2011Traditions of Golf Challenge Study Guide HISTORY SECTION PRE - 20 th Century When did the game of golf start? Golf originated in the 15 th century in Scotland. Mary, Queen of Scots introduced the word caddie to the game. While playing golf, she was accompanied by a club-carrying young boy whom she called the cadet, or caddie. Players would hit a pebble around a natural course of sand dunes, rabbit runs and tracks using a stick or primitive club. How were golf balls developed? The first real golf ball was known as the feathery. The feathery was a leather sack filled by hand with boiled goose feathers, and stitched up and painted. The feathery golf ball period may have started as early as the 1400 s and ended in the early 1850 s. The arrival of the gutta percha ball in 1848 or guttie, as it was called, revolutionized the game and allowed golf s spread to the masses. The guttie was made from rubber, which could be heated, and formulated into a ball. The next revolution in ball design came around 1905 with the patented "Haskell" ball, which is a composite of a solid core wound with thin strips of rubber. Some modern balls (the expensive ones) are made this way today. This ball performed much better than the gutty and could be made cheaply compared to earlier balls. In 1972 the first two-piece ball was introduced by Spalding. These are more popular with amateurs, as they are more durable and considered to be longer and straighter. Many professionals are still devoted to the softer covered balls, since they prefer the added spin for control as opposed to distance. How have golf clubs evolved? Golf matches prior to 1850 were played with hand crafted, wooden-shafted golf clubs. Woods were long hickory sticks with oversized grips and long skinny heads, which looked like elongated hockey sticks. The United States Golf Association (USGA) legalized the steel shaft in 1926. The new clubs offered a wide variety of lofts and matched sets became the norm. Gene Sarazen is credited with inventing the sand wedge in 1930. In recent years persimmon had been the most popular wood used to make club heads for woods. Today, woods are made from metals such as stainless steel and titanium.
1881-1900 Since the 1980 s, computers have been used increasingly to design clubs. The final phase has been the adaptation of computer aided design (CAD) to club design. This has led to some odd designs, but all the major manufacturers use CAD these days. Using finite element analysis you can go a long way to simulating club performance before manufacture. The St. Andrews Golf Club is found in Yonkers, New York, the oldest surviving golf club in America. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews decided to standardize the hole to its current size of 4.25 inches in diameter. The United States Golf Association is founded as the Amateur Golf Association of the United States. Charles B. MacDonald wins the first official U.S. Amateur championship at Newport Golf Club. The U.S. Open is instituted with its first winner, Willie Anderson. The pool cue is banned as a putter by the USGA. The first rubber-cored ball is designed and patented by Coburn Haskell. Golf is placed on the Olympic calendar for the 2 nd Games at Paris. 1901-1920 1921-1940 America s first golf magazine, The Golfer, is published in New York, NY. Yale wins the first collegiate golf championship. John Shippen was the first African-American professional. Willie Anderson wins the Western Open with a 299 total; the first time 300 is broken for 72 holes in an American event. Mrs. Gordon Robertson becomes the first female professional. J.J. McDermott becomes the first native-born American to win the U.S. Open. At 17 years of age, he is also the youngest winner to date. The first miniature golf course opens in Pinehurst, North Carolina. The Professional Golfer s Association of America is formed in January of 1916. Walter Hagen becomes the first American-born player to win the British Open. Steel-shafted clubs are permitted in the United States by the USGA. The first complete fairway irrigation system is installed at Brook Hollow Golf Club in Dallas, Texas. Creeping bentgrass is developed for putting greens by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Craig Wood hit a 430-yard drive at the Old Course s fifth hole in the British Open. This is still the longest drive in a major championship. The Walker Cup was established in 1922 as a competition between the U.S. and Great Britain. This event was named after Herbert Walker, the USGA president in 1920, who donated the cup. America won the inaugural Walker Cup match, 8 to 4. In 1932, the first Curtis Cup match, between women amateurs of the U.S. and Great Britain, is won by the United States, 5 ½ to 3 ½. The Curtis Cup was originally called the The Women s International Cup, but was renamed after Harriot and Margaret Curtis donated the cup in 1932. The sister s had accumulated 4 U.S. Women s Amateur Titles between them. The USGA instituted the 14-club rule in 1938.
