Miles Bennett
Fred Astaire, born Frederick Austerlitz, was an American dancer, actor, singer, musician, choreographer, and presenter. He is widely regarded as the greatest popular-music dancer of all time. Astaire was also a passionate golfer and trick-shot artist. In his 1938 movie Carefree, Astaire included a golf solo, built around the warm-up waggle and the swing, where he tap-danced and played the harmonica.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Fred Astaire |
| Birth name | Frederick Austerlitz |
| Date of birth | May 10, 1899 |
| Birthplace | Omaha, Nebraska |
| Profession | Dancer, actor, singer, musician, choreographer, presenter |
| Golfing style | Short swing, single-digit handicap, trick-shot artist |
| Notable golf-related achievement | A 4-wood shot on the 13th hole at Bel-Air Country Club in 1945 |
| Golf-related media | Included a golf solo in his 1938 movie "Carefree" |
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What You'll Learn
Fred Astaire's proudest achievement
Fred Astaire, born Frederick Austerlitz, was a man of many talents. He was an American dancer, actor, singer, musician, choreographer, and presenter, with a career spanning 76 years. He is widely regarded as the "greatest popular-music dancer of all time". He received an Honorary Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Grammy Award. He was also a passionate golfer.
Astaire was a lifelong golf enthusiast who played to a single-digit handicap. In an interview in 1982, Astaire shared that his proudest achievement in life was "a 4-wood I hit on the 13th hole at Bel-Air Country Club in June of 1945." The shot landed on the green and rolled into the cup. This was a remarkable feat, and Astaire recalled that he "could really connect" with the golf swing in a way that surprised even him.
Astaire's love for golf influenced his work as a performer. In his 1938 movie "Carefree," co-starring Ginger Rogers, he included a golf solo built around two golf actions: the warm-up waggle and the swing. The choreography drew an analogy between the swing in golf and the swing in jazz. Astaire practised the moves for two weeks on a driving range set up by RKO on its lot in Encino. The final sequence in the movie was pieced together from the best takes over two days.
Astaire's golfing prowess extended beyond his on-screen performances. He was known for his trick shots and was considered a "trick-shot artist." Mr. Cowhick, a golf instructor, assessed Astaire's swing, noting that he "kept his swing short" and likely shot in the low 80s, which is impressive for an amateur golfer. Astaire's golfing achievements were not limited to his own play but also inspired others to take up the sport. As a dancer and a golfer, he showcased that the two seemingly different art forms could blend seamlessly, and he remains an iconic figure in both fields.
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Astaire's handicap
Fred Astaire was a passionate golfer who played with many of the sport's most famous names, including Bobby Jones and Jack Nicklaus. He was a regular at many of the top golf courses in the world, including Pebble Beach and St. Andrews. Astaire's success on the golf course has been attributed to his dedication, discipline, attention to detail, and love for the game. He believed that the skills he developed as a dancer translated well to the golf course, as both require a sense of rhythm, timing, and balance, as well as a deep focus and dedication to the craft.
Astaire's proudest achievement in golf, he told an interviewer in 1982, was "a 4-wood I hit on the 13th hole at Bel-Air Country Club in June of 1945." His shot landed on the green and rolled into the cup. Astaire's handicap has been a subject of speculation, with reports placing it anywhere between 5 and 15. Some sources indicate that he played with a single-digit handicap, possibly as low as 5. Mr. Cowhick, a New York pro, assessed that Astaire "probably shot in the low 80s, maybe broke 80 on a good day."
Astaire's love for golf was evident in his incorporation of the sport into his on-screen performances. In his 1938 movie "Carefree," Astaire included a golf solo built around two golf actions: the warm-up waggle and the swing. The choreography drew an analogy between the swing in golf and swing in jazz. Astaire's character, an improbable psychiatrist, tries to impress his unanalyzable analysand, played by Ginger Rogers, by tap dancing and playing the harmonica simultaneously while splicing in a pirouette from ballet. The sequence in the movie was pieced together from multiple takes over two days.
Astaire's dedication to golf extended beyond the screen, with him practicing constantly and perfecting his technique. He considered golf to be one of his greatest passions and stated that he would have been a professional golfer if he had not become a performer. Despite his success as a dancer and actor, Astaire's love for golf remained a constant in his life, with him often visiting the golf course in the morning before heading to set.
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Astaire's trick shots
Fred Astaire was a passionate golfer and a trick-shot artist. In his 1938 movie "Carefree", Astaire included a golf solo for himself, choreographed around two golf actions: the warm-up waggle and the swing. Astaire practised the moves for two weeks on a driving range set up by RKO on its lot in Encino. The final sequence, which included Astaire tap dancing while playing a harmonica, took many takes over two days.
