John Ball (golfer)
Encyclopedia
John Ball, Jr. was a prominent English
amateur golf
er of the late 19th and early 20th century.
Ball was born in Hoylake
, Merseyside
. His father was the prosperous owner of the Royal Hotel, located near the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, in Hoylake. Ball grew up playing golf as a youth on the Royal Liverpool course, which was established in his early boyhood.
After winning The Amateur Championship
in 1888, Ball became the first English-born player to win The Open Championship
in 1890, and in the same year won his second Amateur, the first to win both titles in the same year. Ball subsequently won the 1892, 1894, 1899, 1907, 1910, and 1912 Amateurs, a record eight titles in all, in addition to two runner-up finishes. Ball retired with a 99-22 record (81.8%) at the The Amateur Championship
. Ball was also runner-up in the 1892 Open.
Ball died in Holywell
, Wales
. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame
in 1977.
and The Amateur Championship
.
LA = Low Amateur
NYF = Tournament not yet founded
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
DNQ = Did not qualify for match play portion
R256, R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Source for British Open: www.opengolf.com
Source for 1885 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, April 24, 1885, pg. 8.
Source for 1886 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, September 24, 1886, pg. 5.
Source for 1889 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 10, 1889, pg. 10.
Source for 1891 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 8, 1891, pg. 10.
Source for 1893 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 11, 1893, pg. 12.
Source for 1896 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 22, 1896, pg. 10.
Source for 1897 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, April 28, 1897, pg. 10.
Source for 1898 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 27, 1898, pg. 11.
Source for 1902 British Amateur: Golf, June, 1902, pg. 397.
Source for 1903 British Amateur: Golf, July, 1903, pg. 10.
Source for 1904 British Amateur: Golf, July, 1904, pg. 8.
Source for 1905 British Amateur: Golf, June, 1905, pg. 340.
Source for 1906 British Amateur: Golf, July, 1906, pg. 29.
Source for 1908 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 27, 1908, pg. 14.
Source for 1909 British Amateur:
The American Golfer, July, 1909, pg. 11.
Source for 1911 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, June 1, 1911, pg. 10.
Source for 1913 British Amateur: The American Golfer, July, 1913, pg. 222.
Source for 1914 British Amateur: Golf Illustrated, July, 1914, pg. 27.
Source for 1921 British Amateur: The American Golfer, June 4, 1921, pg. 24.
Source for 1927 British Amateur:
The American Golfer, July, 1927, pg. 66.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
amateur golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er of the late 19th and early 20th century.
Ball was born in Hoylake
Hoylake
Hoylake is a seaside town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, on Merseyside, England. It is located at the north western corner of the Wirral Peninsula, near to the town of West Kirby and where the River Dee estuary meets the Irish Sea...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
. His father was the prosperous owner of the Royal Hotel, located near the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, in Hoylake. Ball grew up playing golf as a youth on the Royal Liverpool course, which was established in his early boyhood.
After winning The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
in 1888, Ball became the first English-born player to win The Open Championship
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
in 1890, and in the same year won his second Amateur, the first to win both titles in the same year. Ball subsequently won the 1892, 1894, 1899, 1907, 1910, and 1912 Amateurs, a record eight titles in all, in addition to two runner-up finishes. Ball retired with a 99-22 record (81.8%) at the The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
. Ball was also runner-up in the 1892 Open.
Ball died in Holywell
Holywell
Holywell is the fifth largest town in Flintshire, North Wales, lying to the west of the estuary of the River Dee.-History:The market town of Holywell takes its name from the St Winefride's Well, a holy well surrounded by a chapel...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame
World Golf Hall of Fame
The World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida, in the United States, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame in that a single site serves both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 golf organizations from all over the world.The Hall of...
in 1977.
