Newsletter from the Society of Hickory Golfers Golf with Hickory Golf Clubs

(This newsletter is published 8 times a year - or as often as events warrant it. See schedule at the end of the newsletter)

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Presidents Message

Well where has the year gone. I just finished playing in the first ever Arkansas Hickory Open at the Country Club of Little Rock. This magnificent course was first constructed in 1902. It has had some redesign work over the years but the terrain and the green complexes are outstanding. Breck Speed did a fantastic job getting the event staged and for those of us that were there we had a most enjoyable time. jot down the first part of October for the 2007 Arkansas Hickory Open.

Next on the Fall Swing is the Mid Pines/Pine Needles events in Southern pines. This is simply a must for all hickory golfers. great golf on a Donald Ross course and a chance to meet other hickory players. There will be a trade fair and exposition at Pine Needles. This weekend in the Southern pines/Pinehurst area is the Golf Heritage weekend and is something for all lovers of golf heritage to see.

Following on the heels of the Mid Pines week is the Golf Collectors Annual Convention in Las Vegas. If you have not made plans to be there I am sure you can still get your accommodations arranged and convention registration.

It has been reported that Carol and I along with our 3 Labs and two cats will be moving to Selma, Alabama. Well it is true. We will be there the first week of December. Our new address is 511 Selma Avenue Selma, AL 36701. If you are ever in our neighborhood please stop by and see us.

Portrait

William St. Clair of Roslin

William St. Clair of Roslin was born in 1700, and married Cordelia, daughter of Sir George Wishart of Clifton Hall, but his family all died young. About 1735, having parted with all his estates, or what remained of them, he considered that he ought to surrender the office of Grand Master Mason of Scotland, which had been hereditary in his family for centuries. Accordingly, on St. Andrew's Day, 1736, he resigned, but the representatives of thirty-two lodges, while receiving the resignation, elected St. Clair himself their Grand Master, and constituted themselves into the Grand Lodge of Scotland.

Sir Walter Scott, in "Provincial Antiquities," thus describes him:— A man considerably above six feet, with dark-grey locks, a form upright, but gracefully so, thin-flanked and broad-shouldered, built, it would seem, for the business of the war or the chase; a noble eye of chastened pride and undoubting authority, and features handsome and striking in their general effect, though somewhat harsh and exaggerated when considered in detail. His complexion was dark and grizzled, and, as we schoolboys who crowded to see him perform feats of strength and skill in the old Scottish games of golf and archery used to think and say amongst ourselves, the whole figure resembled the famous founder of the Douglas race. . . . In all the manly sports which require strength and dexterity Roslin was unrivalled; but his peculiar delight was in archery. Scott then goes on to say that it was Roslin's custom to announce to every candidate admitted into the Royal Company of Archers that he became member of a body privileged to act as the King's Bodyguard should his Majesty ever visit his ancient metropolis. Scott also tells us that when Roslin was buried in the chapel the bases of the pillars "were slightly indented, to make room for his corpse, in consequence of his uncommon stature."

This personal testimony of Sir Walter as to St. Clair's excellency at golf and archery is interesting, and shows that he retained his play up to a late period in life; for Sir Walter was not born till 1771, and St. Clair died, if the date be correctly given, in 1778.

In 1763 his signature first appears in our minutes; in 1764 he wins the Silver Club in 121 strokes. This, it must be remembered, was for twenty-two holes. A simple calculation shows that this is equivalent to a score of 99 for eighteen holes— surely an excellent performance for a man of sixty-four, playing with feather balls, and with the uncompromising clubs of which specimens are to be seen in the réliquaire of the Royal and Ancient! Among the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, whose headquarters at that time were at Leith, St. Clair was also a man of mark. In 1771 they commissioned Sir George Chalmers to paint his portrait, full length, in golfing dress. Mr. Clark says in a note—

This fine picture was disposed of at the sale of the club's effects in 1831. It is now in the hall of the Royal Company of Archers. Mr. St. Clair is in the costume of a golfer, with a round blue Scotch bonnet, and stands in the attitude of driving a ball from the tee. In 1761, and again in 1771, he was Captain of the Honorable Company; and in 1766 he won the Silver Club given by the town of Edinburgh. This was on third March, a spring meeting. In October of the same year we find him again to the front with a score of 103 at St. Andrews. Thus he probably won everything that he could win in the way of prizes in this successful year.

When "Old Tom" won a professional competition at the age of sixty-one, he was looked upon as a sort of rejuvenated Aeson, and the occurrence was deemed sufficiently remarkable as indeed it was; yet here, as we have seen, St. Clair adds five years to sixty-one, and is victorious all along the line. In 1768 the remarkable veteran wins again with a score of 106, this being his last appearance as a winner. Thus his three victories averaged 102 and a fraction, and they were gained at the ages of sixty-four, sixty-six, and sixty-eight. After this last year he still keeps going, so to speak, and is a regular competitor; but after 1776 the manuscript page knows him no more, his signature in that year, two years before his death, being pathetically shaky, as of one to whom "the gout, serpigo, and the rheum" were no strangers, but unwelcome concomitants of "palsied eld." And so we bid farewell to one for whom our sympathy—our admiration—can scarce fail to be aroused, separated though he be from our own time by a gap of well over a hundred years.

A photograph shows the winner in 1765 to have been the Honorable Francis Charteris, with 108.

Extract from A History of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club by H. S. C. Everard.

Editors Note: Browning in his 'A History of Golf', reports that it was rumored that St. Claire had employed 'one experienced in witchcraft' to get such great results at his advanced age!

News, Notes & Announcements

2007 NHC returns to Oakhurst

Pete Georgiady announced that the tenth National Hickory Championship would return to Oakhurst. The dates are the June 7, 8, 9, 2007. Details can be found on the National Hickory website - www.nationalhickory.com.

Southern Hickory Four Ball tournament relocates to Selma, Alabama

Tad Moore announced today that the Southern Hickory Four Ball tournament, the most popular 'kick-off' event for the Hickory year would relocate to Selma, Alabama. Dates for the tournament are March 30th and 31st, 2007. Practice would be on March 29th.

Tad and Carol are also moving to this location. The likely venue for the tournament is the Selma Country Club. This traditional course has not been altered in over ninety years and is a wonderful test of hickory golf.

10/6 - Zack Saltman wins World Hickory Championship

LOTHIANS teenager Zack Saltman proved that playing with old clubs is kids stuff as he won the World Hickory Open championship title over his home course of Craigielaw yesterday.

Decked out in plus-fours and playing with a set of five clubs pre-dating 1935, the 17-year-old took the step back in time in his stride and upstaged his older siblings, Lloyd and Elliot, as well as a host of Tartan Tour pros, with a four-under-par 67. More on the SoHG website www.hickorygolfers.com

10/1: Stockholm Hickory Greensome

This year's final event of the golfinks.se Tour - the Stockholm Hickory Greensome - was played at Stockholms Golf Club in light rain, with no wind - a typical Swedish autumn day. 17 pairs competed, most of them single figured handicap players. 8 pairs rented sets from SoHG member Owe Werner

Winners were first time hickory players, juniors Jesper Landen and Jim Akerstrom shooting the 5800 yds par 69 layout in a gross score of 70 (+1), which gave the winning Stableford score of 35 points. Due to the very good line-up massive drives were seen a'plenty. The record might have been the home club's pro Per Jacobsson who hit a 310 yds drive on the 17th. These Pro V1's are just awesome, or perhaps its the new installed gym at the club which is well frequented.

SoHG introduces 'new look' website

The SoHG has a 'new look' website. The main page has been changed to provide a portal to the world of hickory golf, and to provide new information from day to day.

