Gene Sarazen

Early Life

How incredible of a golfer would you say Gene Sarazen is?

Gene Sarazen was an American professional golfer. During his lifetime,he was one of the only five players to win all four major championships in his career, known as the Career Grand Slam. Sarazen was an innovator who contributed immensely to inventing the modern sand wedge, which improved the game of golf for generations of players.

Born Eugenio Saraceni on February 27, 1902, in Harrison, New York. He was the son of poor Italian immigrants. Sarazen started caddying at a local country club at the age of ten. This helped to develop and sharpen his golfing skills. Sarazen was essentially self-taught and used the interlocking grip to hold the club, which was somewhat novel at the time.

Career

Sarazen turned professional in 1920, at the age of 18, and won his first major title, the U.S. Open, in 1922. He followed that with a PGA Championship victory, becoming the youngest player to win both titles.

He also won the PGA Championship in 1923 and 1933, making him one of only four players to win that event at least four times. Sarazen’s most famous shot came in 1935, at the Masters Tournament, which was then only in its second year.

He was trailing by three strokes on the final round, when he hit a 232-yard 4-wood shot on the 15th hole that landed on the green and rolled into the hole for a double eagle, or albatross.

This rare feat, known as “the shot heard ’round the world”, propelled him into a tie for the lead, which he won in a playoff the next day. This victory completed his Career Grand Slam, which he achieved before the age of 33.

Sarazen is credited with inventing the modern sand wedge, a specialized club that allows golfers to more easily hit out of sand traps. This innovation lowered scores and eventually led to the redesign of many golf courses.

He also invented a weighted practice club and argued unsuccessfully for enlarging the hole size to increase the popularity of the sport.

Personal Life

Sarazen was a humble and generous fellow. He was also a devoted family man and was married to Mary Sarazen in 1924. Sarazen and his wife had two children together. Also, the couple started a student scholarship program in which they used to assist students fund their education.

Unfortunately, Sarazen’s wife died in 1986. After her death, he remained unmarried till his death. Before his death, Sarazen suffered from pneumonia, which led to his death in 1999, at the age of 97.

Sarazen is remembered as one of the greatest golfers of all time and a true pioneer of the sport. Sarazen also published an autobiography “Thirty Years of Championship Golf”. You can learn more about his golfing career from the book.+