Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | England |
| Established | 1911 |
| Month played | May |
| Final year | 1914 |
| Final champion | |
| James Batley and Len Holland | |
The Sphere and Tatler Foursomes Tournament was a professional golf tournament played annually from 1911 to 1914. Total prize money was £350 provided by the owners of The Sphere and The Tatler. The winners received individual silver trophies.
Tournament history
Qualification process
Players qualified through regional competitions, playing individual stroke play over 36 holes. Because of problems in 1911 caused by the large number of entries, the southern section qualifying was split between two different courses from 1912 to 1914. A total of 64 players qualified, the number from each section being predetermined. The players were then drawn randomly into 32 pairs for the final stages, which consisted of a three-day knockout competition with two 18-hole matches per day on the first two days and then a 36-hole final on the final day.
Winners
| Year | Winners | Country | Venue | Margin of victory | Runners-up | Winner's share (£) | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | James Bradbeer & Sandy Herd |  England Scotland | Walton Heath Golf Club | 8 & 7 | Walter Hambleton & J.H. Taylor | 50 (each) | [1] |
| 1912 | George Duncan & James Sherlock | Scotland England | Royal Liverpool Golf Club | 4 & 2 | James Braid & Charles Roberts | 50 (each) | [2] |
| 1913 | Harry Vardon & Tom Williamson |  Jersey England | Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club | 7 & 5 | B F James & Josh Taylor | 50 (each) | [3] |
| 1914 | James Batley & Len Holland | England England | Sunningdale Golf Club | 5 & 4 | C McIntosh & George Smith | 50 (each) | [4] |
Harry Vardon Memorial Trophy
After his death, Harry Vardon's widow presented his 1913 trophy to South Herts Golf Club. The trophy is now awarded to the winner of the Harry Vardon Memorial Trophy, a club handicap competition.[5]
References
- ↑ "Professional foursome tournament – Victory of Herd and Bradbeer". The Glasgow Herald. 19 May 1911. p. 14.
- ↑ "£350 foursomes tournament – Success of Duncan and Sherlock". The Glasgow Herald. 17 May 1912. p. 16.
- ↑ "£350 foursome tournament – Easy win for Vardon and Williamson". The Glasgow Herald. 23 May 1913. p. 13.
- ↑ "The £350 tournament – Easy win for Batley and Holland". The Glasgow Herald. 15 May 1914. p. 17.
- ↑ http://www.southhertsgolfclub.co.uk/golf/competitions/mens/harry_vardon_memorial_trophy