1941-1960 1961-1980 1981-Present The United States government halts the manufacturing of golf equipment because of World War II. The U.S. Junior Amateur is instituted (1948). The current yardage guides for par are adopted by the USGA (1956). In 1943, the war takes a heavy toll on competitive golf. The PGA Tour is reduced to only three tournaments. There is no PGA Championship. In 1947, the U.S. Open was first televised but only locally on KDS-TV in St. Louis. The Open was being played at the St. Louis Country Club. In 1961, The PGA of America drops the Caucasians-only clause from its constitution, allowing African-Americans to become members. Pete Brown becomes the first African-American to win an official PGA Tournament, taking the Waco Turner Open. PGA Tour Qualifying School is inaugurated at PGA National (1965). Kathy Whitworth and Carol Mann each win ten tournaments on the LPGA Tour. Astronaut Alan Shepard takes the game to new frontiers by hitting a six-iron shot during a walk on the moon. Ollie Bowers of Gaffney, SC completes a record 542 rounds in one calendar year (1969). Lee Elder becomes the first African-American to play in The Masters. Gary Wright completes 18 holes in a record 28 minutes 9 seconds at Twantin Noosa GC, Australia 6,039 yards. Kathy Whitworth is the first woman golfer to top $1 million in career earnings in 1981. Judy Bell becomes the first woman elected to the USGA Executive Committee and later becomes the first woman elected President of the USGA. After a controversy at the PGA Championship site Shoal Creek Country Club in Birmingham, AL, the PGA of America and PGA Tour announce they will not play tournaments at clubs that have no African-American or women members. John F Merchant, a Connecticut attorney, is the first African-American elected to the USGA Executive Committee. Professional Golfers Association (PGA) The Masters The Masters is one of the most prestigious of the major championships held in the USA. Instituted in 1934 by the legendary Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, it is an annual invitational held at Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia. Since 1949, the famous Green Jacket has been awarded to the winner as a mantle of honor with the award ceremony resembling the appointment of royalty. Tradition has it that the winner keeps the jacket for one year before returning it to Augusta whereupon it is kept indefinitely. United States Open The U.S. Open, instituted by the USGA in 1895, is one of golf s four major championships.
British Open Given that the event is an Open rather than an invitational (like the Masters) the field is comprised of golfers who have either qualified for the event or are exempt from having to qualify The record for most wins in the U.S. Open is held by: Willie Anderson, Robert Jones, Ben Hogan, and Jack Nicklaus all of whom have 4 titles. The British Open is golf s oldest championship and one of golf s four major championships It is traditionally played on links courses, which are invariably more demanding than the manicured courses so common throughout the world. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews assumed control of the Open Championship in 1872 PGA Championship Instituted in 1916, the PGA Championship is a professional men s tournament and is considered one of golf s four Majors. Up until 1957 it was contested as a match play event. In 1968, the PGA introduced a new event, the PGA Club Professional Championship. This event was developed to provide additional playing opportunities for PGA professionals. The event brings together elite club professionals that compete to earn a spot in the PGA Championship. Each year the top-25 club professionals from the event will qualify for the PGA Championship. Walter Hagen holds the record of four consecutive victories and is tied with Jack Nicklaus with five wins overall. Ryder Cup Samuel Ryder was determined that an international team match should become a permanent event so he ended-up creating one himself. He donated a gold trophy for the event crowned by a golfer cast in the image of Ryder s golf teacher, Abe Mitchell, one of Britain s top professionals. As a result, in 1926, American and British golf professionals teed off in the first Ryder Cup Matches at Worcester Country Club in Massachusetts. The first Ryder Cup tally was United States 9 ½, Great Britain 2 ½ Up until 1979 the Ryder Cup pitted the United States team against the best players from Great Britain and Ireland. In 1979, at the Greenbriar in Virginia, the GB & I side was expanded to include other European players featuring a more competitive Ryder Cup. PGA Tour Players (Past & Present) Bobby Jones (1902-1971) Bobby Jones was winning golf tournaments at age nine but not until he was 21 did he win his first Major event, the U.S. Open. By the time he retired from competitive golf in 1930, Jones won the British Open 3 times, the British Amateur once, the US Open 4 times and the US Amateur 4 times.
