Artist: Linda Hartough
Title:2002 U.S. Open Championship - 4th Hole Bethpage State Park- Black Course
Size: 15 3/8" x 27"

About the Art: In 2002 golf history will be made, as the United States Golf Association has selected , for the first time, a publicly owned course as the venue for the U.S. Open. Bethpage Black - one of five outstanding courses in the Bethpage State Park Complex on New York's Long Island - was designed by the legendary golf Course architect A.W. Tillinghast and completed in 1936. It was, in fact, Tillinghast's very last design- a fitting capstone to his remarkable career and an excellent setting for the 102nd Open.In it's character and aesthetics, Bethpage Black embodies Tillinghast's design philosophy to perfection. "It seems to me," he wrote, "that he who plans any hole for golf should have two aims: first, to produce something which will provide a true test of the game, and then, [to] consider every conceivable way to make it as beautiful as possible."The beauty of Bethpage Black is considerable- but so is its challenge to imagination, strategy, and shotmaking abilities of the player.Acclaimed American golf landscape artist Linda Hartough captures the exacting splendor of Bethpage Black in her exquisite painting of the 4th Hole, a brilliantly bunkered, uphill par-5. For the first time in this Championship Series, Hartough has chosen to create an autumn scene, with a robust palette of russet and scarlet, green and gold. This splendid work is offered as a limited edition of 850 lithographs, each signed and numbered by the artist. .
About the Artist: Since focusing her skills as a landscape painter to recreate some of the world's most beautiful golf holes, Linda Hartough has become recognized as one of golf's leading artists. So extraordinary and realistic is her attention to detail that her oil paintings seem to come alive with a clarity that surpasses the camera.

Her work has gained international fame. She is the only artist ever commissioned by the United States Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews to do the annual, official paintings and prints for the U.S. Open and British Open Championships. She has painted prestigious golf courses from the U.S. to Scotland to Hong Kong. Her paintings are so admired that they have earned a place on two ABC Television Golf Specials on famous golf holes hosted by Jack Nicklaus. Her paintings are in the collections of such famous clubs as Augusta National, Pine Valley and Laurel Valley. Hartough originals are also included in the private collections of Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones and Rees Jones.

A confirmed artist since the age of six, Linda was raised in the picturesque countrysides of Wilmington, Delaware and Louisville, Kentucky. Much of her early career was spent in Chicago where, after receiving her Fine Arts degree from the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1970, she made a living by selling her paintings locally. In 1980, Linda moved to South Carolina near Hilton Head where, in addition to painting landscapes, portraits and horses, she raised miniature horses.

In 1984, she was commissioned to paint the 13th Hole at Augusta National, thus beginning her golf landscape career. After an enormous response to her work at the 1988 PGA Show in Orlando, Linda focused her career entirely on golf landscapes.

Linda's approach to capturing a great golf hole is by spending a week or more at each course, taking photographs at different times of the day to capture all possible lights. She then figures out what is important or memorable in each view of a hole and makes sure this is included in the painting. Her memory serves as a less objective image of the hole. The combination of the two provides the unique view found in each of her paintings.

"I really enjoy painting golf landscape. It is some of the most beautiful and varied landscape in the world combined with a deep, historical sense of tradition that transcends time. The painting is a success when both elements emerge."
Since focusing her skills as a landscape painter to recreate some of the world's most beautiful golf holes, Linda Hartough has become recognized as one of golf's leading artists. So extraordinary and realistic is her attention to detail that her oil paintings seem to come alive with a clarity that surpasses the camera.

Her work has gained international fame. She is the only artist ever commissioned by the United States Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews to do the annual, official paintings and prints for the U.S. Open and British Open Championships. She has painted prestigious golf courses from the U.S. to Scotland to Hong Kong. Her paintings are so admired that they have earned a place on two ABC Television Golf Specials on famous golf holes hosted by Jack Nicklaus. Her paintings are in the collections of such famous clubs as Augusta National, Pine Valley and Laurel Valley. Hartough originals are also included in the private collections of Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones and Rees Jones.

A confirmed artist since the age of six, Linda was raised in the picturesque countrysides of Wilmington, Delaware and Louisville, Kentucky. Much of her early career was spent in Chicago where, after receiving her Fine Arts degree from the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1970, she made a living by selling her paintings locally. In 1980, Linda moved to South Carolina near Hilton Head where, in addition to painting landscapes, portraits and horses, she raised miniature horses.

In 1984, she was commissioned to paint the 13th Hole at Augusta National, thus beginning her golf landscape career. After an enormous response to her work at the 1988 PGA Show in Orlando, Linda focused her career entirely on golf landscapes.

Linda's approach to capturing a great golf hole is by spending a week or more at each course, taking photographs at different times of the day to capture all possible lights. She then figures out what is important or memorable in each view of a hole and makes sure this is included in the painting. Her memory serves as a less objective image of the hole. The combination of the two provides the unique view found in each of her paintings.

"I really enjoy painting golf landscape. It is some of the most beautiful and varied landscape in the world combined with a deep, historical sense of tradition that transcends time. The painting is a success when both elements emerge."