THE 40th anniversary of the day Billy Casper, then among the best golfers in the world, played at Meltham will be celebrated at the Thick Hollins club next month.

Casper was the reigning US Masters champion when he played an exhibition match at the club on September 27, 1970, setting a professional course record.

On April 10, the Saturday of this year’s Masters at Augusta National, Meltham will launch a new major competition for their members, The Billy Casper Cup.

To mark the occasion club captain David Thorpe will unveil a commemorative plaque with a life-size bust of Casper, who has been made lifetime honorary president of the club.

A permanent display of memorabilia of his 1970 visit and Casper’s US Masters win will also be unveiled.

An anniversary dinner will also be held when the Billy Casper Cup will be presented to the winner of the day, and throughout the 40th anniversary year all members and visitors to the club who beat a net one under par score will receive a commemorative ‘I beat Billy Casper (off my handicap)’ memento.

Casper, now 79, was ranked the 15th greatest golfer of all time in 2000 and among the best of his era, a situation that would have been enhanced had not Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player not been at the height of their powers at the time.

The man noted for his liking for buffalo steaks, claimed 51 US PGA Tour victories to add to numerous others around the world, and scored three major triumphs – the Masters in 1970 and the US Open in 1959 and 1966. He placed fourth in the Open Championship in 1968 and was second three times in the US PGA Championship.

While some rated Casper’s style and technique less exciting than some top players, he had a wonderfully easy and effective style and was one of the greatest putters ever seen. He often turned good scores into brilliant ones with his ability on the greens. But Ben Hogan unkindly said to him: “If you couldn’t putt, you’d be selling hotdogs.”

Casper’s 1966 US Open win was one of the most remarkable. At the Olympic club in San Francisco he trailed Palmer by seven strokes with nine holes to play. Casper fought back to level as Palmer squandered shots and he went on to win the play-off.

So how did California-born Casper, who had converted to the Mormon faith, come to play at Meltham? The man who initially brought about his visit was Wilf Charlton, a Halifax, Huddersfield Union champion, who at the time owned a newsagents in Milnsbridge.

Wilf recalls: “Dennis Livesey who popped into the shop each day for a paper was the head of the Mormon Church at Birchencliffe and had said that Billy Casper’s manager, Ed Barner, was to spend some time helping to build the new church. I cheekily asked him if he could persuade Billy Casper to play here in the Huddersfield district.”

On September 26, 1970, Wilf sat next to Casper on an eight-seat aircraft on a flight from the Dalmahoy Wills tournament in Edinburgh to Yeadon, arriving at Meltham in time for Casper to present the major prizes at a social event. He received a standing ovation on his entrance to the clubhouse.

Meltham members recall Casper as being an amenable man who signed countless autographs and chatted to everyone.

The following day Casper was back at Meltham for a golf clinic and exhibition match in which he played with Ryder Cup player Alex Caygill, the professional at Cleckheaton, and amateurs Warren Humphreys – later a main tournament player – and Mike Kelley, the Walker Cup player from Scarborough.

Casper, who created a professional course record with his one under par 69, was at the peak of his powers at the time, having won the Masters in the April. He was voted PGA player of the Year later that year.

He had been expected to take the Thick Hollins course apart. Long-serving member Barrie Donkin recalls that Casper said of Meltham; “This is no fool’s course.”

A great putter like him had struggled at times to read the subtle borrows on the greens.

Casper was reported by the Examiner as saying: “I have enjoyed my round at Meltham. It is a harder course than members give it credit for.”

Meltham members will no doubt be reminded of this when competing in the inaugural Billy Casper Cup.