BING CROSBY AND GOLF
No, I don't have any golf tips from Bing Crosby, but I thought
you might enjoy hearing him sing his classic "Straight Down
the Middle." (Make sure your speaker is turned on.) It was
written for him by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen and
recorded in 1957. Bing sang it at each of his "Crosby
Clambakes."
There are a zillion jokes about golf, but Bing's ditty is the only
song about golf that achieved any prominence.
While his fame has faded over the years, Bing was a legend
in his day. As many as 50 million (one-third of the U.S.
population at the time) listened to his Kraft Music Hall radio
program from 1935-46. The next largest audience for a series
since then was 36 million watching "Who Wants to be a
Millionaire."
In the late 40s, he was ranked as the most popular man alive
by a national poll.
From 1934 to 1954 he was the king of all three entertainment
media -- phonograph sales, radio ratings and movie grosses.
He had more recordings than any singer in history -- 400
more than Frank Sinatra.
He scored the most number one hits ever -- 38. The Beetles
had 24. Elvis 18.
Bing was an especially avid golfer, playing at every
opportunity. His wife Kathryn said he was a golfer who sang
for a living.
A 2 handicap, he won several club championships and once
qualified for the National Amateur Championship.
In 1937, he created the first and longest-runing celebrity
pro-am golf championship, the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am,
hosting it for 35 years and raising millions for charity.
Bing died of a massive heart attack in 1977 after walking off
the 18th green of the La Moraleja Golf Club near Madrid. He
shot an 85 and, with his partner, won $10. His last words
were, "That was a great game of golf, fellas." He was 74.
Source: "Bing Crosby -- Pocketful of Dreams," by Gary
Giddens; Little Brown, Publisher
Photo courtesy of Steven Lewis
No, I don't have any golf tips from Bing Crosby, but I thought
you might enjoy hearing him sing his classic "Straight Down
the Middle." (Make sure your speaker is turned on.) It was
written for him by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen and
recorded in 1957. Bing sang it at each of his "Crosby
Clambakes."
There are a zillion jokes about golf, but Bing's ditty is the only
song about golf that achieved any prominence.
While his fame has faded over the years, Bing was a legend
in his day. As many as 50 million (one-third of the U.S.
population at the time) listened to his Kraft Music Hall radio
program from 1935-46. The next largest audience for a series
since then was 36 million watching "Who Wants to be a
Millionaire."
In the late 40s, he was ranked as the most popular man alive
by a national poll.
From 1934 to 1954 he was the king of all three entertainment
media -- phonograph sales, radio ratings and movie grosses.
He had more recordings than any singer in history -- 400
more than Frank Sinatra.
He scored the most number one hits ever -- 38. The Beetles
had 24. Elvis 18.
Bing was an especially avid golfer, playing at every
opportunity. His wife Kathryn said he was a golfer who sang
for a living.
A 2 handicap, he won several club championships and once
qualified for the National Amateur Championship.
In 1937, he created the first and longest-runing celebrity
pro-am golf championship, the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am,
hosting it for 35 years and raising millions for charity.
Bing died of a massive heart attack in 1977 after walking off
the 18th green of the La Moraleja Golf Club near Madrid. He
shot an 85 and, with his partner, won $10. His last words
were, "That was a great game of golf, fellas." He was 74.
Source: "Bing Crosby -- Pocketful of Dreams," by Gary
Giddens; Little Brown, Publisher
Photo courtesy of Steven Lewis
Tom's Golf Tips
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