INLAND GOLF

By Edward Ray

FREE SHIPPING with delivery confirmation on all domestic purchases!

London/New York: T. Werner Laurie Ltd / J. Pott & Co, no date (c.1913).

8vo / Hardcover / 234 pp / Frontis (detached) / Illustrated / Occasional foxing / Small cloth tear at top of spine / Light wear to boards /

Scarce early golf reference from 1912 Open champion Ted Ray. Great volume for any fine golf library.

We ship worldwide! Please see all pictures and visit our eBay store and other eBay auctions!

Edward Rivers J. "Ted" Ray (6 April 1877 – 26 August 1943)^[1] was a British professional golfer. He won two major championships, The Open Championship in 1912 and the U.S. Open in 1920, and contended in many others during the early years of the 20th century. Ray was also a maker of fine golf clubs and was an excellent billiards player.

Early life[edit]

Born on the Isle of Jersey in the English Channel, Ray grew up idolising fellow islander Harry Vardon, who was seven years older than Ray. Vardon became the world's top golfer in the early 1890s, while Ray was working as a caddy and developing his own golf skills at the same Jersey course where Vardon learned the game. Ray was a tall, heftily-built man who was known worldwide for his prodigious power off the tee and through the set,^[2] though his shots often landed in awful positions. In addition to his prowess on the golf course, he was also a fine billiards player.^[3]

Golf career[edit]

Ray turned professional in his late teens, and took a position as a club professional at Churston Golf Club, Churston, Devon. He gradually developed his skill and reputation by participation in minor tournaments. During his time at Churston, he was encouraged by the club's committee to enter The Open Championships from 1900 to 1902, and was granted a week's leave of absence and five pounds for expenses each year. After leaving Churston, in early 1903, he became the head professional at Ganton Golf Club, replacing the legendary Harry Vardon who had left to join the South Herts Golf Club. Later, he would take up the position of golf professional at Oxhey Golf Club near Watford in Hertfordshire from 1912 to 1941, when he retired due to illness. He was also a fine clubmaker and advertised his business while the professional at Oxhey. He specialized in the production of drivers, mashies, and niblicks.

Playing style[edit]

He favoured an attacking style, and had to develop phenomenal recovery skills. Cartoonists usually depicted him with a niblick in hand, festooned with clumps of heather and saplings, with an inseparable pipe clamped between his teeth. Ray was beloved by fans for his daring play, friendly, genial manner and optimistic spirit.

1913 U.S. Open[edit]

Ray was best known for participating in a playoff for the U.S. Open in 1913 with Vardon and Francis Ouimet, the winner. Ray's opening round of 79 was not particularly useful but he rebounded by carding a course record 70 in round two which electrified the gallery and got him back into contention.^[2] He narrowly missed a 5-foot putt at the last that would have given him a 69.^[2] His four cards for the tournament were 79-70-76-79=304.^[4]

The 1913 U.S. Open was the subject of a 2005 Disney movie entitled, The Greatest Game Ever Played, based on author Mark Frost's 2002 book of the same name. Ray had joined Vardon on an extensive tour of North America, promoted and financed by English media baron Lord Northcliffe. The two stars travelled the continent for two months, partnering in exhibition matches against the top players in each area they visited. The tour was very successful, attracting large crowds who came out to watch the top British players challenge emerging local golf talent at a time when golf was entering a boom period of popularity, which was further stimulated by the tour. Vardon and Ray ended their tour at the 1913 U.S. Open.^[5]

Major championships[edit]

Ray, while often overshadowed by Vardon, John Henry Taylor, and James Braid, the Great Triumvirate who dominated golf for 20 years, did have many professional successes of his own. He won The Open Championship at Muirfield in 1912,^[4][6][7] and had many more near-misses in that event, with 11 more finishes in the top-10. He won the U.S. Open at Inverness in 1920.^[4][7] That victory, at age 43, made Ray the oldest U.S. Open champion for 66 years, until Raymond Floyd, a few months older, won in 1986 (Julius Boros also won at age 43 in 1963; Floyd was passed by Hale Irwin in 1990 at age 45). Ray also finished runner-up three times, in 1903, 1911, and 1912, in the British PGA Matchplay Championship, a significant event.

