11 LETTERS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS BELONGING TO FORMER AMATEUR CHAMPION GOLFER CYRIL J.T. TOLLEY & A HANDWRIUTTEN LETTE4R FROM MRS. BOBBY LOCKE TO F. RICARDO
Major Cyril James Hastings Tolley MC (14 September 1895 – 18 May 1978) was a British amateur golf champion and briefly a Liberal Party politician. He died in Eastbourne.
Major Cyril James Hastings Tolley MC (14 September 1895 – 18 May 1978) was a British amateur golf champion and briefly a Liberal Party politician. He died in Eastbourne.[1]
Contents
1Background
2Professional career
3Golfing career
3.1Tournament wins
3.2Major championships
3.2.1Amateur wins (2)
3.2.2Results timeline
3.3Team appearances
4Political career
5References
6External links
Background
Tolley was the son of James T. Tolley and Christiana Mary Pascall. He was educated at University College, Oxford.[2] He won the Military Cross at Ypres during the First World War. In the Second World War, he commanded a company of the Royal Sussex Regiment and was a liaison officer with the United States Army.[3]
Professional career
Tolley was connected with the London Stock Exchange. He lived for a time in New York.[3]
Golfing career
Tolley twice won The Amateur Championship, in 1920 and 1929. In the 4th round in 1930 at St Andrews he lost to Bobby Jones on the 19th hole after Jones had laid a "horrid stymie" with Tolley within 4 feet of the hole.[4] Jones eventually won the tournament. He won the French Open in 1924 and 1928 and was the Welsh Open Amateur Championship in 1921 and 1923.[1][3] Tolley played in the first Walker Cup in 1922 and again in 1923, 1924, 1926, 1930, and 1934. He captained the team in 1924. He was captain of the R&A in 1948, being one of the few captains to play in the Amateur Championship during their year of office, losing in the third round to defending champion Willie Turnesa.[5][6]
In 1928, Tolley launched a libel action against J. S. Fry & Sons of Bristol, chocolate manufacturers. Frys had produced an advert in which Tolley was caricatured and which contained a limerick, published in two newspapers in June 1928. Tolley claimed that the advert suggested that he had made some financial gain and had been guilty of conduct unworthy of his status as an amateur golfer. In 1929, Tolley won £1,000 damages although this decision was set aside by the Court of Appeal. Tolley then took the case to the House of Lords where he was successful but it was decided that the damages were excessive. Eventually, in July 1931, he received £500 damages and costs.[7][8][9]
Tournament wins
1920 The Amateur Championship
1921 Welsh Open Amateur
1923 Golf Illustrated Gold Vase, Welsh Open Amateur
1924 French Open
1926 Golf Illustrated Gold Vase (tie with Tony Torrance)
1928 French Open, Golf Illustrated Gold Vase
1929 The Amateur Championship
Major championships
Amateur wins (2)
YearChampionshipWinning ccoreRunner-up
1920The Amateur Championship37 holesUnited States Robert A. Gardner
1929The Amateur Championship4 & 3Scotland J. Nelson Smith
Results timeline
Tournament1920192119221923192419251926192719281929
The Open ChampionshipT40T43T35T18 LAT28CUTT36T25
The Amateur Championship1R32R256QFR16R64R64R641
U.S. AmateurDNQ
Tournament1930193119321933193419351936193719381939
The Open ChampionshipT52T18CUTT28
The Amateur ChampionshipR32SFR64R32QFR64QFR128
U.S. Amateur
Tournament1940194119421943194419451946194719481949
The Open ChampionshipNTNTNTNTNTNTCUT
The Amateur ChampionshipNTNTNTNTNTNTR128R128R64
U.S. AmateurNTNTNTNT
Tournament195019511952195319541955
The Open Championship
The Amateur ChampionshipSFR32R256R256
U.S. Amateur
Note: Tolley only played in The Open Championship, the U.S. Amateur, and The Amateur Championship.
Win
Top 10
Did not play
LA = Low amateur
NT = No tournament
DNQ = Did not qualify for match play portion
R256, R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Team appearances
Walker Cup (representing Great Britain & Ireland): 1922, 1923, 1924 (playing captain), 1926, 1930, 1934
Great Britain vs USA (representing Great Britain): 1921
England–Scotland Amateur Match (representing England): 1922, 1923, 1924 (winners), 1925 (winners), 1926 (winners), 1927 (tie), 1928 (winners), 1929 (tie), 1930 (winners)
Political career
On 3 December 1949, Tolley was adopted as the North Devon Liberal Associations prospective parliamentary candidate.[10] North Devon was a winnable seat, however, by 11 January 1950, he had been replaced as prospective candidate.[11] Instead he became Liberal candidate for the less winnable Hendon South division of Middlesex for the 1950 General Election;[12]
General Election 1950: South Hendon[13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
ConservativeSir Hugh Vere Huntly Duff Munro-Lucas-Tooth24,91752.2
LabourThomas Sargant15,38932.2
LiberalCyril James Hastings Tolley7,43615.6
Majority9,52820.0
Turnout83.6
Conservative holdSwing
He did not stand for parliament again.[14] He continued his activity in the Liberal Party, serving as Honorary Treasurer of the London Liberal Party from 1950 to 1951. By the end of the decade he had left the Liberals and joined the Conservative Party. He was elected to Eastbourne Borough Council in 1958 and served for one 4-year term.[2]
Cyril Tolley (2 Amateurs, 6 Walker Cups, 1 Walker Cup Captain.)
