Sept. 24, 1895, in Edinburgh, Scotland
Sept. 11, 1968
The Silver Scot
25
3
• 1927 U.S. Open
• 1930 PGA Championship
• 1931 British Open
Member, World Golf Hall of Fame
• Tommy Armour: "It is not solely the capacity to make great shots that makes champions, but the essential quality of making very few bad shots."
• Author Ross Goodner on Tommy Armour: "At one time or another, he was known as the greatest iron player, the greatest raconteur, the greatest drinker and the greatest and most expensive teacher in golf."
Armour is believed to have coined the term "yips" to describe the nervous affliction that makes short putts treacherous for some golfers. He said of the yips, "Once you've had 'em, you've got 'em."
Tommy Armour's remains one of the most recognizable names in golf decades after his death and more than a half-century since the height of his fame. Why? Because of Tommy Armour golf clubs, which continue to be a highly popular brand of clubs.
Armour's amateur golf career took off while he was living in his native Scotland. After winning the French Amateur in 1920, Armour decided to head for America. On the boat ride across the Atlantic, Armour met Walter Hagen, who was returning from the British Open. After Hagen and Armour disembarked in New York, Hagen helped Armour land a job at the Westchester-Biltmore Club.
Soon, Armour was developing a reputation as a great teacher of golf, not to mention as a great player of the game.
Armour jump-started his playing career in 1927 when he won the U.S. Open, defeating "Lighthorse" Harry Cooper in an 18-hole playoff. Armour went on to win the 1930 PGA and the 1931 British Open, becoming just the third golfer (after Jim Barnes and Walter Hagen) to win all three of those titles.
Other big wins included the 1929 Western Open (then considered a major) and three Canadian Open titles. Armour also played on the American team in a U.S. vs. Great Britain match prior to the 1926 British Open, a competition that some consider the "unofficial" start to the Ryder Cup (see Ryder Cup history).
As a player, Armour was considered one of the finest iron players of his - or any - era.
Armour retired from competition following the 1935 PGA Tour season and turned full-time to teaching. He worked with many great players, including Lawson Little, Babe Didrikson Zaharias and Julius Boros. But he also taught ordinary golfers, charging some of the highest rates of the time.
In 1952, he published the seminal instructional book, "How to Play Your Best Golf All the Time" (compare prices), which is still considered a must-read for serious golfers.
Tommy Armour joined the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1976.
