Spring has finally sprung in Western Pennsylvania, thank goodness. When I first started drafting this article, winter felt never-ending. This past season offered few playable days, and for the first time since I arrived at Youghiogheny Country Club (YCC) in May 2020, January came and went without a single round of golf. So much for global warming! But don’t mistake this for whining, I managed to escape for most of January and missed the worst of the cold.
With minimal golf to be played, there’s been plenty of time to reflect on the game, the industry, and the whirlwind of chaos surrounding it. The ongoing PGA Tour and LIV Golf drama, the ever-growing frustration over slow play, and even fights breaking out on courses where golf is still in season have dominated the headlines. Then there’s the unbelievable case of a Leesburg, FL dentist recently acquitted after striking and killing another golfer with a club in self-defense. What is the world coming to? Life is too short. If you’re lucky enough to be playing golf, you’re lucky enough.
But instead of dwelling on those headlines, I want to focus on something closer to home. Earlier this year, I had the privilege of attending the Celebration of Life for Mr. Hartley King, who passed away at 91. The gathering took place at his beloved YCC, where I have the honor of working. Golf was a passion for Mr. King, but more than that, he embodied the spirit of the game, friendship, camaraderie, and a love for life. Whether on or off the course, he had a knack for a good practical joke and never missed a chance to make those around him laugh.
As I stood in the back of our ballroom, listening to family, friends, and business associates share story after story about his antics, one truth became clear: It’s not where you play that matters, but who you play with. Mr. King lived that philosophy. Though he started out like many of us, he built an incredible legacy, founding King’s Family Restaurants, launching and operating Diamond Run Golf Club, owning Maryland National Golf Club, and sponsoring the Tri-State PGA King’s Junior Tour. Yet, for all his success, it was the memories made on the golf course that stood out.
The day was filled with tales of epic matches, friendly wagers, and the relentless gamesmanship that defined his time with friends. Not once did anyone talk about the prestige of the courses they played. Instead, it was all about who won, who lost, and the endless ribbing that followed. When the sun set and the round was over, they’d take the competition inside, laying out scorecards in the clubhouse to continue the battle. It wasn’t just about golf, it was about the friendships, the laughter, and the pure joy of the game.
That’s the way it should be. Smiling, laughing, and reliving the moments that made life fun. This was a group that squeezed five or six lifetimes’ worth of memories into their years together, memories that will carry them through the long winter months ahead.
They say you shouldn’t simply fade away, you should go out at full throttle, skidding into the finish line with a grin on your face. From everything I heard that night, that’s exactly how Mr. King lived.
Rest in peace, Mr. King. You will be missed, but your stories and your spirit will live on.
