When the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law in July 1990, it brought into being elements of everyday life that have become commonplace, such as wheelchair ramps for those unable to maneuver up or down a flight of stairs. That enforcement of the bill could grant a disabled person an advantage over able-bodied individuals was a debate the two primary sponsors of the legislation, U.S. Sens. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Bob Dole (R-Kan.), most likely never considered.

Thus, when the U.S. District Court in Eugene, Ore., ruled in February in favor of Casey Martin in his quest to use a golf cart in events conducted by the PGA Tour, reaction to the outcome was not unforseen. "Rules and traditions that create barriers for people with disabilities are rules and traditions that must be changed," said Harkin. "I view this as a sign that Americans really have embraced the principles of fairness and equality of opportunity that are at the heart of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Hopefully, the next person with a disability who faces an arbitrary barrier will not have to go to court. I wouldn't be surprised if tomorrow a thousand kids with disabilities around this country picked up a golf club."

While the PGA Tour said it would appeal the decision of Magistrate Thomas M. Coffin, that process could take years. The 25-year-old Martin was noncommital regarding events not directly affected by the verdict. "I would hope that the USGA would honor this decision," he said after the decision was rendered. "I'll be very disappointed if it doesn't."

Added Martha Walters, one of Martin's attorneys in the case, "We have not discussed that [the U.S. Open] yet. It could require the same legal process. I'm just hoping that with him out there, organizations such as the USGA will see that it isn't a problem and react accordingly."

By virtue of his victory in the Nike Tour's Lakeland (Fla.) Classic in January, Martin earned an exemption from local qualifying for the U.S. Open. Should he decide to enter the U.S. Open -- the deadline is April 22 -- he would be required to compete in a 36-hole sectional qualifier the week prior to the championship proper.

In the case of the British Open, Michael Bonallack, secretary of the Royal and Ancient, told a London newspaper that should Martin attempt to qualify for the championship, a cart would not be granted. "Although we would welcome Casey Martin attempting to qualify for The Open and playing in the championship," he told The Mail On Sunday, "he would have to abide by the same rules as everyone else.... We believe that walking is an essential part of golf and I don't foresee the rules being changed here."

While some claimed Martin could be given a competitive advantage, Harkin didn't buy that argument. "The ADA is designed to include people in mainstream American life by, among other things, requiring entities to make Ôreasonable modifications' to policies, practices and procedures, so long as those modifications would not create a fundamental alteration to the program. Allowing Casey to use a cart fits this intent. It will help level the playing field a little . . . without giving him an undue advantage."

Not everyone sees it that way, however, which is why Casey Martin probably will continue to make headlines both on and off the course.

-- Rich Skyzinski

Last Stand

For an Oak Trees have always been an integral part of golf course architecture, but rarely has one caused so much debate as the oak that stands at the center of a squabble over the redesign of the par-3 fifth hole at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links.

Legend has it that when Pebble Beach was designed and built back in the teens, Samuel F.B. Morse tried to acquire a 51/2-acre plot but was unable to do so. Without it, the course was routed on terrain around Stillwater Cove; following the short par-4 fourth, the fifth goes up the hill, then the sixth runs back down the other side.

No one gave much thought to the oak until the property became available two years ago and it was purchased, for more than $8 million, by the Pebble Beach Co. The company hired Jack Nicklaus to design a new fifth hole -- the green at the old fifth suffered from a lack of sunlight and air circulation -- and it wasn't until the plans called for removal of the tree to make room for the new green that a clamor ensued in and around the Monterey Peninsula.

Proponents to keep the tree argued over its age; they initially said it was several hundred years old. Then, at the request of the Pebble Beach Co., an official with the California Oak Foundation inspected the tree. Though he put its age at a venerable 125, he also pointed to several illnesses that were contributing to its weakening health.

Work on construction of the new green is scheduled to begin sometime in March, but that may be pushed back because of two weeks of virtually non-stop rain, which has eroded parts of the bluff near the site. When work finally does commence, Pebble Beach will replace the oak with another mature, healthy tree. That also will allow the new green to be built a little further from the cliff's edge, which could also save the company several hundred thousand dollars in erosion and sloughing control.

The new fifth is scheduled to be opened for play sometime late this fall.

Juniors at The Mountain

When Ted Price became the head professional at Mt. Anthony Country Club in Bennington, Vt., for the 1973 season, he quickly sized up his clientele at the venerable club in southwestern Vermont. "Our membership included a lot of retired people at that time," he recalls, "not much of a young membership at all." Price felt that he needed to change that if the club were to flourish.

