Perry Adair Explained

Perry Adair
Fullname:Oliver Perry Adair
Birth Date:1899
Birth Place:Atlanta, Georgia (presumably)
Death Place:Atlanta, Georgia
Status:Amateur
Award1:Georgia Tech
Hall of Fame
Year1:1973
Award2:Georgia Golf
Hall of Fame
Year2:1989

Oliver Perry Adair (1899 – May 30, 1953) was an American amateur golfer from Atlanta, Georgia, who grew up playing golf at East Lake Golf Club with his friend Bobby Jones. He was a very accomplished player, having won the 1921 and 1923 Southern Amateur and 1922 Georgia Amateur championships.

Along with Jones and Alexa Stirling, he toured the country during World War I to raise funds for the Red Cross to assist in the war effort. Adair also played often with James Edgar and Willie Ogg in matches held at Druid Hills Golf Club and elsewhere in the Atlanta area.[1]

Golf career

During World War I, Adair and fellow golfers Bobby Jones and Alexa Stirling toured the country as "The Dixie Kids", playing golf in fundraisers to benefit the Red Cross.[2] Adair won the 1914 East Lake Country Club Championship, the 1921 and 1923 Southern Amateur and 1922 Georgia Amateur.

His father, George W. Adair, Jr., was known as the father of golf in Atlanta and was instrumental in the building of East Lake Golf Club.

Adair was a member of the 1920 United States Olympic golf team. The event was cancelled from the Olympic program that year due to lack of funding.[3]

Death and legacy

Adair died on May 30, 1953.[4] [5] He is best known for his association with Bobby Jones and for winning the 1921 and 1923 Southern Amateur and 1922 Georgia Amateur championships.

He was inducted into the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame in 1973 and the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame in 1989.[6]

Amateur wins

Note: This list may be incomplete.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Eubanks, Steve. To Win and Die in Dixie: The Birth of the Modern Golf Swing and the Mysterious Death of its Creator. Balantine Books. New York. 2010. 120. 978-0-345-51081-5. Google Books.
  2. Web site: American Champion Alexa Stirling was a childhood friend of Bobby Jones . September 27, 2013 . Golf History with Peter Alliss.
  3. Web site: Wiedmer: Chattanooga's Polly Boyd was on last U.S. Olympic golf team selected . timesfreepress.com . 2016-08-13 . 2019-10-04.
  4. News Of The Alumni: 1913 . The Georgia Tech Alumnus . September–October 1953 . 24.
  5. News: Golfer O.P. Adair Dies In Atlanta . . . May 31, 1953 . 8 . United Press.
  6. Web site: Georgia Golf Hall of Fame Member: Perry Adair . Georgia Golf Hall of Fame.
  7. Web site: Perry Adair . Georgia State Golf Association . 2019-10-04.