Kooyonga Golf Club South Australia

Opened: 1922

Where: May Terrace Lockleys, South Australia

Email: administration@kooyongagolf.com.au

Length: 6165 meters

Par: 72

The Kooyonga Golf Club was founded when a 1922 train strike forced South Australian golf pioneer H.L Rymill, to take a tram to his home club at Royal Adelaide. During the fateful trip, he noticed that a stretch of undulating swampland and sand hills, known as May's Paddock was for sale. Inspecting the site and realizing its great potential for golf, he conceived Kooyonga and immediately acquired the land. Within a few months, the first nine holes were open and by June 1924 the full eighteen were ready for play.

As a regular tournament venue, the club keeps pace with the prodigious professional game by making substantial changes to the course setup during major events. Unable to add much length, fairways are instead narrowed and the severity of the surrounding rough increased to test modern players. Gary Player once slaughtered par at Kooyonga with two rounds of sixty-two during the 1965 Australian Open and the club remains determined to prevent a repeat performance.

In 2008, Kooyonga Golf Club celebrates its eighty-fifth anniversary. The Club's history has inevitably been linked with great world events, but perhaps more than any other factor, chance has played the greatest of all parts in shaping the fortunes of Kooyonga.







You can find more Australian golf course information and history here:

Craig Jones: Lowest Australian Golf Score 59

Queenslander, Craig Jones has shot the lowest golf score in Australian professional golfing history, with a remarkable 13 under 59 at the $15,000 Horton Park Pro-am Championship on the Sunshine Coast.

"I can't describe the feeling when I hit that putt on the last. I knew I had a chance, but couldn't believe it when it went in," he said. "I've been home from Japan for three weeks and haven't been playing very well. It was just one of those days when everything went right."

The 38-year old golfer won the 1994 New Zealand Open but has campaigned in Japan in recent years.

Jones holed a 6m putt on the last hole to card the amazing score at Maroochydore, bettering Brad McIntosh who was the only other golfer to shoot 59 in Australia. McIntosh shot his 59 in the second round of the Queensland PGA at Emerald Lakes on the Gold Coast in November 2005. However, the short Emerald Lakes layout was a par 71 course whereas Horton Park is a championship par 72 course.

Jones' round included 10 birdies, two eagles and a bogey. He birdied every par four on the course. "When I hit the putt on the last I knew it had a chance and I can't describe the feeling when it went in," said Jones, who will join the Japanese Tour on Sunday.

More great Aussie feel good stories like Craig Jones can be found here:

Australia's Katherine Hull

Australia's Katherine Hull has won her first LPGA Tour title over the weekend, claiming the Canadian Women's Open golf tournament at Ottawa Hunt.

Hull pockets about $340,000 of the 2.25 million U.S purse thanks to a final round meltdown by Yani Tseng who was six strokes ahead of Hull at the beginning of the round. Hull hit a three under 69 to finish at eleven under 277 for the tournament.

"This is something we all dream about as kids and to have it actually happen is amazing," Hull said with the championship trophy at her side. "I was thinking this might be the year I broke through and got a win but, at six shots back, I didn't think much about it.

"I just tried to play the best I could. I honestly didn't expect to win at all. But that's how golf goes. It's four rounds, 72 holes and anything can happen."

Hull, a Brisbane native, keeps herself calm by reciting bible verses when under the pump.

Katherine Hull's maiden LPGA victory at the Canadian Open has boosted her ranking by 50 places to No. 49 in the world. She joins Karrie Webb (No. 7), Lindsey Wright (No. 45) and Rachel Hetherington (No. 76) in the top 100.

Hull has won $694,420 in prize money this year.

Here's a clip of the closing holes at the 2008 Canadian Open featuring Katherine Hull.



More inspiring news from all over the place can be found here:

Rare James Braid Images

Along with Harry Vardon and J H Taylor, Englishman James Braid [1870 - 1950] was one of the great triumvirate that dominated British golf at the turn of the century, when they won the British Open 16 times between them, with Braid winning the Open 5 times. In later life Braid was a much respected golf course designer.

(Click on the pictures for larger size)

The great triumvirate of J H Taylor, James Braid and Harry Vardon

From back left: Sandy Herd, J H Taylor, James Braid and Harry Vardon

More golf history from Australia and around the world can be found here:

Royal Melbourne Golf Club

One of the finest golf courses outside Britain or America is the Royal Melbourne Club, which has continual membership dating from July 1891.

The official outfit for all members in those early days was a scarlet coat with gold buttons., knickerbockers, and Tam O'Shanter, thus confirming the Scottish connection.


The course moved to the Sandringham district of Melbourne in 1901 and a new course was laid out. Its deep bunkers turned it into one of the great championship courses in the world. While retaining some characteristics of Scottish links, it also has some of the beauty of the Augusta National course. But that is hardly surprising because the man hired by Bobby Jones to design Augusta, Alister Mackenzie, was also hired to design the new course at Melbourne in the 1920's. The second, East, course, was added in 1932 and the original course was called the West course. Such is the design of the two that holes from both can be incorporated into one 18 hole course for major championships.


