May 26, 2003
By SUSAN PARKER
Historian
When President Warren G. Harding vacationed in St. Augustine, the chief executive spent much of his time golfing at the St. Augustine Links (now Ponce de Leon Golf course). Harding spent 19 winter seasons in St. Augustine, first coming to our town before he was well known or held elective office.
With his election to the Presidency in 1920, Harding's presence here brought national news reporters and high government officials to our town for weeks at a time. In 1921 Harding stayed several weeks at the Hotel Ponce de Leon (now Flagler College). He formed his Cabinet at discussions both in the hotel and on the golf course. President-elect Harding left St. Augustine only a few days before his 1921 inauguration. In those days the ceremony was held in early March.
Wilfred Reid, pro at the course, hoped that Harding's enthusiasm would result in more attention for the sport of golf and perhaps a competition among national-level officials like the British Parliament had. Reid and his crew worked hard to make sure that Harding and his fellow golfers found "6,288 yards of green velvet carpet" when they arrived.
Harding golfed as much as possible, some days playing 36 holes. During one of those games, Lloyd Crichlow, father of City Commissioner Donald Crichlow, caddied for Harding. In 1923, when the yacht bringing Harding to St. Augustine arrived here about 6 p.m., Harding made sure that his golf clubs were the first thing taken off the boat. He went directly to the golf course and finished 10 holes before dark.
While Harding was playing his last games of golf in St. Augustine in March 1923, Donald Ross was completing plans for the expansion of the course to 36 holes. But Harding would not get to enjoy golf in St. Augustine again. He died in office four months later in August 1923.
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