Golf Confessions

Sam Snead joined the tour in 1937.  This first year Sam won five tournaments and was runner-up in the US Open, one of four total runner-up finishes in the Open.  The US Open is the only major that Snead did not win, and this troubled Sam for the rest of his career.  Byron Nelson also won his first Masters tournament this year.

In this year the Vardon Trophy was awarded for the first time.  This trophy is given to the player for the lowest scoring average for the year.  And the first winner of this award was Harry Cooper. Cooper was also the leading money leader on tour that year with a total of $14,138.69. Harry Vardon whom the trophy was named after was a six time British Open Champion.  This is also the year that Harry Vardon died. 

1938 saw another break through for Snead in which he wins eight tournaments and sets a record for money earned on tour of $19,534.  As an example the players that tied for 13th this past week at The Wachovia Championship earned $22,428.  Anthony Kim made $1,152,000 for his victory, so Sam with his eight victories alone at this rate would have made $9,216,000.  Ben Hogan won his first PGA event this year at the Hershey Four-Ball with Vic Ghezzi as his partner.  Jimmy Demeret also wins his first PGA tournament with a victory at the San Francisco Open.

The fourteen club rule is adopted in 1939 by the R&A.  Sam Snead suffers another heart break when he takes a 8 on the final hole of the US Open, this knocks Sam out of the lead and cost him a playoff that is won by Byron Nelson.

This year saw the birth of two of the all time great players, Lee Trevino and Kathy Whitworth.

In 1940 the war in Europe starts to effect the golf world with the cancellation of the Walker Cup, British Amateur and the British Open.  Ben Hogan wins his first solo PGA event, The North-South Open.  Lloyd Mangrum wins the first of his 36 PGA events.  Ben Hogan is the official money leader on tour with $10,655.

1940 saw the birth of Jack Nicklaus and the death of Horace Rawlins the winner of the first US Open.

In 1941 St. Andrews suspends play and allows sheep to graze and prowl the old course fairways.  Ben Hogan is again the leading money winner with $18,358.  And Craig Wood wins the Masters and US Open.  As a peice of trivia Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead finish 1-2-3 in the Miami Open.

1942 saw a very limited schedule by the PGA.  The government stopped the manufacture of golf equipment and the rationing of material.  The majors had only two champions, The Masters won by Byron Nelson and the PGA was won by Sam Snead after he received a delay of induction into the Navy so he could play.  Nelson beat Hogan (69 to 70) to win the Masters.

Ben Hogan once again is the leading money leader with $13,143.  And the golf community looses a great architect in A. W. Tillinghast.  “Tillie the Terror”  as he was known was responsible for such great courses as Bethpage Black, Baltimore CC, Ridge Wood CC, Winged Foot, Quaker Ridge and two great courses at Baltusrol Golf Club.

In 1943 only three events are played on the PGA.    The Masters is cancelled for the remaining war years and Augusta National is shut down and a small herd of cattle roam the fairways.  There are no majors played this year.  No stats are kept for this year and there is no official money winner. 

Sandra Haynie, winner of 42 LPGA events is born this year.  Ted Ray winner of the 1912 British Open and 1920 US Open dies this year.

Byron Nelson wins the Texas Victory Open in 1944 which will eventually carry Byrons name as the official title.  Nelson is the leading money leader with $37,967 in war bonds.

1945 was the year of all years for Lord Byron Nelson.  Nelson won 18 tournaments of which 11 were in a row.  Byron wins $63,335 in war bonds.  Again, look at the money that Anthony Kim won for one tournament this past week $1,152,000.  Thank you TV!!!!!! and big time sponsors.  These old guys could really play- this year Hogan had set a 72 hole record of 261 and Nelson breaks this record a couple weeks later with a 259.

Babe Zaharias plays in three PGA events this year and finishes 33rd at Phoenix and 42nd at Tuscon.  Babe is thought to be the greatest female athlete ever. 

In 1946 at the tender age of 34 Byron Nelson retires from competitive golf with six victories.  Ben Hogan wins 13 times on the PGA and leads in money with  $42,556.16.  Hogan wins the PGA and looses the US Open and The Masters by one stroke. 

Sam Snead played in the British Open at St Andrews and when passing the old course on a train Sam comments “That looks like an old, abandoned golf course.” he goes on to win the British Open.

As you can see the game has been through a lot and those that did so much for the game that we enjoy today are to be thanked.

This week most of the best players in the world will be in Sawgrass playing The Players Championship.  The players feel that this tournament is a fifth major.  The course is one of the toughest played all year and the field is as good as it gets for any major. 

The last three holes on Sunday can give the leaders a real lump in their throats and  the pursurers know that they still have a chance.  Number seventeen is one of the most feared holes on a Sunday afternoon.  All of the players know that seventeen can make or break the day.  Len Mattice had his problems on Sunday at this hole a few years back.  He hit three balls in the water and fell off the leader board.  And Jeff Sluman had an unfortunate situation on this hole one Sunday when he was in contention for the win.  As Jeff got ready to putt, a spectator on a dare dove into the water that surrounds the island green.  After several minutes to remove the over jealous fan, Jeff proceeded to miss his putt.

Number sixteen is a reachable par five and can offer the player in need of a birdie or eagle an opportunity to gain some valuable ground on the leaders.  The number eithteen is one of the toughest par fours the players will play all year.  The left side is protected by water down the left side the entire length of the hole.  Unfortunately the players do not have a bail out to the right because of the trees and rough.  A shot to the right will require a lay up and the player is forced to rely on his short game to scramble for par.

The TPC at Sawgrass has some birdie holes, but most of the holes have some big numbers waiting for the errant shot.  The golf course is tree lined and water comes into play on many of the holes.  Pete Dye made this an extremely tough test, as it should be for The Players Championship.  Phil Mickelson is the defending champion this week.  Tiger Woods will not be in the field, still recovering from his knee surgery.

Dean Beman is the man that was instrumental in the creation of the TPC course.  At the time Dean was the commissioner of the tour and he invisioned the creation of the TPC out of the swamps where the course is located today.  The course has been been through many updates and rebuilds.