American Contribution to Golf: Slow Play

Excerpts from the “Pro and Con of Golf” (1915) by Alexander H. Revell

“A problem of deep importance to the future of this game has arisen, and the young American school has forced it to the front. It is a question of practice swings, of waiting for inspiration, and of concentration.”

“When a man has played a stroke he has quite sufficient to occupy his mind for the next minute or two in considering how he shall play the next one.”

“Any serious interruption in this continuous thought breaks the spell that is upon the player and handicaps him seriously. The other day I was discussing the matter with Mr. E. A. Lassen, who had been a severe sufferer from the excessively slow methods of one of the Americans, and he stated the case exactly when he said that with so much hesitation and waiting ‘it was like beginning a new match at every shot,’ “

“Another question, however, arises, and that is whether the Americans are not overdoing it. At La Boulie, when the French amateur championship was being played for, three hours and ten minutes were taken over a match that had a clear green in front of it all the way, through the slowness of the American player.”

“At La Boulie Mr. Hilton was waiting until he was weary at every stroke played by his opponent, and undoubtedly he was ‘put off’ and could not play his proper game. Others suffered in the same way. These slow players use up the time in three ways: first by deep thought, secondly by an exhaustive course of prospecting of the land in front when the short game is being played, and thirdly by a series of practice swings done most meditatively. They leave nothing whatever to chance.”

“Then there is the hesitation and doubt that are induced. I believe that in most cases these players are really waiting for an inspiration.”

“Then, if three hours or more were taken over every game, golf as we have it now would become impossible. Only one round a day would be practicable, it would be a wearying thing, and the game would not be the same.”

Excerpts from the “Pro and Con of Golf” (1915) by Alexander H. Revell

©2024 golfhistoricalsocity and J. I. B. Jones

Robert Wagner at Bel-Air

“Robert Wagner…the love-light in Susan Zanuck’s eyes, got into movies the hard way.” – Hedda Hopper (1951)

Robert Wagner’s father was a Bel-Air steel contractor who told him you’re on your own if you want to be an actor. So Bob got a job as a caddy at the Bel-Air Country Club and carried the bag for Clark Gable and Randolph Scott!

Gable’s advice was to keep your feet on the ground if you hit it big in the movies, “everyone is replaceable.”

Wagner left caddying to be a groom at Bel-Air Stables, now the Bel-Air Hotel (previously the Danziger stables), where there weren’t many actors. Soon he ended up washing dishes at a cafe in Westwood until finally giving up hope and going to work for his father.

One night, while dining with his family at the Bel-Air Hotel (where he used to work!), he was spotted by an agent who liked the look of his jaw, and off he went riding the road to stardom!

Soon Wagner joined the Bel-Air Country Club with a 14 handicap. It must have been sweet! Bob played in many amateur championships, exhibitions and charity fundraisers over his storied career as an amateur golfer.

Here is a link to a video of Robert playing a match against legendary professional Sam Snead at Woodland Hills Country Club for Celebrity Golf.

The course was originally designed by John Duncan Dunn and built by William P. “Billy” Bell. It opened as Girard Golf Club in 1925, as part of Victor Girard’s Girard subdivision in the San Fernando Valley.

Sam Snead vs Robert Wagner – Celebrity Golf!

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Happy 100th Birthday to Warren G. Harding Memorial Golf Course in Griffith Park

Griffith Park. August 11, 1923
Harding opening dedication plaque. (Still waiting for it to be moved to Harding!)

A week later than planned, due to the sudden death of the President of the United States, Warren G. Harding, the new all-grass Griffith Park Municipal Golf Course No. 2, opened to the public on August 11, 1923, with a heartfelt ceremony led by Mrs Anne Trabue, chairwoman of the Municipal Golf Club advisory board. Trabue thanked Thomas and S.C.G.A. president Ed Tufts, and the many people who contributed to it’s realization, telling of the “hopes of a grass course in former years, and how the long-cherished dream finally became a reality”.

George C. Thomas Jr., the architect of the links, was presented with this Perpetual Golf Pass by Southern California Golf Association president Ed Tufts for his design work.

