LSJohn
Verified Member
Five or six guys were standing around bullshitting in the pro shop at Grandview golf course in Springfield, Mo. I think it's the one that's now massively upgraded and re-named for Payne Stewart, who was from Springfield. One of the BS-ers was Leonard Dodson, an oldtime pro who played on the tour and played some money matches that became semi-famous. I'll tell about one of them later.
Leonard's runnin' mate was in the group and he conveniently brought up the subject of how much trouble he had with the wedge. One of the other guys -- on script, but he doesn't know it -- said, "The wedge is the hardest club in the bag to hit really well."
Runnin' mate said, "Oh, bullshit. I see lots of other guys hitting it well. In fact, Leonard here can make a wedge talk to ya."
Mark countered, "I know he hits it well, but he's special."
R-M said, "No shit. Wouldn't surprise me if he could knock it on 18 from that welcome mat there."
On cue, Mark said, "Oh bullshit."
R-M asked, "Can ya' do it Leonard?"
Leonard said, "I dunno. That's a helluva shot. Maybe."
The problem with the shot was a giant tree that was halfway between the pro shop and 18. The welcome mat was just outside the door, so Leonard said, "If I'm gonna try it, I have to pull that mat in here. I've got no swing from where it's layin'." To cut to the chase, they moved the mat inside the pro shop and the bet got on for $50 each with two of the crew, and of course he did it, but only about 6 feet onto the front of the green. One guy had enough, but the other one said, "I gotta see it again; I'll take the whole hundred."
Leonard did it again.
Then the mark got down on his hands and knees to get a line of sight from the mat over the top of the tree, but under the top of the door frame. He said, "I'll tell you what; if you pull that mat back a foot and a half, I'll bet 2 hundred."
Leonard looked at the angle, and said, "If I'm gonna try it from there I'll have to switch to a 9 iron."
The guy said, "You got it."
Now Leonard knocked the 9 iron 4 feet from the cup. After each shot the whole crew had marched out to the green to see whether Leonard had done it, because from the pro shop they could only see about the top half of the flag.
This third time when they got there the $200 guy was right by Leonard and Leonard delivered the punch line that made this story a legend. "Are you learnin' anything?"
==========
This isn't much of a story, call it an unverified personality profile. Leonard always claimed that Sam Sneed was a helluva good guy and one of the best that ever lived, but an absolute nit. "He'd want odds to bet fat meat was greasy."
Some guy had challenged Leonard to a big money partners' game and told him he could bring any partner he wanted. Leonard was only about 5'6" and slightly built, which caused people to underestimate him. He was a master around the greens.
Leonard called Sneed and said, "We've got us a pumpkin patch." Sneed wanted a full explanation, and after Leonard delivered it, Sneed -- according to Leonard -- said, "How do we know they're not gonna run a ringer in on us?"
Leonard allegedly said, "Sam, you're the best player in the world. How bad do you think I play?"
The match got on, they carved the pumpkins, and according to Leonard, more than once.
Leonard's runnin' mate was in the group and he conveniently brought up the subject of how much trouble he had with the wedge. One of the other guys -- on script, but he doesn't know it -- said, "The wedge is the hardest club in the bag to hit really well."
Runnin' mate said, "Oh, bullshit. I see lots of other guys hitting it well. In fact, Leonard here can make a wedge talk to ya."
Mark countered, "I know he hits it well, but he's special."
R-M said, "No shit. Wouldn't surprise me if he could knock it on 18 from that welcome mat there."
On cue, Mark said, "Oh bullshit."
R-M asked, "Can ya' do it Leonard?"
Leonard said, "I dunno. That's a helluva shot. Maybe."
The problem with the shot was a giant tree that was halfway between the pro shop and 18. The welcome mat was just outside the door, so Leonard said, "If I'm gonna try it, I have to pull that mat in here. I've got no swing from where it's layin'." To cut to the chase, they moved the mat inside the pro shop and the bet got on for $50 each with two of the crew, and of course he did it, but only about 6 feet onto the front of the green. One guy had enough, but the other one said, "I gotta see it again; I'll take the whole hundred."
Leonard did it again.
Then the mark got down on his hands and knees to get a line of sight from the mat over the top of the tree, but under the top of the door frame. He said, "I'll tell you what; if you pull that mat back a foot and a half, I'll bet 2 hundred."
Leonard looked at the angle, and said, "If I'm gonna try it from there I'll have to switch to a 9 iron."
The guy said, "You got it."
Now Leonard knocked the 9 iron 4 feet from the cup. After each shot the whole crew had marched out to the green to see whether Leonard had done it, because from the pro shop they could only see about the top half of the flag.
This third time when they got there the $200 guy was right by Leonard and Leonard delivered the punch line that made this story a legend. "Are you learnin' anything?"
==========
This isn't much of a story, call it an unverified personality profile. Leonard always claimed that Sam Sneed was a helluva good guy and one of the best that ever lived, but an absolute nit. "He'd want odds to bet fat meat was greasy."
Some guy had challenged Leonard to a big money partners' game and told him he could bring any partner he wanted. Leonard was only about 5'6" and slightly built, which caused people to underestimate him. He was a master around the greens.
Leonard called Sneed and said, "We've got us a pumpkin patch." Sneed wanted a full explanation, and after Leonard delivered it, Sneed -- according to Leonard -- said, "How do we know they're not gonna run a ringer in on us?"
Leonard allegedly said, "Sam, you're the best player in the world. How bad do you think I play?"
The match got on, they carved the pumpkins, and according to Leonard, more than once.
Last edited: