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Showing posts from March, 2020

Are Tee Times Required to Play Golf?

The tee time policy at golf courses varies from course to course across the golf world. So the answer to the question, "do you have to have a tee time to play golf" is: sometimes. Let's go into detail about when tee times are required and when they aren't.

Pencil-Whipped: Explaining the Golf Lingo

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What does it mean when one golfer says another got "pencil-whipped"? It means the golfer being talked about just lost a bet on the golf course, and lost it because he or she did a lousy job of negotiating the terms of the bet.

1973 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1973 Walker Cup was the 24th time this competition took place. Following the United States victory, the all-time standings were 21 wins for Team USA, two wins for Team GB&I, one tie.

LPGA St. Louis Women's Invitational Tournament

The St. Louis Women's Invitational (also known as the St. Louis Open) was a pro golf tournament on the LPGA Tour. It was first played in the 1950s, then resumed in the 1960s, and took place in Missouri.

1971 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

Something happened in the 1971 Walker Cup that had happened only once before: Great Britain & Ireland won. Following the Team GB&I victory, the all-time standings were 20 wins for Team USA, two wins for Team GB&I, and one tie.

Mary Mills, 3-Time LPGA Major Winner

Mary Mills had a lengthy, solid career as a golfer on the LPGA Tour, interspersed with moments of great accomplishment: She won three major championships, including a U.S. Women's Open. In her prime, she was considered an excellent player tee-to-green, and one of the best on tour with her wedges.

1969 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1969 Walker Cup was the 22nd time this competition took place. Following the United States victory, the all-time standings were 20 wins for Team USA, one win for Team GB&I, one tie.

1967 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1967 Walker Cup was the 21st time this competition took place. Following the United States victory, the all-time standings were 19 wins for Team USA, one win for Team GB&I, one tie.

Can Some Drivers Cause Hearing Loss?

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Thwack! Ping! Ting! Whomp! Can your driver damage your hearing? I say (raising voice), can your driver damage your hearing? In theory, yes, say researchers. That possibility is warned of by a group of British doctors who studied the question of driver impact noise on golfers' hearing back in 2008, and whose report on the subject was published in the British Medical Journal . The hearing specialists claim in their article that golfers susceptible to hearing loss might be at risk as a result of the loud, percussive "pops" and "pings" produced at impact by today's thin-faced, titanium and composite drivers.

1965 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

In the 1965 Walker Cup, something happened that had happened only once before: Team GB&I didn't lose. But they also didn't win. This was the 20th time the Walker Cup was played. Following the tied final score, the all-time standings were 18 wins for Team USA, one win for Team GB&I, and one tie. As the defending champion, Team USA retained the Cup.

Don Cherry: Bio of Golfer, Singer

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Don Cherry was an accomplished amateur golfer in the 1950s and then a pro golfer who played PGA Tour events from the 1960s into the 1980s. But he might have been more famous in his day for his other vocation: singer. Cherry had multiple hit records in the 1950s, appeared on many 1960s television shows, and, decades later, made several albums with Willie Nelson.

1963 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1963 Walker Cup was the 19th time this competition took place. Following the United States victory, the all-time standings were 18 wins for Team USA, one win for Team GB&I.

Major Championship Golf Courses That No Longer Exist

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Most golf courses on which men's major championships have been played still exist. In fact, nearly all do, at least in some — not necessarily their original — form. But a handful of major championship golf courses have disappeared, out of business and/or plowed under and replaced with something else.

1961 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1961 Walker Cup was the 18th time this competition took place. Following the United States victory, the all-time standings were 17 wins for Team USA, one win for Team GB&I.

Meet Tommy McAuliffe, the 'World Champion Armless Golfer'

A golfer with no arms? Sounds like the beginning to a very bad joke. But Tommy McAuliffe was not a punch line, he made sure of that, even though he lived in a time when the physically disabled were subjected to far less respectful treatment than today. McAuliffe was born in 1893 in Buffalo, New York, and in 1902, after he fell across train tracks in front of an oncoming train, he lost both his arms at the shoulders. But he went on to lead a remarkable life, during which he interacted with many of the greats of golf history. He was, as he came to be known, the "World Champion Armless Golfer."

1959 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1959 Walker Cup was the 17th time this competition took place. Following the United States victory, the all-time standings were 16 wins for Team USA, one win for Team GB&I.

