Great golfers then and now
famous firsts Perhaps one of the most famous names attached to the early game of golf is that of King James II, who ironically was not a fan of golf. He did, in fact, help ban the game as a way of preserving the skills of archery in England. Apparently people of the 1400s were taking up golf in such numbers that they were not spending enough time with archery. This neglect of military skills led Parliament and the King to ban the game of golf for a time in 1457. In addition, church leaders at the time were concerned because the common man was playing golf instead of attending services. The Treaty of Glasgow in 1502 included a lift on the ban, thanks to the efforts of King James IV, who began playing golf himself. Mary Queen of Scots and King Charles I made the game popular by becoming enthusiasts. Some histories record that the word caddie comes from the job her French military cadets performed during the game. The Gentlemen Golfers of Leith is recognized as the first prominent club devoted to the game. History indicates that the Duke of York and some English nobles played a famous golf match there. Duncan Forbes, a member of the Leith club, is credited with writing the first formal rules of golf for the members, though this did not occur until the mid 1700s. The history of golf at Carnoustie in Scotland begins with the record of Sir Robert Maule (1493-1560) playing on Barry Links. Sir John Foulis of Ravelston, an Edinburgh lawyer, kept records of his golf on Leith Links, but also played golf at the famous site of Musselburgh in 1672. Ravelston left a written record of how much he lost on a match that particular day. From about 1750 to the mid-1800s, the name of Robertson is closely associated with the game and with St. Andrews. This family appears in several histories as well-known makers of golf balls and even as professional golfers. A member of this clan, Allan Robertson, has the distinction of being the first to score below 80 on the Old Course at St. Andrews. Old tom morris Perhaps no name is revered among golf historians and enthusiasts more than that of Tom Morris. But there are two fellows with this name tied to the game of golf. There is Old Tom Morris, born in St. Andrews in 1821. During his nearly 90 years of life, Old Tom worked with Allan Robertson, becoming experienced as a ball maker, a greens keeper and as a player. Old Tom won The Open Championship four times, including tournaments held at a course he created, Prestwick. Willie Park won this first national title at Prestwick in 1860. Morris had a club making shop near the clubhouse and 18th green at St. Andrews. This 18th hole bears the name of Old Tom Morris today. Then there is Old Tom’s son, Young Tom Morris. His golfing talents were widely known during his short life. His name is connected to the now-famous Claret Jug that is presented to the winner of The Open Championship each year. He won the tournament at the age of 17. Between 1861 and 1872, the two Toms won the title eight times (four each). But Young Tom died at the age of 24, shortly after being told that his wife and child died during childbirth. The cause of his death is still unknown. TOWARD THE NEW CENTURY As the 19th century turned to the 20th century, the name Harry Vardon became common knowledge among golfers worldwide. Vardon’s name is attached to the trophy given each year to the professional golfer with the lowest stroke average for the season. The Vardon Trophy name is befitting for the man who won The Open Championship a record six times. Born in Jersey, Channel Islands, Vardon developed a method for gripping the golf club that still bears his name. He was one of golf’s “triumvirate” of the late 1800s and early 1900s that included John Henry Taylor and James Braid. The three own 16 Open Championships and 13 second places between them. Taylor won five times, as did Braid. Vardon capitalized on his success by traveling to America for a tour that included 80 matches. Vardon won 70 of those matches. It was during this era that the great Willie Anderson, born in Scotland, won four U.S. Open titles, in addition to four Western Open trophies. Among the more notable names of Scottish golf in the early years were: George Duncan, Jock Hutchison, Willie Dunn, Jamie Dunn and Ben Sayers. These winners, and others, carried the game well into the 20th century. Several golfing enthusiasts from the islands made their way to the United States around the turn of the last century, greatly increasing U.S. enthusiasm for golf. Among the Scots who helped bring enthusiasm to the U.S. game were John Reid and Scot Robert Lockhart. 20th century golf The last century was easily the most important in the growth of golf as a game worldwide. Thousands of people took up the game as it grew in popularity after World War I. Though people began to play the game in nearly every country in the world, with such places as Japan and Australia adding large numbers to the golfing population, for a few years the focus remained on England, Scotland and the United States. BRITISH GOLF IN THE GOLDEN YEARS The history of golf in Scotland and England during the years from about 1920 to 1999 could, and does, fill its own volumes. But some events and major change took place during this time that will have a long-term effect on the game so many enjoy. Much of what happens in golf in Scotland and England has The Open Championship as its center. This prestigious tournament was not played from 1915 to 1919 due to the turmoil of World War I. When play resumed, the title was taken by one George Duncan of Scotland, then by another native son, Jock Hutchison. For the next decade, with few exceptions, golf’s oldest title belonged to Walter Hagen and Robert Jones Jr. Hagen, a U.S. citizen born in Rochester, New York, won the championship four times between 1922 and 1929. Jones, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, won three times (1926, 1927, 1930). Englishman Henry Cotton, born in Cheshire, re-established the quality of the British game with three victories in The Open Championship between 1934 and 1948. Cotton was also a successful golf architect and is a member of the Golf Hall of Fame. Bobby Locke was one of the first successful and well-known international golfers. Born in South Africa, Locke finished as low amateur in his first Open Championship at the age of 18. He won the title four times between 1952 and 1957. It was at about this same time that the name Peter Thomson began to be recognized in the golfing world. Thomson, born in Melbourne, Australia, won dozens of times around the world. His collection of titles includes three straight titles in 1954, 1955 and 1956. After Bobby Locke took the prize in 1957, Thomson returned to the winner’s circle in 1958. Thomson took the Claret Jug again in 1965. Open Championship winners in the last four decades of the century include the King, Arnold Palmer (2); the legendary Jack Nicklaus (3); Lee Trevino (2); South African Gary Player (3); Tom Watson (5); England’s Nick Faldo (3); Australian Greg Norman (2); Seve Ballesteros (3); Tiger Woods (3). Players from various countries around the world who have their name engraved on the coveted Claret Jug join these multiple winners. Golf remains enormously popular in Scotland, England and Ireland. There is a golf course for every 9,000 people in Scotland, for every 14,000 people in Ireland, and for every 27,000 people in England. Wales also has numerous golf courses, one for every 18,000 people. Paul Lawrie, a native Scotsman born in Aberdeen, was the last British Isles golfer to win The Open Championship (1999). Nick Faldo is certainly one of the most famous English natives in recent golf history. Born in Welwyn Garden City, England, Faldo won The Open Championship three times (1987, 1990, 1992) and also won the Masters in Augusta, Georgia three times. FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES The establishment of the United States Golf Association in 1894 to oversee golf in the U.S. and Mexico created a few conflicts with the longstanding rules and regulations of Scottish and British Golf. The early development of golf equipment, golf balls and golf courses took place in Scotland and England. Many of these rules and standards travelled well, becoming standards in the U.S. as well. However, the size limit for a golf ball set by the R&A in Britain (1920) was quite different from what was eventually recognized by the USGA. Common rules for the game were agreed to in 1951, but the golf ball remained smaller in Britain than in the U.S. for another 37 years. The two major golf organizations settled on a golf ball standard (1988-1990) and now have a joint conference every four years to keep the rules and standards in line. AMERICAN GOLF IN THE 20TH CENTURY The history of American golf is, of course, closely tied to the Scottish and English game. Records indicate that the first golf course and club in the United States was in Charlestown, South Carolina (1786). However, there is a reference to golf in America in a Dutch ordinance at Fort Orange — later Albany, N.Y. — in 1659. The first site recognized as a permanent golf club in North America, Canada's Royal Montreal Club, was founded in 1873. The first 18-hole course in the United States was the Chicago Golf Club that was founded near Wheaton, Illinois in 1893. The great triumvirate of Harry Vardon, John Henry Taylor and James Braid had a lot to do with the growth of golf’s popularity in the British Isles. Vardon’s tours of the U.S. did a great deal to help the popularity of the game in the United States as well. Golfers from England and Scotland made their way to the United States around the turn of the last century, greatly increasing U.S. enthusiasm for golf. Among the Scots who helped bring enthusiasm to the U.S. game were John Reid and Scot Robert Lockhart. Robert T. Jones Jr. (Bobby Jones) No history of American golf would be complete without significant space given to the legendary Robert T. Jones Jr., better known as Bobby Jones. This golfing great was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1902 and his golfing prowess is still considered the standard for many modern players. Yet Jones never competed as a professional and retired from competition, by choice, at the age of 28. His remarkable skills at the game led him to win his first U.S. Open Championship at the age of 21. He won 13 major championships (at the time this list included the Amateur), and he only competed 20 times! He is still the only player to win all four major titles in the same calendar year. Arnold palmer Arnold Palmer is not known as “the King” in golf for minor reasons. This Pennsylvania man is credited by many with helping the popularity of U.S. golf to explode