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Showing posts from 2019

Alexa Stirling (Fraser): Bio of the Famous Golfer

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Alexa Stirling, also known as Alexa Fraser and Alexa Stirling Fraser, was one of the best players in women's golf in the late 1910s to the early 1930s. A childhood friend of Bobby Jones, she won three U.S. Women's Amateur Championships.

1950 Curtis Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1950 Curtis Cup was the sixth time this tournament was played, and the fifth time it was won by the United States. Following the result, the all-time standings were five wins for the USA, none for Great Britain & Ireland, with one tie.

How to Play the Red Tee Rally Golf Game

Have you heard of the Red Tee Rally? It's a golf format. Two golf formats, actually: One game that goes by the named Red Tee Rally is a quick(er) and quirky version of a skins game. A second format called Red Tee Rally is a closer-to-standard association, league or playday format. In both versions, though, the common theme is golfers play all holes from the red tees (meaning the forward tees) and the competition is over nine holes rather than 18.

1948 Curtis Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1948 Curtis Cup was the fifth time this competition was played, but, due to World War II, the first time since 1938. Following Team USA's victory, the all-time standings to this point were four wins for the United States, none for Great Britain & Ireland, with one tie.

1938 Curtis Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1938 Curtis Cup was the fourth time this tournament was played. Following the USA's victory, the all-time standing was three wins for the United States and none for Great Britain, with one tie.

1936 Curtis Cup Winner and Match Scores

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The 1936 Curtis Cup was the third time this tournament was played. Following the tie score here, the all-time standing was two wins for the United States and none for Great Britain, with one tie.

Bobby Jones Wanted to Roll Back the Golf Ball and Bifurcate the Rules

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Some things never change. For example, complaining about the pernicious effects of new equipment on golf and, specifically, golf courses. Even Bobby Jones complained. The sainted Jones once proposed that the Haskell ball be rolled back and replaced with ... gutties!

1934 Curtis Cup Winner and Scores

The 1934 Curtis Cup was the second time the event was held and the first time it was played in the United States. Following Team USA's win here, the United States held a 2-0 lead over Team Great Britain in the series.

1932 Curtis Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1932 Curtis Cup was the inaugural match in the Curtis Cup tournament's history, pitting teams of amateur women golfers representing Great Britain and the United States.

Vic Ghezzi, Jersey Golfer and PGA Champion

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Vic Ghezzi was a winner on the PGA Tour in the 1930s and 1940s, including one major championship, and is still considered by many today the best male golfer out of New Jersey.

How Bad Was Jack Nicklaus' Bunker Play?

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I was looking at this list of yearly sand save leaders on the PGA Tour earlier, and a thought occurred to me: Just how bad was Jack Nicklaus out of the sand?

PGA Grand Slam of Golf (Winners, Records)

The PGA Grand Slam of Golf was an exhibition "tournament" with a field of four golfers staged annually from the late 1970s through the early 2010s by the PGA of America. Those four golfers were the year's four major championship winners, or alternates.

Ladies European Tour Player of the Year Award Winners

Which golfers have won the Player of the Year Award on the Ladies European Tour? The full list is below. This full name of this award is "The Player's Player of the Year Award" because it is based on a vote of LET member golfers.

Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year Winners

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Which golfers have been named Rookie of the Year on the Ladies European Tour? The full list of those winners is below, and it includes many familiar names.

Bio of Golfer Jo Ann Washam, LPGA Tour Winner

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Jo Ann Washam played on the LPGA Tour in the 1970s and '80s and, in addition to several wins, holds another distinction: She was the first golfer in LPGA history to score two aces in the same tournament.

Explaining the 'Bail-Out Area' on Golf Courses

What is a "bail-out area" on a golf course? First, let's explain what a "bail out" or "bail-out shot" is: Those terms refer to, for example, when a golfer plays well to the left because there is trouble on the right side of the hole. A "bail-out area" is a part of a golf hole that is specifically designed to provide the option of playing away from trouble.

Full List of Bob Jones Award Winners

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The Bob Jones Award is presented annually by the United States Golf Association and is the USGA's highest award. It is given to an individual "who demonstrates the spirit, personal character and respect for the game exhibited by Jones." That would be Bobby Jones, of course.

