OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP | LOOKING BACK
The
Greatest
As The Open returns to Muirfield, Roger McStravick takes a look at the life of Harry Vardon who won the first of his six championships at the course.
H
enry William "Harry" Vardon was a man born in simpler times. Old Tom Morris and Willie Park, Sr were in their prime and Ulysses S Grant was one year into an eight year run as the 18th President of the United States. Golf was growing as a popular sport. The gentlemen classes entered via the front door of their clubhouses and the lowly professionals through the back. But the man who would become one of the finest players of all time was not destined to be a golfer. His father had other plans.
Old Golf Images
An illustrated portrait of Vardon c. 1920 (above), around the time he finished second at the US Open at the age of 50; a painting of the "Great Triumvirate" (opposite) from 1913, with Vardon teeing off under the watchful gaze of Taylor and Braid
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Vardon was born on 9 May, 1870 in Grouville, Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands, to Philippe and Elizabeth Vardon. They had a tough life, making do with whatever money Philippe could bring home from his work as a gardener. Philippe believed firmly that a man must have his trade. Anything as ridiculous as a golf professional would not be worth even considering. So as a boy, Vardon never really played golf at all. The town built their own course – now the respected Royal Jersey Golf Club – and that meant that money could be earned as a caddie. But he certainly did not entertain thoughts of membership. The game was not for his kind. Vardon had five brothers and two sisters. Together they built their own golf course of sorts in the garden and it was here that Vardon learned how to strike the ball with a graceful upright swing that was never forced. A lesson for us all. At the age of 13, Vardon became an apprentice gardener, which was a trade that suited his peaceful, calm demeanour quite perfectly. This mentality would filter through to the way he approached his sport. “Relaxation, added to a few necessary fundamental principles, is the basis of this great game,” he is on record as saying. It was not until his late teens that he started to play the game properly. This was largely thanks to Vardon getting a job as gardener for Major Spofforth, a keen golfer and Captain of the club. He sometimes would ask young Vardon to accompany him for a round and soon spotted Vardon’s natural talent. As Spofforth would later relate, “I gave him one piece of advice: never give up the sport. It might prove useful in the future.” Nevertheless, Vardon’s graceful game was still a hobby at best. His brother Tom had other ideas, though. Despite the advice of his father, Tom became a professional and, in search of competitive golf, made the crossing to England. His successes in tournaments were inspirational to Vardon. If Tom could do it, so could he. Down one path Vardon saw the poor meagre life of a gardener, which his HKGOLFER.COM
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In 1901 Vardon became a founder member of the Professional Golfers Association and in 1903, he duly became its Captain. In the same year, Vardon won The Open again, with his brother Tom finishing in second. After the jubilation, however, came a real blow. Vardon contracted the so-called white plague – tuberculosis – and duly signed himself into the Mundesley Sanatorium in Norfolk to recover.
Shortly after arriving in England, Vardon played in a small tournament and won. He entered another in Scotland, the home of the greatest golfers, and came second. That was enough for him. He knew he could compete with the best.
Old Golf Images
Vardon, already a threetime Open champion, prepares to hit his drive down the first hole at St Andrews in 1900 (above) – note legendary "Old" Tom Morris eyeing his Vardon's form; Vardon, with pipe in mouth (opposite), pictured during the Open Championship less than 18 months before his death in 1937. 58
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father had endured. Down the other, a potentially decent living as a golf professional. He knew he was good, perhaps better than his brother but he needed to test the waters to see how good he really was. Deciding to take the plunge, Harry followed in his brother's footsteps and made his way to England. Shortly after arriving, Vardon played in a small tournament and won. He entered another in Scotland, the home of the greatest golfers, and came second. That was enough for him. He knew he could compete with the best. His brother wrote a letter to say that there was a vacant position at Lord Ripon’s nine-hole golf course. So, at the age of 20 in 1890, against his father’s wishes and angry protestations, Vardon headed to Yorkshire, turned professional and duly became Green Keeper and Professional at Studley Royal
