Golf Through the Ages Part 2
The popularity golf gained during the Industrial Revolution, had another favourable impact on the game which would lead it to even greater heights. Golfing Equipment, which until this point in time had been very expensive, began to be mass produced using
the much cheaper materials of metal for the clubs and gutta percha for the balls. Thus golf, the game of choice of the rich and famous, now became accessible to the average man.
Although golf had been gaining popularity in different countries, there had been no major national championship until 1860.This was the time when the legends were born, with Old Tom Morris winning three championships in 1862, 1864 and 1867. Later his son
Young Tom Morris set the record for winning four consecutive titles from 1869 onwards. The Great Triumvirate was the name given to these two men along with James Braid.
Today Tiger Woods is one of the richest men in the world, earning an eye- popping $105 million according to Forbes and we aren’t even counting his numerous estates and that new multi-million dollar mansion of his yet. The state of affairs was very different
in the 1800’s and may we add quite dreary for our poor golfer brethren of the past. Very few events, such as the British Open, were sponsored and professional golfers mainly earned through placing bets against their opponents. Other common forms of making
money were through tuition, making balls and clubs and caddying.
On the foreign front, India and the USA were the first two countries where golf developed as a competitive sport on a rate that matched the UK. The Amateur Golf Championship of India and the East in 1893 was the first international golf tournament. After
the United States Golf Association was established as a regulatory body in 1894; The US Open and the US Ladies Amateur Open were inaugurated in 1895.
With its growing popularity came media attention and sponsorships which further improved the games profile. Golf, The firstly monthly magazine on the sport started publishing in 1897. The USA became the hub of professional golf due to an extensive number
of commercially sponsored events taking place in the region. However, even at this point the most prestigious competitions were hosted by the United Kingdom.
What really left golf’s mark on the globe was its inclusion in the Olympics in 1900.
The 20th century also brought along many technological developments; such as the rubber cored ball, grooved-faced irons, the dimpled ball and the steel shafted clubs, all designed for the purpose of greater accuracy and range.
In 1916, The Professional Golfers Association was formed, initially having only a winter calendar. By 1944 though, the tour began to be played throughout the year, with 22 separate events.
The emergence of different clubs and sets of rules caused a great deal of dissent in the golfing community for around 30 years. In 1951, a common set of rules was established ending the disputes in a very effective manner; however, the issue about the weight
and size of the golf ball remained a problem till 1988. Today the R&A and USGA are collective regulatory bodies of international golf and they hold meetings every four years to decide the future fate of the game. Let us hope that this development prevents
our favourite sport from ever experiencing another hiatus.
This era gave birth to many golfing legends such as the American Bobby Jones and Sir Henry Cotton who won three consecutive British Opens. The most prominent player perhaps was the infamous Walter Hagen. With four consecutive British Open wins under his
belt, he was more recognized for his eccentric ways like hiring, as a changing room, a Rolls Royce and giving his caddies all the prize money from his British Open win.
Women golfers also gained global attention with Joyce Wethered winning five consecutive English Ladies Championships in 1924 and Glenna Collett Vare, who won six US Women’s Amateur tournaments. The greatest woman golfer of the time has to Mildred “Babe”
Didrikson Zaharias. She won the US Women’s Amateur, The Women’s British Amateur and three Women’s Opens and that too only after retiring form career in athletics which won her three gold medal and world records.
After the World War II ended and golf began its journey on the road to recovery almost all the players of note chose to play in America only due to the substantial prize money. The R&A, soon after this development, raised its prize money to and brought back
players to Europe.
The 1960’s saw a Modern Triumvirate consisting of the legends that are Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus (said to have been surpassed only by the great Tiger Woods) and Gary Player. These greats dominated the game of golf by winning every major event that the
game had to offer.
Golf, indeed, can’t be compared to other normal earthly sports as Alan Shephard earned it a universal status when he hit a ball on the moon in 1971.
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