Vardon Way

Vardon Way is located on The Links’ subdivision adjacent to the New Plymouth Golf Club. Like almost all of the streets in the development Vardon Way has a golfing connection.

Harry William Vardon (1870-1937) was an American golfer, considered among the world’s best in from the late 1890s through to the beginning of World War One. Vardon moved to England at the age of 20 and the same year turned professional. The first of his six Open Championships (a record that still stands) came in 1896, the last coming in 1914.

Vardon ended his career with 48 tournament wins, including an astonishing run in 1898–99 when he played in 17 tournaments, winning 14 and finishing second in the other three. In 1974 he was one of the original inductees into the World Golf Hall of Fame, and both the PGA of America and the British PGA have acknowledged his legacy by naming prestigious trophies in his honour.

In 1911 New Plymouth came close to hosting Harry Vardon for an exhibition match at the Ngāmotu links. It was announced in May 1911 that he had “definitely decided to visit Australia and New Zealand”. The Taranaki Herald reported in June that a “guarantee list” was being signed by members of the Ngāmotu club to help cover the cost of bringing Vardon to New Plymouth.

However, only weeks later it was announced that Vardon’s tour had been cancelled. One of the likely reasons for the change in plans was word that he “was a very bad sailor, and dreaded long sea trips.”

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.