DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

President Dwight D. Eisenhower was perhaps the most passionate golfer ever to serve as president and certainly one of the most influential figures in the growth of golf in the 1950s and early.

As president, he was used to a certain deferential treatment from people and most of the time that extended to the golf course. Mulligans were a given. And so were most short putts. The thought that somebody would play through the President’s foursome-uninvited-was all but unthinkable. But it did happen, at least on one bizarre occasion.

One afternoon President Eisenhower and some friends were playing at Augusta National. As they were putting on the 5th green, a ball bounded in front of the green and ran up toward the hole. A few minutes later a man walked briskly onto the green. Announced he was playing through, putted out, and left without saying another world-of either thanks or apology. The man was Ty Cobb

HENRY COTTON

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Henry Cotton, who won three British Opens in the years around World War II, was one of the greatest golfers England ever produced. But if it wasn’t for a particularly brutish headmaster at the London school he attended as a boy, he might never have taken up the game.
“Well, you see, cricket was really Henry’s first great love,” remember the late Peter Dobereiner, the talented and prolific writer who was the close friend of Cotton’s. “Even as a boy, Henry was unusually headstrong. One day he got into an argument with his headmaster, who threatened him with that old public school favourite-caning. Henry wouldn’t hear of it, cricket again for his school. Henry simply told him that was fine and that he’d take up golf, which he did with considerable passion.” And success, as well.

ANDREW CARNEGIE

One afternoon in 1901, Andrew Carnegie was playing golf with J.P Morgan. The two had been discussing the sale of Carnegies’ corporation for some time, and in mid-round they finally agreed on the price of $250 million.

This naturally, is often cited as irrefutable proof that the business of American business is golf. At about this time, Carnegie-a passionate if mediocre golfer-somehow managed to make a hole in one. A few days later a friend-who had read about the deal with Morgan came up and roundly congratulated Carnegie.

“Thank you,” Carnegie said. “It’s my first hole in one, but how did you hear about it?”

CADDIES

A man and his long time caddie were walking back to the clubhouse after the player had just been roundly trounced in the club championship. For many years, the late Phil Harris, who was a fixture at the old Bing Crosby National Pro-Am, used to have friend caddie for him. They were a perfect team, in large part because the caddie enjoyed taking a drink every bit as much as Phil did, and Phil always enjoyed the company of kindred spirits.

One morning they showed up for their early tee time and it was hard to tell who was in worse shape. If anything, the nod probably went to Harris, who had to at least try to hit his opening drive. All the caddie had to do has keep and eye on it-although in the end, even that proved to be too much for him to handle.

Harries wobbled to the tee and managed to get his ball on s peg without failing over.

After steadying himself, he made a lurching swipe at the ball and somehow managed to make contact, however glancing.

“Where’d it go?” Harries asked his caddie.

“Where’d what go?” the caddie replied.

Jack Nicklaus

People will argue forever whether Jack Nicklaus was, in fact, the greatest golfer of all time. But there’s no doubt that there’s never been a player with a greater sense of sportsmanship. Witness this incident from the 1981 Masters.

Nicklaus was paired with Greg Norman in the first round. Norman was playing in his first Masters and was understandably nervous. That he was paired with the player he admired most in the world didn’t help matters, either.

On the first hole, with huge galleries lining both side of the fairway, Norman pushed his drive down the right side of the hole. As they walked down the fairway, Nicklaus put his arm on Norman’s back.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m just hoping tat by the time we reach the top of the hill, my feet will finally be on the ground,” Nicklaus said. “I’m always nervous here. Just take a deep breath, and let’s have fun out here.”