Shivas writes:
By 1900, what had Vardon done? Is your definition of a consistent, dominant player anybody who has won 3 majors? When you are only playing one major a year, yes.
Vardon's first Open Championship, 1893 at Prestwick Tied for 23rd, 22 shots behind Willie Auchterlonie.
Vardon's second Open Championsjip, 1894 at Sandwich Tied for 5th, 8 shots behind JH Taylor
Vardon's third Open Championship, 1895 at St. Andrews Tied for 9th, 16 shots being JH Taylor
Vardon's fourth Open Championship, 1896 at Muirfield winner in playoff with JH Taylor
Vardon's fifth Open Championship, 18977 at Hoylake 6th place, 6 shots behind HH Hilton
Vardon's sixth Open Championship, 1898 at Prestwcik winner one shot over Willie Park
Vardon's seventh Open Championship, 1899 at Sandwich winner by five shots over Jack White
Vardon's eighth Open Championship, 1900 at St. Andrews second place eight shots behind JH Taylor
An argument could be made that up to 1900 Taylor might have been a more consistent golfer, but it would have been close.
I don't doubt that Vardon's vist gave a lift to the game. But that game had to exist first.I'm guessing this is a counter argument for some old argument you are having with someone else. I don't see how this is a response to any point I ever made.
And Vardon's lift came about after the genesis of the game here, thanks primarly to CBM, and nearly a decade of breakneck growth prior to Vardon's visit. The Chicago area alone went from zero golf clubs to 20+ from 1893 to 1900 prior to Vardon's visit. I don't have stats for the Metro area or Philly or anywhere else, but I think it's perfectly clear that golf was expanding rapidly with or without a visit from a 3 time major winner from across the pond.Herbert Warren Wind (not a Brit) said at the turn of the century there was roughly a thousand golf courses. There were 165 courses in New York, 157 in Massachusetts, 57 in Illinois, 43 in California, 17 in Florida and five in Texas. Most of these courses were for expatriates and the well to do, but there was also public golf courses at Van Cortlandt Park in New York and Jackson Park in Chicago.
Wind (not a Brit) wrote:
"The year 1900 brought into the focus of American golfers three men who talents were to provide invaluable in promoting the growth of golf in this country: Walter J. Travis, Harry Vardon, and Coburn Haskell." Pg 59, Wind, Herbert Warren,
The Story of American Golf: Volume One: 1888-1941, Callaway Editions, New York, 2000.
But for the Vardon visit, was golf doomed to fail? Hell no.If your grandmother had balls she would be your grandfather.
It was growing at a breakneck pace and was going to continue to do so.Your crystal ball is telling you a whole bunch more than mine is telling me.
My opinion: Browning, a Brit, is being just a wee tad biased in favor of his fellow Brit in terms of the import of this visit on the growth of the game in America. Vardon's visit was icing on a growing cake.But Wind (not a Brit) seems to agree with him.
Vardon came over to the U.S. on a trip sponsored by Spaulding to sell Vardon Flyers. At the time he was one of the two best golfers in the world. His demonstrations at sporting good stores, department stores and golf courses was an introduction to golf for many of the spectators, bringing a new clientele to the game, an audience that would not have been interested in golf without witnessing Vardon's exhibitions. According to Wind (not a Brit) he was unsuccessful in selling the Vardon Flyers (1900 was also the year of the Haskell) but he was successful selling golf.
Cheers,
Dan King
He hit the ball with an utter absence of visible effort, and yet his timing was so fine that he sent his shots yards farther down the fairways than his straining opponents. After they had seen Harry [Vardon], American golfers knew that the game, in the hands of a master, could be an art.
--Herbery Warren Wind