1895 - 1978
Major Cyril James Hastings Tolley MC (14 September 1895 – 18 May 1978) was a British amateur golf champion and briefly a Liberal Party politician.
Tolley was the son of James T. Tolley and Christiana Mary Pascall. He was educated at University College, Oxford.[2] He won the Military Cross at Ypres during the First World War. In the Second World War, he commanded a company of the Royal Sussex Regiment and was a liaison officer with the United States Army.[3]
Tolley was connected with the London Stock Exchange. He lived for a time in New York.[3]
Tolley twice won The Amateur Championship, in 1920 and 1929. In the 4th round in 1930 at St Andrews he lost to Bobby Jones on the 19th hole after Jones had laid a "horrid stymie" with Tolley within 4 feet of the hole.[4] Jones eventually won the tournament. He won the French Open in 1924 and 1928 and was the Welsh Open Amateur Championship in 1921 and 1923.[1][3] Tolley played in the first Walker Cup in 1922 and again in 1923, 1924, 1926, 1930, and 1934. He captained the team in 1924. He was captain of the R&A in 1948, being one of the few captains to play in the Amateur Championship during their year of office, losing in the third round to defending champion Willie Turnesa.[5][6]
In 1928, Tolley launched a libel action against J. S. Fry & Sons of Bristol, chocolate manufacturers. Frys had produced an advert in which Tolley was caricatured and which contained a limerick, published in two newspapers in June 1928. Tolley claimed that the advert suggested that he had made some financial gain and had been guilty of conduct unworthy of his status as an amateur golfer. In 1929, Tolley won £1,000 damages although this decision was set aside by the Court of Appeal. Tolley then took the case to the House of Lords where he was successful but it was decided that the damages were excessive. Eventually, in July 1931, he received £500 damages and costs
Arthur DArcy "Bobby" Locke (20 November 1917 – 9 March 1987) was a South African professional golfer. He won four Open Championships,[2] nine South African Opens, seven South African PGA Championships and 15 PGA Tour events. He was a prolific tournament winner in his native country, eventually accumulating 38 wins on the Southern Africa Tour (now the Sunshine Tour).
Contents
1Biography
1.1Early years
1.2Early professional career
1.3Service in World War II
1.3.1Alternate descriptions of Locke's War Record
1.4Success in the United States
1.5Controversy and PGA Tour ban
1.6Worldwide success
2Playing attributes
3Amateur wins
4Professional wins (73)
4.1PGA Tour wins (15)
4.2South Africa wins (41)
4.3Other wins (29)
5Major championships
5.1Wins (4)
5.2Results timeline
5.3Summary
6Team appearances
7See also
8References
9External links
Biography
Early years
Locke was born in Germiston, South Africa the only son of Mr C.J. & Mrs. O. Locke of 70 Nottingham Road, Kensington, Johannesburg. He obtained his Educational Junior Certificate pass at Benoni High School in 1934.
Early professional career
Locke won the South African Open for the first of nine times in 1935, at the Parkview Golf Club in Johannesburg, with a score of 296, playing as an amateur. He played in his first Open Championship in 1936, when he was eighteen, and finished as low amateur.
He turned professional in March 1938 at the age of 20[3] and was engaged by the Maccauvlei Country Club as club professional in December 1939. Problems arose[4] when Locke wanted to give lessons to non-members as well as take leave of absence, without advance request, to take part in outside competitions such as the U.S. Open. Locke resigned from the Club, by letter, on 26 July 1940.
Service in World War II
His golf career was interrupted by service in the South African Air Force during World War II. His Official War Record is held at the South African Department of Defence archives under his Service No: 103940.
• Initial Pilot Training: 15 October 1940 - 4 May 1942
• Pilot Instructor Qualification: Pilot Training: 4 May 1942 – 13 December 1944
• Initial Deployment to the Middle East: 13 December 1944 – 7 May 1945
• Deployment to Italy, Post VE Day, on Transport Duties: 7 May 1945 - 8 August 1945
• Honourable Discharge from Service 8 August 1945 to 11 October 1945
Alternate descriptions of Locke's War Record
Other descriptions of Bobby Lockes war record suggest he was more active than the transport duties he undertook, with SAAF Number 31 Squadron in Italy, that are described by the official SANDF archives. The descriptions include: he spent twelve months in a Liberator Squadron in Italy [5]:40 he was a bomber pilot who bombed Monte Casino,[6] he fought for Britain as a bomber pilot;[7] he flew over 100 missions over Europe with the SAAF;[8] and served with distinction as a Royal Airforce Bomber pilot.[9] Locke also claims that:
In a photograph of him and others,[5]:39 he was playing golf at Gizeh Golf & Country Club, in Cairo, in 1943, and
"My stay in the Air Force lasted five years and three months, in which time I completed 1,800 hours on single-, twin- and four-engined aircraft"[5]:39, 40
Success in the United States
Following the end of World War II, Locke successfully resumed his career in South Africa in 1946. He hosted Sam Snead, one of the top American golfers of the day, for a series of exhibition matches in South Africa in January/February 1947, winning 12 out of the 16 matches, two were halved and Snead won two.[5]:147 So impressed was Snead that he suggested that Locke come to the United States and give the PGA Tour a try, advice that Locke quickly followed.[10]
Locke arrived in the U.S. for the first time in April 1947, well after the American Tour season had begun. In two-and-a-half years on the PGA Tour, Locke played in 59 events; he won 11, and finished in the top three in 30, just over half. In 1947, despite a late start, Locke dominated the American tour, winning six tournaments (including four in a five-week period), and finishing second to Jimmy Demaret on the money list.
