Walter Hagen

“It is a splendid course. Personally I am very fond of seaside links. They are natural and provide very interesting and varied types of holes. The Seaton links are very well groomed, the greens lovely, and the fairways and lies good. It is not an easy course. It provides a good test of golf and is one on which I should like to play quite often.” Those were the thoughts of four times Open champion Walter Hagen after a visit to Seaton Carew on Saturday 24th of July 1937. The “Clown Prince of Golf”, as he was known, had just partnered his Australian colleague, Joe Kirkwood, in an exhibition match against the Seaton pair of Club Professional, Bert Reveley, and former Captain and Schoolboy International, Peter Salmon. The visit created considerable interest in local golfing circles, and despite showery rain there was a gallery of several hundred to accompany the match. Kirkwood had arrived well ahead of time and hit a few practice iron shots, followed by some work with a driver and brassie, before finishing with a little approach work and putting. Hagen didn’t arrive until 2.30, when a large chauffeur driven car pulled up outside the clubhouse, and out stepped “The Haig” along with his female secretary. He then went into the locker room, but looked in no apparent hurry to start the match. In fact, he sat down and refused to move until his “togs” were brought in. Finally, he came out and instead of being given the bird by the spectators, as might have been expected, he was welcomed with a hearty round of applause. The Seaton pair took an early lead and by the turn had gone four up. The next three holes were halved, but then the visitors mounted a come-back, thanks to birdies from Hagen at the 13th and 14th. On reaching the 17th the locals were dormie two, That was won by Hagen and Kirkwood with another birdie, but a half at the last gave victory to the home pair, meaning Bert Reveley and Peter Salmon had become the only Professional/Amateur combination to beat two of the best golfers of the era.