I have the answer.

I don't have the time to do that answer.

It's nuanced.

It could be everybody from Byron Nelson to John Shippen, and- - But that's why they need to read the book, right, Kevin?

- That's right.

That's right.

There's so many people in there.

(Steve claps) It's amazing.

- Kevin Casey is the author of "Remarkable Stories of New Jersey Golf."

It is a great book.

I just keep going through it.

I keep thinking I've learned as much as I need to learn, and then I turn the page and learn something new.

Kevin, thank you so much.

- That's wonderful.

Thank you very much.

I love to hear it.

Thank you.

- You got it.

Stay with us.

We'll be right back.

- [Narrator] To watch more One on One with Steve Adubato find us online and follow us on Social media.

- We are thrilled to be joined by our longtime friend, Val Skinner.

It says here former professional golfer.

What it doesn't say is that she's a 10-time winner on the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour, a great analyst, golf analyst, CBS Golf Channel.

Everything about golf.

You started at four, correct, playing golf?

- I did.

Just whacking and going at the ball.

- Tell folks about your dad, that connection.

A lot of history there, please.

- Yeah, so my father was a baseball player and he actually was injured and was unable to really continue.

So he was hanging lights on a driving range working as an electrical contractor for his father-in-law.

And he saw people out hitting golf balls on the practice range and he figured, well, I could do that.

And he fell in love with the game, became an assistant and then a professional.

He's been in the PGA of America for 50 years now, and he taught me.

- By the way, go back and look at our past interviews with Val Skinner out on location at the ShopRite Tournament.

So many important initiatives that Val's been involved in, not just as a great golfer but also a philanthropist raising money for breast cancer awareness.

But I'm gonna ask you this.

This program on "Remember Them" is also about the history of golf in New Jersey.

Women in golf in New Jersey.

Talk about it, Val.

- We have had great opportunity here, Steve.

I started playing in New Jersey in 1983.

The ShopRite, well then it was the Atlantic City Classic.

ShopRite hadn't stepped in yet.

- Down at Seaview?

Was that at Seaview?

- Down at Seaview.

The first one was at Seaview when it was the Marriott and it was such a great throwback golf course.

Old Donald Ross loved it.

And we just existed in New Jersey.

It's just been such a positive experience for the LPGA.

The Founders Cup, the US Open back, I played this year back at Baltusrol, I played the US Open at Baltusrol on the upper 1985.

Remember hitting it out from under the tree on the pine tree on the right side there, coming in, finishing the top 20.

Just always great golf fans, smart golf fans, and beautiful golf courses.

We've hosted 20, 30 years of golf here that I was on the tour and then beyond.

So it's just been a very positive experience for the LPGA.

- But the other part of this, and if we did not talk about this, we would be mistaken and remiss.

Women in golf, professional women in golf compared to men when it comes to pay.

Please talk about it because that's part of the history as well, the disparity, please.

- It is.

It's frustrating to see how far apart golf and tennis are in regard to that, but it is about the venue as well.

And I think the more we continue to play at these high level venues, like a Baltusrol, hopefully we'll get an event maybe at Ridgewood eventually, where the PGA tour has played.

Trump Bedminster, we did play there for a little bit, a couple times.

The ADT was there in New Jersey.

But it really has a lot to do with draw and the mystique of golf and the inspiration in golf.

And I think the women are part of the game in that way, but once you already play for more money, you're more interesting.

So until we catch up, that's how it's gonna be.

But we are doing better.

It's not satisfactory yet, but it's better in comparison.

And don't get me wrong, playing golf for a living and making good money is a pleasure and a good fortune.

But while having said that, there still is that disparity that we're trying to close a gap.

- You know, Val, we also, we talked about the First Tee, and we'll put up the website for the First Tee initiative which promotes golf in communities and among young people who are economically disadvantaged.

To not talk about that would be remiss as well.

Why is an initiative like the First Tee so important for those who didn't grow up the way you did?

By the way, I learned at Hendricks Golf Course, a public golf course, I said it before, in Belleville.

I grew up in Newark.

It was, to us it was a country club over by Hendricks course, Hendricks golf course.

And Val, her dad was in it, not wealthy either, but access.

Talk about access to golf for young people who are not of means, families are not of means, please.

- It's very important that we continue to pursue opportunities for everyone to get into the game.

As a matter of fact, in women's golf, there are still a high percentage of golf scholarships available to young girls, young women going to college, that go unused every year.

And that is because.

- Unused?

- Unused, unused.

I mean, if anybody's listening that would like to see if their daughter was good enough to be a collegiate golfer, give her a chance, go to the First Tee, go to where there is access.

