Robert Tyre “Bobby” Jones, Jr. was one of the most influential figures in all of sport, let alone the game of golf, and certainly there were no amateur golfers who could even breathe the same rarefied air as Jones, and thus, he sits alone in our Top 50 Amateurs of All Time List.
There are not enough superlatives or words on a page to describe the impact Jones had on the game, and one could argue that his golfing accomplishments could have been even further expanded had he not retired from the game at the seemingly prime age of 28.
The Atlanta, GA native grew up with East Lake Golf Club as his home course and legendary Scottish club professional, Stewart Maiden, as his most influential teacher of the game.
The time span of 1923 to 1930 was the peak of Jones’ game where he won an astounding 13 major championships out of 20 attempts. This stretch culminated in his capturing The (pre-Masters) Grand Slam which consisted of:
- The Amateur Championship, Old Course at St Andrews, Scotland
- The Open Championship, Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake, England
- U.S. Open, Interlachen Country Club, Minnesota
- U.S. Amateur, Merion Golf Club, Pennsylvania
Jones was not only a champion golfer, but as a sportsman who demonstrated supreme integrity, although he didn’t see it as anything but the right thing to do. On two occasions in competition (1925 and 1926 U.S. Opens) his ball moved such a small amount that only he would have known of its change of position. Jones unselfishly called penalties on himself on both occasions and essentially cost himself the championship in 1925 as he lost in a playoff. He was victorious in 1926 despite the self-imposed penalty. Although praised by many sports writers for his gesture, Jones was reported to have said, “You might as well praise me for not robbing banks.”
The Augusta National Golf Club was co-founded by Jones, opened in 1933, and hosted the very first Masters Tournament (first called the Augusta National Invitational) in the spring of 1934. Jones participated as an exhibition and helped give the event early prominence.
Sadly, in 1948, Jones was diagnosed with syringomyelia, a fluid-filled cavity in the spinal cord that causes crippling pain, then paralysis; he was eventually restricted to a wheelchair and passed away in 1971. Three years later he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, an honor befitting the impactful life that Jones led, both on and off the course.
Bobby Jones’ legacy will be felt as long as the game is played. He personified what it is to be a champion golfer and a true gentlemen in life. A better role model could not be found for generations of golfers to come.
