Title: The Match

Author: Mark Frost

Genre: Historical biography

Pages: 232

Rating: 7


The Match of The Century

On Tuesday, the 10th of January, 1956, history was almost rewrote. That afternoon began a match between two hardened heroes of golf and two young up and comers. A match that came to be known simply as “The Match”. A match between Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, representing the Professional side of the game; and Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward, repping the Amateur side of golf. The two factions of the game faced off at Cypress Point Country Club in Monterrey, California. Pride and the entire professional name lay rest on the shoulders of Ben and Byron, while the young guns had absolutely nothing to lose and everything to prove. Could the Harvie and Ken pull it off?

The Match, set up by Southern California auto sales mogul, Eddie Lowery, and a wealthy business man, George Coleman, was not only a test of skill, but for the pros and ams a treacherous mental battle. What lay on the line was tens of thousands of dollars between George and Eddie as well as the pride of the pros. Enough about the pre-match, lets hop to it. Fast forward to the first tee… On that first tee, two challenges faced the golfers. The external conflict for the group was simply the golf round itself. Team vs. Course, who could end up on top? The round was a best ball match. Where two teams of two face off in regular stroke play, but the best score on each hole between both players for each team is marked. Now this was no simple conflict to overcome. Cypress Point golf course was built on the pacific coast, carving through the rocky cliffs and cypress patches. Wind was a major factor to every golfer’s game on that course. But these guys were the best of their profession. They weaved their way through each hole with sniper-like precision. Byron Nelson fired out of the gate on the first tee, over the first few holes Byron cut 4 below par! Ken Venturi also fired out of the gate staying neck and neck with the pros at 4 under! But as the match continued, Ben and Harvie took complete control. Ben didnt let Byron write another score the rest of the day. Going nine under on the last 13 holes of the course. Harvie Ward kept right up with him. All day the two teams stayed neck and neck. Their team “Captains” so focused on keeping their team’s momentum moving because of all the money at stake. The match attracted a crowd almost as large as any professional tournament. 10,000 people followed this foursome on the course that day. Who would emerge on top?!

The other conflict the teams faced, primarily the pro team, was what would a loss mean for their side of the game? And for the amateurs, what kind of things would a win do? When the match was set up, Ben and Byron scoffed at the fact that they had to play amateurs. But this was no casual match, they were challenged. They HAD to defend their side of golf. They had no choice but to say yes. They also knew these kids were no hackers. The best the amateurs had to offer were their adversaries. Ben and Byron both knew that a loss to these kids would totally strip them of their hard-earned respect, as well as every other professional on the tour. A win for the amateurs also meant that the pros weren’t where the money should be. A hit to the PGA tour’s wallet would make professional golf, already a skimpy living for the average pro, a hobby instead of… well… a profession! As for the amateurs, these guys had everything in their favor. The adrenaline, the fear of losing in the heart of their opponents, the excitement of playing with their childhood heroes, the fresh young bodies. Only one thing put them in the passenger seat, their inexperience in pressure situations. With oldies like Hogan and Nelson as opponents, who were used to high pressure situations, it may be tough to stick it out for eighteen holes! As the match went on, silently crept the fear of losing, slithering through the nerves of the pros, and at many times during the round it showed! Could they fend their reputation? They should if they play their best, but these young fellas wont put up an easy fight. They had something to prove!

I won’t share with you the ending, its a secret of this book, you’ll have to read to find out. But lets just say that the match that day was one for the history books, one remembered by most of the pioneers of the PGA tour, where the amateurs shocked the world and the pros still held on to the respect of their longtime and hard earned following. While none of the players on that match are still alive today, a golfer like myself can truly appreciate the task that had lay at hand for those players. A match of that magnitude would shatter the regular golfer’s nerves and rip his game apart. Externally and Internally The Matches or conflicts we face on the golf course and in life are tests of our physical and mental strength. To overcome the obstacles the world throws at you, you must be sharp and on your game… Always!