John Robert Maurice Jacobs,
OBE (14 March 1925 – 13 January 2017)
was an English
professional golfer
A professional golfer is somebody who receives payments or financial rewards in the sport of golf that are directly related to their skill or reputation. A person who earns money by teaching or playing golf is traditionally considered a "golf pr ...
, coach, entrepreneur, writer and administrator. He 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 2000.
Early life
Jacobs was born in
Woodsetts
Woodsetts is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England, on the border with Nottinghamshire. It lies between the towns of Dinnington and Worksop at an elevation of around 60 metres above se ...
, Yorkshire, the son of Robert "Bob" Jacobs (1880–1934), the professional at
Lindrick Golf Club
Lindrick Golf Club is a golf course in South Yorkshire and is also a site of special scientific interest (SSSI). The SSSI covers and was designated for its biological interest. The site was notified in 1987.
The course is situated on the ...
.
Robert was born in
Brancaster
Brancaster is a village and civil parish on the north coast of the English county of Norfolk. The civil parish of Brancaster comprises Brancaster itself, together with Brancaster Staithe and Burnham Deepdale. The three villages form a more or l ...
, Norfolk, and had become an assistant professional at the nearby
Royal West Norfolk Golf Club
Royal West Norfolk Golf Club is a golf club in Brancaster, Norfolk, England, about east of Hunstanton, between Brancaster Bay and the salt marshes. The links course opened in 1892. Simon Rayner is a professional at the club. The "Royal" club ...
.
[ Robert had been the professional at Lindrick since 1919, having been at Bungay & Waveney Golf Club in Norfolk and Bedford Golf Club before ]World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. During the war Robert served in the 24th Battalion Royal Fusiliers
The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in continuous existence for 283 years. It was known as the 7th Regiment of Foot until the Childers Reforms of 1881.
The regiment served in many wars ...
, the 2nd Sportsman's Battalion.[ He was badly gassed during the war, never fully recovered and committed suicide in December 1934 when Jacobs was nine years old.] Jacobs's mother Vivian was the stewardess at Lindrick.[ Robert was replaced at Lindrick by his nephew John Archibald "Jack" Jacobs (1907–1999) who had been his assistant.][ Jack was a useful player who had finished as high as 16th in the ]1935 Open Championship
The 1935 Open Championship was the 70th Open Championship, played 26–28 June at Muirfield in Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland. Alf Perry won his only major title, four strokes ahead of runner-up Alf Padgham.
Qualifying took place on 24–25 ...
and was twice runner-up in the PGA Seniors Championship
The PGA Seniors Championship is a European Senior Tour golf tournament for men aged fifty and above. It was founded in 1957 and became part of the European Senior Tour on its founding in 1992. It was not held in 2016 or 2017 but returned in 2018 ...
(1958 and 1959).
Jacobs joined the Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
during World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, although he did not go into active service. It was during his period in the RAF that he met his future wife, Rita. They were married in early 1949.[
]
Playing career
Jacobs turned professional after the end of the war, an assistant to his cousin Jack. He was demobilised from the RAF in 1947, taking his first paid position as an assistant at Hallamshire Golf Club, near Sheffield, soon afterwards.[ Jacobs was runner-up in the 1948 Yorkshire Professional Championship at Oakdale. After being tied with John Fallon after 36 holes, Jacobs lost the 18-hole playoff by 2 strokes.
In 1949 Jacobs became the professional at ]Gezira Sporting Club
The Gezira Sporting Club ( ar, نادى الجزيرة الرياضى, transliteration:''nādī al-ǧazyrah al-reyādī'') is the largest multi-sport facility in Egypt. It was founded in 1882 and was originally called Khedivial Sporting Club. I ...
in Cairo
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...
, Egypt. He was there until early in 1952 when he left during the early stages of the Egyptian revolution of 1952.[ Jacobs spent the summer of 1951 in England and qualified for 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 ...
for the first time, although he missed the cut. Jacobs spent 1952 playing as an unattached professional before becoming the professional at Sandy Lodge Golf Club near Watford
Watford () is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, 15 miles northwest of Central London, on the River Colne.
Initially a small market town, the Grand Junction Canal encouraged the construction of paper-making mills, print works, a ...
later in the year. He was at Sandy Lodge until resigning and leaving in early 1964.
Jacobs had a moderately successful tournament career at home and abroad. In 1957 he won the Dunlop South African Professional Match Play Masters and the Dutch Open. His win in the South African Professional Match Play was in March, at Houghton Golf Club in Johannesburg
Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...
