Arlo Cramer forgets how long he’s played at the Pikes Peak Amateur — and it’s not because of old age.

“Let me see,” Cramer, 70, said as he started to count under his breath. “I started playing at (the) Patty Jewett (Golf Course) in 1953 and my first time in the Amateur was 1955. I’ve missed a few because of children and other things like that but I’ve probably played here over 40 times.”

Cramer, who has been the Amateur director for 15 years, gets a tap on the back or a, “How’d you do Arlo?” from just about everyone who walks by and it’s well deserved.

“I played with a lot of these guys’ dads,” Cramer said with a chuckle.

Even after losing Friday in the semifinals (finals are today) of the senior first flight to Bill Burns 1-up, Cramer had a smile on his face. Despite the loss, his 40-plus years at the Amateur have not come without success. Cramer estimates he’s won six flights. Yet, he said that the prize money isn’t what keeps him coming back.

“The reason all of us play is because of the competition,” he said. “I’d play if there wasn’t prize money and I think a lot of us would. If I won and they gave me a match stick I’d be happy … just as long as it said I won.”

The Colorado Springs native has a visible adoration for Patty Jewett — it was the first course he played as a teenager in the ’50s — but it’s the people on the course who revere him.

“Arlo, he’s just a fountain of knowledge,” said Skip Borham, who played in the senior fourth flight. “Great guy … even better friend.”

TODAY’S FLIGHT FINALS

Championship  — Alex Kephart vs. Taylor Stamp

Patty Jewett  — Tom Wells vs. Brian Cramer

First  — Julian Hong vs. Heath Schafer

Second  — Ed Barcelon vs. Mike O’Brien

Third  — Mike Pennington vs. Tim Forsyth

Fourth  — John Garcia vs. Derek Vasquez

Senior Championship  — Darrell Dafoe vs. Steve Chambers

Senior First  — Bill Burns vs. Gary Taylor

Senior Second  — Joe Thiac vs. Craig Loper

Senior Third  — Bill Bokelman vs. John Thordsen

Senior Fourth — Ben Johnson vs. Skip Borham

Paul Ransom — Marc Sanford vs. Larry Hennington

Ben Schwenk’s left leg was amputed above the knee due to a staph infection, but that hasn’t stopped him from rapidly excelling in taekwondo. Photo by JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE