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GOLF HISTORY
About the Book
"Golf is a good walk spoiled" if you choose to believe American humorist Mark Twain. Or perhaps its popularity can be traced back to our basic instincts of loving to take long walks and hitting rocks with a stick. Whatever the reason, our fascination of hitting a little white ball into a small distant hole has endured the test of time for over five hundred years.
As you read this book you will discover a collection of golf memorabilia, bizarre incidences, little known tidbits plus an array of golf folklore. While this may not dramatically improve your ball striking abilities on the golf course, it is certain to give you a unique insight to the world of golf from its earliest known origins.
As you are browsing through the passages within this book you will be following in the footsteps of those who journeyed down the fairways ahead of you into the history of golf. During your sojourn you will be amazed at the answers to questions like these:
Which two U.S. President’s names are closely associated with the Walker Cup?
What does a penny pack of garden seeds and the Ryder Cup have in common?
Why did an indignant Scottish gentleman tell Sam Snead "My God Sir! That’s St. Andrews."?
How did golf balls evolve from round wooden balls to today’s modern high tech missiles?
Fore. Mulligan. Bogey. Caddie. 19th Hole. What is the origin of these commonly used golf terms?
What two famous celebrities were caught playing golf at an exclusive private country club in their under shorts?
Preview of Book
The term "fairway" is an old nautical term for a long waterway between rocks. The sailors walking from the ships to the nearby pubs adapted this term to the land where they played golf between the sand dunes. Until 1766 all the known golf courses (links) were found along the coastline of Scotland. Golf courses built inland in the eighteen century were called "greens," to distinguish them from a "links" style course located by the ocean. This gave rise to many of the common golf terms still in use today: greenskeeper, greens chairman, greens committee and greens fee.
"Fore!" is a common warning on the golf course. This term most likely originated from the British military artillery officers. To warn the foot soldiers when the cannons were about to be fired over their heads the officers yelled "fore." Most of these officers were golfers so the term naturally carried over onto the golf course when they needed to warn fellow golfers of an errant golf shot.
Mildrid Zaharias was most famous for her ability to drive the golf ball as far as the men. She was literally worshipped by golfers for her ability to "Knock the Cover" off the golf ball, often hitting her drives 250 yards. A British fan asked her how she could hit it so far. Her answer provides an insight to the Babe’s personality. "I just loosen my girdle and let the ball have it," was her smiling response.
Riding a train in 1946 Sam Snead made one of his worst blunders as a golfer. Looking at the passing countryside he asked a fellow passenger, "What in the devil is that? It looks like an old abandoned golf course." Much to his chagrin an old Scotsman reprimanded Sam, telling him, "My God, sir. That’s the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, founded in 1754. It isn’t abandoned and never will be!"
W.C. Fields enjoyed celebrity golf tournaments. His sense of humor was always an important part of his game. Once he whiffed the ball on the tee in front of a huge gallery. Undaunted he pocketed the ball and strode 200 yards down the fairway. The crowd roared its appreciation when he had his caddie drop the ball in the middle of the fairway and then in true W.C. Fields style said, "Oh, here it is. Mighty fine drive!"
George Burns and Harpo Marx were once reprimanded for not wearing their shirts at an exclusive country club. In order to continue playing they were required to put on their shirts. Later the two pranksters were seen playing with their pants off. The club rules stated shirts must be worn but said nothing about pants. The rules were amended the next day.
Pam Barton, twice the British Ladies Champion, beat all competitors in 1936 to become the U.S. Women’s Amateur Champion. The only foreigner to win the title, she never got a chance to defend her title. She was killed in a World War II bombing raid on London.
In 1950 a golfing father decide it was time to introduce his ten-year-old son to the game of golf. At the end of nine holes the youngster had almost broke fifty...shooting a 51. By the end of his first year of golf he was scoring in the mid-90s. At 11, Jack Nicklaus was breaking 90 and was beating most of the members at the Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio.
About the Author
My personal journey into the world of golf began at the age of five at the Jerome Country Club in southeastern Idaho. It is here that my father, a Greenskeeper, gave me a hickory-shafted mashie (5 iron) which was cut down to my size. From this early introduction golf has had a significant influence on my life. From managing golf courses to teaching students to be golf course superintendents and club professionals, I have had a lifelong love affair with the sport.
My fascination with the heritage and traditions of golf were piqued when I was a professor at College of the Desert, a two-year community college in southern California. One of the courses I taught was Country Club Management for students who were enrolled in the Golf Management Program where they were preparing to become golf professionals.
It was while teaching this class that I realize most golfers have very little knowledge of the history of the sport they love. As I developed lectures on the history of golf, the germ of an idea for a book was formulated. For your enjoyment myths, legends, facts, records, bizarre events, personal memories, and unusual trivia have been included in this book I selected a writing style that allows you to read a single passage, a page or a chapter in whatever order appeals to you. I also chose to write each passage so it stands by itself and the information contained within completes a small piece of golf’s history.
Melvin J. Robey |
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