LPGA Founders Award Winners and History

The Founders Award is handed out annually by the LPGA Tour to one its golfers who, in the estimation of her peers, exemplifies "the spirit, ideals and values of the LPGA."

Glens Falls Open Golf Tournament Winners, History

The Glens Falls Open was a pro golf tournament, now classified as a PGA Tour event, played in New York eleven times, mostly in the 1930s.

Does Hitting Shots Off Golf Mats Change Your Clubhead Specs?

If you're anything more than an infrequent recreational golfer, you've probably, at some point, visited a driving range that requires golfers to hit off artificial turf mats rather than real grass. And you might have heard that hitting shots off golf mats rather than real grass can change the specs of your irons — specifically loft and lie. Is that true?

Walter Burkemo: PGA Champ, Part-Time Tour Golfer

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Walter Burkemo was a major championship winner in golf, but also the answer to a trivia question: In 1953, when Ben Hogan won three of the four majors, who won the fourth?

Is There a Penalty for Playing Out of Order in Golf?

When a group of golfers is playing a hole, "order of play" is ruled by the concept of "away": The golfer who is away — meaning her golf ball is farthest from the hole — plays first. For much of golf's history, this order of play was either enforced in the rules (for match play) or through the dictates of golf etiquette (stroke play). What about today? Is it a penalty to play out of order — for a golfer to play out of turn — when playing a hole?

Grass Club, An Early Term for the Driver

Sometimes golfers who are interested in the game's history or the origins of the game's clubs run across the term "grass club." Grass club was an early term for the earliest versions of the clubs that we now call drivers.

LPGA Rookie of the Year Winners

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The LPGA's rookie of the year award was first handed out in 1962. Today, its official title is Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year. Not surprisingly, the list of winners belows includes some very big names — including a double-digit number of LPGA rookies of the year who went on to earn Hall of Fame membership.

Shelley Hamlin, LPGA Winner, Cancer Warrior

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Shelley Hamlin won several tournaments in her LPGA career, which stretched from the 1970s into the 1990s. And twice she won tournaments shortly after receiving a cancer diagnosis.

How to Play the Golf Game Called 'Bobby Jones'

Every golfer knows who Bobby Jones was: A legend in golf, one of the greatest players of all-time. But do you know how to play the golf game known as Bobby Jones? The Bobby Jones golf game is a fun format for two golfers who have different skill levels, one being better than the other.

Tiger Woods' 'Golf's Not Hard' Nike Commercials

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Have to admit, I have no recollection of this series of Nike TV commercials made in the late 1990s, featuring Tiger Woods doing a comical "Golf's Not Hard" instructional series.

Yearly Champions Tour Scoring Average Leaders

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Which golfers have led the Champions Tour in scoring average each year? That's the question we answer here, and the full list of the tour's annual scoring leaders is below. First, let's point out a few facts about the senior tour's best scorers:

Glasgow Herald Golf Tournament of the 1920s

The Glasgow Herald Tournament was a golf tournament in Scotland in the 1920s that was won by some of the biggest names of British golf from that era.

The Presidents Cup Format Explained

The basic format for the Presidents Cup tournament, between Team USA and Team International, is four days of match play, 30 points total at stake, with the first three days doubles match play (2-vs.-2) and the final day singles match play.

What Happens If the Presidents Cup Ends in a Tie?

All the matches are over at the USA-vs.-International golf competition called the Presidents Cup, and the score is tied, 15 points to 15 points. What happens? In the Presidents Cup, unlike at the Ryder Cup, a tie really is a tie, and the two sides are co-champions and share the cup until the next competition in two years.

Reg Whitcombe, British Open Winner From Famous Golfing Family

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Reg Whitcombe (also known as R.A. Whitcombe) was part of a trio of English brothers who were big stars in the U.K. from the 1920s into the 1940s. But of the three, Reg was the only one who won the British Open.

2020 Ryder Cup: When, Where, Qualification, Format

(Note: The 2020 Ryder Cup will be postponed until 2021, according to reports .) The 2020 Ryder Cup will be the 43rd time the tournament is played. Team United States and Team Europe face off, each comprised of 12 male professional golfers. The all-time standing of the matches is 26 wins for Team USA, 14 for Team Europe, two ties.

