Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
In late April 1965, Sam Snead won the Greater Greensboro Open at 52 years, 10 months, and 8 days.
He won at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, NC. It is now known as the Wyndham Championship. This incredible Tour player is still the oldest player to win a PGA tour event and still ties the record for winning an event the most times. (8 wins at the Greater Greensboro Open)
Other interesting items about this historic win include the fact that Ed Sullivan played in the Pro-Am with Gary Player. Sullivan emceed a special banquet to honor ‘Slammin’ Sammy’ who had won the tournament 7 times since the inaugural in 1938. And, Snead pocketed his biggest check ever for the Greensboro win…. $11,000!
As sportswriter Irwin Smallwood of the Greensboro Daily News said at the time, he didn’t think Snead had a chance to win. With a tough field, all much younger than 52-year-old Sam, and temperatures in the 40’s with a little rain, a win was unlikely.
I like one quote in particular attributed to Smallwood. He said Snead “…was just a remarkable golfer. It would have been wonderful to see him play with the equipment of today.”
Sam Snead during his first win at Sedgefield. (Carol W. Martin/Greensboro Historical Museum)
GREENSBORO, N.C.
The basketball season was winding down in 1965, so sportswriter Irwin Smallwood of the Greensboro Daily News began shifting his attention to the other sport he covered – golf. He soon realized one thing.
Sam Snead’s appearance at the upcoming Greater Greensboro Open would be the 25th of his legendary career. Considering Snead had won the inaugural event in 1938 and had then won it six more times to earn legendary status in the area, Smallwood thought it would be a good idea to celebrate the silver anniversary.
It certainly seemed like the appropriate time to honor Snead. He was 52 years old and four years removed from his last PGA TOUR win. While Snead was hardly a ceremonial golfer – he’d finished third or better six times since that last win – there was no doubt he was past his prime.
Plus, most of golf’s headlines were now commanded by the Big Three:
Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Jack Nicklaus. Smallwood thought it would be nice to give Slammin’ Sammy some attention in the twilight of his career. And no place was more appropriate than Greensboro, where Snead had experienced unprecedented success.
Smallwood mentioned this to John Rendleman, the tournament chairman, and Jim Betts, the banquet chairman. The three were driving to Durham, N.C., to visit with Mike Souchak, a successful PGA TOUR pro who played collegiately at Duke.
“We should do something special for Sam,” Smallwood said, and the other two men in the car agreed.
So the plan was set. On Tuesday night during the week of the tournament, the Sam Snead Testimonial Banquet would be held at Fred Koury’s Plantation Supper Club, which was located a few miles from Sedgefield Country Club, where the GGO would be contested.
Hard to imagine a more fitting venue, either.
“Snead was known to have played the trumpet there,” Smallwood said. “It wasn’t unusual for one or two of the players to come and sit in with the band during the tournament.”
When told about the banquet, Snead appreciated that Greensboro’s golf fans wanted to celebrate his success in the area. There was one thing, though.
The final chapter had yet to be written.
Ed Sullivan, Sam Snead, and Fred Corcoran at a testimonial dinner in Greensboro in 1965. (Greensboro News & Record)
Once the Greensboro Jaycees, who sponsored the tournament, decided to honor Snead with the testimonial dinner, they had to find an emcee. At the time, Ed Sullivan was writing a “Toast of the Town” column for the New York Daily News, and Smallwood knew one of the sportswriters there.
“I said, ‘Let me try to get Ed Sullivan,'” he recalled.
Smallwood was headed to the Big Apple to cover a basketball game. His friend referred him to someone who wrote for Sports Illustrated, who was more than happy to help.
“He turned around, dialed the phone, and said, ‘Ed, I’ve got someone here who wants to talk with you,'” Smallwood said.
Once Sullivan found out who was being honored at the dinner, he said he’d be delighted to come to North Carolina. He didn’t ask for an appearance fee, just expenses, and he was a big draw at the pro-am when he played with Gary Player and a state representative named Mark Short.
“He said, call me at this number on Tuesday, and I fully expected to get a plumber from Amarillo,” Smallwood said, chuckling. “But it was him.”
Sullivan walked away with a great memory, too. He hit an 8-iron to 8 feet on the ninth hole, his last of the day, for a natural birdie.
“That’s one I’ll never forget,” he told the Greensboro newspaper.