He won all 4 Majors in 1930 (then consisting of the U.S. Open, British Open, and U.S. and British Amateurs). He designed Augusta National and helped found the Masters tournament. Sam Snead (1912-2002) He holds the record for most PGA Tour wins with 82. In 1950 he set a record for PGA Tour wins in a year with 11. He won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average 4 times (1938, 1949, 1950, 1955). He was a 7 time member of the Ryder Cup team. Ben Hogan (1912-1997) He is 4 th all-time with 64 career PGA Tour wins. In 1949, Hogan had a career threatening car accident where he sustained many injuries. Doctors said he may never walk again Hogan left the hospital 2 months after the accident. In 1953 he became the first (and only) player to win the first three major championships of the year (Masters, US Open, British Open). Hogan is widely acknowledged to have been the best ball striker ever. Byron Nelson (1912-2006) Although he won many tournaments in the course of his relatively brief career, he is mostly remembered today for having won 11 consecutive tournaments and 18 total tournaments in 1945. He retired officially at the age of 34 to be a rancher, later becoming a commentator and lending his name to the HP Byron Nelson Championship, the first PGA Tour event to be named for a professional golfer. In 1974, Byron Nelson received the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. Nelson became the second recipient of the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame [3] in 1974. He received the 1994 Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, GCSAA's highest honor. Nelson received the Congressional Gold Medal shortly after his death in 2006. Arnold Palmer (1929- ) Nicknamed "The King," he is one of golf's most popular stars and its most important trailblazer because he was the first star of the sport's television age, which began in the 1950s. Among his 62 PGA Tour victories are 7 professional Majors. He won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average 4 times (1961, 1962, 1964, 1967). He was a 6 time member of the Ryder Cup team. Jack Nicklaus (1940- ) Jack Nicklaus, also known as the Golden Bear is considered to be the greatest golfer of the 20 th Century. Among his countless victories are a record 18 professional Majors.
He won the U.S. Open the first year he turned pro in 1962. Nicklaus career is outstanding. He won the British Open 3 times, US Open 4 times, the PGA Championship 5 times and the Masters a record 6 times. He served on 8 Ryder Cup Squads and was voted PGA Player of the Year 5 times. Tiger Woods (1975- ) Tiger Woods is making history as we speak. He holds the record for lowest score in relation to par at three of the four major championships. His records are: 1997 Masters (18 under); 2000 British Open (19 under); 2000 & 2006 PGA (18 under). He joined Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Jack Nicklaus in accomplishing a career Grand Slam in golf, meaning a title from every major tournament. Tiger also joined Ben Hogan as the only player to win three professional major championships in one year (Hogan did it in 1953). In addition to his 6 USGA National titles (3 U.S. Amateurs and 3 U.S. Junior titles) he also won the NCAA Championship while attending Stanford University PGA Tour Fun Facts Tiger Woods is the youngest player to achieve a career grand slam. First U.S. Open was held in 1895 in Newport, Rhode Island with only 11 players 1933 Hershey Chocolate Company (unofficially)- was the first corporate sponsor on the PGA Tour. They sponsored the Hershey Open In 1977, Al Geiberger shot the first sub-60 round in Tour history, shooting a 59 Ladies Professional Golf Associaiton 1950- Present (LPGA) Women s U.S. Open LPGA Championship The Women s Professional Golf Association, the forerunner of the Ladies Professional Golf Association, created the Women s U.S. Open in 1946. This women s major is the longest-running tournament in women s professional golf. Mickey Wright and Betsy Rawls hold the record for most wins. Each has captured the title four times. The LPGA Championship is one of only 4 majors on the LPGA Tour and has become one of the most respected tournaments in women s golf. 19 of the past 41 winners are members of the LPGA Hall Of Fame. Mickey Wright holds the record for most LPGA Championship victories with four. Women s British Open In 2001 this tournament replaced the du Maurier Classic as the fourth Women s Major event. Se Ri Pak captured the title that year The Open became an official LPGA Tour event in 1994 and in 2001 became one of the LPGA s major events. Karrie Webb and Karen Stupples share the tournament record score at 19-under par.
