JUST WHO IS JERRY VELASCO

HOW I GOT HOOKED ON GOLF

            “Remember - if you don^’t enter, you can’t win!” These are the words I read in an article of our Musician’s Union magazine. “OVERTURE,” 1954 summer issue. It referred to the annual musicians golf tournament to be played at the Inglewood Count­ry Club urging any and all musicians to participate.

            Occasionally I toyed with the game of golf during the early 50’s using just a 7 iron and a putter on the par 3 COOLIDGE pitch and putt course in Griffith Park. Los Angeles.

            Never having played on a regulation golf course or hit a golf ball with other than the two clubs mentioned, my mind dismissed the thought of entering the tournament until reading the part at the end of the article stating there were many prizes for each flight.

            With the hope of doing well enough to play in my first golf tournament, I contacted the committee and sent in my application.

            With a borrowed set of golf clubs I practiced hitting golf balls at a local driving range a week prior to the tournament.

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            On Oct. 18th while driving through the entrance of the Inglewood Country Club I get this feeling of sudden elation that I’m moving in the upper echelon of society. I’m actually at a country club, a place I^’d only seen in movies. Oh, Yea!

            “Welcome Jerry, we’re glad to have you here,” says a pretty lady at the starters table. This enthusiastic greeting gives me a sense of belonging.

            “Each flight is named after a musical instrument according to a players handicap,” she explained. “The best players whose handicap is from (0-6) are in the 1st violin’s flight and those with the largest handicap (20-24) are in the percussion flight. By the way, you’ll play in a foursome with three members of the Les Brown, Band of Renown.”

            Wow!

            Then to top it off, I find our foursome is sandwiched between a group that has the great comedian, JACK BENNY in front of us and the famous crooner, BING CROSBY in the foursome behind. Did I die and go to golf heaven?