State of the week: Oklahoma

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Where are we? The Sooner State. Beloved enough to have its own musical, Oklahoma is a great plain state with plenty of history and character. Last year, the PGA Championship took place at Tulsa's Southern Hills Country Club, which has also hosted three U.S. Open Championships and three previous PGA Championships. The long, hot and sticky summers that Oklahoma is famous for make for some interesting major championships, but what is golf without a challenge?

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Tulas's Southern Hills Country Club has hosted seven major championships.

Oklahoma history: The word Oklahoma comes from a combination of Choctaw Indian words meaning "land of the red man," fitting since the state was formed out of Indian territory. The 46th state to enter the union and part of the Louisiana Purchase, Oklahoma became joined the U.S.A. in 1907. The end of the line for the Trail of Tears, Oklahoma became the new home for displaced American Indians from Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee, though it was already occupied by tribes native to the area. Eventually, this land was reclaimed by the fledgling American government when Texan cattle herders began to run their trails through the Sooner State en route to Kansas railroads, and the government saw fit to sell off large amounts of land in Oklahoma to settlers and railroad companies. This idea took off quickly and led to the illegal claiming of land by entrepreneurs that were eager to take advantage, hence the nickname "Sooner State" -- people entered this Indian territory too soon to claim land that wasn't yet rightfully theirs.

Oklahoma on the course: Already mentioned once so far, the private and prestigious Southern Hills Country Club is the best you can get in Oklahoma. If you're ever in the position to be able to play there, jump at it -- even if it's 100 degrees in the middle of August. If you want proof of how grueling this course can be, just look back at the pictures from last year's PGA Championship. Founded in 1936 from land donated by an oil tycoon, the course was designed by Perry Maxwell and renovated in 1999 by Keith Foster. The club also includes a nine-hole course designed by Ben Crenshaw in 1992.

Oklahoma off the course: You might be of the impression that there's not a whole lot to do in this great plain state, but that's not altogether true. The state capital, Oklahoma City, is Oklahoma's biggest city and not a bad place to spend a weekend. A convergence of real cowboys and space cowboys -- Oklahoma is still traditionally a cattle and agriculture state but has also produced more NASA astronauts than any other state -- Oklahoma City honors both true American symbols with a museum for each. For the art lover, there is also an art museum as well as many local galleries. And, so entrenched in American Indian history in this country, Oklahoma City pays homage to its past with monuments and exhibitions at the end of the trail.

Oklahoma resort: The Waterford Marriott Hotel in Oklahoma City is a chic suburban resort with a park-like atmosphere. Close to downtown entertainment, the Waterford makes exploring the city easy but also has its own attractions including a live jazz bar and on-site restaurants with region specials such as slow-cooked barbecue if you don't feel like heading into the city. It also features an outdoor garden pool and spa services.

Oklahoma eats: You might not know this, but the Sooner State actually has an official meal. Whether it's popular or not I have no idea, but the State Legislature gave legal status to the dish in 1988. So here goes: Fried okra, squash, cornbread, barbecue pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken-fried steak, pecan pie and black-eyed peas. I have no idea in what order one should eat this meal, but it certainly sounds like a lot of food. One reason the meal is so big is that Oklahoma grows/raises all of the items on the menu -- so perhaps you don't have to eat it all at once...

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Scott Verplank has five TOUR wins.

Oklahoma golfer: Technically, this guy's a Texas man, but he lives in Oklahoma now and is one of the many PGA TOUR golfers to have passed through the Oklahoma State University golf program. Who? Scott Verplank. Hands down one of the nicest guys on TOUR, Verplank has five titles to his name as well as 11 runner-up finishes and seven third-place finishes. He also has represented the United States seven times in team events. His most recent victory came just last year at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship -- an emotional victory that meant more than just a win to Verplank, who viewed the great Lord Byron as his mentor and friend.