Oakmont native returns to U.S. Open, 72 years after caddying for Ben Hogan's 1953 victory

Carl Nasse was 10 when he began working as a caddie at Oakmont Country Club in the late 1940s.

Just a few years later, a 15-year-old Nasse found himself walking the Oakmont course as Ben Hogan’s caddie when the Texas-born golfer won the 1953 U.S. Open Championship.

Nasse was paid $140 for serving as the champion’s caddie. Hogan earned $5,000 for winning.

“I think they get a little more now,” said Nasse, 87, an Oakmont native who lives in Florida.

Nasse was back at the prestigious course Thursday, watching the U.S. Open action with his sons Gary, Vaughan, Steve and Keith.

It was exactly 72 years ago to the day that Nasse stepped onto the course for the opening round at the 1953 U.S. Open.

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He said there’s quite a big difference in the course from when he walked it more than seven decades ago.

“All the trees are gone,” he said. “They also had a deep-furrow trap, and if you ended up in there, all you could hope to do was get your ball out. And there was no hitting it 200 yards onto the greens.”

In order to make the field for the U.S. Open back then, golfers would undergo a qualifying round at Oakmont, and another at Pittsburgh Field Club in Fox Chapel.

Nasse recalled feeling nervous as he walked behind Hogan carrying his clubs.

“It was very scary for a 15-year-old,” he said. “But back then, they didn’t depend on the caddies as much. Today they have booklets, coaches for pitching, for putting.”

Back in the 1950s, competitive play took place over just three days.

“They’d play 36 holes on Saturday,” Nasse said.

“Every once in a while, he’d tell Ben where not to hit the ball,” said Nasse’s son Gary, a Monroeville resident. “Most of the pros read the course on their own and didn’t ask the caddies much. My dad got to know what club Ben was going to use and made sure to have it ready for him.”

Nasse said the weather was beautiful at the 1953 Open.

On Thursday, with temperatures reaching 85 degrees, conditions weren’t quite as pleasant. So Nasse headed out early after starting to feel the effects of the afternoon heat.

But he’ll be watching the rest of the tournament and keeping a particular eye on golfer Jordan Spieth.

“This is the only major he hasn’t won,” Nasse said.

He might also do some golfing of his own, despite his age and some back problems, he said.

“He still beats all of us when we play at the course near his house in Florida,” said Keith Nasse, of McCandless.