Golf's Greatest Championship: The 1960 U.S. Open

by Julian I. Graubart

Overview

The 1960 U.S. Open Golf Championship played at Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver, Colorado, remains perhaps the most dramatic, competitive, and passionate of all Open championships. In 1960 the young lions of the game were eager to reach the top tier occupied by venerable players such as Ben Hogan and Sam Snead. In this Open only a single stroke separated the three leaders-Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, and a young but talented amateur named Jack Nicklaus-on the final two holes. The stunning conclusion would prove a watershed in the lives of all three players, and in the game itself. Golf's Greatest Championship is a suspenseful, richly detailed chronicle of this epic chapter in the game of golf.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781589794672
Publisher:	Taylor Trade Publishing
Publication date:	05/16/2009
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Julian I. Graubart has written for Golf Journal and other publications. He lives in Washington, D. C.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi

List of Pairings xiii

Map of Cherry Hills Golf Course xiv

Introduction to the 50th Anniversary Edition 1

Prologue 5

1 An Heir Emerges 7

2 The Old Guard Stirs 31

3 Qualifiers 47

4 Final Preparations 63

5 Round One 75

6 Cherry Hills 105

7 Round Two 113

8 Round Three 157

9 Round Four 177

10 "Sportsman of the Year" 203

Epilogue 215

Bibliography 251

Index 255

Editorial Reviews

Freelancer Graubart, whose articles have appeared in Golf Journal, makes a convincing case here for adjudging the 1960 U.S. Open, held at Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver, the greatest links tournament to date. In part, its special significance arose because three "generations" of golfers participated: old-timers such as Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, who started to make their reputations in the '30s and '40s; rising stars such as Arnold Palmer and Gary Player; and very Young Turks like Jack Nicklaus, only 20 at the time and still an amateur. The author interviewed many of the participating golfers for this book. The all-but-forgotten Mike Souchak led for the first three rounds but crashed on the last. Hogan, whose putting had been shaky ever since his near-fatal car crash of 1949, had two great rounds but also two poor ones, including the final 18, when he faded. Nicklaus led for a while, even in the final round, but had trouble with the last few holes and finished second. Palmer, seven strokes behind the leader at the end of 54 holes, shot an amazing 65 for the final round to win. When the final scores were posted, eight players were within three strokes of one another, one more reason to deem this contest enormously exciting, and Graubart captures all the suspense. Photos not seen by PW. (May)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

At Denver's Cherry Hills golf course, the 1960 U.S. Open attracted thousands on the final day to witness one of history's greatest golf events. The legendary Arnold Palmer made golf the kind of game athletes dream about. Palmer, seven stokes behind leader Mike Souchak with 18 holes remaining, shot a 65 and won by one stroke. Here Graubart, whose articles have appeared in Golf Journal, takes the reader thoughtfully and clearly through the dramatic course of events. By winning this tournament, Palmer succeeded Ben Hogan as golf's hero. Replete with insights and information about golf and its times, this account also touches on the Palmer-Nicklaus rivalry in the Sixties and the Senior PGA tour that Palmer and Sam Snead popularized. Recommended for public libraries.James A. Paxman, Tennessee State Univ., Nashville

Library Journal

This gripping account of the 1960 US Open performs the near-impossible feat of making golf exciting and relevant even to those who have never picked up a club.

Golf in 1960 was at an uneasy crossroads, poised between a past featuring great players who toiled in relative anonymity and a future of mass popularity fueled by promotion-savvy professionals. Played at the Cherry Hills course in the thin air of Denver, this Open featured such greats as Ben Hogan and "Slammin' " Sammy Snead (said to be the greatest golfer never to win the US Open), as well as near-greats and exciting journeymen, such as Billy Casper, and an unassuming but enormously talented 20-year-old Ohio State student named Jack Nicklaus. Most attention focused on Arnold Palmer, the '58 Open winner and the runner-up in '59, who, at the peak of his career, was accompanied at every move by a traveling gallery of fans the press had dubbed "Arnie's Army." Going into the Open, Palmer was the bettors' favorite, but after the first two rounds, he sat far back in 15th place, eight strokes off the pace. The press, and even the "Army," not yet fully acquainted with Palmer's grit and poise, had all but written off the star. But a furious charge during the third and fourth rounds netted Palmer one of the most satisfying and spectacular victories of his storied career, leaving him two strokes ahead of Nicklaus and four up on Hogan, who faded badly in the heat. Graubart skillfully toes the line between assuming too much or too little about the reader's familiarity with golf—which should be great comfort for readers who don't know what a "mulligan" is and are afraid to admit it.

A terrific read for golf fanatics, for those just turning to the game, and for fans of all sports.

Kirkus Reviews

An excellent read or giftbook for golf enthusiasts everywhere.

Midwest Book Review