The other changes are mainly in appearence, the aim being to give a 'cleaner' looking home page, and to highlight the 'resouce search' aspect of the web site. The colors have been updated to a less musty and more 'hickory' like look. The font has been changed from the venerable 'Verdana' font to a more readable 'Georgia' font.

Other pages have also been opened up to highlight the content rather than the SoHG logo. The content remains the same. The web site team hopes you like this new look which is designed to increase your enjoyment of the site content.

Recent Events

2006 World Hickory Championship October 6th

A brief report on the first World Hickory Pro-am and the second World Hickory Open, played on the magnificent Donald Steel-designed links at Craigielaw, Aberlady. This was a rip-roaring success and dates for next year will be confirmed shortly.

Both events were played in dry, breezy conditions, with the course set at approx. 6,000 yards. Pin positions on the Pro-am were set reasonably comfortably. On the following day, for the Open they were set in somewhat more difficult positions. The field for the Pro-am consisted of 32 teams (3 amateurs and a pro.). The winning team were East Lothian Council with a score of 62. (B.I.H.)

In second place were the team from Corney & Barrow (Wine Merchants with the Royal Warrant) with an equal score of 62.

You will be pleased to hear that in third place was a British Golf Collectors' team with a score of 63. They were Bob Strachan, pro from Duffhouse Royal and a member of the European Holy Grail team; Bill Mitchell from Royal Aberdeen ; Cameron Barrie, Kilspindie and yours truly, who just failed to hole the winning putt on the last green!!

The atmosphere was fantastic and built up all week prior to the event. Period dress was worn by both amateurs and pros and we were delighted to have Mike Stevens come over to support us along with Owe Werner from Stockholm.

Probably the most wonderful thing of all was the support of the three-times Ryder Cup Captain, Bernard Gallacher,O.B.E. who played on both days.

A Gala Dinner was held in the Clubhouse on Thursday evening, attended by over 100 guests who were treated to a superb speech by Donald Steel, President of the English Golf Union; R&A; golf architect; journalist and author. He spoke on the game of golf. The reply on behalf of the competitors and guests was by Professor David Purdie, arguably one of the great after-dinner speakers.

A full report will be forwarded to you at a later date ; probably one of the articles to be written in 'Golf International';' Golf Magazine' (U.S.A.); 'Links Magazine' and' World Golfer' by journalists somewhat more capable than myself.

P.S. Amongst the prizes won by Zack was a 100-year-old Willie Park iron, kindly donated by Archie Baird. Also in the Pro-am, the winning team received three 'gem' putters from Philip Knowles, the archivist at Royal Burgess Golfing Society.

Arkansas State Golf Association 2006 Hickory Open

October 22, 2006, Little Rock, AR

Neil Day was playing in the last group of the Arkansas Hickory Open with Jim Johnson and Ed McSpadden when he approached the number 8 tee at the Country Club of Little Rock. Neil was playing well but Jim was continuing his stellar performance of the previous day when he set the hickory course record at CCLR with a strong 76 over the hilly 6,000 yard layout. Ed, their playing partner, was also still in contention.

The perfect southern fall day had started quite cool when they teed off at 10:10 and the wind an hour and a half later was now gusting out of the northwest at fifteen miles an hour almost directly in the competitor’s faces. Number 8 at CCLR is a 448 yard par 5 with slight dogleg left. What increases the difficulty of this hole is the blind tee shot to a landing area which almost always leaves the golfer with a slightly downhill lie. The second shot of almost all hickory golfers would then be a mashie to the bottom of a hollow which would leave the golfer a ninety yard shot straight uphill to a multi-tiered green with treacherous sides. Going for this green in two shots, particularly in a high wind, was not for the faint of heart.

Neil hit one of his best shots of the day of the tournament from number 8 tee with his W.L. Ritchie driver. It shredded through the wind, got a good high bounce for additional yardage, and settled 210 yards from the center of the green. Eschewing caution he chose a Haynes driving cleek and hit a hard, wind-boring shot. It flew straight and true landing four feet from the back pin placement and stopped almost immediately. The eagle putt he made was practically an afterthought.

All three players are former college golfers. McFadden had professional touring experience before regaining amateur status, Day is now the lead assistant professional at CCLR, and Johnson played at Wake Forest. Day had made a statement at number 8 but there was a lot of golf yet to play between these experienced competitors.

The first to falter was McFadden who would finish tied at third for a two day total of 165 with Jason Palecek, a former club champion at CCLR, and Butch Wilhelm, a PGA professional from Lagrange, Georgia. It was left to Day and Johnson to battle it out to the final hole.

Even though Day had shown his moxie on number 8, it was in fact Johnson who had been steadiest throughout the second round. Coming into the last hole of the tournament, a 420 yard par five, Johnson had a one stroke lead and drove it well off the tee with the now following wind. Day had an equally strong drive landing on the downhill slope and rolling to within 160 yards of the sharply sloping green.

Johnson was the first to play his second shot into the green and hit his worst shot of the tournament into one of the several front greenside bunkers. The crowd surrounding the penultimate hole was aware of the score and let out an audible groan. Day sized up his opportunity, chose his Firth Mongrel mashie and – left his ball a miserable 50 feet short on the green’s fringe.

Johnson recovered reasonably well from the bunker but when the ball stopped rolling on the green it was a good 22 feet left of a hole with a great deal of break. He could still win but it would take one or even two extremely good putts.

Day was given another opportunity and was ready to take advantage. He was wearing the kilt of his ancestors and he was worried the gusting wind would make his choice of apparel tangle with his swing plane. So Neil tucked the folds of the kilt between his knees, swung his Maxwell mashie niblick smoothly at the ball. Day’s cleanly struck ball bounced, rolled and went cleaning into the hole! The crowd simply roared!

Neil shot a closing 76 tying Johnson’s hickory course record of the previous day. Combined with the 77 strokes of the first day, Day signed his card for a 153 total. Johnson finished 2nd with a total of 156.

Tad Moore, President of the Society of Hickory Golfers, finished 7th in the Order of Merit with a total of 168 and will be remembered forever at the Arkansas State Golf Association as the 1st Senior Champion of the Arkansas Open. Roy Gutierrez finished 2nd among the 55 and over class at 171 and Jay Brainard 3rd at 180.

Neil Day accepting Champions Trophy from Breck Speed, CEO of Tournament Sponsor Mountain Valley Water Company.

Neil Day’s Winning Bag

Upcoming Events

No event is highlighted at present. Please see the SoHG web site for details of events as they become available.

If you would like your event highlighted in our newsletter please e-mail the Newletter Editor. The next (July) Edition will be mailed about the middle or end of June

Regional News

Chagrin Valley Closing Day

We had our closing day on Oct 6th. The weather was wonderful for our event - a fine fall day as the photos testify. We kicked off in the morning with the final of the foursomes event between Messrs Koenig and Evans, and Boumphrey and Johnson. This proved to be a fine match with Koenig and Evans winning one up.

Lunch was specially catered with Scotch Broth and Fish and Chips! The afternoon event was a best net, best gross with a blind drawing for four-ball partner. Results were as follows.

At the evening meal Jim Chapman was the guest of honor, and presented the Jim Chapman Trophy to Champion Frank Boumphrey. (an article on Jim appears below.) Bill Cosgrove was master of ceremonies. A fine meal was provided by the Staff and everything was absolutely first class. Our thanks to the catering staff, and to Mike Heisterkamp and his staff for organizing such a fine event!

For many of us, our Hickory Sticks are not yet put away - look for us in some of the winter tournaments in southern climes!

