Golf in History

Events in Sport

Events 1 - 100 of 459

  • 1869-09-16 Golf's 1st recorded hole-in-one by Tom Morris at Prestwick's 8th hole, Scotland
  • 1876-02-03 Albert Spalding invests $800 to start sporting goods company, manufacturing first official baseball, tennis ball, basketball, golf ball and football
  • 1878-03-13 Oxford University defeats Cambridge University in their 1st golf match
  • 1888-02-22 “Father of American Golf” John Reid first demonstrates golf on a Yonkers cow pasture to friends
  • 1888-11-14 St Andrews Golf Club, Yonkers NY, opens with just 6 holes
  • 1894-12-22 United States Golf Association forms in New York
  • 1899-07-29 Southern California Golf Association forms
  • 1899-12-12 George F Bryant of Boston patents the wooden golf tee
  • 1901-06-02 Benjamin Adams arrested for playing golf on Sunday (NY)
  • 1904-07-01 Willie Anderson becomes the first 2-time Western Open golf champion, beating fellow Scot Alex Smith by 4 strokes at Michigan's Kent CC
  • 1910-11-22 Arthur Knight patents steel shaft golf clubs
  • 1912-12-01 Boston Braves MLB franchise owner James Gaffney buys the Allston Golf Club on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston with a plan to construct a ball park there; ground breaking for Braves Field starts on March 20, 1915
  • 1913-09-06 19th US Golf Amateur Championship won by Jerry Travers
  • 1915-09-01 Jerome Travers establishes a US Amateur Golf Championship record by downing George Crump, 14 & 13, in a 1st-round match at the Country Club of Detroit in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan
  • 1922-08-28 1st Walker Cup in Golf: US beats England 8-4
  • 1923-08-09 NY State Golf Association formed
  • 1924-04-10 Tubular steel golf club shafts approved for championship play
  • 1924-07-29 Paul Runyan wins PGA golf championship

Golf Tournament

1925-09-05 29th US Golf Amateur Championship won by Bobby Jones

  • 1926-12-09 USGA legalizes steel shaft golf clubs
  • 1930-05-31 British Amateur Championship, Men's Golf, St. Andrews Links: Bobby Jones scores a 7 & 6 win over Englishman Roger Wethered for the first leg of his Grand Slam
  • 1930-07-19 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Acacia CC: Lucia Mida beats June Beebe 6 & 5 to win the inaugural event and first women's major championship ever played
  • 1930-09-27 US Amateur Championship Men's Golf, Merion GC: Bobby Jones scores an 8 & 7 win over Eugene V. Homans to win his 5th National Amateur title and clinch golf's Grand Slam
  • 1931-05-10 Golf ball size hail falls in Burlington, New Jersey
  • 1931-07-26 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Midlothian CC: June Beebe beats Mrs. Melvin Jones, 3 & 2 for golf's only major title
  • 1932-03-02 Australian golf trick-shot artist Joe Kirkwood posts an incredible 83 using only his putter over 18 holes at Belleaire, Florida; round includes 6 pars and 1 birdie
  • 1932-05-21 1st Curtis Cup for Women's team amateur golf: US wins, 5½-3½ at Wentworth Club (Wentworth, England)
  • 1932-07-15 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Ozaukee CC: Jane Weiller beats June Beebe 5 & 4 for golf's only major title
  • 1933-06-30 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Olympia Fields CC: June Beebe beats Jane Weiller, 3 & 2 for golf's only major title
  • 1934-08-01 US Amateur Golf Championship format is changed to a 6-day event with no 36-hole stroke-play qualifying, and 36-hole matches for semi-finals and final
  • 1934-10-13 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Portland G & CC: Marian McDougall outclassed Mrs Guy Riegel, 9 & 7 to win golf's only major title
  • 1935-06-29 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Sunset Ridge CC: Opal Hill scores an easy, 9 & 7 win over Mrs. S.L. Reinhart to claim her first of 2 consecutive major titles
  • 1936-06-12 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Topeka CC: Opal Hill scores a 3 & 2 win over Mrs. Charkes Dennehy to claim her second consecutive major title
  • 1936-09-03 For the first and only time in the history of the Walker Cup golf event, there is a shutout; the United States routs Great Britain, 9-0 at Pine Valley GC in New Jersey

Berg Wins Inaugural Event

1937-01-17 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Patty Berg wins inaugural event by 3 strokes ahead of Dorothy Kirby

