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Charles Albert Whitcombe (21 September 1895 – 13 February 1978) was born in Berrow, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset. He was the second of the three Whitcombe brothers who were all successful English professional golfers in the 1920s and 1930s and – despite never winning The Open Championship like his younger brother Reg – could be considered the most prominent of the three, winning the British PGA Matchplay Championship twice and captaining the Ryder Cup side four times.
Whitcombe finished fifth in The Open Championship in 1922, three shots behind the winner and beaten only by Walter Hagen, Jim Barnes, George Duncan and Jock Hutchison – the players who between them had won 8 of the previous 9 major championships. Whitcombe would enjoy several other high finishes in the Championship, beaten by players including Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen and Henry Cotton, but only once again came as close to winning, in 1935, when he finished third, three shots behind Alf Perry at Muirfield.
Whitcombe won the British PGA Matchplay Championship in 1928 and 1930, and also won the Irish Open in 1930. Both of his Matchplay championship victories came in finals against a young Henry Cotton, by 12 years Whitcombe's junior. In 1931, 1935, and 1937 Whitcombe was selected as playing captain of the Great Britain and Ireland Ryder Cup side, having also played in every side from 1927 to 1933, and was then non-playing captain in 1949.
London: Hutchinson, ca 1925. 88p. cloth. Well illustrated. Dedicated to Harry Vardon "To Harry Vardon, because he was playing in the 1900 American Open Championship, which he won, he entirely missed the ball for a putt of only six inches" Chapters by Arthur Havers, Percy Alliss, Ted Ray, Charles Whitcombe..... More
London: Hutchinson, ca 1925. 88p. cloth. Well illustrated. Dedicated to Harry Vardon "To Harry Vardon, because he was playing in the 1900 American Open Championship, which he won, he entirely missed the ball for a putt of only six inches" Chapters by Arthur Havers, Percy Alliss, Ted Ray, Charles Whitcombe..... More
London: Spotlight Golf, ca 1930. 6p. illustrated wrappers. Promotion booklet for Spotlight Golf an indoor game devised for small spaces, at home on a ship, in school... endorsed by Alf Padgham and Charles Whitcombe. More
ca. 1925. Fine example of all three Whitcombe brother's Reg, Ernest and Charles autograph's. Reg who won The Open. Reginald Arthur Whitcombe (10 April 1898 – 11 January 1957) was an English professional golfer. Whitcombe began his career at Came Down Golf Club in Dorset and served in the British..... More