Carolina Hickory Golf Association

If you would like your event added to the calendar please e-mail the fixtures Secretary

Archived Article

Bernard Darwin's account of the Ouimet, Vardon, Ray playoff

"I was however one of the very few Englishmen who saw the historic American contest, that at Brookline in 1913, in which Mr. Francis Ouimet played off the triple tie for the championship with Vardon and Ray and won it. I was Mr. Ouimet's marker, and my name is enshrined upon his card which ought to be in the archives in Washington. The match was such a remarkable one, and I remember its crucial moments so clearly, that I think it is worth while even now to set down some account of it.

"The course of the Country Club, for that is its official name, is not quite what we are here accustomed to think of as a championship course, but it is a very good sound course, nevertheless. The stranger's first impression is one of blank consternation, since he sees nothing but a large, flat field. This is the polo ground over which the first and last holes are played - good enough hole as far as the bunkers round the greens are concerned, but dull and depressing. There is very quickly a change, however, into much more billowing and interesting country, where there are belts of woodland on either side of the fairway, and at one or two holes little jutting promontories of rock here and there The woodland holes remind one of some of the Surrey courses, except that there is no sand or heather and the turf is rather of the park or meadow type. But it is good turf, and the greens are as good as they can be, with plenty of pace and undulations that are not too much exaggerated. Some of the holes, I confess, but a blurred outline now in my memory, but the two that come next door to one another remain very clear. One is the ninth, a long hole of terrifying and rather melodramatic appearance, where, after a tee shot down a valley there is a second shot rather uphill, only to be attempted by a big driver with a big wind behind him. On the hillside are rocks and big bunkers, and the careful player is short with his second, and so home in three. The tenth is a hole which seemed to me to have a good deal to do with the final result in the great match. It is quite a short hole, no more than a mashie-niblick shot in length, but it is quite uncompromising and the green looks horribly small from the tee. Everywhere there are woods and bunkers, and in front there is a small stream, and then a big bunker with a timbered face. There are plenty of other good holes - the seventeenth, for instance , that Mr. Ouimet twice played magnificently at the most crucial moments - but these are the two that stick in my head.

"Never did a course have worse weather to stand in a Championship. It rained and rained and went on raining, the air was cold and cheerless, and before the day of the tie came the ground was a dripping sop.

"On the last day of the Championship the play was extraordinarily exciting. The three men who ultimately tied all had fine chances, frittered them away in a variety of ways, and then recovered by courageous finishes. Ray started first in the morning to play the crucial third round: he went very crooked, took too many fives and a six or two, and was out in 41: then pulled himself together and came home grandly in 35. Vardon, too, took 41 out and began badly home: then finished very steadily and took 79, which made him equal with Ray for three rounds. Mr. Ouimet, playing much later, began brilliantly, had some disasters in the middle, and finished splendidly. He tied with the two Englishmen at 225, whereas Barnes, Hagen, and McDermott, who had all had good chances, were still a little way behind.

"When Mr. Ouimet finished his third round, Ray and Vardon were already playing their last. Both clearly felt the strain of supporting their country's honour against so big a field, and both made all sorts of mistakes on the way out that were enough to make the poor British spectator weep. But both again got hold of themselves and their emotions, and struggled home by sheer power of sticking to it in 79 apiece. Once more danger threatened from Barnes, Hagen, and McDermott, and once more they could not quite go the pace to the end. Mr. Ouimet with 78 to win had now the chance of gaining immortality, but for a while he seemed, as old Tom Morris once said of his son, "ower young." He was bunkered and bunkered again on the way out, and took 43 to the turn. Then came a five in place of a three at the short tenth and all seemed over. I remember, as I splashed out in the mud and rain to meet him, that I was already composing sentences to telegraph home, to the effect that he had fought a great fight but the burden had been just too heavy for him to bear. I had to alter all those kind and possibly condescending sentences. From the tenth hole onwards he threw off all trace of nervousness and played splendidly. Even so, the effort seemed too late, for he needed a three and a four at the last two holes to tie, and they were good "four" holes.

"At the seventeenth he played a fine iron shot and holed a three-yarder for his three, and pandemonium broke loose. I looked at the faces all round me grotesquely contorted with cheering and yelling, and I shall never forget the sight. Still the last hole was to come- two good shots across the muddy polo ground with a big cross-bunker in front of the green. The second shot, though well struck, had not much to spare, and a four was still difficult. Mr. Ouimet played a perfect little run up to within five feet: then, taking one short, confident look at the line, hit his ball slap into the middle of the hole.

"Heaven knows, this was exciting enough, but it was nothing to the next morning when the triple tie was played off over one round of eighteen holes. The rain still came down, and each player's caddie bore a towel to dry the grips of the clubs. Despite the wet the crowds came pouring out of Boston, so that the course was black with them. These were marshalled by a whole orchestra of megaphones, and by flagmen who looked very picturesque standing on the promontories of rock, red flags in hand. Certainly the spectators cheered frequently and freely, but in the circumstances they behaved, if I may say so, well and generously.

"Mr. Ouimet was then only about twenty years old. Before the Amateur Championship at Garden City some fortnight earlier he had hardly been known out of Boston. It was a tremendous test for him to have to stand up to these two professional giants in single combat and play shot for shot against them. I suppose that nobody would have been much surprised if he had failed to play his game, and the though uppermost in the minds of most competent critics when the game started was not so much "Will he sin?" as "Will he make a real fight of it?" I am not going to describe the game hole by hole, but this particular question was soon answered, so calmly did Mr. Ouimet play, so clearly had he got command of his muscles in the putting, so well did he keep up with his adversaries in the long game. At the third hole he outdrove both Ray and Vardon, had to watch them play fine, straight, long second shots on to the green, and then played a still better one himself. At that point he and Vardon were level and Ray, who took three putts, a stroke behind. The next two holes gave Mr. Ouimet a chance of breaking down, and he showed that he had no intention of doing so. At the fourth he pushed his tee shot into the edge of the rough, played a good shot out of it, and resolutely holed a missable putt for his four. At the fifth he put his second shot with a brassy out of bounds, and there was something of a gasp and a groan from the crowd. He dropped another ball, played a magnificent shot, and got a five. Neither of the other two could quite get a four and a dangerous moment was safely past. At the sixth Vardon holed a putt for three, at the seventh Ray did so: Mr. Ouimet stuck to his fours, and at the eighth he, too, got a three by laying a pitch stone-dead amid delirious cheering. Ray holed a long putt for three here, too, and all threw were now equal. All got their fives at the long and perilous ninth and were all square at the turn.

"Next came the tenth, the little "island" hole I described. All three were on the green, which was very soft and muddy. Vardon and Ray both had to putt over the holes in the green which their balls had made before jumping backwards. Both were some way short, and both needed three putts. Mr. Ouimet's balls was very muddy, but he got down in his two putts and took the lead. It was a critical moment, and after it he never let his lead go. At the twelfth he was two up. At the thirteenth Vardon got one back with a good pitch and putt. It seemed that some one must make a bad mistake soon, so hot was the pace, and it turned out to be Ray. He was bunkered at the fifteenth, took two to get out and was four strokes behind Mr. Ouimet. There was an end of him, but Vardon was still only one behind and he had the honour to the sixteenth, a not very easy short hole. He played a beauty to within six yards-a nasty one to go after, but Mr. Ouimet followed it well. He got his three and Vardon could do no better. Mr. Ouimet one stroke up on Vardon with two holes to play.

"The seventeenth settled it. Vardon, realising that desperate measures were necessary, tried a short cut straight for the hole and was trapped. He could do no better than five. Mr. Ouimet steered his tee shot perfectly to the right of the hazard, and with his second lay six yards from the hole.