He approached J.C. Jerome, a three-time Vermont Amateur champion and owner of the club. "We really need some junior members," he told Jerome, "and we should start a junior golf program now because it takes time to build a program until it's beneficial to the club." Jerome was supportive and by the next season the idea was put into practice. "We had about six kids when we first started out," remembers Price, who also offered families free memberships for children under 18, and a reduced membership fee for 19- to 24-year-olds. "Otherwise, after they graduated from school the kids couldn't afford a full membership and dropped out."

Together with Doug Schambeck of the Woodstock Country Club, Price took the idea one step further and developed a few state-wide tournaments for the more competitive kids. "At that time there wasn't anything at the state level, so Doug and I put together what is now the Junior PGA Tour in Vermont."

When Price purchased the club a decade later, he hired Leo Reynolds of the Manchester Country Club as golf professional. "One of the big reasons I came to Mt. Anthony was that I knew Ted was a great supporter of junior golf," says Reynolds. "I'd had a successful junior program at Manchester and if I moved on I wanted to go someplace I could continue working with juniors, so it was a marriage made in heaven for both of us."

From the modest genesis, few could have foreseen the magnitude of the success. Over the past few years, 75 kids have enjoyed clinics on etiquette and Rules, free lessons, complimentary cut-down clubs and much more. "We've never charged the kids," says Price. "It's gratis. We start our kids here at 5 years old with lessons. Each season, at the end of the two months we have a little scramble tournament and a cookout. Then, when the kids are 12, we take them on this junior tour and they play six or seven tournaments a year. I probably take three or four carloads every week. It's a big thing to try and qualify for the state finals at The Quechee Club."

"I get a big bang out of watching kids improve," laughs Reynolds, who has since moved on to the Basin Harbor Club in Vergennes, Vt., where he has instituted a similar program. "When you work with kids for an extended amount of time, all of a sudden these kids come up to you and they've got 2 handicaps and they're banging it way by me."

"This past year we had our 100th anniversary," Price notes, "and I ordered some flags with the centennial logo on it. With the money we raised from selling those, we bought some clubs and we made some clubs for the kids. You know, I just feel I've gotten a lot out of golf and this is a little bit of something I can put back into it." -- Bob Labbance

Right Name, Wrong State

Fumyo Kawamura stepped off the plane, grabbed his golf bag and suitcase, hailed a cab and headed toward his lifelong dream. "Take me to Augusta Golf Club," he ordered the cab driver in a voice heavily accented from the Orient.

"Aye-aye," said the cabbie laconically in his own accent. "Gonna do some golfin', are ya?" he asked the fare, to which there was no response, only a simple smile, from the back seat.

The sun was rising slower now that autumn had arrived, and the rainbow of fall foliage was at near peak amid the tall pines. Dogwood and magnolia seldom grow here.

A warm smile creased Kawamura's face when the cab pulled up to the golf course, passing a painted sign at the driveway entrance that welcomed members to "Augusta Golf Club," a private layout in the state capital.

Kawamura dropped his bag outside the clubhouse dining room, walked through the door and sat at a table. In a moment, Debbie Stufflebeam, the hostess, approached and, not recognizing Kawamura as a member, asked if she could help him. In his excitement at being the only person in the small dining room, he fractured his English with Japanese enthusiasm, mixed his syntax with an effervescent smile and glee to the degree that Stufflebeam, now totally confused, excused herself and sought help from Al Biondi, resident golf professional and director of golf operations.

"May I help you, sir?" asked Biondi, who, having been at Augusta since 1957, had "that feeling" as he took a seat across the table from Kawamura.

"He appeared very happy, but somewhat dubious," Biondi recalled.

"All my life I dream of coming to Augusta," Kawamura told Biondi. "I see it on television every year. It is very popular in Japan, yes? Beautiful flowers. I go to America to walk famous Augusta. First, may I eat lunch?"

Biondi stared in disbelief at the Japanese golfer sitting across from him. He swallowed hard.

"Good news... and some bad news," Biondi said. "You may have lunch. And you can play golf here, at Augusta Golf Club, as our guest.

"But sadly, this is not where The Masters is played. That is played in Augusta, Georgia. You are in Maine. Georgia is south from here. Very south."

Biondi gave the disappointed guest an Augusta Golf Club towel, a bag tag and a pass for a complimentary round. "A few years ago, tourists from London showed up wanting to walk the famous Augusta Golf Club," Biondi explained with a twinkle in his eye. "We told them they'd be welcome to walk our course, but they probably wanted Augusta National in Georgia. Some of them walked our course, but most headed back to their bus."

