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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
Legendary golfer Samuel Jackson ‘‘Slammin’ Sammy’’ Snead (May 27, 1912-May 23, 2002) was born at Ashwood, Virginia. A natural athlete, he excelled in sports in high school. He ran track and played baseball, basketball, football, tennis, and golf. After high school, he concentrated on golf.
In 1934, Snead became a golf professional and worked at the Upper Cascades course in Hot Springs, Virginia. After a year, he went to work as assistant golf professional at the nearby Homestead resort and then became a teaching professional at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs. In 1937, he joined the Professional Golf Association tour. By 1942, he had won 29 tournaments.
During World War II, Snead served in the U.S. Navy. When the Greenbrier reopened as a resort in 1948, after wartime service as an army hospital, Snead returned as the golf professional. Wearing his trademark straw fedora, he continued to play on the PGA Tour, eventually winning 81 PGA events and at least 135 world tournaments. He won his last PGA event at age 52, the oldest player to do so.
In 1974, he left the Greenbrier and worked at the Homestead. In 1980, he joined the Senior PGA Tour. Upon his return to the Greenbrier in 1993, Snead was named golf professional emeritus. Highlights of his long career include three PGA championships, three Masters Tournaments, and the 1946 British Open. He was selected eight times as a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, and elected to the PGA Hall of Fame and the World Golf Hall of Fame. Snead published several books about golf. He split his time among the Greenbrier, his Ashwood farm, and Florida. He died at Ashwood.
On August 2, 2009, Snead was inducted into the West Virginia Golf Hall of Fame along with amateur golfer Bill Campbell of Huntington.
Conte, Robert S. The History of The Greenbrier. Charleston: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, 1998.