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How did Bobby Jones make his money?
Jones earned his living mainly as a lawyer, and competed in golf only as an amateur, primarily on a part-time basis, and chose to retire from competition at age 28, though he earned significant money from golf after that, as an instructor and equipment designer.
Was Bobby Jones always an amateur?
No. John Ball was to British amateur golf what Bobby Jones was to American amateur golf. He won eight British Amateur championships, a British Open and the hearts and respect of his country.
Where did Bobby Jones learn to play golf?
East Lake Country ClubIn 1907 his father, a successful attorney, joined the Atlanta Athletic Club, which owned the East Lake Country Club in DeKalb County, where the family spent every summer thereafter. It was at East Lake that Bobby Jones learned to play golf, mostly by mimicking the swing of the club's professional, Stewart Maiden.
Was Bobby Jones ever a professional golfer?
A practicing lawyer in Atlanta, Jones never became a professional golfer and rarely played in championship competition after his final Grand Slam victory, the U.S. Amateur tournament in 1930.
How far could Bobby Jones drive a golf ball?
250-260 yards53-54). Williams fed videotape of Jones's swing, taken from the previously-mentioned movies, into a biomechanical computer and made all sorts of measurements of the swing. The tape showed Jones driving the ball 250-260 yards, and measured his swing speed at 113 mph.
Who owns Augusta National?
Augusta National Inc.Augusta National Golf ClubClub informationTypePrivateOwned byAugusta National Inc.Total holes27 (18 Hole Championship Course plus 9 Hole Par-3 course)Tournaments hostedMasters Tournament (1934–present) PGA Seniors' Championship (1937–38) Augusta National Women's Amateur (2019–present)17 more rows
Why did Bobby Jones build in Augusta?
Why did Bobby Jones build Augusta National? Because he was tired of playing in front of crowds. He wanted a sanctuary, and he always, from early in his career, had the ambition of building the world's greatest inland golf course.
What Ball did Bobby Jones use?
Dateline August 13, 1927. Jones has just returned from Great Britain with dozens of gutta-percha balls in tow (gutties went out of fashion when the Haskell ball was invented in 1898; Haskells — wound-rubber balls that were essentially in use for another 90 years — flew significantly farther than gutties).
Was Bobby Jones the greatest golfer ever?
He is considered by many as the best golfer in the history of the game. This might be considered arguable considering the many great players over the years, but he is, without doubt, the one who recorded most successes in such a limited time.
Who was the best amateur golfer?
Harvie Ward. Edward Harvie Ward, Jr. (December 8, 1925 – September 4, 2004) was an American golfer best known for his amateur career. He is best known for winning both the U.S. […]
Did Seve ever have a hole in one?
Seve would be proud! Amateur hits historic hole-in-one on famous 10th at the Belfry. A hole known to millions of golf fans around the world - the 10th on the Brabazon course at The Belfry - has finally produced its first ace.
Has anyone ever won all 4 golf majors in one year?
Bobby Jones, who won the pre-Masters era Career Grand Slam in 1930, is the only golfer to win four majors in the same year.
How old was Bobby Jones when he started playing golf?
Jones at age 14. Jones was born on March 17, 1902 in Atlanta, Georgia, he battled health issues as a young boy, and golf was prescribed to strengthen him. Encouraged by his father, "Colonel" Robert Purmedus Jones, an Atlanta lawyer, Jones loved golf from the start.
How do I play golf by Bobby Jones?
Jones appeared in a series of short instructional films produced by Warner Brothers in 1931 titled How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones (12 films) and in 1933 titled How to Break 90 (six films). The shorts were designed to be shown in theaters alongside feature films, whereby "would-be golfers of the country can have the Jones' instruction for the price of a theater ticket." Jones indicated at the time of the making of the 1931 series that the films would be "designed as instructive" but not "so complicated that a non-golfer can't understand them."
What was the cause of the death of Bobby Jones?
