Bobby Jones (golfer)
An amateur golfer whose brief, dazzling career produced an unmatched Grand Slam and led to the creation of the game's most revered tournament.
1902–1971 (age 69)·American amateur golfer·Birthday: March 17·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bobby Jones was the ultimate gentleman competitor, a lawyer from Atlanta who dominated golf while never abandoning his amateur status. Between 1923 and 1930, he crafted a legacy of precision and sportsmanship, winning 13 major championships in just eight seasons. His pinnacle was 1930, when he captured the Grand Slam of his era—the U.S. and British Amateurs and Opens—a feat so staggering he retired from competition at 28. Jones was more than a player; he was an architect of the modern game. With architect Alister MacKenzie, he designed Augusta National Golf Club, a cathedral of azaleas and undulating greens born from his vision. From that partnership sprang the Masters Tournament, an event he co-founded that embodies his values of tradition and integrity. Stricken later in life by a painful spinal condition, he faced his final challenge with the same grace he showed on the course.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bobby was born in 1902, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. 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 Bobby Was Born
The biggest hits of 1902
Bobby's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1902Born
The eruption of Mount Pelee kills 30,000 in Martinique
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1907Started school
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1915Became a teenager
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1918Could drive
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Could vote
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1923Turned 21
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1932Turned 30
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1942Turned 40
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1952Turned 50
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 60
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1971Died at 69
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
Key Achievements
- Won the Grand Slam in 1930 (U.S. Open, British Open, U.S. Amateur, British Amateur), a unique feat in golf history.
- Co-founded the Masters Tournament and helped design the Augusta National Golf Club.
- Won 13 major championships between 1923 and 1930 while remaining an amateur.
- Founded the Jones Cup, an annual amateur tournament, and helped design the Peachtree Golf Club in Atlanta.
Did You Know?
He earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech, a degree in English Literature from Harvard, and passed the Georgia bar exam after attending Emory Law School.
He made instructional film shorts with Warner Bros. in the 1930s.
He served as a code breaker for the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.
The ticker-tape parade he received in New York after his 1930 Grand Slam was reportedly larger than Charles Lindbergh's.
“Golf is a game that is played on a five-inch course – the distance between your ears.”
