JH Taylor Drive – What’s in a name?

Have you ever wondered about the origins of the name ‘ JH Taylor Drive’ in Northam.

Who was JH Taylor ?

What did he do?   The answer to this is mostly contained in a book  found in  the local history collection at Bideford Library -  ‘Golf my life’s work’ was written by this very famous Westward Ho! golfer . Golf was indeed his life’s work.

John Henry “J.H.” Taylor (19 March 1871 – 10 February 1963) was an English professional golfer and one of the pioneers of the modern game of golf. He was a member of the Great Triumvirate of the sport, along with Harry Vardon and James Braid, and he won The Open Championship five times. Born into a working class family, and orphaned as a boy, he began work as a caddy and labourer at Westward Ho! Golf Club at the age of eleven. He became a professional golfer at nineteen, and was employed by the Royal Mid Surrey Golf Club from 189 until his retirement in 1946. Taylor was a co-founder and the first chairman of the British Professional Golfers’ Association.

Open Championship wins:1894 – Royal St George’s  1895 – St Andrews 1900 – St Andrews 1909 – Royal Cinque Ports 1913 – Royal Liverpool GC, Hoylake Taylor captained the 1933 Great Britain Ryder Cup team to a win over the United States and  remains the only captain on either side to have never played in the matches. He  also  designed  courses such as Andover Golf Club in 1907 and Heaton Park Golf Course, Manchester in 1912. He was made an honorary member of the R&A in 1949, and was president of Royal Birkdale, whose course he had designed, in 1957.

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