This brief, silent black and white film from the Kodascope Library, “Bobby Jones Champion of Champions”, provides a look at the famed pro golfer Bobby Jones. Jones was an American amateur golfer and lawyer. He was considered to be one of the most influential characters in the golf world as he helped to form the Masters Tournament and the Augusta National Golf Club. He was extremely prominent during the years of 1923 to 1930. This feature looks closely at the golfer’s movements and stance as he performs various strokes. Bobby first appears in a white button down and smart tie at (:11). He demonstrates the overlapping Vardon Grip (:48). The film captures his swing (1:14) noting his hip leads the downward stroke. Dotted lines trace the path of the club (2:13) to note something known as a ‘loop’ in his movement (2:13). The camera breaks down his stroke noting the ‘suspension of action’ at various positions (2:40). The camera pauses at various points throughout his stroke (3:16). Footage captured from behind the man (3:48) note a substantial loop (4:19). He swings a ball over the camera man (4:34). Slow motion footage (5:12) shows his swing from a front facing camera angle. Line analysis displays Bobby’s errors; explains the reasons for his occasional lapses with the iron (5:57). A back view watches the man chop at the ball (6:05). The film notes a book by the golfer; “Down the Fairway” (6:29) published in 1927. The book is partly memoir, partly instructional and part golf history and was widely received. He displays his pet bunker shot (6:42) with heels in the sand. Slow motion footage follows (6:53). The camera traces the ball near the hole (7:21); spectators line the background. Putting was to be one of Bobby’s strongest points. He demonstrates this (7:44) with a small grin. Bobby negotiates a stymie (8:51) sliding past another ball to sink his own. Images follow of Bobby practicing with an open stance (9:14). Fans and spectators reach to shake the golfer’s hand (10:12) as the film abruptly concludes.

Robert Tyre Jones Jr. (1902 – 1971) was an American amateur golfer who was one of the most influential figures in the history of the sport; he was also a lawyer by profession. Jones founded and helped design the Augusta National Golf Club, and co-founded the Masters Tournament. The innovations that he introduced at the Masters have been copied by virtually every professional golf tournament in the world. Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete at a national and international level. During his peak from 1923 to 1930, he dominated top-level amateur competition, and competed very successfully against the world’s best professional golfers.[6] Jones often beat stars such as Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen, the era’s top pros. Jones earned his living mainly as a lawyer, and competed in golf only as an amateur, primarily on a part-time basis, and chose to retire from competition at age 28, though he earned significant money from golf after that, as an instructor and equipment designer.

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com