Samuel Jackson Snead in the Southern Quote

He was born May 27, 1912 in Ashwood, Virginia.  At the age of 7 he began working as a caddy at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Va. He got his first job as an assistant pro when he was 19 and turned pro in 1934.

This self-taught golfer joined the PGA Tour in 1936 and achieved immediate success. That was interrupted while he served in the U.S. Navy from 1942-45. When he came out of the service he became the head golf professional at The Greenbriar Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

Samuel Jackson Snead was one of the top players in the world for most of 4 decades, winning 82 PGA tour events, including 7 major titles. “Slammin’ Sammy” was admired by many for having the “perfect swing,” which generated many imitators. He is known for his folksy image, wearing a trademark straw hat and for his homespun wit.

He played on 7 Ryder Cup teams, serving as captain 3 times. He was a pioneer in many areas of golf, including putting, where he used the side-saddle method with a split grip, an unheard method until Snead started winning with this stroke.

Snead remained competitive at the highest levels well into his 60s and died as the all-time leader in PGA tour wins. One fellow competitor once said that “watching Sam Snead practice hitting balls was like “watching a fish practice swimming.”

Snead was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974 and received the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998.

The longtime champion died in 2002 following complications from a stroke, just 4 days before his 90^th birthday. This edition of Southern Quote pays tribute to one of the most colorful players to ever play the game of golf. Always the ultimate competitor, Snead once admonished his fellow competitors, “Keep close count of your nickels and dimes, stay away from whiskey and never concede a putt.”