Local country club pro now Hall of Famer

WINSTED — Just weeks before his 91st birthday, Stan Staszowski, former golf pro at Greenwoods Country Club, was inducted into the Connecticut Section PGA of America Hall of Fame in a ceremony  Nov. 16.  Staszowski retired from Greenwoods Country Club as the pro in 1986 after 50 years.

Staszowski was born in 1917 to Joseph and Anelia Staszowski. Joseph was the golf pro at Greenwoods for many years and everyone in the family helped him run the course. Stan was the second oldest child in the family, with Frank the oldest, and Von, Janet, Babe and John following in his footsteps. Everyone had an active role in the golf course and when Stan turned 18, he took over as the course’s pro.

When World War II broke out, Stan Staszowski had to leave his post at the country club for nearly four years to serve in the South Pacific. With his father now gone, passing away at the age of 46, Frank was the head-of-household and could not go into military service. He took Stan’s place as golf pro of Greenwoods Country Club until he was able to return home.

In 1939 Stan joined the PGA, qualifying at just 21 years of age and earning the title, at that time, of the youngest pro to qualify for the National PGA Championship. He continued touring throughout the 1940s — playing in the winter and managing the course the remainder of the year.

“The tour was very small and only played in the winter so the pros, when the golf clubs closed down, they would get in their cars and go to these tour stops,� recalled Mary Ellen Vaccari, Staszowski’s daughter.

Staszowski played hundreds of great games of golf in his career, but several stand out as “great rounds.� In 1939 he played against Gene Sarazen in Hershey, Pa. In 1947 he led the Miami Open with a four-under-par through the first round of competition. Later that year he placed 10th in the Western Open. But his greatest success was in the Connecticut Section Tournaments.

In 1957 Staszowski played in the Connecticut Pro/Amateur Championship with Winsted resident Dick Heneage. Heneage was the principal at Pearson Middle School at the time and the duo played two rounds of golf, possibly still holding the record, said Vaccari.

“They had a two-round total of 127, 17 under par,� Vaccari said.

Staszowski held the title of Connecticut PGA Champion several times, as well as Connecticut Senior PGA Champion. In 1969 he won both titles in the same day, playing the CT PGA Championship in the morning and the Senior Championship in the afternoon.

In addition to his own success, Staszowski was partially responsible for the success of many other pros throughout the years.

Former students who turned pro included John Wylie, John Vaccari, Bobby Gage and Paul Julian.

Staszowski married Bunny in 1950. Together they had three children, Mary Ellen, Joe and Jim, all of whom worked with their father on the golf course. He now has eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Staszowski, who retired from Greenwoods in 1986, is a member of St. Joseph’s Church, the Winsted Elks, the Winsted Senior Center and the National Polish Alliance. He will be 91 on Dec. 17.