Tournament wins (16)
- 1888 The Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
- 1888 St. George's Challenge Cup
- 1889 St. George's Challenge Cup
- 1890 The Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
- 1890 St. George's Challenge Cup
- 1890 The Open ChampionshipThe Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
- 1891 St. George's Challenge Cup
- 1892 The Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
- 1893 Irish Amateur
- 1894 The Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
- 1894 Irish Amateur
- 1899 The Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
- 1899 Irish Amateur
- 1907 The Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
- 1910 The Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
- 1912 The Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur ChampionshipThe Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
Professional wins (1)
| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Margin | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 1890 Open Championship The 1890 Open Championship was a golf competition held at Prestwick Golf Club. The tournament was won by John Ball.... |
The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
+22 (82-82=164) | 3 strokes |  Willie Fernie,  Archie Simpson |
Amateur wins (8)
| Year | Championship | Winning Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
5 & 4 | Johnny Laidlay Johnny Laidlay John Ernest Laidlay was a Scottish amateur golfer. He invented the most popular golf grip used today, although the grip is credited to Harry Vardon, who took it up after Laidlay.... |
| 1890 | The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
4 & 3 | Johnny Laidlay Johnny Laidlay John Ernest Laidlay was a Scottish amateur golfer. He invented the most popular golf grip used today, although the grip is credited to Harry Vardon, who took it up after Laidlay.... |
| 1892 | The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
3 & 1 | Harold Hilton Harold Hilton Harold Horsfall Hilton was an English amateur golfer.-Biography:Hilton was born in West Kirby. In 1892, he won The Open Championship at Muirfield, becoming the second amateur to do so. He won again in 1897 at his home club, Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake... |
| 1894 | The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
1 up | S. Mure Fergusson |
| 1899 | The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
37 holes | Freddie Tait Frederick Guthrie Tait Frederick Guthrie Tait was a Scottish soldier and amateur golfer.Born in Edinburgh, the third son of eminent physicist and fanatical amateur golfer Peter Guthrie Tait, Frederick was educated at the Edinburgh Academy and Sedbergh School. He entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst at the second... |
| 1907 | The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
6 & 4 | C. A. Palmer |
| 1910 | The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
10 & 9 | C. C. Aylmer |
| 1912 | The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
38 holes | Abe Mitchell Abe Mitchell Henry Abraham Mitchell was an English professional golfer.Mitchell was born in East Grinstead, Sussex. He was runner-up in the 1912 Amateur Championship, losing to John Ball on the second extra hole... |
Results timeline
Note: Ball played in only The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
and The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur...
.
| Tournament | 1878 | 1879 |
|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
T4 LA | DNP |
| The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
NYF | NYF |
| Tournament | 1880 | 1881 | 1882 | 1883 | 1884 | 1885 | 1886 | 1887 | 1888 | 1889 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T47 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | NYF | SF | SF | 2 | 1 | SF |
| Tournament | 1890 | 1891 | 1892 | 1893 | 1894 | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 1898 | 1899 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
1 LA | T11 | T2 | T8 | T13 | T18 | DNP | 17 | DNP | T25 |
| The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
1 | R32 | 1 | R16 | 1 | 2 | QF | R64 | QF | 1 |
| Tournament | 1900 | 1901 | 1902 | 1903 | 1904 | 1905 | 1906 | 1907 | 1908 | 1909 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | T15 | DNP | 18 | DNP | T35 | T15 | T13 LA | DNP |
| The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
DNP | DNP | R64 | QF | R16 | R128 | R64 | 1 | R128 | R128 |
| Tournament | 1910 | 1911 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
T19 LA | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | NT | NT | NT | NT | NT |
| The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
1 | R32 | 1 | R256 | R64 | NT | NT | NT | NT | NT |
| Tournament | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship The Amateur Championship is a golf tournament which is held annually in the United Kingdom. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur... |
DNP | R16 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | R128 |
LA = Low Amateur
NYF = Tournament not yet founded
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
DNQ = Did not qualify for match play portion
R256, R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Source for British Open: www.opengolf.com
Source for 1885 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, April 24, 1885, pg. 8.
Source for 1886 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, September 24, 1886, pg. 5.
Source for 1889 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 10, 1889, pg. 10.
Source for 1891 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 8, 1891, pg. 10.
Source for 1893 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 11, 1893, pg. 12.
Source for 1896 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 22, 1896, pg. 10.
Source for 1897 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, April 28, 1897, pg. 10.
Source for 1898 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 27, 1898, pg. 11.
Source for 1902 British Amateur: Golf, June, 1902, pg. 397.
Source for 1903 British Amateur: Golf, July, 1903, pg. 10.
Source for 1904 British Amateur: Golf, July, 1904, pg. 8.
Source for 1905 British Amateur: Golf, June, 1905, pg. 340.
Source for 1906 British Amateur: Golf, July, 1906, pg. 29.
Source for 1908 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 27, 1908, pg. 14.
Source for 1909 British Amateur:
The American Golfer, July, 1909, pg. 11.
Source for 1911 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, June 1, 1911, pg. 10.
Source for 1913 British Amateur: The American Golfer, July, 1913, pg. 222.
Source for 1914 British Amateur: Golf Illustrated, July, 1914, pg. 27.
Source for 1921 British Amateur: The American Golfer, June 4, 1921, pg. 24.
Source for 1927 British Amateur:
The American Golfer, July, 1927, pg. 66.