Controversy and PGA Tour ban
In 1948, he won the Chicago Victory National by 16 strokes, which remains a PGA Tour record for margin of victory (tied for margin of victory with J. Douglas Edgars win in the 1919 Canadian Open).[11]
The following year, Locke was banned from the tour, ostensibly because of a dispute over playing commitments. Locke had indeed given several advance commitments to appear at tournaments and exhibitions, then had not turned up nor given adequate notice nor explanations for his absences.[10] However, the 1948 Masters champion Claude Harmon stated, unsolicited, to another golf personality during that era: "Locke was simply too good. They had to ban him."[12] The ban was lifted in 1951, but Locke chose not to return to play in the United States, except for a few isolated appearances.
Locke explains his point of view and events leading up to the banning.[5]:57,58 He had accepted invitations, organised through the PGA to play in two local tournaments, The Inverness Fourball and Western Open. He explained how he had been helped to iron out a putting problem which led to him winning the 1949 British Open. He gives the “Open” win as one of his reasons to breach his contract. The text indicates that he understood the contractual nature of his dealings with the PGA.
Worldwide success
After leaving the PGA Tour, Locke continued his career in Europe and Africa, where he felt more comfortable. He won 23 times in Europe, most notably a quartet of successes in The Open Championship, which came in 1949, 1950, 1952 and 1957. He was the first of many South Africans who subsequently won major championships, including Gary Player, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Trevor Immelman, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel. His win in the 1957 Open Championship was with some controversy. Locke had failed to properly replace his ball after marking on the 72nd green, and proceeded to putt out. This had been confirmed through newsreel footage provided to the R&A after the trophy presentation. The rules at the time made no provision for a two shot penalty, thus Lockes win could have been overturned through disqualification. However, the Championship committee did not enforce the disqualification rule, citing "equity and spirit of the game" as overriding factors in sustaining the posted result.
During this time Locke also played many other parts of the world. In 1955 he won the Australian Open held at Gailes Golf Club in Queensland; he later rated this as one of the best courses he had ever played. In 1959, Locke was involved in a serious car accident, and subsequently he suffered from migraines and eye problems that put an end to his competitive career, although he continued competing occasionally after that, without much success.
Locke was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1977. He was only the second member (after Gary Player) who did not come from either the United States or the United Kingdom. He died in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1987.
Playing attributes
Locke built his success around his outstanding putting ability, coining the phrase "You drive for show, but putt for dough."[13] Wearing his trademark knickerbockers, white shoes, and stockings, Locke played the game at a slow and deliberate pace, perhaps another reason that American pros were annoyed with him. On the greens, Locke was a bona fide genius, using a very unusual putting style (he would bring the putter back far to the inside on the backstroke, then virtually "trap" the ball with a hooded, closed clubface on the forward stroke, imparting a tremendous amount of overspin), and a great eye for reading breaks, to put on veritable putting clinics every time he played. Locke believed he could put spin on putts[14] (similar to full-swing shots) and make them "hook" and "slice", and used his unorthodox technique to great success.
Locke was not particularly long from the tee, but placed great emphasis on accuracy in hitting fairways and greens; he employed an extreme right-to-left ball flight (one that bordered on a hook) on nearly every full shot.[14]
Australian contemporary pro Jim Ferrier, who played the U.S. Tour during the late 1940s with Locke, described Lockes putting method as being designed to overcome the very heavy grain present on many Bermuda-grass greens of that era, particularly in warm-climate regions such as South Africa and the southern United States. In these regions, greens had to be constructed during that era using Bermuda-grass turf in order to survive the extreme summer heat; turfgrass research eventually developed a wider variety of strains which could be used. Lockes putting method allowed the ball to glide on top of the grass without being affected very much by the grain. Ferrier explained that Locke had apparently learned the technique from an Englishman in Egypt, while he was stationed there during World War II. Locke had in actual fact learned the technique from Walter Hagen during the "Haigs" tour of South Africa with Joe Kirkwood in 1938.[5][15]
Amateur wins
1931 South Africa Boys
1935 South Africa Amateur, Natal Amateur, Transvaal Amateur
1936 Natal Amateur, Lucifer Empire Trophy
1937 South Africa Amateur, Transvaal Amateur, Orange Free State Amateur
Professional wins (73)
PGA Tour wins (15)
Legend
Major championships (4)
Other PGA Tour (11)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victoryRunner(s)-up
1May 11, 1947Houston Open−11 (71-67-70-69=277)5 strokesUnited States Johnny Palmer, United States Ellsworth Vines
2May 25, 1947Philadelphia Inquirer Open−11 (68-69-70-70=277)4 strokesUnited States Matt Kowal, United States Lloyd Mangrum
3Jun 1, 1947Goodall Round Robin+37 points4 pointsUnited States Vic Ghezzi
4Jul 8, 1947All American Open−12 (66-68-71-71=276)PlayoffUnited States Porky Oliver
5Jul 19, 1947Canadian Open−16 (68-66-67-67=268)2 strokesUnited States Porky Oliver
6Jul 27, 1947Columbus Invitational−14 (70-68-67-69=274)5 strokesUnited States Jimmy Demaret
7Jan 25, 1948Phoenix Open−16 (65-69-67-67=268)1 strokeUnited States Jimmy Demaret
8Jun 20, 1948Chicago Victory National Open−18 (65-65-70-66=266)16 strokesUnited States Ellsworth Vines
9Apr 18, 1949Cavalier Specialists Invitational−6 (67-68-66=201)PlayoffUnited States Frank Stranahan (a)
10May 15, 1949Goodall Round Robin+66 points33 pointsUnited States Herman Barron
11Jul 9, 1949The Open Championship−5 (69-76-68-70=283)PlayoffRepublic of Ireland Harry Bradshaw
12Jul 7, 1950The Open Championship−1 (69-72-70-68=279)2 strokesArgentina Roberto De Vicenzo
13Aug 9, 1950All American Open−6 (72-74-69-67=282)PlayoffUnited States Lloyd Mangrum
14Jul 11, 1952The Open Championship−1 (69-71-74-73=287)1 strokeAustralia Peter Thomson
15Jul 5, 1957The Open Championship−9 (69-72-68-70=279)3 strokesAustralia Peter Thomson
The Open Championship wins were not counted as PGA Tour wins at the time, but were later designated as such.
