Len Nettlefold

Nettlefold was born in Bellerive, Tasmania on 16 October 1905, the son of Robert Nettlefold, golfer and assurance agent.{{cite AuDB |first=R. A. |last= Ferrall |author-link=R. A. Ferrall |title=Nettlefold, Leonard (1905–1971) |volume=15 |year=2000 |id2=nettlefold-leonard-11223 |access-date=23 February 2021}} He was educated at the Hutchins School in Hobart.

In 1922 he finished joint runner-up, with Eustace Headlam, in the Tasmanian Open behind his father.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article86418139 |title=The open championship |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=LXXX |issue=253 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=24 October 1922 |access-date=24 February 2021 |page=8 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}} The leading four qualified for the Tasmanian Amateur, but both Nettlefolds lost their semi-final matches, Len losing to Headlam.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article86433425 |title=Tasmanian championship |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=LXXX |issue=254 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=25 October 1922 |access-date=24 February 2021 |page=2 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}} Nettlefold spent most of 1923 on a world tour with his parents.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23684018 |title=Mr. R. Nettlefold's world tour |newspaper=The Mercury (Hobart) |volume=CXIX |issue=14521 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=10 December 1923 |access-date=24 February 2021 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23664200 |title=Golf abroad |newspaper=The Mercury (Hobart) |volume=CXIX |issue=14,531 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=21 December 1923 |access-date=24 February 2021 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}

The Tasmanian Open was not played from 1923 to 1929 but there continued to be a 36-hole qualifying stage for the Tasmanian Amateur, with the leading 8 playing in the match play. After missing 1923, Nettlefold led the qualifying in 1924.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226426829 |title=Championship golf |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=LXXXII |issue=203 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=25 August 1924 |access-date=24 February 2021 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}} In the match play he beat his father in the semi-final and then beat C. H. Richardson 11&10 in the final to win his first Tasmanian Amateur title, having been 10 up after the morning round.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226431229 |title=Championship golf |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=LXXXII |issue=205 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=27 August 1924 |access-date=24 February 2021 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} In 1925, Nettlefold played in his first championship meeting, in Sydney. He played well enough in the Australian Open to qualify for the Australian Amateur, losing in the quarter-finals 8&7 to Harry Sinclair.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article153654029 |title=Championships at Sydney |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph (Launceston) |volume=XLV |issue=180 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=30 July 1925 |access-date=24 February 2021 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} Later in the year he was tied for third place in qualifying for the Tasmanian Amateur.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91676797 |title=Championship golf |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=LXXXIII |issue=230 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=28 September 1925 |access-date=24 February 2021 |page=8 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}} He again beat his father to reach the final but lost to Hugh Smith by two holes.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article91679122 |title=Golf championship |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=LXXXIII |issue=232 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=30 September 1925 |access-date=24 February 2021 |page=7 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}}

In July 1926 Nettlefold played in the South Australian Amateur at Royal Adelaide. He was one of the eight qualifiers and met his father in the first match-play round, winning 3&2.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51353130 |title=S.A. Championship |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=LXXXIV |issue=172 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=21 July 1926 |access-date=24 February 2021 |page=6 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}} He went on to reach the final before losing to Legh Winser 3&1.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51354016 |title=S.A. Championship |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=LXXXIV |issue=176 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=26 July 1926 |access-date=24 February 2021 |page=4 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}} He then travelled to Melbourne to play in the Victorian Amateur Championship, losing to Alex Russell in the semi-final.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51356860 |title=Golf |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=LXXXIV |issue=190 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=11 August 1926 |access-date=24 February 2021 |page=3 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}} Nettlefold returned to Adelaide to play in the championship meeting. He finished tied for 11th place in the Australian Open, which was won by Ivo Whitton.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54863587 |title=Ivo Whitton Open Champion|newspaper=The Register (Adelaide) |volume=XCI |issue=26530 |location=South Australia |date=28 August 1926 |access-date=24 February 2021 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}} In the Australian Amateur that followed, he met Whitton in the final, winning by two holes.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16328468 |title=Amateur golf |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=27664 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=3 September 1926 |access-date=24 February 2021 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}} Nettlefold only finished second in the qualifying for the Tasmanian Amateur, but won the championship, beating Terence Brown 5&4 in the final.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16320562 |title=Tasmanian golf championship |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=27684 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=27 September 1926 |access-date=24 February 2021 |page=15 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Nettlefold and his father travelled to Europe again in 1927, arriving in late April. He played in the Amateur Championship in late May, reaching the quarter-finals before losing 4&3 to William Tweddell, the eventual winner.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dP89AAAAIBAJ&pg=2950%2C4081491 |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |title=Wethered's defeat |date=28 May 1927 |page=9 |access-date=25 February 2021 |via=Google News Archive}} He played in the 1927 Open Championship in July, on the Old Course at St Andrews. He qualified after rounds of 80 on the Old Course and 75 on the New Course.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3aBAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3336%2C1563995 |work=The Glasgow Herald |title=The "Open" |date=12 July 1927 |page=3 |access-date=25 February 2021 |via=Google News Archive}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3qBAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2109%2C1783180 |work=The Glasgow Herald |title="Open" golf surprises |date=13 July 1927 |page=6 |access-date=25 February 2021 |via=Google News Archive}} He took an early lead after a first round of 71, although he was pushed back into second place at the end of the day by Bobby Jones's 68.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=36BAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2212%2C2046157 |work=The Glasgow Herald |title=Remarkable play by R.T. Jones |date=14 July 1927 |page=14 |access-date=25 February 2021 |via=Google News Archive}} He then had further rounds of 81, 85 and 81 to finish tied for 52nd place. In early August he was the runner-up in the Swiss Amateur.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41322787 |title=Golf in Switzerland |newspaper=The Advertiser (Adelaide) |location=South Australia |date=5 August 1927 |access-date=26 February 2021 |page=16 |via=National Library of Australia}} Nettlefold returned too late to defend his Australian Amateur title but in time to play in the Tasmanian Amateur. He led the qualifying but lost in the first round of the match-play to Eustace Headlam.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51441292 |title=Golf Championship |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=LXXXV |issue=226 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=24 September 1927 |access-date=25 February 2021 |page=9 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}}

