Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Recounting golf's early years in Scotland and its growth in the U.S., this book tells the story of the largely unheralded golf professionals who came to America at the turn of the 20th century. These early members of the "Scottish Invasion" struggled to earn a living and the respect of the wealthy amateur golf establishment and the United States Golf Association who controlled the sport in America. Charles "Chay" Burgess--founder of the New England PGA, teacher of three American national champions, and the savior of the Ryder cup--learned the game on the ancient seaside links of his native Montrose and competed against such British greats as James Braid, Harry Vardon and J.H. Taylor. His arrival in the U.S. dramatically influenced the rapid development of the game and the reconciliation of long-standing differences between amateur and professional golf. In 1913, American amateur Francis Ouimet--a working-class unknown under Burgess' tutelage--won the U.S. Open against British celebrities Ted Ray and Harry Vardon. Ouimet's triumph began a revolution on the links by bringing the game to mainstream America.
Synopsis
This book tells the story of the Scottish golf professionals who came to America in 1888 and struggled to earn a living and the respect of the wealthy amateur golf establishment and the United States Golf Association who controlled the sport. Charles "Chay" Burgess--founder of the New England PGA, teacher of three American national champions, and the savior of the Ryder cup--learned the game on ancient seaside links and competed against British greats. His arrival in the U.S. dramatically influenced the growth of golf and the reconciliation of differences between amateurs and professionals. In 1913, the American Francis Ouimet--a working-class unknown under Burgess' tutelage--won the U.S. Open against British celebrities Ted Ray and Harry Vardon. His triumph brought the game to mainstream America.