Golf is a game that has been played for so long that it is easy for some of its greatest players and venues to be lost to the modern fan.
‘Long’ Jim Barnes – so named due to his height, not his prowess off the tee – won the first two US PGA Championships, the U.S. Open and The Open; Prestwick hosted the first ever Open in 1860 and a further 23 editions over the next 65 years.
Yet some of the spectators at this week’s Genesis Scottish Open may not have heard of either the English trailblazer or the storied venue.
Harry Hall, however, who is inside the ropes as he seeks a first Rolex Series victory at the Renaissance Club, is well aware of his golfing history.
And last Sunday, the Englishman played in a match at Prestwick to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Barnes’ Open victory, the last Open Championship to be held at the Ayrshire links.
The connection between Hall and Barnes is their shared golf club, West Cornwall, the oldest club in the English county.
West Cornwall, which is found in the village of Lelant and overlooks Porthkidney Beach and St Ives Bay, is also the home club of Phil Rowe, the 1999 Walker Cup player who has gone on to enjoy a career as a collegiate coach in the United States.
Hall was among those under Rowe’s tutelage during his time at the University of Las Vegas – Nevada and Rowe was instrumental in bringing the celebration of Barnes to fruition.
“We played 27 holes at Prestwick and we had an awesome day,” said Hall.
“Prestwick reached out to Phil Rowe, who was a Walker Cupper in 1999 and grew up at West Cornwall Golf Club, as did Jim Barnes, who won the last Open at Prestwick 100 years ago.
“They organised a little day for the 100th anniversary and we took eight or nine guys from West Cornwall against eight or nine guys from Prestwick and we had a little match.
“We played 18 holes better ball in the morning and then all 16 of us went out and played in the same group. We played foursomes, an eight-team event, we played eight holes elimination so one team got eliminated each hole and two made it to the last one – what a great day.”
Founded in 1889, West Cornwall is proud of its history and successes, namechecking Barnes, Rowe and Hall on its website, and Hall is happy to embrace its heritage.
“Phil Rowe was someone who I looked up to and he ended up being my assistant coach at UNLV for four years,” he said. “I grew up with his resumé in the clubhouse, he had a little framed career highlights that I used to look at.
“We had some memorabilia from Jim Barnes too but it was more Phil Rowe that I was comparing myself to.
“I’ll be getting home more often now that I’ve got status on the DP World Tour and I’m looking forward to coming home and playing some more golf.”
