This morning we had the privilege of gaining insight into one of the most unique golf clubs on earth ?? Burning Tree. Sadly we didn??t play the course; we didn??t have time. However a kind member named Frank called ahead and arranged for the pro, Michael, to give us a tour and school us a little on the club??s surreal history. Some of you may have heard of the club. Certainly in golf circles there??s a fair bit of folklore surrounding its ethos and practices. Some are true; some aren??t; and some...well, we don??t (and will never) know.
I can tell you that women aren??t allowed on the property, save for a short period on Christmas Eve (to allow them to purchase gifts for their husbands in the pro shop). ??Burning Tree is, and will forever be, a man??s club,? I read on the wall. There are stories circulating about female pilots in distress crash landing on the property and being escorted immediately off it without delay; of female paramedics showing up to cart off a member who??s had a heart attack on the course, only to be told they must wait at the gate; and so on. There are other stories yet about members playing in the nude, or hitting balls on the range in their underwear. It??s not my place to confirm or deny whether tales these are true, or to spread the rumours yet further. But, to be honest, I wouldn??t be surprised.
There are no rules at Burning Tree ?? rather the only rules governing members?? conduct are the rules of honour, good humour and sportsmanship (or principles to these effects ?? I should??ve taken a photo of the charter in question). Wandering through the clubhouse I took time to read carefully several beautifully prepared and framed documents, encapsulating the spirit of this place. One in fact was entitled The Spirit of Burning Tree. Another was an address by a former Supreme Court Justice, dated 1957. We also saw paintings and other gifts presented by past Presidents of the United States to the club. They were all members here.
Among the current and past members are 4 and 5 star generals; Presidents; and the like. In the locker room are a number of flags hanging handsomely from the ceiling ?? each being a flag bestowed upon the member by virtue of their office. Quite amazing stuff, I can tell you. Apparently Eisenhauer played something like 800 games of golf during his 4 years in office ?? and half of those were here. Again, I wouldn??t be surprised.
You can??t help but be impressed by Burning Tree. The course itself looks beautiful (a C.H. Alison design ?? who at the time was in partnership with H. Colt and Dr. A. MacKenzie). Simple, traditional, and you better believe it??s well manicured (the entrances to the greens are hand mown). But the clubhouse and, more pertinently, the atmosphere of this place are what makes it so special. In today??s world where gender barriers are becoming fewer and further between, Burning Tree is something of a last bastion of male domination. Those stirring speeches and charters I mentioned before speak directly to that domination.
In this sense the club must surely be the paradigm, the archetypal old boys?? club. I??m sure the members wouldn??t mind that accusation being leveled at them at all. In days gone by there was a standing invitation to US Supreme Court Justices to come and play. Then Sandra Day O??Connor got elected to the Court, and one day rang up to let them know she??d be coming down for a game. An emergency meeting was held and the standing invitation rescinded! Justice O??Connor, so the story goes, then took it upon herself to exact some revenge. To my knowledge, she managed to get their tax credit removed. The members apparently didn??t care and footed up with the extra cash anyway ?? I imagine they??re not hard up for a buck.
Whether rightly or wrongly ?? and I make no judgment here ?? the members have clearly cultivated a place where they can relax, entirely. Often, we were told, they will show up as singles or perhaps with a friend, looking for a game. A social dynamic, whereby the gents mix and mingle, rather than a club fragmented into political clusters. Funny, in a way, given the place is full of high profile politicians!
Anyway it was a privilege to experience Burning Tree and to imagine what life would be like as a member. Michael was an informative and generous tour guide, and the members we came across in the hallways were very pleasant. If only there were more days in the year...
JP
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