Putts and Buts

Oftentimes, golf, like life itself, can seem like a novel. Sometimes it’s completely crazy (like Donald Trump being, um, well you know…), other times, it’s prosaic as hell. Same old, same old. Such was the scenario at the 2019 Arbuckle Golf Tournament; in an almost mirror image of the 2014 event, Peter Straus edged out Rick, The Little Cat, Last by one stroke at Leslie Park in Ann Arbor, to win his fifth event in the last eight years. But, and it’s a huge but, there was one notable difference – more on that later.

Go back and read the account from five years ago; the other golfers – Ron Braun and Stan Pesick --had dropped by the wayside, so the last day was, essentially, match play between Straus and Last. 2019 was the same; Last was playing great golf; Straus was hitting fairways and greens. Slowly, the Cat’s lead was getting whittled away; until the players came to the penultimate hole, the beautiful 125 yard 17^th over a pond to a waiting green. 

In 2014, Straus secured the win, by hitting to two feet from the hole; this time though with a three stroke lead, he was taking no chances and hit safely into the hillside, no watery grave for him.

In 2019, it was Last who hit a heroic shot, right at the flagstick; on its way to the hole. The ball stopped just short; now there was pressure – a Straus bogey and a Last birdie would cut the lead to one; but, and again, it’s a big but, it was not to be. Straus complied with a four, but the Cat’s birdie try was left hanging on the lip. 

The eighteenth then was perfunctory; the players provided flashes of comedy and moments of despair; indeed, Last left another putt short, but in the end, Straus had won again; by a single stroke. “The gallery was enthralled” texted Pesick after the match.

But, but, but; golf, like life can tie you in knots. If Hillary had only spent as much time in Michigan as the Arbuckle crew. If Rick had not left one, two, yes, three putts short. If, if, if…. but, putts, drives and clutch shots don’t tell the story of this tournament. No, the real tale is that we all make our way through life overcoming Trump-like obstacles large and small and Last had overcome a doozy. In his case a stubbornly occluded leg vein – recurrent extensive deep vein thrombosis to be exact – that had seen him in the Intensive Care Unit a mere seven weeks before the tournament. Less than a month (!) before the tournament, on June 27, Rick sent the following text:

Playing golf in the morning. 9 holes (hopefully). I have no idea how it will work out but swinging a club in the backyard was ok albeit a bit of an abbreviated swing. Send good vibes my way.

Yet there he was on July 26, coming down to the wire. The true winner was Rick Last and the spirit of competition, comradery, and lifelong friendship that embodies the Arbuckle Cup in this its 22 ^nd consecutive year of competition.

Additional Pix

Drive for Show

In a game that requires its contestants to begin each hole by propelling a tiny sphere the length of two football fields or more, it often comes down to rolling a 1.68” ball a relatively short distance into a cup that measures four and a quarter inches. You drive for show and putt for dough, or so the saying goes. Such was the story of Arbuckle 21 which was decided for all intents and purposes on hole 15 of the last day when Stanley Pesick sank a thirty-foot curving uphill birdie putt to seize what seemed to be a commanding four stroke lead over his closest competitor. Or was it?

For as fickle a game as golf nothing is ever settled until, well, it is. Pesick maintained his lead over the famed Badman from Motown, Ron Braun, on the 16^th when both recorded bogies. Off to the 17^th on Ann Arbor’s Leslie Park Golf Course they went. Seventeen is one of LPGC’s signature holes. Nestled next to an old barn, it’s a pretty little 125 yd par three, with a sizeable pond fronting a tricky green.  The necessary shot is all carry over the water.

Pesick, whose ball striking had been exemplary throughout the week, stepped confidently up to the tee and proceeded to foozle a thirty-yard wounded duck to a soggy grave. Up next, Braun pounded one of his best shots of the week directly over the flag and converted a nice two putt for par. Pesick stumbled home with a triple bogey and suddenly as the competitors came to the 18^th and last hole, the lead had shrunk to one. No further drama to report though, neither competitor could do much as Pesick, warily watching his opponent, did what he needed to do by matching Braun stoke for stroke. The 21^st Cup was his.

Braun, was never satisfied with his game and was frankly surprised to find himself with a chance to steal a victory. His putter, normally his most reliable stick, let him down. For example, on Pesick’s decisive 15^th hole, Braun had a desultory and disappointing three putt for a double bogey. “Too many three putts for me” said the Michigander.

Braun’s normally effective putting stroke has always been a bit of a mystery as he seems to line up with the putter facing way left of the target, yet when he strikes the ball it’s pure. A bit of research revealed that one of golf’s best putters -ever- Bobby Locke of South Africa had the same technique. He’d line up his putter aimed two feet to the right (Braun putts lefty, Locke righty; Braun does follow through) and then square up the ball as he made contact.  If you're interested, click here.

The other two competitors, Rick Last and Peter Straus finished four strokes back in what, in the end, was the closest Arbuckle ever. Going out, Last, the Little Cat, played one of his best nines and had a sizable lead as they made the turn at Leslie Park, but a disastrous execrable 11^th hole where he put two in the woods, for a quintuple 10 sent him tumbling down the leaderboard and he never recovered. Let’s think about that front nine and put the back out of mind.

Straus, the two-time defending champ, never solved the greens on any of the four courses the boys played in Michigan.  On the last day, the Chicoan had a solid ball striking round but struggled with his putter throughout, missing, for example, birdie putts on holes two, three and four (indeed three putting each) and generally looked uncomfortable on the greens all day.

So, putting --whether at Leslie Park’s nicely manicured greens; a miniature golf establishment’s fraying carpet or on the famed slippery slopes of Augusta National (where it’s said putting on those greens is like putting on kitchen linoleum) -- is oftentimes the difference between winning and losing. Those who saw Pesick’s spectacular putt on 15, will forever agree.

Scenes from Arbuckle 2018

Old friend,David Hurand, joined us on the first day
and provided excellent commentary

Storks and Dorks I

Storks and Dorks II

The celebratory dinner at the home of Walter Shapero and Kathleen Straus...

...included special guests, Jerome and Marianne Pesick.

A real highlight was breaking bread with Martha Salyers

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

BollyBuckle Pix, October 2017

View to the North from Fairmont Gold Room, 20th floor

View to the West from Fairmont Gold Room, 20th floor

Golf Song?

Have you heard Back Nine by Ben Sidran?

Check out the YouTube --- https://youtu.be/8VaqLhFqtGk








Lyrics

Back Nine
I made my way to the back nine
They call me the iron man
Watching out for the sand traps
Formulating my plan
Out on the back nine
I know how to do my thing
I traded in the Five Spot
For a new kind of club
But I still maintain my swing
Life ain’t nothing but fine
Out on the back nine
Laying back on the back nine
The hustle is still my thing
Drive for show, in the hole for dough
You know they call me the rhythm king
On the back nine
It’s a hazard just to be alive
Still having fun with the old pitch and run
But now the score ain’t nothing but jive
I got the Bird on my mind
Out on the back nine
Things are good on the back nine
Got the view from the club house turn
Running the changes on the driving ranges
Waiting for the grass to burn
On the back nine
Everything is by the book
Got the Caddy for Daddy
The glide in my stride
Just dealing with a different hook
Life ain’t nothing but fine
Out on the back nine