Horton, Chester Garfield, Sr.

Chester Garfield Horton, Sr. Soundex Code H635

Chester Garfield Horton, Sr. Golf

Birth: Friday, March 18, 1881, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA

Death: Monday, May 7, 1973, (93 years old) Gladstone, Clackamas County, Oregon, USA

One of Golf's early noteworthy professionals was the late Chester Garfield Horton, Sr. (1881-1973). His name would be unfamiliar to most, although he was a famous teacher in his day. As early as 1893, Horton, was a caddy for Charles Blair McDonald, designer of the Chicago Golf Club, America's first 18-hole layout.

He taught several other talented golfers as well like, Chick Evans, (the famous amateur who founded the Evans Caddy Scholarship Fund) later caddied for Chester who became a head professional in the early 1900s.

Horton was known as "Golfs Man Of Science," (below) and his golf column was syndicated in 126 newspapers throughout the country.

Chester Horton created more home-made teaching devises to impart feel than any one up to his time. He used ordinary items like a child's set of stock rings placed on a baton. The rings would slide down when there was a pause at the top of the back swing, and then would race to the end of the stick on the completion of the forward swing.

Horton constructed a Reverse-loft block wood on a golf shaft that help chronic toppers learn to strike with descent through the ball. He also used a wood shafted driver with a grip he'd formed to match the popular Vardon grip of 1910.

Whenever Horton had a recurring teaching problem he would invent a gadget to help his students solve the problem.

He was known as golf's man of science for his inventions regarding an easier way to teach others the game of golf. He played in the 1900 US Open. He owned a golf instruction school in downtown Chicago as well as one in Seattle. He had his signature set of golf clubs manufactured, so they were sold as "C.G. Horton" stamped on the top of them.

He wrote three books on golf instruction published in 1934.

He was in short films on the game of golf around 1930. He caddied for C.B. MacDonald who designed the Chicago Golf Club.

Chester also was on Vaudville with George Burns and Gracie Allen. He worked at the Clarendon Beach Golf School as an instructor and he worked at several golf clubs as a pro including the Santa Catalina Golf Club and the Everett Golf Club around the mid 1920s. He was also on staff at the University of Washington in Seattle and was part of their golf club. One of the short films he was in was titled "This is the Life" with Al Kvale and Johnny Small. He also had two brothers who loved the game of golf and were just as famous as he was during the 1920s to the 1950s, Waverly Grant Horton and Elijah Horton. He never did lose his love of the game. He was married to Martha Belle Horton, nee: Martha Belle Woodard, and they had 8 children.

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Chester Garfield Horton, Sr

Chester Garfield Horton was a professional golfer and golf instructor. He taught several other talented golfers as well like, Chick Evans. He was known as golf's man of science for his inventions regarding an easier way to teach others the game of golf. He played in the 1900 US Open. He owned a golf instruction school in downtown Chicago as well as one in Seattle. He had his signature set of golf clubs manufactured, so they were sold as "C. G. Horton" stamped on the top of them. He wrote three books on golf instruction published in 1934. He was in short films on the game of golf around 1930. He caddied for C. B. MacDonald who designed the Chicago Golf Club. He also was on Vaudville with George Burns and Gracie Allen. He worked at the Clarendon Beach Golf School as an instructor and he worked at several golf clubs as a pro including the Santa Catalina Golf Club and the Everett Golf Club around the mid 1920's. He was also on staff at the University of Washington in Seattle and was part of their golf club. One of the short films he was in was titled "This is the Life" with Al Kvale and Johnny Small. He also had two brothers who loved the game of golf and were just as famous as he was during the 1920's to the 1950's, Waverly Grant Horton and Elijah Horton. He never did lose his love of the game. He was married to Martha Belle Woodard and they had 8 children including my grandfather, Richard Farrar Horton. He remarried after Martha "Mattie" passed away to Wilhelmina B. McLean and his ashes are buried with her. http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/3265130/person/-1674266881

Family links:

Parents:
 David Horton (1837 - 1902)
 Emily Burns Horton (1855 - 1940)

Spouse:
 Martha Belle Woodard Horton (1882 - 1949)*

Children:
 Chester Garfield Horton (1906 - 1981)*
 Mary Elizabeth Horton Eng (1908 - 1996)*
 Kenneth Burns Horton (1909 - 1983)*

Siblings:
 Stanley L. Horton (1877 - 1889)*
 Harriet Emily Horton Harris (1878 - 1943)*
 Chester Garfield Horton (1881 - 1973)
 Waverly Grant Horton (1883 - 1953)*
 David Paul Horton (1885 - 1891)*
 Elijah Horton (1886 - 1957)*

• Calculated relationship

Burial: Finley-Sunset Hills Memorial Park Portland Washington County Oregon, USA Plot: Garden of Devotion, Lot 126, Space 2

Created by: Ruth Cliett Record added: Mar 08, 2010 Find A Grave Memorial# 49443641