Kraft Nabisco Championship This event, previously known as the Nabisco Dinah Shore, became a major in 1983. It is tradition that who ever wins the title celebrates by jumping in the lake on the 18 th hole Dottie Pepper holds the 72-hole tournament scoring record at -19 par recorded in 1999 Solheim Cup This event was named after Karsten Solheim the founder of Karsten Manufacturing Company, which makes PING golf equipment and has been a long time supporter and sponsor of the LPGA Tour. This international competition showcases the top players from the United States versus the top European players. The first competition was held in 1990 in Orlando, Florida. The United States defeated Europe 11 ½ to 4 ½. In the most recent Cup in 2007, the United States defeated Europe 16 to 12 LPGA Tour Players (Past & Present) Babe Zaharias (1915-1956) Born Mildred Didrikson, Babe is remembered as one of the greatest female athletes to have ever lived. Her achievements in golf were mirrored by her great success in many other sports. At the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, she won 3 gold medals and set new world records in track and field events. She earned her nickname, Babe, while earning a living from playing baseball and basketball when she was younger As a golf amateur, she won 17 tournaments in a row, which included the US Women s Amateur and the British Ladies Amateur. In 1949 she turned professional and topped the money list five years in a row. She was a founding member of the LPGA and was the first lady professional at a golf club. Nancy Lopez (1957- ) 1978 was her rookie year on tour; she won five consecutive tournaments, a record that still stands today. During her first year she had nine wins in total. In 1978 she was named Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and was awarded the Vare Trophy. After only ten years on tour, she was inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame For her career she accumulated 48 wins Annika Sorenstam (1970- ) She joined the LPGA Tour in 1994 and earned her first career victory at the 1995 Women s U.S. Open She won more tournaments in the 1990 s than any other LPGA player, with 18 wins During her career she accumulated 72 LPGA Tour wins, including 10 major championships
In 2002, she broke the LPGA season scoring average, with a season average of 68.7 strokes per round. Lorena Ochoa (1981- ) She was the world s #1 ranked female golfer from April 2007 to May 2010. In 2006 she received the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year Award. In 2007, Ochoa became the first woman ever to earn more than $4,000,000 in a single season. Lorena Ochoa's successes fuel the family business, the Ochoa Group in Guadalajara, managed by her brother Alejandro Ochoa. Ochoa announced her retirement from the LPGA Tour in April 2010. LPGA Fun Facts Annika Sorenstam holds the LPGA record for the lowest round, with a 59. LPGA player, Kathy Whitworth holds the record for most wins by a professional at 88. In 2003, Annika Sorenstam competed in the Bank of America Colonial PGA Tour event and was the first women to compete in a PGA Tour event since Babe Zaharias did in 1945. The first televised LPGA event was the Final Round of the U.S. Women s Open in 1963 Mickey Wright holds the record for most wins in one season with 13, recorded in 1963. Karrie Webb is the youngest tour player to achieve a career grand slam. In 2004, Meg Mallon won her 2 nd U.S. Women s Open, setting a record for most time in between U.S. Open wins (13 years). RULES SECTION Who oversees the rules of golf? The first formal golf club, the Company of Gentlemen Golfers (now the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers) was established in Edinburgh, in 1744 at Leith Links. They oversaw the introduction of the first set of rules. The United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (R&A) currently govern the rules of golf. The R&A is the most widely accepted governing body throughout the world. The European tour is subject to the R&A. The USGA governs play in North America. In 1951 The USGA and R&A held a joint conference and agreed on a uniform Rules of Golf worldwide, effective the following year. HISTORIC RULINGS Bobby Jones, 1925 U.S. Open The situation: On a greenside chip from a steep bank, Jones' ball moved ever so slightly just before impact.
The penalty: Rule 18-1 poses this question and answer: "Q. A ball lying in long grass slips vertically downward. Or a ball is accidentally stepped on and pressed down, say a quarter of an inch, in the grass or into the ground. In each case, has the ball moved? A. Yes, unless the ball returns to its original position. The direction of movement is immaterial." The result: Even though nobody else saw the ball move, Jones called a 1-stroke penalty on himself. Because of this, he failed to win the tournament outright, instead dropping into a playoff with Willie Macfarlane, which he lost in 36 holes. Porky Oliver, 1940 U.S. Open The situation: With a storm lurking before the final round, six players -- Oliver, E.J. Harrison, Leland Gibson, Johnny Bulla, Ky Laffoon and Claude Harmon -- teed off before their scheduled start time to avoid the worst of the weather. The penalty: According to Rule 6-3a/2.5: "When a starting time is listed as 9:00 a.m., the starting time is deemed to be 9:00:00 a.m. and the player is subject to penalty under Rule 6-3a if he is not present and ready to play at 9:00:00 a.m. Therefore, the player is disqualified unless circumstances warrant waiving the penalty under Rule 33-7." The result: Although all six players were disqualified, Oliver was the one who suffered most. A final-round 71 was enough to put him into a playoff with Gene Sarazen and Lawson Little, but it wasn't to be for Oliver -- despite pleas from his fellow