By Clair Goodwin
sports@joplinglobe.com
—
Horton Smith came out of nowhere in the fall and winter of 1929 and 1930 to captivate the world of golf.
In the space of less than two years, he had won the North and South Open at Pinehurst, Catalina Open, Pasadena Open and Savanna Open as well as seven other tournaments, earned a spot on the 1929 Ryder Cup team and finished third in the 1930 U.S. Open.
Not bad for a youngster who had turned pro in 1926 and had taken the head pro job at Joplin’s Oak Hill Country Club, now Twin Hills, in that magical year of 1929. National sports writers soon nicknamed him “The Joplin Ghost.”
Before the man with the long, syrupy-smooth swing and delicate putting touch closed his career a little over two decades later, he had won 32 PGA Tour events, played on five Ryder Cup teams, captured the first and third Masters at Augusta National and served as president of the PGA of America.
The good-looking and gentlemanly Smith was a friend of Bobby Jones and received an invitation to Jones’ inaugural Masters in 1934. Horton won it by a shot over Craig Wood. Jones later called Smith’s victory “one of our real delights.”
As pro in Joplin, Smith played an exhibition here with Ed Dudley, who would play the tour and later become PGA president, against Walter Hagen and Johnny Farrell, reigning U.S. Open champion. Smith and Dudley won.
There was a lot more to Smith than just a great swing. He was smart and had leadership qualities, something the PGA of America recognized by electing him president in 1952-1954. He also wrote a book that many consider the bible of putting: “The Secret of . . . Holing Putts.”
Smith was elected to golf’s Hall of Fame in 1958. In 1960, he received the Ben Hogan Award for his contribution.
A rival of Smith at the time was Ky Laffoon, who preceded Smith as head pro at Oak Hill.
Laffoon was a touring pro for more than 20 years and won 10 tournaments. He also was a widely regarded teacher, often giving swing advice to many of his competitors, including Ben Hogan.
But Laffoon was best known as one of the more colorful characters on the pro tour, an extraordinary teacher and a great story-teller. One of the better-known stories about Ky involves dragging an offending putter behind his car to teach it a lesson. It has been said, too, that Laffoon would grind down his wedges by opening the car door as he drove and dragging the putter on the pavement. One time, as the story goes, Hogan hitched a ride with Ky and promptly fell asleep. He suddenly woke up, saw the sparks flying and thought the car was on fire. Hogan reportedly nearly jumped out.
Things like that seemed to happen to Ky. He once was leading a tournament by a couple of strokes. After missing a short birdie putt, he hurled his putter skyward. It caught in a tree and couldn’t be retrieved. Ky finished the last few holes putting with a long iron. He lost by a shot.
The lives and accomplishments of Horton Smith and Ky Laffoon —and their great love of the game — are celebrated with an annual intercity golf rivalry between Joplin and Springfield. The competition began in 1930 as a way for the two cities to decide which had the best claim to Smith. Joplin won that year and the matches have continued since, except for a hiatus during World War II.
Laffoon gave his name to the seniors division in the 1960s.
Although Springfield has won most of the matches, the truth is that wins and losses are secondary for many of the competitors. They enjoy the head-to-head match play form and, of course, want to win. But they also understand that these matches are celebrations of the legacies of two great players of yesteryear and ensure that they are never forgotten.
Qualifying
Joplin will select its Horton Smith and Ky Laffoon Cup teams on Aug. 7-8 at Twin Hills Country Club and Briarbrook Golf Club.
Ky Laffoon qualifying for players 50 and older is scheduled Saturday, Aug. 7, at Briarbrook and Sunday, Aug. 8, at Twin Hills.
Qualifying for the Horton Smith team will be Saturday, Aug. 7, at Twin Hills and Sunday, Aug. 8, at Briarbrook. The age limits are 18 to 49.
Tee times will begin at 11 a.m. on both days.
Entry fee for the 36-hole stroke play qualifying tournament is $80. USGA rules will apply. Contestants must reside within a 60-mile radius of Joplin.
Each team will have 16 members and a minimum of two alternates. Exempt from qualifying will be the winners of the Joplin Globe City Championship, Briarbrook Invitational, Ozark Amateur and Twin Hills Invitational.
Team members will receive two golf shirts to be worn at the competition and a team hat.
The matches will be played Aug. 21-22 at Briarbrook and Twin Hills.
Ageless performance
Art Dahms shot his age twice in last month’s Briarbrook Invitational. Dahms, 77, carded an opening round 72 and followed with a 76.
“My goal is to shoot my age every time I play,” Dahms said. He had a 71 at Peoria Ridge Golf Club in Miami, Okla., earlier this year playing from the senior tees.
Scramble
A three-person scramble is scheduled July 31-Aug. 1 at Columbus (Kan.) Country Club. Tee times are set at 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Entry fee is $150 per team. The field is limited to the first 36 teams entered. Details: 620-674-3383, 620-684-1331 or 620-762-1966.
