Page 54 - Vol. VI #9

MArK PAwlAK
Arnie’s Army A A A Veteran’s Tale
Iwas having dinner out with with my my closest male friends when one proudly announced that his his teenage stepson had just won a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a golf golf scholarship to to to to the the the the the the college of of of of his his his choice I I I offered congratula- tions tions adding “You know I I I lettered in in in in in golf golf in in in in in high school too ” ” To a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a man the the the the the the lawyer the the the the the the English prof prof the the the the the the the two historians the the the the the the the public public health profes- sional and and and the the the the the the the the university publications editor all turned to to to to to me me and and and as if if with one voice responded “You “You played golf !”
“What other people find find in in in in poetry I find find in in in in the the flight of a a good drive ” —Arnold Palmer upon turning pro 1954
I I understood immediately why they they they expressed surprise and and and disbelief even if if they they they didn’t say it it it it it explicitly “You “You grew up in in in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a blue-collar family in in in in in in in industrial Buffalo ” ” ” they they they were thinking “How is is is is it it it that of all sports you played played golf!” In their minds golf golf golf was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a game game played played at at at suburban country clubs by doctors dentists lawyers and and and businessmen wooing clients That got my my dander up I I I I felt the the the the the the the the the need to to set them straight correcting the the the the the the the the stereo- type they held of of of golf golf golf as as as as exclusively the the the the the the the game game of of of the the the the the the professional classes and and and and the the the the the the rich Great Uncles Ed and and and and and Henry golfed golfed my my grand- mother’s mother’s other other other other brothers did did too too Adele Adele my my mother’s mother’s older sister sister golfed golfed golfed golfed She was I’m told quite athletic in in her her her her her her her youth But Mom and and and and and and her her her her her her her eldest sister sister Charlotte Charlotte did did not not not Adele’s husband husband Louie golfed golfed golfed golfed but not not not Charlotte’s husband husband Emil Laurie on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a golf course And Uncle Ted after after retiring from the the the the railroad served as as as starter at the the the the Transit Valley Country Club After he he he he he he he put away his his his clubs for for for good he he he he he he he he he was was still drawn to to to to the the the the links Year after after year he he he he he he he he he set out before before dawn each morning in in in in in in in season to to to to to arrive before before the the the the first foursome to to to to to to supervise teeing-off He He was was in in in in in in his his his his nineties when he he he he he he he he he he he stopped and and and only because his his his his daughters took away his car keys “In my my extended family ” ” I I I I said firmly “everyone played golf golf ” ” And it it wasn’t just in in in in in in Buffalo that steel workers workers auto workers workers and and railroad brake- men avidly pursued the the the the the sport on on on public courses I I I I I asserted The same was was true in in in in in in in countless other cities I I I offered Franklin Park Park in in in in in in in in Jamaica Plain
My brothers and and and and I I all all golfed golfed golfed golfed from the the the the the the age of of twelve on on Most if not not not all all my first cousins golfed golfed golfed both male male and and and and female Uncle Charlie’s youngest son was was was the the the the the best of of of of the the the the the lot—a scratch player He was was was also a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a star pitcher Recruited by the the the the the the Mets farm club right out of of of of of high school he he he he he he he he he he declined in in in in in in in favor of of of of of attending college on on on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a golf golf scholarship as as as as as example the the the the the the favorite of of of of both Boston’s Irish
and African-American working class “Who do you think tees-off at at at at at at Jackson Park Park the the the the the the the municipal golf course in in in in in in in in the the the the the the heart of of of of Chicago’s South Side?”
I I I added That gave them pause but it it was was only years later when Tiger Tiger Woods burst onto the the the the the the national scene that I I felt fully vindicated in in in in their eyes Tiger Tiger who was was tutored by his his his Vietnam vet- eran father first played and and perfected his his his game on on on on on municipal golf golf golf courses Where we we golfed was was was on on on on public links with with rare exceptions most often Delaware Park Park in in in in in in in in the the the the the heart of of of of the the the the the city city and and and Grover Cleveland just over over the the the the the line line in in in in in in Amherst Cazenovia and and and South Park Park Park both 9-hole courses were were were also within the the the the the the the Buffalo city city limits but too distant to to to to get to to to to unless you owned a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a car Like 18-hole Delaware Park Park they were were were designed by Frederick Law Olmstead There were were were many other public links in in in in in the the the the the the the the surrounding suburbs and townships I I liked the the the the the the the the the challenge of of Elma Meadows’ hilly terrain an an an an hour car ride east of of the the the the the the the the the city which I I occasionally played with my father We joked that you could play play the the the the the the the the Niagara Falls municipal course all all all all night thanks to to the the the the the the glow from the the the the the the radioactive tailings it it was built upon My Dad golfed golfed Mom’s brothers Joe Joe Ted and and Char- lie golfed golfed only Fred didn’t Uncle Joe Joe met his his his wife
There were private country clubs throughout
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