Editor’s note: The following column from the Best of West collection was originally published in the Port Arthur News on July 29, 1998.

The death last week of Alan Shepard, America’s first man in space, jarred a pleasant memory about a mid 1990s golf pairing with the man who once hit a 6-iron on the moon. That, in turn, got me to thinking about other celebrity types I’ve had the good fortune to share a round of golf with over the years.

So, with the full expectation of taking grief about being a name dropper, today’s contribution to Golf Plus will detail some of those memorable golfing encounters with the rich, famous and powerful. I think you will agree it’s a pretty impressive list.

ALAN SHEPARD — We were paired together by chance in the Houston Oilers chapter of the NFL Alumni Tournament at Quail Valley in 1984. Our team, which included former Texas Tech and San Francisco 49ers tight end Dave Parks, won the tournament and earned a trip to the NFL Alumni’s Super Bowl of Golf the next spring in Ft. Lauderdale.

Ultimately, we played three rounds of golf together, shared a table at the tournament banquet and had a couple of drinks in the hotel lounge. Shepard, as you can imagine, was a fascinating guy to talk with. He was quiet but friendly and, I as recall, about a 13 or 14 handicap. He clearly enjoyed talking about the two shots he hit on the moon.

JACK NICKLAUS — To be in the same foursome with my all-time favorite golfer was something beyond the wildest imagination. It happened as a result of a guy who used to be on my staff at the Port Arthur News — Mike Ferguson — inheriting a vast sum of money and using $75,000 of it to buy a round of golf with Nicklaus at a Golf Digest auction.

Included in the buy was the right to bring along seven friends, who would get to play golf with Nicklaus, then spend the seven days playing Nicklaus-designed courses. The round with Jack, in October of 1995, took place at Bear Lakes in Palm Beach, Fla. I still marvel at how friendly the man was and how he went out of his way to make everybody feel comfortable in his presence on the golf course.

DAVE MARR — This round with the former PGA champion was played at Port Arthur Country Club in the late ‘70s as part of the popular Dryden’s Invitational. Marr, who died last fall, was the guest pro that year and I was lucky enough to play alongside him during his exhibition round. He always remembered. Whenever I would run into him at the Houston Open, he would ask me about my game.

DELVIN MILLER — His name didn’t mean anything to me when we were paired in the Super Bowl XXI tournament in Pasadena, Calif. As the day progressed, I would discover he was the all-time harness racing champion, an international celebrity, a millionaire many times over, Arnold Palmer’s best friend and neighbor and a guy many, many other celebrities, like Joe DiMaggio, held in the highest esteem.

A true prince of a fellow, Miller invited me to visit him in Orlando two years later when the Super Bowl was to be played in Miami. He entertained Denne Freeman of the Associated Press and me at a fabulous new course he and Palmer were partners in. The course and surrounding development is known as Isleworth and is the current home of Tiger Woods, Mark O’Meara, Lee Janzen and Ken Griffey Jr.

LOU HOLTZ — It is only appropriate to mention one of my least favorite football coaches at this point because our pairing came on a second visit to Delvin Miller at Isleworth. Lou was on the putting green when we made the turn that January day in 1991 and Delvin invited him to join us. My best memory of the next nine holes is winning $15 off Holtz. In fairness, I must say Lou was a delightful guy to be around on the golf course.

DON EDWARDS — Jack Brooks and Judge James Farris would be the most likely Southeast Texans to recognize the name of this fascinating gentleman who spent 32 years representing California in the U.S. House of Representatives. Our golf game was arranged by Farris and came on the famed Cypress Point Club near Pebble Beach. Edwards, a Cypress Point charter member who was 81 the day we played, would be on any list of the most unforgettable people I’ve ever met.

JIM NANTZ — CBS’ voice of the Masters and NCAA Final Four was emcee of the inaugural Jimmy Johnson Roast in May of 1988 and was in my foursome earlier that day at Port Arthur Country Club. Nantz picked the occasion to make his first hole in one (8th hole). He’s an excellent player, who, as most golfers know, shared a dormitory suite at the University of Houston with Fred Couples.

RON FRANKLIN — I couldn’t mention Nantz and not ESPN’s superb voice of college football and basketball. Franklin, of course, was emcee of the Port Arthur News Homecoming Roast of Billy Tubbs. We have played golf together several times in Austin. One of my most unforgettable rounds was when Darrell Royal was part of the foursome at Barton Creek Lakeside.

FRED MCMURRAY — The pairing with the star of the original Absent Minded Professor and the long-running TV series My Three Sons took place in January of 1981 at the Super Bowl tournament in New Orleans. McMurray wasn’t a very good golfer, but he was wonderful to be around. The timing was terrific for me since my third son had been born a month earlier.