But access is huge.

First Tee is one of my favorite initiatives.

I just played the one at Metedeconk National where I'm a member.

- Oh, you did?

- Yeah, I did.

- Metedeconk down at the Jersey Shore, go ahead.

- Yes, that's been going on for quite some time.

They raised a lot of money.

The board was all present.

It was just really nice and nice for Metedeconk to be involved in that initiative as well.

But all over the country I've done that since the beginning of time.

I've done junior clinics and watching kids get better, watching them experience golf, and golf's unique in what it teaches you about life and how it correlates and parallels with life.

So I think that access for us to continue to support and the game of golf to be responsible for the future and all the players in it, including even the 13 handicap, Steve, even those.

- I know, yeah.

Val's making reference to the 13 handicap I've had for over a dozen years.

It doesn't go down.

But let me ask you this.

You talked about golf in life, and I don't wanna be overly dramatic about this, but there are times I'll roll the ball a little bit into a better look.

You're laughing already.

Fluff up the ball a little bit.

That's wrong in life and in golf, correct?

- Well, if it's breaking a rule, it is.

- Yes, it is.

I just wanna acknowledge.

- If it's a casual game.

If you're out just playing casually, you're practicing on a Saturday afternoon and you're out there alone, you can kick it out of the divot.

I don't mind, that doesn't bother me.

- But we are against cheating in golf when it's real, and that's about life as well.

Correct?

- Cheating in golf is, mm, that's the worst.

- I have to stop taking four foot putts, Val.

(laughing) - Well, that is sort of, yeah, there's a lot of, a lot of that goes on in the game.

Depends on how much money you're playing for.

- More with men than women?

- Absolutely more with men.

- Oh, I knew that was coming.

- Absolutely, not even close.

- I love Val Skinner.

Not just a great golfer with a long history of winning as a collegiate, as a pro, raising a lot of money for charity initiatives, particularly around breast cancer awareness.

She talked about the First Tee initiative.

She's part of the history of golf in New Jersey and in the nation.

Val, thank you my friend.

- You bet, Steve.

Good to be with you.

- Stay with us, we'll be right back.

- [Narrator] To watch more One on One with Steve Adubato find us online and follow us on Social media.

- Remember Them is honored to be joined by Kevin Purcell, Executive Director of New Jersey Golf, excuse me, New Jersey State Golf Association.

Good to see you, Kevin.

- Good to see you, Steve.

Thanks for the invitation.

- Before we talk about the history of golf in New Jersey and why we matter in the game of golf, will you admit that you were one of my golf colleagues at Forest Hill Field Club?

- I will.

I will.

Reluctantly, but I will.

- I know.

And you know what?

Every time, Kevin, when I pull up, because Kevin's been playing this for years.

There's a family connection, I'll share in just a minute.

Does it say 1896 on the stone when you pull in?

That's when Forest Hill Field Club was built?

- Yeah, it was.

It wasn't on the site that we're currently at.

The golf course that we're currently at came in in 1926.

But prior to that it was in the Northern section of Branch Brook Park, right across from where Clara Maass is.

There was a little train station that went through there.

It was right next to the property.

It was a very popular golf course for people coming in from the city And it was Forest Hill Field Club because there were other things other than golf.

There were polo fields.

They had baseball field.

So they took advantage of all the opportunities of athletics at the time.

- We're gonna be showing some pictures that put things in perspective.

You already saw, we had talked to Kevin Casey, the author of "Remarkable Stories of New Jersey Golf".

Kevin knows him as well.

And also Val Skinner, a great New Jerseyan on the LPGA tour, who's done some great things.

But Kevin, lemme ask you this, how would you describe New Jersey's place in golf history?

What's worth remembering?

- Well, I think it's critical to golf history.

For one thing, the United States Golf Association is headquartered here in Far Hills.

That came outta New York City in the twenties and thirties, when there was a property donated to the association, and it's been here ever since.

And that's critical to the game because there's two governing bodies of the game: The United States Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient over in Scotland.

So they make the rules of the game.

They just set the tone for the game across the world, and New Jersey's at the epicenter of that.

- Let's do this because I wanna ask about some of the great tournaments that have been played in New Jersey and some of the great golfers out of New Jersey or who have won in New Jersey golf courses like Baltusrol, etc.

But I wanna also throw a curve ball, and it's not really for Kevin.

But let's put up the First Tee website.

Some people might say, "Well, why are you doing that?"

It's for many who believe that golf is an elitist sport, and in some cases it is too expensive to play for many, there's a great program called First Tee Program that attempts to and does a very good job, and I know Kevin knows it, to promote golf in communities where people, young people, are economically disadvantaged.

