Famed golf chronicler herbert warren wind wrote, harvie was one of the worlds best strikers of the ball. Overview in 1956, a casual bet between two millionaires eventually pitted two of the greatest golfers of the era byron nelson and ben hogan against top amateurs harvie ward and ken venturi. The 24yearold san franciscan punched this one to the green on the 24th hole yesterday in beating harvie. Image showing harvie ward teeing off on the 16th hole. Mar 17, 2009 in case you havent heard, the centerpiece of this story is a casual best ball match play round between ben hogan and bryron nelson representing the pros and ken venturi and harvie ward representing the amateurs. T hey were two goodlooking guys peddling lincolns for van etta motors in san francisco in the mid1950s. Mar 17, 2009 in 1956, a casual bet between two millionaires eventually pitted two of the greatest golfers of the era byron nelson and ben hogan against top amateurs harvie ward and ken venturi. View of scorecard from the match during memorabilia selection for hof induction of ken venturi at his home. That was the only team that ever beat harvie and me. The tufts archive ward was a successful junior and quickly became one of the u. The book is based on a match that featured ward and his best friend and fellow amateur, ken venturi, where they were pitted against professionals ben hogan and lord byron himself at the cypress point golf club. Learning about these men was actually quite interesting. Harvie ward photos and premium high res pictures getty images.
But to label harvie ward and ken venturi car salesmen would be like saying elvis presley was a soldier. Aug 01, 2020 1 of 16 determined ken venturi, surrounded by a straining gallery, on his way to victory. Amateur twice and the british amateur born in tarboro, north carolina, ward attended the university of north carolina in chapel hill. Ken venturi had warm friendship with byron nelson golf channel. Between hogan and byron nelson against ken venturi and harvie ward at.
The match mark frost novelist, televisionfilm writer. Decades have passed since eddie lowery came to fame as the tenyearold caddie. Decades have passed since eddie lowery came to fame as the tenyearold caddie to u. The match by mark frost takes you on the fairways of cypress point for an unforgettable duel between byron nelson and ben hogan, and amateurs ken venturi and harvie ward. He was a charismatic man with hollywood good looks who lived life to the full. Ken venturi and harvie ward were the two brash young amateurs who apparently believed that the best way to follow in the footsteps of giants is to walk alongside them in headtohead competition.
This list suggests the heads of the g8 countries, plus china, india, the current u. The strength of this book is the biographies of the four participants in the match byron nelson, ben hogan, ken venturi and harvey ward and the history of. As a tar heel, he won the ncaa division i individual title in 1949, and graduated with a. Sep 12, 2004 venturi and ward both worked for car dealer eddie lowery in san francisco. So why is harvie ward virtually unknown to those under the age of 60. The amateurs played a strong game but the pros took the match, 1up. Deluxe canvas giclee of legendary match at cypress point memorialized in a recent book by mark frost. Born in tarboro, north carolina, ward attended the university of north carolina in chapel hill. Book overview in 1956, a casual bet between two millionaires eventually pitted two of the greatest golfers of the erabyron nelson and ben hoganagainst top amateurs harvie ward and ken venturi. Harding park traveled a long, meandering road to host pga. The book chronicles an 18 hole match between the two professionals who. Lowery claims that two of his employees, amateur golfers harvie ward and ken venturi, cannot be beaten in a bestball match, and challenges coleman to bring. Lowery claims that two of his employees, amateur golfers harvie ward and ken venturi, cannot be beaten in a bestball match. Frost recounts this dramatic tale from start to finish, detailing the match that vaulted golf out of the shadows and into the national spotlight.
May 21, 20 by jeff skinner the accolades for ken venturi keep on coming and michael breed did a nice job acknowledging venturi on last nights golf fix. This match was chronicled in depth in mark frosts 2007 book the match. The day the game of golf changed forever by mark frost. Apr 01, 2021 in 1956, amateurs harvie ward and ken venturi confronted pros ben hogan and byron nelson in what remains touted as the best private game ever played. Nov 06, 2007 lowery claims that two of his employees, amateur golfers harvie ward and ken venturi, cannot be beaten in a bestball match. December 8, 1925 september 4, 2004 was an american golfer best known for his amateur career. Harvie ward kisses the cup at the british amateur golf championship in 1952. The day the game of golf changed forever golf tripper. Now a wealthy car dealer and avid supporter of amateur golf, lowery has just. Scores at the match challenged golfblogger golf blog.