The greens at Royal Melbourne are lifted every six years to ensure their trueness and, consequently, they are lightning fast. And for a true test of a golfers ability and nerve the 6th and 14th holes provide a daunting task. Both are doglegs; the first requires the decision to play short of, or attempt to negotiate some awkwardly placed bunkers. The latter is a 90-degree dogleg, but trees lining the right-hand side of the fairway make it difficult to assess the correct line.

Golf trivia: A golf club cannot adapt the word Royal in its title unless this right has been bestowed upon it by the sovereign or a member of the royal house. This is normally granted when a club receives Royal patronage.

The Perth Golfing society was, in 1833, the first club to be granted Royal designation. There are now over 40 Royal golf courses in the British Isles.

Email Royal Melbourne Golf Club: rmgc@royalmelbourne.com.au

For more Australian Golf History, click here:

Rare Walter Hagen Images

Here's some rare images of the great American golfer Walter Hagen.

Walter Hagen (1892-1969) takes a lot of credit for obtaining the recognition the professional golfers of today now receive. He identified himself with the ordinary man and broke down the myth that golf was played by a select few. He was a great character; furthermore he was a great golfer and was one of the finest matchplay exponents in the 20's. Not only a successful Ryder cup ambassador, Hagen also won 11 majors during his illustrious career. Click on the images for larger pictures.

J H Taylor and Walter Hagen shake hands before the 1933 Ryder Cup at Southport and Ainsdale. Samuel Ryder is pictured in the middle.

Walter Hagen holding the Ryder Cup in 1927 where the US team was successful

More golf history from Australia and around the world, can be found here:

Who Won the 2008 US PGA Championship

Padraig Harrington of Ireland has won the 2008 US PGA Championship, that's who! He is the first European to win the event in almost 80 years, since Tommy Armour's win in 1930.

Padraig now has a Wanamaker Trophy to keep his Claret Jugs company, as he edged out Spain's Sergio Garcia and Ben Curtis from the US with two final rounds of 66 to win by 2 strokes at -3 after confidently sinking a 15ft putt. He is also the first European to win the title in strokeplay competition. Padraig also won the 'as interesting as a book on darts' title, but boy can he handle pressure!

Padraig, pronounced "Podrig" only 3 weeks ago won his second consecutive British Open title. The Irishman has now won the last two majors, and three of the last six. He should be in the driver's seat for Player of the Year honors.

How the Australians finished in the field:

* Aaron Baddeley: +6 T13
* Stuart Appleby +7 T15
* Robert Allenby +11 T31
* Geoff Ogilvy +11 T31
* Steve Elikington +12 T39
* John Senden +13 T42
* Peter Lonard +20 T68
* Richard Green +23 71

As a note: Aaron Baddeley started the tournament at 100/1 odds. According to Ladbrokes, an English sports betting company, one English punter phoned in a 10,000 pound bet on Baddeley to win, which would have been a cool million pounds or 85 trillion Australian Dollars. Unfortunately for them both Baddeley didn't win however Baddeley still pocketed $137,250 US for his 13th place finish.

For more golf news from Australia and around the world, click here:

US Golf Open: Australians

In the history of the US Open only 2 Australians have won the coveted title. David Graham in 1981 and more recently Geoff Ogilvy in 2006.

The forerunner of the US Open took place in 1894 when Willie Dunn won a matchplay event. However the first championship carrying the US Open name was held at Newport, Rhode Island on October 4th 1895. It was scheduled for the previous month but that clashed with the America's Cup which was taking place at Rhode Island at the same time.

The first Open was over 4 rounds of Newport's 9 hole course and the winner from a field of ten professionals and one amateur was English born Horace Rawlins, who took the first prize of $150 with a 36 hole total of 173.

The first 16 Opens were all won by the more experienced British born golfers, and when Harry Vardon made the journey across the Atlantic to take the title in 1900 he did a great deal to popularize the game in America.

In 1911, a home bred player captured the title for the first time when Johnny McDermott won a 3-way playoff.

McDermott retained his title in 1912 and the following year, vicyory by an unknown amateur changed the course of golfing history in the United States.

20 year old Francis Ouimet lived across the road from the Brookline Country Club, venue for the 1913 Open. He entered the competition without realistically to have any impact on the big names of the world of professional golf, including Britain's top golfers Vardon and Ted Ray. But what a memorable occasion it was as Ouimet shared the lead after 72 holes and then went on to beat the Britons by 5 and 6 strokes respectively in the playoff. The British domination of world golf was over and that is how it stayed for 70 years, give or take the odd hiccup.

Ted Ray took the title back to Britain in 1920, but that was it until Tony Jacklin's success in 1970. Since then no Briton has captured the US title. And it would be another 11 years before a non American won again and that was Australia's David Graham in 1981.

Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus, three of the biggest names in world golf, have all won the Open four times. Hogan's 1950 success, less than two years after a near fatal car accident, was one of the most emotional in the tournaments history. To date, Tiger Woods has 3 titles and realistically it is only a matter of time before he joins the greats of the game with a fourth.

For more golf history from Australia and around the world click HERE:

US PGA Championship: Australian's

It may be the least prestigious of the four Majors, but the US PGA Championship trophy is still a highly sought after piece of golfing silverware.

Qualification for the PGA Championship is based on performance on the US Tour which, effectively, makes it a very Americanized event. To date only Gary Player of South Africa, Vijay Singh of Fiji, Nick Price of Zimbabwe and the three Australian golfing legends, David Graham, Steve Elkington and Wayne Grady have been non American winners.