  • 1937-06-19 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Beverly CC: Helen Hicks wins the first of her 2 major titles, defeating amateur Bea Barrett 6 & 5 in the final
  • 1938-01-16 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Patty Berg retains title by a massive 14 strokes ahead of Jane Cothran
  • 1938-03-01 Federal Trade Commission orders 8 manufacturers and the PGA of America to end their practice of golf ball price-fixing
  • 1939-01-20 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Patty Berg wins 3rd straight title by 2 strokes ahead of Dorothy Kirby
  • 1940-01-19 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Helen Hicks wins by 1 stroke ahead of Helen Dettweiler
  • 1941-04-09 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Dorothy Kirby wins comfortably by 16 strokes ahead of Helen Sigel
  • 1941-04-09 PGA establishes Golf Hall of Fame
  • 1942-04-02 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Dorothy Kirby retains title by 5 strokes ahead of Eileen Stulb

LPGA Titleholders

1946-04-12 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Louise Suggs wins her first major title by 2 strokes from Eileen Stulb

  • 1946-08-18 Golf Writers Association of America forms
  • 1946-09-01 1st US Open Women's Golf, Spokane CC: Patty Berg wins inaugural Open and only one played in match play format; takes 36-hole final 5 & 4 over Betty Jameson

Babe Didrikson Zaharias

1947-03-30 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Babe Didrikson Zaharias wins her first of 3 Titleholders titles by 5 strokes ahead of Dorothy Kirby

  • 1947-06-12 British Amateur Women's Golf, Gullane GC: Babe Didrikson becomes first American to win event; beats England's Jacqueline Gordon 5 & 4
  • 1947-06-29 US Open Women's Golf, Starmount Forest CC: American Betty Jameson wins her only US crown, 6 strokes ahead of runners-up Polly Riley and Sally Sessions, both amateurs
  • 1948-03-21 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Patty Berg wins her 4th Titleholders title by 1 stroke ahead of Babe Zaharias and Peggy Kirk
  • 1948-08-15 US Open Women's Golf, Atlantic City CC: Babe Didrikson-Zaharias wins by 8 strokes from Betty Hicks

Hogan Injured

1949-02-02 American golfing champ Ben Hogan seriously injured in an auto accident

  • 1949-03-20 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Amateur Peggy Kirk wins her only major title by 2 strokes from Patty Berg and Dorothy Kirby
  • 1949-09-13 Ladies Pro Golf Association of America formed in NYC
  • 1949-09-25 US Open Women's Golf, Prince George's CC: Louise Suggs leads wire-to-wire to win by 14 strokes ahead of runner-up and defending champion Babe Zaharias
  • 1950-06-24 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Cherry Hills CC: Babe Didrikson-Zaharias wins her 4th Western Open; beats Peggy Kirk, 5 & 3
  • 1950-10-01 US Open Women's Golf, Rolling Hills CC: Babe Zaharias ties Open scoring record, -9 291 to beat amateur Betsy Rawls by 9 strokes
  • 1951-03-18 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Pat O'Sullivan wins her only major title by 2 strokes from fellow amateur Beverly Hanson
  • 1951-06-21 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Whitemarsh Valley CC: Patty Berg defeats Pat O'Sullivan, 2-up in the final
  • 1951-09-16 US Open Women's Golf, Druid Hills GC: Betsy Rawls wins first of her 8 major titles, 5 strokes ahead of runner-up Louise Suggs
  • 1952-03-16 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Babe Didrikson Zaharias wins her 3rd Titleholders title by 7 strokes from Betsy Rawls
  • 1952-04-26 Patty Berg scores 64, best competitive round of golf by a woman
  • 1952-06-07 Curtis Cup Women's Golf, Muirfield, Scotland: Great Britain & Ireland score first ever win in the contest; beat US, 5-4
  • 1952-06-21 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Skokie CC: Betsy Rawls defeats Betty Jameson, 1 up in the final
  • 1952-06-29 US Open Women's Golf, Bala GC: 1949 champion Louise Suggs wins, 7 strokes ahead of runners-up Marlene Bauer and Betty Jameson
  • 1953-03-15 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Patty Berg wins her 5th Titleholders title by 9 strokes from Betsy Rawls
  • 1953-06-20 LPGA Western Golf Open Women's Golf, Capital City Club: Louise Suggs defeats Patty Berg, 6 & 5 in the final
  • 1953-06-28 US Open Women's Golf, CC of Rochester: Betsy Rawls wins an 18-hole Sunday playoff by 6 strokes over runner-up Jackie Pung
  • 1954-03-14 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Louise Suggs wins her second Titleholders title by 7 strokes from Patty Berg
  • 1954-06-19 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Glen Flora CC: Betty Jameson wins 6 & 5 over Louise Suggs in the final
  • 1954-07-03 US Open Women's Golf, Salem CC: Babe Didrikson-Zaharias wins by a record 12 strokes from Betty Hicks in her comeback event 14 months after radical colon cancer surgery
  • 1955-03-13 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Patty Berg wins her 6th Titleholders title by 2 strokes from Mary Lena Faulk
  • 1955-06-26 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Maple Bluff CC: Patty Berg wins her 5th WO title by 2 strokes from Louise Suggs and Fay Croker; first WO played at stroke play
  • 1955-07-02 US Open Women's Golf, Wichita GC: Uruguayan Fay Crocker beats Louise Suggs & Mary Lena Faulk by 4 to become the tournament's first overseas winner
  • 1956-03-11 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Louise Suggs wins her 3rd Titleholders title by 1 stroke from Patty Berg
  • 1956-07-29 US Open Women's Golf, Northland CC: Kathy Cornelius wins her only major title in an 18-hole playoff by 7 strokes over amateur Barbara McIntire
  • 1957-03-16 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Patty Berg wins her 7th Titleholders title by 3 strokes from amateur Anne Quast
  • 1957-04-28 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Montgomery CC: Patty Berg wins her 6th WO by 1 stroke from Wiffi Smith
  • 1957-06-29 US Open Women's Golf, Winged Foot GC: Betsy Rawls wins when apparent champion, Jackie Pung at 298 (+6) is disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard kept by playing partner Betty Jameson
  • 1958-03-16 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Beverly Hanson wins by 5 strokes ahead of Betty Dodd
  • 1958-06-22 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Kahkwa CC: Patty Berg wins back-to-back WO titles; beats runner-up Beverly Hanson by 4 strokes

