Let’s start with the big news: There’s a new Pope. He was born Robert Prevost, and he’s from the United States. He’s planning to go by Leo XIV, which is a strong choice. If you’re learning this news from Golf Digest, two things: 1. We appreciate you getting major updates from this website. 2. You probably should have another site for all of your breaking Pope news.

This Pope is from Chicago, the land of deep dish pizza, Da Bears and some extremely good golf. There’s Chicago Golf Club, Shoreacres, Butler National, Canyata and Medinah. We don’t know just yet what Pope Leo XIV’s handicap is—can’t find it on the GHIN app for some reason—but it’s going to be tough to lower his scores without a course at the Vatican. Which brings us to the backbone for this entire piece!

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We thought you should know that Arthur Findlay, the manager of the now defunct Wanamaker’s department store in New York, once pitched the idea of a six-hole golf course to the Pope and his coalition. The New York Times reported this back in February 1926, and we have nothing but admiration for his can-do attitude with everything working against him.

“When in Rome recently he tried vainly to have the Pope build a six-hole golf course on the grounds of the Vatican,” the Times reported nearly 100 years ago. “Findlay told of settling on a ranch in the American West following immigration from Scotland and of playing golf on the prairie, much to the amusement of the natives, until at length they were converted and formed what he claims to have been America’s first golf club.

“This, he says, attracted many famous visitors, including Roosevelt and Buffalo Bill. ‘John D. Rockefeller attributes the prolongation of his life entirely to golf and we often have a round together,’ Findlay said. He declared the English courses much superior to the American.”

That’s a hell (sorry, Pope) of a good pitch, but it makes sense that the Vatican turned down the request. It just doesn’t feel right to be preserving, interpreting and teaching the faith with Cardinals shouting “fore” at all hours of the day.

With that said, what Pope Leo XIV says goes. And if he wants to open a pitch and putt around the Vatican, we certainly wouldn’t complain. We’d also have to get to work on our Vatican City Course Guide. Stay tuned!

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