Page 60 - Vol. VI #9

Arnie’s Army (continued from preceding page) always thought him the the the more talented all-around
Mike Mike and and and I bonded As spring approached we we couldn’t wait for the the the the the snow to to to melt so so we we might dust off our our clubs and and and hit some golf balls Mike Mike who lived nearer would bike to to to Grover Cleveland after school to to to check the the the the the the the condition of of of of the the the the the the the course course giving me me me a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a report in in in in in the the the the the the the corridor the the the the the the the next day It being Buffalo there were were only patches of of of of green showing through the the the the the the the the snow-covered fairways in in in in in in in in early April The course course course wouldn’t officially open until late May but we we we we we we were were impatient and and unde- terred Using balls we’d spray-paint day-glow orange so we we we we we could find them on on the the the the the white-blan- keted fairways we we we we we would would sneak onto the the the the the course course course and and get in in in in in in three or or or or four holes before a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a grounds- keeper chased us off athlete but back then I I never let let on The other municipal course I I regularly played as as as 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 teen 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 different story A A par 69 Grover Grover Cleve- land was was three-hundred yards longer than Dela- ware to to begin with Although also flat it it it featured fescue rough tree-lined fairways and and and and bunkers that that contained real sand Its greens were soft often banked or or or had had challenging ridges and and and and hol- lows Formerly it it it it it it had had been the the the the Country Club of of of of of of Buffalo Buffalo until that that private links relocated to to the the the the suburb of of of of of of of of Williamsville in in in in in in 1926 The county took over over its its management renaming it it it it it it it in in in in in honor of of of of of of of the the the the the the two-time President of of of of of of the the the the the the United States former New York governor and mayor of of of of Buffalo Buffalo Grover Cleveland In its its heyday (1912) it it it it it it it had been the the the the site of of of of of the the the the 18th U U U S S S Open Open championship won by by twenty- year-old John McDermott who successfully defended his his U U U S S S Open Open Open title besting Tom McNa- mara by by 2 2 strokes and and earning $300 The par-6 10th hole hole hole hole measuring 606 yards was was the the the the the longest hole hole hole hole in in in in in in U U U S S S Open Open Open history up to to that point and and and the the the the the the only time 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 hole hole hole hole was was was given 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 par par more more than than five When I I I played the the the the the the the course more more than than forty years later half the the the the the the the holes retained the the the the the the the same layout and and and and yardage from from their U U S S S Open Open days to to time time in in in in in in in in in in in in in my my my dreams even today but the the the the the the the 3rd 3rd was was both the the the the the the most challenging and and and and and and my my favorite Its green green was was was modeled after 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 famous par-3 in in in in in in in in in in in in Scot- land land called “the fortress” because guarded in in in in in in in in in in front front by 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 high high yawning sand trap resembling 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 moat The putting surface was was was banked high high in in in in in in in in in front front sloping steeply down down to to to to to the the the the the the the the back back From the the the the the the the the tee tee you you could see only the the the the the the the the flag and and and and and top-half of of the the the the the the the the pin pin Even when your ball landed on on on on the the the the the the the green it it was was almost impossible to to to to to to stop it it rolling down down and and and off the the the the back onto the the the the fringe Grover Cleveland was was close enough that I I I I could ride there on on on on on my my my my my bike I’d I’d sling my my my my my bag of clubs across my my my my back and and head out out from from our our our Weston Street home on on on on on on my my my my my 3-speed Schwinn I’d I’d meet-up with my my my my my Kensington High School classmate Mike who lived along along the the the the the the the the the way way then then together we’d we’d ride up up up Eggert Road to to to to to to the the the the the the the the the course Parking our our our our our bikes along along the the the the the the the the the high chain-link fence that bordered the the the the the the the the the the the 3rd fairway we’d we’d slip through 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 hole hole wait 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 pause between foursomes and then then nonchalantly step up up to to to to the the the the the the the the the the the the tee tee starting our our our our our our round
there It didn’t didn’t matter matter matter to to to us us whether we we we we we we we started out at at at at at at at the the the the the the the traditional 1st tee tee or or not it it it it it it didn’t didn’t matter matter matter how many holes we we we we we we we played all all that that mattered was that that we we we we we were were on on on on the the the the the the course swinging our our clubs hitting balls Through repetitive play I I I committed the the the the the the the layout of of of every hole hole hole on on on on the the the the the the Grover course course to to to memory back then In spring I’d sometimes fall into a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a golf swoon while seated at at my my school desk daydreaming of of of the the the the the the the the par 3 3 3 170-yard 3rd 3rd hole hole hole shaping in in in in in in in in in in in my my my mind’s eye a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a perfectly stroked 7-iron the the the the the the the the ball arching high high landing on on the the the the the the the green green and and and and holding pin pin high high Other Grover Cleveland holes appear from time time Kensington must have had a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a golf team but as as as freshmen it it it never occurred to to to to to to to to to to either Mike or or me me me to to to to to to to to to to look into it it it it A A year later I I I I transferred to to to to to to to to to to Maryvale Sr High in in in in in in in the the the the working class class suburb of of Cheektow- aga A A newcomer there I I I I was eager to to to to to to to to to to find ways to to to to to to to to to to make my teachers and and classmates to to to to to to to to to to to take notice of of of me me In addition to to to to to to to to to joining the the the the chess club I I I I tried out for both tennis and and golf teams Golf stuck Letterman
We were were freshman in in in in in high school with little else in in in in in common except a a a a a a a a a a a love of golf but over this
The grounds of of the the the school complex were sprawl- ing ing ing ing compared to to to to Kensington’s including tennis tennis 51