As for Kawamura, Biondi recalled, he had a quick lunch, said thanks and headed toward the airport. Still chasing his dream.

-- Jim Pierce

A Win-Win Situation

Chalk up another win for golf and the environment.

When golf course architect Bobby Weed got into the restoration of Timuquana Country Club in Jackson-ville, Fla., one of his prime obstacles was finding a source to irrigate the course.

A 1920s Donald Ross original that had succumbed to years of tree overgrowth and drainage problems, Timuquana's location on the banks of the St. Johns River also provided the club with a challenge regarding its irrigation supply. Local agencies were not going to reissue necessary water permits to the club unless treated water was used to irrigate the course.

Coincidentally, one of the club's most influential neighbors, the U.S. Navy, was working toward a reduction in the amount of treated water it discharged into the river. So after much negotiation, it was decided that the Navy would send treated water to Timuquana Country Club, which would complete its restoration, including the installation of a new irrigation system, to accommodate use of the Navy's wastewater.

"It is not the first time a Ross course has been restored," noted Weed, "but it is probably the first time a Ross course has been restored in conjunction with a branch of the U.S. Armed Services. It was a win-win situation for both parties, particularly from an environmental stewardship standpoint."

Tough Guys In Tennessee

The weather before the winter event at Windyke Country Club went a little like this: rain, then ice, then snow -- lots of snow. A deep, sticking snow comes to Memphis, Tenn., as often as monsoons visit the desert, so members at Windyke might have fretted over the conditions. But the golf staff glowed. "This," thought David Gardner, Windyke's director of golf, "is perfect." Perfect if you like arctic conditions. Or if you're a purist bent on playing in the club's annual Iron Man Scramble.

Christened four years ago, the outing is played without concern for the elements, be they sleet, drizzle or the two-inch-deep crust of snow that greeted contestants for this year's event. "This will give the tournament credibility," Gardner said devilishly as the mercury registered 40-something and maintenance crews swept furiously to rid the fallen snow from the greens. "And if you sign up, we expect you to play." Don't and you'll find your name on the club 'sissy' list."

Of the 140 members entered in the first Iron Man in 1995, when temperatures never reached 40 and a spitting rain fell during most of the day, four eventually thought better of it. Everyone knows who they are. Their names are printed on the list that derides the weather-challenged. All but six registered players teed it up this year, when a rare winter snow shower vacated courses in a city that enjoys a virtual year-round golf season. Gardner hailed the 1998 Iron Man as "the only golf in Memphis today." Few doubted him.

Windyke revels in its tradition of dabbling in the non-traditional. For years the club gave its 1,000 members an outing known as the Greenkeeper's Revenge, wherein holes were placed in such deliciously perilous places as sand bunkers and pallets afloat in water hazards. Club vice president Russ Garner introduced the Iron Man to promote golf as a game that can and should be enjoyed in the off-season. The 32-year-old club sees 90,000 rounds a year on its 36 holes and one par-3 course, so members weren't altogether surprised when Windyke announced that the Iron Man shall be played -- rain, slush or shine.

"We're in the business of promoting golf," said Gardner. "If you approach it that way, people come out and play golf." Come they did. Before the start of this year's event, hardy players ambled to the range, scraped the snow from a practice mat and happily slapped balls into the blinding whites. The adventurous rehearsed lob shots into snowdrifts. The sensible ones ordered coffee. No one practiced their putting; no one could find the putting green.

David Dixon, a Windyke member, was well prepared for this year's outing. He wore galoshes. He also brought hand-warmers and a dozen orange balls. "No one will believe this level of insanity without evidence," he said as he snapped photographs of his snow-covered course. Then he fetched an iron from his bag and began the unusually arduous task of warming up. There was no way he was backing out now.

-- Kevin Robbins

No Longer Just A Man's Job

Laurie Frutchey never doubts for a moment her career choice, especially when she can enjoy the perk of taking in one of the most beautiful vistas on any golf course anywhere. But for others, her job takes some getting used to.

"My parents encouraged me to do what I wanted to do, but I do remember the first time they saw me drive up in a front-loader, especially after they had paid for my college education," she said. "I think they were a little surprised."

That is no doubt the reaction of those who are unaware that Frutchey is head course superintendent at Black Diamond Ranch Golf and Country Club in Lecanto, Fla., one of the few women in the country to hold such a position.

