Alex Smith (golfer)
This Scottish-born golfer conquered the early U.S. Open, winning twice and famously battling his own brother in a playoff for the title.
1874–1930 (age 56)·Scottish-American golfer·Birthday: January 28·The Gilded Age
Biography
Alex Smith emigrated from Carnoustie, Scotland, to bring his formidable golf skills to America's burgeoning links. He was part of a famous golfing family and quickly established himself as a premier professional and club maker. His career peaked with victory at the 1906 U.S. Open at Onwentsia Club, where he edged out his brother Willie Smith in a playoff—a dramatic family affair that captivated the sports world. He claimed the title again in 1910, becoming one of the early era's dominant figures. Smith was known for a powerful, rhythmic swing and a competitive fire that helped popularize the professional game in the United States during its formative years.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
Alex was born in 1874, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alex Was Born
The biggest hits of 1874
Alex's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1874Born
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1879Started school
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1887Became a teenager
President: Grover Cleveland
1890Could drive
Wounded Knee massacre marks the end of the Indian Wars
President: Benjamin Harrison
1892Could vote
President: Benjamin Harrison
1895Turned 21
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1904Turned 30
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1914Turned 40
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1924Turned 50
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1930Died at 56
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
Key Achievements
- He won the U.S. Open in 1906, defeating his brother Willie in an 18-hole playoff.
- He captured a second U.S. Open title in 1910 at the Philadelphia Cricket Club.
- He finished runner-up in the U.S. Open on two other occasions, in 1899 and 1901.
- He served as the head professional at several prestigious clubs, including the Wykagyl Country Club in New York.
Did You Know?
He was the older brother of professional golfers Willie and Macdonald Smith.
His 1906 U.S. Open win was the first to be decided by a 36-hole playoff (later reduced to 18 holes).
He was inducted into the PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame in 2018.
“A straight left arm and a slow backswing are the foundations of a proper golf stroke.”