"It was a downhill putt on a fast green. He might not, one though, put it dead. He did better, for he hit the ball perfectly truly and perfectly gently; it went trickling on and in and, just as on the day before at this same spot, there burst forth a shout of pure joy. It was all over now unless Mr. Ouimet fell down dead, for he had a lead of three strokes. He had the best of the drives to the last hole, and so had what must have been a trying wait. Ray put his second on the green: Vardon from a heavy lie went into the bunker. There was a pause, a clearing away of the crowd, and a practice swing with his iron by Mr. Ouimet. Bang went the ball-a perfect shot over the bunker from the moment it left the club. That ended it. He got his four easily, beat Vardon by five shots and Ray by six, and was swallowed up in the great, cheering crowd.

"There never was a better illustration of the fact that golfers can, as a rule, only play as well as their adversaries will let them. People at home thought that Ray and Vardon must have played badly to be beaten by so many strokes. They did play below their form on the second day of the Championship when they should not, I suppose, have allowed any one to catch them; but in the tie match they did nothing of the sort. Vardon certainly played very well indeed till the last two holes, when he lost some strokes in the natural and proper endeavour to make a spurt. Ray played well for the first fourteen holes, and if he failed then the pace was really tremendous. Mr. Ouimet's 72 in that weather and on that muddy course was just about as good a single round as ever was played. I thought then and I think now that it would have beaten anybody."

Wee Nip Contributions

The Spring addition is out, and what a great read it is. Congratulations to Jim and Buck for a magnificent job well done!. [download 'Wee Nip']

We are now looking for contributions for the fall issue, so fire up your word processors and send your contribition to Jim Davis at jdavis@gr-press.com.

Jim Writes "Letters, comments, small articles... all are welcome. Ask them to include photos of anything they might cover in their submission, i.e. a favorite club, course, player, etc."

Please support this effort, and let's make sure that the next "Wee Nip" is every bit as good as this one!

Letters to the Editor

A correction on the Niagara event run by Doug Marshall. The US won the 1st year it was played and Canada has won every time since.

We welcome letters and input on any subject related to hickory golf. Please address your letters to the editor.

Clubhouse Leader

Our website and this newletter, is celebrating its first aniversary, and so it is an occasion for reflection.

The web site has been growing and over the last year, and the content has mainly been driven by the requests of the users. As with any other major website, we do keep statistics. Traffic was slow to begin with, but over the last few months has been growing rapidly averaging a monthly increase of about 25%. This month we are on track to get about 100,000 hits. We should get our Millionth hit sometime in the beginning of March. Surprisingly the most popular pages are the pages where the archived news-letter is stored.

It is more difficult to get a handle on the newsletter. Certainly anecdotal feed-back has been favorable but the letters page has been disappointing in the sparcity of mail and reader response. Perhaps everyone is too busy playing golf! The only 'hard' statistics are a) Our circulation has quadrupled this year and b) There has only been a single request for removal from the list.

We are particularly on the lookout for writers, because when the bulk of the material is written by a single writer, we know only too well that the writing style, however refreshing initally will eventually jade! In the quest for fresh writers we are introducing some columnists. First out of the trap is Lionel Freedman who is a member of the European Golf Writers Association, and who wrote a weekly column for the Musselburgh Times. Other columnists are in the pipe-line! If you (or a loved one) wishes to try your hand please go ahead.

We will soon be sending out a survey to all our readers, but in the meantime we would welcome some feed-back, good bad, or indifferent, the type of articles you like and particularly we would welcome any suggestions as to how we could improve the magazine.

In My Opinion

(This e-mail thread came about in response to the ruling of the Equipment Committe of the SoHG on Hickory Shafted clubs. The ruling can be found at the end of this article. Editor).

With all due respect to the Equipment Committee and the Carolina Hickory Golf Association, having played both original and reproductions I question whether it is TRULY an even playing field. While I agree with the statement that the mission is to grow the game of hickory golf, when competition is involved the playing field (in my opinion) should be as even as possible. It seems to me that the reproductions are really new technology with a BRAND NEW hickory shaft. I will continue to play in any event that my schedule allows, but perhaps for the purists amongst our ranks we could at least consider having two divisions. I realize I am a newbie to this organization and my comments are not intended to offend ANYONE or the policy making body.

Touchy situation here, and before all of our email accounts overflow with niceties or venom please allow me the opportunity to voice my thoughts.

I'm done, but I think we all need to take a very open minded view of this and keep on meeting new friends and trying to grow our little niche and keep it as special as it is and as it seems to be heading.

Lets relish our hickory journeys, enjoy our hardy skinful of single malt with our fellow companions and be very thankful that our lips are above water!

Although, I stated I meant no offense in my statements, I would nonetheless like to retract my original comments. I obviously do not have enough background with the hickory game to question the Rules Committee or the Assocation in their decisions. I will continue to attempt to educate myself and read my replies 5X instead of 3X, prior to hitting the send button!!! However, in the mean time I will continue to enjoy this great game of golf and continue to concentrate as hard as I can on every shot that is struck. Oh by the way, I never was refering to myself as the purist. I am much more aggressive (as better suits my swing/game) with the reproduction clubs than with the "originals" and will continue as such.

I have been reading the emails concerning the conforming/non-conforming hickory golf equipment rules with great interest. Being an opinionated individual I can't help but reply. First of all, I believe Tad Moore and Louisville Golf/Mike Just (hereinafter Tad and Mike-I guess that's the lawyer in me) have done an outstanding job producing playable hickory golf clubs. Their efforts have generated substanial interest in the game the way it was played 80+ years ago. That can only be good for all that love the game. Having collected and played with the hickories for a number of years I realize how difficult it is to put together a superior playable set. Trial and error and the ability to work on them is part of the evolution of the set. Look at what Bobby Jones played with. Some of this and some of that, but he did find the right combination. We as players have come to realize that Tom Stewart did not make the only playable hickories. There are a number of other Scottish and American cleek makers represented in most of our bags. The Tad/Mike clubs are an easy beginning for those that don't go to golf collector shows, haunt flea markets or wait for the new container from Britain to arrive at the local antique mall. They are actually a real deal considering how much time and money we spend trying to find the right clubs. As many of you know, the right clubs do not exist for my game.

My concern is about the other hickories that might not receive approval. Please keep in mind that many old timers swore by that old hickory putter. Thus many manufacturers continued to make hickory shafted putters well into the 30's. Subsequent to that era a number of manufacturers (MacGregor, Wilson, Hogan, Ted Smith Otey Crisman, to name a few) made hickory shafted putters in each subsequent decade until now. If we are going to allow clubs made in the new millenium are we going to disallow those made with the same intentions 30, 40 or 50 years ago? If so the logic escapes me.

When steel shafts were approved in the 1920s a number of manufacturers retrofit their hickory heads with steel shafts to give their customers a choice. If you look at the old catalogues you will see that Spalding, MacGregor, Hagen, Wilson, Standard Golf and H&B (among others) offered the identical club (often woods, irons and putters) with either a hickory or steel shaft. I have owned a number of steel shafted large hosel clubs over the years that were obviously made for hickories. The same is true for a number of the woods that were offered (Duncan Models and numerous fancy faces). Is there anything wrong with pulling the steel shaft and putting a hickory shaft in the club? The rule makers are approving a new club that is made to look very old. What is wrong with an old and and authentic club that is old and made to look slightly older? Is logic lacking here gentlemen? I certainly hope that the rule making body for hickory golf does not become the snooty illogical USGA. Golf is for the masses (high handicap hackers) and not just for the elite scratch players as the USGA presumes.

