OT Why was a Claret Jug selected as the trophy for The Open Championship

[Melvyn Morrow]

I am not asking for the reason a new trophy was required as we all know that the Championship Belt was won outright hence a need for a new trophy was sought. My question -  of all items why select a Claret Jug?

Any comments, ideas or is it just a riddle?

Melvyn

[Ben Stephens]

Melvyn,

Was it Young Tom's fourth win that the Championship belt was handed to him 'permanently' and someone at the time liked the idea of a trophy which the Claret Jug was the preferred choice of the committee running the Open at the time. Wasn't claret jugs a popular feature of Victorian times? 

One wonders what the 21st Century Open Championship Trophy would be like if they decided to give the claret jug permanently to someone who has won it 10 times!!

The FIFA World Cup (Football/Soccer) already had 2 different trophies in its history - the Jules Rimet Trophy (an Art Deco style trophy) was given permanently to Brazil after their 4th win in 1970 and replaced it with a more costly organic similarly sized trophy which was more organic and artistic relevant to the 1970's.

Design trends evolve over a period of time - I guess the Claret Jug was a popular choice/style in the 1870's and the Championship belt was that linked to boxing? it makes you wonder.

Cheers
Ben

[PThomas]

maybe easier to tilt it to drink whiskey out of it

[PCCraig]

After the invention of indoor plumbing they had to do something with all those extra piss pots laying around.

[Carl Johnson]

Here's what the Open Championship's website has to say:  http://www.opengolf.com/en/History/ClaretJug.aspx

The entire article is interesting, with the express reference to the choice of a claret jug, as follows:

"Agreement was finally reached on September 11, 1872 between the three clubs that were to host The Open — Prestwick, the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club. They decided that the winner would receive a medal and that each of the three clubs would contribute £10 towards the cost of a new trophy, which was to be a silver claret jug, instead of another belt. Its proper name was to be The Golf Champion Trophy."

The article doesn't discuss why the jug was decided upon in lieu of a different kind of "trophy" or award.
 

[Melvyn Morrow]

Sorry Guys

You have not found the connection yet, good riddle but keep trying - its has nothing t do with my family, well found no connection as yet

Melvyn

[Jim_Kennedy]

Fine claret has been closely associated with the English upper classes, partaking of it was a "badge of membership".
It was (perhaps still is) considered a rich man's pleasure.

No doubt in my mind why a Claret Jug was chosen.



*edit: Let me 'clarify' before my remarks about class are taken wrong. I don't think it's wrong to say that those men responsible for choosing the jug for The Open came from the 'upper' class while many of the winners came from 'lower' classes. As claret was the wine of the era  it seems natural that a claret jug was chosen as The Open was the tournament of the same era.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Jim

English, ENGLISH this was a Scottish trophy, it once defined the winner as The Champion of Scotland and you come on talking about the English upper classes - go wash out your mouth with soap and do not set foot on Scotland turf again until you have done so.

I hope the God of Golf will forgive you your sin as many a man north of Hadrian’s Wall will not and rightly so

Melvyn

PS Not my understanding why it’s a claret jug - think tradition, the clue is in the question.

[David_Tepper]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claret_Jug

[Jim_Kennedy]

MM,

I thought that Scotland and England's class system was pretty much the same, and who could tell them apart after the creation of the UK in the early 1700s?

[Melvyn Morrow]

Jim

You old snob, but alas some are, some are not, but Scotland had and still has a Stuart at the Head of State, not an English Queen. 50 million English pay more and the extra goes to the 7 or so million Scots, We have two Parliaments to England’s one and our Open is now regarded as The British Open. No me old mate, think we came out of the UK deal rather well, we spend the English pay, now that is music to the ear of any Scotsman. Worth keeping the UK together and looking after our English brothers, so they continue to care for our system north of the border.

Melvyn

PS  David nothing there explaining why a claret jug, that being the original question

   

[Kalen Braley]

Mel,

I think the generic entry for the nature of claret jugs says it all:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_claret_jug

They were not only supposed to represent the highest in artistry for the time period, but it was very common to engrave them..which was perfect for engraving winners of the event year after year.  Combine that with the high cost of them and thier nobility, it was the "best of the best" at the time for establishing a noteworthy trophy.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Kalen

No, not the answer, sorry why did they select a Claret Jug?

Melvyn

[Anthony Gray]

  A guy named Lord Stanley was in Prestwick pitching trophies and had several with him. Because all the pros at the time were caddies and thus could not afford his trophies he sold them his beat up claret jug insted.

  Anthony

[Kalen Braley]

Kalen

No, not the answer, sorry why did they select a Claret Jug?

Melvyn

I'm assuming you're looking for something more specific like:

The Royal and Ancient boys were having a dinner, when one of them knocked over a Claret Jug full of red wine that ruined the white knickers of the head honcho at the party.  Then after an initial outburst to condemn the poor chap who made the clumsy move....they all had a good laugh and deemed that jug to be the spoils for the next winner of The Open.

Something like that?

[Melvyn Morrow]

AG

Sorry nothing like that, look to the riddle and tradition and you will have the answer

Kalen

You have a poor understanding of us overhere, as YES, you are wrong, again.

Melvyn

[Jim_Kennedy]

 As a tip of the cup to the Auld Alliance? Claret was the drink of the Jacobites and nationalists who viewed it as a symbol of Scots independence.

[John_Cullum]

Probably just the Scots being practical. They can scribble the champions name on it, then use it in the R and A dining room the rest of the year. You can't do that with a belt.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Gentlemen

I am shocked that you do not understand the traditions of the game with its long history.

Stop thinking it's to do with what you believe we get up to and think - I know that if you use distance aids your brains will be in standby mode and not ready to switch to thinking mode.  See what these aids do to your mind and body - still the answer is in the traditional riddle which perhaps suggests that you need to look up to the Judges or Magistrates for their donation. Seek and ye shall find, - oh please do as I thought this would be a very easy one to answer.

Melvyn

 

[Eric Smith]

Because it's made of...wood?

[David Stamm]

I'm guessing that this has something to do with the legend of how 18 holes was decided, that being that there was 18 drams in a bottle and when that was gone, the game was over. Perhaps that the jug holds this same amount has something to do with it(?).

[Anthony Gray]

Because it's made of...wood?

  That's cheating. You already knew the answer.

  Anthony

[Melvyn Morrow]

Not Wood, the answer is the RIDDLE

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Melvyn,

Give them another clue.

I know, but I won't spoil it for the rest of you.

[Eric Smith]

It was the eighth Horcrux of Tom RIDDLE?