Page 56 - Vol. VI #9

Arnie’s Army (continued from preceding page) cronies to to gather smoke smoke cigars and talk golf Ed Ed my my grandmother’s youngest brother brother who had an an an an aura of mystery about him As Mom told it it it Ed Ed was was in in his his late teens when he he he he he he he disappeared one day and and and and wasn’t seen again for twenty years With- out out out permission he’d borrowed his his big brother brother Henry’s car and and and and and accidentally wrecked it it it Because he he he he he he he he he he couldn’t bear to face Henry Henry Ed ran ran away and and and and and enlisted in in in the the Navy I I I visited this “clubhouse” on on on on on occasion in in in in my Dad’s company Sitting among the the the the the the the the men 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 cloud of of of smoke smoke listening to to to to their their their their banter I I I I grew elephant ears There I I I I heard them argue the the the the the the the the the the the relative merits of of of of legendary golfer champions from from their their their their youth It was their their their view that touring pros of of of of the the the the the the the the the the day couldn’t hold 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 candle to to to any of of of the the the the the the the the the the the “Greats” in in in in their their their their prime Each had 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 a favorite from from the the the the the the the the the 30s 40s or or or or or early 1950s: The “Emperor” Bobby Jones “Lord” Byron Nelson Gene the the the the the the the the “Squire ”
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Sarazen Ben Ben the the the the the the the the “Hawk ”
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Hogan Hogan Hogan or or or or “Slammin’ Sammy” Snead Mom was was 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 a a teenager the the the the the the the day she looked out out out the the the the the the the front window and and and and noticed 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 a a a strange man stand- ing ing ing ing across Doat Street staring at at their house She alerted her her her her her mother mother who came out out out from the the the the the the the the the the the the kitchen Recognizing it it was was Ed Babscia screamed frightening my mother mother then ran ran ran out out into the the the the the the the the the street to to greet her her her her her her prodigal brother the the the the the the the the the the two of them hugging and and weeping his transgression long forgiven Ben Ben Hogan Hogan Hogan always got Dad’s vote Dad Dad Dad sounded like like 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 a a celebrity groupie when he he he he he he he spoke admir- ingly of the the the the the the way way Hogan Hogan Hogan “shaped” his shots as as as if with each stroke crafting 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 a a a a a a a a masterpiece When I was was older and we played together regularly Dad Dad Dad like like Yoda in in in Star Wars would counsel me: “Don’t worry about the the the the the the the the the the yardage Remember what the the the the the the the the the the Hawk always said ‘You gotta feel the the the the the the the the the the shot ’”
Great Uncle Ed never married When I I played golf with with him him him he he he he he he he he he lived with with my mother’s cousin Renee’s family They “adopted “ “ him him him Short and and and slight of of of build I I remember him him him as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a heavy drink- er er er er er who often slurring his his his his words told us us kids stories about his his his his naval adventures and and and taught us us us us us Navy Judo holds The The aura of of of of mystery extended to to to to his his golf game Another topic they they debated was was was the the the the the the the the the the the the “greatest” golf shoot of of all all time (up to to to to to then) On this they they seemed to to to to to agree it was was Gene Sarazen’s 2nd from the the the the the the the the the the the the the fairway at at at at at Augusta National when he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he lofted his his his ball 220 yards over the the the the the the the the the the the the creek onto the the the the the the the the the the the the 15th green and into the the the the the the the the the the cup using his his his “Spoon ”
That double-eagle on on on on on on on the the the the the the the the par-5 helped him win the the the the the the the the 1935 Masters Spoon Spoon Spoon was the the the the the the the the the common name name for for 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 a a fairway wood wood a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a term rarely heard today Uncle Ed didn’t need need a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a bag to to to carry his his his his clubs because he he he he he he needed just two 1-iron 1-iron and and and and wedge He He used the the the the 1-iron 1-iron off the the the the tee in in in in the the the the fairway fairway and and and and and for putting on on on on greens He He stroked every ball smack down the the the the middle of of of fairways short short but straight never landing in in in in in in bunker or or or or rough His short short game was was was deadly accurate too consisting of of of chip shots pitch-and-runs and and and and and Texas wedgies I I loved their specialized names for for clubs: Spoon Spoon Spoon Brassie Cleek Mashie Niblick and and and Jigger All
once in in in in in standard usage they have long since been replaced by the the the the precise if boring 2-wood 3-wood 1-iron 5-iron 9-iron and and and and and pitching wedge I I was 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 sponge sucking up up the the the the the the the the jargon: par birdie eagle eagle double-eagle ace ace bogey bogey double-bogey lie lay-up loft and and and and and lag divot Mulligan and and and and and Nassau They spoke of of of the the the the the the specialized shots shots perfected by by pros— the the the the the the draw the the the the the the fade the the the the the the punch and and and and and and the the the the the the lob plus Dad in in in in contrast with his his muscular upper-body and and and and vice-like grip was was was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a power driver driver He was was was the the proud owner of of of of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a flexible fiberglass-shaft driver driver which added momentum to to his his his stroke I once saw him drive drive drive drive the the the the the the green of of of of of one 300-plus yard hole but more often than not not his his towering drives hooked left or or or or sliced right landing out of of of of of of of bounds in in in in in the the the the the the the street or or or or in in in in in another fairway The waggle
of of of of of of the the the the the the the shaft had the the the the the the the drawback that that it was hard to to control the the the the the the ball’s direction of of of of of flight “Pshakreff Ed!” Dad swore in in in in Polish at at at the the the the the the end of of of of that that round all varieties of of of flubbed shots shots made by by duffers and and and and and and hackers—hooks shanks slices skiers toppers and whiffs I once played 18 holes with Dad and and and and Great Uncle 47