Well, in the mid50s, his mentor, lowery, given to boasting about his pair of kids, harvie ward and ken venturi, found himself setting up a historic match for his proteges. In 1956, a casual bet between two millionaires eventually pitted two of the greatest golfers of the era byron nelson and ben hogan against top amateurs harvie ward and ken venturi. Harvie ward was the comic, ben hogan the silent and reserved, byron nelson the friendly coach and ken venturi was the youngster. Top 24 best golf books of all time reivew 2021 penn book. Lowery challenges coleman to bring any two golfers of his choice to the course at 10 a. Mar 31, 2021 the rise, fall and redemption of harvie ward. The scorecard is background music when it comes to retelling the story of the epic 1956 battle ben hogan and byron nelson waged against ken venturi and. Lowery also served on the executive committee of the united states golf association. Lowery, incidentally, was the caddie for francis ouimet in the historic 19 u.
The day the game of golf changed forever, by mark frost. Venturi told a newspaper years later, it was the best golf ive ever seen. We would have taken on the world, and come to think of it, thats what we did. Much of this book is a history lesson about the game of golf and how it changed as a result of a few individuals. The match mark frost novelist, televisionfilm writer, director. Size 20 x 30 from the original painting by bob owen. Now a wealthy car dealer and avid supporter of amateur golf, lowery has. The match in question was an impromptu bestball fourball between two amateurs harvie ward and ken venturi and two professionals ben.
Its a book that i very much enjoyed, even as i found it almost unbelievable. This desirable art work comes with a copy of the scorecard from that match. It was in 1956, and ben hogan and byron nelson were one team playing on a bet against 2 amateurs, harvie ward and ken venturi. Venturi and ward both worked for car dealer eddie lowery in san francisco. Four decades have passed since eddie lowery came to fame as the tenyearold caddie to u. Campbell, dick chapman, don cherry, charles coe, jimmy jackson, gene littler, sam urzetta, ken venturi, harvie ward, jack westland notes. Publisher description in 1956, a casual bet between two millionaires eventually pitted two of the greatest golfers of the era byron nelson and ben hogan against top amateurs harvie ward and ken venturi. His extraordinary mastery of the greens is highlighted in the book, the match, the day the game of golf changed forever by mark frost. Many wikipedias have provisions for including current heads of government in their expanded vital article list. Those familiar with the san francisco city championship, the countrys oldest, are certainly aware of the relationship between harvie ward and ken venturi the third member of the magical foursome. Nelson and ben hogan against top amateurs harvie ward and ken venturi. The match iconic competition between hogan and byron. The match iconic competition between hogan and byron nelson.
Ken venturi and harvie ward were the two brash young amateurs who apparently believed that the best way to follow in the footsteps of giants. Jan 01, 2007 the book is a nonfiction account of a round of golf played in 1956 by the worlds top two amateurs ken venturi and harvie ward and the worlds top two professionals the legends byron nelson and ben hogan. The book is a nonfiction account of a round of golf played in 1956 by the worlds top two amateurs ken venturi and harvie ward and the worlds top two professionals the legends byron nelson and ben hogan. The time is 1956 and venturi and ward are the last of the gentleman amateurs playing at the highest levels of the game. Frost captures all its pageturning glory and suspense. Putting secrets of americass greatest putter swing. Frost the greatest game ever played diligently covers the two pros slightly past their prime, ben hogan and byron nelson, who squared off against two top amateurs, harvie ward and ken venturi. Indeed, one can search its pages in great detail and never find an answer to how the game of golf changed as a result of the 18hole practiceround match pitting professionals ben hogan and byron nelson against amateurs harvie ward and ken venturi. Listen to venturi talk about the match when he and fellow amateur harvie ward took on the great ben hogan and byron nelson. Team usa won three of four day 1 foursomes and six of eight day 2 singles matches to put away this walker cup. The book is based on a match that featured ward and his best. History lessons golf news and tour information golf digest. Jan 25, 2008 january 24, 2008 mark frosts book the match. Dec 19, 2007 hogan and ward were two of the four players involved.
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