This first video simply shows one of lockes putts over and over so you can see how he did it. The key to understanding bobby lockes stroke is the line he draws the putter back along the verb tense here is the eternal present, suitable for the immortals of golf. It would have been fun to see locke play longer in the states. When bobby first arrived in the usa, his swing was ridiculed by some of the regular tour professionals on the american golf circuit. Gary player demonstrates bobby lockes putting stroke youtube. In the first place, the weight is evenly distributed on both feet. Under the category of great putters in golf history, arthur darcy bobby locke is certainly at the top of the list and there are those in a contingent, led by gary player, who would argue that the south african was the best of all time. That son of a bitch locke was able to hole a putt over 60 feet of peanut brittle. Mar 05, 2020 bobby locke, south african golfer who won the open championship british open four times. African open, which bobby locke had won about 10 times, held at the royal johannesburg golf club and i had the unbelievable good fortune of being personally introduced to the one and only, bobby locke, by a mutual friend.
Locke played in his first open in 1936 at the age of 18 he finished low amateur. Dark journey a fourtime winner of the british open, bobby. Im not sure what the precise ingredients make up a winner at golf but whatever they are, bobby locke possessed them all. Blue dust wrapper, signed and dated in year of publication. The key to understanding bobby locke s stroke is the line he draws the putter back along the verb tense here is the eternal present, suitable for the immortals of golf.
Every day, well send you an email to your inbox with scores, todays schedule, top performers, new debuts and interesting tidbits. He won four open championships, nine south african opens, seven south african pga championships and 15 pga tour events. A meticulous putter who was considered among the best in golf, locke won the vardon trophy for lowest scoring average among male professional golfers in 1946, 1950, and 1954. Bobby locke was a golfer known for his quirky approach to the game, but also for the great results his style produced. He won the south african open for the first of nine times in 1935, playing as an amateur. While all of these facts are not in question, bobby locke s personal history became tangled up and distorted over the years because of a series of misquotes, fabrications and enhancements by locke himself and others. This month marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of bobby locke, who came into this world on november 17, 1917 and would go on to win four british opens as well as a bunch of tournaments in south africa, the united states and all around the world. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1. Bobby locke on golf by locke, bobby and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. His golf career was interrupted by service in the south african air force during world war ii. Well the correct question who was bobby locke and the answer to that is one of the best golfers to ever put on a pair of knickerbockers. Sep 30, 2017 everybody talks about how the great south african golfer bobby locke used to pull his putts into the hole but was a great golfer anyway.
Lot detail bobby lockes personal putter with heavy use. He won four open championships, nine south african opens, seven south african pga championships and 15 pga tour events locke was born in germiston, south africa. Locke played in his first open in 1936 at the age of 18. Golf lessons from the senior tour, we fell into a discussion about bobby locke. There is a reference to bobby locks putting stroke in another thread which is misleading. Need a new golf book to read or the accident ended lockes days as a competitive golfing force as he suffered regular migraines and. When i was thirteen, my dear old dad gave me bobby jones book on golf, and he said to me, son, here is the finest golfer in the world, and i want you to learn how to play from his book. This first video simply shows one of locke s putts over and over so you can see how he did it. Continuing my attempt to make shorter posts this weekend because theres so much us open coverage and other golf on tv, i offer this short quote from gary players book dont choke.
I have maintained that the people we should be learning from are the best players in history. Locke was born on march 3, 1934 in the small coal mining community of rowes run. We reminisced with bobby about bobby s phenominal play in the united states during years of 1947, 48, and 49. Before retief goosen, before ernie els and before gary player there was another south african golfer who started the tradition of excellence among players of the southernmost country in africa.
This stroke is not for the feint of heart and you may want to go out and practice this method a few times before taking it to the course. He sets up with the putter aimed square down the line at the target with a narrow stance but with his right foot drawn back from the line about 3 inches. A classic book in the library of golf mixing lockes golfing life, instruction, psychology, courses and players. Locke is quoted as having said the following on that subject. Bobby locke, south african golfer who won the open championship british open four times. Like many american golf writers at the time, cronin was both intrigued and impressed by what locke they called him the veldt belter from darkest africa achieved during his first campaign in america in 1947. Bobby locke learned three important things from bobby jones i discovered a new. Jun 11, 2014 he put the rivalry with bobby another way. He was a prolific tournament winner in his native country, eventually accumulating 38 wins on the southern africa tour now the sunshine tour. Gary player has always maintained that lockes talent and. Bobby locke learned three important things from bobby jones i discovered a new, old book, entitled the methods of golfs masters, by dick aultman and ken bowden.
Bobby locke, the great south african golfer had a very unorthodox golf swing. In his book, on golf, locke writes in his wry, understated, way. He won four majors, and might have won more if not for a feud with the pga tour. Bobby lockewinner 20 novemberhis birthday bobby locke was born on november 20 in germiston, south africa. Just ask lee trevino, arnold palmer, raymond floyd, bobby jones, nancy lopez, walter hagen, bobby locke. Bobby locke is regarded among the connoisseurs of the game as perhaps the greatest putter of all time. Lloyd mangrum center, defending champion and jimmy demaret left, look over the hot putter of bobby locke of south africa, this evening after they completed a practice round at the st. American ball backswing bad shot beat birdie bobby bobby locke britain british golf british open clubface clubhead country club distance divot dogleg downswing drive edge england fade fairway father feel feet finished four fred daly full followthrough gene sarazen golf golf club golfers grip handicap hit the ball illustration impact iron jimmy demaret johannesburg last green last round left arm left foot left hand left heel left wrist match mind moortown never open champion open. Many years ago, i had the opportunity to play with bobby locke at erpm golf course in boksburg, south africa. If youre a golfer and competitive you couldnt do better than study mr. Lockes father gave him jones book on golf, and locke used it to teach himself the game.
