What Hole Is It? | Besselink In Night Court

Al Besselink and the Night Court Judge

Back in the days when players drove from one PGA Tour event to the next, they would often join up into small caravans and travel together. Al Besselink, one of the most colorful characters on tour (along with his good friend Doug Sanders), was known for driving fast. He was also known for dragging a wedge behind his car to grind it down.

One night he was bringing up the rear of a three-car caravan and as he sped around a blind curve in the road, he came upon the other two cars on the side of the road having been pulled over by a policeman. The policeman waved Besselink over and the three drivers each received a speeding ticket that required them to proceed to the next town where they were to appear in front of the judge in night court.

The judge asked the three pros why he shouldn't levy the maximum fine for speeding on each of them. Besselink rose to address the judge and gave him a big sob story about how the three were just lowly golf pros driving from one tournament to the next and could barely afford the gas to do that. He lamented the small prize purses they played for and how it was next to impossible to meet the expenses to travel from one tournament to the next.

The judge took pity on the three players and substantially reduced their fines. The three players were elated and pulled out their wallets and money clips to pay and get back on the road. Besselink looked at his money clip before he looked back up at the judge with a sly smile and asked the judge a very important question:

"Do you have change for a hundred?"

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What Hole Is It?

In 1965 Tony Lema battled Arnold Palmer, Mike Souchak, and cigar-chomping Joe Campbell on his way to a lucrative $35,000 first prize in the Carling World Open. Watch the finish here. Lema's friend Jim Ferree and a sick Homero Blancos also make appearances. This video includes commercials from the original broadcast and the award ceremony at the end is priceless.

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