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Outstanding players and memorable championships stoked the growth of Virginia amateur golf by Bruce Matson The years between the two world wars saw the emergence of exceptional players whose championship successes and reputations stretched beyond the commonwealth. In addition to their VSGA victories, Billy Howell won the Middle Atlantic Amateur in 1930 and 1931 and reached the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur in 1931. He also played on the Walker Cup team in 1932, in the first Masters event in 1934 and was runner-up in the National Intercollegiate Tournament in 1932 held at The Homestead. Meanwhile, Bobby Reigel won the 1934 Middle Atlantic Championship and the 1935 Southern Amateur, and reached the semifinals of the 1941 U.S. Amateur. And, of course, Chandler Harper turned professional after winning 1930 Virginia Amateur and went on to record various professional victories, including the 1950 PGA Championship. As much as the earliest golf champions of Virginia thrilled spectators and began to gain reputations beyond Virginia, perhaps no era of competitive golf in the commonwealth can match the two decades from the middle of the 1950s to the 1970s. Not surprisingly, this time frame would see the rise of Virginia’s greatest amateur, as well as the emergence of a few of its most notable touring professionals. Shortly after World War II, the Virginia State Golf Association significantly expanded its schedule of statewide championships, adding as many as seven new events between 1947 and 1955, including the Junior Amateur and the Virginias-Carolinas Team Matches. At the same time, the VSGA started a unique relationship with The Homestead. The State Amateur and the association’s annual meeting was held at the Hot Springs, Va., resort from 1948-73. Additionally, the historic championship matches played during this “Golden Age” would be contested over the hotel’s William Flynn-designed Cascades Course. What makes this particular period of time the Golden Age is not just the number of exciting championship matches or a few incredible moments, but the remarkable number of extraordinary players competing regularly in the VSGA events, and the corresponding intensity of the resulting competitions. As this era began, Wynsol Spencer was among the most dominant of Virginia’s players. Spencer won the State Amateur in 1939 and 1948, was runner-up in 1949 and 1950 and had been low amateur in the State Open six times prior to 1955. He proved to be most competitive in his 30s and 40s as he won the VSGA Amateur Championship again in 1953, 1955 and 1959, to accumulate a then-record five titles. Also entering the Golden Age as an established champion was future VSGA president George Fulton, who won the Amateur in 1954, was runner-up in 1951 and medalist in 1952. Anyone seeking the amateur championship in the commonwealth, at least during the first half of this era, would inevitably have to get by Fulton, who continued to play well enough to be medalist in 1958 and 1962, and to win low amateur honors at the State Open in 1958 and 1960.
From nearby Hampton and Williamsburg arose competitors that would make their mark in Virginia golf history. Sam Wallace regularly stood in the way of anyone who expected to prevail at the VSGA Amateur Championship, as well as other important competitions in the commonwealth. Whether a youthful runner-up in 1963, an experienced competitor as winner of the 1967 State Amateur or a more mature champion at the 1978 event, Wallace was one of the dominant faces of the Golden Age of Virginia championship golf. Toward the end of the era, another player of great skill and considerable promise arose from Hampton. Skeeter Heath won in 1976 and earned runner-up honors in 1974. Heath was a regular competitor who raised the level of play required to win Virginia’s most coveted amateur prize. While the volunteer officers of the VSGA have a history of excellent playing ability, not many reached the highest ranks of competitive play. In the pioneering days, perennial leaders W.P. Wood and F.J.D. MacKay excelled. Like George Fulton, other VSGA presidents added to the high standard of play that dominated this unique era. Always formidable opponents, Harry Easterly was runner-up and medalist at the 1956 State Am, Aulick Burke was medalist in 1957 and Harry Lea was runner-up in 1973. The peninsula was not the only source of extraordinary golfers that would challenge for the amateur championships in Virginia throughout the 20 years following the mid-1950s. From Virginia Beach (and later Richmond) Jordan Ball challenged for the Amateur. Though never successful in capturing the Schwarzschild Brothers Trophy, Ball was runner-up in 1959 and medalist in 1966. In addition, he claimed other amateur competitions like Hermitage Country Club’s Valentine Invitational and, in this special era, was always a formidable obstacle. Although he would become a professional early in this era, another exceptional competitor from the Beach was Ball’s uncle Tom Strange, who was runner-up in the Amateur and low amateur at the State Open in 1957. Perhaps more significant for Virginia golf history, Strange was father to twins Allan and Curtis, who would help close this era and accomplish much as competitive golfers beyond this period.
