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Golf Trivia

 

  • The first area golf course was St. Louis Country Club in 1896
  • The St. Louis Golf Club was located in the infield of a racetrack that was located in Fairgrounds Park from 1898-1905 when Missouri outlawed paramutual betting on horse racing. When the track closed so did the course.
  • In 1899 an all Ladies course was built in Tower Grove Park. Men were allowed only if escorted by a female companion!
  • The course at Glen Echo CC, built in 1901, is the areas oldest layout. It is also the oldest 18-hole private facility west of the Mississippi.
  • Jim Foulis, who won the 1896 US Open, designed seven of the first twelve courses built in the area.
  • The head professionals at St. Louis CC have won the career Grand Slam among them - plus a Ryder Cup appearance. Willie Anderson, Jim Barnes, Fred McLeod, Ralph Guldahl and Jim Foulis won US Open's; Barnes also won two PGA's and a British Open, while Guldahl added the 1939 Masters to his record. Dave Douglas was selected the the 1953 Ryder Cup squad.
  • The area's first public facility was Rock Springs Park GC in Alton, built by Tom Bendelow in 1912. Forest Park opened the following season.The St. Louis Amateur Athletic Association (Triple A) course in Forest Park was the areas first 18-hole layout in 1901. It was later razed to make way for the 1904 Worlds Fair, and the club moved to its present location.
  • The 1904 Olympic Golf matches at Glen Echo were the only time a Golf Medal for golf was awarded.
  • Albert Lambert, nakesake of our airport, is the only person to compete in the golf matches in the 1900 Paris Exposition and the 1904 games.
  • The 1921 and 1925 US Men's and Ladies' Amateurs at St. Louis CC were the first time either event was held west of the Mississippi.
  • Normandie GC hosted the first Missouri Amateur in 1905.
  • Of the nine courses constructed prior to 1900, none exist today, though four of the clubs moved to new locations, built new courses and continue to today. They are: St. Louis, Bellerive, Algonquin & Triple A.
  • The 1992 PGA at Bellerive was the first Major played on zoysia.
  • In 1919 Jimmy Manion , along with Davey Heron, were the low amateurs at the US Open at Oakmont CC.
  • Judy Torluemke Rankin won the 1959 State Championship at the age of 14.
  • In his pro-debut in 1975 Jay Haas defeated Sam Snead in the St. Clair Open.
  • Bob Cochran played the then-PGA Tour in 1943-45, winning an event in Decatur Illinois at Southside CC when he shot 198 for three rounds.
  • Barbara Berkmeyer is the queen of lady champions having won eight Ladies District titles and five Missouri Women's crowns.
  • The first sprinkler system in the area was installed at Algonquin in 1936.
  • The Legendary Jimmy Jackson of Algonquin and Greenbriar, a member of two Walker Cup teams, won championships in the six decades from 1930 to 1980.
  • Ed Furgol won the 1954 US Open while the head professional at Westwood CC.
  • Ellen Port is the only Lady from the area to win a USGA event and be selected to represent her country as a member of the Curtis Cup. She competed on the teams in 1994 and 1996.
  • Mark Boyajian of St. Clair CC was the first player in USGA history to shot a sub-30 round when he posted a 29 during the 1983 US Mid-Amateur at Cherry Hills CC in Denver.
  • In 1922 Eddie Held, playing out of Forest Park, won the first US Publinks Championship played in Toledo, Ohio.
  • Judy Rankin and Hale Irwin are both members of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
  • Jess Sweetser, who grew up playing on the links at Normandie, was the first native born American to win the British Amateur.
  • The 32nd Masters was held in 1968 when Bob Goalby captured his title, but he was only the 20th winner of the coveted Green Jacket.
  • In 1921 Robert Gardner lost the US Amateur at St. Louis CC to Jess Guilford. Thirty-nine years later, in 1960, his son Robert lost the US Amateur to Deane Beman, also at St. Louis CC.
  • Bob Cochran, Jim Holtgrieve and Jerry Haas each won three consecutive District Men's titles. Among the Ladies Betty Jane Haemerle Broz leads with four consecutive wins from 1946-49.
  • Nancy Scranton of Centralia is the only Lady from the area to have captured a Ladies Major Championship, winning the 1991 DuMaurier.
  • Jim Tom Blair played the PGA tour as an amateur in the 1950's, finishing third in the Phoenix Open in 1956.
  • In 1950 there were approximately 30 courses in the area with only eleven open to the public. From 1951 to 1970 fifty-four courses were built. Between 1971 and 1985 only twelve new layouts were constructed. Since 1986 there have been 68 courses built. Over time we have lost approximately 25 courses for a variety of reasons. Today there are approximately 115 courses open to the public.
  • Jim Holtgrieve, a member of the 1979, 1981 and 1983 Walker Cup teams, won the inaugural US Mid-Amateur Championship at Bellerive in 1981.
  • Bellerive moved from what is today the UMSL campus in 1960 following a tragic accident in the mid-1950's when a National Guard jet crashed on one of the fairways killing the pilot.
  • In the late 1990's, the 27-holes in Forest Park were host to approximately 110,000 rounds per year.
  • The nine-hole courses of the Log Cabin Club and the Bogey Club comprise a unique 18-hole layout. The course play in a different rotation depending on where you begin!
  • Jim Barnes was head professional at Sunset CC from 1917-1920 when he won his PGA and at St. Louis CC from 1921-1922 when he won his US Open.
  • Steve Spray, long-time head pro at St. Louis CC, once held a record in the US Open for the lowest score on the back nine in the third round when he shot a 34!
  • At the 1987 US Mid-Amateur at Brook Hollow CC in Dallas, Don Bliss posted hole-in-ones on his first hole (the 10th) and later on the 8th, to become the first player in USGA history to record two aces in a single round.
  • From 1972 to 1987, nine of the sixteen Men's District Champions came from St. Clair CC.
  • Bob Goalby earned enough points to be selected to the 1961 Ryder Cup team but had not been a PGA member the required five years to qualify.
  • Hale Irwin has been on five Ryder Cup Teams.