Reminiscences of ab Australian Legend

Tuesday, March 31, 1992 - by Cheah Phaik Sim

Norman, 78, is still able to coach the whole day without stopping to rest	Von Nida drives from the first in a 1948 tournament. Photo Credit: How TO Play Golf - The Von Nida Story by Norman Von Nida	Top: The Lord Mayor of Glasgow gives Freedom of the City to Norman von Nida (left) and South Africa's Bobby Locke. Bottom: Ossie Pickworth, Norman von Nida, Bob Hope and Harry Berwick during a Charity Match at The Lakes, Sydney. HOPE described the course as "Alcatraz without bars". Bottom: A gathering of famous golfers. From left to right: Norman von Nida, Max Faulkner, Eric Cremin, Kel Nagel and Dai Rees.
From 1982-85, Norman was the pro at Kooralbyn Resort, Queensland	Norman with Alan Murray. Both have coached the Malaysian team

Norman von Nida

His lunch is usually a plate of rice with honey orsugar, which must be the secret of his endless energy. At 78, Norman Von Nida never feels tired, and has more verve, virility and vigour than anyone half his age. Blind in one eye, with only 15% vision left in the other, Norman's memory is so stupendously fantastic, he can still relate events that had happened to him as a child. His strength is so amazing, he can still teach from dawn until dusk without sitting down. He can walk 18 holes without feeling breathless or fatigued.

Norman Von Nida is a phenomenon who has won more titles than any professional. Yet, his earnings as a pro in his whole lifetime, amounted to less than A$400,000. What a pro these days can surpass by winning just one Open or Skins Game.

"I would not advise anyone to emulate my life," Norman spoke without any shame or embarrassment.

"I made more money playing golf with the bookies and betting on the horses, than from golf!" Norman confessed that out of every 7 matches with the bookies, he had to force himself to lose at least one. "Otherwise, no one would want to bet with me!"

With a laugh, Norman added that he has managed to survive because he was lucky with horses.

Norman Von Nida became a caddie at the Royal Queensland Golf Club when he was 9. From the age of 12 he dominated the Queensland caddie competition, until he was 16. There were at least 40-50 caddies at each club in Brisbane, and each year, Norman proved that he had more ability as a player.

In 1932, Norman won the Queensland Amateur Championship and decided to turn professional in 1933. He was attached to the Nudgee Golf Club for 6 months. He then became the first Australian pro to play in tournaments, and played with the club members and bookmakers.

"Those 3 cent bets gradually increased when I got richer." Betting with members was something new, but not with the bookies, who were his main source of finance.

"Oh, whenever I lost, I had to pay!" Norman admitted.

When Norman won the Queensland Open, the prize money was £50 which is worth AS100 now. In what were the Club's Purses, which is now known as Pro-Ams, the first prize for the Pros was only around £ 15 in 1934-3 5. There were no touring pros in Australia then; only in America.

Norman only began to realise that he was a better player than he had ever thought when lie beat Gene Sarazen. The U.S. Open Champion had challenged anyone for any sum of money in matchplay over 18 holes in the newspapers.

"I had borrowed £50 from a friend, Bert Hester, and beat Sarazen. I repeat it was a fluke, but the very fact that I could beat him, made me realise that I had the skills to compete against any professional in the world."

After this victory, Norman left to live in New South Wales where it was more competitive, and there was money to play for.

There were 50 pros in Sydney alone, and all club pros used to compete. Norman won the N.S.W. Open 3 times; the N.S.W. Pro Championship 3 times and was 2nd in the Australian Open. Norman lost to American Jim Ferrier. But in the Philippines Open, he scored back-to-back victories in 1938 and '39.

"It took me 2 weeks and 4 days to get to Manila each time by boat. But when I went to
Springhill, Philadelphia, for the U.S., Open in 1939, the journey on the `Mariposa' took 5 weeks." Norman added that the total prize money was US$7,500 and the winner was Byron Nelson. He finished 10th.

On the last day of the Open, Britain had declared war on Germany, and Norman returned to enlist in the Australian Armed Forces. He remained in the army for 5 years, and never played golf.

After the capitulation of Germany, Norman practised 10 hours daily and in 1946, caught a boat which took 5 weeks to arrive in England. He played 17 tournaments in Britain, won 2 and finished well in all the others. The total won was probably £1,250. Norman returned to England every year until 1964.

In 1947, Norman won 7 tournaments and