The Search

THE SEARCH

Consistent with brother David's directives... I choose this Red MacGregor Tourney 1, high compression as a golf ball of significance to me. 

This is the same ball played by Johnny Miller when winning the US Open in 1973 at Oakmont, shooting a 63 on Sunday. 

McGregor was the line of golf balls used by Jack Nicklaus for all of his 18 major victories. 

However, it might just be best known as one of the worst golf ball manufacturers of all time! 

Me … I just liked the ball and its red lettering and numbering. I liked that I could play this ball using my set of M&T irons. 

I never had a new sleeve of these or any other golf balls, back in high school or earlier.  My golf balls were either “lifted” from Dad's golf bag or found in a ritual post-round search.

That - THE SEARCH -  is the theme of this little piece along with some golf ball memories from the 50s - 70s.

The search site is Skaneateles Country Club. The time is the 1960s when I caddied, played junior golf, and played high school golf.

Whenever a caddy job was over, or a Monday round completed, there was almost always a golf ball search to follow.

Join me on the search. Never out on holes 4 - 11. Too far out. Too desolate. Here we are at #3,  the “waterhole”, touring the water edges and on a rare occasion swimming in the pond. Would I find a nice clean brand new ball?

Back in those days most were made of a cover material known as “balata”. All I knew is that the shiny white cover, if struck just the right incorrect way, would split open producing “a smile”.

Quite the Dilemma. Would I play an otherwise pristine white ball with a smile or an older scuffed-up ball with no smiles?

 Well, look at that! An old cut up Spalding Pin-Flite 2. Had been hoping for a nice new “Faultless” or maybe a cool-looking “Continental” time to move to another site.

Here we are at #12 (now #14). Only one spot to search. OB across the street in the weed-filled culvert. Always carrying an iron from my bag, I would move the weed lines to side in search of a treasure. Maybe a Titleist. Maybe a Wilson Tour. This time a good find. Titleist 4 - Pro Trajectory and the best ball most often lost Top Flite XL 7.

Now the hard work begins. Hole #13 (now 15). The “Gully” hole. The search requires traipsing down into the gully. Maneuvering through the creek. Climbing up the other side. All the while pushing through bushes, pricklers and high grass. Hunting for, hoping maybe for a Wilson K-28 or a Spalding.  Maybe even a Hogan Apex. Today is a good search yielding a Dunlop Silvercup 7 and a Nicklaus D&D 4.

Searching turns to the par 5, 14th hole (now #16). We are moving downhill and back towards the clubhouse. We are walking the entire length of the hole, OB to the right … cornfields. This is fun. You crouch a little bit to see the brown floor of the cornfield. It gives you length of sight. I work about three to four adjacent rows where I can actually picture the players slicing from the tee.

On that dry dark earth the errant and lost ball stands out. My heart skips when I spy one  and I run right up to inspect my treasure. Willl it be a Royal? The ball and golf equipment used by our Pro Larry Bartosek, maybe a spanking brand new PGA or a Molitor. Not today … wait … stuck in the bushes down near the first creek on the far right, just passed the concrete crossing slab. I see a ball but need to dig in with my golf club to tease it out. Nice a Dunlop Maxfli 1 Blue Max. A keeper for sure.

Last stop hole 15 (now long gone). A par 3. Dad liked to “feather” his 5 wood off the tee ... and when he and I won the Father-Son Tournament did so to about two feet for a tap-in birdie. My search site is the creek fronting the green. The water is mainly brown muck which sucks down all poorly struck shots. We walk into the muck barefooted carrying sneakers, our just-found bounty in our pockets. Feeling with our feet. Maybe I will unearth a sharp-looking Ultra. Heck, if it is anywhere near clean without the cursed “smile” I would be happy with Club Special. My toes report two balls. I reach down and find the Red MacGregor Tourney 1 in an old faded McGregor - Mike Souchak. Time to go to the ball cleaner sell a few to Larry Bartosek and take a swim.

MPR / Fall 2019