The 1928 championship meeting was held at Royal Sydney. After the first day of the Australian Open Nettlefold was one stroke behind the three leaders. He faded a little on the last day but finished alone in fifth place, the leading amateur.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16493192 |title=F. Popplewell |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=28294 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=10 September 1928 |access-date=17 November 2020 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}} The following week he won the Australian Amateur, beating Stan Keane in the final.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16494871 |title=Nettlefold wins |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=28300 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=17 September 1928 |access-date=24 November 2020 |page=16 |via=National Library of Australia}} He had a remarkable win in the semi-final against George Fawcett. Fawcett was 5 up with 7 holes to play, but Nettlefold won at the 38th hole.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32222775 |title=Golf |newspaper=The West Australian |volume=XLIV |issue=8189 |location=Western Australia |date=14 September 1928 |access-date=26 February 2021 |page=17 |via=National Library of Australia}} After returning to Tasmania, he tied with his father for first place in the qualifying for the Tasmanian Amateur but lost 8&7 in the final to Terence Brown.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51502947 |title=Tasmanian Championship |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=LXXXVI |issue=230 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=27 September 1928 |access-date=26 February 2021 |page=3 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51503391 |title=Tasmanian Golf Champion |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=LXXXVI |issue=232 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=29 September 1928 |access-date=26 February 2021 |page=14 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}}

In 1929 he reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Amateur, losing 3&2 to Mick Ryan.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51616034 |title=Championship game |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=LXXXVII |issue=203 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=28 August 1929 |access-date=26 February 2021 |page=3 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}} He won the Tasmanian Amateur for the third time, leading the qualifying and then beating Ivo Whitton in the semi-final at the 19th hole, and Hugh Smith 8&7 in the final.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51621542 |title=Golf Championship |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=LXXXVII |issue=227 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=25 September 1929 |access-date=26 February 2021 |page=11 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51622013 |title=Golf Championship |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=LXXXVII |issue=229 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=27 September 1929 |access-date=26 February 2021 |page=3 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}}

In 1930 Nettlefold had his best chance of winning the Australian Open. He was in second place, a stroke behind Frank Eyre, after the first 36 holes. He scored 74 in the third round, to be level with Eyre, and six ahead of the rest of the field. However, he took 87 in the final round and finished tied for 5th place.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article242758749 |title=Eyre (N.S.W.) wins Open golf title |newspaper=The Herald |issue=16639 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=13 September 1930 |access-date=17 November 2020 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}} In the Australian Amateur he lost in the quarter-finals to the eventual winner, Harry Hattersley, a match that went to the 38th hole.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51663500 |title=The championships |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=LXXXVIII |issue=223 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=17 September 1930 |access-date=27 February 2021 |page=2 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}} Earlier in the year he had reached the final of the Victorian Amateur Championship, losing 2&1 to Mick Ryan.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article202452652 |title=Amateur championship |newspaper=The Age |issue=23516 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=22 August 1930 |access-date=20 January 2021 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}} He won both the Tasmanian Open and the Tasmanian Amateur in 1930.

