SUMMER 1 983 BY LEE L. RICHARDS Former U.S. Open Champion Andy North came to Irem Temple C.C. recently to play some promotional golf. United Penn Bank brought the 1978 Open winner in to play golf with some of its customers and simply socialize. UP vice president Bob Mason coor- dinated the outing and said, ‘Andy was really a gentleman and he made an im- pression with everyone he visited with during the course of the day.” North is 6-4, 210 pounds, and has won close to $900,000 on the PGA Tour. He hails from the state of Wisconsin, but was a three-time All-American at Florida. This is his 11th campaign on the tour. He’s only won twice, but winning an Open is a zenith in any golfer’s career. “What nfost golf fans fail to realize is there’s such a fine line on tour between winning and winding up in second or third place,” says North. “The difference is making a putt here knocking an iron shot stiff on a difficult hole, then making the putt. Besides having everything falling, there's a certain bit of luck.” The 1983 Open is at Oakmont C.C. which will be hosting the event for the sixth time. North said he’s looking forward to playing the Western PA layout. “I've been honing my game in recent weeks and pointing for the Open. There's some difficult holes there, but overall, I like to play the course,” he said. Meanwhile, Irem pro Barry Fies said he enjoyed playing with North. “I’ve been privileged to have played with three Open winners now. Jack Nicklaus, Arnie Palmer and now North. Sure it was a thrill,” Fies said. North played his way around the course. He played at least one hole with each foursome, had his picture snapped a bunch of times, offered advice when asked and seemed to enjoy the day. Mason said, “North was very personable and articulate about the whole ap- pearance. There was no hassle and when we gave him a little TV as a gift for his car he was quite surprised. He wrote us a very nice note and claimed to have enjoyed the course and the people.” We had the opportunity to visit with Andy before he gave his informal clinic. While I wanted to talk about golf, he wanted to talk football and about a mutual friend and former teammate of his, Rick Spears. Andy North He's a big booster of the Wisconsin football team and was sporting a nifty bowl ring. “I'm a Badger fan and have gotten in- volved in their football program. I like the people and believe they're going to get better every year,” he says. He spun some tales about my pal Spears when he played for the Gators which captured the NCAA team crown in 1968. After his clinic and hitting some shots, Andy posed for pictures and had time to chit-chat with some of the passers by. He did a lot of the little things which im- pressed a lot of folks. When I made mention of that a bit later, he replied, ‘No one has ever perfected the game of golf. If I can offer some advice here or there to fellow golfers and it helps him, then I’ve done some good for the game.” One thing he did emphasize was taking lessons and having your resident pro help you with swing problems. During the course of our conversation North never mentioned winning money. Calvin Peete He did not mention his injuries which have hampered his career. What he did mention was getting in the competitive mental groove and shaping his game for the long hot summer ahead. In parting, we discussed his upcoming schedule and it appears we will be seeing each other at the Busch Golf Classic at Williamsburg’s Kingsmill July 21 through 24th. Maybe with a little luck North can rack up another first. I know one thing, he’s No. 1 with a lot of people around Wyoming Valley and Irem Temple C.C. BY LEE L. RICHARDS At the recent press day for the annual Anheuser-Busch Golf Classic at Kingsmill in Williamsburg, VA, defending champion Calvin Peete met with the media and answered the following questions. Q--Why did you take up professional golf? A-It was something I wanted to do. I knew it was going to be a challenge and I'd have to pay the price. I practiced 12 to 14 hours a day. I wasn’t exactly starving at the time either. I had my own business and owned some real estate near Fort Lauderdale worth $250,000. Q--Has your life-style changed with your recent success? A--Not necessarily. My wife still tells me where to go, when to be there and what time to be there. I've made a little more money and I'm still taking care of it in the same way when I didn’t have a whole lot. Q--What goals did you set for yourself when you joined the tour? A--1 wanted to win a million dollars and win a major championship. I'm getting close to the first goal and I'm still shooting for the second. preparing for a‘ tournament? patience. I'm just trying to hit each green in regulation and make pars. I don’t try to force birdies. They’ll come with time. Q--How did you reach the level of con- sistency you are at today? A-Practice, practice and more practice. Q-What tip would you give the amateur golfer? A--Attempt to get solid balance. I work a lot on getting good timing, tempo and balance. Most of the pros when they miss a shot it stems from poor alignment. Check your body and make sure you're square to the target. Q--What seems to be the biggest concern on the tour today by the players? A-We're all concerned over the slow play. When they changed the rule from a two- £ shot penalty to a $200 fine things seemed to get worse. Q--Do you consider yourself a role model for other black golfers? Continued on page 2 - anne ‘AVaSINGIM : i Ee... £86 robe
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