Inside Scoop

A longtime Nicklaus collaborator on the characters behind the scenes, from Seve to Snead to Trevino, and more

Seve Ballesteros took on Jack Nicklaus and Ben Krenshaw using a 3-iron from a bunker...and won

By Ken Bowden

Illustration By Andy Friedman

August 2008

SEVE'S $1 BET

Many of Seve Ballesteros' opponents will vouch for his incredible ability to invent and execute unorthodox golf shots. Here's my favorite example.

Seve was practicing from a greenside bunker before the 1994 U.S. Open at Oakmont when Jack Nicklaus and Ben Crenshaw showed up to do the same. After watching them for a few moments, Seve sidled over, grinned and said, "I play you both for $1, closest to the hole," whereupon he upended the club he had been using to show them that it was a 3-iron. Momentarily puzzled, Jack and Ben stared at the long-iron head, then looked at the sand wedges in their hands. Finally, they grinned broadly, and nodded their agreement to what seemed like a sure thing. Going first, Nicklaus blasted a ball within a couple of feet of the cup, followed by Crenshaw, who got just inside him.

Smiling, Seve nodded his congratulations, then, crouching low to facilitate addressing the ball way outside his left foot and opening the 3-iron's blade until it faced the sky, he made a soft little swing that lofted the ball within a few feet of the hole, from where it ran to hang on the lip.

I can't recall ever seeing a couple of big-time sports figures looking as stunned as Jack and Ben did at that moment. When, after a moment, Ballesteros -- his expression a picture of innocence -- inquired, "Again?" both quickly declined.

'TICKLING YE UP'

Nicklaus, Crenshaw and two friends -- actor Sean Connery and singer Glen Campbell -- were playing a practice round at the Old Course of St. Andrews in preparation for a three-part BBC TV special to benefit a Scottish charity headed by Connery.

The Old Course was busy, but the illustrious foursome was in no hurry. At the fourth hole, a golf ball rolled past them as they walked to their approach shots, and a couple of more balls rolled past as they ambled toward their drives on No. 5.

This time the four stopped and stared back. As they did, a man on a moped rode up with the word "RANGER" across the front of his cap. Stopping, he offered a pleasant "Good day to ye, gentlemen." One could assume he recognized at least two of the four, but, if so, he showed no sign of it.

Campbell was the first to address him.

"Hi, there, Mr. Ranger," Glen said. "Listen, we're glad you showed up, because those guys behind us are hitting into us. Happened three times now. Would you mind asking them to quit?"

"Sorry, sir," the ranger said, "but I daresun't do that. Ye see, they're just tickling ye up because ye're playing too slowly. Speed up and they'll stop, and ye'll be just foine."

To which the ranger politely tipped his cap, said with a grin, "Aye, just tickling ye up, ye see," restarted his moped and drove away, leaving Connery -- an understanding native -- chuckling and the other three stunned.

I didn't have the nerve to ask Nicklaus if it was the first time he'd ever been "tickled up," but I'd have bet a fair sum that it was.

MR. GENEROSITY

Sam Snead showed up for the British Open at Royal Troon in 1962, having been persuaded to promote the interests of his lifelong clubmaker, the Wilson Sporting Goods Company. Snead had won the title at St. Andrews in 1946, despite considering the course little more than a goat track -- and that after finishing tied for 11th at Carnoustie, which he also disliked, in his only previous attempt, in 1937.

As is customary on most longer links holes, because of the severity of the trouble lining the fairways, Sam's caddie, Willie, would hand him his driver as they came off the previous green, then make his way well down the hole to help locate the tee shot.