2021 Solheim Cup Results

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The 2021 Solheim Cup was the 17th time the competition was played . Following the European victory, the all-time standings were 10 wins for Team United States, seven wins for Team Europe.

How Players Qualify for the Presidents Cup Teams

The Presidents Cup teams — United States and International — are made up of 12 golfers per side. How are those golfers selected? What are the qualifying criteria? For both teams, it's a combination of points lists and captain's choice.

Invesco QQQ Championship Winners

The Invesco QQQ Championship was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour, the U.S.-based circuit that is the world's top-level tour for 50-and-over golfers.

Yearly Driving Distance Leaders on the Champions Tour

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Who are the longest drivers in the history of the Champions Tour? Let's take a look at the list of golfers who've led the senior circuit in driving average each year. The Champions Tour has kept this statistic since 1988, so that is how far back the list below goes.

Golfer Gardner Dickinson: PGA Tour Champion and Hogan Devotee

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Gardner Dickinson won tournaments on the PGA Tour from the 1950s into the 1970s. But he is best-known for his devotion to Ben Hogan and his stellar Ryder Cup record.

All the Golfers Who've Gone 5-0-0 In a Presidents Cup

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What is the best possible record a golfer can have in the Presidents Cup? Five wins, zero losses, zero draws: 5-0-0. For individual golfers playing the USA vs. International event, five matches is the maximum. So going 5-0-0 is Presidents Cup perfection. And in the history of the tournament, which goes back to 1994, only six golfers (so far) have achieved that perfection:

Largest Margins of Victory at the Presidents Cup

Which team, and which golfers, have won by the biggest margins in the Presidents Cup? The team record for margin of victory is 11 points, and the golfers' record for margin of victory in a match is 7-and-6.

Presidents Cup Captains: The Full List

Below is the list of Presidents Cup captains, all the golfers who've served in that role for Team USA and Team International going back to the first tournament in 1994.

The Five Founding Clubs of the USGA

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"The Five Founding Clubs" refers to the five golf clubs that, in 1894, got together to create the United States Golf Association (USGA). Those clubs are Newport Country Club, Chicago Golf Club, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, The Country Club (in Brookline, Mass.) and Saint Andrew's Golf Club (in New York, not Scotland).

How to Play the Cut Throat Golf Game

Cut Throat is the name of a golf game that takes place entirely on the tee box, and should be reserved for rounds played on a mostly empty golf course; or rounds played on a packed golf course where play is very slow and your group is waiting on every tee. Before we get into the details,

Virginia Van Wie: Profile of 3-Time U.S. Women's Am Champ

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Virginia Van Wie was one of the best women golfers of her era (the late 1920s/early 1930s). She won the biggest tournament then open to women three years in a row and then, like her contemporary Bobby Jones, walked away — at the top of her game, but just in her mid-20s.

2019 Presidents Cup Scores and Player Records

The 2019 Presidents Cup was the 13th time the tournament was played. It resulted in another win for Team USA, although it required a final-session comeback from the American side. The standings following this event were 11 wins for Team USA, one win for Team International, and one tie.

13 Other Terms for the Dreaded Whiff in Golf

The whiff. Ouch. It hurts to even say the word. The whiff is one of the most dreaded "shots" in golf, certainly the most-embarrassing. But at least you can always find your golf ball when you whiff! Of course, that's because your ball is still right where it was. You missed. You swung, and you missed the golf ball — that's a whiff. While the whiff itself isn't fun, the lingo that golfers use often is. So here are 13 other terms that golfers use for the dreaded whiff:

Explaining the Through Line in Golf

The "through line" in golf is the extension of a golfer's putting line several feet beyond the hole. Or, to express it two other ways, a) the through line is the putt you'll have coming back to the hole if you miss long with your initial putt; b) the through line is the line on which the ball will keep rolling beyond the hole if you miss the cup with your first putting attempt.

LPGA Hana Bank Championship Tournament Winners, History

The Hana Bank Championship, originally named the Nine Bridges Classic, was an LPGA Tour event played in South Korea and co-sanctioned by the LPGA of Korea Tour.

Joe Jimenez, the Golfer Who Reached His Peak After Age 60

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Joe Jimenez was a professional golfer best-known for his performance on the Champions Tour, even though he never won a regular tour event. He did have a knack for shooting his age, frequently, and, in the years before the Senior Tour existed, won a tournament that is now called a senior major.

