BILL NARY’S WALTER HAGEN STORY

It was 1932, and I was 17. I was a caddy at Midwick Country Club six miles south of Los Angeles. I was Frank Hixon’s regular caddy. He won the Southern California Amateur two times. He had a scratch handicap. Anytime a celebrity or a great player visited the club they included Hixon in the foursome.

This day Walter Hagen was the celebrity who played with Frank Hixon and two others. I was Hixon’s caddy as usual.

The “incident” happened at the 16th hole, a par 5 dogleg to the right over a lake. Everyone usually played down the fairway left of the lake and hit a fairway wood a sharp right toward the green which left them with a wedge shot to the green and two putts for an easy par.

Hagen asked Hixon if there was another way in which you could play the hole. Hixon replied that a long hitter might carry a ball over the lake and be left with a 7- or 8-iron to the green, whereupon Hagen tried it out and hit two balls in the lake. He then asked: “Who in the hell can hit a ball over this water?” Since I was next to Hixon I replied, “I can.” Hagen put two balls down and said, “Here, let’s see you do it.”

So I took Hixon’s driver out of his bag, teed up a ball, one practice swing, and hit one of my best drives 10 to 15 yards over the lake.

Hagen picked up his bag, put it over his shoulder, walked two or three steps, turned to me and said, “You play; I’ll carry the bag.” Then he gave his caddy the bag and played on.

The “incident” happened at the 16th hole, a par 5 dogleg to the right over a lake. Everyone usually played down the fairway left of the lake and a hit a fairway wood a sharp right toward the green which left them with a wedge shot to the green and two putts for an easy par.

Bill Nary
PGA Golf Professional
May 20, 2007