JB Carr was born 100 years ago today and he had a major impact on the game of golf, not only in Ireland, but worldwide.

It must be remembered he achieved all he did as an amateur, while also having a most successful career in business.

Undoubtedly the highlights of his golfing successes are his three Amateur Championship —at Hoylake (1953), St Andrews (1958) and Royal Portrush (1960).

While the three victories stand out, he was also runner up in that tournament in 1968 at the age of 46, and was a beaten semi-finalist in 1951, 1952, and 1954.

He was also leading Amateur in The Open in 1956 and 1958 and finished eighth overall in that tournament on the Old Course at St Andrews in 1960.

Such was the strength of his game that on several occasions he was tipped in the media as a possible winner of that tournament.

He dominated in Ireland, winning 37 titles - Irish Amateur Open (4); Irish Amateur Close (6); West of Ireland (12); East of Ireland (12) and the South of Ireland (3)

Those major wins - 40 in total - only scratch the surface of the record of a man who was a serial winner. There were countless great wins both in the UK and in Ireland. And then there was his remarkable record in Milltown Mixed where playing with his beloved wife Dor they won that title eight times between 1949 and 1967.

Again, it speaks of JB's stature in the Irish sporting firmament that the event often drew crowds in excess of 3,000 spectators to the finals.

Sutton Golf Club is at the very heart of the JB story for despite being a nine-hole course, and no doubt many offers to play out of other clubs, Sutton was his club all his life.

While golf historians will rightly point to his amazing international record that saw him play well over 150 matches for Ireland and feature in 11 Walker Cup teams a case might be made that what he achieved playing for Sutton being right up there with those achievements.

Here was small club that over the course of two decades won 6 Senior Cups and 3 Barton Shields perhaps the two most coveted titles in club golf in Ireland.

In fact, between the years 1946 and 1950, Sutton won three Senior Cups and three Barton Shields. Yes, they were team competitions but with Carr leading the way, Sutton had exceptional teams and at one time provided four members of the Irish team.

No club has had such dominance in our premier club competitions before or since.

Carr was honoured by Sutton being made captain in 1948, 1949, and in their centenary year of 1990. He was also president of the club in 1985/86. And then of course there was the creation of the JB Carr Room as part of the new clubhouse in 2000.

The brainchild of Brian Wallace, the room is modelled on a similar room built in tribute to the legendary Bobby Jones whom JB knew well and admired. The room is full of amazing trophies, including a stunning silver salver into which every element of JB's career is engraved.

Also included in the JB Carr room are two blazers both of which have many stories to tell. These are the blazers JB received when he became a member of Augusta National and when he became captain of the R&A - the first ever Irishman to receive this honour.

The Augusta blazer resides in Sutton, by way of a special dispensation from Augusta National, who normally do not allow such a garment leave the club. But then Joe had a special relationship with both the club and the Masters. He was the first Irishman to play in the Masters, playing there in 1967, 1968 and 1969.

In his first year in the Masters, hewas partnered with defending champion Jack Nicklaus, a man who over many years was to become a dear friend.

Unfortunately, while JB made the cut, Jack didn't. The following year he was paired with Arnold Palmer. Again JB made the cut - Arnie did not.

As Joe relates the story " When we sat down to eat on the Friday of the tournament Cliff Roberts said that they were thinking of inviting me back the following year but who would play with me after the fate of both Jack and Arnie. In the end they gave me Sam Snead in 1969.... neither of us made the cut.”

He was hugely liked by US golfers and fans alike. He was friendly with the great Bobby Jones for many years and with Nicklaus with whom he had played many rounds of golf.

They thought that they might meet in the final of 1961 US Amateur, but it was not to be with JB going out in the semi-final.

Indicative of his place in the pantheon of world golf JB was inducted into Golf's Hall of Fame in 2007, sadly five years after his death. Fittingly it was Jack Nicklaus that delivered the introductory address.

In terms of golf in these islands to become captain of the R&A is right up there at the head of the honours list. When JB was elevated to this high office in 1991/92 it was fitting recognition for what he had achieved in the game.

As his friend and many time rival on the golf course, Sir Michael Bonallack said of JB's year of captaincy: "Joe was a magnificent ambassador, not only for the R&A but for golf. Just as he had thrown everything into the game as a player, he did likewise as Captain with the result that he brought a great deal of pleasure to hundreds of people.

“I consider myself fortunate to have played amateur golf in the Joe Carr era... I have still to meet a finer sportsman who took victory or defeat in the same cheerful manner. I am honoured to call him my friend.”

Pat Ward Thomas of the Guardian, who is considered by many to have been one of the finest golf writers ever, was a big fan of Carr.

In Masters of Golf, he wrote:

Of all the lovely places in the world where golf is played there are few to compare with Portrush when the blessing of summertime is upon it. Not only is the course a great examination of a golfer's skill, but it is a place of enchanting beauty......such was the setting on a golden day in Maytime when Joe Carr, perhaps the most famous and certainly not the least beloved citizen in all of Ireland, reached the peak of a remarkable career. The occasion was the final of the Amateur Championship, and Carr's opponent was an accomplised and agreeable American golfer named Cochrane.... Carr's golf was magnificent and having led by six at lunch he stood on the 9th tee, ten up with ten to play. in the final of the oldest golf championship in the world, on a great links, and all in the beauty of a young summer day....if the fact was not obvious before, it was then on that day in Portrush, that Carr is the finest amateur of his generation.”