In 1948, Jones was diagnosed with syringomyelia, a fluid-filled cavity in the spinal cord that causes crippling pain, then paralysis; he was eventually restricted to a wheelchair. He died in Atlanta on December 18, 1971, three days after converting to Catholicism. Jones was baptized on his deathbed by Monsignor John D. Stapleton, rector of the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta, and attended by the Jones family was buried in Atlanta's historic Oakland Cemetery. Jones was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.
What majors did Bobby Jones play?
The majors of Jones' time (those for which as an amateur he was eligible) were the U.S. and British Opens and Amateurs.
How many times did Bobby Jones win the Southern Amateur?
Jones qualified for his first U.S. Open at age 18 in 1920, and was paired with the legendary Harry Vardon for the first two rounds. He won the Southern Amateur three times: 1917, 1920, and 1922.
Where is the Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History?
A special room is dedicated to Jones's life and accomplishments at the United States Golf Association Museum and Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History in Far Hills, New Jersey.
Where did Bobby Jones play his last round of golf?
Jones played his last round of golf at East Lake Golf Club, his home course in Atlanta, on August 18, 1948. A picture commemorating the event now sits in the clubhouse at East Lake. Citing health reasons, he quit golf permanently thereafter. Bobby Jones was often confused with the prolific golf course designer, Robert Trent Jones, ...
How old was Bobby Jones when he started playing?
Jones' career is sometimes divided into two segments, the "Seven Lean Years" and the "Seven Fat Years.". The lean years were from ages 14 to 21, the fat years from ages 21 to 28.
What tournaments did Bobby Jones win?
Other significant wins by Jones include the 1916 Georgia Amateur, the Southern Amateur in 1917, 1918, 1920 and 1922, the 1927 Southern Open and 1930 Southeastern Open.
How many majors did Bobby Jones win?
Bobby Jones won seven professional major championships (competing as an amateur) and six amateur major championships, all of those wins happening in the British and U.S. Amateurs, and the British and U.S. Opens. (The Masters did not yet exist during Jones' competitive golf career, and, as an amateur, Jones was ineligible to play ...
How do I play golf?
In 1931, Jones made a series of 12 movie shorts for Warner Brothers Studio. The series was titled How I Play Golf and it played in theaters. Decades later, the series was compiled into videotapes and later DVDs. In 1932, Jones did a six-part series that played in theaters called How to Break 90. These are considered the first golf instructional videos.
How old was Bobby Jones when he was lean?
The lean years were from ages 14 to 21, the fat years from ages 21 to 28. Jones was a prodigy, and playing in national championships at a young age, his fame grew. Yet he rarely won anything of significance. At the 1921 British Open, frustrated with his play, he picked up his ball and walked off the course. His temper was well-known and there were many club-throwing incidents.
What was Bobby Jones' putter called?
The putter that Bobby Jones used throughout much of his career was nicknamed "Calamity Jane."
What did Robert Tyre Jones Jr. die from?
His full name was Robert Tyre Jones Jr. He died at age 69 on Dec. 18, 1971. His death followed years of declining health due to the spinal cord condition syringomyelia.
Why did Bobby Jones not win the Grand Slam?
This is true, but it is impossible to ignore the fact that part of the reason Jones did not win the contemporary grand slam was because he was busy redefining it.
Where was Bobby Jones born?
Bobby Jones was born in Atlanta Georgia in the year 1902. As a young boy, Jones suffered from health difficulties that left his body weak and frail. His doctor prescribed taking up the game of golf to him as a means of strengthening him.
What is Bobby Jones' legacy?
Bobby Jones has a legacy in the game of golf that is almost beyond belief. Long before big money entered the game, before television and corporate sponsorship and video games, Bobby Jones was asserting his dominance in his sport simply and purely for his love of golf.
What is the first major played in the PGA Tour?
Today, The Masters tournament is the first major played during the PGA tour’s calendar season and remains one of the most prestigious events in existence.
When did Harry Vardon play in the US Open?
While all of these accomplishments would serve to raise his profile, his career potential would culminate in 1920 when he qualified for the US Open at age eighteen and played the first two rounds of the tournament with legendary golfer, Harry Vardon.
