"Probably the most difficult name I ever had to tackle was Mark Calcavecchia at Troon. I made sure I checked that out a few times!"

Marvin Collins on Alex Harvey, long-time Claret Jug engraver Alex Harvey, who passed away at 83.

After bowing out at St Andrews in 2005, Alex recalled: "Probably the most difficult name I ever had to tackle was Mark Calcavecchia at Troon. I made sure I checked that out a few times!"

Harvey relished the day he engraved Paul Lawrie's name on the trophy at Carnoustie. "It was nice to see his name going on the trophy and not just because he's a Scot. I'd known him for years," he said. "My son Garry knew him and they'd played together on Tour."

Harvey recalled his swansong, with Tiger Woods triumphant at the home of golf. "It was a wonderful tournament, with Jack Nicklaus and I both retiring! In a way I was glad he bowed out on the Friday, otherwise he might have stolen my thunder."

Comments

[Hawkeye]

Speaking of Lawrie's win, I've often wondered how Harvey managed to erase the "Jean van de Ve" that he had inscribed before the Frenchman embarked on his epic footbath in the Barry Burn. How does that work?

[Pickworth]

They have two (or more, but they admit to two) ...but don't usually need them. Each year, at a leisurly pace, all contingencies are prepared for.

[Doug]

@Pickworth - They have two Claret Jugs on hand? Interesting. Did not know that. Is there one that is the true original? One that goes all the way back to the first Open?
-DA
www.14stix.com

[Old Tom]

Post a link or show some proof that there is more than one claret jug in preparation for the winner. They never start inscribing the jug until it's a done deal.

[Pickworth]

The band around the base with the names on it is removable, as seen on the telecast every year when they show the engraver at work. I'm just saying they have a second band ready to use (with all the right names on it) in case there's a mistake...spelling error, triple bogey, sneeze, whatever.

My understanding is that there is more than one Claret Jug. The winner takes a replica away for the year. The winner does not hold the original.

[Hawkeye]

Old Tom, they do start inscribing before it's a done deal, like I mentioned above. BBC cut to the engraver's hut and clearly showed the "Jean van de Ve" on the band, just as van de Velde gouged his third shot into the burn. A back-up band makes sense, I guess.

[Andy Brown of GolfSwingSecretsRevealed.com]

That is a really interesting story. Quite often, in the game of golf, there are so many people who work on the sidelines, who make this game truly special. A cup engraver is a little bit like the hangman. Forgive the crass analogy, but you really are not dead till the hangman takes it away from you in one swift motion. And you really don’t win the Open Championship till the guy who is engraving the name on the Claret Jug, decides to pen your name for the record.

I wonder what they did with the challenge belt that was presented to the winner of the Open Championship before the claret jug came into being. Did they also have someone to engrave the name on that belt made of Moroccan leather before it was handed over to the winner?

One can only how delighted Alex must have been to put Lawrie’s name on the Jug. After all, us ordinary fans are thrilled to bits when we see someone we root for, win an important tournament. Imagine the pleasure then to be the one who gets to do the final honours.

It is also in a way a thankless job, where you really only get notice when you goof up with the name. The Masters is so much more easier! You just have to get the right fit of the jacket!!

Cheers

Andy
GolfSwingSecretsRevealed.com