The aroma of smoldering charcoal looms through the air, and the setting sun burns low against the horizon. Laughs, cheers and shouts merge with the murmur of waves, advancing and retreating in sync with the clean-up runner leading off first base. Clay sticks to cleats. It’s no wonder the baseball diamond traditionally epitomizes an American summer.
The Seneca Indians who named Chautauqua Lake were captivated by its beauty, tranquility, and nourishing connectivity with nature, and so settled here centuries ago. The founders of Chautauqua Institution also recognized the draw of the waterfront when they first built their Sunday school training camp on Chautauqua Lake. Today, the lake is a playground for all forms of recreation, from boating and fishing to sailing and swimming, and the Institution uses its strategic position to fortify its recreational mission of relaxing intellectual engagement.
Since the first round of golf was played on July 18, 1914, the sport has become an emblematic aspect of the Institution’s recreational experience. Without the Golf Club, many Chautauquans’ summers would be incomplete, lacking memorable relationships and a connection with the outdoors.
The Chautauquan Daily 