When Tom Watson Tried to Get Gary McCord Fired

On October 26, 2019, CBS Sports confirmed that longtime golf broadcaster (and former PGA Tour player) Gary McCord had been let go. His contract was not picked up; he was no longer part of the CBS Sports golf broadcast team. McCord had been part of the network's golf broadcasts since 1986. It wasn't the first time CBS had dropped the comical, irreverent McCord. But the first time they did it, CBS fired him only from one tournament, The Masters.

What Does 'Good-Good' Mean in Golf?

"Good-good" is an expression — a question, actually — sometimes used between two golfers, neither of whom wants to attempt their next putts. When two golfers verbally agree to "good-good," it means they both count their putts as made and pick up their golf balls without actually putting. A double concession, on other words. And yes, "good-good?" is allowed under the Rules of Golf.

How Big Was the Original Big Bertha Driver?

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Callaway Golf always comes back to the "Big Bertha" name. The company doesn't always, all the time, have a driver in its lineup that uses that name, but the "Big Bertha" franchise remains exactly that: a franchise for Callaway, with Big Bertha clubs of many different types . It is one of the best-known club names in golf history. But I'm more interested in thinking back to the original Big Bertha driver.

The Meaning of 'Ham and Egg' in Golf

Have you ever heard the expression "ham-and-egg golf"? If you have, did you wonder what that means? You're in luck, because we like to explain golf lingo.

World Senior Championship Golf Matches

The World Senior Championship was a special event on the golf calendar from the 1950s into the 1970s that can't be called a tournament: Only two golfers competed in it each year.

Bio of Golfer Herman Barron

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Herman Barron was a PGA Tour golfer who won in the 1940s and a longtime, PGA teaching professional at clubs in New York. He also has the distinction of being the first Jewish golfer to win on the PGA Tour.

PGA Tour Record: Consecutive Rounds in the 60s

What is the longest streak of scores in the 60s — the most consecutive sub-70 rounds — in PGA Tour history? The record is 21. You might guess that Tiger Woods holds this record. But you'd be wrong. (Although Tiger does hold the tour's record for most consecutive rounds at par or better with a whopping 52, set in 2000-01.)

This Golfer Made 2 Aces in 5 Holes — and He'd Never Even Birdied

It's the kind of story you might not believe: A golfer who had never made a birdie recorded not just one hole-in-one, but two aces — and within a five-hole stretch of golf. But it's true. And both aces were even witnessed by a famous golf instructor.

The Crestar Classic, Site of Arnold Palmer's Final Win

The Crestar Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour played in the decade of the 1980s and best-remembered as the site of Arnold Palmer's final senior tour victory.

Most Birdies In a Row on the European Tour

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What is the European Tour's record for consecutive birdies in the same round of golf in a tour event? The unofficial record is nine birdies in a row; the official record is eight birdies in a row.

What Is a Grass Bunker in Golf?

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"Grass bunker" is a term many golfers use for an indentation in the ground, or a hollowed-out area on a golf course, that is filled not with sand but with grass. Another way of putting it: A grass bunker is a depression full of rough ... which could certainly be depressing to a golfer who hits into one.

Golfers With the Most European Tour Wins

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Which golfer has the most wins in European Tour history? Seve Ballesteros tops the list. And the list of the tour's top winners includes many other great names, too, including Tiger Woods, who is in third place.

Golfer Antonio Cerda: One of Argentina's Greatest

Antonio Cerda is one of the best golfers ever to emerge from Argentina. He won multiple times on the precursor to the European Tour in the 1950s, and had two near-misses in British Opens of that era.

Golf's Ben Hogan Tour (And Its Top Players)

The Ben Hogan Tour was the name of the PGA Tour's official developmental tour when that tour debuted in 1990, and for a couple years after. The tour itself is still around today, but has undergone many name changes over the years. The name "Ben Hogan Tour" (often shortened to just "Hogan Tour") was used only until 1993.

The Ben Hogan Award for College and Amateur Golf

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The Ben Hogan Award is presented annually to the top male collegiate golfer in the United States, taking into account both college tournament results and other amateur tournaments, as determined by a selection committee. The award is presented by Colonial Country Club (in Fort Worth, Texas), in conjunction with the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) and The Friends of Golf organization.