South Africa wins (41)
1935 Natal Open, South African Open (both as an amateur)
1936 Natal Open (as an amateur)
1937 South African Open, Transvaal Open[16] (both as an amateur)
1938 South African Open, South Africa Professional, Transvaal Open
1939 South African Open, South Africa Professional, Transvaal Open
1940 South African Open, South Africa Professional, Transvaal Open
1946 South African Open, South Africa Professional, Transvaal Open
1949 Transvaal Open, 1,000 Guineas Tournament
1950 South African Open, South Africa Professional, Transvaal Open, 1,000 Guineas Tournament, Western Transvaal Open,[17] Dunlop £1.000 Tournament[18], Grey Slax £1,000 Tournament[19]
1951 South African Open, South Africa Professional, Transvaal Open, Stag £1,000 Matchplay,[20] Stanley Motors 1,000 Guineas Tournament,[21] Dunlop Masters £1.000 Tournament[22]
1952 Stanley Motors 1,000 Guineas Tournament[23]
1953 Natal Open
1954 Transvaal Open, Mills 1,000 Guineas Tournament[24]
1955 South African Open, South Africa Professional, Transvaal Open
1956 Western Province Open
1958 Transvaal Open,[25] Western Province Open, East Rand Open Championship (tie with Eric Moore)
Other wins (29)
1938 Irish Open, New Zealand Open
1939 Dutch Open
1946 Yorkshire Evening News Tournament, Brand-Lochryn Tournament, Dunlop Masters
1947 Carolinas Open, Carolinas PGA Championship
1948 Carolinas Open
1950 Dunlop Tournament, Spalding Tournament, North British-Harrogate Tournament
1952 French Open, Mexican Open, Lotus Tournament, Carolinas Open
1953 French Open
1954 Egyptian Open, German Open, Swiss Open, Dunlop Tournament, Dunlop British Masters (tie with Jimmy Adams), Egyptian Match Play, Swallow-Harrogate Tournament (Stroke play stage)
1955 Australian Open
1957 Daks Tournament, Bowmaker Tournament (tied with Frank Jowle)
1959 New Hampshire Open, Bowmaker Tournament
Major championships
Wins (4)
YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up
1949The Open ChampionshipTied for lead−5 (69-76-68-70=283)Playoff 1Republic of Ireland Harry Bradshaw
1950The Open Championship (2)Tied for lead−1 (69-72-70-68=279)2 strokesArgentina Roberto De Vicenzo
1952The Open Championship (3)1 shot deficit−1 (69-71-74-73=287)1 strokeAustralia Peter Thomson
1957The Open Championship (4)3 shot lead−9 (69-72-68-70=279)3 strokesAustralia Peter Thomson
1 Defeated Harry Bradshaw in 36-hole playoff: Locke (135), Bradshaw (147)
Results timeline
Tournament1936193719381939
Masters Tournament
U.S. Open
The Open ChampionshipT8 LAT17 LAT10T9
PGA Championship
The Amateur ChampionshipR256R64––
Tournament1940194119421943194419451946194719481949
Masters TournamentNTNTNTT14T10T13
U.S. OpenNTNTNTNTT34T4
The Open ChampionshipNTNTNTNTNTNTT21
PGA ChampionshipNTT33
Tournament1950195119521953195419551956195719581959
Masters TournamentT21
U.S. Open3WDT145
The Open Championship1T618T24CUT1T16T29
PGA Championship
Tournament1960196119621963196419651966196719681969
Masters Tournament
U.S. Open
The Open ChampionshipCUTCUTCUTCUTCUT
PGA Championship
Tournament197019711972197319741975197619771978
Masters Tournament
U.S. Open
The Open ChampionshipCUTT49CUTCUTCUTCUTWDCUT
PGA Championship
Win
Top 10
Did not play
NT = No tournament
LA = Low amateur
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = Withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Sources: 1936 Amateur Championship,[26] 1937 Amateur Championship[27]
Summary
TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts made
Masters Tournament00001444
U.S. Open00255676
The Open Championship420712142816
PGA Championship00000033
Totals4221218244229
Most consecutive cuts made – 19 (1936 Open Championship – 1952 Masters)
Longest streak of top-10s – 5 (1949 U.S. Open – 1951 Open Championship)
Team appearances
South African Amateur Golf Team to England 1937.[5]:25
Canada Cup (representing South Africa): 1953, 1954, 1956, 1960
Slazenger Trophy (representing British Commonwealth and Empire): 1956
Hopkins Trophy (representing Canada): 1952, 1953, 1954
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not utilize a standardized playing area, and coping with the varied terrains encountered on different courses is a key part of the game. The game at the usual level is played on a course with an arranged progression of 18 holes, though recreational courses can be smaller, often having nine holes. Each hole on the course must contain a teeing ground to start from, and a putting green containing the actual hole or cup 4+1⁄4 inches (11 cm) in diameter. There are other standard forms of terrain in between, such as the fairway, rough (long grass), bunkers (or "sand traps"), and various hazards (water, rocks) but each hole on a course is unique in its specific layout and arrangement.
