Who's who: Harold "Jug" McSpaden

  • Nairn GC.jpg
  • Prince's GC, England
  • Peterhead GC
  • 30bb297e-e7f4-4990-93c9-b8c1e64fdd82.JPG
  • Littlestone GC
  • Brora GC
  • Cabot Highlands - Castel Stuart course
  • Torrey Pines - South Course 1

Who's who: Harold "Jug" McSpaden

  • Name:

    Harold Lee "Jug" McSpaden
  • Also known as:

    Jug
  • Country:

    USA
  • Lived:

    [1908-1996]. Born on July 21, 1908 in Monticello, nr Kansas City, Kansas. Died on April 22, 1996 in Kansas City, Kansas (aged 87).
  • Original/Home Club:

  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer, club pro and course designer.
  • Turned Pro:

    1926 (age 18)

Roll of Honour

Multiple wins on the PGA Tour (17) and numerous other professional wins in the 1930s and 40s. McSpaden was selected for the 1939 Ryder Cup team, although this event was cancelled due to World War II.

Did you know?

Like Byron Nelson, McSpaden was rejected for military service in World War II on health grounds. He and Nelson teamed-up during the war years to put on many exhibition matches, raising considerable funding for the Red Cross and United Service Organizations.

Top tournaments won by Harold "Jug" McSpaden

1944
America
Wilshire CC
278 (-6)
$4,375
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

McSpaden, Harold

Venue

Wilshire CC

Score

278 (-6)

Prize money

$4,375

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Los Angeles Open (Jan 7-10). Second-placed Johnny Bulla (USA) finished 3 shots behind Harold "Jug" McSpaden (USA). [Wilshire CC, Los Angeles, CA].

1944
America
Edgewater GC
273 (-11)
$3,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

McSpaden, Harold

Venue

Edgewater GC

Score

273 (-11)

Prize money

$3,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Chicago Victory National Open (Jun 30-Jul 3). Harold "Jug" McSpaden (USA) beat Lieut. Ben Hogan (USA) in an 18-hole Monday playoff (McSpaden 70, 73). [Edgewater GC, Chicago, IL; now reduced to nine-holes and called the Robert A. Black municipal course].

1944
America
Phoenix CC, AZ
273 (-11)
$1,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

McSpaden, Harold

Venue

Phoenix CC, AZ

Score

273 (-11)

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Phoenix Open (Feb 3-7). Harold "Jug" McSpaden (USA) beat Byron Nelson (USA) in an 18-hole Monday playoff (McSpaden 70; Nelson 72). [Phoenix CC, Phoenix, AZ].

1944
America
Great Southern GC
276 (-8)
$1,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

McSpaden, Harold

Venue

Great Southern GC

Score

276 (-8)

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the inaugural Gulfport Open (March 3-5). Second-placed Sam Byrd (USA) finished 6 shots behind Harold "Jug" McSpaden (USA). [Great Southern GC, Gulfport, Mississippi].

1943
America
Tam O'Shanter
282 (-6)
$2,000
George S. May

Category

America

Winner (holder)

McSpaden, Harold

Venue

Tam O'Shanter

Score

282 (-6)

Prize money

$2,000

Title sponsor

George S. May

Played as the All American Open (July 22-25; aka the Tam O'Shanter). Harold "Jug" McSpaden (USA) beat Buck White (USA) in an 18-hole Monday playoff (McSpaden 71, White 72). [Tam O'Shanter CC, Niles, nr Chicago, IL; now the municipal Tam O'Shanter Golf Course].

1942
America
Miami Springs G&CC
272 (-8)
$1,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

McSpaden, Harold

Venue

Miami Springs G&CC

Score

272 (-8)

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Miami Open (Dec 3-6; unofficial PGA Tour event due to the impact of World War II). Second-placed Johnny Revolta (USA) finished 4 shots behind Harold "Jug" McSpaden (USA). [Miami Springs G&CC, Miami, FL; at the time known as Miami Springs Municipal Course].

1941
America
Glen Arven CC
207 (-9)
$700
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

McSpaden, Harold

Venue

Glen Arven CC

Score

207 (-9)

Prize money

$700

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Thomasville Open (Feb 22/23; 54-hole event). Second-placed Chandley Harper (USA), Ben Hogan (USA) and defending champion Lloyd Mangrum (USA) finished 8 shots behind Harold "Jug" McSpaden (USA). [Glen Arven CC, Thomasville, Georgia].

1940
Asia
Wack Wack G&CC
287 (-1)
x

Category

Asia

Winner (holder)

McSpaden, Harold

Venue

Wack Wack G&CC

Score

287 (-1)

Prize money

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Philippine Open. Second-placed Emery Zimmerman (USA) finished 4 shots behind Harold "Jug" McSpaden (USA). [East course, Wack Wack G&CC, Manila, Philippines].

1939
America
Riverside, NB
282 (-2)
$1,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

McSpaden, Harold

Venue

Riverside, NB

Score

282 (-2)

Prize money

$1,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Canadian Open (Aug 17-19). Second-placed Ralph Guldahl (USA) finished 5 shots behind Harold "Jug" McSpaden (USA). [Riverside CC, Rothesay, NB].

1938
America
Miami Springs G&CC
275 (-5)
$2,500
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

McSpaden, Harold

Venue

Miami Springs G&CC

Score

275 (-5)

Prize money

$2,500

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Miami Open (Dec 15-18). Second-placed Henry Picard (USA) finished 1 shot behind Harold "Jug" McSpaden (USA). [Miami Springs G&CC, Miami, FL; at the time known as Miami Springs Municipal Course].

Find a course

Or

Tournaments

The Sentry: known for many years as the Tournament of Champions, the PGA Tour’s 2025 season-opener gets underway on Kapalua’s Plantation course (Jan 2-5). Chris Kirk defends.

Tournament of Champions: the LPGA Tour’s 2025 season is launched at Lake Nona with the their Tournament of Champions (Jan 30-Feb 2). The 2024 edition gave Lydia Ko her 20th LPGA Tour title.

Who's Who

Attahya Thitikul: also known as “Jeeno”, the Thai golfer won the LPGA Tour’s 2024 CME Group Tour Championship … and an eye-watering $4 million, the richest first-prize in women’s golf.

Rory McIlroy: scooped the 2024 European (DP World) Tour season-long Order of Merit title, joining Seve Ballesteros as a six-time winner of this prestigious award.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

Popular videos

You can subscribe to the Where2Golf channel on YT if you like to see more video content. You'll find a "Subscribe" button on any of our YouTube videos. Or if you want a quick and direct access subscribe here. Once done, any new published videos will show up in your Subscriptions feed.

Whistling Straits (Wisconsin, US)

Hamburger GC - Falkenstein, Germany

Littlestone Golf Club (Kent, UK)