Doug Sanders

In 1967, after several decades as the St. Paul Open at Kellar Golf Course, the tournament moved to Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, and was renamed the Minnesota Golf Classic.  Hazeltine had been awarded the 1970 United States Open and it was thought to be a good test run so that any alterations to the course could be made before the big show in 1970.  One would think many of the great players would come and play, but even though the $100,000 purse was still better than average, they failed to materialize.

Tournament officials continued with the rule making it mandatory for players to use local caddies.  Caddies qualified by selling season tickets to the tournament.   I had been successful in 1963, 1964 and 1965 at ticket sales, finishing 10th, 3rd and 2nd and had chosen Billy Casper, who withdrew, Kel Nagel and Tony Lema.  When I decided to caddie in 1967, I had a good customer base and, with Hazeltine being nearby, found many more members willing to buy season tickets.

Player selection was on the Sunday before the tournament and, as I drove over to Hazeltine in my 1953 Plymouth,  I was confident that I would again have a top pick.  Climbing over into the backseat in order to exit the car, I overheard a couple of caddies commenting on how many tickets they had sold.

"I couldn't find guys that wanted to drive all the way from St. Paul to Hazeltine," one prospective looper said.

"I know, it took me over an hour to get to this place," responded the other.

This might work out all right, I thought.  My big St. Paul ticket selling competitors might not have selling success with the tournament a long way from St. Paul.

I turned my money in and reviewed the players who had committed to play.  The biggest names in the field, in my opinion, were Julius Boros, Al Geiberger, Bobby Nichols and Doug Sanders.  I was quite confident I would be near the top in sales, so narrowed my thinking to these four players.  There was a common thread through 3 of the players.  Boros, Geiberger and Nichols were all reportedly great guys.

Doug Sanders, on the other hand,  was a risky pick because he could have a temper.  In addition, he had a reputation of being a partier and chasing the ladies.  However, in my estimation, he was the biggest name and best player in the field.  

Would he be a hot head?  I had a lot of confidence that I could handle the bag, having caddied in several tour events and being on a college golf team.  I knew I wouldn't make some huge mistake.  I could do this.

Time passes so slowly when there is little to do.  I remember sitting in a high school class thinking the clock would never get to 2:30, when it was 2:25!  The anxiety waiting for the caddie sales results always ate me up.  It finally happened.  Caddie chairman, Bob Fisher, appeared to announce the results and record the selection for loops.  "In first place within 74 tickets sold and getting his choice of bags for the tournament, Cal Simmons!  Cal, come up and select your player."

I made my way up to the front thinking, "What should I do, what should I do?"  

"Who is your selection, Cal?"

It was on me.  I won and without further hesitation said,  "I'll take Doug Sanders."

"Doug Sanders it is," said Mr. Fisher.

Doug Sanders showed up Monday morning about 10:00.  A big black Lincoln drove into the Hazeltine parking lot, with Doug emerging from the passenger door.  Out of the driver's door and moving to the back to open the trunk was an African-American, Jimmy.  

I walked over and introduced myself, "Hello Mr. Sanders, I'm Cal Simmons, I'll be your caddie this week."

Doug Sanders was 37 years old.  His numerical age defied the way he looked.  All the parties, drinking, chasing women and sun had taken a big toll on him.  There were many 55-year-old members at Wayzata CC that looked younger than he did.  I had never seen a 37-year-old man look as worn as Doug Sanders.

He was friendly as he introduced me to Jimmy.  Jimmy was his regular caddie and pretty much acted as Doug's main man all week, driving him around, doing errands and the like.  

While I was initially a little concerned that Jimmy could be a problem, since I was taking his job, he was always very nice and helpful to me.  

"Make sure you get clear of Mr. Sanders in the fairway, don't crowd," he said to me as we walked from the practice tee to the first tee later that morning.  "And also try not to throw the ball to him after cleaning it on the green, carry it over to him."  

Doug went from the car to the locker room and emerged in an incredible outfit of chartreuse.  Perfectly matched shirt, pants, patent leather shoes.  I had seen pictures of him wearing outfits such as this, but, wow, was this crazy.  The shoes!

On the way down to the practice tee Doug said, "I heard you're a good cat.  This is going to be a good week."  

That statement put me at ease.  What had he heard in the locker room?  Did the tournament officials tell him I made him the first pick and I had some tournament experience as a caddie?  I don't know.  What I do know is that he treated me fairly and with respect all week long.

He played practice rounds on Monday and Tuesday.  Doug Sanders was an exceptional ball-striker, virtually as good as any I have ever seen.  A friend of mine, Paul Martinson, tells the story of hitting balls next to him one day.  Sanders was hitting a 5 wood and aiming at a pole in the distance,  hitting it with some regularity!  He was a great ball striker. 

He was well known for his short, flat, quirky swing.  Nothing like anything anyone would teach, but none the less, he made it work in a big way.  

He had been playing the tour very successfully since 1957, after winning the Canadian Open as an amateur in '56.  In 1959 he finished 3rd in the PGA at Minneapolis Golf Club, won by Jerry Barber.  He won the St. Paul Open in 1962 and by 1967 was still in the prime of his career.  In all, he won 20 PGA tour events.

