Born in 1870 on the British island of Jersey, in the English Channel, halfway between France and England, Harry Vardon can be considered as the first celebrity in the world of golf and one of the most influential players. During his prolific career he won 62 professional titles and seven majors (the US Open in 1900 and the British Open in 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911 and 1914). Among his many awards, his inclusion in the World Hall of Fame stands out. The number one winners of the European and North American professional golf circuits at the end of the season are awarded the Harry Vardon Trophy.
This prolific golfer popularized what is known as the Vardon Grip and his instructional books are still relevant today among aspiring golfers. He also gave his name to a ball, the Vardon Flyer.
Harry took up golf as a teenager and, influenced by his brother Tomo’s success as a professional golfer, decided that he too would take up the sport. At the age of 20, in 1890, he turned professional and his first victories were not long in coming.
His first great triumph would occur in 1896 during the British Open, which he played with an outfit that would become his hallmark from then on: bloomers (he was the first golfer to wear them), formal shirt, tie and buttoned jacket.
Despite the awkwardness of the jacket, Vardon became famous for his smooth, free swing motion that flew the ball higher than all of his contemporaries, giving him a great advantage on appoachs, which landed the ball softly.
His fame spread when in 1890 he joined the North American Tour and played more than 80 exhibition tournaments, often against the best ball of two opponents, and won more than 70 of those competitions. He also won the US Open that year, a tournament in which twenty years later, when Harry was already 50, he came second.
J.H. Taylor, Harry Vardon and James Braid, who finished their careers with sixteen British Open victories overall and who in 1900 finished that tournament in first, second and third place respectively, were known as “the Great Triumvirate”.
Vardon was attacked by tuberculosis in 1903 and his game was no longer the same from then on, although as the years went by he recovered and in 1911 and 1914 he won the British Open again.
After leaving competition for good, Vardon turned to golf course design and writing golf instruction books, one of which, ‘The Essentials of Golf’, is considered a classic.
The British player died in 1937, at the age of 67. In 1974 his name was inscribed in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
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