Harold Horsfall Hilton (12 January 1869 – 5 May 1942) was an English amateur golfer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He won
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, often referred to as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Later th ...
twice,
The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship (sometimes referred to as the British Amateur or British Amateur Championship outside the UK) is a golf tournament which has been held annually in the United Kingdom since 1885 except during the two World Wars, and in 19 ...
four times, and the
U.S. Amateur
The United States Amateur Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Amateur, is the leading annual golf tournament in the United States for amateur golfers. It is organized by the United States Golf Association and is currently held each August ov ...
Championship once.
Biography
![Harold Hilton 1914-05-21](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Harold_Hilton_1914-05-21.jpg)
Hilton was born in
West Kirby
West Kirby is a resort town on the north-west corner of the Wirral Peninsula in Merseyside, England, at the mouth of the River Dee, Wales, River Dee. Within the boundaries of the Historic counties of England, historic county of Cheshire, to th ...
and attended
West Buckland School
West Buckland School is an independent school in West Buckland, Devon in the English public school tradition. It comprises a senior school, preparatory school, and a nursery. It is a relatively high performing school in Devon. It was one of e ...
in Devon. In 1892, he won
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, often referred to as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Later th ...
at
Muirfield
Muirfield is a privately owned golf links which is the home of The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. Located in Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland, overlooking the Firth of Forth, Muirfield is one of the golf courses used in rotation for The ...
,
becoming the second amateur to do so. He won again in 1897 at his home club,
Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake
The Royal Liverpool Golf Club is a golf club in Wirral in Merseyside, England. It was founded in 1869 on what was then the racecourse of the Liverpool Hunt Club. It received the "Royal" designation in 1871 due to the patronage of the Duke of ...
. The only other amateurs who have won the Open Championship are
John Ball and
Bobby Jones. Hilton's autobiography ''My Golfing Reminiscences'' was published in 1907.
Hilton also won
The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship (sometimes referred to as the British Amateur or British Amateur Championship outside the UK) is a golf tournament which has been held annually in the United Kingdom since 1885 except during the two World Wars, and in 19 ...
on four occasions, including 1911, when he became the only British player to win the British and
U.S. Amateur
The United States Amateur Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Amateur, is the leading annual golf tournament in the United States for amateur golfers. It is organized by the United States Golf Association and is currently held each August ov ...
s in the same year. Hilton retired with a 99–29 record (77.3%) at The Amateur Championship.
From 1905 to 1915, Hilton was a member at Ashford Manor Golf Club in Middlesex (now
Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
), the club having been incorporated in 1902. In 1912, he played a major part in designing Ferndown Golf Club in Dorset which became an Open Championship qualifying course and one of the top 100 courses in the UK.
Death
Hilton died on 5 May 1942 at Westcote, Gloucestershire, England, at age 73.
Legacy
Hilton was also a golf writer. Hilton was the co-author in 1912 of ''The Royal and Ancient Game of Golf'' with Garden Smith. The Donovan and Jerris golf book bibliography says about the book, "Quite simply stated, Hilton and Smith's "The Royal and Ancient Game of Golf" is one of the most magnificent books in the library of golf. Well-illustrated and sweeping in content…" He was also the first editor of ''Golf Monthly'', and also the editor of ''Golf Illustrated''. He also designed many courses and was inducted into the
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 honors both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 go ...
in 1978.
Tournament wins (47)
:''Note: This list may be incomplete''
*1889 Royal Liverpool Summer Lubbock Gold Medal,
[Duncan, David Scott, ed. (1890). The Golfing Annual, 1889–90. London: Horace Cox. p. 205.] Royal Liverpool Autumn Kennard Gold Medal,
[ Royal Liverpool St. Andrew's Gold Cross Medal,][ West Lancashire Golf Club Challenge Gold Medal,][Duncan (1890) p. 206.] West Lancashire Golf Club Mayor's Prize,[ West Lancashire Golf Club St. Andrew's Challenge Gold Cross Medal][
*1891 Royal Liverpool Spring Club Gold Medal, Royal Liverpool Summer Lubbock Gold Medal, Birkdale Golf Club Crowther Cup
*1892 ]The Open Championship
The Open Championship, often referred to as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Later th ...
, Formby Cullen Silver Medal, Royal Liverpool Summer Lubbock Gold Medal, West Lancashire Golf Club Gold Medal,[Duncan (1893) p. 246.] West Lancashire Golf Club Silver Challenge Cup,[ West Lancashire Golf Club St. Andrew's Gold Cross,][ West Lancashire Golf Club Easter Challenge Cup,][ Southport Golf Club Pilkington Centenary Gold Medal,][Duncan (1893) p. 320.]
