The first issue of Golf Monthly was published in March 1911, containing articles such as – “The Aims and Aspirations of a Professional” by five-time Open champion J.H Taylor, “My Favourite Shot and how I Play it” by the illustrious trio of six-time Open winner Harry Vardon, five-time champ James Braid and 1920 winner George Duncan. Then the rather amusing “Golfing Characters I have met” by W. Dalrymple – “Mrs George Valentine, the incomparable nurse who was with Old Tom Morris before his lamented death…” is the sort of thing covered there.
Back in 1911, the publication’s editor was the great amateur Open champion Harold Hilton. He was a member of Royal Liverpool and he was still editor when The Open travelled to his home club in 1913. Golf Monthly has covered Hoylake Opens ever since, from J.H Taylor’s triumph in 1913 up to Rory’s win 101 years later and now once more in 2023. Here, from the Golf Monthly archive, a resource which will soon be available to the public, we look at some of the best lines from the history of Golf Monthly’s Hoylake Open coverage.
1913
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Editor Harold Hilton writes of the champion:
“John Henry Taylor is apparently one of those who realise the fact that it is as easy to hole a putt from beyond the hole as it is when the ball is short thereof.”
Rather disparagingly on the great James Braid:
“Watching him play it appeared as if he could not focus on either the ball or the lie of the ground and some of the strokes he played at the first and third holes were quaint and weird.”
1924
Hagen on the roof of The Savoy
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After Walter Hagen had taken his second Open title, the Editor was fairly scathing of the home players’ performance:
“The result of the Open Golf Championship is a disgrace to British professional golf.”
William Reid with a forward-thinking suggestion on the qualifying that the R&A would take up, albeit some 40 years later (to a certain extent):
“I would submit to once again take a leaf out of the American book and hold qualifying competitions by districts… and overseas entrants being accepted as a matter of international courtesy.”
Can you imagine if that latter suggestion were taken up today? Some 90 million golfers would be eligible – tee times would have to start seriously early!
1936
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Alf Padgham wins. The Editor, writing 87 years ago, covers a topic that is still a hot one today – the length the…
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