He (must have) loved playoffs

Mr. Jack Fleck, who was 92, died last Friday in Fort Smith. Yes, that Mr. Jack Fleck, the man who beat Ben Hogan for the U.S. Open title in 1955.

The story goes that Ben Hogan was already in the clubhouse, with what looked like an insurmountable lead, when NBC “reported” that he had the Open locked up. So the suits at the network pulled the plug on golf coverage and moved on to more interesting programming. With Jack Fleck still on the course. That’s when said Jack Fleck stormed back, tying the mighty Ben Hogan. In the next day’s playoff, Jack Fleck took home the title.

A few years later, he won the 1960 Phoenix Open. In a playoff.

The next year, he won the Bakersfield Open. In a playoff.

In 1979, Mr. Jack Fleck won the PGA Seniors Championship, too.

Yes, in a playoff.

Later in life, he had folks drive him to the Hardscrabble Country Club in Fort Smith so he could take a few swings, roll in a few putts. So what if he was in his 90s? You can never beat a golf course, you can only play it. And the only way to play it decently is to keep practicing your swing. Your whole life.

Mr. Jack Fleck understood. But at 92 years old, last week was his time. To every thing, there is a season. As the Preacher well knew. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2.)

The calendar says it’s time for warmer weather in the coming weeks, as winter finally, finally recedes and spring finally, finally settles in. Turn, turn, turn. So what better time to go out and hit a big bucket of balls? Or maybe get the local pro to help you with that slice. It’s Arkansas. It’s late March. To every thing, there is a season.

Mr. Jack Fleck would understand.

Editorial, Pages 16 on 03/29/2014

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