1946-1948 winners Lloyd Magrum, Sam Snead, and Vic Ghezzi in Greensboro. (Carol W. Martin/Greenboro Historical Museum)
The banquet, attended by 800, was a rousing success.
“I’m not sure Greensboro’s had a dinner like that — before or since,” Smallwood said.
Carson Bain, who would become mayor of Greensboro two years later, presented Snead with a certificate good for hamburgers for life from McDonald’s. He and Dave Goforth, two good friends who often went hunting and fishing with Snead, gave the pro a rifle.
The tournament also gifted Snead with a $500 check for Hot Springs, Virginia, a hospital that was close to the pro’s heart.
And not surprisingly, Snead got the last word.
Just before the festivities ended, Sullivan looked out at the crowd. “Wouldn’t it be nice if old Sam could win the GGO one more time?” he asked.
“Sam squinted into the lights at the Plantation Club, and he said,
“Those young boys better watch out. I just might do it,” Smallwood recalled.
Well, it wasn’t exactly Babe Ruth pointing toward the center-field bleachers during Game 3 of the 1932 World Series just before he hit a home run in that direction — but it was close.
The president of Wilson Sporting Goods told Smallwood he’d never seen his client so touched. But Snead did not acknowledge his role in the festivities — that is until the switchboard operator at the Daily News rang his desk one day and told him a box was waiting downstairs.
“It was a set of Wilson Staff clubs,” Smallwood said. “The return address just said: Snead.”
Smallwood, who is now 89, still has those clubs in a golf bag sitting in his office.
Top 10 Lucky Shots on the PGA Tour – #4 & #5 are Freakish!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
All golfers have seen their fair share of lucky and unlucky bounces in golf.
Most of us tend to remember our bad luck shots and totally y forget how lucky we were a few holes back or the previous day. Things have a way of evening out in the long run! So don’t get so mad next time you get a bad bounce – it means that a good bounce is just around the corner!
Sometimes we have even blamed bad luck as a reason for a poor shot. However, there are moments or even full golf rounds where we have felt that good luck was with us. Not often enough, I know!
Thanks to the PGA Tour for this video featuring lucky shots by Tour Players. My favorites are #5 with Jaimie Lovemark at the 2009 Frys.com Open and #4, showing Lief Olson at the 2009 RBC Canadian Open. Quite amazing!
Top 10 Texans to Play on Tour – #1 is my favorite golfer!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Jordan Spieth is one of several Texans who has wowed us all with their incredible golf skills.
The Lone Star State has produced a plethora of awesome players over golf’s long history.
Don’t miss this video that will increase your knowledge of Texas golf!
Jordan Spieth Predicted his Masters win 7 years ago!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Wow, what an exciting Masters Tournament! Jordan Spieth won wire to wire, tied the scoring record, and broke the 36 and 54 hole scoring records!
I am looking forward to watching Jordan, Rory, Hideki, and all the other under 25 golfers that are the game’s future. As Nick Faldo said on Sunday, “Golf is in great hands right now” Brian Wacker of PGATour.com tells us that Jordan named his Master’s goal 7 years ago.
Brian Wacker – Pgatour.com
Jordan Spieth enters the third round of the Masters with a five-shot lead after the lowest 36-hole start in tournament history and tying the record for the lowest two-day start in any major. Should he hold on the next two days and win, it would be his first career major championship and he would become the second-youngest Masters champion behind Tiger Woods.
As you’ll see below, winning at Augusta National is apparently something he has been thinking about since he was 14 years old. His swing, even back then, is something that should be noted, too.
Before he was a PGA pro headed to the British Open, Jordan Spieth was a student athlete at Jesuit High School in Dallas. Watch a profile of Jordan from 2008. Before he was a PGA pro headed to the British Open, Jordan Spieth was a student athlete at Jesuit High School in Dallas. Watch a profile of Jordan from 2008. Before he was a PGA pro headed to the British Open, Jordan Spieth was a student athlete at Jesuit High
Players First Impressions Playing Augusta National.
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Setting foot on Augusta National for the first time is a memorable experience.
The exclusive club is open to the public just one week per year, and it’s not exactly easy to find a member to host you during the remainder of the year. The club’s membership roster is kept secret, but it includes titans of industry, politicians, and Hall of Fame athletes.