Enough about rules. Many thanks to Bill and Doug (and Chris, John, Jay, et. al) for their originazational efforts in providing us hackers with a monthly venue to play with hickory clubs. I tell the many people I talk with all over the country about our monthly get togethers, They are amazed that we can get 15 to 30 people together on a montly basis.

With all due respect Bob's musings demonstrate what a slippery slope looks like. Why not let in the Oteys and even the steel cored Calloway wood shafts. After all I have a Bayless Steel cored "Morgan Shaft" Driver from the 20s. And steel shafted clubs were not unknown before 1920 how about a Lillywhite Frownes patent putter or a Lard "whistler". Let's let them in and then we can let in the coated shafts because they look like wood and they're pretty old. Then what the hell! You can't keep out steel shafts can you? Maybe we can draw the line at graphite. But then again wasn't that a fiberglass shaft Gary Player was using in the 70s [same time as steel]. In fairness we can't keep that out. And as long as we are into synthetics ,oops ,how do we keep graphite out?

Decisions of the Equipment Committee of the Society of Hickory Golfers
August 18, 2006
 
Tad Moore Golf Submissions for Approval:
 

The Equipment Committee of the Society of Hickory Golfers has examined 
two sets of reproduction hickory golf clubs which have been submitted 
by Tad Moore. One, is the “Tad Moore” line, and the second, is 
the “Tad Moore/Old Tom Morris” line. Based on personal inspection of 
woods and irons by each member of the Equipment Committee, 
both sets of golf clubs are approved forSOHG competitions which permit 
participation with reproduction hickory golf clubs.
 

Combined Era Clubs Prohibited:
 
A question has been submitted to the Equipment Committee in regard to the 
application of post-hickory era heads (which were made for steel shafts) 
to hickory shafts. Such assemblies will be referred to as “Combined Era Clubs.” 
The Equipment Committee believes Combined Era Clubs are counter to the spirit of 
competition with hickory shafted golf clubs, whether such clubs are authentic or 
approved reproductions. 
Therefore, Combined Era Clubs are not permitted for any competition which is 
sanctioned by the Society of Hickory Golfers.
 

Steel Core Shafts Prohibited:
 
A question has been submitted to the Equipment Committee in regard to the 
use of steel shafted golf clubs which are laminated with wood, plastic or 
other material giving a hickory appearance. Such laminated clubs are considered 
to be steel shafted and are therefore not permitted for any competition which is 
sanctioned by the Society of Hickory Golfers.
 

Respectfully submitted,
 
SOHG Equipment Committee
Randy Jensen
Chuck McMullin
John Crow Miller

Preferred Lies

We are pleased to announce that Lionel Freedman will be writing a monthly column for this newsletter. Lionel is a member of the European Golf Writers Association, and until recently wrote a column in a leading Scottish News paper. For many years he was associated with Musselburg Golf Links, and is currently Director of the World Hickory Championship.

Scottish Exiles

Jim Chapman

by SoHG staff

Jim Chapman provided vital help in the start-up of the Chagrin Valley Hickory Golfers group, providing many of it’s members with fine hickory clubs. In recognition of that service as well as his long service to golf in general the group have recently named their Championship trophy after him - ‘The Jim Champman Trophy’. Jim is a recent ‘Scottish Exile’ following in the steps of many others. Here is his story.

Jim was born just before the Second World War in Kilbirnie, Ayrshire, a small village north of Troon and Prestwick. He was the only child of the local butcher. His father had been in the army but had left to become a butcher as had been his father, grandfather and his father before him, and Jim was expected to follow in their footsteps. Fate however was to decide otherwise.

Kilbirnie had a small nine hole course, nothing distinguished and certainly nothing to rival the great courses of Ayrshire further to the south. One day the seven year old Jim was playing at a friend’s house and obviously the pair of boys were irritating the friend's father. To get them out from under his feet he gave them a couple of clubs and told them to go and play on the golf course. "I was immediately smitten" says Jim, "I remember those clubs well, they were a hickory shafted mid-iron and a Baffie". From then on when ever he had a spare moment he could be found on the golf course - "Round and Round I would play until darkness forced me home". Jim never had a lesson, but learnt from imitating the swings of the better players, and he learnt to 'work the ball' by experimentation. His playing balls he found, and kindly members supplied him with cast off clubs. This idyllic existence came to an abrupt end when he was 12 years old. Instead of golfing in his spare time, he was now expected to work in his father’s butcher shop both after school and all day Saturday. He was to learn his ancestors’ trade from the ground up.

When he was fifteen he noticed an ad. in the local paper for a job as an apprentice golf professional at the West Kilbride Golf Club, 15 miles up the road from Kilbirnie. He though "I love golf, I hate butchering, why not give it a try". He applied, interviewed and was accepted. The next day he quit school.

His father though disappointed accepted gracefully, "You've got to make your own decisions and follow your own path" he told Jim as he gave him his blessing.

In those days an aspiring professional golfer entered the ranks via a five year apprenticeship. Jim's apprentice-master was James Watt, from the famous family of Watt brothers, of whom one brother Hugh was head professional at Gullane, and had once tied for the British Open. Life for Jim was not easy. Every morning he left home to catch the 7.40 bus to West Kilbride, and he usually caught the last bus arriving home at about 11.10. Under James Watt he learned the skills of club-making and every thing associated with the trade of golf professional. Many of the members still played with hickory clubs, and he spent long hours whipping clubs. "I don't know if you have ever tried to play a round of golf after whipping clubs for a couple of hours" Jim remembers, "but your hands get numb and your fingers loose their feel. You will hit the ball all over the place!" Part of his apprenticeship included a three month stint at the George Nicoll factory in Leven, Fife where he not only learnt the modern science of club making, but also was taught how to restore old clubs. After 3 years Jim's apprenticeship was interrupted when he was drafted into the Royal Air Force. He was stationed in Germany, and in those austere days there was no golf to be played there.

After completing his military service his former boss told him that he could teach him no more in his shop, and arranged for him to finish his apprentice-ship, and become an assistant professional at Gleneagles - a huge step upwards in Jim's chosen profession.

Jim's duties at Gleneagles consisted of teaching and playing with the guests. The head professional was Jack McLean who before turning professional had lost to Johnny Fisher in the final of the U.S. Amateur. Guests at Gleneagles were famous and came from all over the world. Jim remembers:

Other famous people that Jim gave lessons to included Bob Hope and Rita Hayworth. Jim remembers Bob Hope as a good and keen golfer. Rita Hayworth, on her honeymoon for her last marriage to director James Hill, took lessons from Jim for a week. What kind of golfer was she? "I can't rightly remember, but I do remember she was gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous, much better close up than on the screen!" One day a guest wandered into the shop looking for a playing partner. Jim played a couple of rounds with him, and was after invited up to the hotel to have a drink and a chat. The guest was a golf professional, Leo Fraser, who owned a golf course in Atlantic City, New Jersey. A few months later he wrote to Jim. Let Jim take up the story.

Jim worked there for three years. In spite of the long hours Jim did find time to woo and win his wife of 44 years, Sharon! In 1964 he learnt from a friend, a Spalding rep, that a position was becoming available at one of the top Cleveland clubs. Jim sent in his résumé to the Chagrin Valley Country Club, and after two interviews was accepted. He has been there ever since, first as head professional and then as emeritus professional.

