Green was quite the golfer back in his day. I had the privilege
to caddy for him and others at the Amana VIP in the 70's. I tried not to watch his or Trevino's swing to closely....Always a fun day the Monday after the USOpen.
Hawk
The Amana VIP was conceived during a conversation on a Florida golf course and grew to become “The Masters of the Pro-Ams.” For 23 years, the event was played on the University of Iowa’s Finkbine Course and was a summer staple for Iowa spectators.
The tournament was the brainchild of Amana Refrigeration Inc. founder George Foerstner and PGA Tour veteran Julius Boros. They discussed the idea after a round of golf in Bal Harbour, Fla. The plan was to bring together golf professionals, entertainment industry stars and Amana distributors and dealers who excelled in salesmanship.
The first Amana VIP was held in 1967 at White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., before no spectators. Participants complained after the inaugural event about the difficulty in traveling to West Virginia. At the suggestion of former Iowa football coach and athletics director Forest Evashevski, the tourney was moved to Iowa City in 1968 and until 1990.
Typically held the Monday after the U.S. Open, VIP officials routinely attracted headliners. Baseball Hall of Famers Stan Musial, Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio, along with one-time single-season home run king Roger Maris, were guests. Dinah Shore, Glen Campbell, Ernest Borgnine, Charlie Pride, Roy Clark and George “Goober” Lindsey made appearances. As did basketball coaches Bob Knight, Johnny Orr, Lute Olson and Tom Davis.
And, the 38th President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford.