There are several great players who are remembered for big failures causing them to lose a major championship.  Roberto De Vicenzo, in the 1968 Masters signed an incorrect score card by recording a five on the 17th hole, when he actually made a four, losing by one to Bob Goalby. Sam Snead made a double bogey on the final hole of the 1939 US Open at Philadelphia CC, thus never winning a US Open.  And, of course, the grand daddy of all fold ups, Jean Van de Velde who, at the 1999 British Open, made a triple bogey 7 on the 72nd hole at Carnoustie to lose by one. 

So it was with Doug Sanders, who missed a three foot putt on the 72nd hole at St. Andrews in the 1971 British Open. That sent him into an 18 hole playoff with Jack Nicklaus, where he lost by a shot.  

Wednesday was pro-am day.  It was well known that Doug enjoyed the ladies, but I was shocked when a June Taylor Dancer climbed out of the car as he arrived.  June Taylor Dancers worked on the Jackie Gleason TV show from Miami, Florida.  Their reputation was similar to that of the Playboy bunnies, and this woman looked like the Playmate of the Month.  She was about 30 and, as they say, could stop a train.  I was 19 years old and this woman was a major distraction for me. 

With the June Taylor Dancer walking outside the ropes, our pro-am team moved around the course enjoying the entertainment being provided by their star golfer in his coordinated orange outfit.  He was relaxed and played beautifully, thrilling his amateur partners.  As the amateurs putted on the 15th green, I held the flagstick against my shoulder and attempted to inconspicuously look at Doug's imported friend out of the corner of my eye.  She stood in the first row of the sparse crowd.  Dressed in a short green skirt with a white, form fitting, sleeveless blouse that she wore very well, Doug appeared to enjoy the attention she was getting.

Apparently I was not inconspicuous enough because,  to my surprise,  Doug came up from behind and quietly said, "She looks pretty good, doesn't she?"

I was stunned.  "Sure does," I spit out.

"Well, I'll tell you, if she doesn't do exactly what I say, I've got 50 more just like her.  I'll get rid of her and bring another one in."

Unbelievable.  What was that all about?  Did he choose to say that to impress a 19-year-old?  What a complete lack of respect he had for her and probably all women.  What an enormous character flaw.  

Later that night my dad said to me, "He looked spent, didn't he?"  I took that comment to mean "spent" in every way.  And he did.  

On Thursday Doug Sanders played beautifully from his 1:18 starting time.   Resplendent in purple, he played a solid round of 72, only 2 off the lead on what he told Minneapolis Tribune golf writer, Duane Netland, was "the toughest course I've played all year."   The low score of the day, 70, was the highest first day score of the year on tour.

He hit it great and putted beautifully.  The short, flat swing he employed repeated with great accuracy and power.  It was a fun, low stress round.  Anytime a player plays well, it is a walk in the park.  It's easy to hit good shots when things are going well.  It's those bad rounds where the game is so difficult.

While it was a long way until Sunday afternoon, if Doug played three more days even close to the way he did on Thursday,  I would have a winner.  Would my commitment to caddying for several years in these events finally result in a winner?  

I did a lot of studying, thinking and figuring before selecting Doug Sanders.  He was an experienced winner in a field where no one had won more PGA tour events.  What I failed to take into consideration was that his birthday fell right during the tournament.  

Any other competitor in the field 2 shots out of first place after day one, would go out to dinner, maybe have a beer or two, then get to bed to get ready for an early Friday.  However, Doug Sanders was not like any other tour player.

With an 8:30 starting time he would need to get out of bed at about 6:00, clean up, have some breakfast, drive to the course and be on the practice tee by 7:30.  At 6:00 AM Doug Sanders had not been to bed.  It was an all night long birthday party.  I can only imagine how much he drank.  

I saw first hand why at 37 years he looked like 67.  Surprise, surprise, Friday was a complete disaster.  Poor driving and poor putting led to 81, for a two round total of 153.  Two shots out after one round, he missed the cut by two.  For a player of his ability and experience and at the top of his game on Thursday, the Friday round was inexcusable.  The June Taylor Dancer was nowhere to be seen.

By his conduct he showed he didn't care, but I did.  I have probably caddied in 25 PGA Tour events.  Never have I had a player so disregard his job and have so little respect for those with an investment in his effort.  As the biggest name in the event, the sponsors, fans and I, all wanted him to appear on the weekend.  

Complaining to Jimmy about the music that was on in the car on the way to the course, he made bogey after bogey.  A song was stuck in his head.  He barked at Jimmy not to have the song on the radio ever again.  With an 8:30 tee time, I was finished by 1:00.  Just my luck. 

He was generous as he paid me $50 a day, but I was bitterly disappointed he was not playing the weekend.  His quirky swing worked very well and he was extremely talented.  After all, he won 20 times on tour and had several 2nd place finishes in majors.  However, his self-discipline stopped him in the 1967 Minnesota Golf Classic and, undoubtedly many, many other times.  I can't imagine how many tournaments he might have won, had he had his drinking and carousing under control. 

While Doug Sanders was nice to me, he was a big disappointment in A Life Of Golf.