At 87, 1953 ICO Winner Toski’s Golf Swing Still Sweet

June 17--CROMWELL -- Bob Toski was quick with the quip and then displayed his great golf swing, hitting a drive long and straight.

The shot was astounding, because he had shut his eyes to demonstrate the power of the mind to visualize the golf swing, and impressive, because of his age.

"I'm the best 87-year golfer in the world," he said. "If not, call up somebody and tell him to bring $30,000, cash."

Toski, the 1953 Insurance City Open champion, regaled those at a golf clinic at TPC River Highlands, site of the Travelers Championship.

"He's an amazing golfer and teacher, but more importantly he's a great man and friend," 2013 Travelers Championship winner Ken Duke said.

Toski is Duke's golf teacher. Duke not only gets advice on his game, but also on life. "We're very close," Toski said of Duke. "... He's a great family man, just a good old Arkansas boy."

In the afternoon, Duke and Toski went to Ashford to visit Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, the primary beneficiary of the Travelers Championship.

"The camp does so many things; it's inspirational how it helps young people in need," Duke said.

Toski returned to the tournament Monday for the first time since he had played his final ICO at Wethersfield Country Club in 1965. After Duke won the Travelers Championship a year ago for his first PGA Tour victory -- on the 60th anniversary of Toski shooting a 67 to win for the first time on the PGA Tour -- he said his goal was "to get Mr. Toski here [TPC River Highlands] next year."

Toski was back Monday at a clinic sponsored by Aetna. On Tuesday he'll return to Wethersfield CC with Duke to play a few holes.

"Mr. Toski can recall shots that he made when he won in '53," Duke said.

Toski recalled how he proposed marriage to Lynn Stewart before the final round in 1953. She said yes.

So the Travelers Championship, which started with the ICO, is special to Toski. And that Duke, one of his students, won the title last year, makes it even better.

UConn golf coach Dave Pezzino was one of the first to welcome Toski at the practice range. Pezzino said Toski was his golf teacher when he was a player at Broward Junior College in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and three years after that as he pursued a pro career.

"I remembered a few of us went out and played a round with him," Pezzino said. "He was in his late 60s and beat me. The next time we played he told me to play the red tees. 'If you can't break par, that's where you play from.' You bet that motivated me to be a better player."

Toski, Duke's instructor since 2006, mixed banter with sound principals of the game during his clinic."Your hands, wrists and arms generate 85 percent of your swing's speed," he said.

He rejected such "new" golf teaching talk as the "stack and tilt" swing method and the importance of "body core" in the swing.

Toski said the only body core his contemporaries that included Sam Snead and Ben Hogan knew about was an apple core.

Toski, a native of Haydenville, Mass., spoke of the importance of swing arc. "I weighed 118 pounds," he said of his 1953 ICO triumph. "... I used every ounce of energy."

Toski, the first living instructor inducted into World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame, wrote a triangle on a piece of paper. At the lower left, he wrote "PGA of America Hall of Fame;" at the lower right "World Golf Teaching Hall of Fame;" and at the top the "World Golf Hall of Fame."

He said if he's elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame he'd "be the only one to achieve that triangle."

Toski ended the clinic with one of his trick shots. "I'm going to catch the ball before it lands," he said.

On his second try, he swung hard down on the top of the ball. It spun up in the air. He ran a few feet ahead and caught it with his right hand. "Fast feet, fast hands," he said.

John Bermel, an Aetna vice president, then presented Toski with a 1954 ICO Magazine. On the cover was a picture of the defending champion, Toski.

Toski then unwrapped a glass-framed tribute with the 1954 ICO magazine on the left and a picture of Duke holding the 2013 Travelers Championship Trophy on the right.

The tribute was titled "Teacher And Student."

Duke asked Bermel if it was possible for him to receive the same keepsake. Bermel said yes.

Toski wiped away some tears.

"I have a special room with pictures I have; Hogan. [Byron] Nelson, all the great players I played with," Toski said. "This will go with them. I call it my 'Hall of Fame' room."

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