US Women's Golf Open

1958-06-28 US Open Women's Golf, Forest Lake CC: Mickey Wright wins 1st of 4 Open titles by 5 from Louise Suggs; 1st player to win Open & LPGA in same year

  • 1959-03-15 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Louise Suggs wins her 4th Titleholders title by 1 stroke from Betsy Rawls
  • 1959-06-27 US Open Women's Golf, Churchill Valley CC: Mickey Wright successfully defends her Open title by 2 strokes from Louise Suggs
  • 1959-08-16 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Ranier G&CC: Betsy Rawls wins her second WO by 6 strokes from JoAnne Gunderson and Patty Berg

Golf Tournament

1959-09-17 59th US Golf Amateur Championship won by Jack Nicklaus

  • 1960-03-13 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Fay Crocker of Uruguay wins by 7 strokes ahead of Kathy Cornelius
  • 1960-06-26 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Beverly CC: Joyce Ziske wins on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff with Barbara Romack
  • 1960-07-23 US Open Women's Golf, Worcester CC: Betsy Rawls wins her 4th Open title, 1 stroke ahead of runner-up Joyce Ziske
  • 1961-04-30 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Mickey Wright wins her 5th major title by 1 stroke from Patty Berg & Louise Suggs
  • 1961-06-04 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Belle Meade CC: Mary Lena Faulk wins by 6 strokes ahead of runner-up Betsy Rawls
  • 1961-07-01 US Open Women's Golf, Baltusrol GC: Mickey Wright wins her 3rd Open by 6 strokes, despite a 2nd round 8-over par 80
  • 1961-09-15 61st US Golf Amateur Championship won by Jack Nicklaus aged 21
  • 1962-04-30 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Mickey Wright wins her 8th major title in a playoff with Ruth Jessen
  • 1962-05-13 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Montgomery CC: Mickey Wright wins on the 4th hole of a sudden-death playoff with Mary Lena Faulk
  • 1962-06-30 US Open Women's Golf, Dunes Golf & Beach Club: Murle Lindstrom wins her first LPGA Tour victory, 2 strokes ahead of runners-up Ruth Jessen and Jo Ann Prentice
  • 1962-08-19 Homer Blancos plays finest round in golf, shooting a 55
  • 1963-04-29 LPGA Titleholders Championship Women's Golf, Augusta CC: Marilynn Smith beats Mickey Wright by 1 shot in 18-hole playoff
  • 1963-06-23 LPGA Western Open Women's Golf, Maple Bluff CC: Mickey Wright defends title by 9 shots from Kathy Whitworth for her 10th major championship