George C. Thomas Jr., designed the new all-grass Municipal No. 2 layout with the assistance of Mrs. Anne Trabue and the golf expert and philosopher, Max Behr. Edward B. Tufts of the Los Angeles Country Club was the chairman of the Griffith Park green committee.

Thomas’s 36-hole plan was to replace Tom Bendelow’s 1914, 18-hole, Griffith Park Municipal Links, but an uproar forced a compromise, and only 18 new holes were built, leaving the old sand green links intact.

The new eighteen holes were constructed by Griffith Park superintendent Carl Worthen and his crew. The all-grass 6423 yard Municipal No. 2 golf course was laid out on land known as the Griffith Reservation, which was purchased by the city of Los Angeles in 1920, after the death of Griffith Park donor, Griffith Jenkins Griffith. The sandy wash beside the Los Angeles River made for an excellent layout.

Hunter, Thomas, Tufts, Johnson, and Macbeth at the No. 2 opening.

The opening ceremony was followed by an exhibition match featuring Los Angeles golf legends Willie Hunter, Norman Macbeth, A.D.S. Johnson, Chick Fraser, Mel Smith, Hutt Martin and Vic Dalberto.

George Thomas hit the first ball, and with partner Willie Hunter, went on to win the match against Macbeth and Johnson, 1 up.

A year after Municipal No. 2’s delayed opening, on July 4, 1924, the aptly nicknamed “Riverside” course, was renamed the Warren G. Harding Memorial, in honor of the very popular President.

Harding Memorial Golf Course dedication to President Harding. July 4, 1924

For more information see: 100 Years of Golf in Griffith Park, 1914-2014cover for 100 years from lulu - product_thumbnail

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Sunset Fields – Billy Bell’s Pay For Play course in 1920’s Los Angeles – tweet

L.A. Country Club’s 1915 Tom Morris Memorial Winning Golf Team

Old Tom Morris, “A Golfer and a man”

In 1908, Peter Dawson of Towiemore-Glenlivet Distillery, Glascow, Scotland, offered a trophy in Memorial to the Grand Old Man of Golf, Old Tom Morris, to be played for in a team competition by member clubs of the Western Golf Association on Tom’s birthday (June 16, 1821).

The Peter Dawson Tom Morris Memorial Trophy
“Presented to the Western Golf Association of America by Peter Dawson, Glasgow, in tribute to the memory of Old Tom Morris.
A Golfer and a man.”

“Each team plays against the Par of its course, with all local rules suspended and no caddies.”

The teams were made up of eight of the best players at each club playing to scratch (without handicap), with the winning club scoring the lowest total of the eight scores against the Par of the course. There was also an individual medal given to the player with the lowest individual score against their club’s par. Any team winning three times kept the trophy.

The format of the competition forced many clubs to properly rate their individual golf holes and arrive at a total Par score for the course.

The great benefit of the competition was comparing scores against 75 other clubs of the association in a competition of their best golfers, held on the same day, which was truly brilliant, and certainly helped standardize golf course Par in America!

As it was, the Los Angeles team at Pico & Western were disqualified in 1909 for “not understanding the rules.” In 1910 they won it, but were disqualified for using a substitute that was not on their entry list.

In 1911, LACC moved to Beverly, and playing on a young course they finished 8th. In 1912 they finally won it, and repeated in 1913! Norman Macbeth won the individual medal both years.

In 1915, against 75 other teams, the LACC team, without Macbeth, scored 25 down to par and won the competition for the third time!

The Los Angeles Country Club team were: Scotty Armstrong, Jack Niven, Bob Cash, Jack Jevne, George Schneider, Judge Frederickson, Everett Seaver and Frank Edwards (sub). Captain John Wilson chose not to play and manage the team.

The winning 1915 Los Angeles Country Club Tom Morris Memorial Champion Team

Peter Dawson sent them the trophy!

©2023 J.I.B. Jones – golfhistoricalsociety.org

Coming to L.A. for the U.S. Open? George Thomas #1

The U.S.G.A.’s 24th Amateur Public Links Championship of 1949 Opened the Rancho Golf Course!

George Von Elm. 1926 U.S. Amateur champion, among other titles!

Art Rigby, Tom Bendelow – the First L.A.C.C. links at Beverly!