| George Cumming | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Cumming, c. 1905
| |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | George Cumming | ||
| Born | (1879-05-20)20 May 1879 Bridge of Weir, Scotland | ||
| Died | 26 March 1950(1950-03-26) (aged 70) Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Sporting nationality |  Scotland Canada | ||
| Career | |||
| Status | Professional | ||
| Professional wins | 3 | ||
| Best results in major championships | |||
| Masters Tournament | DNP | ||
| PGA Championship | DNP | ||
| U.S. Open | 9th: 1905 | ||
| The Open Championship | DNP | ||
| Achievements and awards | |||
| |||
George Cumming (20 May 1879 – 26 March 1950) was a Scottish-Canadian professional golfer and club maker. Cumming was often referred to as the "Dean of Canadian Professional Golfers" and his teachings as proprietor of the Toronto Golf Club launched the career of many of Canada's best known professional golfers. He won the Canadian Open in 1905 and three of his assistants won the championship in the following years: Charles Murray, Albert Murray and Karl Keffer,[1] each winning the championship twice.
Cumming finished in ninth place in the 1905 U.S. Open. He carded rounds of 85-82-75-81=323 and won $30. He was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum in 1971.[1]
Cumming was born in Bridge of Weir, Scotland, on 20 May 1879.[1] He was a championship player and a superb teacher of golf mechanics. At age ten, he worked as a caddieatRanfurly Castle Golf Club where he often caddied for Willie Campbell, one of the best players in Scotland. He was apprenticed at age 14 to the Forgan Golf Co. in Glasgow as a club maker.[2]
He moved to Dumfies and Galloway at age 16 and eventually became head professional.[1] In 1900, he moved to Toronto[2] and made the acquaintance of Stewart Gordon, the Honorary Secretary of Toronto Golf Club.[3] Cumming was hired at age 21 as professional at the Toronto Golf Club and remained there for 50 years.[2]
As a player, Cumming won the Canadian Open in 1905 (score 148) and was runner-up four times. He was ninth at the U.S. OpenatMyopia Hunt Clubin1905 and the next week won a 36-hole event at The Country Club, near Boston. He had great success in four-ball matches with George Lyon. In 1913 he partnered with Percy Barrett in a well-publicized match versus Harry Vardon and Ted Ray. He was described as a shorter hitter with a pleasant-looking swing. He had strong hands and was a solid performer in all aspects of the game.[3]
Cumming expanded the Mississauga Golf & Country Club – originally designed by Percy Barrett – to 18 holes in 1909. The course started as 9 holes. In 1919 Donald Ross made several revisions.[4] Cumming is also responsible for the first 9 holes at the Idylwylde Golf and Country Club in Sudbury, Ontario,[5] as well as Scarboro Golf and Country Club and Sarnia Golf and Curling Club.[5] He partnered with Melville Millar and designed the front nine of Port Colborne Golf Course in 1929.
Cumming died on 26 March 1950 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. At the time of his death, he was Vice-President of the Canadian Professional Golfers' Association.[1] He was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum in 1971.[1]
Note: This list may be incomplete.
| Tournament | 1903 | 1904 | 1905 | 1906 | 1907 | 1908 | 1909 | 1910 | 1911 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Open | 22 | 28 | 9 | T18 | ? | 32 | ? | T14 | T20 | T23 | 47 | T39 |
Note: Cumming played only in the U.S. Open.
T = Tied for a place
Yellow background for top-10
? = Unknown
