SENIOR GOLF : No More Sleeping in Sand Traps

Gary Player is the ultimate frequent flyer. Sometime this past winter, the Hall of Fame golfer from South Africa passed 8 million miles in air travel.

Now 57 and involved in many golfing ventures, Player finally bought his own jet by way of celebrating his 40th year as a professional golfer.

Just back from China, where he is building two golf courses, Player will return to the Senior PGA Tour in The Tradition, which opens today at Desert Mountain Country Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. The $850,000 event, one of the few 72-hole tournaments for seniors, has the best field ever assembled for the 50-and-older group.

The Tradition is becoming the senior version of the Masters. It brings out the top players and honors many of the great old champions.

The tournament includes the only two active players who won the professional Grand Slam--the U.S. Open, British Open, Masters and PGA. Although Jack Nicklaus may be the greatest golfer ever, Player actually completed the grand slam before him by winning the U.S. Open in 1965. Nicklaus did it the next year with his first British Open. Previously, Gene Sarazen and Ben Hogan had won the big four titles.

It will be the first time Raymond Floyd, Tom Weiskopf and Nicklaus have faced each other in a senior event. The field also includes Lee Trevino, Mike Hill and leading money-winner Al Geiberger.

Neither Player nor Nicklaus, who do not play as often as most on the tour, won a tournament last year.

Player said recently that, earlier this year, while aboard the Concorde after a breakfast meeting in London and on his way to another breakfast meeting in New York, he reflected on his brilliant career, which includes 151 tournament victories in countries around the world.

“When I first came over from South Africa to America, it took at least 40 hours, depending on the weather,” Player said. “If it wasn’t too stormy, we only had to make three stops on the way. Now they fly at 51,000 feet and they tell you you’re flying faster than a speeding bullet.

“I sat on the plane remembering my first golf venture out of South Africa. It was in Cairo in 1953. I was 18 and I had 200 English pounds. My father, who was relatively poor, gave me 50, and a group backing me gave me 150. It was supposed to last me six months. No way.

“Luckily for me, I won the first tournament. The prize was 300 pounds ($1,200). I had plenty for my six months in Egypt.

“The world has changed dramatically. In those days, a room cost 17 & sixpence and included a meal of fried bread and fried tomatoes, and I didn’t like either.

“In my first British Open at St. Andrews, I couldn’t get a room. I slept in a sand trap on the Old Course.

“Nowdays, you’re playing for $600,000 or more a week, they meet you at the airport with a chauffeur, give you a Cadillac to drive, and thank you. I say God bless.”

Player pointed out that Don January won $180,000 on the Super Seniors circuit alone last year.

“In 1974, when I won the Masters and the British Open and four other tournaments, I only earned $180,000,” he said.

“Money doesn’t really mean much anymore.

“I think they will have to come up with a point system that judges all golfers on how they fared in events instead of how much money they won.

Although Player has not won since early 1991, he showed signs he is returning to peak form when he finished just one shot behind J.C. Snead at the Vantage in Texas three weeks ago.

He credits some new clubs made by Anvil.

“There is a soft feeling when you hit the ball,” he said. “And the ball lands softly, too. I liked them so well, I bought the company.”