. Jacobs beat Gary Player
Gary James Player DMS, OIG (born 1 November 1935) is a South African retired professional golfer who is widely considered to be one of the greatest golfers of all time. During his career, Player won nine major championships on the regular tou ...
2&1 in the 36-hole final, winning the first prize of £200. Jacobs had beaten an in-form Harold Henning
Harold Henning (3 October 1934 – 1 January 2004) was a South African professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour.
Early life
Henning was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. His brothers Allan, Brian, and Graham ...
in the semi-final. In August he won the Dutch Open at Hilversumsche Golf Club near Hilversum, three shots clear of Flory Van Donck
Flory Van Donck (23 June 1912 – 14 January 1992) was a Belgian professional golfer.
Van Donck is widely regarded as the greatest ever Belgian golfer. During his career, he won more than fifty tournaments worldwide, including many of the mo ...
. Jacobs and Van Donck were level after three rounds but a course-record 67 gave Jacobs the victory. Jacobs had a hole-in-one at the 16th hole of his second round.
Jacobs never won a big tournament in Britain but was runner-up a number of times, including being a losing finalist in the 1953 Goodwin (Sheffield) Foursomes Tournament
The Goodwin (Sheffield) Foursomes Tournament was a professional golf tournament played in the Sheffield area of England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland ...
, losing to 47-year-old Henry Cotton in the final of the 1954 Penfold Tournament
The Penfold Tournament was a golf tournament on the British PGA tournament circuit. Since the circuit later evolved into the European Tour, the tournament is recognised as an official European Tour event from 1972. It was played between 1932 and ...
, joint second in the 1960 Dunlop Masters
The Betfred British Masters is a professional golf tournament. It was founded in 1946 as the Dunlop Masters and was held every year up to 2008, except for 1984. Dunlop's sponsorship ended in 1982, and the name sponsor changed frequently therea ...
, second in the 1963 Cox Moore Tournament
The Cox Moore Tournament was a professional golf tournament. The event was played in 1961, 1963 and 1964 and was sponsored by Long Eaton
Long Eaton is a town in the Erewash district of Derbyshire, England, just north of the River Trent, abou ...
and losing finalist, partnered with Joe Carr
Joseph Benedict Carr (22 February 1922 – 3 June 2004) was an Irish amateur golfer.
Carr was born in Inchicore, a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, to George and Margaret Mary "Missie" Waters (the fifth of seven children). At 10 days old, he was ado ...
, in the 1963 Gleneagles Hotel Foursomes Tournament
The Gleneagles Hotel Foursomes Tournament was a pro-am golf tournament played at the Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland. The event was held annually from 1953 to 1966. From 1953 to 1957 it was called the Gleneagles-Saxone Foursom ...
.
In 1955
Events January
* January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama.
* January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut.
* January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijian ...
, Jacobs made his one appearance in the Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial men's golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is contested every two years with the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe. The Ryder Cup is named af ...
. Qualification for seven members of the 10-man team was based on the Order of Merit after the 1955 Open Championship
The 1955 Open Championship was the 84th Open Championship, played 6–8 July at the Old Course in St Andrews, Scotland. Peter Thomson won the second of three consecutive Open titles, two strokes ahead of runner-up John Fallon. Thomson won a t ...
. The qualifying events were stroke-play tournaments played in Great Britain from the Spalding Tournament ending on 22 April to the Open Championship itself, ending on 8 July. At the time the Order of Merit was a points-based system and a series of top-20 finishes, including a tie for 12th place in the Open, left Jacobs in 7th place in the Order of Merit and earned him a place in the team. The match was played at Thunderbird Country Club
The Thunderbird Country Club is an 18-hole golf course designed by Lawrence Hughes in Rancho Mirage in California's Coachella Valley. It has hosted the Ryder Cup and the Palm Springs Golf Classic (now known as the CareerBuilder Challenge). Opene ...
, Rancho Mirage, California
Rancho Mirage is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 17,218 at the 2010 census, up from 13,249 at the 2000 census, but the seasonal (part-time) population can exceed 20,000. Incorporated in 1973 and located ...
. Jacobs won both his matches. Partnered with John Fallon, they won their foursomes match by 1 hole. He then beat Cary Middlecoff
Emmett Cary Middlecoff (January 6, 1921 – September 1, 1998) was an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour from 1947 to 1961. His 39 Tour wins place him tied for tenth all-time, and he won three major championships. Middlecoff graduated as ...
in his singles match, again 1-up, holing a 4-foot putt on the final green.
