|
GEORGE LOWE...QUEENSCLIFF'S FIRST PRO?
The name George Lowe is not one that features prominently in golfing
circles, and yet he had a significant input in the local golf scene and
the Queenscliff community.
Born George Low in 1856 at Carmylie, a small hamlet not
far from Carnoustie,
Dundee and St. Andrews, he moved to Carnoustie with his family when eight
years of age, and fell under the spell of the game of golf.
When in his teens he and his brothers moved south--all the way to England.
According to Bernard Darwin in his book "A history of Golf In Britain;
there was a lot of proper respect for Scotland because in the mid-80's
practically all professionals were from that country.
In 1876, George made a break from his family and moved to Hoylake and was
apprenticed as a club maker and assistant professional to Jack Morris,
nephew of the legendary Tom Morris the senior professional at St. Andrews.
His brother David moved to Blundellsands club in Lancashire where he
remained as professional for 40 years.
Another brother, William, was the first to migrate to Australia, but could
not settle, and soon returned to England where he became professional at
Buxton in Derbyshire.
When the three brothers ventured south to England they all changed their
name to Lowe (possibly the English version of the name). The fourth
brother James retained the original name and remained in Scotland, and his
son David, having for a time been apprenticed to George at Lytham St.
Annes, returned to Scotland where he became involved in establishing a
huge golf and ski equipment business.
The business branched out to Carnoustie and St. Andrews and included the
Argyle works in St. Andrews, the manufacturer of wooden "Golf Classic"
putters as well as other antique clubs.
George Lowe was obviously a man of vision, and experimented with club
design, resulting in many patents being applied for. Stewart Lowe
displayed in his pro shop George's US patent for 25.000 iron clubs.
Among George's earliest ideas was for a matched set of iron clubs, and his
patent was for iron clubs 3 inches by 1-3/8 inches by 5/8 inches across
the sole, naming the clubs ordinary irons, lofting irons or mashies and
the face being flat all through. Amy Peel Marsden, George's second
daughter often criticised her father for not patenting in his own name
many of his ideas, one of which was the use of steel shafts instead of the
hickory ones in vogue, and it appears that he had some input into their
development, but that is refuted by members of the family as George was a
shrewd businessman with vision, so it would seem that had it been possible
then he certainly would have.
Stewart believes that his father was the first person to use a light
canvas bag, it was the vogue for players to carry a couple of clubs
loosely in the hands, or at best kept together with a strap, and as more
clubs were thought necessary a bag became essential. Again George did not
apply for a patent, perhaps someone else beat him to it!
When he served notice at Hoylake in 1888 all efforts were made to keep him
there, but he was of the opinion that his future lay at St. Annes where he
took up duties on July 2, 1888. While at Hoylake, George married and his
wife, Annie Allen, a farmer's daughter from Western Ireland, bore him four
sons--Alexander (known as Stewart), George Jun, Ramsay (Allan) and Robert
(Ivan), and two daughters Annie and Amy Peel.
George and Allan followed their father into the world of professional
golf. George Sen., as professional and greenkeeper of Lytham and St. Annes
obviously had a lot to do with the layout, as five years after being a
"terra incognita" to golfers, Lowe organised a tournament "for all the
well known cracks" with a purse of 53 pounds over a course of
approximately 3-1/4 miles. The winner of the event was Willie Fernie of
Troon, whose son Tom became professional at Royal Lytham and St. Annes in
1926 where he served until 1951 (the Royal prefix was granted that same
year).
George Sen was just below the "top notchers" as a player but is still
credited with six First Professional prizes, but he was famous as a course
architect in company with three others (W. H. Fowler, Harry Colt and Tom
Simpson) for 120 courses in England and Europe (including the original
Lytham and St. Annes course.
It was at Royal Lytham and St. Annes that Bobby Jones was immortalised
by coming from two shots behind Al Watrous to win the 1926 Open
Championship, playing a mashie over 170 yards out of a bunker to the 17th
green, the spot marked by a plaque to this day.
George's wife Annie died in April 1919 and two of his sons, Allan and Ivan
migrated to Australia, joining their brother George Jun, then George and
his eldest daughter Annie, followed in 1920, and settled in Queenscliff,
taking up residence at 64 Learmonth Street, to be near George Jun., who
had established himself as the professional at the Barwon Heads Golf Club.
The Barwon Heads Golf Club was then located at the Sheepwash.
George Sen. brought with him the values, principles and characteristics
for which the Scots are known and was soon involved with community
matters.
He married Isabella Lane when he was 67; became Master of the Masonic
Lodge No. 96, was appointed a Justice of the Peace in June 1923; took up
bowls and won the championship at Queenscliff in 1926-27; and in his
retirement took up growing vegetables and breeding golden Lebright
bantams.
But golf was his first love, and he was appointed the professional at
Queenscliff Golf Club on the 11th of October 1921. After he resigned
his position at the club, he continued to teach all those interested in
the sport on a flat piece of land which became known as Scotsman's Flat.
George Lowe senior died on the 15th of October, 1934, aged 78 years.
If you enjoyed reading about George Lowe- you may enjoy reading of
his reminiscences
here
Top |
