The 1900 Summer Olympics took place in Paris, France. Two of the golf events that were contested in early October at the Compiègne Club, Compiègne as part of the Exposition Universelle, the men's and women's individual stroke play competitions, have since been afforded Olympic status. As such the 1900 games are recognised as the first time that golf was held in the Olympics.[1]
Format
The men's individual championship was a 36-hole stroke playamateur competition, while the women's championship was a 9-hole stroke play competition. Other golf competitions, not considered Olympic, that were held included handicap and putting competitions.[2]
Venue
The men's and women's event took place at the Compiègne Club, about 50 km (30 miles) north of Paris. The golf course was built in 1896 and was one of just 25 courses in France in 1900. It was designed by M.W. Freemantle and built within the horse racing track of Compiègne. The topography was flat, with dense rough surrounding the fairways and very tiny "postage stamp" sized greens.[3]
Tournament play
The men's tournament was played on 2 October 1900 where they played two 18-hole rounds back-to-back. The following day, 3 October 1900, the women's tournament began, where they only played 9 holes.
The women's championship was a stage for many firsts that occurred in the Olympic games. Not only was this the first time women were ever able to compete in the Olympic games, the women's division was won by Margaret Abbott of Chicago Golf Club. Abbott shot a 47 to win and became the first ever American female to win a gold medal in the Olympic Games,[5] though she received a gilded porcelain bowl as a prize instead of a medal. She is also the second overall American woman to receive an Olympic medal. Abbott's mother, Mary Abbott, also competed in this Olympic event and finished tied for seventh, shooting a 65. They were the first and only mother and daughter that have ever competed in the same Olympic event at the same time.[6]
Abbott never knew that they were competing in the Olympics; she thought it was a normal golf tournament and died not knowing. Her historic victory was not known until University of Florida professor Paula Welch began to do research into the history of the Olympics and discovered that Margaret Abbott had placed first. Over the course of ten years, she contacted Abbott's children and informed them of their mother's victory.[7][8]
Non-Olympic events
The men's handicap competition was won by American Albert Bond Lambert, with a score of 83−10=73 by two strokes from Pierre Deschamps of France, who scored 108−33=75.[9]
Medal summary
Medals were awarded to the top five finishers in each event; gold for the winner, vermeil for second, silver for third, silvered bronze for fourth, and bronze for fifth.[2]
The top three in the men's and women's championships are considered Olympic medalists.
De Wael, Herman. Herman's Full Olympians: "Golf 1900". Accessed 27 January 2006. Available electronically at [1]Archived 28 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine.