Golf is played for the lowest number of strokes by an individual, known as stroke play, or the lowest score on the most individual holes in a complete round by an individual or team, known as match play. Stroke play is the most commonly seen format at all levels, but most especially at the elite level.
The modern game of golf originated in 15th century Scotland. The 18-hole round was created at the Old Course at St Andrews in 1764. Golfs first major, and the worlds oldest tournament in existence, is The Open Championship, also known as the British Open, which was first played in 1860 at the Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire, Scotland. This is one of the four major championships in mens professional golf, the other three being played in the United States: The Masters, the U.S. Open, and the PGA Championship.
Contents
1Origin and history
2Golf course
3Play of the game
4Rules and regulations
4.1Penalties
5Equipment
6Stroke mechanics
6.1Stance
6.2Strokes
6.3Musculature
6.4Types of putting
7Scoring and handicapping
7.1Par
7.1.1Scoring
7.2Basic forms of golf
7.2.1Match play
7.2.2Stroke play
7.3Other formats of play
7.3.1Bogey or par competition
7.3.2Stableford
7.3.3Basic pairs formats
7.3.4Team formats
7.4Handicap systems
8Popularity
8.1Golf courses worldwide
9Professional golf
9.1Instruction
9.2Golf tours
9.3Mens major championships
9.4Womens major championships
9.5Senior major championships
9.6Olympic Games
10Women
11International events
12See also
13References
14External links
Origin and history
Main article: History of golf
The Xuande Emperor of the Ming dynasty playing chuiwan
While the modern game of golf originated in 15th-century Scotland, the games ancient origins are unclear and much debated.
Some historians[3] trace the sport back to the Roman game of paganica, in which participants used a bent stick to hit a stuffed leather ball. One theory asserts that paganica spread throughout Europe as the Romans conquered most of the continent, during the first century BC, and eventually evolved into the modern game.[4]
Others cite chuiwan (捶丸; "chui" means striking and "wan" means small ball)[5] as the progenitor, a Chinese game played between the eighth and fourteenth centuries.[6] A Ming Dynasty scroll by the artist Youqiu dating back to 1368 entitled "The Autumn Banquet" shows a member of the Chinese Imperial court swinging what appears to be a golf club at a small ball with the aim of sinking it into a hole.[5] The game is thought to have been introduced into Europe during the Middle Ages.[7]
The MacDonald boys playing golf, attributed to William Mosman. 18th century, National Galleries of Scotland.
Another early game that resembled modern golf was known as cambuca in England and chambot in France.[7] The Persian game chowkan is another possible ancient origin, albeit being more polo-like. In addition, kolven (a game involving a ball and curved bats) was played annually in Loenen, Netherlands, beginning in 1297, to commemorate the capture of the assassin of Floris V, a year earlier.
The modern game originated in Scotland, where the first written record of golf is James IIs banning of the game in 1457, as an unwelcome distraction to learning archery.[8] James IV lifted the ban in 1502 when he became a golfer himself, with golf clubs first recorded in 1503–1504: "For golf clubbes and balles to the King that he playit with".[9] To many golfers, the Old Course at St Andrews, a links course dating to before 1574, is considered to be a site of pilgrimage.[10] In 1764, the standard 18-hole golf course was created at St Andrews when members modified the course from 22 to 18 holes.[11] Golf is documented as being played on Musselburgh Links, East Lothian, Scotland as early as 2 March 1672, which is certified as the oldest golf course in the world by Guinness World Records.[12][13] The oldest surviving rules of golf were compiled in March 1744 for the Company of Gentlemen Golfers, later renamed The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, which was played at Leith, Scotland.[14] The worlds oldest golf tournament in existence, and golfs first major, is The Open Championship, which was first played on 17 October 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club, in Ayrshire, Scotland, with Scottish golfers winning the earliest majors.[15] Two Scotsmen from Dunfermline, John Reid and Robert Lockhart, first demonstrated golf in the U.S. by setting up a hole in an orchard in 1888, with Reid setting up Americas first golf club the same year, Saint Andrews Golf Club in Yonkers, New York.[16]
Golf course
Aerial view of the Golfplatz Wittenbeck in Mecklenburg, Germany
The Tammer Golf Course in the Ruotula district of Tampere, Finland.
Main article: Golf course
A golf course consists of either 9 or 18 holes, each with a teeing ground or "tee box" that is set off by two markers showing the bounds of the legal tee area, fairway, rough and other hazards, and the putting green surrounded by the fringe with the pin (normally a flagstick) and cup.
