at various times labeled him as “paranoid, delusional, catatonic, hallucinatory, incoherent, apathetic, silent, retarded, passive, preoccupied, seclusive.” An unfair commentator would say that this description could apply to many professionals today, but McDermott was clearly a very ill young man. Finegan also stated that “He spent endless hours scribbling unintelligibly in notebooks, claiming he was writing his mother's and father's names.” Through either uncharacteristic sensitivity, or more likely indifference, the media of the day made little mention of Johnny’s commitment and he slid into near obscurity over the following decades. His fellow pros held a fundraiser for him in 1924 and in 1928 Walter Hagan visited Johnny in Norristown. It is reported
that they played together on a six-hole course laid out in the sanatorium grounds, and Hagan reported that McDermott ’s swing was “as fluid as ever.” Belated recognition came when he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1941, although he was “unelected” during the fiasco that followed the consolidation into one single Hall of Fame in the World Golf Village in Florida. Johnny never fully recovered, but left the asylum every so often to play a round of golf and was occasionally seen shuffling around at subsequent US Opens. He was last seen at Merion in the 1971 Trevino-Nicklaus playoff, a solitary figure trudging through the rain. He was reportedly being chased out of the clubhouse due to his scruffy appearance when he was recognised by Arnold Palmer and ushered back in. He died a couple of months later in August, just shy of his 80th birthday. Why is he so little known today? Johnny McDermott is perhaps one of the most tragic figures in the history of golf, but it may well be that the lack of recognition of his outstanding achievements is the bigger tragedy. It is fitting that from generation to generation a new young superstar arises, forcing people to dust off the record books and rediscover the name of America’s first, and unforgivably forgotten, golfing prodigy.
The Scapegoat Steamer
The last known picture: McDermott with PGA President Leo Fraser and Harry "Lighthorse" Cooper at the Atlantic City Golf Club, c. early 1970s.
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The Kaiser Wilhelm II was built by A.G. Vulcan at Bredow, near Stettin, for the Bremen Line (aka Norddeutscher Lloyd). Launched in 1902, at 216m long, 22m wide and with a depth of 16m it was larger than any previous fast steamer. It was the latest in a line of ever faster four funnel ships built by the Norddeutscher Lloyd line and was specifically designed for exceptional speed as well as first-class luxury. When full, passengers and crew totaled over 2,500. In June 1904 it took the coveted Blue Riband for the fastest-ever eastbound Atlantic crossing, at an average speed of 23.15 knots. The ship was interned by the Americans at the outbreak of World War I and became a troop ship when the US entered hostilities in 1917. Renamed USS Agamemnon it carried troops back and forth until 1920 when it was laid up. It languished for years and was finally broken up in 1940.
the open
Turnberry Returns After a hiatus of 15 years, this Ayrshire beauty is back hosting golf ’s biggest event
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A Brief History Turnberry Golf Club was established in 1902 when Willie Fernie of Troon was commissioned by the third Marquess of Ailsa to lay out a championship length course on part of the former Culzean Estate. In 1906, the Turnberry Hotel opened, and in those days, there was even an impressive covered link-way which connected the hotel to the adjacent railway station. Wealthy Edwardian guests would not arrive at this hotel wet and bedraggled. Turnberry twice came close to extinction; it was requisitioned during both World Wars and used as an airbase. During World War II, a number of holes were flattened and turned into expansive concrete runways. It was the tenacity of the then owners that saved the course. Philip Mackenzie Ross was given the task of returning the flattened land back to its former glory. It was a huge task, but in 1951 after two years of intensive work, the links reopened. 26 years later, Turnberry was hosting its first Open Championship.
T
he Ailsa Course at Turnberry is without doubt the most scenic course on the Open rota. Laid out alongside the Firth of Clyde, affording splendid views of the Mull of Kintyre and Ailsa Craig, the mysterious volcanic island that lends an almost surreal backdrop to many of the seaside holes, the course is often referred to as Scotland’s Pebble Beach because of its natural, craggy beauty. It’s been 15 years since the Open was staged on the Ailsa, but that had nothing to do with the course itself. The problem was logistical;
getting there was a fag. You simply can’t hold the world’s biggest golf tournament and expect over 150,000 spectators to travel down country lanes to get there. The roads have been improved and a direct rail link will be in operation over Open week. Turnberry is back – and so is Tiger. After missing out on Birkdale last year through injury, the world’s number one must be relishing his return to links golf. Woods has repeatedly talked about his love of the unique challenges that only links golf can provide, but at Tunberry he’ll be charting very unfamiliar territory.
Time for a Revamp In preparation for hosting the 2009 Open Championship, Turnberry's Ailsa Course has undergone a number of adjustments designed to ensure that, as one of Britain's finest links, it continues to challenge modern professionals. The most extensive changes are on the 10th, 16th and 17th holes, though most have been enhanced in some way. “Today's professionals are bigger, stronger, fitter, have more technology at their command, and it's very important that we keep our great links courses relevant to the modernday professional,” said the R&A's Chief Executive, Peter Dawson. “We've been doing that at every Open venue, with Turnberry having had a considerable number of changes since the 1994 Open Championship.” The 10th has been redesigned to bring the coastline into play and now requires at least a 200-yard carry over the rocks from a tee perched on an outcrop by the lighthouse. The fairway has been moved closer to the beach to tempt longer players to cut off more of the corner, and three new fairway bunkers force a decision to be made between a safer tee shot with a longer approach or a riskier, braver and more aggressive drive. Significant changes have also taken place at the 16th and 17th holes. The shape of the 16th has been radically altered and it now doglegs right from a repositioned tee around newly-created dunes and hollows. About 45 yards have been added along with a new bunker left of the fairway. The bunker, which used to guard the left side of the old fairway, now protects the right edge of the new one. The realignment of the 16th has allowed a new back tee to be constructed on the 17th, extending the hole by 61 yards. A newly-constructed approach bunker, along with another to the front and left of the putting surface, adds difficulty to the second shot. Including those on the 10th and 16th, a total of 23 bunkers have been added on holes 1, 3, 5, 8, 14 and 18, with two removed at the 3rd and 14th, making players think more about their course-management strategy. Though many Open Championship courses have upwards of 120 bunkers, Turnberry still has a mere 65, testament to the natural test the landscape provides. New tees have also been introduced at holes 3, 5, 7, 8, 14, and 18, extending the course to 7,204 yards, 247 yards or 3.5% longer than when the Open was last played at Turnberry in 1994.
Neither Tiger nor defending champion Padraig Harrington, as well as many other leading players, have played competitively at Turnberry before, which only adds to the excitement for this summer’s Open. In its three previous Open hostings, the best players of the day have risen up the leaderboard with victories for Tom Watson, in the famous Duel in the Sun in 1977 against Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman in 1986 and Nick Price in ’94. With the cream always rising to the top at Turnberry, Tiger must be licking his lips. 50
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Awesome Ailsa: It comes as no surprise to learn that Turnberry is considered Britain's most scenic links. HK Golfer・Jun/Jul 2009
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