Shell's Wonderful World of Golf

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Shell's Wonderful World of Golf was a televised series of golf matches which began in the 1960s. [1] [2] The program was sponsored by Shell Oil. It was a part of the tradition of "challenge matches" between pairs of professional golfers, which were the earliest form of professional golf competition, but have now been almost entirely replaced by large field tournaments. On a few occasions, three players competed (see table). No matches were staged between 1970 and 1994, when the show was restarted by Jack Nicklaus Productions and hosted by Gary Player. [3] Gene Sarazen was the host for most of the earlier matches. [4]

Each contest was played as a stroke play match, rather than match play.

It began as a pre-recorded one-hour program on Sunday afternoons, and was notable for also including information about the host country for that week's show. It also included some of the conversations between the contestants between the shots. As such, it allowed the audience to feel they were part of a foursome traveling with the competitors and host, as opposed to being just a spectator in the gallery.

Matches through 2003

YearPlayersLocationCourse
2003 Fred Couples vs. Michael Campbell Matauri Bay, Northland, New Zealand Kauri Cliffs
2002 Gary Player vs. Tom Weiskopf Galena, Ohio Double Eagle Club
2002 Phil Mickelson vs. David Toms Brooksville, Florida World Woods Golf Club
2002 Fred Couples vs. Mark Calcavecchia Carmel, California The Preserve Golf Club
2001 Sam Torrance vs. Curtis Strange Newport, Rhode Island Carnegie Abbey Club
2001 Phil Mickelson vs. Sergio García Los Cabos, Mexico Querencia
2001 Craig Stadler vs. Shigeki Maruyama Ichihara, Chiba, Japan TPC Ichihara
2001 Karrie Webb vs. Annika Sörenstam Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort
2001 Jack Nicklaus vs. Arnold Palmer St. Augustine, Florida World Golf Village, The King and The Bear Course [5]
2001 Jack Nicklaus vs. Ben Crenshaw Santa Fe, New Mexico Las Campanas
2000 David Duval vs Ernie Els Charleston, South Carolina Cherokee Plantation
2000 Notah Begay III vs Hal Sutton Rose Hall, St. James, Jamaica White Witch Golf Course
2000 Paul Azinger vs Jesper Parnevik Gulfport, Mississippi Grand Bear Golf Course
2000 Fred Couples vs Phil Mickelson Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Gaillardia Country Club
2000 Jack Nicklaus vs Gary Player Berkshire, England Sunningdale Golf Club (New Course)
1999 Nick Price vs Ernie Els Malalane, Mpumalanga, South Africa Leopard Creek Country Club
1999 Jim Furyk vs Colin Montgomerie Paris, France Paris Golf Club
1999 Dottie Pepper vs Karrie Webb Hanover, Ohio Longaberger Golf Club
1999 Fred Couples vs John Daly Sunriver, Oregon Crosswater Club
1999 Hale Irwin vs Tom Watson Princeton, New Jersey TPC Jasna Polana
1998 Tom Lehman vs. Phil Mickelson Bay Harbor, Michigan Bay Harbor Golf Club
1998 Fred Couples vs. Ernie Els Whistler, British Columbia, Canada Nicklaus North Golf Course
1998 Payne Stewart vs. Nick Price Aruba Tierra Del Sol Golf Course
1998 Justin Leonard vs. Davis Love III Mamaroneck, New York Winged Foot Golf Club (East Course)