The levels of grass are varied to increase difficulty, or to allow for putting in the case of the green. While many holes are designed with a direct line-of-sight from the teeing area to the green, some holes may bend either to the left or to the right. This is commonly called a "dogleg", in reference to a dogs knee. The hole is called a "dogleg left" if the hole angles leftwards and "dogleg right" if it bends right. Sometimes, a holes direction may bend twice; this is called a "double dogleg".
A regular golf course consists of 18 holes, but nine-hole courses are common and can be played twice through for a full round of 18 holes.[17][18]
Early Scottish golf courses were primarily laid out on links land, soil-covered sand dunes directly inland from beaches. The word "links" derives from the Scots language and the Old English word hlinc ("rising ground, ridge"): traditionally these are coastal sand dunes but sometimes open parkland.[19] This gave rise to the term "golf links", particularly applied to seaside courses and those built on naturally sandy soil inland.[20]
The first 18-hole golf course in the United States was on a sheep farm in Downers Grove, Illinois, in 1892. The course is still there today.[21]
Play of the game
1=teeing ground, 2=water hazard, 3=rough, 4=out of bounds, 5=sand bunker, 6=water hazard, 7=fairway, 8=putting green, 9=flagstick, 10=hole
Every round of golf is based on playing a number of holes in a given order. A "round" typically consists of 18 holes that are played in the order determined by the course layout. Each hole is played once in the round on a standard course of 18 holes. The game can be played by any number of people, although a typical group playing will have 1–4 people playing the round. The typical amount of time required for pace of play for a 9-hole round is two hours and four hours for an 18-hole round.
Playing a hole on a golf course is initiated by putting a ball into play by striking it with a club on the teeing ground (also called the tee box, or simply the tee). For this first shot on each hole, it is allowed but not required for the golfer to place the ball on a tee prior to striking it. A tee is a small peg that can be used to elevate the ball slightly above the ground up to a few centimetres high. Tees are commonly made of wood but may be constructed of any material, including plastic. Traditionally, golfers used mounds of sand to elevate the ball, and containers of sand were provided for the purpose. A few courses still require sand to be used instead of peg tees, to reduce litter and reduce damage to the teeing ground. Tees help reduce the interference of the ground or grass on the movement of the club making the ball easier to hit, and also places the ball in the very centre of the striking face of the club (the "sweet spot") for better distance.
When the initial shot on a hole is intended to move the ball a long distance, typically more than 225 yards (210 m), the shot is commonly called a "drive" and is generally made with a long-shafted, large-headed wood club called a "driver". Shorter holes may be initiated with other clubs, such as higher-numbered woods or irons. Once the ball comes to rest, the golfer strikes it again as many times as necessary using shots that are variously known as a "lay-up", an "approach", a "pitch", or a "chip", until the ball reaches the green, where he or she then "putts" the ball into the hole (commonly called "sinking the putt" or "holing out"). The goal of getting the ball into the hole ("holing" the ball) in as few strokes as possible may be impeded by obstacles such as areas of longer grass called "rough" (usually found alongside fairways), which both slows any ball that contacts it and makes it harder to advance a ball that has stopped on it; "doglegs", which are changes in the direction of the fairway that often require shorter shots to play around them; bunkers (or sand traps); and water hazards such as ponds or streams.[17]
In stroke play competitions played according to strict rules, each player plays their ball until it is holed no matter how many strokes that may take. In match play it is acceptable to simply pick up ones ball and "surrender the hole" after enough strokes have been made by a player that it is mathematically impossible for the player to win the hole. It is also acceptable in informal stroke play to surrender the hole after hitting three strokes more than the "par" rating of the hole (a "triple bogey" – see below); while technically a violation of Rule 3–2, this practice speeds play as a courtesy to others, and avoids "runaway scores", excessive frustration and injuries caused by overexertion.
The total distance from the first teeing ground to the 18th green can be quite long; total yardages "through the green" can be in excess of 7,000 yards (6.4 km), and when adding in the travel distance between the green of one hole and the tee of the next, even skilled players may easily travel five miles (8 km) or more during a round. At some courses, electric golf carts are used to travel between shots, which can speed-up play and allows participation by individuals unable to walk a whole round. On other courses players generally walk the course, either carrying their bag using a shoulder strap or using a "golf trolley" for their bag. These trolleys may or may not be battery assisted. At many amateur tournaments including U.S. high school and college play, players are required to walk and to carry their own bags, but at the professional and top amateur level, as well as at high-level private clubs, players may be accompanied by caddies, who carry and manage the players equipment and who are allowed by the rules to give advice on the play of the course.[22] A caddies advice can only be given to the player or players for whom the caddie is working, and not to other competing players.
Rules and regulations
Main article: Rules of golf
Arnold Palmer in 1953
The rules of golf are internationally standardised and are jointly governed by The R&A, spun off in 2004 from The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (founded 1754), and the United States Golf Association (USGA).[23][24] With the aim of simplifying the rules, in 2017 the USGA and R&A undertook a complete rewrite.[25] The new rule book came into effect in January 2019.[26]
The underlying principle of the rules is fairness. As stated on the back cover of the official rule book:
Play the ball as it lies, play the course as you find it, and if you cannot do either, do what is fair.
There are strict regulations regarding the amateur status of golfers.[27] Essentially, anybody who has ever received payment or compensation for giving instruction, or played golf for money, is not considered an amateur and may not participate in competitions limited solely to amateurs. However, amateur golfers may receive expenses that comply with strict guidelines and they may accept non-cash prizes within the limits established by the Rules of Amateur Status.