The first US PGA Championship was in 1916, the year of the formation of the US Professional Golfers Association. One of the biggest attractions of winning the Championship, apart from the large cheque that comes with the win, is future exemption from pre-qualifying for the PGA Championship for life, is invited to play in the other three Majors for the next five years, they also receive membership on the PGA Tour for the next five seasons and invitation to the Players Championship for the following five years. That in itself is worth a great deal!

From it's inauguration until 1958, the Championship was a matchplay event, and in the 1920's Walter Hagen proved himself to be one of the finest exponents of this form of golf by taking the title five times in seven years. When he lost, the PGA asked for the trophy back and he replied that he'd left it in the back of a taxi a couple of years earlier. The Wanamaker trophy was eventually recovered.

In 1980 Jack Nicklaus equaled Hagen's record of five wins. But it is the one major that Arnold Palmer never captured.

For drama, the final of the 1930 Championship between Gene Sarazen and Tommy Armour takes some beating. The two stalwarts engaged in a close battle over 35 holes. At the last, Armour holed a putt from 4 meters. Sarazen then had a similar putt, but missed by centimeters.

Now a strokeplay event, like the other majors, the PGA has a regular August date each year and is the last of the seasons four majors. But at one time it use to either clash with or be played within a week of the British Open, and for this reason Ben Hogan was deprived of the chance of winning all four Majors in 1953.

There have been three Australian winners of the US PGA Championship as mentioned before:

* 1979 David Graham (Oakland Hills Country Club)
* 1990 Wayne Grady (Shoal Creek Golf and Country Club)
* 1995 Steve Elkington (The Riviera Country Club)

For more golfing history, click HERE:

John Daly in Australia

Back in 2002, John Daly was invited to play in the 2002 Australian PGA Championships at Coolum, and was reportedly offered $200,000 to sweeten the deal. Evidently it worked and Daly came to Australia and left a few days later in typical Daly style; making headlines.

Here's Daly's Friday afternoon in brief:

* Daly Bogeyed 10 and 11

* Birdied 12

* Triple bogeyed the 13th after his ball went in the water, this led to confusion when Daly disagreed with an officials ruling of where the drop should be. And somewhat set up the rest of the days events

* Bogeyed the 15th

* Double bogeyed the 16th

* Triple bogeyed the 18th

* Threw putter and ball in pond 30 meters away

* Shook hands with playing partners, Australian's Greg Norman and Craig Parry

* Walked home


It was John Daly's third straight week playing in the Asia Pacific and sadly his mother passed away only a week before arriving in Coolum. Tony Roosenberg the tournament promoter said "It's vintage Daly, but I forgive him. It's been a very difficult week for him."

Daly was ordered by the Australian PGA to write apology letters to his playing partners; Norman and Parry and to the official he abused. And was disqualified for not signing his score card. Daly also received a $10,000 fine.

Divers recovered Daly's putter and ball and they remain in the memorabilia section of the Hyatt Regency golf club in Coolum Queensland. Daly donated his bag and clubs to the Australian branch of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Daly also wrote all the letters of apology before he left Australia.

I'd like to see Golf Australia approach John for the 2009 Australian Open.

For more golf scandals, click HERE:

Australian British Open winners

Willie Park senior wearing the Moroccan Leather belt which was awarded to the Open's winners before the claret jug was created in 1872



The world’s first Major, the British Open, also known as The Open, was inaugurated in 1860, organized by the Prestwick club who sought to find a successor to Allan Robertson, the “champion of golf”, who died in 1859. The only way to do that was to organize an individual tournament, which was rarely heard of in those days. Most matches were foursomes or individual money matches.

But, in 1858 the Prestwick club had successfully organized an individual tournament for amateur players and, following the suggestion of Major J O Fairlie, a similar tournament for professionals was arranged. On Wednesday 17 October 1860 8 of Britain’s leading professionals played 3 rounds of Prestwick’s 12-hole links.

The winner was Willie Park senior of the Musselburgh club. He was 2 strokes clear of local Prestwick man Tom Morris senior, who was to become one of the Opens great champions. Morris won the Open 4 times and was succeeded by his son, also named Tom, who won the title on 4 occasions. But his untimely death at 24 not only prevented him from adding to that total, but it robbed the game of one of it’s finest ever players.

The Open did not become open in the true sense of the word until 1861 when, again, organization was left to the Prestwick club. Tom Morris senior the title and he like all early winners was awarded with a Moroccan leather belt donated by the Earl of Eglinton.

The rules stipulated that the winner of the belt 3 years in succession could keep the trophy, and so after young Tom Morris won for the third time in 1870 he was allowed to keep it. The following year, without a trophy to offer, there was no championship until revived in 1872 when young Tom lifted the new silver claret jug which today remains one of the most sought-after trophies in world golf.

Having organized the first 11 events, the Prestwick club was finding it increasingly difficult to organize the event as not only the number of competitors grew, so did the amount of spectators. Consequently, the Royal and Ancient at St. Andrews and the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers at Musselburgh shared the organization and took turns hosting the competitions.

All Open courses are links and in 1894 the competition moved out of Scotland for the first time when Sandwich, in Kent, southern England played host.