1998 Gary Player vs. Lee Trevino St. Augustine, Florida World Golf Village
1997 Tom Lehman vs. Nick Faldo Saint James, Barbados Royal Westmoreland Golf Club
1997 Tom Kite vs. Seve Ballesteros Santander, Cantabria, Spain Real Club de Golf de Pedreña
1997 Fred Couples vs. Tom Watson Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Ireland Mount Juliet Golf Course
1997 Phil Mickelson vs. Colin Montgomerie Vail, Colorado Cordillera
1997 Jack Nicklaus vs. Johnny Miller San Francisco, California Olympic Club (Lakeside Course)
1996 Arnold Palmer vs. Gary Player Lanai, Hawaii The Challenge at Manele
1996 Jack Nicklaus vs. Lee Trevino Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Cabo del Sol (Ocean Course)
1996 Annika Sörenstam vs. Dottie Pepper Kiawah Island, South Carolina Kiawah Island (Ocean Course)
1996 Greg Norman vs. Fred Couples Sutherland, Scotland Skibo Castle
1996 Tom Kite vs. Ben Crenshaw Houston, Texas Champions Golf Club
1995 Greg Norman vs. Nick Price Hobe Sound, Florida Medalist Golf Club
1995 Jack Nicklaus vs. Tom Watson Pebble Beach, California Pebble Beach
1995 Chi-Chi Rodríguez vs. Lee Trevino Humacao, Puerto Rico Palmas del Mar (Palms Course)
1995 Phil Mickelson vs. Ernie Els Tenerife, Spain Golf del Sur
1995 Paul Azinger vs. Seve Ballesteros St Andrews, Scotland Old Course at St Andrews
1994 Raymond Floyd vs. Fred Couples La Romana, Dominican Republic Casa de Campo (Teeth of the Dog)
1994 Arnold Palmer vs. Jack Nicklaus Pinehurst, North Carolina Pinehurst No. 2
1994 Greg Norman vs. Nick Faldo Berkshire, England Sunningdale Golf Club (Old Course)
1970 Christy O'Connor vs. Bob Goalby Ballybunion, Ireland Ballybunion Golf Club, Old Course
1970 Roberto De Vicenzo vs. Tom Weiskopf vs. Dave Stockton Buenos Aires, Argentina Ranelagh Golf Club
1970 Bob Murphy vs. Dan Sikes vs. Miller Barber Mount Irvine, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago Tobago Golf Club
1970 Lee Elder vs. George Knudson vs. George Archer São Paulo, Brazil São Fernando Golf Club
1970 Julius Boros vs. Frank Beard vs. Lee Trevino Atizapan de Zaragoza, Mexico Club de Golf Bellavista
1970 George Knudson vs. Roberto De Vicenzo Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada St. Charles Country Club
1970 Frank Beard vs. Dan Sikes New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans Country Club
1970 Dan Sikes vs. Roberto De Vicenzo San Francisco, California Olympic Club (Lakeside Course)
1969 Ben Arda vs. Billy Casper vs. Gene Littler Manila, Philippines Manila Golf & Country Club
1969 Arnold Palmer vs. Gay Brewer vs. Chi-Chi Rodríguez Fajardo, Puerto Rico El Conquistador Hotel & Club
1969 Roberto De Vicenzo vs. Bert Yancey vs. Tony Jacklin Karen, Kenya Karen Country Club
1969 Doug Sanders vs. Charlie Sifford vs. Dave Thomas Singapore Singapore Island Country Club
1969 Dan Sikes vs. Al Geiberger vs. Peter Alliss Kamuela, Hawaii Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Golf Course
1969 Frank Beard vs. Gardner Dickinson vs. Julius Boros Kingston, Jamaica Caymanas Golf & Country Club
1969 Frank Beard vs. Doug Sanders vs. Arnold Palmer Palm Beach, Florida PGA National Golf Club (East Course)
1969 Ben Arda vs. Roberto De Vicenzo vs. Dan Sikes London, Ontario, Canada London Hunt & Country Club