Astaire's proudest achievement in life, he told an interviewer in 1982, was "a 4-wood I hit on the 13th hole at Bel-Air Country Club in June of 1945". His handicap was approximately 10, and he was a better player than Glenn Ford, who portrayed Ben Hogan in "Follow the Sun".
Mr Cowhick, a New York pro, assessed Astaire's golfing ability: "He kept his swing short. He probably shot in the low 80s, maybe broke 80 on a good day. The average golfer shoots in the high 90s." Astaire was a lifelong golf enthusiast who played to a single-digit handicap.
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Astaire's passion for golf
Fred Astaire was a passionate golfer. In fact, his proudest achievement in life, he told an interviewer in 1982, was a 4-wood shot on the 13th hole at Bel-Air Country Club in June 1945. The shot landed on the green and rolled into the cup.
Astaire was a single-digit handicap golfer. Mr. Cowhick, a golf pro, assessed Astaire's golfing ability as follows: "He kept his swing short. He probably shot in the low 80s, maybe broke 80 on a good day. The average golfer shoots in the high 90s." Astaire's passion for golf was such that he wanted to incorporate it into a dance routine. In his 1938 movie "Carefree," Astaire included a golf solo for himself, to a tune by Irving Berlin. The choreography is built around two golf actions: the warm-up waggle and the swing. Astaire plays an improbable psychiatrist who tries to impress his analysand, played by Ginger Rogers, on the golf course after she teases him for pontificating.
Astaire's love for golf extended beyond the big screen. He was a trick-shot artist, practicing his moves on a driving range set up by RKO on its lot in Encino. He even recalled the setup, saying, "I had about 300 golf balls and five men shagging them, a piano, and Hal Borne to play for me." Astaire's golfing prowess was such that he was a better player than Glenn Ford, who portrayed Ben Hogan in "Follow the Sun." Astaire's golfing ability and his desire to incorporate it into his performances showcase his passion for the sport.
Astaire's golfing skills were not limited to the course or the screen. He was also known for his trick shots, and his golfing ability influenced his dancing style. He once stated, "The higher up you go, the more mistakes you are allowed. Right at the top, if you make enough of them, it's considered to be your style." This philosophy may have been influenced by his golfing experiences, where he honed his skills through practice and perfected his technique to become a single-digit handicap golfer.
Fred Astaire's passion for golf was evident throughout his life, both on and off the screen. He incorporated it into his performances, practiced it diligently, and even considered it a source of pride and personal style. His golfing prowess and enthusiasm left a lasting impression, showcasing his versatility and talent beyond his celebrated dancing and acting career.
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Astaire's choreography in 'Carefree'
Fred Astaire was a passionate golfer off-screen, and in his 1938 movie "Carefree", he included a golf solo for himself, to a tune by Irving Berlin. The choreography is built around two golf actions: the warm-up waggle and the swing. The wit of the routine depends on the conceit that an analogy can be made between a swing in golf and a swing in jazz.
In the film, Astaire plays psychiatrist Dr. Tony Flagg, who falls in love with his friend's fiancée, Amanda Cooper, who is his patient. After Amanda teases him for pontificating that one should be able to coordinate several actions at the same time, he tries to impress her on the golf course. He whips out a harmonica and tap dances while playing it, splicing in a pirouette from ballet.
Astaire was the primary choreographer of all his dance routines, but he welcomed the input of collaborators. His principal collaborator was Hermes Pan, and the seamless nature of their collaboration has been described by Astaire's rehearsal pianist, Hal Borne, who was the only independent witness present throughout the entire process of dance creation of the Astaire-Rogers films. Borne describes the working atmosphere of such collaborations as "always pleasant. Never a hint of unpleasantness."
Given the consistency of Astaire's dance style in subsequent films made with or without the assistance of Pan, and the fact that he choreographed all the routines during his Broadway career with his sister Adele, dance historian John Mueller is of the opinion that Astaire acted as lead choreographer in his solos and partnered dances throughout his career.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Fred Astaire was a passionate golfer off-screen. He was a trick-shot artist and played to a single-digit handicap.
Yes, in his 1938 movie "Carefree", Astaire included a golf solo built around two golf actions: the warm-up waggle and the swing.
Astaire told an interviewer in 1982 that his proudest achievement in life was "a 4-wood I hit on the 13th hole at Bel-Air Country Club in June of 1945."
