Born in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1891, Larry Bromfield started his golf career in 1906 as a caddie (ten cents a round). In 1907, his family moved to Denver. A graduate of Denver East High School, he attended Dartmouth College and in 1918, graduated from the University of Nebraska Dental School. Dr. Bromfield was one of the most respected and capable golfers in Colorado throughout the first half of the century.
In 1912, when the game of golf was barely of age in the Centennial State, the 21-year old golfer began blazing a trail of Colorado Match Play Championships. By 1928, Dr. Bromfield had won his record eighth championship. He was a Denver Country Club team player from 1908 to 1967; club champion ten times; Dartmouth golf team star from 1911-1912; Trans-Mississippi semifinalist in 1910, runner-up in 1921 and medalist in 1930; Western Open semi-finalist in 1919; Broadmoor Men’s Invitational Medalist in 1930; and won seven Denver City Championships.
In 1922, Dr. Bromfield played a 36-hole exhibition with Gene Sarazen and lost it 2-down (this was at a time when Sarazen was called the “greatest golfer in the world”). That same year, he beat both Walter Hagen (British and U.S. Open Champion) and Joe Kirkwood (Australian professional and trick shot specialist).
This pioneer champion enjoyed golf, “the game of a lifetime,” until his death in 1967.
