Jones and Hagen's matchup

The year 1925 became a turning point for Bobby Jones. America was heading towards an economic downturn with a complete housing marking collapse. The average income of the middle class was also decreasing. (Any of this sound familiar?) The Great Depression was on its way. Jones, with a young wife and baby on the way, worried about how he was going to support his young family. He had taken a job selling golf course real estate, but quickly realized he wasn't a very good salesman. This year he had already won both the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Open, and was seriously considering turning professional. He wanted to be able to earn a portion of the money given to professionals for exhibition matches. Times were different back then. Amateur golfers were considered the gentlemen of the game, and the professionals were seen as nothing more than gamblers.

Walter Hagen was seen as golf's first "true" professional, and had made some money on the tour but made most of it by charging large amounts for his exhibition matches. Hagen invited Jones to play against him, and Jones eventually accepted. In "The Match of the Century," a 72-hole exhibition game between the two, the first 36 holes were played at Jones' home course, and the last 36 holes were played a week later at Hagen's course. Since Jones was an amateur, only Hagen could win money. Jones was hoping this would get his name out there and perhaps even help him sell some more homes. Hagen ended up crushing Jones 12-and-11, a bit embarrassing for Jones, who took it as a sign that he wasn't ready to turn professional. He also realized he did not want to rely on golf to pay his bills.

 

 

Top Row: Jimmy Demaret, Byron Nelson

Bottom Row: Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan

Photo in Brandenburg Museum

Perhaps the match with Hagen was the reason why Jones didn't become a full-time golfer.  He played golf for three months out of the year, considering it a game, not a career. He spent a lot of time at different universities, acquiring degrees in law, English literature, and mechanical engineering. In an interview after he retired, Jones said, "My wife and children came first; then my profession; finally, and never in a life by itself, came golf."

Next blog - Jones and his instructional golf films