Golf Club in Ripon. Further work followed at Bury and Ganton before Vardon settled at South Herts Golf Club in the south of the country. In 1891, Vardon perfected the overlapping grip that is today used by 70 per cent of golfers. To be fair, it was not Vardon’s own invention – despite it being known as the "Vardon" grip – but one that he picked up from Johnny Laidlay, who used it before Vardon to win the Amateur Championship. It was undoubtedly Vardon though who popularised it. The other thing that set Vardon apart from other players was his practice routine, his thought processes and his focused strategies. This was at a time when taking a practice swing on the tee at St Andrews was deemed inappropriate and there were only three minute gaps between tee times. It certainly paid off. In 1893, he won the Kilmacolm Tournament in Scotland. In 1896, at Ganton, Vardon won his first Open Championship after a play-off with the great JH Taylor at Muirfield. It was the start of what many call the golden era of the triumvirate. Together with Taylor and James Braid, they would dominate the game in a way that was not HKGOLFER.COM
seen until the great Nicklaus, Palmer and Player battles. Over a period of 20 years between 1894 and 1914, either Taylor, Braid or Vardon won The Open on 16 occasions. In 1897, Vardon won five tournaments. In 1898 and the following year he won the Open Championship again. He was at the very peak of his powers and became the first global golfing celebrity. How far the little boy from Jersey had travelled. To recognise his stature in the game AG Spalding created a new golf ball and called it the Vardon Flyer. Vardon’s cool composure filtered throughout his game. He once said: “To play well you must feel tranquil and at peace. I have never been troubled by nerves in golf because I felt I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. Oh, one piece of advice: Never concede the putt that beats you.” Vardon went to the United States to play 80 exhibition matches and won over 70, finishing with a flourish – a triumph at the US Open. Now a household name both in the UK and the US, Vardon would draw in huge crowds to his exhibitions. One seven year-old spectator at a Boston superstore was a certain Francis Ouimet, who would later famously beat Vardon in a playoff for the US Open in 1913. As Ouimet related in the 1963 film documentary at Brookline, “Vardon was a picture player. He played with a beautiful swing, beautifully balanced.” HKGOLFER.COM
Many historians refer to the next seven years as Vardon’s gap years when ill health kept him from his best golf. In truth Vardon checked himself out the sanatorium when strong enough and won tournaments in 1906, 1907, 1908 and 1909. He also designed six new golf courses across England and Wales and wrote a best-selling book, The Complete Golfer. In the following seven years, the book was reprinted 13 times, such was Vardon’s popularity. The illness did take its toll though. He suffered muscle damage to his right hand, which led to poor putting from short range. In 1910, Vardon designed five courses in the one year alone. His game was coming back and his appetite for winning also returned. In 1911, and despite the poor health of previous years, he fought gallantly and won his fifth Open at Royal St Georges. It was a truly Herculean effort. In 1914, Vardon won his sixth and final Open Championship at Prestwick. This feat today lies unbeaten. It was a sad year though as his father Philippe passed away aged 86. One can only wonder how proud he must have been of his son, despite his original misgivings. At the age of 50, Vardon came second in the US Open. He had a four-shot lead with eight to play but the nerve damage in his hand and inclement weather washed away his chances. In 1926 he played his last Open Championship. It was the end of an era. In his lifetime he wrote numerous books, designed or re-modelled 20 courses and popularised the sport on a global scale. In addition to his six Open wins, he also came second four times and won a total of 62 tournaments, including a staggering run of 14 straight victories. How many more majors would he have won if it was not for the First World War, which ruled out play at The Open between 1915 and 1919? How many more could trophies could he have lifted if had it not been for the tuberculosis?
In addition to his six Open wins, he also came second four times and won a total of 62 tournaments, including a staggering run of 14 straight victories. Today, the player with the lowest stroke average on the PGA Tour receives the Vardon Trophy. Prior to the introduction of the European Tour's Race to Dubai, winners of the Order of Merit would receive the Harry Vardon Trophy, although the tour continues to herald Vardon by depicting his silhouette on their logo. When the World Golf Hall of Fame opened its doors in 1974, Vardon was one of the first inductees. In the introduction to his book, The Complete Golfer, Vardon wrote, "I owe so much – everything – to the great game of golf, which I love very dearly, and which I believe is without a superior, for deep human and sporting interest.” Vardon died on 20 March, 1937 in Totteridge, Hertfordshire aged only 67. The loss was felt right across the golfing world. The legendary writer Bernard Darwin said, “I do not think anyone who saw him play in his prime will disagree as to this, that a greater genius is inconceivable.” Vardon was truly a golfing great who came from the lowliest of backgrounds and gave his life to the sport. Even when he was weakened in his later years, he wrote inspirational books and continued to give lessons and encourage a younger generation of players. His record at The Open is truly remarkable and we in golf continue to be in awe of him, just like the young Francis Ouimet, all those years ago. HK Golfer・JUL 2013
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