July 11th, 2011

As one of the most popular musical marches of all time, the ‘Colonel Bogey March’, composed in 1914 by Lieutenant F.J Ricketts, has gone on to inspire all manner of rallying cries, not to mention crude playground lyrics and an important golfing term.

Lieutenant Ricketts (1881- 1945) was a British army bandmaster and he went on to become the director of music for the Royal Marines, based in Plymouth. The inspiration for his most famous piece came following a series of encounters with a somewhat forceful field colonel, whose real name remains unknown, but whose nickname was Colonel Bogey.
This year, there will be 156 players competing for a £5 million prize fund, which indicates just how far the tournament has come. The global popularity has soared thanks to legendary players such as Walter Hagen, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, the late, great Seve Ballesteros, the global superstar Tiger Woods, and latterly the prodigious talent of Rory McIlroy.

July 10th, 2011

The traditional 18-hole golf course only became the golfing standard following the 1858 publication of rules from The Royal & Ancient golf club, which stated that ‘one round of the Links or 18 holes is reckoned a match unless otherwise stipulated’.

The Royal & Ancient, affectionately known as the R&A, was founded in 1754 and is located at St Andrews in Fife: the ‘home of golf’. It is here that the majority of the world’s golfing regulations are decided.

July 9th, 2011

It may be known as the ‘gentleman’s game’, but golf has also been played by women since the late 16^th Century, when Mary Queen of Scots was the first woman to play in Scotland.

A notable player, Mary even risked the wrath of the Church for love of the game, when she was seen playing a round just two days after the murder of her second husband, Lord Darnley.

July 8th, 2011

From royalty to writers, actors to aviators, golf has, for centuries, been the favoured sport of the famous.  Records claim that the game of golf originated in China as far back as the eleventh century.  Its popularity has not waned and golf is still played throughout the globe, and even beyond – American astronaut Alan Shepard famously took a shot at a golf ball on the moon where he landed as part of the third moon mission in 1971.

July 7th, 2011

Jack Nicklaus said: “In no other sport does the nature of the contest allow the players to be so free of jealousy and enmity, so willing to help and support each other and be so sincere in their acceptance of each other’s success.”

Yes, golf is a game played under an unspoken honour code and with a sense of gentlemanly sportsmanship, but sadly there are some notable unsporting players.

Former US President Bill Clinton, for example, has been involved with a little sporting fiddle of his own.

July 6th, 2011

Severiano Ballesteros was born on 9 April 1957 in Pedreña (Cantabria), a small village on the southern shore of the Bay of Santander in the north of Spain.

Creativity, imagination and short-game brilliance were the hallmarks of Ballesteros’ game.  He began playing golf aged just 7 using a cut-down 3-iron and by the time he was 13, he was winning events and shooting 65 on a regular basis . Golf clearly ran in Ballesteros’ blood as his three brothers were also golf pro’s and his uncle, Ramon Sota, finished 6th at the 1965 Masters.