Max Elbin
Encyclopedia
Carl Max Elbin was an American golf professional who served a three-year term as president of the Professional Golfers' Association of America
during a time when professional tournament golfers split away to form the PGA Tour
.
Elbin started out as a caddy
at the Cumberland Country Club in Cumberland, Maryland
, where he developed his golfing skills and won the club's Caddie Championship as a teenager. While at the practice green preparing to compete in the 1939 Bedford Springs Open at the Bedford Springs Hotel
, he met Lew Worsham
, the pro at the Burning Tree Club
in Bethesda, Maryland
. Worsham hired Elbin in 1940 as his assistant at Burning Tree for $19 per week. During the winter, Elbin worked at the Indian Creek Club in Miami Beach, Florida
for $25 per week.
During World War II, Elbin joined the United States Army Air Corps
in 1942, serving as crew chief on a B-29 Superfortress
that saw action over New Guinea
, the Philippines
and Tokyo.
After the war, both Elbin and Worsham returned to Burning Tree. Worsham left the club for a career as a professional golfer, ultimately winning the 1947 U.S. Open
over Sam Snead
. Elbin took Worsham's position as pro at age 26 after making a deal over a handshake. As the pro at Burning Tree, he played with six U.S. Presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower
, John F. Kennedy
, Lyndon B. Johnson
, Richard Nixon
, Gerald Ford
and George H. W. Bush
.
In 1965, Elbin was selected to serve a three-year term as the 15th president of the Professional Golfers' Association of America
. At the time, the touring professional golfers felt that their concerns were not being met. Jack Nicklaus
and Arnold Palmer
led the movement to create a separate organization that became known as the PGA Tour
. The operating agreement signed between the PGA of America and the professional golfers divided the various events, with the PGA Tour taking the World Series of Golf and the PGA of America taking control of the Ryder Cup
, then a sparsely attended competition that became one golf's most popular events by the time of Elbin's death.
Elbin died at age 88 at his home in Bethesda, Maryland
due to heart failure.
Professional Golfers' Association of America
Founded in 1916, the Professional Golfers' Association of America is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and is made up of more than 28,000 men and women golf professional members...
during a time when professional tournament golfers split away to form the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
.
Elbin started out as a caddy
Caddy
In golf, a caddy is the person who carries a player's bag and clubs, and gives insightful advice and moral support. A good caddy is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the best strategy in playing it. This includes knowing overall yardage, pin...
at the Cumberland Country Club in Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...
, where he developed his golfing skills and won the club's Caddie Championship as a teenager. While at the practice green preparing to compete in the 1939 Bedford Springs Open at the Bedford Springs Hotel
Bedford Springs Hotel
The Bedford Springs Hotel is a resort hotel outside of Bedford, Pennsylvania. It is a contributing property to the Bedford Springs Hotel Historic District, a designated National Historic Landmark...
, he met Lew Worsham
Lew Worsham
Lewis Elmer Worsham, Jr. was an American professional golfer.Worsham was born in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. In 1947, he won the U.S. Open by defeating Sam Snead in an 18-hole playoff at the St. Louis Country Club in Clayton, Missouri after the two men had finished tied at 282 in regulation....
, the pro at the Burning Tree Club
Burning Tree Club
Burning Tree Club is a private, all-male golf club in Bethesda, Maryland. Membership in the club is extremely exclusive. The course at Burning Tree has been played by numerous presidents, foreign dignitaries, high-ranking executive officials, members of Congress, and military leaders...
in Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
. Worsham hired Elbin in 1940 as his assistant at Burning Tree for $19 per week. During the winter, Elbin worked at the Indian Creek Club in Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
for $25 per week.
During World War II, Elbin joined the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
in 1942, serving as crew chief on a B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
that saw action over New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and Tokyo.
After the war, both Elbin and Worsham returned to Burning Tree. Worsham left the club for a career as a professional golfer, ultimately winning the 1947 U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
over Sam Snead
Sam Snead
Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S...
. Elbin took Worsham's position as pro at age 26 after making a deal over a handshake. As the pro at Burning Tree, he played with six U.S. Presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
, John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
, Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
, Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
and George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
.
In 1965, Elbin was selected to serve a three-year term as the 15th president of the Professional Golfers' Association of America
Professional Golfers' Association of America
Founded in 1916, the Professional Golfers' Association of America is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and is made up of more than 28,000 men and women golf professional members...
. At the time, the touring professional golfers felt that their concerns were not being met. Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
and Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
led the movement to create a separate organization that became known as the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
. The operating agreement signed between the PGA of America and the professional golfers divided the various events, with the PGA Tour taking the World Series of Golf and the PGA of America taking control of the Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
, then a sparsely attended competition that became one golf's most popular events by the time of Elbin's death.
Elbin died at age 88 at his home in Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
due to heart failure.