Nettlefold travelled to Sydney for the 1931 championship meeting but had little success, losing by two holes in the first round of the Australian Amateur to Clive Nigel Smith.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29922777 |title=Golf championships |newspaper=The Mercury |volume=CXXXV |issue=19989 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=1 September 1931 |access-date=26 February 2021 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}} He won the Tasmanian Open but lost 3&1 to Terence Brown in the final of the Tasmanian Amateur.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29928678 |title=Golf |newspaper=The Mercury (Hobart) |volume=CXXXV |issue=20028 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=16 October 1931 |access-date=26 February 2021 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}} Nettlefold reached the semi-finals of the 1932 Australian Amateur at Royal Adelaide, losing 3&2 to Reg Bettington.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51813231 |title=Championship golf |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=XCI |issue=139 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=25 August 1932 |access-date=26 February 2021 |page=7 (DAILY) |via=National Library of Australia}} He also won the Tasmanian Open and the Tasmanian Amateur. He reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Amateur at Royal Melbourne in 1933, losing 3&1 to Jim Ferrier.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article24889140 |title=Golf championships |newspaper=The Mercury (Hobart) |volume=CXXXIX |issue=20624 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=13 September 1933 |access-date=26 February 2021 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}} He finished down the field in the Tasmanian Open and, although he reached the final of the Tasmanian Amateur, he lost 5&4 to Peter Brown.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51839887 |title=R.T. Brown wins |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=XCII |issue=175 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=3 October 1933 |access-date=23 December 2020 |page=3 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article36447245 |title=Nettlefold beaten in Tasmania |newspaper=The Advertiser (Adelaide) |location=South Australia |date=5 October 1933 |access-date=26 February 2021 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}} Nettlefold won both the Tasmanian Open and the Tasmanian Amateur in 1934.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51886423 |title=Amateur golf |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=XCIII |issue=172 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=28 September 1934 |access-date=26 February 2021 |page=14 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}} He qualified for the Australian Amateur at Royal Sydney but lost again to Ferrier, this time in the first round.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51888469 |title=Golf |newspaper=The Examiner (Tasmania) |volume=XCIII |issue=187 |location=Tasmania, Australia |date=16 October 1934 |access-date=26 February 2021 |page=3 (Daily) |via=National Library of Australia}}

After 1934 Nettlefold played less golf outside Tasmania, although he continued to have success domestically. He won the Tasmanian Open in 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1947 and the Tasmanian Amateur in 1936 and 1939, completing 8 wins in each event.

In 1938 Nettlefold travelled to Britain as part of a four-man Australian team which included Harry Hattersley, Tom McKay and Mick Ryan.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17453412 |title=Australian golfers |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=31278 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=1 April 1938 |access-date=17 February 2021 |page=17 |via=National Library of Australia}} The team arrived in mid-May and played in The Amateur Championship at Troon. Nettlefold had been ill and lost in the first round.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41688285 |title=Golf |newspaper=The West Australian |volume=54 |issue=16192 |location=Western Australia |date=24 May 1938 |access-date=26 February 2021 |page=13 |via=National Library of Australia}} The team stayed for the 1938 Open Championship in early July but Nettlefold failed to qualify.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17484061 |title=Australian golfers |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=31361 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=7 July 1938 |access-date=18 February 2021 |page=15 |via=National Library of Australia}} Nettlefold made an albatross-2 at the 517-yard 16th hole at Portmarnock during the second round of the Irish Open but only just qualified for the final day.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article229131442 |title=Golf hopes poor, despite an "albatross" |newspaper=The Sun (Sydney) |issue=8905 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=21 July 1938 |access-date=26 February 2021 |page=44 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Nettlefold was president of the Tasmanian Golf Council from 1947 to 1960 and a Tasmanian state delegate to the Australian Golf Union for periods between 1932 and 1956.

In the mid-1930s, Nettlefold became managing director of the family motor-trade business. During World War II, he served as an intelligence officer. He received a CBE in the 1960 Birthday Honours. He died following a heart attack, on 4 October 1971, in Honolulu, Hawaii, returning from a trip to the United Kingdom.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_tdjAAAAIBAJ&pg=4532%2C974914 |title=Former golf champion dies |newspaper=The Age |date=6 October 1971 |page=28 |access-date=26 February 2021 |via=Google News Archive}} He left an estate valued at more than A$1,200,000.

• 1924 Tasmanian Amateur
• 1926 Australian Amateur, Tasmanian Amateur
• 1928 Australian Amateur
• 1929 Tasmanian Amateur
• 1930 Tasmanian Open, Tasmanian Amateur
• 1931 Tasmanian Open
• 1932 Tasmanian Open, Tasmanian Amateur
• 1934 Tasmanian Open, Tasmanian Amateur
• 1935 Tasmanian Open
• 1936 Tasmanian Open, Tasmanian Amateur
• 1937 Tasmanian Open
• 1939 Tasmanian Amateur
• 1947 Tasmanian Open

• Australian Men's Interstate Teams Matches (representing Tasmania): 1921, 1924, 1925, 1928, 1930, 1947, 1948, 1949

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Category:Australian male golfers

Category:Amateur golfers

Category:Left-handed golfers

Category:Sportspeople from Hobart

Category:Australian Officers of the Order of the British Empire

Category:1905 births

Category:1971 deaths

Category:Sportsmen from Tasmania

Category:People educated at The Hutchins School

Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen