Marty Fleckman
Encyclopedia
Martin A. Fleckman is an American
professional golfer
who played on the PGA Tour
in the 1960s and 1970s.
Fleckman was born in Port Arthur, Texas
. He credits Byron Nelson
, Carl Lohren and Jim Hardy with teaching him how to play golf
. At the age of 20 in 1964, Fleckman won the individual title at the Texas State Amateur. In 1965, he won the NCAA Championship
while a student at the University of Houston
, where he was a three-time All American member of the golf team: third-team in 1964, first-team in 1965 and 1966. He was a member of the Walker Cup
team in 1967.
While still an amateur, Fleckman played in the 1967 U.S. Open at Baltusrol Golf Club
. He led the tournament after the first three rounds, but shot 80 in the final round amid a final-round surge by eventual champion Jack Nicklaus
. The last amateur to lead the U.S. Open after three rounds was Johnny Goodman
in 1933.
Fleckman won the 1967 Cajun Classic Open Invitational
in his first start as a member of the PGA Tour. He is only one of four other players in Tour history to win his first tour event, and the first to do it. He has since been joined by Ben Crenshaw
(1973), Robert Gamez (1990) and Garrett Willis
(2001). His best finish in a major
is T-4 at the 1968 PGA Championship
.
Fleckman was inducted into the Texas Golf Hall of Fame in 1986 and the University of Houston Hall of Honor in 2006. He also received the prestigious 2007 Teacher of the Year Award for the Southern Texas Section of the PGA. He currently works as director of golf instruction at Blackhorse Teaching Center in Texas.
PGA Tour playoff record (1-0)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
who played on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
in the 1960s and 1970s.
Fleckman was born in Port Arthur, Texas
Port Arthur, Texas
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 57,755 people, 21,839 households, and 14,675 families residing in the city. The population density was 696.5 people per square mile . There were 24,713 housing units at an average density of 298.0 per square mile...
. He credits Byron Nelson
Byron Nelson
John Byron Nelson, Jr. was an American PGA Tour golfer between 1935 and 1946.Nelson and two other well known golfers of the time, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, were born within seven months of each other in 1912...
, Carl Lohren and Jim Hardy with teaching him how to play golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
. At the age of 20 in 1964, Fleckman won the individual title at the Texas State Amateur. In 1965, he won the NCAA Championship
NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships
The NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, played in late May or early June, is the top annual competition in U.S. men's collegiate golf. It is a stroke play team competition, starting in 2009 the competition changed to a stroke play/match play competition with the top 8 teams after 54 holes of...
while a student at the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
, where he was a three-time All American member of the golf team: third-team in 1964, first-team in 1965 and 1966. He was a member of the Walker Cup
Walker Cup
The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland...
team in 1967.
While still an amateur, Fleckman played in the 1967 U.S. Open at Baltusrol Golf Club
Baltusrol Golf Club
The Baltusrol Golf Club is a private 36-hole golf club located in Springfield Township, Union County, New Jersey. Among the many prestigious tournaments it has hosted, Baltusrol was most recently the site of the 2005 PGA Championship. The course architect is A. W...
. He led the tournament after the first three rounds, but shot 80 in the final round amid a final-round surge by eventual champion Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
. The last amateur to lead the U.S. Open after three rounds was Johnny Goodman
Johnny Goodman
Johnny G. Goodman was the last amateur golfer to win the U.S. Open, doing so in 1933; he also won the U.S. Amateur in 1937....
in 1933.
Fleckman won the 1967 Cajun Classic Open Invitational
Cajun Classic Open Invitational
The Cajun Classic Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour usually played in late November in the late 1950s and 1960s. It was played at the Oakbourne Country Club in Lafayette, Louisiana. It was first played as the Lafayette Open Invitational in 1958...
in his first start as a member of the PGA Tour. He is only one of four other players in Tour history to win his first tour event, and the first to do it. He has since been joined by Ben Crenshaw
Ben Crenshaw
Ben Daniel Crenshaw is an American professional golfer.Crenshaw was born in Austin, Texas. He attended and played golf at Austin High School and the University of Texas, where he won three NCAA Championships from 1971 to 1973...
(1973), Robert Gamez (1990) and Garrett Willis
Garrett Willis
Garrett Michael Willis is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Willis was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He attended East Tennessee State University where he was member of the golf team, a first-team All-American his senior year. He won the Canadian...
(2001). His best finish in a major
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
is T-4 at the 1968 PGA Championship
1968 PGA Championship
The 1968 PGA Championship was the 50th PGA Championship played July 18-21 at Pecan Valley Golf Club in San Antonio, Texas. Julius Boros won the championship.-Final leaderboard:-External links:* - at www.golfobserver.com...
.
Fleckman was inducted into the Texas Golf Hall of Fame in 1986 and the University of Houston Hall of Honor in 2006. He also received the prestigious 2007 Teacher of the Year Award for the Southern Texas Section of the PGA. He currently works as director of golf instruction at Blackhorse Teaching Center in Texas.
Amateur wins (4)
- 1964 Texas State Amateur
- 1965 NCAA ChampionshipNCAA Division I Men's Golf ChampionshipsThe NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, played in late May or early June, is the top annual competition in U.S. men's collegiate golf. It is a stroke play team competition, starting in 2009 the competition changed to a stroke play/match play competition with the top 8 teams after 54 holes of...
- 1966 Eastern AmateurEastern AmateurThe Eastern Amateur is an annual amateur golf tournament. It has been played at Elizabeth Manor Golf and Country Club in Portsmouth, Virginia since 1957; the only exceptions were in 1977 when it was played at Sleepy Hole Golf Course in Suffolk, Virginia and in 1999 when it was played at nearby...
- 1967 Northeast AmateurNortheast AmateurThe Northeast Amateur is an amateur golf tournament played annually at the Wannamoisett Country Club in Rumford, Rhode Island. It was first played in 1962.-Winners:*2011 Peter Uihlein*2010 Joseph Bramlett*2009 Dan Woltman*2008 Brendan Gielow...
PGA Tour wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory |
Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dec 3, 1967 | Cajun Classic Open Invitational Cajun Classic Open Invitational The Cajun Classic Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour usually played in late November in the late 1950s and 1960s. It was played at the Oakbourne Country Club in Lafayette, Louisiana. It was first played as the Lafayette Open Invitational in 1958... |
Playoff |  Jack Montgomery |
PGA Tour playoff record (1-0)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1967 | Cajun Classic Open Invitational Cajun Classic Open Invitational The Cajun Classic Open Invitational was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour usually played in late November in the late 1950s and 1960s. It was played at the Oakbourne Country Club in Lafayette, Louisiana. It was first played as the Lafayette Open Invitational in 1958... |
Jack Montgomery |
Won with birdie on first extra hole |