John Ball Jr
Name:
John Ball JrCountry:
EnglandLived:
[1861-1940]. Born on Dec 24, 1861 in Hoylake, nr Liverpool. Died on Dec 2, 1940 in Holywell, Wales (just across the River Dee estuary from Hoylake) (age 78).Original/Home Club:
Royal Liverpool GC, Hoylake.Occupation:
Amateur golfer and farmer.Turned Pro:
n/aMAJORS (1): The Open (1890). British Amateur champion (1888, '90, '92, '94, '99, 1907, '10, 12). First of only two players (Bobby Jones was the other) to have won the Amateur Championship and Open Championship in the same year (1890). World Golf Hall of Fame (inducted in 1977).
Ball was without doubt the outstanding amateur golfer of his era. In a 24-year period from 1888 until 1912 he won the Amateur Championship eight times, although never two years in succession. In 1890 at Prestwick, he became the first Englishman (and first amateur) to break the 30-year monopoly of Scottish professionals winning the coveted Open Championship, something they had done since the championship's inception in 1860. Ball's win at Prestwick launched an era in which golfers from 'south of the border' dominated the Open Championship. From 1891, Messrs Hilton, Vardon and Taylor won eight of the next ten Opens.
As a youngster Ball would have seen the establishment in 1869 of the Liverpool Golf Club (known as 'Hoylake'), and the granting of its Royal status in 1871. With his father the prosperous owner of the nearby Royal Hotel, it was here at Hoylake that Ball honed his game as a youth. On many occasions Ball would have played with (and against) a younger club member, Harold Hilton, who became another of the great amateurs of the day. When the Open Championship came to Royal Liverpool in 1897 (only its second journey outside of Scotland), it was 28-year-old Hilton, rather than 35-year-old Ball who scooped the Claret Jug on his home course.
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (28th). Ball (Eng) beat Abe Mitchell (Eng) at the 38th hole in the final. This was the last of Ball's eight Amateur Championship titles. [Royal North Devon GC, Westward Ho!, Bideford, Devon].
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (26th). Ball (Eng) beat C.C. Aylmer (Eng) 10 and 9 in the final. This was the seventh of Ball's eight Amateur Championship titles. [Royal Liverpool GC, Hoylake, Wirral, Merseyside].
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (23rd). Ball (Eng) beat C.A. Palmer (Eng) 6 and 4 in the final. This was the sixth of Ball's eight Amateur Championship titles. [The Old Course, St Andrews, Fife].
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (15th). Ball (Eng) beat Freddie Tait (Scot) at the 37th hole in the final. This was the fifth of Ball's eight Amateur Championship titles. [Prestwick GC, Ayrshire, Scotland].
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (10th). Ball (Eng) beat Samuel Mure Fergusson (Scot) by 1 hole in the final. This was the fourth of Ball's eight wins in the Amateur Championship. [Royal Liverpool GC, Hoylake, Wirral, Merseyside].
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (8th). Ball (Eng) beat Harold Hilton (Eng) 3 and 1 in the final. This was the third of Ball's eight Amateur Championship titles. [Royal St George's GC, Sandwich, Kent].
Majors
R&A
The Open Championship (30th) (Sept 11). Second-placed Willie Fernie (Scot) and Archie Simpson (Scot) finished 3 shots behind John Ball Jr (Eng, amateur). Ball was the first player from outside Scotland to win The Open, and the first amateur winner. [Prestwick GC, Ayrshire, Scotland].
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (6th). Ball (Eng) beat Johnny Laidlay (Scot) 4 and 3 in the final. This was the second of Ball's eight Amateur Championship titles, coming at his home club, and in the year in which he also won the Open Championship. [Royal Liverpool GC, Hoylake, Wirral, Merseyside].
Amateur
R&A
The Amateur Championship (4th). Ball (Eng) beat Johnny Laidlay (Scot) 5 and 4 in the final. This was the first of Ball's eight Amateur Championship titles. [Prestwick GC, Ayrshire, Scotland].
Sony Open in Hawaii: played at Waialae Country Club near Honolulu, the Sony Open takes over the spotlight from The Sentry as the PGA Tour’s calendar-year opening event (Jan 15-18). The Sentry (not being played in 2026) was formerly known as the Tournament of Champions, with a field typically restricted to golfers who won a PGA Tour event in the previous calendar year.
Dubai Desert Classic: the DP World Tour’s first Rolex Series event of 2026, is contested for the 37th time (Jan 22-25). First won by Englishman Mark James in 1989, it now boasts a four-time winner, Rory McIlroy. Played on the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course, this once desert-surrounded course is the long-time flagship for Golf in Dubai.
Our visit last month included two rounds at Golf de Chantilly, one of France’s most prestigious clubs.
It offers two superb layouts: Le Vineuil, a five-star championship course with a rich history, and Longères, an excellent four-star course that provides a strong and enjoyable test.
The wider Paris region offers plenty more. Courses such as Fontainebleau, Golf de Saint-Germain, and several other top-rated layouts make this area one of Europe’s most rewarding golf destinations, offering a mix of woodland, heathland, and parkland designs.
The Dutch: "It's no' just a game", as they say in Scotland, and that's certainly true at The Dutch. With 5-star services throughout, a lavishly comfortable Loch Lomond-inspired clubhouse, and a superbly designed and presented golf course, one could not ask for more from this top-end private club.
Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.
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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