The Gate to Golf.
England: Edgar & Co., 1982. NEEDS EDITING
61p. cloth. Reprint of the 1920 first and only edition. In rare reproduction of "The Gate". A man ahead of his time. Harry Vardon once said this man will become the best there has ever been. Tragically died at the age of 36 in Atlanta in August 1921 under rather mysterious circumstances.
Second Edition, Revised. Illustrated. 61 pages. This is a reissue by the grandson of the author. (First edition 1920, 61 p.) J. Douglas Edgar was an English Professional who moved to the United States in 1917 and in 1918 accepted the position of pro at the Druid Hills Club in Atlanta. He was an enigmatic character, a player who rarely practiced, at times would not even warm-up before playing, yet frequently played brilliantly. The following quotes are taken from a Golf Magazine article February 1960. "According to Bobby Jones, Edgar prepared for the 1919 Canadian Open, which he won with a score of 278 strokes, a record that stood for more than 17 years, by hitting only six practice shots (!)." THIS SCORE 0F 278 WAS A WORLD-RECORD SCORE FOR FOUR ROUNDS OF COMPETITIVE GOLF, AN INCREDIBLE SIXTEEN SHOTS SEPERATED EDGAR FROM THE SECOND PLACE FINISHERS BOBBY JONES, JAMES BARNES, AND KARL KEFFER. Edgar successfully defended his Canadian Open title in 1920, returned home to capture the Southern Open, publish this instructional book, and then this anomaly was killed. "J. Douglas Edgar, the Wizard of Druid Hills, died under mysterious circumstances in Atlanta in 1921 at the age of 35. Officially, his death was thought to have been caused by a hit-and-run driver, but there was strong reason to suspect he had been stabbed." In addition to his erratically brilliant play, "Edgar preached some of the most radical theories ever propounded about the game." Tommy Armour, who followed Edgar for five-month throughout the UK getting daily lessons, explains: "Douglas Edgar was the father---pioneer---of the present-day method of hitting the ball---called 'from the inside-out'. His book is built on that method of hitting. He is one of the many great player I took golf lessons from, but he was undoubtedly the greatest of them and taught me the most." The original as well as this issue also came in a boxed Deluxe Edition, accompanied by a rubber "gate" and other pieces, which when placed on the ground, aided in the understanding and subsequent practice of this "new" method of hitting a golf ball. This copy in fine condition, INSCRIBED AND AUTOGRAPHED BY JAMES DOUGLAS EDGAR, GRANDSON ON THE UPPER FFEP. Near Fine, box very good. Item #9420
D&J E 2290.
Price: £99.00