2015 September Memorabilia Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/27/2015
Jack Fleck's Wedge and Equalizer Wedge Used to Win 1955 US Open in Playoff Against Ben Hogan
Jack Fleck tried a set of Hogan clubs early in the 1955 season at the St Petersburg Open, he thought highly of them and sent Mr. Hogan a letter with the response coming back for Fleck to "send in his specs." Then Hogan made two wedges for Fleck-one called an Equalizer Wedge and the other a Sand Iron(see exact photo match of clubs in Fleck's bag). Hogan personally delivered the two wedges to Fleck before a practice round at the Olympic Club. It was the start of a magical ride for these clubs.Hogan would call the quality of his clubs "the Stradivarius of golf clubs", with numerous clubs discarded for not meeting his exacting standards. The only other similar set used in the 1955 Open was by Hogan himself. As one might expect Hogan, in pursuit of his record 5th U.S. Open Championship, played them to perfection and entered the final round of the Open one stroke in the lead, and three ahead of Fleck. He was on the threshold of winning that ever so special unprecedented fifth U.S. Open. The only player left in the field who could challenge the victory was Fleck as he approached 17 a long par 4 hole that had not been reached in regulation all day. He still stood one stroke behind Hogan. Fleck scorched his three wood to 20 feet. Prompting reknown player turned commentator Lawson Little on radio to proclaim, "that is one of the finest clutch shots ever". To no avail the birdie putt slid by and Fleck still needed birdie on 18 to tie Hogan. The Iowa native with ice in his veins laced his three wood off the tee on the short par four (as he had done in all four rounds) at 18 into the first cut some 150 yards from the green, but in an ideal area to go after the pin. Pulling his Hogan 7-iron out of the bag, Fleck rolled the ball to seven feet from the cup and sank the putt to tie Hogan at 287 and force an 18-hole playoff the next day. In what was thought to be a lopsided playoff for Hogan, most surprisingly Fleck was in command after a birdie at 10 put him three strokes up. Though challenged on the back side with his lead as little as one stroke entering 18, Fleck stood tall and finished with a par on 18 to defeat Hogan by three strokes (69-72). Only four other players, all only once, had broke 70 at Olympic Club that week. Fleck with his playoff round 69 broke 70 three times. One of the greatest upsets in sports history was complete.
In the post match remarks Fleck told Hogan that his clubs had, "finished first, and second in the Open". Author James Dodson summed up the magnitude of victory when he wrote in his classic narrative "Ben Hogan:An American Life", "The classic purity of such an upset--the greatest player of the age knocked off by his most humble disciple, the only man in the field using Hogan clubs". Mr. Hogan was a master with the pitching wedge. His fellow professional golfers came to refer to his pitching wedge as the "equalizer", so when Ben Hogan started his own equipment company the pitching wedge was given that name which is seen clearly stamped on this signature model professional pitching wedge presented to Fleck by Hogan for his use at the 1955 U.S. Open. And it was these two wedges which played a great part in helping defeat the man (Hogan) who designed, manufactured and delivered them. These two wedges, and the history they bring with them are deserving of placement in the most elite of golf museums, or private collections in the world.
604575 stamped on hosel.
Please note: This auction will end at 7:00pm EST on September 27th with extended bidding to follow. All items in the auction will remain open until no items have received a bid within a 15 minute time period. All lots are free to be bid on until extended bidding has ended
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