They stood all square on the 53rd and penultimate hole of the 2009 Arbuckle Invitational Tournament. Peter Straus and Ron Braun had battled throughout the day; Straus coming from way behind and Braun finally finding his game, just in time on the fifteenth hole. They had both bogied 15 and 16 and stood, 128 yards from the hole, staring across a pond with a weathered gray barn behind them on the 17th, the signature hole at Leslie Park Municipal Golf Course in Ann Arbor, Michigan which had just been named the premier municipal track in Michigan by the July 2009 issue of Golf Digest.
Straus went first and pushed an 8 iron high onto the hill to the right of the green. Braun went next and hit a magnificent six iron to 8 feet below the hole. It was, perhaps, the greatest clutch shot in Arbuckle’s storied thirteen year history. Never mind that Straus played a good chip to ten feet and that his par put just slithered right of the hole. Braun’s birdie putt also went awry; he now had a precious one stroke lead.
The battle until the fifteenth had not been a two way race; defending champion Rick “The Little Cat” Last had also stood his ground in a display of golf that frankly exceeded his winning final round of the preceding year. For Last had battled Braun even up and stood the same two shot deficit on the tee at sixteen that he had started the day with. Last split the fairway with his drive and was a mere 258 yards (or so) from the par five sixteenth’s green. His caddy/advisor/cartmate Straus recommended a five iron and it turned out to be a disastrous suggestion because Last pushed it far right – recovery was nearly impossible and after a great run the Cat was kaput.
Straus had started the day a whopping 12 strokes behind Braun as the Bad Man had played a self- proclaimed best round of the year, a 92, at Leslie Park on the first day. Straus had countered with a 94
(including the Arbuckle Cup’s first-ever eagle at the par 5 third hole). Day two saw Braun card a 100 at Stonebridge, with Straus coming in with a disappointing 103; thus setting up the final day’s action.
The final day was all Straus’ until Braun’s heroics. A birdie on the par four third hole – easiest hole on the course – started the run. He finally caught Braun with a par on the 12th and another birdie on the tricky par 4 13th. Straus’ run may have ended when his curling par put on 14 just lipped out to the visible relief and audible delight of the Motown representative. But it wasn’t until Braun’s great shot on 17 that his lead was reestablished.
The eighteenth saw Braun hit down the middle and arrive at the par four in three. After his drive, Straus stood 159 yards away on the right edge of the first cut of rough. His five iron came up just short and trickled up against the lip of bunker guarding the right of the green. With no choice but to blast out, Straus was left with a short chip for par as Braun easily and steadily two-putted. Straus tapped in for his bogie but it was over despite having shot an 87 – the lowest final round in the tournament’s history.
In the interest of history one must acknowledge that Stanley Pesick was in the throes of a mysterious swing ailment that left him far in arrears. His 15 handicap, which set him up for his fall, was but a sad memory of past performances. Yet Pesick still managed the low gross over three days – a heroic accomplishment in its own right. Better yet, Pesick maintained good humor and wonderful sportsmanship throughout the three day event – avidly pulling for each of his competitors. Mr. Pesick’s positive attitude toward his fellows is what the Arbuckle Cup and ultimately golf is all about.
Yet the weekend ultimately belonged to Ron Braun who is in the midst of a three wins in four years run. The highlight, of course, was his shot on 17 but throughout the Bad Man had the steadiest putter and the best short game. He obviously coasted a bit on Friday (the last round); but when the chips were down he rose to the occasion, finishing bogie, bogie, par, bogie, which given the searing pressure of Arbuckle is winning golf and worthy of the 2009 Cup.
