Who's who: Charles Whitcombe

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Who's who: Charles Whitcombe

  • Name:

    Charles Albert Whitcombe
  • Country:

    England
  • Lived:

    [1895-1978]. Born on Sept 21, 1895 in Berrow, nr Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset. Died on Feb 13, 1978 in Winchmore Hill, Enfield, London (aged 82).
  • Original/Home Club:

    Came Down GC, Dorset.
  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer
  • Turned Pro:

    c.1920

Roll of Honour

Ryder Cup player (1927, '29, 31, '33, '35, '37). Ryder Cup captain (1931, '1949). At least 17 wins on the British and Irish professional circuit. Harry Vardon Trophy (1937), awarded at the time to the winner of the British PGA's Order of Merit.

Did you know?

Charles Whitcombe was the second oldest of the three Whitcombe brothers who successfully strode the English professional golfing stage in the 1920s and 1930s. All three played together in the 1935 Ryder Cup. Charles was the playing captain of the GB&I team on that occasion, as he was in 1931 and 1937, and 1949 as the non-playing captain.

Top tournaments won by Charles Whitcombe

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Charles

Score

276

Prize money

£200

Title sponsor

Silvertown Co.

Played as the Silver King Tournament. Second-placed Alf Perry (Eng) and Eddie Whitcombe (Eng) finished 2 shots behind Charles Whitcombe (Eng). Eddie was the son of Ernest Whitcombe, Charles's brother. [High course, Moor Park GC, Rickmansworth, Herts].

1937
Awards
71.62
British PGA

Category

Awards

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Charles

Venue

Score

71.62

Prize money

Title sponsor

British PGA

Whitcombe (Eng) won the inaugural Harry Vardon Trophy as the British PGA Tour 1937 Order of Merit winner. Award based on lowest scoring average in the season's top seven professional events. Whitcombe's 71.62 was based on 24 rounds; he played in six of the seven events. Paddy Mahon (Ire) was second with 71.90.

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Charles

Score

295

Prize money

£315

Title sponsor

Dunlop

Played as the Dunlop-Southport £1600 Tournament. Second-placed Dick Burton (Eng) and Henry Cotton (Eng) finished 1 shot behind Whitcombe (Eng). [Royal Birkdale GC, Southport, Merseyside].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Charles

Score

289

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Irish Open. Second-placed and defending champion Abe Mitchell (Eng) finished 8 shots behind Whitcombe (Eng). [Dunluce Links, Royal Portrush GC, Co. Antrim, N. Ireland].

1930
Europe
Oxhey Park
4 & 2
£300
News of the World

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Charles

Venue

Oxhey Park

Score

4 & 2

Prize money

£300

Title sponsor

News of the World

Played as the News of the World Match Play (Sept 23-26). Whitcombe (Eng) beat Henry Cotton (Eng) 4 and 2 in the 36-hole final - as he did two years earlier in 1928. [Oxhey Park GC, Watford, Herts. 18-hole course at the time; now 9-holes].

1928
Europe
3 & 2
£200
Yorkshire Eve. News

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Charles

Score

3 & 2

Prize money

£200

Title sponsor

Yorkshire Eve. News

Played as the Yorkshire Evening News 1000 Guineas Tournament (May 17-19). Charles Whitcombe (Eng) beat Herbert Jolly (Guernsey) 3 and 2 in the 36-hole final. Whitcombe's older brother Ernest was the defending champion. Jolly was the losing finalist for the second straight year. [Moortown GC, nr Leeds, W Yorks, England].

1928
Europe
4 & 2
£300
News of the World

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Charles

Score

4 & 2

Prize money

£300

Title sponsor

News of the World

Played as the News of the World Match Play (Sept 18-21). Whitcombe (Eng) beat Henry Cotton (Eng) 4 and 2 in the 36-hole final. Both players were hailed as "amongst the world's greatest" for the quality of their play. Whitworth took control in the middle of the second round, with scores of 2, 3, 3, 3 from the 7th to the 10th hole. [Stoke Park CC, Stoke Poges, Bucks].

1926
Europe
9 & 8
£200
Yorkshire Eve. News

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Charles

Score

9 & 8

Prize money

£200

Title sponsor

Yorkshire Eve. News

Played as the Yorkshire Evening News 1000 Guineas Tournament (Aug 19-21). Charles Whitcombe (Eng) beat Moses O'Neill (Ire) 9 and 8 in the 36-hole final. [Moortown GC, nr Leeds, W Yorks, England].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Whitcombe, Charles

Score

289

Prize money

£300

Title sponsor

Daily Mail

Played as the Daily Mail £1000 Tournament. Second-placed Len Holland (Eng) finished 9 shots behind Whitcombe (Eng). [Royal Cinque Ports GC, Deal, Kent].

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Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

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Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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