Keep On Truckin'

I enjoyed your article about golfing truck drivers ("Long Drivers," May). Please know that they are not the only group of professional drivers who enjoy golf. I am a motorcoach operator for a touring band and know other drivers who frequent the links. In the past two years my tour schedule has allowed me to leave divots in 40 states (41 if it wouldn't have snowed in Idaho).

Douglas Morris
High Springs, Fla.

My tractor-trailer rig never leaves on a trip without my clubs, two pairs of golf shoes (with and without steel spikes) and suitable clothes for the course. In the last six years, I've had the good fortune to play 37 courses in 16 states.

I always call a course first to see if it is okay to bring my semi-tractor into the parking lot. I've been told no only once.

At a couple of courses, it was not unusual to see as many as six semi-tractors in the parking lot. One course in Fond du Lac County, Wis., told me to bring the whole rig if I wanted to.

Rich Figiel
Peru, Ind.

Jamie Rogers mentions a little piece of mountainside heaven in West Virginia between Morgantown and Winchester, Va. I believe the course he is referring to may be at the Cacapon Resort State Park near Berkeley Springs, W.Va. The golf course is a classic Robert Trent Jones layout I have played several times on holiday weekend retreats. Both uncrowded and inexpensive, it is a fine test and indeed worth the effort if you just happen to be trucking by.

Eric Snellings
Washington, D.C.

Glad To Have Known Him

Thank you for your obituary of Karsten Solheim (Through the Green, May) and his contributions to the game.

I am reminded of my tenure with the General Electric Co. in Schenectady, N.Y., as a member of the company-sponsored Edison Golf Club. I used to spend my lunch hours on the putting green. One day, I was approached by this character with an odd-looking weapon - a putter. "Try it out," he said.

I looked at him quizzically, and decided to humor him. Surprisingly, from 30 to 40 feet it worked really well as it made that "pinging" sound. The Ping putter no longer makes this characteristic chime. But many golfers have switched to his clubs.

Yes, this character was Solheim, but little did I realize that he was embarking on a new career instead of being an engineer for G.E. I continued with G.E. for 36 years and have bought several Ping putters.

Joe Rynasiewicz
Cleveland, Ohio

Dressed Down

I could not believe that the PGA Tour Policy Board approves of David Duval's pullovers (No Penalty for Asking, May). What's next,
T-shirts? The tour has let us down in deference to the clothing manufacturers.

Barbara Perry
Franklin Square, N.Y.

As a member of the board of my own club, we are constantly fighting the desire of several members who consider jeans to be "consistent with currently accepted golf fashion." The (tour's) ruling has made our job that much more difficult.

Philip Neagle
Centerville, Mass.

One Way or the Other

I happened to read your article (Reading the Line, May) and one sentence hit a nerve that has bothered me for more than a decade: "It should also be recognized that fees charged by non-profit state and regional associations for such services are not handicap fees."

I agree, but our regional association does also supply the means for complete handicap services. What it does not do is require all clubs in its membership to allow their members to voluntarily pay the regional association fee or not.

Either you pay both fees or you cannot support the regional association. This may seem to be trivial. To me, it's a question of principle.

Tiberio Gaspari
Rye, N.Y.