The first Open in England started a domination of the championship by 3 men: John H Taylor, James Braid and Henry Vardon. Between them they captured 16 of the next 21 Opens.

It wasn’t until after World War I that the switch in dominance moved from homegrown players to the Americans, and the breakthrough came in 1921 when Jock Hutchison became the first man to take the trophy across the Atlantic.

The 1920’s and 30’s was a golden age for the American golfers with Jim Barnes, Walter Hagen, Tommy Armour, Gene Sarazen and Denny Shute all capturing the title. And there was also greatest ever amateur golfer, Robert Tyre “Bobby” Jones, who won the Open 3 times between 1926 and 1930. The latter year was a remarkable one for the Georgia lawyer because he won the Opens, as well as the amateur titles, of both Britain and America.

The early post war years belonged to two golfers, Bobby Locke of South Africa and Australia’s Peter Thomson, who won 9 titles between them, with Thomson’s 5 wins being the best haul since the days of Vardon, Braid and Taylor.

American interest declined in the 1950’s but Arnold Palmer set about maintaining the British Open’s stature as the world’s leading golf tournament and his arrival on the scene aroused great interest in the game in general. He also ensured that many top Americans made the trip across the Atlantic every summer. Palmer was awarded with successive titles in 1961 and 1962.

Palmer’s arrival on British shores was also to signal the birth of the next generation of golfing trio’s as he, Gary Player of South Africa and American Jack Nicklaus became great favorites with the British fans. They won 8 British Open titles between them; Player doing so in 3 different decades, the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s. Australia’s Kel Nagle snuck one away from them in 1960.

Britain broke their 18 year drought in 1969 when Tony Jacklin edged out New Zealand lefthander Bob Charles at Lytham. But that was a rare moment of success as the Americans continued to dominate, with Tom Watson winning 5 titles. But the 1980’s saw a switch away from the Americans as first Sandy Lyle, and then Nick Faldo 3 times, put the trophy back in British hands. Spain has also enjoyed glory at the Open thanks to Seve Ballesteros’s 3 titles and of course Greg Norman and Ian Baker-Finch have brought the Claret jug to Australia on 3 occasions between them, the last time was Normans amazing win in 1993.

Australia's Kel Nagle after winning the British Open in 1960

Australians who have won the British Open:

1993 - Greg Norman (Royal St. Georges)
1991 - Ian Baker-Finch (Royal Birkdale)
1986 - Greg Norman (Tunberry)
1965 - Peter Thomson (Royal Birkdale)
1960 - Kel Nagle (St. Andrews)
1958 - Peter Thomson (Royal Lytham and St. Annes)
1956 - Peter Thomson (Royal Liverpool)
1955 - Peter Thomson (St. Andrews)
1954 - Peter Thomson (Royal Birkdale)

The first time there was a cash prize at the Open it was 6 pounds. The first Australian to win the Open, Peter Thomson pocketed 750 pounds in 1954 up to 1,750 pounds in 1965 (his 5th win). Kel Nagle took home 1,250 pounds in 1960. In 1986, Greg Normans first win he collected 70,000 pounds, up to 100,000 in 1993. Baker-Finch won 90,000. In 2008 Ireland's Padraig Harrington, who also won in 2007 netted 750,000 pounds. Golf has come a long way. Australia’s Greg Norman also holds the record for lowest 72 hole total of 267, set at Tunberry in 1986.

For more Australian golf history, click HERE:

History of Golf at the Olympics

George Lyon, Gold medalist 1904 Olympics

Women's golf competition from 1900 summer Olympics

The first Olympic Games which were held in Athens 1896 had 14 nations represented with 43 events, however it wasn’t until the 1900 Paris France Olympics where 28 nations were represented, that golf was listed as one of the 75 events. The men played 2 rounds (36 holes) to decide the medals.

1900 Olympics, Paris France Golf results:

1. Charles Sands USA 167
2. Walter Rutherford GBR 168
3. David Robertson GBR 175
4. Frederick Taylor USA 182
5. H.E Daunt FRA 184
6. George Thorne GBR 185
7. William Dove GBR 186
8. Albert Lambert USA 189

Olympic golfing gold medal winner, Charles Sands also took part in the tennis competition that year. Sands returned to the 1908 Olympics in London Great Britain as a participant in the jeu de paume (court tennis) tournament where he did not place for a medal. Albert Lambert, who placed eighth in the golf tournament in Paris, was the primary financial supporter of Charles Lindbergh’s 1927 Trans – Atlantic flight. The international airport in St Louis is named after Lambert.

There was also a Women’s golf tournament at the 1900 games played over 9 holes, which was won by a young American art student named Margaret Abbott.

1. Margaret Abbott USA 47
2. Pauline ‘Polly’ Whittier USA 49
3. Daria Pratt USA 53
4. Froment-Meurice FRA 56
5. Ellen Ridgeway USA 57
6. Fournier-Starloveze FRA 58
7. Mary Abbott USA 65
8. Baronne Fain FRA 65

Margaret Abbott was the first woman from the USA to win an Olympic gold medal. A 5ft 11in, 22 year old Chicago Socialite, she traveled to Paris in 1899 with her mother, literary editor and novelist Mary Ives Abbott, so that she could study art. Ten women took part in the final round of the ladies 9 hole golf competition. Abbott later told relatives that she won the golf tournament “Because all the French girls apparently misunderstood the nature of the game scheduled for that day and turned up in high heels and tight skirts.” Two years later Margaret Abbott, by then a resident of New York City, married political satirist Finley Peter Dunne. Abbott died in 1955 unaware that the golf tournament she had won was part of the Olympics.