It’s difficult even for professional golfers to get through the gates. The fortunate few gather at Augusta National each April, though. Since many of us won’t make it down Magnolia Lane, we decided to have PGA TOUR players tell us what they remember about their first time on the hallowed grounds.
This is the view of Augusta National’s clubhouse as people approach from Magnolia Lane. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Players First Impressions Playing Augusta National.
WEBB SIMPSON:
The first time, I was 12. I played with my dad and my swing coach, the head pro at my home course, Ted Kiegel, and Haley Roberts, a member. I’ll never forget it. I shot 80 from the members’ tees. Had a blast. I’ll never forget it. Two things (struck me). One, it was a lot hillier than I’d imagined, and the greens were a lot smaller. On TV, they look pretty big. But they’re tiny, and obviously, I couldn’t get over how fast they were.
JIMMY WALKER:
We played about 2009, in January or December. We had a great time. My dad birdied three out of four par‑5s. My dad and I got to play together for the first time. We stayed in cabins. It was amazing. I shot even par on the first day we played, and it was very wet. It played really long. Then the next day, we played in 38-degree weather.
I think that’s the only place on the planet you will go out and play when it’s 38 and drizzling. We played the back nine. We played nine holes. I shot 1 under, and it was nasty. I remember the first day I hit driver, 7‑iron up into 18. Then the last day we played, I hit driver and a hybrid into the green. Played completely different. It was hard, but it was cool. What a great experience. My dad, staying in the cabins. I think we stayed in Palmer’s cabin. Played the Par‑3 Course. We did it all. It was ridiculous.
BILLY HORSCHEL:
The first time I stepped foot on Augusta was the Saturday before the tournament last year. It was pretty cool. The first observation is that it is a lot more undulating and sloped around the whole course than it shows on TV. Augusta is an unbelievable tournament. There’s a lot of history to it. Bobby Jones is someone I think who everyone knows, and what he has done in the game of golf is unbelievable. I think I was more excited to play the golf course for the golf course itself and how it was designed. That’s what I was excited about more than anything. The glitz and glamour, and this and that, I’ve never been one to get too caught up in that.
Players First Impressions Playing Augusta National.
BRIAN HARMAN:
I think I had just gotten my driver’s license the first time I played. As good as it looks on TV, it looks better in person. That’s what’s so cool about it. I’ve always pictured myself playing in that tournament. Growing up watching it, I always pictured myself competing there. So, even when I was 16, it may sound crazy, but I was going to use it to get ready, as a practice round. Obviously, it’s took 12 years to get there, but I had a good feeling I’d make it there one day. I think I hit the 13th hole in two. Every hole has a story on it. There’s always a few signature holes on every golf course, but on that course, they all are.
Even when I was 16, it may sound crazy, but I would use it as a practice round. I had a good feeling I’d make it there one day. – Brian Harman
RICKIE FOWLER:
I think the biggest thing for me was when I walked out of the clubhouse, just kind of seeing where everything was, seeing it on TV, you don’t really understand the routing of the course or what kind of land it’s built on, how much movement there is, elevation change. The thing I remember most is turning in and the guards actually letting me in and driving down Magnolia Lane.
MORGAN HOFFMANN:
We played the Augusta State tournament and went over to (Augusta National) to watch the practice round. It was my goal to never set foot on Augusta until I played it for the Masters. Coach (Mike McGraw) was like, ‘No, you need to come out and watch the practice round.’ There are not many guys who don’t want to go to Augusta, but it was cool. It’s a dream come true to be there. I went up for a practice round a few weeks ago.
It’s my favorite course I’ve ever played. There’s nothing like it, the history there. Just walking over some of those bridges. It’s exceptional. I played it with just one of the local caddies and no one else. He put the hole locations out and showed me some of the secret breaks. It was a really cool experience, and it was the best experience of my life.
Players First Impressions Playing Augusta National.
BRANDT SNEDEKER:
I went and played Augusta during my freshman year of college. Driving up Magnolia Lane was a pretty special experience because of how iconic that lane is. Getting goosebumps, the hair standing up on your arms. Even though it’s just a fun round, there are nerves because you want to play well. Probably the thing that strikes you most is when you walk out of the back of the clubhouse toward the first tee, you see the undulation for the first time and kind of get a view of the whole golf course. You don’t realize that on TV.