during the 1960s. He may not have been the greatest player in the game, but he certainly was one of the most competitive and most popular. His record, however, does place him with American golf greats. He won the Masters four times, the U.S. Open once and The Open Championship twice (1961, 1962). He also finished second in the PGA Championship three times, but never won that title. Palmer’s charisma and good looks, combined with awesome golfing talent, led him to become one of the most recognized figures in sports during the 1960s and 1970s. His best golfing years coincided with the growth of sports coverage on television, leading to golf battles against Jack Nicklaus that were watched by millions. Palmer won 29 professional tournaments in 1960-1962, a remarkable feat by any standards. JACK NICKLAUS American golfing greats of the 20th century spent a great deal of time trying to match the remarkable Jones record. One who was able to place himself on this level was Jack Nicklaus, a native of Ohio who won 20 major titles during his career. This list includes two U.S. Amateur titles and 18 professional majors. Nicklaus and Palmer are often seen as the two who competed head to head during the rapid growth of golf’s popularity in the latter half of the century. The two greats were often in the final groups during televised tournaments around the country and this exposure led many people in the U.S. to try the game. The two were also great friends and won the Team Championship in 1971. In a career that spanned 40 years, Nicklaus won the Ohio State Open at the age of 16 (1956) and a sixth Masters title in 1986 at the age of 46. He continued his career on the Champions Tour (formerly the Senior Tour), winning 100 titles over the course of four decades. A HOST OF TALENTED GOLFERS The list of amazing golf careers in the United States could, again, fill a volume. Every list will leave out some deserving player. But some of the top American players were: Walter Hagen was born in Rochester, New York. He was the first American golfer to win The Open Championship and won that title in Britain four times. He also won the U.S. Open twice and the PGA Championship five times. Gene Sarazen, a New York native, won each of the four professional majors during his career. This list includes the U.S. Open and PGA titles in the same year (1922). Byron Nelson won 11 straight professional tournaments in 1945. Some of Nelson’s best years were during World War II and his playing opportunities were limited. He still has a prestigious golf tournament named after him. Ben Hogan was a Texan known for hitting the ball as straight as anyone in the professional game. He won each of the four professional majors, including the U.S. Open four times, the Masters twice and the PGA Championship twice. Lee Trevino was born to Mexican parents, in poverty. But his hard work with a rusty golf club and a couple of golf balls led him to numerous professional wins, including the U.S Open, The Open Championship and the PGA title. Tom Watson is a native of Kansas City, Missouri. His professional career success included winning The Open Championship five times, the Masters twice, and the U.S. Open. Like Palmer, Watson had some memorable matches with Jack Nicklaus. GOLF WORLDWIDE The game that began with country gentlemen using a wooden stick to hit a stone or a homemade golf ball has not only become a major industry but has exploded across the world. There are more than 31,000 golf courses in dozens of countries. Most of these nations have their own championships and professional tours. Many of the golf courses considered the best by globe-hopping players are in England, Scotland and the U.S. Several on this list are in Australia and Canada. But more of the favorite courses showing up on the “top” lists are in places such as the Dominican Republic, France, Argentina, South Korea and China. Players from countries other than Scotland or the U.S. have been playing and winning at the top professional levels for many years. Peter Thomson from Australia is certainly on the list of great golfers On this list is also South Africa’s Gary Player. Player won each of the four professional majors during his career, including the Masters three times, The Open Championship three times and the PGA title twice. U.S. Open winners in the past three decades include South Africa’s Ernie Els. Three recent winners, including Retief Goosen, are from outside the U.S. The 2005 winner, Michael Campbell, is of Maori descent from New Zealand. Golfers from Japan and other countries have been competing on the world stage for years. One such professional, Asao Aoki, had a great career on the PGA after playing worldwide for many years. Aoki once shot a 12 under par 60 to win a Champions Tour event (golfers over 50). One of the top professionals over the past 10 years is Vijay Singh, from the island of Fiji. Singh, of Indian ancestry, was twice the professional tour’s leading money winner. He has won the Masters (2000) and the PGA (1998 and 2004). Bernhard Langer, one of the few top-name golfers from Germany, won the Masters championship in 1985 and 1993. Of course, Seve Ballesteros, from Spain, was for a time, the best golfer in the world. He won nearly 50 times in his career, including three Open Championships in England and Scotland, and the Masters (1980 and 1983). WOMEN’S GOLF/LPGA Many who