A Tradition Unlike Any Other™?

January 18, 2018 -- Many years ago, in a hushed tone, Jim Nance uttered the familiar, and now trademarked, phrase “a tradition unlike any other” about The Masters™ Golf Tournament. Ok, we get it. All golfers love the Masters. It’s great. We love the green jacket; even have one of our own; but come on. A jacket? Please. 

So, in keeping with the sacred irrelevance irreverence of the now fabled Arbuckle Invitational Golf Tournament, we are pleased to announce the birth of a tradition that is – really – unlike any other. Introducing the Winterbuckle Buckle, which will be awarded each year at the conclusion of the now annual Winterbuckle golf get together.

Badman at Rancho

Rick Last, the Little Cat, earned the inaugural buckle, er, buckle, with a steady display of golf on three Southern California courses last week. First, we played a practice round at Rancho Park in West Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Open was played there from 1956 through 1967; Arnold Palmer, among others, won three of those events. No blood among the Arbuckle four on that 18; though it was the best track of the three.

Pesick at Rancho

Next up was a round at Griffith Park’s Harding course, a storied and beautifully placed course that once was a regular stop on the PGA Tour. Many of the greats once played there including Tiger Woods who won the LA Junior Open as a 16 year old in 1991. Excitingly, the LA Olympic Organizing Committee has proposed using the Griffith Park layouts (there are two courses up there: Harding and Wilson) as the golf venue for the 2028 Olympic Games.

Rancho, seventh tee

In our outing, Last went 3-0 in a round robin team event; soundly trouncing the other three who all finished 1-2.

On our final day, we played De Bell, a funky track in Burbank. There we played a mini tournament in which Last just nipped Stanley Pesick 1 up on the 18^th hole to clinch the bronze. The quality of play between the Cat and Pesick was extremely high with pars being matched down the stretch culminating, and especially, on the 18^th hole. It was a great match.

Griffith

Peter Straus and Ron Braun played the championship flight, another good match, which Straus won on the 17^th, 2 and 1, primarily based on a pair of pretty approaches -- the first on 16 to within 10 feet and then to about three feet on 17.

Note the background at Griffith

But Last had the best overall performance and hence now has the Winterbuckle buckle to display proudly around his hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts. This author can’t wait to hear what the Cat’s fellow golfers will have to say at the Amherst Golf Club next Spring. Oh, the envy.

More Pix

No mention of Winterbuckle LA 2018 would be complete without acknowledging our hosts -- the Beckman-Strauses -- Jon, Naomi and the Stanimal. It was great hanging out with them and breaking bread on two occasions.

And Finally

Wearing the Winterbuckle buckle with obvious pride