From the Archives


Four of the biggest names of the era are seen walking off the second tee at The Olympic Club during a practice round for the 1955 U.S. Open—Ben


Hogan, Sam Snead, Cary Middlecoff and Byron Nelson.


1966 • The


Bluebook is published in a landscape format for the last time. This format harkens back to the time


when the Bluebook’s purpose was to list every member of the NCGA by club, as well as each handicap. • Billy Casper comes from seven strokes behind on the final nine holes to defeat Arnold Palmer for the U.S. Open title at The Olympic Club, a result almost as shocking as Jack Fleck defeating Ben Hogan in 1955.


1987 • Claremont Country Club’s 16th and 14th greens are depicted on the cover of the Bluebook. Claremont is the home club of NCGA President Jack Elliot.


• Poppy Hills’ first course rating is


revealed as 75.2. There is no slope rating, as slope was not implemented until 1990. • The Olympic Club hosts its third U.S. Open and again a surprise winner emerges as Scott Simpson upends Tom Watson by one stroke.


1998


• NCGA President Ralph Temple’s Merced GCC graces the cover of the Bluebook. • The magazine changes its name to NCGA Golf after many years as NCGA News. The old title reflected a newsletter sensibility


while the new title suggests what the magazine had become—a comprehensive periodical encompassing all things golf in the region.


• The Olympic Club hosts its last Open until 2012, with Lee Janzen earning the title in a tournament perhaps remembered more for a controversial second-round hole location on the 18th hole and the image of runner-up Payne Stewart simmering as his short birdie putt rolled 25 feet downhill.


SUMMER 2012 / NCGA.ORG / 9


PHOTO: AP


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