Ryder Cup[edit]

Ray was player/captain for Great Britain during the "unofficial source event" for Ryder Cup competition at the East Course, Wentworth Club, Virginia Water, Surrey, Great Britain in 1926. He was again player/captain the next year, the first official Ryder Cup. Ray played in The Open Championship as late as age 60 in 1937.

Death and legacy[edit]

Ray died on 26 August 1943 in Watford, England.^[8][9] He is remembered as one of England's all-time best golfers.^[10]

Media depictions[edit]

• Portrayed by English actor Stephen Marcus in director Bill Paxton's 2005 film The Greatest Game Ever Played.

Professional wins[edit]

A group photo of the 1903 English golf team prior to their international match against Scotland. Ray is seated front row, second from the right. J. H. Taylor and Tom Vardon are in the center of the front row, from left to right, respectively. Albert Tingey, Sr. is seated on the far right, front row. James Sherlock is standing in the back row on the far left.

Note: This list is incomplete

• 1903 Leeds Cup
• 1907 Leeds Cup
• 1910 Leeds Cup, Bramshot Cup
• 1911 Leeds Cup, Cruden Bay Professional Tournament
• 1912 The Open Championship
• 1913 Tooting Bec Cup
• 1919 Leeds Cup
• 1920 U.S. Open, Tooting Bec Cup
• 1923 Daily Mail Tournament
• 1924 Roehampton Invitation

Major championships[edit]

Wins (2)[edit]

Year	Championship	54 holes	Winning score	Margin	Runner(s)-up
1912	The Open Championship	5 shot lead	71-73-76-75=295	4 strokes	Harry Vardon
1920	U.S. Open	2 shot deficit	+7 (74-73-73-75=295)	1 stroke	Jack Burke, Sr.,  Leo Diegel,   Jock Hutchison,  Harry Vardon

Results timeline[edit]

Ray played in only The Open Championship and the U.S. Open.

NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10

_______________________________________________________________ 

Why Buy From Chestnut Hill Books?  Chestnut Hill Books has a perfect 100% feedback rating dating over 18 years and spanning 20,000+ transactions, with customers in all 50 states and over 100 countries on 6 continents. Our detailed seller ratings (item as described, communication, shipping time and shipping and handling charges) are among the best on eBay. All domestic purchases come with free shipping and complimentary delivery confirmation, trackable through the United States Post Office. Thank you for looking at our items!

Payment:  Payment is due within 7 days of purchase. Contact us for special payment requests/options. If payment cannot be produced within the 7 day period, please send a message immediately indicating when payment should be expected, otherwise an unpaid item dispute will be filed with eBay. 

Where Do We Ship?  Chestnut Hill Books ships to every country in the world at reasonable rates as suggested by the United States Postal Service. Please contact us for a specific international shipping quote before bidding should you have any questions.

Shipping Terms:  If payment is made immediately, your item will usually be mailed within 24 hours of payment receipt. All items are securely packed to ensure safe shipping. Postcards are mailed between sturdy cardboard. All domestic shipments come with complimentary delivery confirmation, trackable through the USPS. Buyers will receive an e-mail from PayPal with tracking information and related links; please refer to this e-mail before contacting us with questions on the status of your package, as we will have as much delivery information as you. Zero profit is made on international shipping & handling charges; domestic shipping is free. 

Return Policy:  We strive to describe each item completely and accurately. However, if you feel an item was not described correctly, the item can be returned at our expense within 30 days of receipt for a refund of your original payment. It is requested that you contact us immediately should you have any question about the condition or representation of your item.

Who Are We?  Chestnut Hill Books is a family-owned antiques business based out of the SouthCoast, Massachusetts. We collect historical items related to New Bedford, Massachusetts and the surrounding area (Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Westport etc), Boston College (tickets, programs, pennants, postcards, scrapbooks, pinbacks, sports & non-sports etc), Massachusetts political buttons & memorabilia and Mount Monadnock in Jaffrey, New Hampshire. Please contact us if you have any collectibles in those categories.

Other:  Please do not hesitate to contact us with any other questions/comments. We normally respond to all inquiries in a timely manner. Also, please do not forget to leave positive feedback upon item receipt! Thank you for looking at our listings!
_______________________________________________________________