It’s an exceptional experience and a lot of fun. They gave us a little tour of everything, showed us the Champion’s Locker Room, showed us the trophies and all of the memorabilia they have in the dining areas. I remember I went for 13 and 15 (in two). One went in the water, the other was on the green. I broke 80, which was the main goal for the day.
Players First Impressions Playing Augusta National.
ZACH JOHNSON:
I was there as a spectator in 2001, when I was on the mini-tours. Vaughn Taylor is a good buddy and is from there. He had tickets. I remember walking the golf course, all 18 holes, basically twice that day. I know I saw Jose (Maria Olazabal) skipping shots off of the pond on 16. The Hooters Tour had a week off, and we had been playing in the Carolinas. Didn’t get to play the golf course for the first time until Tuesday of tournament week (in 2005). I was living in Orlando, and the week before, I was the defending champion at the BellSouth, a 54-hole tournament that ended on Monday (because of weather).
J.B. HOLMES:
I was about 17, 18 (when I went to watch the tournament). My dad and I went. It was a lot of fun. Every piece of grass was manicured. … There are no weeds, no nothing. It’s like a different world in there. It’s a special place, for sure.
The Hogan Bridge (foreground) leads to the 12th green, while players cross the Nelson Bridge after teeing off on No. 13. (Dave Cannon/Getty Images)
Players First Impressions Playing Augusta National.
CAMERON TRINGALE:
I remember driving down Magnolia Lane for the first time and seeing the yellow flowers that make up the logo that’s right in front of the clubhouse and thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, this is really happening. I’m really going to get to play.’ It was my freshman year at Georgia Tech. We were trying to think about what song we would listen to as we drove down Magnolia Lane. We cruised slowly (down Magnolia Lane). I have no idea what song we played. It could have been gangster rap or opera music. We had a wide range of genres on our team. Someone else was driving.
I drove later in my career to get the Volvo down Magnolia Lane one time, maybe make it worth more when I sold it. (The clubhouse) was so different than I thought. It was so classic and so old-school inside. It seemed like it was back in time. I didn’t feel uncomfortable, but I definitely was on my best behavior. I remember just wanting to hit the 12th green because everyone was saying how hard it is, and I was like, ‘No, it’s not that hard. It’s a 9-iron to the middle of the green.’ So I had to hit the green. I hit it on the fringe, just off the green. The first tee shot, too. Talk about nerves for a round that didn’t really matter. I wanted to play well so badly.
NICK WATNEY:
I qualified, and I went there in the wintertime. I played 36 holes there, by myself. Well, I take that back. The second 18, the guys that I played with were leaving, so they were, like, what are you going to do. I was flying out the next day, so I wanted to play again. So I went around Augusta by myself. So it was amazing. I was a little nervous just in November. It’s an extraordinary place. It just seems bigger than it does on TV. The hills are a little more extreme. Everything’s a little more green and vivid — almost like you’ve got to pinch yourself that you’re actually there. It was an amazing experience.
DAVIS LOVE III:
We played when we were at Carolina. We won the Augusta tournament, so we got to go a whole bunch of us and play. So that would have been 83-ish. Oh, we were a bunch of college kids. We were dumbfounded. I don’t think I’d ever played greens that smooth or fairways that perfect. Back then, it was, maybe, Muirfield, was the only place that was that good. So it was incredible. Scared to hit the ground. Scared to say the wrong thing, but it was fun. That was a big goal of our team. We wanted to win that tournament so we could go play.
Players First Impressions Playing Augusta National.
AARON BADDELEY:
As an amateur, I got an invite after I won the Australian Open as an amateur. I was 18. I would have been 19 when I got to Augusta. I’ll never forget. I hit my second shot on 10. It was an 8-iron. It was dead silent. I hit this shot. Just the noise, the way the shot sounded in the trees, I was like, wow. It was unbelievable.
Phil’s Top 10 Moments in a long and steady Career!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Today features the third in our series of “Top 10 Moments” of Masters Contenders.
My third and final pick to win the 2015 Masters Tournament is Phil Mickelson. As I write this, Phil is T2 after 2 rounds at the Shell Houston Open. Phil is rounding into form for his favorite tournament, and I think it will be a doozie! However, the best shot I ever saw Phil play is not on Phil’s Top 10 Moments. He hit a flop shot from the back of the 15th green at Augusta with a front left pin position that brought me right out of my chair! Love watching Phil the Thrill!
