Ernest Whitcombe and Alf Padgham
East Brighton Golf Membership, Sussex
August twenty fifth, 1937
In a sport that noticed the a hundredth finest participant on the PGA Tour earn over $1.6m million this yr, it’s straightforward to assume that golf, as an expert sport, has at all times been awash with money.
It’s actually been the case because the arrival of Tiger Woods in 1997, which, virtually in a single day, elevated golf into a worldwide sport whose high gamers might begin to earn the sort of sums that even skilled footballers would take discover of.
However it has gone to an entire new stage once more following the injection of Saudi cash into the sport over the past three years, which has served to bump up prize funds throughout the board to ranges verging on the obscene.
SMALL PRIZE MONEY
Whereas the likes of Palmer, Nicklaus and Participant did very properly out of the sport through the Nineteen Sixties and 70s, their bulging financial institution balances owe extra to their off-course enterprise acumen than any nice accumulation of prize cash.
However rewind 100 years or so and also you’ll discover a world the place membership execs participating within the Open Championship used to squeeze in two rounds on the ultimate day simply in order that they might rush again to attend the wants of their members over the weekend.
On the flip of the twentieth century, the winner of The Open acquired simply £90, and it took a near-strike by the gamers the next yr for the highest prize to be raised to the princely sum of £115.
The paucity of prize cash on provide via the principle event channels led the sport’s high gamers participating in quite a few particular occasions backed by non-public sponsorship, which introduced collectively a choose group of high gamers in a contemporary model of Professional-Celeb Golf, the place native businessmen stumped up giant sums to see the sport’s greats play on native programs.
EXHIBITION MATCH
Such was the case with East Brighton Golf Membership in East Sussex, which hosted quite a few high-profile tournaments through the inter-war interval. In 1933, the good Walter Hagen teamed up with fellow American Densmore Shute to beat Alf Padgham and Charlie Parsons 6&5 in an exhibition match which noticed enormous crowds prove to look at their heroes in motion in such unfamiliar environment.
The membership additionally staged the Information Chronicle Match between the good and wars for a number of years after, with the £1,000 prize pot – equal to over £45,000 in as we speak’s cash, and twice what was being provided to that yr’s winner of the Claret Jug – not surprisingly attracting a number of the recreation’s main stars, together with Padhgam, and different Open champions.
These included Henry Cotton and the brothers Reg and Ernest Whitcombe. Padgham was serving as head skilled at Sundridge Park Golf Membership in Kent on the time, and was the reigning Open champion when this image was taken, having gained at Hoylake in 1936.
Like many high gamers of the period, Padgham misplaced what may need been a few of his finest aggressive years as a consequence of World Struggle II, so needed to play in occasions like these with the intention to complement his revenue. He ultimately succeeded in successful the Information Chronicle Match in 1939.
FAMOUS FACES
Along with well-known gamers, East Brighton, which was based in 1893, boasts a powerful solid listing of high-profile connections, with the Downs-based membership having fun with many superstar and royal members throughout its 130-year historical past.
One among its first vice-presidents was Billy Butlin, founding father of the eponymous vacation chain, whereas the Duke of Norfolk was president for greater than 30 years.
Amongst well-known former members embrace Prime Minister Lloyd George, who joined in 1911, together with international secretary Arthur Balfour, and Area Marshall Earl Haig, who lived in Brighton through the Twenties.
Whereas East Brighton’s heyday may properly be behind it so far as well-known members are involved, its picturesque 6,402-yard downland structure stays one of many most interesting exams within the county and, the membership continues to take pleasure in a wholesome patronage from native golfers who little question acquire as a lot enjoyment from the historic venue as their illustrious predecessors as soon as did.