Are Golf Ball Pick-Ups for Your Putter 'Legal' Under the Rules?

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You might know a golfer — you might even be a golfer — who uses a putter that has a suction cup or other golf ball retrieval device affixed to the top of the grip. Maybe you've wondered whether the rules of golf allow such putters: When a golfer adds that ball retrieval gadget, such as a suction cup, is the putter still conforming according to the rules?

Yorkshire Evening News Tournament (Winners, History)

The Yorkshire Evening News Tournament was played in England from the 1920s into the 1960s. For many of those years, it was considered one of the biggest tournaments in Great Britain.

Golf's Major Winners Over the Age of 40

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How many times has a golfer over the age of 40 won a major championship? It's not exactly a rare feat, but most years the four major winners in men's golf are under the age of 40. The longest gaps without any 40-and-over major winners have been 33 years (1876-1909, when there was only one major for the early years and then only two majors), and 26 years (1921-1947). In other years, however, there have been multiple major winners in their 40s.

Alf Perry: Pro Golfer, Open Championship Winner

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Alf Perry was an English golf professional who won tournaments in the 1920s and 1930s. He had a quiet manner and a quirky swing, but Perry also had something else: The Claret Jug as a British Open winner .

The Approach Course in Golf

An "approach course" is a type of golf course that is much shorter than a regulation-sized golf course, and is designed specifically for golfers to work on their approach shots into the greens.

Explaining the 2-2-2 Golf Bet

What is a 2-2-2 in golf? It's the name of a type of wager than can be played within a group of golfers. The basics are pretty simple: It is three separate $2 wagers, one for the front nine, one for the back nine and another on the overall match result.

'Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius' Movie (Info, Stream, Buy)

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The motion picture Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius stars Jim Caviezel as the famous golfer from the 1920s whose early struggles later gave way to what some consider the greatest golf career ever. Some sources claim this movie was the first ever given permission to film on location on The Old Course at St. Andrews.

Michelle Wie Quotes (Plus a Few About Her)

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Michelle Wie burst onto the national golf scene when she was only 12 years old. We've watched her grow up in golf, and over the years she's given a lot of quotes. And other golfers have been asked for a lot of quotes about her. We've collected plenty of those Michelle Wie quotes here.

Indy Women in Tech Championship (LPGA Tour)

The Indy Women in Tech Championship was a tournament on the LPGA Tour played only three times. It was well-known during those three years for taking place on a golf course that featured several holes inside the world's most-famous auto racing track.

Golfer Ruth Jessen: Bio of LPGA Winner

Ruth Jessen was a professional golfer who won tournaments on the LPGA Tour from the late 1950s into the early 1970s. Her win total reached double digits even though her career was repeatedly interrupted by injuries and surgeries.

Motor City Open Tournament on the PGA Tour

The Motor City Open was a PGA Tour tournament played intermittently in the Detroit area from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. Despite the instability of the tournament, its roster of champions is quite impressive.

How to Play the Triples Game for Threesomes in Golf

Triples is the name of a golf game played by a group of three golfers. On each hole, each golfer earns points based on his or her score. The golfer with the best score of the three earns the most points; the golfer with the worst score of the three gets the fewest points. The way most groups pass out points works like this:

Winners of the Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year Award

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The Korn Ferry Tour is the developmental golf tour one level below the PGA Tour. Winning its Player of the Year award is a very good thing, not just because it means the winner was the best player on tour that year. Winning the award also means you've played well enough to earn a promotion to the PGA Tour.

Yearly Order of Merit Winners on the European Senior Tour (Legends Tour)

The European Senior Tour — now known as the Legends Tour after a couple years named the Staysure Tour — was founded in 1992 as the top-level tour in Europe for 50-and-over male golfers. Not surprisingly, the list of yearly Order of Merit winners below includes many prominent names in European golf, golfers who played primarily on the European Tour before moving on to the senior circuit.

How to Play the Strike Three Golf Game

Blow-up holes are something every golfer, even the best golfers sometimes, occasionally suffer. Wouldn't it be great if you could just throw those holes out — not count them in your score?