At the 1904 St Louis USA Olympics, 12 nations were represented, with 84 events. Golf was again a fixture however this time was decided by match play elimination. There were 77 golfers competing for golfing gold in St Louis, 74 from the USA and 3 Canadians. The tournament was also switched to match play, rather than the stroke play tournament form the 1900 Paris Olympics. The Glen Echo Country Club in Normandy Missouri hosted the last ever Olympic golf matches.

1904 Olympics St Louis USA golf results:

1. George Lyon CAN
2. H. Chandler Egan USA
3. Burt McKinnie USA
3. Francis Newton USA
4. Harry Allen (USA), Albert Lambert (USA), Mason Phelps (USA), Daniel Sawyer (USA)

George Lyon was an eccentric athlete who didn’t pick up a golf club until he was 38 years old. Before that he had competed successfully in baseball, tennis and cricket. In 1876, he even set a Canadian record in Pole Vaulting. Lyon was 46 when he traveled down from Toronto to take part in the Olympics. He caused quite a stir when he played in St Louis because of his unorthodox swing. He wielded the club more like a cricket bat, provoking some newspapers to criticize his “coal – heavers” swing. On the course he was an endless source of cheerful energy, singing, telling jokes and even doing handstands. A 36 hole qualifying round reduced the field from 75 to 32. The survivors then engaged in a match play elimination tournament. In the semi finals Lyon defeated Francis Newton, the Pacific Coast champion, on the last 36 holes. His final match was a surprise victory over the 23 year old US champion, Chandler Egan. Lyon was presented a $1500 sterling silver trophy, which he accepted after walking down the path to the ceremony on his hands. In 1908 George Lyon traveled to England to compete in the 1908 London Olympics. However, an internal dispute among British golfers caused them to boycott the games, leaving Lyon as the only entrant. Offered the gold medal by default he refused it. Lyon was still winning championships 20 years later and shot his age for 18 holes from 64 years old until he was 78 years old. He died the following year.

In 1904 the IOC introduced a men’s team golf tournament to replace the women’s individual.

1904 St Louis Olympics Team golf:

1 USA (Western Golf Association – H. Chandler Egan, Daniel ‘Ned’ Sawyer, Robert Hunter, Kenneth Edwards, Clement Smoot, Warren Wood, Mason Phelps, Walter Egan, Edward ‘Ned’ Cummins, Nathaniel Moore)

2. USA (Trans Mississippi Golf Association – Francis Newton, Henry Potter, Ralph McKittrick, Albert Lambert, Frederick Semple, Stuart Stickney, William Stickney, Burt McKinnie, John Maxwell, John Cady)

3. USA (United States Golf Association – Douglas Cadwalader, Allen Lard, Jesse Carleton, Simoen Price, Harold Weber, John Rahm, Arthur Hussey, Orus Jones, Harold Fraser, George Oliver)

After the boycott by the English players and George Lyons subsequent rejection of a default gold medal in 1908, golf has never again been part of the Olympic Games. There has been much discussion over the years, notably Tiger Woods was quoted recently as saying "It would be great to have an Olympic gold medal, but if you asked any player, 'Would you rather have an Olympic gold medal or green jacket or Claret Jug (given to British Open champion)?' more players would say the majors." Translated, Tiger isn’t fussed either way. In fact one person from his camp has said "It's just another week where he plays and doesn't get paid for it."

Obviously there’s more to it than Tigers aloof feelings. The PGA, is not interested in shutting down over a summer as it’s in the business of making money, both for the PGA and of course the card carrying players. Simply put; no events, no sponsorship dollars.

Unfortunately, no Australians have ever competed for golfing Olympic glory, nor have they had many opportunities. If Golf is ever reinstated as an Olympic sport, then It will only be a matter of time before an Aussie wins Gold.

Golf covers all the criteria to qualify as an Olympic sport, however don’t expect to see the worlds best fighting for an Olympic gold medal in the near future.

As a note, golf isn’t the only sport no longer contested at the Olympics. Here is a list of other discontinued sports:

Cricket: Last played 1900
Croquet: Last played 1900
Jeu De Paume (The forerunner of modern tennis): Last played 1908
Lacrosse: Last played 1908
Motor Boating: Last ‘Boated’ 1908
Pelota Basque: Last played 1900
Polo: Last played1936
Rackets (precursor to squash): Last played 1908
Rugby: Last Played 1924
Tug of War (Yes, tug of war was an Olympic sport): Had its last Olympic tug in 1920.

For more golf history, click HERE:

Who won the 2008 Bridgestone Invitational?

2008 World Golf Championships - Bridgestone Invitational Day 4:

That would be Fiji's 45 year old Golfing maestro Vijay Singh that's who, narrowly beating Lee Westwood and Australia's Stuart Appleby by 1 stroke finishing the tournament at -10 after a final round 68 at Firestone. Vijay pockets about $1.4 million US for the week.

