Harry Vardon’s 1899 Challenge Match vs Willie Park Jr. Winning Used Golf Ball
The "Greatest Golf Competition of All Time" is how the heavyweight Harry Vardon vs. Willie Park Jr. duel was touted - 100 British pounds of each's and a lot more in pride on the line. In true challenge match fashion Park would issue it to Vardon with a score to settle. Park's revenge against 1898 Open Champion Harry Vardon and golf's top name did not go as he had planned however. After being defeated by just a single stroke at Prestwick for the claret jug, the margin would widen greatly and Park would ultimately be separated from his 100 pounds. That sum put up by each player was decided after intense negotiations and a Park sales pitch, as Vardon didn't have anything to prove. It was a 72 hole exhibition July 21 and 22nd, with 36 at North Berwick (Park's "home" course after Vardon nixed Musselburgh) and another 36 at Ganton (Vardon's home course). Vardon was up by two holes over park going into the Ganton duel, Vardon's home club in Yorkshire. Appointed professional at Ganton Golf Club in 1896 and there until 1903 when he fell ill and would join Totteridge Golf Club in South Herts. More than 10,000 fans would attend the challenge match between the golf giants in a time when Challenge Matches were the talk of the (golf) town. Here is now that ball that was used, perhaps a Vardon Flyer bramble prototype used just prior to the well documented Vardon Invasion of the United States. That conquest was highlighted by his 1900 US Open at Chicago Golf Club. Vardon's ball from that tournament, from the same collection and consignor Ken Brown as this one, sold for a record $194k in June!
Carefully engraved on a shield atop the golf ball is: Vardon v. Park - $200 - 1899 - Won by H. Vardon 11&10.' The metallic labeling was Vardon's way of commemorating the feat, saving the winning ball for that significant tournament/match in line with his 1900 US Open winning golf ball - forever trophy 'presentation' balls in themselves after retired following victory in which they were used in. Five-time Ryder Cup player consignor Ken J. Brown obtained this ball in similar fashion to that ball previously offered. It as he told us is as follows.
Nearly forty years ago on the passing of the pro at Harpenden Common Golf Club Bob Peters, the family wanted a fellow pro golfer and someone who’d appreciate them to have Harry Vardon's winning golf balls. I (Brown) can remember them lying around the pro shop when I first joined in the club in 1968. My strong provenance trail goes back to Vardon's time at South Herts Golf Club through me buying the balls from the estate of Bob. Harry Vardon was the pro at South Herts Golf Club in Hertfordshire and he had a number of assistant professionals one of those was Bill Peters (W.A. Peters). Bill Peters and Abe Mitchell played the exhibition match to open Harpenden Common Golf Club which about 25 miles down the road from South Herts. Bill Peters left the balls to his son Bob Peters, who later became Secretary and Professional at Harpenden Common Golf Club. Preserved and presented by Brown, it is our pleasure to offer this significant Vardon winning ball from what was advertised as "Greatest Golf Competition of All Time" with Willie Park Jr.!
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