Birthdays in Sport

  • 1871-09-24 George Arthur Crump, American golf course architect (Founder Pine Valley Golf Club), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1918)

Jim Barnes (1886-1966)

1886-04-08 English golfer (PGA C'ship 1916, 19; US Open 1921, British Open 1925; World Golf HOF), born in Lelant, Cornwall, England

  • 1911-09-15 Karsten Solheim, American golf entrepreneur (PING, Solheim Cup), born in Bergen, Norway (d. 2000)
  • 1912-06-09 Ingolf Dahl [Marcus], German-American pianist and composer (Allegro and Arioso), born in Hamburg, German Empire (d. 1970)
  • 1915-10-26 Golfredo Corradetti, Canadian conductor and composer, born in Calgary, Alberta; (d. 1995)
  • 1925-12-29 Pete Dye, American golf course designer (TPC at Sawgrass, Crooked Stick, Oakwood CC), born in Urbana, Ohio (d. 2020)
  • 1939-07-06 Renton Laidlaw, Scottish golf broadcaster and journalist (President Association of Golf Writers 1995-2015; BBC Radio), born in Edinburgh, Scotland (d. 2021)
  • 1947-07-29 Dick Harmon, American golf instructor (Fred Couples, Jay Haas, Craig Stadler, Lanny Wadkins, Steve Elkington), born in New Rochelle, NY (d. 2006)
  • 1954-11-16 Bruce Edwards, American golf caddie (mainly for 5 x British Open champion Tom Watson), born in Wethersfield, Connecticut (d. 2004)
  • 1955-10-25 Tim Rosaforte, American golf writer (Sports Illustrated, Golf Digest) and broadcaster (USA Network, Golf Channel), born in Mount Kisco, New York (d. 2022)

Weddings in Sport

Phil Mickelson

1996-11-16 American Golf champ Phil Mickelson (26) weds American Amy McBride (24) in Maui, Hawaii

Nick Faldo

2001-07-28 Six-time British golf champion Nick Faldo (44) weds third wife, Swiss public relations agent Valerie Bercher in a lavish ceremony at his Windsor, England home; divorce in 2006

Greg Norman & Chris Evert

2008-06-28 Golfing legend Greg Norman (53) weds former tennis star Chris Evert (53) in Paradise Island, Bahamas

  • 2020-12-18 Retired British golf champion Nick Faldo (64) weds fourth wife, American golf enthusiast Linda DeMarco (58) on the beach in the Florida Keys

Deaths in Sport

  • 1918-01-24 George Arthur Crump, American golf course architect (Founder Pine Valley Golf Club), dies from possible suicide at 46

Jim Barnes (1886-1966)

1966-05-24 English golfer (PGA C'ship 1916, 19; US Open 1921, British Open 1925; World Golf HOF), dies at 80

  • 1970-08-06 Ingolf Dahl [Marcus], German-American pianist and composer (Allegro and Arioso), dies at 56

Dinah Shore (1917-1994)

1994-02-24 American singer (See the USA in a Chevrolet), actress and TV personality (Dinah Shore Show; Nabisco DS Championship), dies of ovarian cancer at 76

  • 1995-04-02 Harvey Penick, American golfer, coach, author (World Golf Hall of Fame), dies of degenerative arthritis at 90
  • 1995-10-13 Golfredo Corradetti, Canadian conductor, dies at 79
  • 2005-05-07 Tristan Egolf, American writer (Lord of The Barnyard; Skirt and the Fiddle), takes his own life at 33
  • 2006-02-10 Dick Harmon, American golf instructor (Fred Couples, Jay Haas, Craig Stadler, Lanny Wadkins, Steve Elkington), dies from pneumonia at 58
  • 2012-02-10 Geoffrey Cornish, Canadian golf course architect, dies at 97
  • 2020-01-09 Pete Dye, American golf course designer (TPC at Sawgrass, Crooked Stick, Oakwood CC), dies of Alzheimer's disease at 94
  • 2021-05-18 Arthur Hills, American golf course designer (designed and renovated more than 200 new courses), dies at 91
  • 2021-10-12 Renton Laidlaw, Scottish golf broadcaster and journalist (President Association of Golf Writers 1995-2015; BBC Radio), dies from COVID-19 at 82
  • 2022-01-11 Tim Rosaforte, American golf writer (Sports Illustrated, Golf Digest) and broadcaster (USA Network, Golf Channel), dies of Alzheimer's disease at 66