How Did Lawson Little Lose $48,000? ⛳
Trying to Save Seventy-Five Cents Lawson Little Lost $48,000
Back in the 1930s country clubs would conduct a calcutta during weekend tournaments, most often a member-guest competition. Teams would be auctioned off with a portion of the proceeds retained to help the club get into the black for the year or to maintain the course. The most philanthropic clubs would donate a portion of the proceeds to a local charity. The winning team (and sometimes teams that finished high) would then win the remaining proceeds often providing quite the payday.
In 1939 the Seminole Club in Palm Beach, FL, held one of the most famous calcuttas in February. One of the teams entered featured a team of Lawson Little, a former amateur champion turned professional and Earle E.T. Smith of New York who later became the U.S. ambassador to Cuba.
On the last tee, Smith and Lawson realized that they were in the position to win the first prize in the calcutta. All they needed was either one of them to make a four and the money was theirs. The 18th hole at Seminole plays along the ocean with clusters of tropical flora between the water and the fairway while a few scattered palm trees were on the right side of the fairway.
Both hit drives down the middle of the fairway and Lawson hit first. He hit a poor shot that went into the junk and it looked like Smith was on his own. He answered the challenge with a fantastic three-wood that reached the green, 60-feet from the hole.
As Smith walked toward the green he told himself that all he had to do was two-putt to win and even a three putt would secure a tie. Lawson meanwhile wandered off into the shrubbery to look for his ball.
While Lawson searched for his ball, Smith stroked his first putt. It was a good putt leaving himself a four footer for the win. Lawson continued his search for his ball. Smith took his stance, stroked his second putt and watched as it hung on the lip before curling away. Smith had a habit of practicing missed putts and without thinking, he reached out raked his ball back to try the putt again.He had now hit the ball five times.
Realizing what he had done, he tried to putt the ball while it was moving. He missed again and with his penalty he now lay seven. He made his next putt for an eight and the team finished out of the money.
Lawson Little could not forgive himself. Instead of accompanying Smith to the green to offer advice and comfort to his partner, he went looking for his golf ball. At the time a golf ball cost about seventy-five cents. The first prize in the Seminole calcutta paid $48,000.
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Larry Baush
WHAT HOLE IS IT?
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