The Complete Golfer (Illustrated Edition) (Dodo Press) | Vardon, Harry

Harry Vardon (1870-1937) was a Jersey professional golfer and member of the fabled Great Triumvirate of the sport in his day, along with John Henry Taylor and James Braid. He won The Open Championship a record six times and also won the U. S. Open. Vardon was born in Grouville, Jersey, Channel Islands. As a child growing up on the island of Jersey, he did not play much golf. Inspired by his older brother, Tom, he eventually took up the game in his teens and by age 20 he was so good that he turned professional. He was the first professional golfer to play in Knickerbockers - the 'proper' Englishman dressed in an uncomfortable shirt and tie with a buttoned jacket. Nonetheless, within a few years he became golf's first superstar. Vardon was also famous for the Vardon Grip, or overlapping grip, the grip most popular among professional golfers.