When Jim first arrived, the club was home of two great amateur golfers Ed Schneider and Ed Shultz, who although never winning the U.S. Amateur were several times winners of the local and regional championships. However their name hardly appears at all on the CVCC Champions Trophy. Why? Because the club also had another outstanding amateur, Jim Nordine. Jim was a busy lawyer working out of the Hannah building. Unlike his more famous contemporaries, he was quiet and unassuming and Jim can't remember him playing in any of the local championship events. Jim recalls though: "Without a doubt he was the finest amateur I ever saw play". Ed Schneider was heard to growl once: "The last 28 rounds - and I've counted - that I have played against him I have never once scored worse than 69 - and that SOB has beaten me every time!"

The 'Jim Chapman' Trophy

Jim's father only took up golf after his son had left home, but soon became an enthusiastic addict. He appointed himself green keeper of the local 9 holer where Jim had learnt to play, cutting the greens and keeping the course tidy. In his honor the local club donated a cup in his name. Jim played a key role in starting the local Chagrin Valley Hickory Golfers Society, supplying many of the early players with high quality clubs which he had been keeping in his basement, so the society was honored when Jim Chapman consented to have his name attached to their annual championship trophy. The ‘Jim Chapman Trophy’ will be competed for annually and will be awarded to the player with the lowest gross score.

Jim's story is a typical story of a 'Scottish Exile'. Hard work, personality and talent carve out a career and home in a new country. Jim in his modest way would tell you that it is luck, but the rest of us know that although luck may have played a small part, that is not the main reason. Rather to quote, or in this context to misquote Ben Hogan it's a case of: "The harder I practice, the luckier I get!".

Jim still keeps active, is seen at the club most days, and still gives lessons at the local golf dome. He shows absolutely no sign of slowing down. His drive may not have quite the zip it once did, but he is still hitting them down the center, and still finding fairways and greens!

Book Review

(None this month due to length of newsletter. The book below will be reviewed next month)

MacDonald Smith's perfect form

We usually try and get a swing of our featured player, but can find nothing about Willie Anderson. If you know of a source, please let us know. Instead we feature the swing of MacDonald Smith, who tied for the U.S. Open in the last year Willie played. He finished third in the play-off.

Featured Player

Willie Anderson - The first great American golfer

by Francis R. S. Boumphrey M.D.

In his short life Willie Anderson compiled a record second to none, but circumstances conspired to make this first great American golfer almost forgotton

Background

It was a bitterly cold march day in 1897 as the young Scotsman disembarked from the S. S. Pomeranian. It had been the voyage from hell. 97 had embarked in Glasgow - now 27 were dead and others were sick and dying - all victims of 'ship fever'. First would come chills and fever; then a headache followed by a red, raised, irritating rash; then delirium accompanied by labored breathing and then usually death. It would be several years before 'ship fever' was recognized as a bacterial disease spread by the bite of the human louse, a creature that thrived in the crowded stowage areas of immigrant ships, a disease that could be controlled by the simple application of DDT. But in 1896 it was accepted simply as a fact of life. For the poor life was hard, and you either made it or you didn't. The young Scotsman understood this only too well for it verified and matched his inborn philosophy - he understood that life was hard, live was a struggle, a struggle to be overcome by dour perseverance, grind and application - and this nightmare reinforced his inate pessimism.

The 16 year old Willie Anderson, for such was the young man, was one of the lucky ones. He had embarked with another young Scots professional, 23 year old Thomas Warrender. Both were intent on making a golfing career in America. Willie Anderson went on to become the first great professional of American golf; history does not record what became of Thomas Warrendar.

William Law Anderson was born in Abbey Mews Cottage on 21st October 1879, in that breeding ground of great golfers, North Berwick. His father was Tom Anderson and Tom was employed on the North Berwick West Links as green keeper and starter. Willie was raised in a house on the High Street; attended the local public school; and as was the custom in those days, at the age of 14 he was apprenticed as a club maker under Alex Aitken in Gullane. We don't know what became of Tom's wife - she may have died in childbirth, or been struck down by one of the many epidemics common to those days - but what we do know is that by 1897 Tom Anderson Sr. and his two sons Willie and Tom Jr. were in the United States. There is some vague evidence that Frank Slazenger, the golf entrepreneur was responsible for Tom coming to the United States, but the record is very far from clear.

Almost immediately the young Willie was appointed professional at the Misquamicut Club on Rhode Island, but by the next year he was playing out of Watch Hill. This seems to have been the start of a pattern of a almost gypsy existence for Willie. He rarely stayed in one place for more than a year, and often was employed at two clubs, one for the summer, and one for the winter season. However, from Watch Hill he entered the U.S. Open for the first time, and at the tender age of seventeen immediately marked himself as an up and coming man. The championship was played over 36 holes at the Chicago Golf Club and Willie finished second, one stroke behind Joe Lloyd, an expatriate from Essex, England. He was one stroke from becoming the youngest ever to win the National Open; one stroke from becoming the only man to win 5 National Championships. The local mavens and odds makers may have been surprised, but this early success would have come as no surprise to the citizens of North Berwick, who must have known of his outstanding talent. There has been some claim that Willie learnt his game in the United States and thus should be counted the first 'home-grown' professional golf star, but if so Anderson must have done an awful lot of learning in a year!

Willie Anderson - The Enigma

We are so accustomed in this day and age of saturated media coverage - whether PR, hype or reality - to know all the details of our sporting "heroes" lives, that it is difficult for us to realize that back at the turn of the 19th century little personal information was recorded of sporting stars. What knowledge we have of other players comes not just from the dry public records, but from family memoirs, from letters, from later writings of the star himself, or from reminiscences of the stars contemporaries. Circumstances have conspired to draw a veil over the life details of one of the 'greats' of American golf. Willie left no family - they all died shortly after him, or are unknown to posterity; he did not live long enough to write memoirs; he lived before famous literary contemporaries such as Hagen or Sarazen, and all we have is a few anecdotal or second hand quotes from those who knew him together with the dry public records. In these days of paraparezi any star is photographed to death. With Willie Anderson, these five bare photos are about all we can find! Another difficulty arises in that the Professional game is not much touched upon in the press. Most accounts turn on the amateur game. Indeed a search of the premier sports magazine of the period "Outing" up till the year 1902 finds hardly any mention of the National Open Golf Championship. However, bare as the record may be, a picture emerges of a truly outstanding golfer and an enigmatic, possibly troubled personality.

As far as the public record is concerned, we may have only the dry facts, but what a record it is!

The Record

Since the Championship debuted in 1895, nobody else has ever accomplished that hat-trick of U.S.Open's. Willie's record of four victories is shared by Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus but bettered by nobody. Willie played in 14 straight Open's, was second once, third once, fourth twice, fifth three times, 11th twice and 15th once. In other words he finished in the top five eleven out of fourteen times!

In those days the Western Open, founded in 1899 was the other 'major', so the second remarkable statistic is that between the years 1901 and 1909 he won 8 out of 18 of the majors available for him to win, and there were only two years when he did not hold a major title. No one before or since has been so dominent for such a long period of time.

His first major was the 1901 US. Open played at Myopia Hunt Club near Boston, Massachusetts. Both Willie and Alex Smith posted a 72-hole score of 331, to tie the tournament, resulting in the first 18-hole play-off in Open history, Anderson won by one stroke, 85-86. He won here playing the Guttie Ball. Willie is the only player to win Opens with both the Guttie and the rubber-cored ball.This championship also showed the egalitarian side of Willie's character. In those days professionals were treated like paid servants. They were not allowed to enter the clubhouse, and were expected to eat in the kitchen. Willie was furious when informed of this. Swinging a mashie and taking a divot out of the practice green he growled: " No, we're no goin tae eat in the kitchen." Willie prevailed, a truce was arranged and eventually the professionals ate in a specially erected tent. Taking into account the class barriers of those days together with Willie's relatively young age, this stand was extremely courageous and revealed the gritty, stubborn and rebellious side to Willie's character. Perhaps this also explains why he did not last for more than a year at most of the high-class clubs where he was appointed as a professional!

