Former champ shares short game expertise
by John Beisser, Sports Writer
A true living legend was in our parts on Saturday, May 17 when golf icon Billy Casper made an appearance at the Royce Brook Golf Club in Hillsborough.
Casper, winner of 51 PGA Tournaments from 1958-1975, which is seventh on the all-time list, including three majors, flew in from his home in Springville, Utah to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the club’s opening. Royce Brook operates some 100 facilities nationwide managed by the company that bears his name, Billy Casper Golf, which operates courses in 22 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Costa Rica.
Casper made his first big mark right here in the metropolitan area, winning the U.S. Open in 1959 at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, NY and again in 1966 at The Olympic Club outside of San Francisco, out-dueling Arnold Palmer in a playoff, 69-73.
In the ‘66 Open, long-time golf fans will recall Casper trailed Palmer by seven strokes with nine holes left in regulation play, then shot 32 to Palmer’s 39 to force the playoff. In the playoff, he was two shots behind after nine holes, then shot 34 to Palmer’s 40 on the back nine en route to the win. Casper’s third career major came in 1970, when he won the Masters, beating Gene Littler in an 18-hole playoff, 69-74.
Often overshadowed by “The Big Three” of Jack Nicklaus, Palmer and Gary Player, from 1964-1970 Casper was actually the winningest player amongst this foursome, finishing first 27 times during this stretch. Nicklaus won 25 in those same years, while Palmer claimed 15 titles. Player, who only played in the U.S. sporadically in those years, won six tournaments during that seven-year timeframe. An argument could be made that Casper is the most underrated golfer of all time.
Casper’s Hall of Fame career included being a member of eight consecutive U.S. Ryder Cup teams (1961, ‘63, ‘65, ‘67, ‘69, ‘71, ‘73, ‘75), a record number of appearances by a U.S. player that he shares with Lanny Wadkins and Raymond Floyd. Casper also played in the most matches (37) of any U.S. player and won the most points (23.5) for the U.S. side. He was captain of the 1979 U.S. team that won 17-11, the first time the Ryder Cup was U.S. vs. Europe (instead of vs. Great Britain & Ireland).
The affable and approachable Casper spent a full day at Royce Brook, where he greeted golfers alongside the third green of the West Course, followed by a short-game clinic, where he charmed his audience by sharing tips, sprinkled in with anecdotes from his playing days.
On the difference between golf in his hey day and today, he quipped “Back then, we putted on what would be the fairways today!” He marveled at not only the improvement in course conditions, but also how equipment has changed the game and noted the increase in the physical fitness of the game’s top players today, spearheaded by the Tiger Woods revolution.
”He has created fitness, not only with his fellow golfers but people all over the world,” Casper said. “And what he gives back with his learning centers is absolutely fantastic. He tells me he’s taking them international and that he’s building one in Thailand. I said, yeah, your mother’s name is going to be on it and he says yes.
”I think Tiger (Woods) has brought the caliber of play up on the tour unbelievably,” he added. “I think there are players today that may not be the same quality as Tiger because with Tiger, there is nothing he can’t do. He’s the greatest equipped player I’ve ever seen. He’s got everything. He’s got it all talent and head and heart. Nicklaus had an average short game, with his shots around the greens. The other thing Tiger has is the ability to figure out shots nobody else has ever played.
”Every era has had really good players,” he went on to say. “You go back in time and there’s always been three or four good players. I think Tiger has three or four good players now. You’ve got (Phil) Mickelson and (Jim) Furyk, (Vijay) Singh and (Ernie) Els.”
A native of San Diego, Casper first played the game on his grandfather’s ranch in New Mexico when he was 4 years old. He first cut his teeth in the game as a member of the San Diego junior golf program along with 20 or so other young children. Today, he says incredulously, the program contains several thousand youngsters.
Carrying himself with the pride, humility and grace that often define people of his generation, the 76-year old Casper served four years in the Navy (1951-55), proudly putting an accent on the words “United States” Navy. He joined the PGA Tour in the summer of 1955 and went on to become known as the greatest putter of his era.
Casper accurately recalled how he won one tournament in his first full year on tour in 1956, followed by two wins in1957, three in 1958 and four in 1959, highlighted by his U.S. Open victory.
”I slacked off and won only won one the next year before I started winning three and four per year there for awhile,” he said with a wide grin. “From 1960-69, I won a total of 33 tournaments at the height of “The Big Three.’”
He and his wife Shirley have 11 children, five of whom were adopted into their home, along with 21 grandchildren. Casper is active in charitable work for children and hosts fundraisers including an annual tournament at San Diego Country Club for “Billy’s Kids.”
Casper went on to win nine tournaments on the Senior PGA Tour (now the Champions Tour), including two majors. In 2000, Casper was ranked as the 15th greatest golfer of all time by Golf Digest Magazine.
For this writer, it was truly an honor and a privilege to spend a few minutes in the company of a living legend, right here in Hillsborough.