Golfer Dick Mayer: From U.S. Open Choker to Champion

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Dick Mayer was a winner on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s who is best-remembered as a U.S. Open champion.

Explaining the Polee Golf Game/Side Bet

Polee is the name of a side bet within a group of golfers. But the exact meaning of the Polee bet differs depending on who is playing. We'll go over the four most-common ways golfers play the Polee bet. (And note that the spelling Poley can refer to a different game.)

Fascinating 1971 Behind-the-Scenes Look at LPGA: 'Their Game Is Golf'

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Their Game Is Golf is the name of an early 1970s promotional film — it runs around 30 minutes long — produced by Sears to market the company's golf clubs and apparel. But it's so much more than that: It's a behind-the-scenes look at the LPGA Tour of that era, which is a pretty rare thing. There's just not that much video in existence of LPGA play from those days.

Golfers Who Led the Champions Tour in Wins Each Year

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Below in the list of annual victory leaders on the Champions Tour; that is, the golfer who, each year, led the world's top senior golf tour in wins. You'll see many names that you probably expected to see. But perhaps a few surprises, as well.

LPGA Takefuji Classic Golf Tournament (Winners, Records)

The LPGA Takefuji Classic was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour in the early 2000s, played first in Hawaii and then in Nevada. Although played only seven times, it produced an impressive list of champions.

European Tour 72-Hole Scoring Records (Total Strokes and Under Par)

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Which golfers have gone the lowest on the European Tour? Below we see the European Tour records for lowest 72-hole stroke total and for most strokes under par over 72 holes. The record-low stroke total is 257, and the Euro Tour's 72-hole record for strokes under par is 29-under.

Joe Kirkwood Sr.: First Australian PGA Tour Winner, Trick Shot Performer

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Joe Kirkwood Sr. was the first Australian winner on the PGA Tour and won more than a dozen times in the 1920s and 1930s. But his bigger claim to fame is probably that he was the first golfer to gain fame (and lots of money) by doing trick shots.

Nasties: Explaining the Golf Game and Side Bet

What, you just holed a shot from off the green? Oh, you nasty boy! That's how you win the golf bet that goes by the name of Nasties.

What Is Tiger Woods' Handicap?

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Trick question: Tiger Woods doesn't have a handicap. But if he did, it would be an amazingly low one, as we'll see below.

PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Award Winners

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Below is the list of Rookie of the Year Award winners on the PGA Tour. The tour has given the award only since 1990, when Robert Gamez was its first recipient.

European Tour Career Money List

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Below are the all-time leaders in earnings on the European Tour, the tour's career money list.

The 18-Hole Scoring Record on the European Tour

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What is the lowest 18-hole score ever posted on the European Tour? It's not 58, like on the PGA Tour . And for decades after the tour's 1972 founding, it wasn't 59 like on the LPGA Tour . In European Tour history, no golfer broke 60 for the tour's first 46 years of existence. But finally, in 2018, the tour had its first 59. And that remains the European Tour scoring record.

The Cart Fee in Golf

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The "cart fee" at a golf course is the amount of money the course charges a golfer for the use of a riding cart for one round of golf. But how much is that?

Walker Cup Results: Scores of All the Matches

The Walker Cup is an international team golf tournament played every two years (in odd-numbered years). The event is played by amateur male golfers, and the two teams are the United States and Great Britain and Ireland. Twenty-six matches are currently played during the tournament (that number varies as you go back in the tournament's history), so 26 points are at stake.

The Invisible Man Golf Game, a Variation on Skins

"Invisible Man" is the name of a golf betting game that is a variation on a basic Skins Game. Who is the invisible man in the game? That's Old Man Par, and he wants a cut of your winnings.

Explaining the Wraparound Schedule in Golf

A "wraparound schedule" (sometimes called a "wraparound season") is a pro golf tour schedule that begins in one year and finishes in the following year. Such a tour schedule or tour season wraps around from one year to the next.

