Jacky Cupit is shown on the 15th hole at the Links at Lands End. Cupit is the pro emeritus at the course.

YANTIS — It was Monday of Masters week and I had the chance to play golf with East Texas legend Jacky Cupit. What a treat!

As usual when playing with Cupit, I witnessed some good golf, heard some great stories and picked up a pointer or two to use later in that never ending quest for better golf.

After parking and striding toward the clubhouse, I noticed Cupit on the practice tee and was glad to see him looking strong and robust at age 85. He was warming up his patented swing that helped him win some 39 amateur tournaments as an All-America at the University of Houston and then four times on the PGA Tour during a career cut short by injuries

On this unusually warm day in early April with the temperature reaching 90 degrees, I knew the reptilian life would be moving through the crevices of the Links at Lands End along the shore of Lake Fork in beautiful north East Texas. But thankfully, I saw no snakes but did catch a glimpse of a bevy of turtles sunning themselves along the shoreline. With so many scenic holes, I like to call this course a poor man’s Pebble Beach.

Playing with Cupit is always instructional and enlightening. He has a patented outside to inside loop in his swing that some might describe as a “Carnoustie Loop,” since it emanated from the home of golf in Scotland. Joining us for the fun were local members Mark Burr and Mark Anderson.

Cupit is still a wonderful golfer with every shot headed toward its intended destination. He hits the ball where he is looking and every chip and putt goes in or is left for a tap-in. In my mind, I wanted to see an exhibition match between Cupit and Jack Nicklaus from the senior tees to commemorate Willow Brook Country Club’s 100th celebration last year but that was not feasible. Just for the record, I would have wagered heavily on Cupit.

Speaking of Nicklaus, I asked Cupit how many Masters he played in and he was quick to answer seven – from 1962 to 1968.

I mentioned that made sense because he won the 1961 Canadian Open but Cupit quickly corrected me.

“No, in those days, winning a tour event did not automatically qualify you for the Masters,” Cupit said. “I got in that first year because of my top 10 finish in the US Open at Oakland Hills.” (The 1961 tournament won by Gene Littler).

His answer prompted my memory of him telling me before that he played 36 holes on Saturday in 1961 with Nicklaus. In those days, the US Open was concluded on Saturdays. Cupit shot 67-76 the last two rounds to finish in a tie for ninth while Nicklaus shot 70-70 to finish in a tie for fourth while still an amateur. Nicklaus would win the US Open the following year at Oakmont while Cupit would tie for the title in 1963 at The Country Club in Massachusetts only to lose to Julius Boros in a Monday playoff with Arnold Palmer the third man.

Cupit also won the 1962 Western Open at Medinah in Chicago and completed his resume of wins with the Tucson Open in 1964 and the Cajun Classic in 1967. His injury problems began at the PGA in 1967 when he was paired with Nicklaus and Don January the first two days and had to withdraw prior to the second round. Cupit never seemed to regain his top form again but has never wavered in his love of the game and is blessed to be playing now because of his scrupulous adherence to exercise and a good diet.

Nicklaus won six Masters but Cupit also had his moments, especially in 1967. He qualified for the Masters that year after finishing in the top eight of the 1966 PGA at Firestone Golf Club in Ohio. After barely making the cut at 149, Cupit was practicing his putting prior to round three at Augusta National when he noticed Austin golf pro Harvey Penick, a noted teacher, standing near the gallery ropes.

“Harvey was shy so I sidled over near him to hit a few putts and said hello,” Cupit said. “I asked him if he could watch me hit a few putts and he said he had already been doing just that. He said I should change my grip just a little and I did and putted great that day.”

Cupit was in with a 67 for a tie for the low round of the day with Lionel Hebert when the 54-year-old Ben Hogan trudged up the hill on 18 during his epic back nine that day. Hogan rolled in a long putt for a 30 on his final nine and a 66.

“In those days, they gave you a set of Steuben glasses for the low round of the day and I was really counting on getting those since I had won a glass or two before by making an eagle,” Cupit said with a grin, “But Hogan cut me out of it and I know he must have already had a house full of those glasses.”

Having Harvey Penick and Ben Hogan in the same story is pretty strong when you are talking about Texas golf. But Jacky saved the zinger for later, near the conclusion of our 22 holes of golf on a beautiful spring day.

On our 18th hole, Cupit stuffed his 75-yard wedge shot a few feet from the hole. When I complimented him for the shot, he told me he had learned it years ago.

“Byron Nelson taught me how to hit those short wedges when I was 19 years old,” Cupit said. “I have used that tip ever since.”

Well, what did Lord Byron tell you?

“He said to keep your arms close to your body on those shots,” Cupit said as he showed me how it looked.

Soon we were done and I was on my way back to Dallas thinking of Jacky and Nicklaus and Hogan and Byron Nelson. I can’t wait to get to the range and try that technique Lord Byron prescribed Jacky.