Appleby, played consistently great golf all week with rounds of 70 66 67 68, which sees him in great standing leading into this weeks Major. In fact, most of the Australian's played stronger 3rd and 4th rounds.

Aussie Peter Lonard had a strong 4th round as did most of the Australian's to boost their bank Accounts.

Here's how all the Aussies finished at the 2008 WGC - Bridgestone:

* Stuart Appleby -9 T2
* Peter Lonard -7 T6
* Robert Allenby -1 T20
* Nick O'Hearn E T27
* Brendan Jones +1 T36
* Richard Green +2 T43
* Aaron Baddeley +2 T43
* Rod Pampling +5 T56
* Adam Scott +5 T56
* Scott Strange +7 T63
* Geoff Ogilvy +9 T68
* Craig Parry +17 79th

For more information on the 2008 WGC-Bridgestone and other golf news, click HERE:

Australian Open Championships

All the past winners and venue. The 2008 Australian Open will be held at The Royal Sydney Golf Course.

1904 Hon. M Scott The Australian GC
1905 D G Soutar Royal Melbourne GC
1906 C Clark Royal Sydney GC
1907 Hon. M Scott Royal Melbourne GC
1908 C Pearce The Australian GC
1909 C Felstead Royal Melbourne GC
1910 C Clark Royal Adelaide GC
1911 C Clark Royal Sydney GC
1912 I H Whitton Royal Melbourne GC
1913 I H Whitton Royal Melbourne GC
1920 J H Kirkwood The Australian GC
1921 A Le Fevre Royal Melbourne GC
1922 C Campbell Royal Sydney GC
1923 T E Howard Royal Adelaide GC
1924 A Russell Royal Melbourne GC
1925 F Popplewell The Australian GC
1926 I H Whitton Royal Adelaide GC
1927 R Stewart Royal Melbourne GC
1928 F Popplewell Royal Sydney GC
1929 I H Whitton Royal Adelaide GC
1930 F P Eyre Metropolitan GC
1931 I H Whitton The Australian GC
1932 M J Ryan Royal Adelaide GC
1933 M L Kelly Royal Melbourne GC
1934 W J Bolger Royal Sydney GC
1935 F W McMahon Royal Adelaide GC
1936 G Sarazen Metropolitan GC
1937 G W Naismith The Australian GC
1938 J B Ferrier Royal Adelaide GC
1939 J B Ferrier Royal Melbourne GC
1946 H H A Pickworth Royal Sydney GC
1947 H H A Pickworth Royal Queensland GC
1948 H H A Pickworth Kingston Heath GC
1949 E J Cremin The Australian GC
1950 N G Von Nida Kooyonga GC
1951 P W Thomson Metropolitan GC
1952 N G Von Nida Lake Karrinyup CC
1953 N G Von Nida Royal Melbourne GC
1954 H H A Pickworth Kooyonga GC
1955 A D Locke Gailes GC
1956 B S Crampton Royal Sydney GC
1957 F Phillips Kingston Heath GC
1958 G J Player Kooyonga GC
1959 K D G Nagle The Australian GC
1960 B W Devlin Lake Karrinyup CC
1961 F Phillips Victoria GC
1962 G J Player Royal Adelaide GC
1963 G J Player Royal Melbourne GC
1964 J W Nicklaus The Lakes GC
1965 G J Player Kooyonga GC
1966 A D Palmer Royal Queensland GC
1967 P W Thomson Commonwealth GC
1968 J W Nicklaus Lake Karrinyup CC
1969 G J Player Royal Sydney GC
1970 G J Player Kingston Heath GC
1971 J W Nicklaus Royal Hobart GC
1972 P W Thomson Kooyonga GC
1973 J C Snead Royal Queensland GC
1974 G J Player Karrinyup CC
1975 J W Nicklaus The Australian GC
1976 J W Nicklaus The Australian GC
1977 A D Graham The Australian GC
1978 J W Nicklaus The Australian GC
1979 J Newton Metropolitan GC
1980 G J Norman The Lakes GC
1981 W C Rogers Victoria GC
1982 R A Shearer The Australian GC
1983 P R Fowler Kingston Heath GC
1984 T S Watson Royal Melbourne GC
1985 G J Norman Royal Melbourne GC
1986 R M Davis Metropolitan GC
1987 G J Norman Royal Melbourne GC
1988 M J Calcavecchia Royal Sydney GC
1989 P A C Senior Kingston Heath GC
1990 J P Morse The Australian GC
1991 W G Riley Royal Melbourne GC
1992 S J Elkington The Lakes GC
1993 B J Faxon Metropolitan GC
1994 R M Allenby Royal Sydney GC
1995 G J Norman Kingston Heath GC
1996 G J Norman The Australian GC
1997 L J Westwood Metropolitan GC
1998 G J Chalmers Royal Adelaide GC
1999 A J Baddeley Royal Sydney GC
2000 A J Baddeley Kingston Heath GC
2001 S. Appleby The Grand GC
2002 S. Allan Victoria GC
2003 P. Lonard Moonah Links
2004 P. Lonard The Australian GC
2005 R M Allenby Moonah Links
2006 J. Senden Royal Sydney GC
2007 C. Parry The Australian GC

Australian Masters at Huntingdale

The Australian Masters at Huntingdale has become an iconic event on the Australian golf calender since it began in 1979.

