And after the last round of golf was played at Locust Valley Golf Course on Tuesday, the memories kept flooding in. Those will remain forever.

“I caddied there when I was pretty young,” said 70-year-old course manager Kurt Zellner. “I was like 13 or 14 years old and working there when it was a private Jewish country club.”

Although Zellner didn’t spend his whole career there, he came back 26 years ago.

He’d be happy to try for another 26 if the course hadn’t closed.

“It’s been a lot of fun being there,” Zellner said. “I really enjoyed it. I’m really going to miss the place.”

Locust Valley eventually transitioned from a club with full amenities, including tennis courts and a swimming pool, to just a no-frills golf course enjoyed by everyone from the highest handicap to Joe DiMaggio to Arnold Palmer, whose wife, Winnie, grew up just down the road in Coopersburg.

Its tight, tree-lined fairways punished those who couldn’t hit it straight off the tee. Its narrow greens beguiled those who weren’t straight with their approach shots.

Nick Fierro, “Locust Valley Golf Course closes for real this time, opening a floodgate of memories”, Morning Call, October 31, 2020.