The Career Second Slam: Golfers Who Finished Second At All Four Majors

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You know what the Career Grand Slam is: Golfers who've won all four of the professional majors over the course of their careers. But what about the "Career Second Slam"? That refers to golfers who've finished second at all four of the majors. It is sometimes called the Runner-up Slam or Second-Place Slam. So far, nine golfers have achieved that feat in their careers. And it is a feat: You have to be a very good golfer, as the names below will show, to post a runner-up finish at all four majors during your career. Most golfers never finish second at even one major, after all. Interesting fact about the list of Career Second Slam winners: Only one of them (Jack Nicklaus) has also won the Career Grand Slam. The other Career Grand Slam winners, including Tiger Woods, did not or have not yet recorded a second-place in at least one of the majors. List of Golfers With the Career Second Slam Craig Wood Craig Wood was the first to achieve it, doing so when he

Kroger Senior Classic on the Champions Tour

The Kroger Senior Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour for senior (50-and-over) pros. It was played in Ohio, was three rounds (54 holes) in duration, and took place 15 times beginning in the early 1990s.

Allan Macfie, Golfer Who Won the First Amateur Championship

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Allan Macfie was the winner of the first Amateur Championship (what Americans call the British Amateur) in 1885. Born in England, he played under the Scottish flag. His dedication to practicing his game rates him as the Vijay Singh of late 1800s.

Record for Most Consecutive Holes Without a Bogey in Pro Golf

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Even for the best golfers on the planet, bogeys are common. Golf is hard! But in the history of the world's top pro golf tours, there are two remarkable streaks of bogey-free holes that reached 110 holes and more.

What Is a Sunday Ball in Golf?

"Sunday ball" is a slang term in golf for a do-over shot. In other words, it's another term for a mulligan.

Lee Trevino at the Masters: 'Pray they don't invite me back'

Something funny happened in the first round of the 1989 Masters : Lee Trevino took the lead. Well, it was funny to Trevino, and unexpected to everyone else. The UPI account from April 7, 1989 reads like this:

Explaining the Elevated Green in Golf

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An elevated green is a putting green that is higher than the surrounding elements of the hole it is part of. A golfer who encounters an elevated green will be playing her approach up to that green, because she will be hitting from an area (whether fairway, rough or tee) that is lower than the elevated green's surface.

The 'Play Club' Was Golf's Original Driver

A term that used be common in golf but is virtually never heard anymore, outside of historical discussions of the game, is "play club." But the old, archaic golf club whose name was "play club" was, essentially, the original driver.

Jack Simpson, Longshot Winner of the British Open

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Jack Simpson is one of the lesser-known British Open champions , winner of the Open in 1884 — virtually his only tournament finish of note. But his family name is still on a Carnoustie landmark today.

Sisters Who've Played on the Same Solheim Cup Team

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Sisters playing together on a Solheim Cup team? That has to be a rarity. After all, how many sets of sisters can you name where two (or more) siblings were playing top-level, winning golf in the same general time frame? They are rare. But, in fact, two sets of sisters so far have been on the same Solheim Cup squads.

European Tour Cannes Open Golf Tournament

The Cannes Open was a golf tournament on the European Tour that was played for most of the 1980s and 1990s in the famous resort city in France.

What Is a Pigeon in Golf? (You Don't Want to Be One)

You might guess that a pigeon is the name of a golf score, since there is an avian theme to the names of golf scores (birdie, eagle). But no, pigeon is something very different. Pigeon is something no golfer wants to be called.

Solheim Cup Captains Picks (By Year, With Player Records)

Below is the list of every golfer who has received a captain's pick to play in the Solheim Cup. Which golfers have done the best (and worst) with their opportunities?

Facts About the Solheim Cup Trophy

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The Solheim Cup trophy — the literal Solheim Cup — is an impressive crystal, cut-glass trophy. The team (United States or Europe) that wins the tournament named the Solheim Cup gets to keep that trophy for two years, until the next tournament comes around. How big is the Solheim Cup trophy? This is the tale of the tape

Mary Lena Faulk, LPGA Major Winner

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Mary Lena Faulk was an LPGA Tour player of the 1950s and 1960s who won 10 times, including one victory in a major championship.

What Happens If the Solheim Cup Ends in a Tie?

Every two years, there are 28 points up for grabs by the two teams playing the Solheim Cup. And that presents the possibility the two teams will tie, 14-14. What happens in the event such a tie happens? Who gets the Cup?

Who Is the Solheim Cup Named After?

The Solheim Cup is one of the biggest events in women's professional golf, played every other year betweens teams representing Europe and the United States. But who is it named after — who put the "Solheim" in Solheim Cup?

