Evening star., 1958-07-04
TO GREEN
Have Temper, Will Travel
BY MERRELL WHlTTLEsEY

ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SIX nice guys and Tommy
Bolt, according to the PGA thinking, teed of in the
Rubber City Open in Akron yesterday and according to
the wire reports Badman Bolt outdrawng the cap
tippers.
That figures and it figures to be true in the PGA
Championship couple OF weeks in Philadelphia, where
there is doubt about Tommy playing because of
threatened suspension.
Make that very little doubt because unless the PGA
pulls bigger this championship than in of
those past, Bolt had better be eligible.
Suppose you were putting up $4,000 or $50,O0O for
the PGA championship? You'd want the biggest drawing
card of the moment in your tournament or you'd be
tempted to tell the PGA pack up its flag and take its
tournament down the road.
TOMMY BOLT is NOT A BAD GUY. He's an inn
pulsive fellow with triggertemper and for many years
has felt the world was against him. He once threw
club because Cary Middleco made long putt gesture
of protest He's profane, and apparently the latter is
what placed him in his latest jam with the PGA.
He has pet peeves about his not being on the
scoreboard about occasional bad parings and starting
times and preferential treatment for others sometimes
he overdoes these complaints.
But the National Open champion also can be good
company He has infectious laugh, and when he's in
good humor everybody is "Pard" and "Old Buddy and
he tells storeS flashing his teeth and laughing from deep
inside He'll pick up an occasional checK Somenmg TABOO
to some of his critics
Harold Sargent the PGA president, is fellow about
as unlike Bolt oppoSes be- Sargent by long dis
tance phone and hearing only side of the story said
Bolts recent tantrum in New York "inexcuSable
and Sargent fined him $500 and threatened suspension
TIMES HAVE CHANGED When Walter Hagen was
the biggest name golf he often would be- shall we say
ION the town" most of the night There are tales about
The Hag being poured the first tee and the old timers
tell them and laugh and laugh and say, What coortul
gaffer The Haig was"
But Hagen's conduct hardly would pass now But he
could throw his hat the tee and outdraw all the yes
sirno-sr pros the circuit now who are long on TIT
points, Ryder Cup points Vardon trophy points, etc. out
short on gallery appeal and color
Bolt often shocks the august United States Golf As
sociaon but Bobby Jones, one OF the hnest gentleman
ever to swing golf club bad-tempered cub-throW-
ing spitfre in his earlier days
WHEN BOLT TOLD few people off in New York
there was no mention of the fact that the guy had fought
the Open pressure after leading all the way played the
next week at Flint Mich where he led two rounds and
eventually tied fourth then played in Pro-amateur
in New York started in the Pepsi Open on Long Island
Most of the recent Open champions have been far
too busy after their victory to stick the tour and full
fill commitments. But Tommy went from Tulsa to Flint
to Long Island with oneday event in between before he
finally let go. The old Bolt took over
The PGA publicity office doesn't write too much about
the help Bolt gives to the youngsters on the tour They
have his sticks and his money and his help but that's
virtually suppressed.
Tommys first wife was redhead with a temper to
match his and there have been many stories about their
outbursts of them probably true He claims he has
ulcers, and probably does
TOMMY WAS AN nAPULsIvE guy before he became
a great golfer. He staff sergeant in World War II
and his outfit supposed to take Of the islands
in Chesapeake Bay while maneuvers.
They waded through the icy waters in a pre-dawn
attack" and when they reached shore we're supposed
to simulate fire.
Simulate, He'll" Tommy said, 81 built me fire.
The next day he busted to buck private.