Golf loses one its greatest personalities
Last Saturday, a horrific crime took place in Squirrel Hill where 11 worshippers were gunned down by a maniac while they attended services at the Tree of Life synagogue.
In Sarasota, Florida, that same day, the world of golf lost one of its greatest, although relatively unknown personalities. And he, too, had western Pennsylvania ties.
Gus Andreone’s name does not come to mind quickly when record-setting golfers are listed. But he definitely did have some great accomplishments. His family moved to Pittsburgh from Ohio early in his life and he started caddying at St. Clair Country Club as a teenager.
That led him to a stint in the pro shop, giving him the opportunity to give his first lesson in 1934. He gave lessons for many years, but he had a pretty good game, too.
After serving in World War II, he landed a job as golf professional at Edgewood Country Club in 1947 and held that 34 years. He held the course record at both Edgewood and St. Clair for many years with a score of 66.
The diminutive man was named the Tri-State Section PGA Professional of the Year.
He had eight holes-in-one during his lifetime, the first in 1939 and the last in 2014 when he used a driver on a 113-yard par-3 … at age 104. It is believed he is the oldest player to ever record an ace on a regulation course.
Andreone died at the age of 107 after suffering a stroke.
I had the pleasure of meeting Gus at an event many years ago and he was as kind a gentleman as you could ever hope to meet.
He’ll be remembered as the oldest PGA of America member ever, a membership that spanned just over 79 years (third-longest in PGA history). He was awarded three Bronze Stars in World War II. He was a two-time winner in the Florida lottery and won the Pennsylvania lottery in 1983.
Quite a man, quite a career.
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Fox Sports announced this week that Holly Sonders has signed a contract extension with the network, but her work going forward won’t include golf coverage. She will be “transitioning into a studio role,” a network statement said.
This is not a big blow for network golf coverage.
Putting it delicately, Sonders wasn’t all that good as an on-course reporter or an interviewer. She was a very good collegiate golfer who was a part of Michigan State’s Big Ten championship team in 2007.
She was much better in providing optics, if you know what I mean, and Fox Sports hoped that she would improve enough in her work duties to become a serious presence on broadcasts, but obviously that didn’t work out.
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It appears Bryson DeChambeau is going to be the heir apparent to Phil Mickelson in terms of unconventional approach to the game.
He’s the guy who carries a bagful of irons that are all the same length and has broken the game down to a very scientific endeavor.
DeChambeau said this week he plans to take advantage of a rules change for 2019 that will allow players to leave the flagstick in for putts on the green. Under this year’s rules, a ball that struck the flagstick would result in a two-shot penalty, but will be permitted going forward.
Ready for his explanation?
“It depends on the COR, the coefficient of restitution, of the flagstick,” DeChambeau said. “In U.S. Opens, I’ll take it out, and every other Tour event, when it’s fiberglass, I’ll leave it in and bounce that ball against the flagstick if I need to.”
He says the thicker, metal pins at a U.S. Open will force him to adjust his strategy, but typical fiberglass pins will offer “a higher propensity for it to go in the hole” when struck by a ball.
OK Bryson, you go for it.
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Do you have an interesting story about your club or course or an individual who has done something special? Let me know. Send your story ideas to mike.dudurich@gmail.com.