Who won the British Open in 1927?
CWAC9N Bobby Jones with his championship cup after winning the British Open, St. Andrew’s, Scotland, July 1927. Courtesy: CSU
Is the Grand Slam a feat?
Regardless, the grand slam in any variation was a feat that had not been accomplished before and has not been accomplished since.
When did Bobby Jones retire?
Bobby Jones in 1936 after his competitive career was over.
Who was the greatest amateur golfer of all time?
So the bottom line is according to the Rules of Golf Bobby Jones, the greatest amateur golfer of all time, was not allowed to be an amateur any longer.
Who is the founder of Masters Week?
Masters week is an appropriate time to remember tournament founder Bobby Jones, who dominated his era as no one has ever done and there are a bushel of numbers to illustrate the point. Numbers such as Jones’ winning the four majors in 1930, the Grand Slam of the U.S. Open, British Open, U.S. Amateur and British Amateur.
Did Walter Hagen play for prize money?
As a professional Jones most certainly could have commanded huge fees for exhibitions just as Walter Hagen was doing or he could have played for prize money on what passed for a professional tour in the Depression years of the 1930s. But reflecting the times any money he won would have paled in comparison to the potential exhibition income.
What was the impact of Bobby Jones playing golf?
During the years that Bobby Jones played amateur golf, the sport experienced a phenomenal increase in popularity. The number of weekend golfers doubled, and new golf courses were constructed throughout the United States. The middle class began to enjoy golf as spectators, a position once reserved for the wealthy.
What did Bobby Jones do for his career?
Through his magazine-style program, Jones met noted authors, entertainers, and national leaders. While working with both television programs, Jones continued in his position at Tennessee State University and pursued his doctorate degree at Vanderbilt University. It was in his position at Tennessee State University that he met the African American poet, novelist, and educator Maya Angelou. Later, the two became friends and she asked him to do a benefit for her aunt's church in California. By 1980, the Nashville Gospel Music Show, now known as the Bobby Jones Gospel Hour was picked up by Robert Johnson 's Black Entertainment Network (BET), which was also established in 1980. One of the first programs on BET, the gospel show aided the new cable enterprise in gaining a substantial television audience, as well as providing a considerable viewing audience for the musical genre. The same year that the Bobby Jones Gospel Hour appeared on BET, Jones received his doctorate in Curriculum Leadership from Vanderbilt University. Additionally, his gospel opera, Make a Joyful Noise, which is the same title of his 2000 memoir, aired on PBS. Jones, who starred in the opera, won a Gabriel Award and an International Film Festival Award for his writing and performance.
What is Bobby Jones' first album?
Introduces the Nashville Gospel Music Show, which later becomes Bobby Jones Gospel Hour; Bobby Jones and the New Life Singers record first album, Sooner or Later on Benson Records
How many major championships did Jack Nicklaus win?
Even though golfing great Jack Nicklaus eventually broke Jones's record of thirteen major championships, no one has accomplished what Jones did within such a short period of time. In 1950 an Associated Press poll found Jones's Grand Slam to be "the Supreme Athletic Achievement of the Century."
Why are the Three Musketeers called the Three Musketeers?
Jones and his two major rivals during the 1920s, Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen, were known as the Three Musketeers because they took all the major titles in the United States and Great Britain. Jones also led his team to victory five times in the Walker Cup competition, inaugurated in 1921 as a tournament between amateur teams from the United States and Great Britain.
Where did Bobby Jones teach?
Jones kept his teaching job at Tennessee State as late as the mid-1980s, and by then had also earned a doctorate in curriculum leadership from Vanderbilt University. He has a record label, GospoCentric, and in addition to his television responsibilities has brought an increased awareness for the music form since 1989 with his live tours known as the “ Bobby Jones Gospel Explosions. ” His three-day event in 1998 at Walt Disney World ’ s Epcot Center — part of its Black History month celebrations — featured such gospel all-stars as CeCe Winans, John P. Kee, and Albertina Walker. His “ Mini-Explosions ” bring gospel music to audiences in smaller cities across the United States as well as in Europe and the Caribbean.
