The 1955 Walker Cup Match (Video)

[EmperorPenguin]

I stumbled upon this fascinating old film of the 1955 Walker Cup Match, played at The Old Course at St. Andrews. Bill Campbell was the winning captain for the Americans in their 10-2 victory over Great Britain, led by Alec Hill. There is no audio of the video, but watching the video I was amazed at the swing techniques and chipping and putting methods. Compared to golfers of today, I don't see much difference in the way they played golf sixty years ago versus today.

 

 

It is fun to see some of the classical golfers from our past (e.g., Harvie Ward, Billy Joe Patton), the attire the caddies wore, the train passing by the course, how the first tee looks identical to today, and the close-up of the bag, clubs and accessories they used then. Initially I wasn't interested in the video, but I ended up watching the whole video.

[stixman]

Thanks for the link. The US golfers swing similar to today, I thought, but with more pronounced leg action. The Brits were a mixed bunch, swingwise.
Note how everyone has 'Shooting sticks', I don't know what you call them, maybe 'spectator sticks'? Very useful, imo, especially as you get older as a walking golfer.

[jonnygrouville]

I believe that shooting sticks are to provide something soft and leathery for resting one's balls upon whilst one is enjoying the English countryside and in the process of trying to freeze them off.

[jonnygrouville]

Played in a slightly different spirit to the recent Solheim Cup, I would imagine. Crazy gimme shenanigans with faux apologies...

"The implant that Nike put into my brain made me just do it."

End. Of.

Saved Inkster though. Same with Olazabal. Worst captain ever to Ryder Cup genius overnight. Paul McGinley? Hmmm... no, Rory won that one. In no way can methodical professional planning help a team win a golf match. I refuse to accept it.

At this level, most matches are 50:50 or pretty bloody close eh? Eighteen holes is a sprint and anything can happen. Magic when it can produce this kind of drama, all the pressure building up, the momentum swinging one way and then the other.

Well anyway, that is my thirst for competitive golf viewing sated until the President's Cup (bearing in mind that I have neither the time nor inclination to understand the FedEx play-offs) when it would appear that the US team is challenging a Canto-pop boy-band to a golf match...

[url="http://www.presidentscup.com/news/2015/09/21/uniforms-unveiled.html"]http://www.president...s-unveiled.html[/url]

I can't put it in any better words than...

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RywJSc3I6dU"]https://www.youtube....h?v=RywJSc3I6dU[/url]

Honestly. Have to remember all of this for when I die so I can turn in my grave. The amount of things I am annoyed about though, I imagine I will be permanently spinning around, maybe even harnessing the energy to provide power for future generations. If I'm not cremated, then I imagine my little urn will just sit there on some sideboard, rotating furiously.

Whatever sinister group of malevolent individuals it is that are actually running the planet will not be happy until every waking hour is like living in one big bloody Gap advert. If someone should be apologising for anything, they should be apologising for that.

[stixman]

The year is 1929, the venue is Moortown GC, the event is the 1st Ryder Cup on UK soil.

Walter Hagen gives a press interview in his cabin on the Mauretania whilst shaving and in his pyjamas.
'we've got he finest dark blueknicker suits that you ever saw......then we have a sports outfit as well for lounge wear, so everyone will know us as Americans when we are off the links'
For someone, even dressed in a tutu and smeared with woad would be unmistakable regarding his country of origin, this could be regarded as bizarre but it set the ball rolling.

George Duncan's response was unmistakably blunt.
'the British team will wear just what they choose. The Ryder Cup is a golf match, not a mannequin parade. The ones that play the best golf will collar the Cup even though their trousers are not creased as Bond St or 5th Ave would like them!'

The British team won by a large margin!

[jonnygrouville]

Love it!

[stevemcgee99]

[quote name='jonnygrouville' timestamp='1442950481' post='12351552']If I'm not cremated, then I imagine my little urn will just sit there on some sideboard, rotating furiously.[/quote]

[forgedforever]

Amazing how narrow many of the golf stances were in that video.

The quality of the black and white video is quite good for the time period in which it was recorded.

Nice find!

[DoughBack18]

7+ years later… 😂

 

Very cool video, and the quality is excellent for the age. Haven’t even gotten through the whole thing and something jumped out…

 

Check out around the 58 second mark… Is that the first golf hoodie?? That guy was almost 70 years ahead of his time! And it looks like a nice cashmere or wool style too. Thing looks butter!

[DoughBack18]

4 minute mark- funny seeing the school kids in their judge-like robes running home, or to see the golf…

 

5:40ish- cant imagine that they are letting play go off at an adjacent course during the current Walker Cup! Would also be funny today to watch a tournament and notice casual players in the background. The US open teeing off #1 at Bethpage Black and you see a 4some of locals hoofing it around the red or green course in the background 😂

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

19 minutes ago, DoughBack18 said:

7+ years later… 😂

 

Very cool video, and the quality is excellent for the age. Haven’t even gotten through the whole thing and something jumped out…

 

Check out around the 58 second mark… Is that the first golf hoodie?? That guy was almost 70 years ahead of his time! And it looks like a nice cashmere or wool style too. Thing looks butter!

 

Crikey, that's a good spot. At first I thought it was just a large collar, but at the end of his swing, as he starts walking off the tee, it really looks like there's enough material there to cover his head.

 

The biggest between then and now appears to be in the level of camera work. I got a bit bored of watching players hit their approaches, only for the camera to move away and focus on the pin...with no ball in sight.