Rory’s Top 10 Moments in an Extremely Young Career!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Today features the first in our series of “Top 10 Moments” of Masters Contenders as Masters week draws ever closer!
My #1 pick for victory is Rory McIlroy. Rory’s Top 10 Moments certainly rival Tiger’s Top 10. (Coming up next ) It would be a real thrill to see Rory and Tiger going head to head on the back 9 on Sunday. I can dream, can’t I?
Tiger Wood’s Top 10 Moments in an Exciting Career!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Today features the second in our series of “Top 10 Moments” of Masters Contenders.
Tiger Woods announced today that he would be playing in the 2015 masters Tournament. Good news for Golf and Good News for Tiger Fans. To remind you of just how great this golfer is (as if you need reminding), here are Tiger’s Top 10 Moments. I am certainly looking forward to seeing Tiger compete again, and this time I hope he finishes all 4 rounds!
I’ll go out on a limb and say if Tiger wins the Masters Tournament next week, it will be the biggest story of the decade! Bring it on!
Why the PGA Tour will always be the Coolest Sport Around!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Charitable donations from tournaments on the PGA Tour, Champions Tour, and Web.com Tour record $140.5 million for 2014. The total donated from the first-ever charitable tournament in 1938 at the Palm Beach Invitational is now $2.14 billion.
What a game! The sponsors, the players, the volunteers, the PGA tournament staff, and you, the ticket buyers, make all of this possible.
The beneficiaries include hospitals, youth development organizations, food banks, and grow-the-game programs.
Read why golf is still the coolest sport. Provided by Media Team, PGA Tour.com to see how golf does it differently from other professional sports organizations.
The Principal Charity Classic leads the way in charitable donations on the Champions Tour.
The PGA TOUR announced today that charitable donations in 2014 were a record $140.5 million. This total includes donations made by tournaments on the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour, Web.com Tour, PGA TOUR Canada, PGA TOUR China and PGA TOUR Latinoamérica.
With the announcement, the all-time total donated to charity is $2.14 billion. Since the first-ever charitable contribution of $10,000 at the 1938 Palm Beach Invitational. Of that total, more than $1 billion has come since the TOUR surpassed the $1-billion plateau in 2005. The $2-billion mark was passed in January of last season.
“This record charitable output is a testament to the hard work and tireless efforts of our tournaments, sponsors, players, and, especially, our volunteers,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem.
Finchem, made the announcement during this week’s World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship. “This achievement is remarkable and reflects the tremendous impact that is being felt in communities all over the world.”
Earlier this year, it was announced that the Waste Management Phoenix Open had surpassed $100 million in charitable donations in its history. Becoming the third PGA TOUR event to have generated that much for charity. Joining the AT&T Byron Nelson Championship and the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Expected to join that illustrious grouping in three weeks is the Valero Texas Open. Which has donated more than $95 million to charity in its history. Including more than $90.5 million since Valero became title sponsor of the event in 2002.
In 2014, five PGA TOUR events generated more than $7 million for charity. Including three – Valero Texas Open, AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial – that donated more than $9 million. There were six Champions Tour events that donated more than $1 million to charity. Including the Shaw Charity Classic which was over $2 million. The Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft led the Web.com Tour with donations of more than $1.45 million.
The World Golf Championships, a series of four international championships, have surpassed a significant milestone, with the series generating more than $50 million for charitable causes since their debut in 1999.
Unlike other professional sports organizations, the PGA TOUR relies on more than 100,000 volunteers annually to run its tournaments. And the vast majority of its tournaments are non-profit organizations. The goal is to donate 100 percent of net proceeds to charity. Community beneficiaries include a wide variety of organizations including hospitals, youth development organizations, growth-of-the-game programs and food banks.
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
I cannot remember any top PGA Tour golfer who has changed coaches many times as Tiger Woods.
Do you think these different coaches with different ideas on how the golf club should be swung are the reason for Tiger’s decline in the World Rankings, or do you think that his hectic workout routine in the gym getting older has caused his body to break down?
There are as many opinions as there are golfers, but in my opinion, Tiger should make his workouts more body friendly and go it alone when it comes to his golf swing. Nobody in the world knows his swing better than he does. What do you think?