*1893 St. George's Challenge Cup, Formby Prestwich Gold Medal,[Duncan, David Scott, ed. (1894). The Golfing Annual, 1893–94. London: Horace Cox. p. 228.] Formby Cullen Silver Medal,[ Royal Liverpool Spring Club Gold Medal,][Duncan (1894) p. 292.] Royal Liverpool Spring Connaught Challenge Star Medal,[ Royal Liverpool Autumn Kennard Gold Medal,][ West Lancashire Golf Club Cookson Prize,][Duncan (1894) p. 294.] West Lancashire Golf Club Silver Cup,[ West Lancashire Golf Club St. Andrew's Challenge Gold Cross Medal,][ Lytham & St. Anne's Golf Club Silver Iron,][Duncan (1894) p. 317.] Lytham & St. Anne's Golf Club Thistleton Medal[
*1894 St. George's Challenge Cup
*1897 ]The Open Championship
The Open Championship, often referred to as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Later th ...
, Irish Amateur Open Championship
The Irish Amateur Open Championship is an amateur golf tournament held annually in Ireland and organised by the Golf Ireland. The championship has been played as a 72-hole stroke-play event since 1958. Previously it was played as a match-play to ...
*1899 Formby Prestwich Gold Medal,[Duncan, David Scott, ed. (1900). The Golfing Annual, 1899–1900. London: Horace Cox. p. 254.] Formby Cullen Silver Medal,[ Formby St. Andrew's Medal,][ Royal Liverpool Spring Club Gold Medal,][Duncan (1900) p. 346.] Royal Liverpool Spring Connaught Challenge Star Medal,[ Royal Liverpool Autumn Kennard Gold Medal,][Duncan (1900) p. 347.] Royal Liverpool Milligan St. Andrew's Gold Cross[
*1900 ]The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship (sometimes referred to as the British Amateur or British Amateur Championship outside the UK) is a golf tournament which has been held annually in the United Kingdom since 1885 except during the two World Wars, and in 19 ...
, Irish Amateur Open Championship
The Irish Amateur Open Championship is an amateur golf tournament held annually in Ireland and organised by the Golf Ireland. The championship has been played as a 72-hole stroke-play event since 1958. Previously it was played as a match-play to ...
*1901 The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship (sometimes referred to as the British Amateur or British Amateur Championship outside the UK) is a golf tournament which has been held annually in the United Kingdom since 1885 except during the two World Wars, and in 19 ...
, Irish Amateur Open Championship
The Irish Amateur Open Championship is an amateur golf tournament held annually in Ireland and organised by the Golf Ireland. The championship has been played as a 72-hole stroke-play event since 1958. Previously it was played as a match-play to ...
*1902 Irish Amateur Open Championship
The Irish Amateur Open Championship is an amateur golf tournament held annually in Ireland and organised by the Golf Ireland. The championship has been played as a 72-hole stroke-play event since 1958. Previously it was played as a match-play to ...
*1911 The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship (sometimes referred to as the British Amateur or British Amateur Championship outside the UK) is a golf tournament which has been held annually in the United Kingdom since 1885 except during the two World Wars, and in 19 ...
, U.S. Amateur
The United States Amateur Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Amateur, is the leading annual golf tournament in the United States for amateur golfers. It is organized by the United States Golf Association and is currently held each August ov ...
*1913 The Amateur Championship
The Amateur Championship (sometimes referred to as the British Amateur or British Amateur Championship outside the UK) is a golf tournament which has been held annually in the United Kingdom since 1885 except during the two World Wars, and in 19 ...
*1914 Golf Illustrated Gold Vase
The Golf Illustrated Gold Vase was a prestigious amateur golf tournament in England. It was a 36-hole scratch stroke play
Stroke play, also known as medal play, is a scoring system in the sport of golf in which the total number of strokes is co ...
Major championships
Professional wins (2)
Amateur wins (5)
Results timeline
''Note: Hilton only played in The Open Championship, U.S. Amateur, and The Amateur Championship.''
LA = Low amateur
M = Medalist
NYF = Tournament not yet founded
NT = No tournament
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
R256, R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
Team appearances
*England–Scotland Amateur Match
The England–Scotland Amateur Match was an annual men's amateur golf competition between teams representing England and Scotland. It was played from 1902 to 1931, although the match lapsed between 1913 and 1921. The match continued after 1931 but ...
(representing England): 1902, 1903 (winners), 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910 (winners), 1911, 1912
*Coronation Match (representing the Amateurs): 1911
A notable ongoing event was the Comparison of the Amundsen and Scott Expeditions, race for the South Pole.
Events January
* January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hilton, Harold
English male golfers
Amateur golfers
Winners of men's major golf championships
Golf writers and broadcasters
World Golf Hall of Fame inductees
People educated at West Buckland School
1869 births
1942 deaths