In addition to the officially printed rules, golfers also abide by a set of guidelines called golf etiquette. Etiquette guidelines cover matters such as safety, fairness, pace of play, and a players obligation to contribute to the care of the course. Though there are no penalties for breach of etiquette rules, players generally follow the rules of golf etiquette in an effort to improve everyones playing experience.
Penalties
Main article: Penalty (golf)
Penalty strokes are incurred in certain situations and are counted towards a players score as if there were extra swing(s) at the ball. Either one or two strokes are added for most rule infractions or for taking relief from various situations, with the "general penalty" defined as two-strokes, and disqualification for severe or repeated rule breaches. Examples include:
A lost ball or a ball hit out of bounds (OB) results in a penalty of one stroke and distance (Rule 18.2).
With the exception of certain circumstances, a one-stroke penalty is assessed if a player causes their ball to move (Rule 9.4).
A one-stroke penalty is assessed if a player elects to take relief when their ball comes to rest within a red or yellow penalty area (Rule 17), or from an unplayable lie (Rule 19).
A two-stroke penalty is incurred for making a stroke at the wrong ball (Rule 6.3c).
A two-stroke penalty is incurred for hitting a fellow players ball if both balls lay on the green prior to the stroke (Rule 11.1a).
Disqualification can result from cheating, signing for a lower score, or failing to adhere to one or more rules that lead to improper play.[28]
Equipment
Main article: Golf equipment
A wood positioned ready to be swung and to strike a golf ball
Golf clubs are used to hit the golf ball. Each club is composed of a shaft with a lance (or "grip") on the top end and a club head on the bottom. Long clubs, which have a lower amount of degree loft, are those meant to propel the ball a comparatively longer distance, and short clubs a higher degree of loft and a comparatively shorter distance. The actual physical length of each club is longer or shorter, depending on the distance the club is intended to propel the ball.
Golf clubs have traditionally been arranged into three basic types. Woods are large-headed, long-shafted clubs meant to propel the ball a long distance from relatively "open" lies, such as the teeing ground and fairway. Of particular importance is the driver or "1-wood", which is the lowest lofted wood club, and in modern times has become highly specialized for making extremely long-distance tee shots, up to 300 yards (270 m), or more, in a professional golfers hands. Traditionally these clubs had heads made of a hardwood, hence the name, but virtually all modern woods are now made of metal such as titanium, or of composite materials. Irons are shorter-shafted clubs with a metal head primarily consisting of a flat, angled striking face. Traditionally the clubhead was forged from iron; modern iron clubheads are investment-cast from a steel alloy. Irons of varying loft are used for a variety of shots from virtually anywhere on the course, but most often for shorter-distance shots approaching the green, or to get the ball out of tricky lies such as sand traps. The third class is the putter, which evolved from the irons to create a low-lofted, balanced club designed to roll the ball along the green and into the hole. Putters are virtually always used on the green or in the surrounding rough/fringe. A fourth class, called hybrids, evolved as a cross between woods and irons, and are typically seen replacing the low-lofted irons with a club that provides similar distance, but a higher launch angle and a more forgiving nature.
A maximum of 14 clubs is allowed in a players bag at one time during a stipulated round. The choice of clubs is at the golfers discretion, although every club must be constructed in accordance with parameters outlined in the rules. (Clubs that meet these parameters are usually called "conforming".) Violation of these rules can result in disqualification.
The exact shot hit at any given time on a golf course, and which club is used to accomplish the shot, are always completely at the discretion of the golfer; in other words, there is no restriction whatsoever on which club a golfer may or may not use at any time for any shot.
Golf balls are spherical, usually white (although other colours are allowed), and minutely pock-marked by dimples that decrease aerodynamic drag by increasing air turbulence around the ball in motion, which delays "boundary layer" separation and reduces the drag-inducing "wake" behind the ball, thereby allowing the ball to fly farther.[29] The combination of a soft "boundary layer" and a hard "core" enables both distance and spin.
A tee is allowed only for the first stroke on each hole, unless the player must hit a provisional tee shot or replay their first shot from the tee.
Many golfers wear golf shoes with metal or plastic spikes designed to increase traction, thus allowing for longer and more accurate shots.
A golf bag is used to transport golf clubs and the players other or personal equipment. Golf bags have several pockets designed for carrying equipment and supplies such as tees, balls, and gloves. Golf bags can be carried, pulled on a trolley or harnessed to a motorized golf cart during play. Golf bags usually have both a hand strap and shoulder strap for carrying, others may be carried over both shoulders like a backpack, and often bags have retractable legs that allow the bag to stand upright when at rest.
Stroke mechanics
A golfer takes an approach shot on the fairway.
Main article: Golf swing
The golf swing is outwardly similar to many other motions involving swinging a tool or playing implement, such as an axe or a baseball bat. However, unlike many of these motions, the result of the swing is highly dependent on several sub-motions being properly aligned and timed. These ensure that the club travels up to the ball in line with the desired path; that the clubface is in line with the swing path; and that the ball hits the centre or "sweet spot" of the clubface. The ability to do this consistently, across a complete set of clubs with a wide range of shaft lengths and clubface areas, is a key skill for any golfer, and takes a significant effort to achieve.