Later life
Jacobs was largely responsible for the creation of the European Tour due to his coaching activities and contacts in so many European countries.
He served as Tournament Director-General of the European Tour
The European Tour (currently known as the DP World Tour for sponsorship reasons), legally the PGA European Tour is the leading men's professional golf tour in Europe. The organisation also operates the European Senior Tour (for players aged fift ...
from 1971 to 1975, a period which included the inaugural season of the modern tour in 1972. In 1979 and 1981 he was the non-playing captain of the European Ryder Cup team which was remembered for a dispute between Seve Ballesteros
Severiano Ballesteros Sota (; 9 April 1957 – 7 May 2011) was a Spanish professional golfer, a World No. 1 who was one of the sport's leading figures from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. A member of a gifted golfing family, he won 90 inte ...
and the European Tour. Ballesteros had only played a handful of tournaments in Europe in the season leading up to the 1981 Ryder Cup because of a disagreement over appearance money. Jacobs wanted Ballesteros on his team and rang him in America. "Seve, I want you to come back to play in Europe. I can't guarantee you will get one of the two Ryder Cup places that are up for grabs – the organising committee can fill them as it sees fit – but I will be voting for you.". In the end, although Ballesteros did come back and Jacobs as captain voted for him, Neil Coles
Neil Chapman Coles, MBE (born 26 September 1934) is an English professional golfer. Coles had a successful career in European golf, winning 29 important tournaments between 1956 and 1982. After reaching 50, he won a further 14 important Seniors ...
and Bernhard Langer
Bernhard Langer (; born 27 August 1957) is a German professional golfer. He is a two-time Masters champion and was one of the world's leading golfers throughout the 1980s and 1990s. In 1986, he became the sport's first official number one ra ...
voted against his inclusion.
Jacobs was also a leading golf coach, who worked with many top players, and established his own golf academies. In 1972 he set up a driving range business in the United Kingdom. He wrote several books including ''Practical Golf'' and ''Golf Doctor''. His influence has been acknowledged by later coaches such as Butch Harmon
Claude "Butch" Harmon Jr. (born August 28, 1943) is an American golf instructor and former professional player. He is the son of 1948 Masters Tournament champion Claude Harmon Sr. and has been in the golf industry since 1965.
Early life
Butch Ha ...
, who stated, "John Jacobs wrote the book on coaching. There is not a teacher out here who does not owe him something."
He also designed golf courses, such as Chartridge Park Golf Club in Buckinghamshire, the Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-ea ...
in Denham and Patshull Park Hotel, Golf & Country Club in Shropshire.
Jacobs has written a number of golf instruction books. His best known is "Practical Golf", written with Ken Bowden and illustrated by Anthony Ravielli. It was first published in June 1972 and it is on a number of top 10 lists of the best golf instruction books of all time.
Jacobs was an Honorary member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews.
Jacobs died on 13 January 2017, aged 91.
Tournament wins (2)
Results in major championships
''Note: Jacobs only played in 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 ...
.''
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Team appearances
*Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial men's golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is contested every two years with the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe. The Ryder Cup is named af ...
(representing Great Britain & Ireland/Europe): 1955
Events January
* January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama.
* January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut.
* January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijian ...
, 1979
Events
January
* January 1
** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...
(non-playing captain), 1981
Events January
* January 1
** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union.
** Palau becomes a self-governing territory.
* January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major offensiv ...
(non-playing captain)
*Joy Cup
The Joy Cup was an annual men's professional team golf competition between teams representing the British Isles and the Rest of Europe. It was played from 1954 to 1958. The British Isles won all four contests that were played. The trophy was provi ...
(representing the British Isles): 1954 (winners), 1955 (winners), 1958 (winners)
*Amateurs–Professionals Match
The Amateurs–Professionals Match was an annual men's team golf competition between teams of golfers from Great Britain and Ireland representing amateurs and professionals. It was played from 1956 to 1960. The Professionals won four of the five c ...
(representing the Professionals): 1958
References
External links
*
European Tour feature part 1
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jacobs, John
English male golfers
Ryder Cup competitors for Europe
Golf administrators
British golf instructors
Golf writers and broadcasters
Golf course architects
World Golf Hall of Fame inductees
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Royal Air Force personnel of World War II
Sportspeople from Yorkshire
1925 births
2017 deaths
20th-century English businesspeople