TAKING INTHE TRASH––––––––As he prepares for his annual appearance in <strong>Colorado</strong>’s quirkiest charity golfevent, Aspenite Robert Wagner dishes about golf’s starring role in his life.By Jake Kubié.Some actors are inspired to pursue a career in film by great movies. Others draw inspirationfrom classic Broadway plays. Robert Wagner found his muse on a golf course.As he details in his recently released autobiography, Pieces of My Heart, his father moved the familyfrom Detroit to Los Angeles in 1937, where they lived in the burgeoning Bel-Air neighborhood. In1942, at the age of 12, Robert started working at the Bel-Air Stables and one day, on a break from hisjob, he took a homemade sled crafted from corrugated tin and slid down a hill coming to rest beneatha stand of trees along the Bel-Air Country Club’s 11 th fairway.Sitting atop a bed of pine needles, he sat and watched a group walk down the fairway. As they approached,he realized that it consisted of four of Hollywood’s greatest legends: Fred Astaire, CaryGrant, Clark Gable and Randolph Scott.“In those days there was radio and movies, so seeing them on the screen and then seeing them inperson was a big thing,” recalls Wagner. “They filled up the room, even if that room was outside. Theywere bigger than life. I decided if I could ever have the opportunity to get into the industry that’s whoI wanted to become.”Today Wagner is a Bel-Air member, and by most accounts, he has achieved the kind of recognitionhe craved as a youth. Under the guidance of stars like Spencer Tracy, Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis andstudio magnate Darryl Zanuck, he has shaped a celebrated career that has spanned six decades.Wagner has appeared in countless films (among them The Pink Panther, The Longest Day, A Kiss BeforeDying) and television shows (It Takes a Thief, Hart to Hart). He most recently played Dr. Evil’s sidekick,“Number Two,” in the Austin Powers trilogy. His sonorous voice has narrated numerous documentaries,including <strong>Golf</strong>: The Greatest Game.www.coloradoavidgolfer.comMay 2009 | <strong>Colorado</strong> <strong>Avid</strong><strong><strong>Golf</strong>er</strong> 67
“<strong>Golf</strong> has been wonderful to me,” saysWagner. “It got me in the pictures andI’ve been able to play all over the world.”And with all kinds of people. Throughouthis career, the man known to friendsas “R.J.” has teed off with an A-list rosterof golf and Hollywood greats, includingClint Eastwood, Dinah Shore, JackNicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Kevin Costner,Gary Player and Burt Lancaster.His most memorable pairing came in1960 on a TV show called Celebrity<strong>Golf</strong>, which pitted golf great Sam Sneadagainst Hollywood’s hottest actors in anine-hole charity match at Houston’sLakeside Country Club. Given threestrokes, Wagner beat Snead.“I had the choice to play him in themorning or afternoon,” says Wagner.“I knew he was up all night partyingand drinking gin and tonics so Ichose the morning. Afterwardshe wouldn’t shake my hand.He was pissed off.”Today Wagner lives nearlyfull-time in Aspen with hiswife, Jill St. John, a 40-year residentof the town, in a homethey’ve owned together since1998. And although, at the ageof 79, he no longer maintainshis Snead-beating golf prowess,Wagner carries “about a 14 or15 handicap,” which he deftlyapplies several times a monthat courses like Snowmass Cluband Roaring Fork Club in <strong>Colorado</strong>,as well as at Bel-Air and at TheQuarry in La Quinta.His favorite round of the year, however,is the <strong>Trashmasters</strong> Invitational. Heldthis year on July 30-31 at SnowmassClub, the tournament has become oneof <strong>Colorado</strong>’s highest-profile golf events,combining a host of celebrity guests, aone-of-a-kind format and, of course, avery worthy cause.Founded in 1993 by longtime Aspenresident Boone Schweitzer, <strong>Trashmasters</strong>has awarded $1 million in scholarshipsto 48 Roaring Fork Valley high-schoolgraduates, who have attended many <strong>Colorado</strong>universities along with schools likeMIT, Clemson, Pepperdine, Wheatonand Montana State.Now a successful real estate brokerand owner of Boone and Company RealEstate, Schweitzer grew up in a lowermiddleclassfamily in Wisconsin—the polaropposite environment of his ski- andgolf-filled life in Aspen. At at a young agehe realized education was his way out.“When I was a kid, if I didn’t havea scholarship I wouldn’t have gone toschool,” says Schweitzer. “It’s a causethat’s very near and dear to my heart.”The truly remarkable aspect of thetournament is its format. As opposedto the usualscramble andbest-balls ofmost charitygolf events,<strong>Trashmasters</strong>’ format awards points forthe less-than-perfect shots and odd occurrences(or trash) that happen in golf.“The whole idea for <strong>Trashmasters</strong>grew out of boredom with the same oldformats,” says Schweitzer. “We startedcoming up with names for the eventsthat happen during a round.”And today there are 22 that havefound their way into <strong>Golf</strong> ’s Little Bookof Trash. There’s the Otis, named for theelevator company, for getting an up anddown. That’ll get you one point. Hit acart path and you’ll get a two-point Willie,in honor of Willie Nelson’s “On theRoad Again.” More exotic occurrencesget more points: a chip-in earns a threepointWatson, named for Tom Watson’sfamous chip-in in the 1982 U.S. Open;an ace, called an Arnie is worth 13points. Wagner’s favorite is the Barkie,which got its name after he struck a treeat Snowmass Club in the late 80s.Schweitzer, clad in a judge’s robe andpowdered wig, presides over the madness.“The appeal of the tournament isthat it’s so straight-forward and honest,”says Wagner, who has played in it fi vetimes. “It’s a whole new way of playinggolf. Everyone gets such a kick out of it.”Other celebrity participants—includingactor Michael Douglas, U.S. Open championScott Simpson, former Vice PresidentDan Quayle, actor Wayne Rogers,and Estee Lauder founder William Lauder—would tend to agree.“<strong>Trashmasters</strong> is a fabulous event andbenefits a very worthy charity,” says Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas in anemail. “The tournament is a hoot.STAR POWER:Participantshave included1987 U.S. OpenChampion ScottSimpson; 1958PGA Championand <strong>Trashmasters</strong>AmbassadorExtraordinaireDow Finsterwald;Oscar winnerMichael Douglas.There’s nothing quite like it.”With the backing of stars like Wagner,Douglas and others, along with Schweitzer’scontagious energy and enthusiasm,<strong>Trashmasters</strong> will continue to grow.He hopes it will eventually become afranchised event played throughout theworld. And with <strong>Trashmasters</strong> tournamentsalready taking place in Arizona,Wisconsin, Cabo San Lucas and Scotland,Schweitzer’s vision is coming tofruition. Here’s to spreading the trash. AGJake Kubié is CAG’s assistant editor andWeb manager.July 30-31<strong>Trashmasters</strong> International <strong>Charity</strong> <strong>Golf</strong><strong>Tournament</strong>Snowmass Club, Snowmass VillageAge: 17 th YearBeneficiary: Roaring Fork Valley ScholarshipFund$ Raised Last Year: $124,000 (net)Contact: Matt Tate, 970-927-TRASH;contact@trashmasters.com68 <strong>Colorado</strong> <strong>Avid</strong><strong><strong>Golf</strong>er</strong> | May 2009www.coloradoavidgolfer.com
Change language