A 100 Year History -- Part Two: 1920-1939

Chapter Three -- Professional Golf and National Tournaments Arrive

With more and more attention being paid to the West Coast, it was, perhaps, inevitable that professional golf would begin to make its mark in Southern California. As was the case with many things during the first quarter century of the SCGA's existence, it was Edward B. Tufts and The Los Angeles CC that led the way.

With the help of people such as Norman Macbeth, well-known magazine editor Scotty Chisholm and Jack Malley (president of the Southern California Professional Golfers Association), Tufts encouraged the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce to start up the Los Angeles Open and offer a record purse of $10,000 ($3,500 to the winner). William Randolph Hearst sent his star reporter, Damon Runyon, to cover the event, which was won by "Lighthorse" Harry Cooper at LACC's increasingly famous North Course.

The tournament's success (it remains as the nation's oldest civic-sponsored event) encouraged other tour stops, as well, although the concept of the tour as we know it today was barely in its infancy. In 1929, the Caliente Open was held in San Diego and its $25,000 purse became the largest offered.

The year 1929 was a "major" year for California. The U.S. Amateur was held that year at Pebble Beach, the first USGA championship to be west of the Rocky Mountains. The Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA) brought its championship to Hillcrest CC in Los Angeles in 1929. It wasn't considered a "major" at the time (the concept of "majors" wasn't solidified until 1930 when Bobby Jones won the U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, British Open and British Amateur -- the so-called "Grand Slam"), but it was the first national championship to be held in Southern California. The following year, The Los Angeles Country Club hosted the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship.

In 1937, Bing Crosby, who three years before had moved to the exclusive San Diego County enclave of Rancho Santa Fe, invited a few golf professionals and friends from Hollywood to join him for a two-day tournament at the conclusion of the Del Mar racing season (where Crosby was a regular). Crosby called his tournament the "clambake" and after World War II moved it to the Monterey Peninsula where it became famous as the Bing Crosby Pro-Am (it's now called the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am).

Chapter Four -- Maturation, Growth, and the End of an Era

Historical Note: Hollywood and Golf

George Von Elm: World's Best Unknown Golfer

That George Von Elm (1901-1961) was one of the greatest golfers of his time cannot be debated. Unfortunately for the Salt Lake City native, he came into his own during the 1920s at the same time that Bobby Jones was dominating the golf headlines.

Von Elm won the 1921 Pacific Northwest Championship and three SCGA Amateur championships, beginning in 1924. Two years later, Von Elm reached the finals of the 1924 U.S. Amateur Championship at Philadelphia's famed Merion Cricket Club, where he was thrashed, 9 & 8, by Jones in the championship match.

The following year, Von Elm won the SCGA Amateur, California Amateur and Northern California GA Amateur Championship, the only person to win all three titles in the same year. In the SCGA Amateur final match, he defeated former two-time champion Norman Macbeth, 12 & 10, a record for the event that still stands. At the U.S. Amateur that summer, he faced Jones again, this time in the semifinals, and went down 7 & 6.

The following year, Von Elm competed in the first Los Angeles Open, held at The Los Angeles CC. With seven birdies in the first nine holes on the final round, Von Elm moved into the lead, but "Lighthorse" Harry Cooper picked up six shots in just two holes on the back nine and went on to win the inaugural event.

For Von Elm redemption finally came that summer when he turned back Jones, 2 & 1, to win the U.S. Amateur. It was the only U.S. Amateur that Jones lost in a five-year stretch. Grantland Rice wrote: "George Von Elm has the game that deserves a championship. He is one of the finest golfers, a star at either match or medal play. He was bound to reach the top sooner or later."

Von Elm played on three Walker Cup teams -- 1926, 1928 and 1930. He was third in the 1925 British Open, fourth in the 1928 U.S. Open and fifth in the 1929 U.S. Open.

In 1930, Von Elm turned professional and was involved in the longest playoff in U.S. Open history the following year. At Inverness CC, Von Elm was tied with Billy Burke at the end of 72 holes. In those days, a 36-hole, one-day playoff was the rule but each player shot 149 and so they played a second 36-hole playoff the following day, where Burke defeated Von Elm by one shot.

Von Elm served as head professional at Hacienda GC from 1950-1953 before returning to Utah to retire. He died there in 1961 at the age of 60.