“Did You Know”
In 1940 the USA was doing whatever it could to help their friends in Europe!

In 1940 the United States was beginning to emerge from the “Great Depression”, but businesses were still struggling, which included golf. With an estimated 78 percent loss of members, many private golf clubs had closed. The members and the golf professionals were doing everything possible to save golf.

At the same time the USA was trying to assist their friends in Europe who were embroiled in the early stages of what would become World War II. In late 1939 the United Kingdom and France had declared war on Germany, who were attacking their neighboring countries. By June 1940 France had fallen to Germany.

A golf exhibition to aid France was arranged by Philadelphia’s Wanamaker’s Department Store, Wilson Sporting Goods, and Palm Beach Suits. The exhibition was to be held on Philadelphia Country Club’s Spring Mill Course and featured Sam Snead, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan and Ed Oliver. Snead, Sarazen and Oliver were Wilson staff members.

Just one year before, Snead had made an eight on the 72nd hole of the US Open at Spring Mill, when a five would have won. Now Snead was a member of the Philadelphia PGA as the playing professional from The Shawnee Inn. Earlier in June Sarazen had lost a playoff for the US Open at Canterbury Golf Club. At that same US Open Oliver had tied for the title only to disqualified, along with five other golf professionals, for teeing off in the last round before their starting times. Hogan had been the leading money winner on the PGA Winter Tour and earlier that year had been a tournament winner for the first time.

At 11 a.m., June 28, the four golf professionals were at Wanamaker’s to talk golf and demonstrate golf shots. At 3 p.m. they were at Spring Mill for the exhibition; Snead and Hogan vs. Sarazen and Oliver. When Snead was on his game, no one was better. Snead toured Spring Mill in 64 strokes with no bogies, as he and Hogan won 4-up. On the par five 18th hole, where he had made an eight one year before, he was in a greenside bunker in two. Out in three he faced a four-foot putt for a four. As he studied the putt, loud enough for everyone to hear, Snead said “Well, I’ve got four putts to beat that eight.” Snead holed the putt. With no conceded putts in the round, Snead had set a new competitive course record for Spring Mill. Proceeds went to the French war relief effort.

That evening Snead, Sarazen and Oliver, along with Ed Dudley, who was the professional at the Philadelphia Country Club and president of the Philadelphia PGA, were at George Izett’s driving range in Ardmore. They were there to continue their promotion of golf and Wilson Sporting Goods. Nine other Philadelphia golf professionals participated in the two-hour exhibition of golf shots. The driving range, Main Line Practice Fairway, was located on Argyle and Haverford Roads. Two thousand grandstand seats were erected for the spectators. The price of admission was fifty cents, with proceeds going to the Bryn Mawr Hospital.

On September 15 there was another exhibition at the Philadelphia Country Club. This exhibition was to benefit the British War Relief Society. Ed Dudley and Bing Crosby were opposed by Horton Smith and Jimmy Thomson. Smith was a two-time Masters champion by then and Jimmy Thomson, the longest driver in professional golf, had been the runner-up in a US Open and a PGA Championship. Bobby Jones had been scheduled to play but had to pull out due to his father-in-law’s poor health. The plan had been for all five to play. Five thousand spectators turned out to support the cause. That was larger than the number that had witnessed the US Open playoff, one year earlier. Crosby was the perfect participant. He posed for endless photographs, signed more than 1,000 autographs and even yodeled some tunes. Dudley shot a 69 but he and Crosby lost one-down. Then Crosby was off to New York for an 8 p.m. engagement.

Fifteen months later the USA was no longer at peace. Now we were fighting World War II on two fronts, and the golfers were playing exhibitions for wartime charities at home.