Kevin, you know that program, right?

- Absolutely.

Steve.

We actually have one right here at the site at the Galloping Hill Golf course, where our headquarters happen to be, as well.

They do a great job bringing people, bringing young people to the game.

- Great.

So if you wanna find out more about First Tee, check it out.

Go back Kevin.

Baltusrol gets talked about a lot.

Where is it, and why does it matter?

- So, Baltusrol, the nice thing about New Jersey, everything's within a couple hours' drive.

Baltusrol, from our office, is only 20 minutes away in Springfield, New Jersey.

It's a great golf course, 36 holes.

Both courses have been used in National Championships over its, over its history, which is also around the 1895, 1896, I believe the 1895 it was founded, designed by A. W. Tillinghast, one of the great golden age architects, and it's just a great facility.

The United States Golf Association had its open there, would be recurring there about every 10 years, and - U.S. Open - Now the PGA section...

The US Open.

Yeah.

So it's been there, has...

Some of the greats of the game have put their name on that trophy at that golf course, Jack Nicklaus having done it twice at Baltusrol.

- Kevin, do this, because for many families, this wasn't the case in my family.

We learned to play, I learned to play in my early twenties at Hendricks Golf course, - Sure.

- which is in Belleville, a public golf course run by Essex County government.

They run several: Weequahic, Francis Byrne, and Hendricks.

But for you and your family, golf is part of your history, is it not?

- Yes, it is.

- Tell us about that - I was fortunate enough.

Yeah, sure.

I was fortunate enough to be part of a family of golf lovers.

My dad came back from World War II.

He was, it was after the war ended in Europe, so he came back to New Jersey, and then the war ended in Japan, so none of his friends were here.

Had nothing to do, but he had a buddy in the Army from Long Island who said, "Hey, come on out, we'll play some golf."

He had never done that before, didn't own clubs.

But that became his passion.

The love affair of golf began there, and he's just passed that on to myself and my brothers.

I have four brothers, and we're all good golfers.

We've all been club champions at Forest Hill, and it's been a great run for us.

Now we all have our kids playing golf, and it's a great tradition, and it all started when my dad joined Forest Hill Field Club back in 1962.

- Ya know, Talking about tradition, I was remiss, Kevin.

I did not ask you about the New Jersey Golf Associates.

I'm looking on our website here, excuse me, on our computer.

The New Jersey State Golf Association Hall of Fame, what is it as we put up the website?

What can people find when they go there, Kevin?

- Sure.

So the Hall of Fame was started in 2018.

It was long overdue.

So many great contributors to the game came from the state of New Jersey, and we just wanted to honor them and commemorate the tradition.

So we started it back in '18 with a class of 16 in the inaugural class and we wanted to make sure that we were not only putting in great players but great contributors to the game, so we put in Dr. Ralph Engel, who started the Rutgers Turf Program at Rutgers University, which is world renowned for turf science.

We put in Billy Dear, who was instrumental in starting and proliferating the Caddie Scholarship Foundation that we have in - a big deal.

- Yep, huge deal.

And you know - By the way, Ken, let me inter... Any women?

'Cause I wanna men... 'Cause we're doing... - Oh, absolutely.

- Who stands out?

- Sure.

Charlotte Glutting, Maureen Orcutt, and Carolyn Cudone all were in the first, the inaugural class and we've put in a number of women since.

But Maureen Orcutt in particular was designated the Player of the Century by the Women's Golf Association of the Metropolitan, the Women's Metropolitan Golf Association.

She had won the New Jersey State Amateur eight times and the Metropolitan Golf Association Women's Amateur nine times.

And she competed on four Curtis Cup events which is the United States, best players for the United States playing the best players of Ireland and, and England, Great Britain.

So, so just a spectacular player.

- Kevin Purcell is the Executive Director of the New Jersey State Golf Association.

We put up their website, find out about the museum.

So much history, so much to remember.

Why do we do this on Remember Them?

It's not just about featuring, Jacqui Tricarico, our executive producer, my co-anchor.

We don't just talk about New Jerseyans who are worth remembering, who had impact, good, bad, and otherwise.

It's also the game of golf and it's history in New Jersey.

It matters.

And Kevin and his family know it better than most.

Kevin Purcell, thanks so much my friend - Steve, great to be with you.

Thank you.

- You got it.

See you next time on Remember Them.

- [Narrator] One on One with Steve Adubato has been a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Funding has been provided by PSE&G, NJM Insurance Group.

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Promotional support provided by New Jersey Globe.

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Here at Kean University, everyone gets their chance to climb higher.

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