Total prize money for the Masters is A$1.5 million, with the winner receiving A$270,000 and presented with the gold jacket which has become a notable tradition in Australian golf.

The Australian Masters at Huntingdale is played over 72 sandy holes, with a course length of 6,383m. The tournament is co-sanctioned by Australasian and European tours.

Greg Norman has won the event 6 times in 1981, '83, '84, '87, '89 and '90.

The list of internationals that have competed in the event include:

* Tiger Woods
* Jack Nicklaus
* Nick Faldo
* Bernhard Langer (winner 1985)
* Mark O'Meara (winner 1986)
* Colin Montgomerie (winner 2001)
* Sergio Garcia

Below is the full list of champions:

2007 - Aaron Baddeley
2006 - Justin Rose
2005 - Robert Allenby
2004 - Richard Green
2003 - Robert Allenby
2002 - Peter Lonard
2001 - Colin Montgomerie
2000 - Michael Campbell
1999 - Craig Spence
1998 - Bradley Hughes
1997 - Peter Lonard
1996 - Craig Parry
1995 - Peter Senior
1994 - Craig Parry
1993 - Bradley Hughes
1992 - Craig Parry
1991 - Peter Senior
1990 - Greg Norman
1989 - Greg Norman
1988 - Ian Baker-Finch
1987 - Greg Norman
1986 - Mark O’Meara
1985 - Bernhard Langer
1984 - Greg Norman
1983 - Greg Norman
1982 - Graham Marsh
1981 - Greg Norman
1980 - Gene Littler
1979 - Barry Vivian

The 2008 Australian Masters commence on the 27-30 November at Huntingdale GC Victoria Australia.

For more articles on Australian Golf History

Australian PGA Championship

The Australian PGA Championship grew out of the Australian Open championship. After the final round of the Open, the professionals in the field would compete for their own purse.

Whilst there is evidence of this occurring in 1904 the first year the Australian Open was played with Carnegie Clark taking the title, it is generally accepted that 1905 was in fact the first Australian Professional’s Championship.


(From the left: (back row) Charles Campbell, Carnegie Clark, unknown (second row) unknown, Dan Soutar, Rowley Banks, R.S. (Dick) Banks (front) J Victor East.

The founding father of the Professional Golfers’ Association in Australia, Dan Soutar won the event by defeating Gilies Martin 4 & 3 at Royal Melbourne.

The years 1905 to 1925 are sometimes considered “unofficial” in terms of the PGA Championship, but only because there is no reference in the PGA Board minutes until that time. Also, up until 1963 the event was decided as Match Play.

The winner receives the Joe Kirkwood Cup, named after legendary Australian golfer Joe Kirkwood Sr.

Year, Winner and Venue:

1897 James Scott: Geelong and Melbourne (Unofficial)
1905 Dan Soutar: Royal Melbourne
1906 Dan Soutar: Royal Sydney
1907 Dan Soutar: Royal Melbourne
1908 Carnegie Clark: The Australian
1909 Carnegie Clark: Oakleigh
1910 Dan Soutar: Glenelg
1911 Charles Campbell: Royal Sydney
1912 Unknown
1913 Carnegie Clark: Oakleigh
1914-1919 World War I. Did not play
1920 Unknown: Concord
1921 Arthur Le Fevre
1922 Charles Campbell: Royal Sydney
1923 Fred Popplewell: Royal Adelaide
1924 Tom Howard: Royal Melbourne
1925 Tom Howard: The Australian
1926 Frank (Happy) Eyre: The Australian
1927-1928 Unknown
1929 Rufus Stewart: Royal Adelaide
1930 Jock Robertson: Metropolitan
1931 John Donald Spence: The Australian
1932 Fergus McMahon: Royal Adelaide
1933 Sam Richardson: Royal Melbourne
1934 Lou Kelly: Royal Sydney
1935 Sam Richardson: Royal Adelaide
1936 William Clifford: Oakleigh
1937 Eric Cremin: The Australian
1938 Eric Cremin: Royal Adelaide
1939 Ted Naismith: Royal Melbourne
1940-1945 World War II. Did not play
1946 Norman Von Nida: Manly
1947 Ossie Pickworth: Royal Melbourne
1948 Norman Von Nida: Royal Hobart
1949 Kel Nagle: Royal Perth
1950 Norman von Nida: The Lakes
1951 Norman von Nida: Metropolitan
1952 William C. Holder: Roseville
1953 Ossie Pickworth: Royal Melbourne
1954 Kel Nagle: Royal Sydney
1955 Ossie Pickworth: Indooroopilly
1956 Les Wilson: St Michaels
1957 Gary Player: Huntingdale
1958 Kel Nagle: Kooyonga
1959 Kel Nagle: New South Wales
1960 John Sullivan: Royal Fremantle
1961 Allan Murray: Rossdale
1962 Bill Dunk: Rossdale
1963 Colin Johnston: Oatlands
1964 Colin Johnston: Monash
1965 Kel Nagle: Riversdale
1966 Bill Dunk: Royal Sydney
1967 Peter Thomson: Metropolitan
1968 Kel Nagle: Metropolitan
1969 Bruce Devlin: Royal Canberra
1970 Bruce Devlin: Surfers Paradise
1971 Bill Dunk: Surfers Paradise
1972 Randall Vines: The Lakes
1973 Randall Vines: Bonnie Doon
1974 Bill Dunk: Liverpool
1975 Vic Bennetts: Burleigh Heads
1976 Bill Dunk: Rosebud
1977 Mike Cahill: Yarra Yarra
1978 Hale Irwin: Royal Melbourne
1979 Stewart Ginn: Royal Melbourne
1980 Sam Torrence: Royal Melbourne
1981 Seve Ballesteros: Royal Melbourne
1982 Graham Marsh: Royal Melbourne
1983 Bob Shearer: Royal Melbourne
1984 Greg Norman: Monash
1985 Greg Norman: Castle Hill
1986 Michael Harwood; Castle Hill
1987 Roger Mackan: The Lakes
1988 Wayne Grady: Riverside Oaks
1989 Peter Senior: Riverside Oaks
1990 Brett Ogle: Riverside Oaks
1991 Wayne Grady: Concord
1992 Craig Parry: Concord
1993 Ian Baker-Finch: Concord
1994 Andrew Coltart: New South Wales
1995 Not played
1996 Phil Tataurangi: New South Wales
1997 Andrew Coltart: New South Wales
1998 David Howell: New South Wales
1999 Greg Turner: Victoria
2000 Robert Allenby: Royal Queensland
2001 Robert Allenby: Royal Queensland
2002 Peter Lonard, Jarrod Moseley: Hyatt Coolum
2003 Peter Senior: Hyatt Coolum
2004 Peter Lonard: Hyatt Coolum
2005 Robert Allenby: Hyatt Coolum
2006 Nick O'Hern: Hyatt Coolum
2007 Peter Lonard: Hyatt Coolum