Where is the Old Course?
St. Andrews, Scotland, is home of the Old Course, said to be the founding place of golf.
Where did Bobby Jones start playing golf?
His first golf shots were in the front yard of their home next to East Lake Country Club, just six miles from downtown Atlanta. In 1908, East Lake was a summer retreat from the urban sprawl of Atlanta—with all 150,000 residents. Bobby was only six years old when as a skinny youngster he won a six-hole tournament at East Lake against Alexa Stirling, ...
What company did Bobby Jones work for?
A standout athlete and baseball player, he was offered a contract to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers, although his father discouraged from doing it. Instead he became a respected lawyer in Atlanta and counted arising company called Coca-Cola as one of his clients. Small in stature, Bobby was a sickly child, relegated to eating bland foods ...
What was Bobby Jones' driver's name?
He even named his driver, Jeannie Deans. Understand this was before we numbered clubs. They had names and nicknames instead. For instance, a 9 iron was a niblick, a 4 iron a jigger, a 6 iron a spade mashie, and a 3 wood a spoon. The Scottish people so adored Bobby Jones they called him their Bonnie Bobby.
How much weight did Bobby Jones lose?
During these, he lost an average of 14 pounds, the result of the stress and anxiety of tournament golf. His internal struggles were the same as anyone else’s. Amazingly, in his 13 years of competitive play, Bobby was a student in high school or college in nine of them.
When is Bobby Jones' 100th anniversary?
We have some big news! In 2030, the golf world will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of Bobby Jones’ Grand Slam win by playing at Merion again.
Where was the Calamity Jane putter made?
His putter, nicknamed Calamity Jane, was made in Scotland before 1900 and became the most famous putter in the world. It was in his bag for most all of his wins. He actually had two versions of her, one of which you can find on display at Augusta National, the other at Golf House at the USGA headquarters.
Who was Bobby Jones' father?
Fascinating Facts About the Incredible Bobby Jones. Bobby Jones was born in Atlanta to Robert and Clara Jones. His father, Robert Purmedus Jones or the “Colonel,” was a gregarious man. A standout athlete and baseball player, he was offered a contract to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers, although his father discouraged from doing it.
Overview
Robert Tyre Jones Jr. (March 17, 1902 – December 18, 1971) was an American amateur golfer who was one of the most influential figures in the history of the sport; he was also a lawyer by profession. Jones founded and helped design the Augusta National Golf Club, and co-founded the Masters Tournament. The innovations that he introduced at the Masters have been copied by virtually ev…
Early life
Jones was born on March 17, 1902, in Atlanta, Georgia, he battled health issues as a young boy, and golf was prescribed to strengthen him. Encouraged by his father, "Colonel" Robert Purmedus Jones, an Atlanta lawyer, Jones loved golf from the start. He developed quickly into a child prodigy who won his first children's tournament at the age of six at his home course at East Lake Golf Club. …
Golf
As an adult, he hit his stride and won his first U.S. Open in 1923. From that win at New York's Inwood Country Club, through his 1930 victory in the U.S. Amateur, he won 13 major championships (as they were counted at the time) in 21 attempts. Jones was the first player to win The Double, both the U.S. and British Open Championships in the same year (1926). He was the second (and last) t…
Augusta National Golf Club
Following his retirement from competitive golf in 1930, and even in the years leading up to that, Jones had become one of the most famous sports figures in the world, and was recognized virtually everywhere he went in public. While certainly appreciative of the enormous adulation and media coverage, this massive attention caused Jones to lose personal privacy in golf circles, and he wished to create a private golf club where he and his friends could play golf in peace and qui…
Tournament wins (34)
• 1908 East Lake Children's Tournament
• 1911 Junior Championship Cup of the Atlanta Athletic Club
• 1915 Invitation Tournament at Roebuck Springs, Birmingham Country Club Invitation, Davis & Freeman Cup at East Lake, East Lake Club Championship, Druid Hills Club Championship
Major championships
Defeated Bobby Cruickshank in an 18-hole playoff: Jones 76 (+4), Cruickshank 78 (+6). Defeated Al Espinosa in a 36-hole playoff: Jones 72–69=141 (−3), Espinosa 84–80=164 (+20).
