At age 9, I was enrolled in my first junior golf clinic which took place on the practice putting green at Towson Golf & Country Club in Phoenix, Md.
Commonly known as Eagle’s Nest, the facility was previously a farm owned by Zanvyl Kreiger. Beginning in 1969, a small group of organizers — led by local garden center owner Jimmy Watson — began development of the private, member-owned club.
The 18-hole golf course, designed by Geofrey Cornish, was opened in 1970. Sitting below the elevated clubhouse, the par-72, 6,619 yard track features steep elevation changes on the outgoing and incoming holes on both the front and back nines. The first hole is a long par-4 that sweeps left to right and plays much shorter due to the downhill tee shot. The ninth hole is a long par-5 that plays straight back up the hill. On the par-4 10th hole, another downhill tee shot must avoid a creek that crosses the fairway as well as an old barn from the original farm that now serves as headquarters for the greens staff. The final hole shoots back up the hill to an elevated green.
Eagle’s Nest is well known for fast, bent grass greens. Over the years, pine trees have continued to grow, making the parallel fairways increasingly narrow. On an annual basis, the course is a site of a local qualifier for the U.S. Open.
For me, that summer clinic was the beginning of a passion for the game. The instructor was a young, enthusiastic assistant named Frank Laber, who I still know. Whenever I see him, we reminisce how he taught me to chip, which became a strength of my game. The director of golf was Coleman Plecker, a well regarded professional whose son Joe is now the teaching pro at nearby Baltimore Country Club. Today, the head pro at Towson Golf & Country Club is Mike Welsh.
And if you are ever lucky enough to play Eagle’s Nest, look for my name on the plaque for the junior club championship. On the final hole, I beat Moose Brown, who became a fine player despite his whirlybird putter on the final green!
Please take a minute and tell me where you first learned how to play golf.
Until next time, enjoy golf, America!
