any of you fanatics out there ever played with?

I've played with a few really interesting ones over the years like Tommy Armour and Glenna Collett Vare but I have to think the most interesting one was Philadelphia's Skee Riegal, the winner of the 1947 US Amateur at Pebble Beach. I played with him in the PA Open at Saucon Valley about ten or so years ago. Skee was old but he had a lifetime excemption to the PA Open. I'd never met him before but I knew I was paired with him. I was on the putting green and I looked over and here's this old guy who had on clothes, golf shoes, and clubs and balls and a golf bag that was right out of the 1950s!

It was Skee Riegal, a most interesting guy and it was a most interesting day!

I played the # 2 course a number of years ago with Charlie Price. He was hung over and in a very bad mood.

His mood was not improved as one of our opponents shot 69 and if he had putted well could have shot 61 or 62.

I was absolutely astounded that this guy could hit the ball 270-280 every time in the exact middle of the fairway and his iron shots were crisp and at the pin. I would have to say that he never missed a shot.

The most amazing thing about this performance was that the player was missing the bottom half of his left leg. He was the many time National Amputee Champ, Bick Long.

Present company excluded, One of the most interesting persons I ever went around with,(as a caddy) was a guy who had been privy to the inner sanctum of Marvin Davis, back when he owned Pebble Beach. This guy had so much inside stuff, it was fascinating. Most of it was about Spanish Bay and it's  inception. A point in time that was pivitol to the quality of the ultimate product.  

As for golfing with, there's a friend in PG whose an artist and was a math genius. He's the guy who knows the flaw in either the numerator, or denominator, of the GHIN formula.
And finally the Eskimo women, a state representative for the state of Alaska, who on the very first tee, said, "How do you hold this thing".

TEP:

Great stuff!

As for the name-dropping comment, well... I just thought clarifying this would make it more fun... but either works for me.  My apologies.

TH

"But golf seemed so elusive to most of these guys that they really were intrigued by it."

Wayne:

Did you see that interview not long ago with Charles Barkley? Golf is completely driving him nuts! He's tried everything imaginable and it ain't working at all. He can't sleep sometimes, he doesn't know what the hell to do next and it's killing him.

At some point slightly before that I was watching a simultaneous interview with Barkley and Woods (they were not in the same place and the interviewer was cutting back and forth between them) and Barkley was talking about how extraordinary Woods's golf game and his overall ability really is. Woods was sincerely talking about how his golf instruction book could virtually help anyone if they'd read it carefully and truly apply what he said in it. Barkley hears this and then proceeds to say Tiger can't be that good after-all because he's never been able to help him one iota. The interviewer tells Woods what Barkley just said about him and his book--- Tiger is somewhat taken aback but after a brief pause says;

"Well, let me amend what I said. I should've said my book can help virtually anyone with the exception of Charles, he's completely hopeless and he always will be!"

They may not be the most interesting golfers per se, but they tell the best stories I've ever heard and are an absolute blast to play golf with.  If I had to pick one, it would clearly be the original Whitey--Richie Ashburn, a better man than ballplayer.  

This is because he was from Nebraska!!!!

I don't have anyone famous to add to this story, but I have played with a man who hits every shot cross-handed and is about a 10-handicap in his 70s. He is a wonderful guy and a joy to play with.

I guess after that, I have to go with Brian Gracely or "golf's most beloved figure."

"The stories from that day would leave me typing for hours, and I have patients waiting for me, but at least that is my contribution to this thread."

Michael:

So what? You know what I say? Let them wait! There're some things that're a helluva lot more important than some trivality like life or death!

Tom

Skee Reigel is quite a guy.He also finished second at The Masters. I don't remember the year. I've played a few holes with him and the late Max Hankin at Commonwealth where he was, at one time, Pro Emeritus. I think he now is associated in some way with Cape May National where there is a local PGA section tournament named in his honor. At one time, Skee operated the driving range and gave lessons at Burholme Park in northeast Philly, my original golfing home.

Steve

Tom Huckaby,
Do you remember who the guy with one arm was?

Tom

Skee Reigel is quite a guy.He also finished second at The Masters. I don't remember the year. I've played a few holes with him and the late Max Hankin at Commonwealth where he was, at one time, Pro Emeritus. I think he now is associated in some way with Cape May National where there is a local PGA section tournament named in his honor. At one time, Skee operated the driving range and gave lessons at Burholme Park in northeast Philly, my original golfing home.

Steve

From the Cape May National Web site (which, unaccountably, neglects to mention his playing with Tom I; N.B. the part I've  ***************'d):

Robert Henry ‘Skee’ Riegel

`‘Skee’ nickname

Only USGA contestant listed in USGA Record Book by his nickname.

1947 - US Amateur at Pebble Beach

1946 - Championship: Shot 69-67 at Baltustrol in New Jersey. Tiger Woods shot 69-67 to qualify for his third US Amateur. Held record for 33 years as lowest qualifier rounds until 1979.

1947 - US Amateur beating John Davison 2 + 1.

Played in 11 straight Masters. 1951 - Second to Ben Hogan leader in clubhouse. Leading tournament in the last round with Sam Snead. Skee shot 71.

Stopped playing for full time in 1952 - 53.

1947 - Walker Cup Match. St. Andrews - Capt. Frances Ouimet

Riegel undefeated - passed against the best - Freilt played Joe Carr and Cecil Ewing.

In singles Riegel beat the English Amateur Champion 6 and 5. Americans won Walker Cup 8 - 4.

**************************Return trip on the Queen Elizabeth: Shimmy up the smoke stack, ‘Man Overboard’********************


1949 - Winged Foot: Walker Cup Match (Skee was invited back this year to celebrate US Walker Cup heroius team won (10 - 2).

Skee was undefeated at Winged Foot

US Amateur - Pebble Beach

Walker Cup undefeated - St. Andrews

Walker Cup undefeated - Winged Foot

Second Place Masters - Augusta National

 

Active touring pro: 1950 to 1952-53

 

1. CAREER:

 

1940 Two years after first golf lesson qualified for US Amateur at Winged Foot

1941 Field Club - US Amateur got to third round

1942 Florida Amateur won

1946 US Amateur low qualifier - Baltrustrol

1947 Pebble Beach Amateur

Tom Huckaby,
Do you remember who the guy with one arm was?

Sam - no - I'm not sure I ever got his full name - this was at a public course in SoCal and a long time ago... I was in high school (so make that app 25 yrs ago).. I sure do remember the round... this guy was pretty darn good.  But whipping my sorry ass just meant getting it in low 80s at that point.  Hell that often still works today....  

Dan

Thanks for the post re Skee Riegel's career. He was one of the greats of his time. I forgot how much he accomplished other than his Am and Masters.
Steve

Andy,

Who was the only Braves player to play for the team in Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta?