James Bradbeer

James Bradbeer
Bradbeer in his workshop, c. 1920
Personal information
Full name	Cuthbert James Hunt Bradbeer
Born	1880 Berrow, Somerset, England
Died	18 August 1937 (aged 56) Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, England
Nationality	England
Career
Status	Professional
Professional wins	3
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament	DNP
U.S. Open	DNP
The Open Championship	T7: 1913
PGA Championship	DNP

Cuthbert James Hunt Bradbeer (1880 – 18 August 1937) was an English professional golfer who played in the early 20th century. His best finish in a major championship was a tie for seventh in the 1913 Open Championship held on 23–24 June at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England. He made his own gutta-percha golf balls and was also a club maker. Bradbeer was a frequent competitor in the Open Championship—having made at least 14 starts—and made his final appearance in 1935 at age 54.

Bradbeer was born in Berrow, Somerset, England, in 1880, the second child of George Bradbeer and Helena (née Hunt). He was one of nine brothers, most of whom became golf professionals. At the 1928 Open Championship James and his three youngest brothers, Bob (1894–1938), Ernest (1899–1969) and Fred (1904–1988), all qualified. Of the four only Bob made the cut, finishing tied for 23rd place.

As a young man he learned how to make his own gutta-percha golf balls and also apprenticed as a club maker. One of his golf ball designs from circa 1904 was a bramble-patterned golf ball he called "The Finch".

Bradbeer was a professional at Finchley Golf Club in north London from about 1901. He played in the first Tooting Bec Cup in October 1901, a tournament organised by the London and Counties Professional Golfers' Association, the forerunner of the Professional Golfers' Association which was founded later the same year. In about 1905 he became the professional at Porters Park Golf Club in Radlett, England, where he stayed for over 30 years.

During World War I, Bradbeer served in the Sportsmen's Battalion, part of what were called the Pals Battalions which were specially constituted battalions of the British Army composed of men who had enlisted together in local recruiting drives, with the promise that they would be able to serve alongside their friends, neighbors and colleagues ("pals"), rather than being arbitrarily allocated to battalions. Bradbeer was able to serve his country alongside several of his golfing acquaintances who also joined the battalion.