It would not be till almost 20 years later, during the 1920 Open, that the Inverness club in Toledo, Ohio opened their club house to professionals, an act that would lead Walter Hagen to take up a subscription and present a clock to the club in appreciation of that deed.

The next year, on 17th September 1902, Anderson captured his first Western Open title at the Euclid Club in Cleveland, with aa historic 299. No golfer had previously broken 300 for 72-holes in America. He was not so successful in that year's Open played in October at the Garden City Golf Club, finishing fifth, but the pattern of domination had been set. Between now till the year of his death, Willie was the man to beat.

His second Open came in 1903 at Baltusrol when he held off David Brown of Musselburgh in another play-off. Brown, known as "Deacon", had won The British Open of 1886. In the play-off, Anderson stayed true to his reputation for dourness and hardly spoke a single word to Brown all day. He beat him by two shots. This was heady stuff, till this time no one had repeated as Open champion. The next year, 1904 he made it three, two in a row at Glen View in Illinois. Anderson recovered from a slow start to post a closing round 72 which in those days those days that was extraordinary golf - probably equivalent to a 62 nowadays. Anderson won by five shots. Willie then went on to win the Western Open, becoming the first man to win both in a single year as well as the first man to win two!

One has only to imagine what the present day golfing press would make of such a streak. There would be multi-million dollar contracts, endorsements, man of the year awards and much more. Imagine what they would say when he won his fourth Open, to make it three in a row, at Myopia Hunt again, home of his original triumph! Once again he beat Alex Smith, whose smiling demeanor, and graciousness in defeat must have contrasted markedly with Willies dour persona. Probably if the records had been reversed and the personable Alex had achieved what Willie achieved, golf would have captured the heart and minds of the average American in the early 1900's. Instead we had to wait until 1913, the year of Francis Ouimet's great triumph before golf truly captured the public imagination.

The Golfer

There is no doubt or argument that Anderson was the first truly great player to emerge in the U.S. , but how great? This is difficult to assess, since balls, clubs and the condition of courses were below today's standard. His old school friend Fred McLeod once remarked that Anderson at his best, was as good as either Walter Hagen or Bobby Jones, and McLeod knew and played with both Hagen and Jones. Robert Sommers writing in the USGA's Golf Journal asked rhetorically - "How good was Willie Anderson?" and answered - "Those who played against him and watched the great players of later years said he was as good as anyone who ever played." Alex Smith was of the opinion that only his untimely death prevented him from establishing an unbeatable record for Opens won.

His one trip over to Britain to play in the British Open at St. Andrews ended in failure. He took 86 and 88 for the first two rounds and failed to qualify for the last day's play. Anderson described the St Andrews links as the most difficult he had ever played. However there were rumors that his performance was affected by over-socializing and over-indulgence in Scotland's national drink, probably occasioned by many reunions with friends and relatives.

Anderson was an exceptionaly strong man, with muscular shoulders, brawny forearms and, like many other great golfers, had exceptionally large hands. The picture of him holding a club absolutely shrieks of his latent power. He played with the flat sweeping St. Andrews swing and was known for his accuracy, especially with his mashie. Gene Sarazen was once practicing bunker shots when another pro casually asked him if Willie Anderson could have gotten out of those bunkers as well as he was doing."Get out of them?" Sarazen said. "He was never in them!". However as with much in the Willie Anderson story, this must have been hearsay, as Gene was only 8 eight years old when Willie died, and did not start caddying at Apawamis till a few years after Willie had left. Doubtless he was quoting other and preceding cadies. Commentators noted though that Willie's unhurried move through the ball disguised effortless power. He was also known as a smooth and rhythmical putter but all agreed that his main attribute was his unflappable demeanor, and his ability to concentrate.

He was known as a serious, even grim, competitor. Again McLeod noted - "When you played golf with him, you played golf. He would even tell you on the first tee: 'We're the best of friends, but friendship ceases right here'. When you played him if he was 1 up he wanted to be 2 up and if he was 2 up he wanted 3. If he beat you he was the nicest fellow in the world."

When he won his first championship, during the play off he was 5 strokes down to Aleck Smith, (Alex,Aleck - the spelling varies) the oldest of the five golfing brothers. He is said to have said "Gimme a smoke and I'll win it yet". And that is precisely what he did, reeling off a string of 4's to beat Smith on the last hole.

He certainly took the Open very seriously and was probably the first professional to 'prep' specifically for the event. In both 1906 and 1910 he took jobs at the club that was to host the next tournament - and it should be noted that he failed to win on both occasions. In 1910 he finished unplaced, 5 shots behind the winning scores - Alex Smith won that year in a play off over McDermott and his younger brother MacDonald.

The consensus among the professionals was that had he not died, Wille would have added to his victories and probably accumulated an unapproachable record. Alex (Aleck) Smith, who finished second to Anderson in two U.S. Opens, was certainly of that opinion, "Most likely, had he lived longer, Willie would have set a record for Open Championships that would never be beaten." And Alex was not one to make such a statement lightly.

His Character

Willie's dour personality, his gypsy like life, his stubbornness, his combativeness have already been alluded to. More damning are the rumors which have persisted that Willie was a lush, and that alcohol was the cause of his death. One writer avers that drink took a hold of him, and that because of this his performance declined over the years. However it is difficult to reconcile this statement with this victories in the 1908 and 1909 Western Opens - hardly a mark of failing powers - and in spite of later mavens and naysayers, contemporaries considered Willie the man to beat right up to the time of his death. There is no doubt that a lot of professional golfers were heavy drinkers. When the Scottish player Fred Herd won the 1898 US Open, the tournament organizers would not present him with the championship trophy until he handed over a deposit in cash. They had not misplaced concerns that Herd would hock the cup for drinking money.

Certainly Willie liked his drink. "Well, there was this about Willie," said Tom Mercer, a fellow pro from the early 1900s. "If he didn't like a person, he couldn't pretend that he did. He was not what you would call a glad-hander. Yet he went the route with the rest, and probably his convivial habits had much to do with undermining his health and hastened his end." However it is likely that Wille only drank as much as his fellow professionals and that his early demise was due to completely different reasons.

Willie was certainly a dour character. Perhaps as some have speculated his ill-fated sea trip had scarred his soul, but it is more likely that this was just his innate character. His propensity for hoping from job to job - he had 10 professional jobs in 14 years, not to mention the winter jobs - bespoke either of an inability to satisfy his employees, an ability to grate on them - witness his famous " No, we're no goin tae eat in the kitchen.", or perhaps he simply had difficulty in socializing with others. Whatever the reason it certainly did not lead to his putting down lasting roots or forming deep friendships; and this as was mentioned earlier is one of the chief reasons we know so little of him apart from the official record. There were few to tell the tale.

As a four-time winner of the National Open Anderson should have been feted by a country fast becoming enamored with golf, but he failed to win the hearts of the golfing public. Instead it was left to one of his few friends, Alex Smith to do this. The oldest of the Carnoustie brothers had a warm character and a ready wit, he appeared to play for fun, and never brooded over his losses. Interestingly it is his collapse to Willie in the 1901 Open - where he lost five strokes over four holes, and then blew up on the final hole, and his subsequent grace in defeat - that made him appear to the public a human and lovable figure. Although they were friends Willie appeared to be different from Alex in every way. He did not blow up; he was a dour competitor; and although polite and sportsman like, he detested losing - and showed it!