competitors. Roberto De Vicenzo, 1968 Masters The situation: In the final round, De Vicenzo carded a birdie 3 on Augusta National's 17th hole but later signed his scorecard with a 4, giving him a round of 68 rather than the 67 he actually had shot. The penalty: A player who signs an incorrect scorecard for a lower score is disqualified; one who signs for a higher score must keep that as his final total. The result: Rather than reaching a playoff with Bob Goalby, De Vicenzo fell 1 stroke short. He muttered afterward, "What a stupid I am." Craig Stadler, 1987 Andy Williams Open The situation: While playing a shot from his knees in dewy grass on the 14th hole in the third round, Stadler placed a towel beneath him to avoid getting his pants wet. The penalty: Rule 13-3/2 seems to have been built for this specific violation: "Q. A player's ball was under a tree in such a position that he found it expedient to play his next stroke while on his knees. Because the ground was wet, the player placed a towel on the ground at the spot where his knees would be situated so that the knees of his trousers would not get wet. He then knelt on the towel and played his stroke. Was the player subject to penalty under Rule 13-3 for building a stance? A. Yes." The result: Stadler completed the rest of his third round and the entire final round, ostensibly finishing in second place before being informed that he had been disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard after not giving himself a penalty the previous day. Lee Janzen, 1998 NEC World Series of Golf The situation: On the 17th hole in the first round, Janzen's putt hung on the lip of the cup. After he watched it for more than the allotted 10 seconds, the ball finally dropped into the hole. The penalty: Janzen signed for a 3 but later learned it should have been a 4 because he didn't mark his ball -- or tap it in -- within the given time frame; TV replays later showed the ball dropped after hanging on the edge for 19 seconds. The result: Without the penalty stroke, Janzen was guilty of signing an incorrect scorecard and was disqualified. Tiger Woods, 1999 Phoenix Open The situation: Woods hit a tee shot well left and found his ball resting directly behind a boulder. He enlisted a handful of gallery members to move the large rock, giving him a clear shot at the green. The penalty: Believe it or not, there was none because that boulder was deemed a loose impediment. Rule 23-1/3 states: "Q. May spectators, caddies, fellow-competitors, etc., assist a player in removing a large loose impediment? A. Yes." The result: Woods did not receive a penalty and went on to finish third in the tournament. Ian Woosnam, 2001 British Open
The situation: After completing his opening hole -- a par 3 on which he made birdie -- Woosnam stepped to the second tee box only to have this exchange with his caddie, Miles Byrne: "You're going to go ballistic," Byrne told him. "Why?" Woosnam asked. "We've got two drivers in the bag," the caddie replied. The penalty: Rule 4-4a/6 states: "Q. A arrives at the 1st tee, counts his clubs and confirms that he is carrying 14. He then removes his driver from his golf bag, leaves the bag beside the tee and checks in with the starter. At this point, X, a player in another match or group, by mistake puts his putter in A's golf bag, which was identical to X's bag. A then drives from the 1st tee. During play of the 1st hole, A discovers that X's club has been put in his (A's) golf bag. Does A incur a penalty for starting the round with more than 14 clubs? A. Yes." The result: Woosnam fired the extra driver into a nearby tree, gave himself a 2-stroke penalty and soon fell out of contention in the tournament. Michelle Wie, 2005 Samsung World Championship The situation: In her first pro tournament, Wie took a penalty drop from an unplayable lie in the third round. One day later, a reporter revealed to officials that he believed the drop was illegal because it placed her closer to the hole. The penalty: After reviewing tape, officials found that Wie had indeed taken an illegal drop. The result: As the round was already complete and Wie had signed her scorecard, she was disqualified for taking an incorrect score. Tiger Woods, 2006 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational The situation: On the ninth hole of the second round, Woods hit a 9-iron onto the clubhouse roof at Firestone. The penalty: After much consternation -- because the clubhouse was not deemed to be out of bounds and officials learned the ball had been picked up and removed by a clubhouse worker -- Woods took a drop on the line the ball had traveled. The result: From the relief point, Woods made bogey, shooting 64 for the day. He won the tournament in a playoff two days later. Mark Wilson, 2007 Honda Classic The situation: In the second round, Wilson's caddie, Chris Jones, divulged to a playing partner the loft of a hybrid club Wilson had just used. The penalty: Rule 8-1 states that no advice may be given by anyone other than the player's own caddie. The result: Aware of this rule, Wilson slapped himself with a 2-stroke penalty. He went on to win the tournament in a playoff. Rules To Know Please refer to the USGA s 2010-2011 The Rules of Golf book and study the following rules. Rule 4: Clubs (page 24-27) Rule 8: Advice, Indicating Line of Play (page 36-37) Rule 10: Order of Play (page 39-40) Rule 11: Teeing Ground (page 41-42) Rule 13: Ball Played as It Lies (page 45-47) Rule 15: Playing a wrong ball (page 50-51) Rule 16: The Putting Green (page 52-54) Rule 18: Ball at Rest Moved (page 56-58) - know what an outside agency is defined on page 14 Rule 23: Loose Impediments (page 69-70) Rule 24: Obstructions (70-74) Rule 26: Water Hazards (Including Lateral Water Hazards) (page 78-80) Rule 28: Ball Unplayable (page 83)