U.C. Ferguson
Longevity has led to success Three men provide 99 years of leadership by john rohde
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n the 1960s, Steve Carson was a 15-year-old high school golfer at Midwest City. He was informed a highly respected former golf architect and club pro named Arthur Jackson often would visit Carson’s home track of Midwest City Municipal Golf Course, a nine-hole layout with six par-3s and three par-4s. “He was by himself and I said, ‘Mr. Jackson, do you mind if I play with you?’ He said, ‘Nah, come ahead,’ ” Carson recalled. “He helped me with my chipping that day. Knowing what I know now, I would have asked him a lot more questions.” A teen-aged Carson had no idea the significance of that day. Almost three decades later, Carson became director of golf at Lincoln Park Golf Course, the very same place Jackson designed and built 36 holes in the 1920s and 1930s. From the time Jackson designed the West Course (1922) and East Course (1932) and
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was in charge of all things in the Land of Lincoln, only two other men have served as the golf course’s head pro -- U.C. Ferguson Jr., who died in 1999, and Carson, who retired from the position last September. So, in a span of 99 years (1922-2021), a place long considered the state’s preeminent public golf facility has employed precisely three head pros (or directors of golf) – Jackson from 1922-52, Ferguson from 1952-1991 and Carson from 1991-2021. A century of golf has been triangulated at one venue among three dedicated club pros. Feel free to find another golf course, particularly a public one, where the average reign has been 33 years. Someone please explain why this happened. What is Lincoln’s allure? “It’s the place,” said Carson, now 70. “It’s the people. It’s the support you receive from the city leaders. It’s a combination of many things.” The Lincoln formula has remained constant. Their club pros have similar personality traits. Ferguson had the utmost respect
Steve Carson for Jackson and Carson had the same for Ferguson. “U.C. was just a dynamic person,” Carson said. “Everybody was U.C.’s friend. He was the constant to greet everyArt Jackson body. Make sure they know they’re welcome. And he wanted you to leave feeling good. He was great. He was the best.”
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