Thankfully, perhaps miraculously, Tiger Woods survived a horrific car accident on Tuesday and has come through surgeries that saved his leg and much more. We’ve been told he is “in good spirits.” A long recovery begins. In the last few days there has been a lot of interest in (and comparison to) Ben Hogan and … Read more
I WAS PLEASED TO RECEIVE an email earlier this week from Steve Marantz, who covered the 1955 U.S. Open recently in Episode 17 of his Championship Stories podcast. (In Steve’s words, it’s a podcast about “famous, infamous and almost famous champions and their moments in history.”) Episodes cover baseball, hockey and basketball, plus three on … Read more
Embed from Getty Images I STILL RECEIVE GOOGLE ALERTS about Jack Fleck, who I befriended in 2007 and wrote about in THE LONGEST SHOT, which published in May 2012. Jack won the 1955 U.S. Open in an 18-hole playoff against Ben Hogan, pulling off one of the greatest upsets in golf or any sport. Jack … Read more
Embed from Getty Images HERE’S A FAVORITE PICTURE of Jack Fleck (1921-2014), who I wrote about in my 2012 book THE LONGEST SHOT. This is moments before the start of an 18-hole playoff with four-time U.S. Open champion Ben Hogan to decide the 1955 U.S. Open. During warm-up, Jack liked to hit a few shots … Read more
Image via Golf Assessor I’M HONORED TO BE LISTED in Golf Assessor’s 50 best golf books, here. The site ranks the golf books from 1 to 50. THE LONGEST SHOT squeezed into the top 10. Here’s what Golf Assessor said: Perhaps one of the greatest sporting upsets of all time. NBC-TV claimed that Ben Hogan … Read more
Jerry Yellin didn’t shoot his age. He obliterated it. (Images courtesy of Steven Yellin) IF WE LIVE LONG ENOUGH and play well enough, we might shoot our age, or even better it. It’s a wonderful achievement when you consider it. I remember many years ago how Arnold Palmer shot a 66 when he was 66 … Read more
SIXTY-ONE YEARS AGO TODAY JACK FLECK teed it up in the 36-hole U.S. Open sectional qualifier at Lincolnshire Country Club in Crete, Illinois. It was a wet and breezy day, and Fleck played 34 holes in a cool rain. He finished with 73 and 73 for 146, and didn’t like his chances of qualifying for … Read more
In addition to finding them at the usual places, you can get these golf books directly from me, the author. This is a terrific option if you want one or both books autographed or inscribed. Whether for yourself or someone else (the books make great gifts), I can personally sign and send them directly to you … Read more
(Image via Jack Nicklaus on Facebook.) IF YOU ARE STILL IN NEED of a Father’s Day gift, I can recommend my two golf books: DRAW IN THE DUNES: The 1969 Ryder Cup and the Finish That Shocked the World and THE LONGEST SHOT: Jack Fleck, Ben Hogan, and Pro Golf’s Greatest Upset at the 1955 U.S. … Read more
JACK FLECK MAY BE GONE, but his clubs are still around. And until this Sunday (April 12), they are up for grabs as part of the 2015 Spring Auction at The Golf Auction. Jack died on March 21, 2014 at the age of 92 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. I miss him. We talked a lot … Read more