Who's who: James Braid

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Who's who: James Braid

  • Name:

    James Braid
  • Country:

    Scotland
  • Lived:

    [1870-1950]. Born on Feb 6, 1870 in Earlsferry, Fife. Died on Nov 27, 1950 in Kensington, London aged 80.
  • Original/Home Club:

    Earlsferry, Fife, Scotland.
  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer; golf course designer.
  • Turned Pro:

    1896
  • Website:

    http://www.thebraidsociety.com

Roll of Honour

MAJORS (5). Multiple professional tournament wins. World Golf Hall of Fame (inducted in 1976).

Golf course design

James Braid designs can be found the length and breadth of the UK. Some of his best known work includes:

SCOTLAND: Ballater (1892) / Blairgowrie GC (Rosemount course, 1889) / Boat of Garten (1898) / Brora (1891) / Carnoustie (Championship course remodelling, 1926) / Dalmahoy (East course, 1922) / Downfield (1932) / Gleneagles (King's course, 1919) (Queen's course, 1917) / Irvine, Bogside (1887) / Lundin (1868) / Nairn (improvements, 1920) / Powfoot (1903) / Royal Aberdeen (improvements, 1925) / Scotscraig (redesign, 1923) / West Kilbride (redesign, 1905).

ENGLAND & WALES: Aberdovey (with Herbert Fowler & Swan, 1892) / Berkhamsted (with Harry Colt, 1890) / Ganton (with Dunn, Vardon & Colt, 1891) / Hankley Common (1897) / Hunstanton (with George Fernie, 1891) / La Moye (1935) / Purdis Heath, Ipswich (1928) / Langland Bay (1901) / North Hants (1904) / Nefyn & District (with J.H.Taylor, 1920) / Parkstone (remodelling, 1937) / Pennard (1896) / Perrenporth (1927) / Sherwood Forest (redesign, 1925) / Southport & Ainsdale (1922) / St Enodoc (Church course, 1890) / Tenby (1888) / Thorpeness (1922) / Wrexham (1906).

Did you know?

James Braid was a five-time winner of the Open Championship (1901, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1910). He was a member of what became known as the "Great Triumverate," along with J.H. Taylor and Harry Vardon. Together, these three legends of the game laid claim to 16 out of the 21 Open Championships that were played between 1894 and 1914. In the years when they did not win, at least one of them was runner-up.

From 1912 Braid reduced his play in tournaments and became the professional at Walton Heath Golf Club, just south of London. He concentrated on writing about the game and on his work as a prolific golf course designer. It was once said of him that "nobody could be as wise as James Braid looks".

Top tournaments won by James Braid

1911
Europe
1 hole
£100
News of the World

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Braid, James

Score

1 hole

Prize money

£100

Title sponsor

News of the World

Played as the News of the World Match Play (Oct 2-5). Braid (Scot) beat Ted Ray (Jersey) by 1 hole in the 36-hole final. Braid was the club professional at Walton Heath at the time. [Old course, Walton Heath GC, Walton on the Hill, Surrey].

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Braid, James

Score

299

Prize money

£50

Title sponsor

R&A

The Open Championship (50th) (June 22-24). Second-placed Alex "Sandy" Herd (Scot) finished 4 shots behind Braid (Scot). This was the last of Braid's five Open Championship wins. [The Old Course, St Andrews, Fife].

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Braid, James

Score

298

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Open de France. Second-placed Arnaud Massy (Fra) finished 2 shots behind Braid (Scot). [Vallée course, Racing Club de France (RCF), La Boulie GC, Versailles, nr Paris].

1908
Majors
291
£30
R&A

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Braid, James

Score

291

Prize money

£30

Title sponsor

R&A

The Open Championship (48th) (June 18/19). Second-placed Tom Ball (Eng) finished 8 shots behind Braid (Scot). This was the fourth of Braid's five Open Championship wins. [Prestwick GC, Ayrshire, Scotland].

1907
Europe
4 & 2
£100
News of the World

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Braid, James

Score

4 & 2

Prize money

£100

Title sponsor

News of the World

Played as the News of the World Match Play (Oct 15-17). Braid (Scot) beat J.H. Taylor (Eng) 4 and 2 in the 36-hole final. [Old course, Sunningdale GC, Sunningdale, Berks].

1906
Majors
300
£30
R&A

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Braid, James

Score

300

Prize money

£30

Title sponsor

R&A

The Open Championship (46th) (June 13-15). Second-placed J.H. Taylor (Eng) finished 4 shots behind defending champion Braid (Scot). This was the third of Braid's five Open Championship wins. [Muirfield - The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, East Lothian].

1905
Europe
4 & 3
£100
News of the World

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Braid, James

Score

4 & 3

Prize money

£100

Title sponsor

News of the World

Played as the News of the World Match Play (Oct 3-5). Braid (Scot) beat Tom Vardon (Jersey) 4 and 3 in the 36-hole final. Braid was the club professional at Walton Heath at the time. [Old course, Walton Heath GC, Walton on the Hill, Surrey].

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Braid, James

Score

318

Prize money

£30

Title sponsor

R&A

The Open Championship (45th) (June 7-9). Second-placed Rowland Jones (Eng) and J.H. Taylor (Eng) finished 5 shots behind Braid (Scot). This was the second of Braid's five Open Championship wins. [The Old Course, St Andrews, Fife].

1903
Europe
4 & 3
£100
News of the World

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Braid, James

Score

4 & 3

Prize money

£100

Title sponsor

News of the World

The inaugural Professional Golfers' Association "News of the World" Golf Tournament (Oct 13-15). Braid (Scot) beat Ted Ray (Jersey) 4 and 3 in the 36-hole final. [Old course, Sunningdale GC, Sunningdale, Berks].

1901
Majors
309
£30
R&A

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Braid, James

Score

309

Prize money

£30

Title sponsor

R&A

The Open Championship (41st) (June 5/6). Second-placed Harry Vardon (Jersey) finished 4 shots behind Braid (Scot). This was the first of Braid's five Open Championship wins. [Muirfield - The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, East Lothian].

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