read about and hear about golf but have not followed it closely may think that women’s golf has only become popular in the last 20 years or so. But women’s golf and women’s professional golf has been around for many, many decades. In fact, one of the first golfers was Mary, Queen of Scots, who played the game more than 400 years ago. This queen may be responsible for the term “caddie.” The name is believed to come from the word cadet. These military assistants to English royalty were enlisted to carry clubs for the queen. Though some have jokingly written that “golf” stands for “gentlemen only ladies forbidden” or something similar, St. Andrews was the site of the first club for lady golfers in 1867! History records that Louise Pounds participated in many sports, including golf, in the 1890s. She is a member of the Sports Hall of Fame in Lincoln, Nebraska. The first Women’s Amateur golf championship was held in 1895. At about the same time, the British Amateur was contested. babe didriksen - ONE OF THE GOLFING GREATS Most followers of the game of golf are at least familiar with the name Babe Didriksen. Mildred E. Didriksen grew up in Texas and first played on a woman’s basketball team. She was an excellent multi-sport athlete, starring in track and field, as well as basketball and other sports. She was an Olympic track and field start and was named Woman Athlete of the Year. She even participated in baseball at the major league level during spring training. The 1930s brought two changes to Didriksen’s life: marriage to George Zaharias and an increasing interest in golf. She won both the Texas Open and the Western Open in 1940, then went on to win 17 tournaments in a row, including the British Amateur for Women. She became a member of the Ladies Professional Golf Association, which was formed in 1950. Babe Didriksen Zaharias died of cancer in 1956. Zaharias was a founding member of the LPGA, with such golfing greats as Louise Suggs, Patty Berg and Marlene Hagge. This fledgling organization grew from a schedule of 14 events and $50,000 in prize money and nearly doubled in size in a few years. Kathy Whitworth and Mickey Wright were two of the more famous names in women’s golf during the early years. Wright won 68 tournaments during the 1960s; Whitworth 53. THE LPGA GROWS The 1970s was a time of great change for the Ladies Professional Golf Association. A full-time commissioner was hired to run the organization more like a business. JoAnne Carner dominated tournaments during the decade, winning 23 times during the decade, but shared the spotlight with young Nancy Lopez from California. Lopez started winning as an amateur in the early 1970s, then moved on to play winning golf on the professional tour. She won the LPGA Championship in 1978 and again in 1985 and 1989. She finished in the top 10 in major tournaments 23 times during her career. Other top players at the time were Amy Alcott, Judy Rankin and Carol Mann. Juli Inkster, Beth Daniel and others led the way through the 1980s for U.S. golf and by 1989 the tour featured nearly 40 events with an average purse of more than $350,000. No one dominated women’s golf like Annika Sorenstam after she turned pro in 1992. She has won nearly 90 times, including 10 majors. Sorenstam won at least five tournaments each year for six straight years and has been named player of the year eight times. Yet she is just 36 years old. Some people expect these same great things from Michelle Wie, though the young golfer from Hawaii is just 17. She will not be able to join the professional tour until she turns 18 October 2007. BRITISH, JAPANESE AND EUROPEAN WOMEN’S GOLF On the British Isles, the Ladies Golf Union oversees most of the competitive golf, including the women’s Open Championship. Karrie Webb of Australia has won the women’s title three times, as has Sherri Steinhauer of the U.S. This is the only tournament recognized by the Ladies European Tour. This tour also recognizes the Evian Masters, played in Switzerland, as a major tournament for women. The LPGA Tour of Japan is one of the richest professional tours. This tour has its own set of majors. Many of the best players from Japan and Korea compete regularly on the professional tour in the United States and Europe. THE NEW BREED No recent player has taken the golf world by storm in the way that the remarkable Tiger Wood did. This extremely gifted young golfer (31 years old) has already won 12 professional majors, including the Masters (4), the U.S. Open (2), The Open Championship (3) and the PGA Championship (3). In addition, Woods took the U.S. Junior Amateur title three times and the U.S. Amateur three times. These accomplishments were preceded by shooting a 48 for nine holes at the age of three! He also dominated the Junior World Championships, winning the title six times. Woods appeared on the Mike Douglas Show as a very young child and demonstrated his enormous talent by hitting a golf ball and putting with entertainment legend Bob Hope. Since joining the professional tour in 1996, Woods has been one of the most recognizable sports figures in history. He is credited with attracting many young golfers to the game, swelling the numbers that trek to the municipal course whenever they get the chance. A list of Woods’ records, golfing accomplishments and awards fill several pages. |
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