Bobby Jones: A Memorable Visit to Pinehurst
In April, legions of fans make their annual pilgrimage to Augusta and attempt to secure a “badge” to gain entrance into the hallowed grounds of Augusta National to watch the most famous tournament in golf, the Masters.
It is Bobby Jones’ masterpiece and his legacy to the game. Yet Jones had an affinity for another course in the South: Pinehurst. Eighty-six years ago, in March 1932, the Pinehurst Outlook reported the arrival at the Carolina Hotel of Robert T. Jones of Atlanta and Dr. Alister McKenzie of Pasatiempo, California.
Above is one of two original signed scorecards acknowledging J. Victor East’s hole-in-one on the fourth hole
of Pinehurst No. 2 from Bobby Jones’ visit to Pinehurst 86 years ago.
COURTESY OF MARK D. EDWARDS
At the time, Jones was a director of A.G. Spalding & Brothers and came to Pinehurst to demonstrate a new paintless golf ball. It was claimed the new ball would be easier to find in the rough and eliminate exterior blemishes and inaccuracies due to paint.
There was an impression at the time that Jones disliked Pinehurst, as he had not played well when he visited Pinehurst in his youth, and it had been 15 years since his last visit.
Yet Jones quickly dispelled this notion when he spoke with Harry Yorke, who interviewed him for the Pinehurst Outlook.
“Pinehurst is one of the ‘garden spots’ of the South and has golf courses that are very fine tests of golf,” Jones stated. “Moreover, Donald Ross is an old and very highly esteemed friend of mine, and had I been able to come here oftener I would have done so if only to keep in closer touch with this fine golfer and genuine fellow.”
Jones had the opportunity to play in two memorable and spirited matches during his visit to Pinehurst in 1932. The first match, played on Pinehurst No. 2 on Wednesday March 23, featured Jones and M. B. Reach, a fellow officer and vice president of A. G. Spalding & Sons and a fine golfer is his own right vs. J. Victor East and Bill Mehlhorn.
Mehlhorn was a colorful character who played on the PGA tour in its early days starting in the 1920s. He often wore cowboy hats on the course and was nicknamed “Wild Bill.” Mehlhorn won 20 times on the PGA tour but no majors. J. Victor East was a well-known golf club designer who was well trusted by Jones.
As the story goes, East reshafted Jones’ mashie niblick after searching through 5,000 pieces of raw hickory as well as reproducing his putter known as Calamity Jane.
Something strange happened to Jones that day. Something he would always remember. He and his partner played the par-3 fourth hole on course No. 2 (now redesigned) 2 under in a two-round match yet came up on the short end of the stick.
Following the round, Jones and East signed a scorecard to commemorate the event.
As Jones explained in an article from the Jack Wheeler syndicate of newspaper articles published from 1928-1935, nationally: “Here’s a story which may make someone feel that his lot is not so bad. On the fourth hole at Pinehurst, No. 2 course, 215 yards. In the morning round my partner M. B. Reach holed a two, yet we lost the hole when Victor East, playing against us holed his tee shot. In the afternoon I made a two and was tied by Mehlhorn. An average of two for the day for my side, yet one down.”
The match on Thursday, March 24, pitted Bobby Jones and Bill Burke, a tour professional who would win the 1931 US Open, against “Wild Bill” Mehlhorn and Tamaki Miyamoto, the former Japanese Open champion. Jones team lost the match by two holes, but Jones bested his opponent with a medal score of 69 to Miyamoto’s 75.
What is interesting are Jones’ observations following the match and predictions on the development of golf internationally. “Interest in golf is being aroused in places where it never before played and increasing almost everywhere the game is known. With the possibility of easier communication and more rapid transportation we need place no limit upon our expectations for the future.”
As for the Masters, the tournament was not yet founded in 1932 with the inaugural tournament played in 1934.
Yet Jones was predicting big things for his new club in Augusta, telling the Pinehurst Outlook “Dr. Mackenzie has laid out a perfectly magnificent course. We have without doubt the four best one shot holes in any course I have ever seen. On every hole the pitch shot is entirely different, due to the green construction. We have a water sprinkler system which alone cost $40,000. Grass greens are patterned after the famous greens of St. Andrew in Scotland.”
Well done Mr. Jones, Well done.
By Mark D. Edwards, a retired attorney and golf collector who lives in Pinehurst.
