Original articles relating to the History of Golf.
by J.I.B. Jones
The First edition, third printing, of the paperback book; 100 Years of Golf in Griffith Park, 1914-2014, is now available to purchase on lulu for $12.00.
100 Years of Golf in Griffith Park, 1914-2014 by J.I.B. Jones
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by J.I.B. Jones
The twelfth annual Los Angeles Open Golf Tournament was held at Griffith Park in January 1937, on the all-grass George C. Thomas designed Wilson (1927) golf course, the first time a public links was used for the main event of this classic.
The 1937 L.A. Open was saved from cancellation by the Los Angeles Times, who along with the Junior Chamber of Commerce, the local S.C.P.G.A., and the city Parks department, came to the rescue and financed the event at the last minute! Title play was over four days, and began on Friday January 8, and ended on Monday the 11th.
The other George C. Thomas Jr., designed Griffith golf course, Harding (1923), was used for a fund raising pro-am that was played on Thursday. This allowed public golfers to keep their “weekend tee times” on the Harding course, while the stars competed for the $8,000 purse on Wilson!
William Johnson and William “Billy” Bell, lengthened and strengthened George Thomas’s original 1923-1927 Wilson and Harding designs for the Open. New irrigation, fairways, traps, and new severely undulating greens, were built between 1935-1937, and have mostly stood the test of time! Along with a new clubhouse, the improvements were paid for with Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) labor and funds.
In unusually cold and frosty conditions, Harry Cooper won the 12th Open title and $2,500, with a 274, the lowest score yet in any L.A. Open. With every winner since 1926 except Bobby Cruickshank entered, and Olin Dutra too sick to start, the 1937 event included the best of the touring professionals, and a sprinkling of local professionals and amateurs, 150 of whom attempted to qualify at Baldwin Hills GC (Fox Hills GC West), California CC (Culver City), Fox Hills GC East, Sunset Fields GC #1 (Crenshaw Plaza), Sunset Fields GC #2 (Crenshaw Plaza), and Rancho GC, on January 6, 1937.
The “bombardiers of the links” included: Ralph Guldahl, Jimmy Thomson, Lawson Little, Horton Smith, Macdonald Smith, George Von Elm, Vic Ghezzi, Craig Wood, Jimmy Hines, Charley Guest, Willie Hunter, Denny Shute, Paul Runyan, Henry Picard, Johnny Revolta, George Schneiter (medalist), Paul & Lloyd Mangrum, John Bulla, Byron Nelson, Leo Diegel, Bruce McCormick (amateur), Newt & Harry Bassler, Angel de la Torre, Sam Snead, Mortie Dutra, Faye Coleman, Bud Oakley, Fred Morrison, Dick Metz, Eddie Loos, Joe Robinson, Harry Pressler, Harold McSpaden,and others.
1937 was the last year before fourteen clubs became the maximum allowed after 1938.
Henry Picard drove the ball 310 yards on the 4th hole of Wilson during the tournament!
Highlights of the 1937 Los Angeles Open at Griffith Park on YouTube:
by J.I.B. Jones
The eighteen hole Griffith Park Municipal Golf Links opened in 1914.
1920 photo of the east facing Griffith Park Golf Field House
1933 field house with burn area and valley of death marked by the arrow.
Above is a photograph with the 1933 fire burn area marked on the hillside behind the field house, and with the arrow pointing into Mineral Springs canyon, where 33 unemployed volunteers died when they were sent down into the fire to fight it. The flames did not reach the clubhouse.
When money to build a bigger and better clubhouse became available with Federal infrastructure funds in the 1930’s, the W.P.A. built a new clubhouse, designed in the Spanish Mission style that tourists were expecting when they came to the land of Ramona! The new building was placed directly in front of the old “weatherbeaten and out-of-date field house,” which was then scrapped.
1935 sketch of the east facade of the new mission style Griffith Park golf clubhouse.
Today’s flag pole stands where the old clubhouse once stood. Could its grass island also be a homage to the round sand/oil greens of the old Municipal Links?
by J.I.B. Jones
Babe Didrikson, circa 1937
In the summer of 1933, Babe (what a girl!) Didrikson joined the Rancho Golf Club in Los Angeles and played in many club and local women’s amateur competitions until 1935, when the U.S.G.A. deemed Didrikson a professional. As she was unable to find professional women to compete against, she was forced to enter professional male golf tournaments, and play in exhibitions. In 1935-36 she toured with superstar Gene Sarazen, Johnny Dawson, and other stars of sports and movies.
Didrikson tried and failed to qualify in the amateur division for the 1937 L.A. Open, at Griffith Park, but in 1938, a year with no qualifying, she entered as an amateur, and played the first two rounds with her future husband, George Zaharias. George shot 83 and Babe 84. Babe also failed to qualify for the 1944 L.A. Open at Wilshire C.C..
In 1942 the USGA finally accepted her as an amateur, and she went on to win the Women’s U.S. Amateur in 1946, the British Ladies Amateur in 1947, and three Western Opens.
Babe was a founding member of the Women’s Professional Golf Association in 1944, and the Ladies Professional Golf Association in 1950.
In 1945, the L.A. Open was not a regular tour event, and was played for War Bonds by both professionals and a sprinkling of amateurs. Babe qualified for the amateur division at Fox Hills golf course. She played three rounds in the Open at Riviera C.C., missing the low 61, final round cut. She also qualified and played in War Bond tournaments in Phoenix and Tuscon.
Babe Didrikson never entered or played in the Los Angeles Open as a professional golfer. She played as an amateur in competitive golf competition from 1933 until 1947, after which she “turned” pro. Her years in the wilderness from 1933 to 1942, due to the U.S.G.A.’s policy of treating any professional athlete as a professional golfer, has continued to confuse historians for decades.