Arnaud Massy: Bio of First French Golf Star, Open Champ

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Arnaud Massy won one British Open and nearly another (he lost in a playoff). He was the first great French golfer and remains, more than 100 years after his Open victory, the only French golfer to win one of the men's major championships.

1957 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1957 Walker Cup was the 16th time this competition took place. Following the United States victory, the all-time standings were 15 wins for Team USA, one win for Team GB&I.

Jimmy Johnston, Amateur Star of the 1920s

Jimmy Johnston was born into a well-off family near the dawn of the 20th century. He grew up to become a championship amateur golfer, a local hero in Minnesota, and he played a shot that was once one of the most famous in American golf. He also served in two world wars and became a friend of Bobby Jones' through multiple Walker Cup appearances.

1955 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1955 Walker Cup was the 15th time this competition took place. Following the United States victory, the all-time standings were 14 wins for Team USA, one win for Team GB&I.

The Hit Songs of Golfer Don Cherry

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There have been many golfers over the years who have dabbled in music. Some of those golfers have been notable, others not so much. One of the giants of the game, for example, Gary Player, released an album of songs in 1970 . Don Cherry was not a dabbler in either golf or music. He is more famous today as a singer and bandleader than as a golfer, although many people reading this probably won't remember him as either. But Cherry was a well-known name in both of his pursuits in the 1950s and 1960s. He played in the Walker Cup three times, challenged at a U.S. Open, and played on the PGA Tour. In music, though, he had more success, and that's what this article is about.

1953 Walker Cup Winners and Match Scores

The 1953 Walker Cup was the 14th time this competition took place. Following the United States victory, the all-time standings were 13 wins for Team USA, one win for Team GB&I.

When Are Gimme Putts Allowed in Golf?

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Gimme putts are often seen in recreational rounds of golf between friends. But when, exactly, are you allowed to ask for a gimme? Or declare, "I'm taking a gimme"? The short answer is:

1951 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

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The 1951 Walker Cup was the 13th time this competition took place. Following the United States victory, the all-time standings were 12 wins for Team USA, one win for Team GB&I.

Ronnie White: The Homebody of Golf

Ronnie White was one of the best British amateur golfers of his era, he just didn't feel the need to play a lot to prove it: He usually didn't even enter the British Amateur. He was a regular on Team GB&I in the Walker Cup, however, and compiled what is easily that side's best record of his time.

1949 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1949 Walker Cup was the 12th time this competition took place. Following the United States victory, the all-time standings were 11 wins for Team USA, one win for Team GB&I.

Ben Hogan in The Masters: Wins, Yearly Scores and Finishes

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Ben Hogan played in The Masters Tournament 25 times. He won twice, finished second four times, had nine Top 5s, and 17 out of those 25 Masters he finished in the Top 10. That included the last one he played.

1947 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

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Played for the first time since 1938 due to World War II, the 1947 Walker Cup was the 11th time this competition took place. Following the United States victory, the all-time standings were 10 wins for Team USA, one win for Team GB&I.

Bobby Mitchell, Journeyman Pro Who Beat Nicklaus In a Playoff

Bobby Mitchell was a PGA Tour member in the 1960s and 1970s best-known for finishing runner-up to Jack Nicklaus in a major, and defeating Nicklaus in a playoff at another tournament. He later became a teaching pro, including working in Finland near the Arctic Circle.

1938 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

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Something happened at the 1938 Walker Cup that had never happened before: Great Britain & Ireland won. So after the 10th Walker Cup played, the all-time standings were nine wins for the USA, one win for GB&I.

Bank One Classic Winners (Champions Tour)

The Bank One Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour (played under various names, noted below) from the early 1980s until the late 1990s. It was played annually in Lexington, Kentucky.

1936 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1936 Walker Cup was the ninth time this competition was played. Following Team USA's win, the all-time standings were nine wins for the United States, zero wins for Team GB&I.

1934 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1934 Walker Cup was the eighth time this competition was played. Following Team USA's win, the all-time standings were eight wins for the United States, zero wins for Team GB&I.

Bobby Jones' Yearly Scores and Finishes in The Masters

Everyone knows Bobby Jones was the co-founder of Augusta National Golf Club and of The Masters Tournament. And if you know much about Jones, you also know that he retired from competitive golf after claiming the Grand Slam in 1930.