National Amateur championships were counted as majors at the time. Jones' actual major total using the standard in place in his lifetime was 13.
• Walker Cup: 1922 (winners), 1924 (winners), 1926 (winners), 1928 (winners, playing captain), 1930 (winners, …
Films
Jones appeared in a series of short instructional films produced by Warner Brothers in 1931 titled How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones (12 films) and in 1933 titled How to Break 90 (six films). The shorts were designed to be shown in theaters alongside feature films, whereby "would-be golfers of the country can have the Jones' instruction for the price of a theater ticket." Jones indicated at …
Books
Jones authored several books on golf including Down the Fairway with Oscar Bane "O.B." Keeler (1927), The Rights and Wrongs of Golf (1933), Golf Is My Game (1959), Bobby Jones on Golf (1966), and Bobby Jones on the Basic Golf Swing (1968) with illustrator Anthony Ravielli. The 300-copy limited edition of Down the Fairway is considered one of the rarest and most sought-after golf b…
Jones' Major Wins
Awards and Honors For Bobby Jones
- Member, World Golf Hall of Fame
- Named to five U.S. Walker Cup teams (1922, 1924, 1926, 1928, 1930)
- Captain, U.S. Walker Cupteam, 1928, 1930
- USGA's annual award for sportsmanship is named the Bobby Jones Award
Biography of Bobby Jones
- An argument can be made that Bobby Jones is the greatest golfer who ever lived. But there can be no doubt that Jones is the greatest part-timegolfer who ever lived. Because Jones usually only played competitive golf for about three months out of the year, traveling to the biggest tournaments during the summer. (He was an avid practicer, however, and worked hard at his ga…
The Grand Slam Season
- The term "grand slam" today means, to golfers, winning the four professional majors—U.S. Open, British Open, The Masters and PGA Championship—in the same season. In 1930, The Masters did not yet exist. And Jones, an amateur, was not eligible to play the PGA Championship. The term "grand slam" did not even yet exist. But the four biggest tournaments in golf were the two nation…
Jones' Golf Instructional Films
- In 1931, Jones made a series of 12 movie shorts for Warner Brothers Studio. The series was titled How I Play Golf and it played in theaters. Decades later, the series was compiled into videotapes and later DVDs. In 1932, Jones did a six-part series that played in theaters called How to Break 90. These are considered the first golf instructional videos. Jones' instructional films were frequentl…
Quote, Unquote
- Jones was quite quotable, and his sayings are on display in his articles, books and instructional films, as well as the many interviews he did. The collection of Bobby Jones Quotesalso includes things said about him by others, but we'll include three here: 1. Bobby Jones: "The secret of golf is to turn three shots into two." 2. Bobby Jones: "Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-a-h…
Bobby Jones Trivia
- The putter that Bobby Jones used throughout much of his career was nicknamed "Calamity Jane."
- When Jones won the 1926 U.S. Open at Scioto Country Club in Ohio, one of the fans who followed him was 13-year-old Charlie Nicklaus, Jack Nicklaus' father. Jack first met Jones at the 1955 U.S. Ama...
- The putter that Bobby Jones used throughout much of his career was nicknamed "Calamity Jane."
- When Jones won the 1926 U.S. Open at Scioto Country Club in Ohio, one of the fans who followed him was 13-year-old Charlie Nicklaus, Jack Nicklaus' father. Jack first met Jones at the 1955 U.S. Ama...
- In 1958, the city of St. Andrews, Scotland, honored Jones by naming him a "Freeman of the City." Only one other American had been so-honored: Benjamin Franklin in 1759.
- Jones shares the all-time record of four wins in the U.S. Open and holds the record with five victories in the U.S. Amateur.