Gary player has always maintained that locke s talent and confidence in his putting method were the greatest. Oct 01, 2017 in other words, locke wanted you to feel like you were hitting a draw with your putts. Bobby locke on golf by bobby locke 1953 hcdj first edition signed by bobby locke. Arthur darcy bobby locke 20 november 1917 9 march 1987 was a south african. One of 250 special hardbound copies published on the occasion of the 2002 memorial tournament to honor golfing great bobby locke. Player locke is certainly worthy of further note and in no way should be forgotten by us. Martin hall tells you what you can take away from the major. Bobby locke on golf by bobby locke 1953 hcdj first edition signed by bobby. Bobby lockewinnerbarney beard golf barney beards golf. This clip shows gary player, south africas greatest golfer, talking about. I found that abe books had some booksellers selling lockes book but the postage was prohibitive. That inaccurate history sullies the real achievements by locke on many golf courses around the world.
Ralph guldahl 1939 groove your golf cinesports library bobby jones flip book. Larry bobby locke 2009 lawrence donald bobby locke fashioned a nineyear career in major league baseball. He learned by reading bobby jones instruction books, adapting a wristy insideout move that consistently. Did you ever read lockes book i think it was called bobby locke on golf. From triumph to tragedy the triumphant but ultimately tragic tale of south african golfing legend bobby locke. Bobby locke page at the bullpen wiki are you a stathead. In october 1914 the clovelly golf course, situated in cape town, donated a set of bobby lockes golf clubs to the southern african golf hall of fame, located near herolds bay in the western cape, at the oubaai hotel golf and spa.
Oddly there is almost no mention of the author anywhere in the book. South african air force wwii locke was struck by a train on the day of his daughters birth, 1960. American ball backswing bad shot beat birdie bobby bobby locke britain british golf british open clubface clubhead country club distance divot dogleg downswing drive edge england fade fairway father feel feet finished four fred daly full followthrough gene sarazen golf golf club golfers grip handicap hit the ball illustration impact iron. Locke discusses his putting style in the book, more putts are missed because they are started on the wrong line. October 1, 2017 so, i hear you ask, who the heck is bobby locke. But how he putted on the greens was something you had to see to believe. The following are lockes words about his putting technique taken from bobby locke on golf page 121.
Valuable book group, llc specialists in rare and antiquarian. Bobby locke 4 opens 1917 1987 arthur darcy bobby locke 20 november 1917 9 march 1987 was a south african professional golfer. A lot of people are going to try to help you, but let it go in one ear. Martin hall tells you what you can take away from the major champ to improve your game. And as gary player once said to me, he was the best i ever saw until tiger. May 01, 2014 bobby locke, the great south african golfer had a very unorthodox golf swing.
Find out more about bobby lockes successful pro golf career. When i was interviewing australian jim ferree for my 1990 book playing with the pros. Its saying a lot, but bobby locke, the golfer who died tuesday in his. Ferree knew him well from the 40s and i asked jim about lockes ability with a putter. Bobby locke was one of the finest putters the game has ever seen. I rate as good in this domain as the famous ben hogan book. Bobby locke at swinton park golf club, ben hogan swing 1953 duration englishman andy sullivan remained on top of the leaderboard after the second round of the south african open at glendower golf club on friday.
We reminisced with bobby about bobbys phenominal play in the united states during years of 1947, 48, and 49. Bobby locke was a south african golf player with unorthodox methods. Later in 1947, when locke first appeared at augusta, he was paired with bobby jones. Bobby lockes legacy is remarkable, triumphant and tragic. After this he suffered psychological problems, his golf. Detailed one page letter on attractive bobby locke stationery comes from mary locke mrs a. I found this video that really gives you a good view of how his unorthodox putting technique looked from the hole. Oddly there is almost no mention of the author anywhere in the. I place the feet about four inches apart, with the right.
Dark journey a fourtime winner of the british open, bobby locke was celebrated as a hero in his homeland, but he left those he loved a legacy of sadness and tragedy. He was a fourtime open champion and winner of 72 professional tournaments, but a car accident in. When he was 14 in 1931 locke won the south african boys championship. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. Maaastah, he said to me in his clipped south african accent. He made me an offer of a guarantee if i would appear in this event. His advice is still quite relevant today that you should keep your head down. Arthur darcy bobby locke 20 november 1917 9 march 1987 was a south african professional golfer. The putting genius of bobby locke armchair golf blog. What difference is perfecting the wrist angle at position seven in the moveaway going to make in your game and ability to compress a golf ball. How to putt like bobby locke golf, how to suck less. Bobby must have kept this putter around forever keeping it tuned up ready to destroy his opponents with the slight pinging or clicking noise ball and putter made as locke executed the perfectlystruck putt. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices.
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