When they tee it up in Paris in pursuit of gold medals for their country, Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Nelly Korda, and the other members of the U.S. Olympic golf team should be channeling their inner Charles Sands. Why? Because Charles Sands was America’s—and the world’s—first Olympic golf champion. Sands won his champion’s medal in 1900, also in Paris.
Sands, also a noted tennis player of the time, was a member of the Saint Andrew’s Golf Club in Hastings. He competed in tennis at the 1900 Olympics but didn’t come home with any medals. Quite athletic, he took up golf in 1895 and played so well that he competed that same year in the first official U.S.G.A. Amateur Championship, held at Newport Golf Club, finally losing in the finals to C.B. Macdonald.
The Saint Andrew’s GC had hosted the first US Amateur Championship in 1894 as a precursor to the formation of the U.S.G.A. It is widely believed that C.B. Macdonald was angry at losing that tournament to Saint Andrew’s member L.B. Stoddard, and claimed it was not a “national” championship. The dispute led to the organization of the U.S.G.A.
Golf in the 1900 Olympics was contested at the Compiegne Club, a course located approximately 60 miles north of Paris that opened in 1869. Twelve players took part in the event. The format was 36 holes of stroke play and sand shots rounds of 82 and 85 to defeat Walter Rutherford of Scotland.
Sands did not receive an official gold medal for his golf triumph since the Olympics did not begin awarding them until 1904. He did receive a solid cast silver medal, although it was not in his hands until several months after the event.
A tribute to Charles Sands and his Olympic triumph is part of the extensive historical displays in the Saint Andrew’s clubhouse and online.
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