Notable Firsts

Professional golfers did not make much money from tournaments back in those days. It would be several tears before Walter Hagen pioneered this trail! Their living came from professional appointments at clubs, and their abundance came from playing in exhibition matches. Willie played in a large number of these, and certainly knew his dollar -value when negotiating fees! Prior to Willie's time the only golfer who had been able to work the circuit heavily had been that super-star, Harry Vardon himself. Willie must be considered a pioneer here.

Willie also worked the endorsement circuit. He was supplied with golf clubs by the Worthington Manufacturing Company, and the woods bearing his signature were the first example of an autograph branded club made in America.

We have already mentioned Willie's reaction to the standard treatment of golf professionals, and although it is only conjecture, Anderson must surely have lowered the bar for professional acceptability. His egalitarianistic streak must surely have grated on the more elitist members of the many top-flight clubs where he held appointments. In one instance, what was Willie's loss may have been his father's gain. When Willie left Montclaire, his father took over and remained employed there until his death.

When their playing days are over or waning, golfers traditionally move into the role of either golf designer or elder statesman, and this is where they make their more permanent mark. Willie did not have the opportunity to do either although there is mention that he helped in the redesign of several courses in the last two or three years before his death. Only the fates know what he may have accomplished had he lived.

Final Days

As this writer knows only so well, it is easy to follow the footsteps and echo the opinions of previous writers, but surely the time has come to put an end to the myth of a sotten Willie Anderson loosing his edge and succumbing from Alcoholism. All the evidence, however scant it is, points to him dying of a heart attack, just as his death certificate suggests.

Reporters may have talked of the 'Willie Anderson decline', but to put things in perspective, although he failed to place in the top ten in his Last U.S. Open, the first time he had failed to do this, his score of 303 was only 5 shots behind the winner. Although he was sorely disappointed, especially as this was his home club, this can hardly be called a decline. He was second in the Florida Open in April; He was still beating opponents in challenge matches; He was a finalist for the Eastern Professional Golf Association Tournament in July; all this is hardly a mark of a washed up player. His 'decline' seems to be exactly parallel to one of Tiger Woods' current 'slumps'!

On the other hand evidence does point to the fact he was ill in the last months of his life. "Hazard" wrote "He was a sick man; he knew it, but he had given his best..." (see below). Men who know they are sick are not alcoholics, or at least the sickness they are aware of is not alcoholism. In Alcoholism denial is a major symptom of the disease! Again, he obviously did not have cancer or some chronic wasting disease, - the accompanying photograph taken just before his death shows no evidence of this. However a reporter talking of his behaviour just before his death wrote as follows:

Previously he had failed to show to defend his Western Open title at the end of August.

All this is consistent with a man suffering from Ischaemic Heart Disease, where especially in the young, extreme tiredness and fatigue can be the predominant symptom. Did alcoholism contribute to this? It is unlikely. Willie's playing record in the months preceding his death does not point to the level of addiction necessary to cause an Alcoholic Cardio-myopathy. It is highly likely that he died of what his death certificate claimed he died of, Arterio-sclerosis, which was often used back in 1910 as a synonym for a Myocardial Infarct or heart attack.

Sadly nothing is known of his wife and daughter; his father died three years later, and his brother Tom followed him two years after that victim of a car accident. They are all buried together in Philadelphia. When he came to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame no-one connected to him could be found to accept the award. Gene Sarazen, the legendary player and a former caddie at one of Anderson's other clubs, Apawamis, received it on his behalf. Even in North Berwick, his native town he is unknown, there is no monument to him; no mention of his great record. As the Apocryphal poet Sirach wrote in the Book of Ecclesiasticus:

All Willie Anderson has is a decaying tombstone in the Chestnut Hill Cemetry in Philadelphia. Surely such a great golfer deserves to be given his due recognition - to be remembered in the same breath as the other golfing greats of the 20th centuary!

Notes & Queries

A question and answer page run by our readers. Either post a question or answer a question someone else has posted. If you have a question, or if you have an answer to a question, either e-mail us at frank@ agentbrand.com with 'SoHG Note' in the subject line, or go online at the Hickory Golfers Web site- www.hickorygolfers.com - Notes & Queries.

Questions

I'm a novelist [The Caddie Who Knew Ben Hogan] published in May. I am now writing a novel about Walter Hagen. What year did he shift over to steel shafts. Does anyone know?

What is the best way to remove rust from a coule of hickory shafted irons that I have obtained. I am in the process of assembling a set of hickory clubs to play.

A.I found my own answer. Wilson produced that club head from 1931--1933 it was offered in both hickory and steel. Wilson has a wounderful history dept.

Tid-Bits & Anecdotes

Gene Sarazen, Walter Hagen and the Orange Tie

Sarazen and Hagen, although great friends were fierce rivals. This was particularly so in 1922. Hagen had won the British Open, and beaten Abe Mitchell, Britains finest match player, and Sarazen had won the U.S. Open and also the PGA. Hagen had not defended his title, and Sarazen supporters started saying that Hagen was avoiding Sarazen. The press built up this rivalry, and so a challenge match was arranged between the two: 72 holes, the first 36 to be played at Oakmount, and the second 36 to be played at New York's Westchester-Biltmore. The purse was $3000, the winner to take two thirds.

Sarazen had an added personal reason for wanting to beat Hagen, Hagen kept on referring to him as 'the Kid' and Gene wanted to prove that he was not 'wet behind the ears'.

After the Oakmont leg Hagen was two up. As the pair departed for New York Sarazen was feeling a little queasy and his stomach was not quite right. However this did not stop him from shooting dice with Hagen and losing a few extra bucks. Hagen looked at Gene and said "Kid, I can beat you at anything". This made Gene even more determined.

Both Sarazen and Hagen were known for the splendor of their sartorial attire. Walter had especially ordered hose with his name written around the cuff for the match, and Gene decided that even if he could not out-play Hagen, he could outdress him!

The morning of the last 36 holes a magnificent orange and white tie arrived for Gene together with a note written on exquisitely perfumed paper in a beautiful feminine hand. The note read "You probably don't remember me but I'm the blonde from the Follies you met. Don't look for me in the gallery. I don't want to take your mind off Hagen, but I want you to wear this tie for good luck"

There had been rain all night, and it continued to rain as the pair teed off. Braving the weather, 2000 sodden fanatics followed the match. In spite of Gene surreptitiously scanning the crowd for his secret admirer, the match was a splendid affair of give and take, and at lunch Sarazen had the edge at one up. However all the orange dye in the tie had washed off, and Sarazen's shirt was a smeared mess!

At lunch Gene was pacing up and down, his stomach problems appeared to be getting worse, in fact they were so bad he was even thinking of quitting. Hagen as usual was holding forth to his entourage.

"Say kid," he said, "that's a handsome tie you've got on, where'd you get it?" .Gene mumbled that a friend had given it to him. "Just a friend" Hagen said, "Why I thought I had written on that note that your mysterious admirer was a follies girl who wanted you to pay strict attention to Hagen".

Hagen's joke backfired! Although his stomach made him feel perfectly miserable, the pugnacious Sarazen went on to beat Hagen 3 and 2. And the stomach problem? It worsened and at 5am that morning Gene was at St. Luke's Riverside Hospital undergoing an emergency Appendectomy!

Bad Lies

When a player says he did a hole in 7 and his opponent knows darned well he took a 9.

The perfect put-down

While on one of his tours in the United States Harry Vardon was playing, as usual, against the better ball of two players. One of the players, a left-hander, opened playing well above himself, and also was having a few lucky breaks. He soon had Harry two down.

Proposed Publication Schedule for 2006: - Jan, Feb, Mar/Apr, May/June, Jul, Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec

Hickory Happenings

A monthly update on the world of hickory golf

November 2006