1969 Frank Beard vs. Ben Arda Medinah, Illinois Medinah Country Club (#3 Course)
1969 Sandra Haynie vs. Carol Mann vs. Kathy Whitworth Bangkok, Thailand Royal Bangkok Sports Club
1968 Mason Rudolph vs. Gardner Dickinson Guatemala City, Guatemala Guatemala Country Club
1968 Phil Rodgers vs. Dave Thomas St Andrews, Scotland Old Course at St Andrews
1968 Frank Beard vs. Sebastián Miguel Barcelona, Spain Real Club de Golf El Prat
1968 Don January vs. Christy O'Connor Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland Royal County Down Golf Club
1968 Julius Boros vs. Arnold Palmer Eleuthera, The Bahamas Cotton Bay Club
1968 Doug Sanders vs. Peter Alliss Portimão, Portugal Penina Golf Club
1968 Sandra Haynie vs. Carol Mann Lausanne, Switzerland Golf Club de Lausanne
1968 Billy Casper vs. Gay Brewer Miami, Florida Doral Country Club (Blue Course)
1968 Al Geiberger vs. George Knudson Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Victoria Golf Club
1968 Roberto De Vicenzo vs. Sam Snead Bethesda, Maryland Congressional Country Club
1967 Bruce Devlin vs. Tommy Jacobs Rome, Italy Golf Club of Rome
1967 Peter Alliss vs. Tony Lema Tucker's Town, Bermuda Mid Ocean Club
1967 Antonio Cerdá vs. Johnny Pott Mexico City, Mexico Club de Golf Mexico
1967 Peter Thomson vs. Dave Marr Utrecht, Netherlands Utrechtse Golf Club "De Pan"
1967 Marlene Streit (a) vs. Mickey Wright Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Toronto Golf Club
1967 Miguel Sala vs. Billy Casper Caracas, Venezuela Lagunita Country Club
1967 Jean Garaïalde vs. Ken Venturi Versailles, France Golf de la Boulie
1967 Julius Boros vs. Sam Snead Atlanta, Georgia Peachtree Golf Club
1967 Dave Thomas vs. Bob Rosburg Mid-Glamorgan, Wales Southerndown Golf Club
1967 Harold Henning vs. Doug Sanders Frankfurt, Germany Frankfurter Golf Club
1967 Roberto De Vicenzo vs. Tom Weiskopf Fédala, Morocco Golf de Fédala
1966 Tony Lema vs. Roberto De Vicenzo Glyfada, Athens, Greece Glyfada Golf Club
1966 Mike Souchak vs. Chi-Chi Rodríguez Panama Panama Country Club
1966 Marlene Streit (a) vs. Marilynn Smith Oslo, Norway Oslo Golfklubb
1966 Billy Casper vs. Doug Sanders Brookline, Massachusetts The Country Club
1966 Bruce Devlin vs. Charlie Sifford Malaysia Selangor G.C.
1966 Gene Littler vs. George Knudson Aylmer, Quebec, Canada Royal Ottawa Golf Club
1966 Ramón Sota vs. Bobby Nichols Madrid, Spain Real Club de Campo
1966 Sam Snead vs. Jimmy Demaret Colorado Springs, Colorado Air Force Academy
1966 George Will vs. Dave Marr South Ayrshire, Scotland Turnberry (Ailsa Course)
1966 Ben Arda vs. Dow Finsterwald Philippines Valley C.C.
1966 Chen Ching-Po vs. Tommy Jacobs Osaka, Japan Iberaki C.C.
1965 Dave Marr vs. Bernard Hunt Berkshire, England Sunningdale Golf Club (Old Course)
1965 Tony Lema vs. Carl Poulsen Denmark Rungsted Golf Klub
1965 Jay Hebert vs. Friedel Schmaderer Hamburg, Germany Hamburg G.C.
1965 Chi-Chi Rodríguez vs. Tommy Jacobs Nassau, Bahamas Lyford Cay Club
1965 Ben Hogan vs. Sam Snead Houston, Texas Houston C.C.
1965 George Knudson vs. Al Balding Ingonish, Nova Scotia, Canada Cape Breton Highlands
1964 Joe Carr (a) vs. Al Geiberger Killarney, Ireland Killarney Golf & Fishing Club
