When I was working at a phenomenal National golf club in South Carolina a few years back, a member that I had rarely seen walked into the golf shop during Masters week and saw a terrific black and white picture on the wall. It was "The Smoking Picture" with Arnold Palmer and Ben Hogan puffing away as they waited to tee off. This is when the first of three pretty interesting things/stories occured.
The member says, "That's my ball teed up there.." Likely story, right? Turns out that his name was Don Allen and he was a dominant player in amateur golf in the 1960's including many, many New York State Amateurs. He had been invited to play in the Masters in 1965 and the picture was taken on a Tuesday practice round and while he was waiting to tee off on #2, Arnold and Ben walked up and watched him tee off.
Part Two...not only did Don Allen make the cut in 1965 and the two following years, but he held the lead for a short time during Round One before making a few bogies coming in and shooting 70. He had gotten so much attention that Bobby Jones had his driver take him out on the course in a cadillac to follow Don for a few shots. Crazy...
Last part...after making the cut in 1965 and 1966, Don patiently awaited his invite into his third Masters. The invites usually arrived in January or February, but as March arrived, no invite. He finally asked his 1st wife if she had seen anything in the mail from Augusta. She responded that she had, but had thrown it away. Shocked, Don asked her why she would have thrown away the invite, to which she responded, "I don't know why you keep going back, you never win."
Don got his invite, made the cut in 1967. The first wife did not.
I love the Masters.
The member says, "That's my ball teed up there.." Likely story, right? Turns out that his name was Don Allen and he was a dominant player in amateur golf in the 1960's including many, many New York State Amateurs. He had been invited to play in the Masters in 1965 and the picture was taken on a Tuesday practice round and while he was waiting to tee off on #2, Arnold and Ben walked up and watched him tee off.
Part Two...not only did Don Allen make the cut in 1965 and the two following years, but he held the lead for a short time during Round One before making a few bogies coming in and shooting 70. He had gotten so much attention that Bobby Jones had his driver take him out on the course in a cadillac to follow Don for a few shots. Crazy...
Last part...after making the cut in 1965 and 1966, Don patiently awaited his invite into his third Masters. The invites usually arrived in January or February, but as March arrived, no invite. He finally asked his 1st wife if she had seen anything in the mail from Augusta. She responded that she had, but had thrown it away. Shocked, Don asked her why she would have thrown away the invite, to which she responded, "I don't know why you keep going back, you never win."
Don got his invite, made the cut in 1967. The first wife did not.
I love the Masters.