With competitive golfers of the caliber of Jackson, Wallace, Broach, Curtis Strange, and the numerous others mentioned, Virginia would have likely had a Golden Age without a young redhead from Lynchburg. Yet, in 1962, just two years after being medalist at the State Junior Championship, a 19-year-old college freshman named Marvin “Vinny” Giles, III beat all comers at the Cascades to win his first of a record seven VSGA Amateur titles. To accentuate the point about the level of competition, Giles beat Ball and Wallace in winning the 1962 event, and Fulton refereed the final match. Vinny would raise the level of play still higher while proceeding to set every record imaginable in Virginia amateur golf to establish himself as one of the greatest amateurs of all time. While various individuals turned in remarkable performances in amateur competition in the commonwealth during this Golden Age, no one person better reflects and embodies this period than Giles. He was not only competitive for almost every year of this era, but would win the championship six times during this age before triumphing again in 1987. Look at the players Giles beat in the finals during his six victories in this era: Wallace, Jackson on two occasions, Broach and Charlie McDowell of Virginia Beach. McDowell, an excellent player himself, won the 1961 U.S. Junior Amateur and was runner-up at the 1961 U.S. Amateur and the 1962 U.S. Junior Amateur. For good reason, many observers of Virginia golf history point to the finals of the 1971 VSGA Amateur Championship as the pinnacle of this Golden Age. While players like Wallace and Broach were mounting significant challenges to every competitor at the annual championship at The Homestead, a few younger players were honing their games at the junior level preparing for their time toward the conclusion of this special era. Lanny Wadkins triumphed at the VSGA Junior Amateur Championship in 1964 and 1965, while Curtis Strange prevailed in 1970 and 1972. Like his brother, Bobby Wadkins also competed successfully at the junior level. Before the Wadkins bothers and Strange would leave the amateur ranks, they had a few more history-making achievements in store for Virginia amateur golf. After winning back-to-back State Amateurs in 1968 and 1969, Lanny and Bobby met in the finals for the 1970 title, with Lanny registering a 6 and 5 decision. Thus, the stage was set for the 1971 VSGA Amateur Championship: Vinny was looking to regain the Amateur title, and Lanny was the defending champion. Lanny had just won the U.S. Amateur at Waverley Country Club in Portland, Ore., earlier that summer. Giles finished second in the U.S. Amateur in 1967, 1968 and 1969. Also, the two had been teammates on the winning 1969 and 1971 USA Walker Cup teams as well as the victorious 1970 World Amateur Team Championship squad. They were probably the best two amateur players in the nation at the time. To reach the historic 36-hole match play final, Giles beat Buddy Loving and Moss Beecroft. Wadkins defeated Broach and a 16-year-old Curtis Strange.
Lanny would turn professional, but another Wadkins would extend this unique era. Bobby bested Curtis Strange the following year to earn his victory at the State Amateur. Strange came back to prevail twice, winning the event in 1974 and 1975 and, in many ways, this feat marked the end of the Golden Age. Amateur golf was changing in material ways, both in Virginia and nationwide. While Strange and the Wadkins brothers helped to bring the very best of excitement and competition to amateur golf in Virginia, this also marked the time when the college generation overtook, probably forever, the destiny of amateur competition in Virginia. Although a 33-year-old Wallace won in 1978 and Giles would capture one more State Amateur in 1987 at the age of 44, with increasing frequency the event would belong to the youth. That said, no student of amateur golf will forget its Golden Age and its cast of vigorous competitors. Author Bruce H. Matson is a writer from Richmond, and serves as the VSGA’s legal counsel. He has previously authored books about Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Fla., and Hermitage Country Club in Manakin-Sabot. |
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The capital of Virginia also contributed exceptional players to the competitive mix. Out of Glenwood Country Club, Nelson Broach was a regular presence at the Amateur. Like Sam Wallace, Broach competed at the highest levels for the entire era, taking home medalist honors as early as 1953 and as late as 1974. Broach was also crowned champion in 1963 and was runner-up in 1966. From Hermitage Country Club came 1960 champion Ned Baber and 1958 runner-up Walter Lawrence. On the southside of Richmond at Meadowbrook Country Club arrived two brothers, Lanny and Bobby Wadkins (pictured right with Lanny in the background), who would put an exclamation point on the Golden Age.
In the final match, Giles (pictured left on the right of the picture) won the first hole and after the morning round led Wadkins 4 up, but 18 holes of afternoon competition still remained. Predictably, Wadkins was not finished and certainly was not ready to cede the Schwarzschild Brothers Trophy to Giles without a fight. After lunch, Wadkins came out and shot 33 and narrowed the margin to 1-hole down with 10 to play. During the afternoon session, each golfer parred the ninth, tenth and eleventh holes, before Giles birdied the par-3 12th hole to go 2 up. Wadkins was 2 down but still had the famous finish at the Cascades that consists of a par 3, back-to-back par 5s and the final hole, a par 3. The closing stretch is ripe with many opportunities and possibilities. When they halved No. 15 with pars, Giles knocked his third shot to two feet on No. 16, to post a 3 and 2 victory. As the two competitors walked back to the clubhouse, Giles recalled Wadkins saying, “I played the best I’ve ever played in my life and you beat the hell out of me.” It was a remarkable match during an unforgettable time.