http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/golf-for-beginners?disp=comments en-US-utf8 http://backend.userland.com/rss 60 Mon, 28 Aug 2006 20:44:27 +0000 Ghet Rheel [Visitor] c37018@http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/ Thanks for the link and the info. I think the term "Grand Slam", as applied to golf, did not exist until published in sportswriter O.B. Keeler's book about Jones in 1953. Keeler was a close friend, travel companion, and drinking buddy of Jones. <br /> <br /> While Keeler (and perhaps Grantland Rice) considered the four tourneys to be the most important, the pros of the day disagreed as to calling the US and British amateurs "Majors", as pros were obviously not permitted to take part in them. Pros like Tommy, Armour, Jock Hutchison, Walter Hagen, and Gene Sarazen were stiff competition for Jones. They were far better than any of the amateur competition, so Jones "wins" in the the US and British amateurs were "Majors" only in the mind of O.B. Keeler. The term "Grand Slam", for golf, did not exist in 1930, and likely did not exist until Keeler/Rice coined the term in 1953... much to the chagrin of Hagen, Sarazen, Armour, et al.
While Keeler (and perhaps Grantland Rice) considered the four tourneys to be the most important, the pros of the day disagreed as to calling the US and British amateurs "Majors", as pros were obviously not permitted to take part in them. Pros like Tommy, Armour, Jock Hutchison, Walter Hagen, and Gene Sarazen were stiff competition for Jones. They were far better than any of the amateur competition, so Jones "wins" in the the US and British amateurs were "Majors" only in the mind of O.B. Keeler. The term "Grand Slam", for golf, did not exist in 1930, and likely did not exist until Keeler/Rice coined the term in 1953... much to the chagrin of Hagen, Sarazen, Armour, et al.]]> http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/golf-for-beginners/2006/08/27/podcast_tiger_woods_tips_on_mental_tough#c37018 Mon, 28 Aug 2006 10:59:28 +0000 Ghet Rheel [Visitor] c36853@http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/ Guess I agree with everything you've written above except in regard to the "Grand Slam". Wasn't that just a sportswriter's coined phrase? Two of the events were amateur only and thus pro greats of the day such as Sarazen and Hagen were prohibited from competing. I think I'd take a cue from Jim Nance and call it the "Bobby Slam". http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/golf-for-beginners/2006/08/27/podcast_tiger_woods_tips_on_mental_tough#c36853