Harry Vardon

South Herts has been fortunate to be associated with two great figures of British golf.

Harry Vardon became the professional at South Herts in 1902, by which time he had already won three of his six Open Championships as well as the US Open. He was to remain professional at the Club until his death in 1937 amassing another three Open Championships, many other tournament victories and becoming a major figure on the world stage.

He was a prolific golf course architect, designing or amending many local courses, including South Herts, and gave his name to the overlapping grip that is now the club's symbol.

Throughout his life Vardon was an innovator. On his return from one trip to the United States he was the first British professional to forsake the buttoned jacket in favour of a cardigan for play, a move which seems only sensible now, but that at the time caused apoplexy amongst the more conservative followers of the game.

Dai Rees C.B.E.

Dai Rees was known to Harry Vardon as a fine young player before the second World War, and in 1946, with Vardon's posthumous endorsement, he was appointed the professional at South Herts where he stayed until his death in 1983.

During a long career Dai won a total of 39 major tournaments, finished second in the Open championship to Arnold Palmer in 1961 and played in nine Ryder Cups, captaining the side no fewer than five times and leading the team to victory at Lindrick in 1957.

Despite being showered with honours, and having a very busy schedule as chief ambassador of the PGA, Dai was always close to the Club's members, and throughout his career he would play in as many Captain/Pro challenge matches with members as possible.

Hudson Trophy

Robert A Hudson was a successful businessman of Portland, Oregon, in the USA. He was a great patron of professional golf on both sides of the Atlantic, being a vice-president of both the British PGA, and the US PGA. He was instrumental in reviving the Ryder Cup after the second World War, and he sponsored the American team in the Competition played in Oregon in 1947, when Dai Rees, who was playing for the British team, met him.

In 1937 the American Ryder Cup team had visited South Herts and had gone to the local parish church in Totteridge to place a wreath on the grave of Harry Vardon, who had died earlier that year. When the Americans subsequently returned to Britain after the war to play for the Ryder Cup, they were invited to practice at South Herts, and a close relationship was built between Robert Hudson and the Club; this led to him being elected as honorary life member of the club.

Robert Hudson offered to sponsor a tournament at South Herts, and in 1959, the year of the Club's diamond jubilee, he presented a silver casket to be played for by invited clubs as the Hudson Trophy. He continued to support the tournament, and on the tenth anniversary of its start, the club presented him with an illuminated address.

After the death of Robert Hudson, the tournament was supported for a few years by the PGCA and subsequently by the PGA, but in recent years it has been run entirely by the Club, which is always delighted to welcome the participating teams and their supporters.