Stance
Stance refers to how the golfer positions themselves in order to play a stroke; it is fundamentally important in being able to play a stroke effectively. The stance adopted is determined by what stroke is being played. All stances involve a slight crouch. This allows for a more efficient striking posture whilst also isometrically preloading the muscles of the legs and core; this allows the stroke to be played more dynamically and with a greater level of overall control. When adopting their stance golfers start with the non-dominant side of the body facing the target (for a right-hander, the target is to their left). Setting the stance in regard to the position of the ball, and placing the clubhead behind the ball, is known as being at address; when in this position the players body and the centerline of the club face are positioned parallel to the desired line of travel, with the feet either perpendicular to that line or slightly splayed outward. The feet are commonly shoulder-width apart for middle irons and putters, narrower for short irons and wider for long irons and woods. The ball is typically positioned more to the "front" of the players stance (closer to the leading foot) for lower-lofted clubs, with the usual ball position for a drive being just behind the arch of the leading foot. The ball is placed further "back" in the players stance (toward the trailing foot) as the loft of the club to be used increases. Most iron shots and putts are made with the ball roughly centered in the stance, while a few mid- and short-iron shots are made with the ball slightly behind the centre of the stance to ensure consistent contact between the ball and clubface, so the ball is on its way before the club continues down into the turf.
Strokes
The golfer chooses a golf club, grip, and stroke appropriate to the distance:
The "drive" or "full swing" is used on the teeing ground and fairway, typically with a wood or long iron, to produce the maximum distance capable with the club. In the extreme, the windup can end with the shaft of the club parallel to the ground above the players shoulders.
The "approach" or "3/4 swing" is used in medium- and long-distance situations where an exact distance and good accuracy is preferable to maximum possible distance, such as to place the ball on the green or "lay up" in front of a hazard. The windup or "backswing" of such a shot typically ends up with the shaft of the club pointing straight upwards or slightly towards the player.
The "chip" or "half-swing" is used for relatively short-distance shots near the green, with high-lofted irons and wedges. The goal of the chip is to land the ball safely on the green, allowing it to roll out towards the hole. It can also be used from other places to accurately position the ball into a more advantageous lie. The backswing typically ends with the head of the club between hip and head height.
The "putt" is used in short-distance shots on or near the green, typically made with the eponymous "putter", although similar strokes can be made with medium to high-numbered irons to carry a short distance in the air and then roll (a "bump and run"). The backswing and follow-through of the putt are both abbreviated compared to other strokes, with the head of the club rarely rising above the knee. The goal of the putt is usually to put the ball in the hole, although a long-distance putt may be called a "lag" and is made with the primary intention of simply closing distance to the hole or otherwise placing the ball advantageously.
Having chosen a club and stroke to produce the desired distance, the player addresses the ball by taking their stance to the side of it and (except when the ball lies in a hazard) grounding the club behind the ball. The golfer then takes their backswing, rotating the club, their arms and their upper body away from the ball, and then begins their swing, bringing the clubhead back down and around to hit the ball. A proper golf swing is a complex combination of motions, and slight variations in posture or positioning can make a great deal of difference in how well the ball is hit and how straight it travels. The general goal of a player making a full swing is to propel the clubhead as fast as possible while maintaining a single "plane" of motion of the club and clubhead, to send the clubhead into the ball along the desired path of travel and with the clubhead also pointing that direction.
Accuracy and consistency are typically stressed over pure distance. A player with a straight drive that travels only 220 yards (200 m) will nevertheless be able to accurately place the ball into a favourable lie on the fairway, and can make up for the lesser distance of any given club by simply using "more club" (a lower loft) on their tee shot or on subsequent fairway and approach shots. However, a golfer with a drive that may go 280 yards (260 m) but often does not fly straight will be less able to position their ball advantageously; the ball may "hook", "pull", "draw", "fade", "push" or "slice" off the intended line and land out of bounds or in the rough or hazards, and thus the player will require many more strokes to hole out.
Musculature
A golf stroke uses the muscles of the core (especially erector spinae muscles and latissimus dorsi muscle when turning), hamstring, shoulder, and wrist. Stronger muscles in the wrist can prevent them from being twisted during swings, whilst stronger shoulders increase the turning force. Weak wrists can also transmit the force to elbows and even neck and lead to injury. (When a muscle contracts, it pulls equally from both ends and, to have movement at only one end of the muscle, other muscles must come into play to stabilize the bone to which the other end of the muscle is attached.) Golf is a unilateral exercise that can break body balances, requiring exercises to keep the balance in muscles.[30][31]
Types of putting
Putting is considered to be the most important component of the game of golf. As the game of golf has evolved, there have been many different putting techniques and grips that have been devised to give golfers the best chance to make putts. When the game originated, golfers would putt with their dominant hand on the bottom of the grip and their weak hand on top of the grip. This grip and putting style is known as "conventional". There are many variations of conventional including overlap, where the golfer overlaps the off hand index finger onto off the dominant pinky; interlock, where the offhand index finger interlocks with the dominant pinky and ring finger; double or triple overlap and so on.[32] Recently, "cross handed" putting has become a popular trend amongst professional golfers and amateurs. Cross handed putting is the idea that the dominant hand is on top of the grip where the weak hand is on the bottom. This grip restricts the motion in your dominant hand and eliminates the possibility of wrist breakdowns through the putting stroke.[33]
Other notable putting styles include "the claw", a style that has the grip directly in between the thumb and index finger of the dominant hand while the palm faces the target.[34] The weak hand placed normally on the putter. An.
2024 LETTRES LÉGENDE DU GOLF TOLLEY APPARTENANT À ET LETTRE MRS BOBBY LOCKE PGA VINTAGE
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