The Solheim Cup Format Explained

The format for the Solheim Cup is two days of doubles match play using foursomes and fourballs, followed by a final day of singles match play. It is a three-day competition between teams of women professional golfers representing the United States and Europe. Twenty-eight points are at stake over the those three days, which break down like this:

2019 Solheim Cup: Final Score, Team Rosters, Match Results

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The 2019 Solheim Cup was the 16th time the competition was played . With Team Europe's dramatic victory, the overall standings in the event's history was 10 wins for Team USA, six wins for Team Europe.

Golfer Harry Weetman: Big Drives, Big Wins, Big Mouth

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Harry Weetman was an English golfer who was one of the top players in Britain and Europe during the 1950s and into the early 1960s. He won more than 15 notable tournaments during that time, and also played in numerous Ryder Cups. (He captained a Ryder Cup squad, too.)

Solheim Cup Results: Scores of Every Match Played

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The Solheim Cup is the international women's pro team golf tournament in which United States golfers play against a team of European golfers. It was launched in 1990, created by the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour, at the urging of namesake Karsten Solheim and the backing of his company, Ping Golf.

How to Calculate a 'Blind Bogey Handicap' for a Golf Tournament

A "blind bogey handicap" is a one-day handicap for a golf tournament that is figured after the golfers have completed play. It allows golfers who don't have official handicaps (which is typically most golfers who play in association events, corporate outings, charity tournaments and the like) to take part in tournaments that use or require handicaps, and to compete for net score prizes.

The Azalea Open, Former PGA Tour Golf Tournament

The Azalea Open was a PGA Tour golf tournament that was played from the mid-1940s into the early 1970s, all but one of those years in North Carolina.

The Scruffies Game: How to Play the Scruffy Golf Bet

The "scruffy" is a golf bet played within any group of golfers. It involves one of those golfers betting the others that he or she can make par from a less-than-ideal location following the tee shots. In Scruffies, which the game is also called, a golfer whose tee shot misses the fairway (on par-4s and par-5s) or the green (on par-3s holes) can call a scruffy. That puts the bet in place.

The Golf Meanings of the Word 'Out'

"Out" is a very common word in our everyday language. But in a golf context, "out" has two specific meanings that apply to, respectively, golf ball position and golf course layout.

Biography of LPGA Golfer Sandra Spuzich, Major Winner

Sandra Spuzich won golf tournaments on the LPGA Tour from the mid-1960s through the early 1980s. While she didn't win a lot of them, Spuzich did win the biggest of all: the U.S. Women's Open.

Playing the Bogey or Bust Golf Game

Bogey or Bust is the name of a golf game that is most often played as a side bet by buddies in a group of four, or as a bonus pool within a tournament. Either way, as the name implies, in Bogey or Bust the object of the game is making no worse than a bogey on each hole.

All the Pro Golfers Who've Won 3 Majors In the Same Year

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In the history of professional golf, only six golfers have won three of the pro majors in the same calendar year. Four women have done it and two men. Nobody (yet) has won four majors in the same year.

The 21 (Twenty-One) Golf Putting Game: Don't Leave It Short

"21" (or "Twenty-One") is the name of a golf putting game that can help golfers who struggle getting their putts to the hole. Leave it short on a regular basis? Playing 21 might help. Or it might cost you some money if you and your buddies have a wager at stake.

Cool-Season Grasses Used on Golf Courses

"Cool-season grasses" are those grasses that grow best in cooler climates. In the golf world, that means grasses that maintain their growth rates, healthy root systems and density in cooler temperatures, but suffer in those areas when the weather warms up.

How to Play the Barkies Golf Game (What Is a 'Barkie' Anyway?)

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A "barkie" happens when a golfer makes par on a hole after hitting a tree with one of his shots. Your drive hit a tree, yet you recovered to make par? You just scored a barkie.

Golfer Tom Kidd: Early British Open Winner, Club Innovator

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Tom Kidd was a golfer of the 19th century and one of the lesser-known British Open champs ever. But he did, in fact, win the Open Championship ... and he just might have invented grooves on irons.

Regions Charity Classic (Bruno's Memorial Classic) Senior Golf Tournament

The Regions Charity Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour that was played for nearly 20 years starting from the early 1990s.