For more Australian golfing history

The Royal Sydney Golf Club, Australia

Name: The Royal Sydney Golf Club
Where: Kent Road, Rose Bay 2029 New South Wales, Australia
Email: administration@rsgc.com.au

The Royal Sydney Golf Club, not only home to the 2008 Australian Open is one of Australia's most exclusive sporting and social institutions.

Opening in Concord in 1893, but shortly moving to Bondi, it is New South Wales second oldest golf club. The present clubhouse dates from 1922, following the destruction by fire of the previous clubhouse which opened in April 1905

The original membership of twenty men grew to 500 by 1910 and 2,000 by 1926. In 1985, women were admitted as members. In 1993, membership stood at 5,800, making The Royal Sydney Golf Club one of the largest sporting clubs in the western world.

There are over 2,000 members of Royal Sydney Golf Club play on the two courses; the world famous Championship Course and the less challenging, 9-hole Centenary Course. The long and short practice facilities are amazing and the practice putting course is one of the best in the world.

The Royal Sydney is a situated on the Pacific Ocean. It's heavily bunkered and especially demanding in any wind.

Dr Alistair Mackenzie was a Scottish golf course architect who had designed over 400 golf courses across the world, including Cypress Point and Augusta National (alongside Bobby Jones) noted this on his visit to Royal Sydney in 1926. "At first sight the land on which Royal Sydney Golf Course is situated appears flat, but in reality this is by no means the case, as it is full of minor undulations and excellent golfing features similar to those of the best sea side courses. Undulating ground of this kind with a complete absence of hilliness is exceptionally adaptable to the construction of holes which should compare favorably with the best Championship courses in Britain.

The greens are excellent and I do not know of any fairways which are superior. The course, however, suffers from similar defects to those which are almost universal in Australia and these are due to the fact that the design and construction has been done from a penal standpoint instead of a strategic. Few bunkers are of any interest which do not influence the line of play to the hole and bunkers on the sides of the fairway are not only of little interest but actually create bad players owing to their cramping effect. Fully three quarters of the bunkers at Rose Bay should be converted into grassy hollows. I am suggesting a completely new scheme of bunkering which will have the effect of giving alternative routes to every class of player and thus providing enjoyable golf to everyone and moreover stimulating the scratch man to improve his game."

The Championship Course has hosted the Australian Open Championships (11 times), the Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Men's and Ladies Amateur Championships. Royal Sydney provides professional and efficiently run tournaments, not to mention it's incredible location. Golfing legends Gene Sarazen, Gary Player, Greg Norman and Peter Thomson have all been tested at Australian major championships at Royal Sydney.

Holes: 18
Par: 72
Men's: 6,054m
Ladies: 5,258m
Bunkers: 121
Fairways: Wintergreen Couch
Tee areas: Wintergreen Couch/Santa Anna Couch
Greens: Penn G2

The Centenary Course, is a short 9-hole at Royal Sydney. Course architect, Thomson Wolveridge Perrett designed the 1997 rebuild to utilize every golf club in the bag. Water comes into play on six of the nine holes, complementing undulating terrain, tight fairways and small contoured greens. The Centenary Course caters perfectly to beginners and older golfers, while still presenting a challenging round.

Holes: 9
Length: 3,276m
Bunkers: 14
Fairways: Wintergreen Couch
Tee areas: Wintergreen Couch
Greens: SR1019

The Royal Sydney Golf Club is a private golf course. Guests must be accompanied by a member.

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