1932 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1932 Walker Cup was the seventh time this competition was played. Following Team USA's win, the all-time standings were seven wins for the United States, zero wins for Team GB&I.

Should Golfers Considering a Clubfitting Wait Until They Are 'Good Enough'?

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For as long as there have been clubfitters, there have been golfers wondering: Do I have to be "good enough" to benefit from one? Is there any point in being fit for clubs if I'm just not very good yet? Should I delay getting that clubfitting until I reach my goal of a lower score?

1930 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1930 Walker Cup was the sixth time this competition was played. Following Team USA's win, the all-time standings were six wins for the United States, zero wins for Team GB&I.

Jack Nicklaus' Masters Wins and Yearly Finishes

Jack Nicklaus is the leading winner in the history of The Masters Tournament with six victories. Those six wins span 21 years, but Nicklaus played The Masters from 1959 through 2005, a span of 46 years. Not surprisingly, Nicklaus had plenty of other high finishes in The Masters in addition to those six wins. The Golden Bear's year-by-year Masters scores and finishes are listed below.

1928 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1928 Walker Cup was the fifth time this competition was played. Following Team USA's win, the all-time standings were five wins for the United States, zero wins for Team GB&I.

Kathy Ahern: Profile of LPGA Golfer and Major Winner

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Kathy Ahern was a teen prodigy in the 1960s who went on to LPGA success in the 1970s, including winning a major championship. Her career was cut short by injuries, and her life cut short by cancer.

1926 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1926 Walker Cup was the fourth time this competition was played. Following Team USA's win, the all-time standings were four wins for the United States, zero wins for Team GB&I.

1924 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1924 Walker Cup was the third time this competition was played. Following Team USA's win, the all-time standings were three wins for the United States, zero wins for Team GB&I.

Golfers Who Won The Masters 3 Times or More

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Winning The Masters Tournament once is a great achievement. Winning it twice is spectacular. Winning it three times is special and rare — only eight golfers in tournament history have won it at least three times.

1923 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1923 Walker Cup was the second time this competition was played by teams of amateur men golfers representing Great Britain & Ireland and the United States. Team USA's victory gave the American side an overall 2-0 lead in the tournament.

PGA Championship Playoff Format, Holes and Rules

What happens when the final round of the PGA Championship ends with two or more golfers tied for the lead? Those golfers face each other in a playoff. Here is the PGA Championship playoff format currently in use:

1922 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The very first Walker Cup ever played, the 1922 match inaugurated the Great Britain & Ireland vs. United States competition pitting teams of amateur men golfers. And Team USA was the first winner.

Curtis Cup Captains: All the Golfers Who've Served

The list of Curtis Cup captains goes back to 1932, when the biennial tournament played by the best women amateur golfers was first played. Below is the full list of those who've served in the captain's role for the United States team and the Great Britain & Ireland team.

Through the Green (Definition of the Golf Term)

"Through the green" is — make that was — a term used in The Official Rules of Golf that applied to all parts of the golf course once you subtracted tees, greens and hazards. The term was dropped from the rule book beginning in 2019, but because it was used by golfers and rules officials for decades, "through the green" will likely live on in the golf lexicon for years to come.

PGA Championship Cut: Who Makes It, Who Doesn't

The PGA Championship cut is goverened by the cut rule, and the cut rule determines which golfers get to keep playing beyond the second round, and which golfers go home.

Curtis Cup Results: Every Match Ever Played

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Below you'll find the final scores of each Curtis Cup played since the even began in 1932. But you can also find much more than that here: the scores of every foursomes, fourballs and singles match ever played.

The Golf Champ Who Was Taken Hostage, Used As a Human Shield and Shot

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Philip Perkins had a big match to play the next day: He was playing for the championship of the Dixie Amateur. And yet, there he was, after 2 a.m. on the morning of Feb. 27, 1932, still out at a Miami nightclub. Soon enough he was wishing he'd gone to bed at a decent hour. Because just before 3 a.m., a group of gun-wielding bandits burst into the Embassy Club. Within minutes, Perkins — a Briton and the 1928 British Amateur champion, a Walker Cup player, a golfer who had faced Bobby Jones multiple times — was shot after being grabbed by one of the robbers and used as a human shield.

Philip Perkins: Profile of the British Golf Champ

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Philip Perkins was a British Amateur champion who also had runner-up finishes in the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open. Oh, and he was also once shot after being taken hostage by a band of gangsters .