Frutchey, 34, oversees a staff of 46 that meticulously manicures one of the top courses in both Florida and the U.S. The Quarry course is noted for a five-hole stretch of the back nine that traverses in and around an abandoned rock quarry. "The first time I saw it was when the course was being built," Frutchey said. "It was still dirt and I didn't think there was any way it was going to be a golf course. Now, it's incredible. You could just go sit up at the top and look and see something different every time. I never get tired of looking at it."

Frutchey's original plans did not include golf course landscaping. She went to Florida State University with the intention of becoming a biology or science teacher. But she began mowing greens at Killearn Country Club and later at Golden Eagle Country Club, learning the ins and outs of the business. When it came time to graduate in 1986, Frutchey went with the maintenance company to oversee the building of the Quarry course at Black Diamond, about three hours south of Tallahassee.

She started in general maintenance, moving up the ranks to assistant superintendent. "Once I started working on a golf course, I knew this is what I wanted to do," she said. "I never really had another job. Maybe it wasn't my dream to be the superintendent here, but that's what you strive for. I like to work on the golf course. I just like being out there. Probably my favorite thing is mowing the fairways, especially during the winter when they stripe out real nice. I just like to get out there and do things."

Frutchey became the acting superintendent in 1994 when superintendent Karl Jacob passed away suddenly. A national search was conducted until Black Diamond developer Stan Olsen determined he already had the person for the job working for him. "It was never even a matter of male-female, it was a matter of advancing somebody to the job," Olsen said. "In my mind, it never was a question. She is outstanding.

"The job takes a drive for perfection. It takes a certain amount of checking on yourself to see if you're doing the right thing. She has that ability. There are serious problems that occur in agronomy. Surprises always occur. It can be weather, it can be biological, it can be people who don't take the care they need to take. It's a wide-ranging job. You're almost always seeking perfection. We never really reach it, but we get pretty close. That's what she does. That's the vision I have, and she fits right in."

According to the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, there are 53 women (or less than one percent) among the 11,000 superintendents in the U.S. "I never looked at it as a male-female issue," Frutchey said. "For me, it was a big step going from an assistant to superintendent. All of a sudden, a lot of people I worked with were working for me. There was some head-butting, and I wasn't sure if it was a female issue or just because I was young. I just know I'm thankful for the opportunity."

-- Bob Harig

Ohio Women On the Lookout

The Women's Ohio State Golf Association is celebrating its 75th championship this year, and as part of the commemoration the organization is looking to locate former champions and runners-up. Information can be forwarded to Jeanne Pritchard, Executive Director, 4966 N. Burgundy Bay, Medina, OH 44256. The Association is hoping to locate: Lorraine Abbott, Jackie Bertsch, Gail Clayton, Cathy Cook, Sally Elson, Mrs. Thornton Emmons, Helen Fallis, Dorothy Gardner, Edith Godoard, Catharina Hammar, Mary Houck, Kay Kennedy, Martha Kosar, Patty Larson, Jodi Logan, Helen McCarthy, Isabel Ogilvie, Helen Palmer, Judy Rand, Ann Richardson and Sheila Scott.

Necrology

JULIO CAMPAGNI of Highwood, Ill., was a longtime member of the USGA Amateur Public Links Committee, having served 30 years beginning in 1964.

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CLAIRE CANDLER of Sea Island, Ga., was a member of the Women's Mid-Amateur Committee since 1991.

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RICHARD DODD wrote about golf for the Yorkshire Post in England. He served as treasurer for the Association of Golf Writers from 1990-97. After his retirement he worked in the press office for the PGA European Tour.

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ROBERT ELLIOTT, 77, was a long-time executive secretary of New Hampshire Golf Association, an organization he served in various capacities for more than 40 years. He was a member of the USGA Regional Associations Committee since 1976 and served on the USGA Junior Championship Committee from 1966 to 1990.

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LARRY GILBERT, 55 when he died in late January won three times as a member of the Senior PGA Tour, including last year's Senior Players Championship. He was a tremendously successful club and teaching pro, winning the PGA Club Professional Championship three times (1981, '82 and '91) as well as 10 state PGAs and three state Opens in his native Kentucky. Noted fellow Senior Tour player and close friend Rives McBee: "Larry was just now setting the world on fire with his capabilities. He was a good ol' country boy with a strong, solid golf game. There's no telling what more he could have done on the Senior Tour. ."

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W. PETE JONES, 64, of Raleigh, N.C., was the official historian and archivist for the Donald Ross Society.

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LAURENCE LEONARD, 82, of Williamsburg, Va., was a former sports editor of the Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch. He was born in Greensboro, N.C., where he was instrumental in the establishment of the Greater Greensboro Open.