(CARMEL, CA, June 26, 2006) The Shivas Irons Society announced today that it is privileged to host the inaugural event to be held at Wisconsin’s Erin Hills Golf Course, the Midwest’s newest entry in the pantheon of great American golf courses.
In an unprecedented move the USGA selected Erin Hills to host the 2008 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship — before the course was builtâ?¦ and now that it is completed, it is reported to be up for serious consideration for a future U.S. Open. Exciting news indeed!
The Society event, "Playing the Game With All Your Heart," will take place July 22-23, ten days before the official opening of Erin Hills (currently scheduled for August 1); this is the first time that play at Erin Hills is available to members of the golfing public.
Steve Cohen, President of the Shivas Irons Society said, "Erin Hills is a perfect place to celebrate the spirit of Shivas and the Shivas Irons Society." He noted, "The course was inspired by the classic courses of Scotland and Ireland and was designed and built in complete harmony with the natural environmentâ?¦ Even the motto of the course, ‘Golf is a journeyâ?¦’ reflects the philosophy of the Society." Cohen points out that it was Shivas Irons, the protagonist in Michael Murphy’s novel Golf in the Kingdom, who says:
"A round of golf partakes of the journey, and the journey is one of the central myths and signs of Western manâ?¦ [and] if it is a journey, it is also a round: it always leads back to the place you started from . . . golf is always a trip back to the first tee, the more you play the more you realize you are staying where you areâ?¦ By playing golf, you reenact that secret journey. You may even get to enjoy it."
This two-day event is open to all current and past members of the Shivas Irons Society. Membership in the Society and registration for the event are available at their website at www.shivas.org.
Background information:
Shivas Irons is the mystical golf professional who was introduced to us in Michael Murphy’s classic novel, Golf in the Kingdom, one of the best-selling golf books of all time. The Shivas Irons Society, founded in 1992 and named in his honor, is a 501(c)3 non-profit, charitable and educational organization dedicated to furthering the game of golf as a mindful pursuit and as a tool for personal growth and transformation.
The Society is a worldwide network of more than 1,000 golfers committed to promoting golf’s value system, honoring the game’s historic roots and celebrating the game for its many beauties and virtues. The Society publishes an art and literary Journal dedicated to golf. It also hosts many conferences, clinics and local and regional gatherings. We advocate respect for the environment and sponsor charitable activities including a summer camp scholarship program for junior golfers. Membership is open to all who support our vision and purpose.
Contact:
Steve Cohen, President
The Shivas Irons Society
831-899-8441
shivas@shivas.org