1965 Johnny Pott vs. Roberto De Vicenzo Maracaibo, Venezuela Maracaibo C.C.
1965 Phil Rodgers vs. Alfonso Angelini Italy Villa d'Este G.C.
1965 Marley Spearman vs. Marilynn Smith Luxembourg Luxembourg G.C.
1965 Barbara Romack vs. Isa Goldschmid La Turbie, France Monte Carlo G.C.
1964 Julius Boros vs. Miguel Sala Bogotá, Colombia Country Club de Bogotá
1964 Mickey Wright vs. Brigitte Varangot (a) Portugal Estoril G.C.
1964 Dave Marr vs. Flory Van Donck Belgium Royal Golf Course
1964 George Knudson vs. Stan Leonard West Vancouver, British Columbia Capilano G&CC
1964 Tony Lema vs. Chen Ching-Po Japan Kawana
1964 Doug Sanders vs. Chi-Chi Rodríguez Puerto Rico Dorado Beach (East Course)
1964 Bobby Nichols vs. Jacky Bonvin Switzerland GC Crans-Sur-Sierre
1964 Dave Ragan vs. Bob Charles Hawaii Royal Kaanapali Golf Course
1964 Johnny Pott vs. Kel Nagle Delhi, India Delhi Golf Club
1963 Dow Finsterwald vs. Peter Alliss Jamaica Tryall Hotel G.C.
1963 Gene Littler vs. Eric Brown Auchterarder, Perth and Kinross, Scotland Gleneagles (Kings Course)
1962 Dave Ragan vs. Celestino Tugot Manila, Philippines Wack Wack Golf and Country Club
1963 Art Wall Jr. vs. Stan Leonard Boischatel, Quebec, Canada Royal-Quebec Golf Club
1963 Doug Sanders vs. Arne Werkell Sweden Halmstad GK
1963 Jack Nicklaus vs. Sam Snead Pebble Beach, California Pebble Beach
1963 Byron Nelson vs. Gerard de Wit The Hague, Netherlands Royal Haagsche G&CC
1963 Phil Rodgers vs. Frank Phillips Singapore Royal Singapore G.C.
1963 Billy Casper vs. Harry Bradshaw Portmarnock, Fingal, Ireland Portmarnock Golf Club
1963 Bob Goalby vs. Bob Charles New Zealand Paraparaumu Beach
1963 Bob Rosburg vs. Roberto De Vicenzo Chile Los Leones
1962 Jerry Barber vs. Dai Rees London, England Wentworth (West Course)
1962 Jack Burke Jr. vs. Stan Leonard Banff, Alberta, Canada Banff Springs G.C.
1962 Gene Sarazen vs. Henry Cotton St Andrews, Scotland Old Course at St Andrews
1962 Bob Rosburg vs. Pete Nakamura Kawagoe, Japan Kasumigaseki Country Club
1962 Gene Littler vs. Byron Nelson Pine Valley, New Jersey Pine Valley Golf Club
1962 Ken Venturi vs. Ugo Grappasonni Rome, Italy Olgiata Golf Club
1962 Gary Player vs. Peter Thomson Melbourne, Australia Royal Melbourne Golf Club
1962 Mike Souchak vs. Roberto De Vicenzo Buenos Aires, Argentina Jockey Club (Red Course)
1962 Jay Hebert vs. Flory Van Donck Paris, France C. de G. St. Cloud
1962 Ted Kroll vs. Chen Ching-Po Hong Kong Royal Hong Kong Golf Club
1961 Billy Casper vs. Mário Gonzalez Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Gavea Country Club

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References

  1. Sommers, Robert (October 16, 2009). "When Television Golf Wowed the Crowd". Golf Journal (March/April 1985). Retrieved 2010-07-26.
  2. "Shell Golf – 1962 – 2000 Shell's Wonderful World of Golf Matches". Archived from the original on April 27, 2008.
  3. "When Jack and Arnie roamed Pinehurst No. 2". Pinehurst. September 2, 2015.
  4. "Heard Round the World". Star-Telegram. May 14, 1999. p. 14D. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  5. Arnie and Jack: Palmer, Nicklaus, and Golf's Greatest Rivalry, by Ian O'Connor, 2008, pp. 265-268