[Richard_Mandell]

Can anyone out there tell me what years George Fazio was Head Pro at Pine Valley?  Yeah, that Pien Valley.

[Richard_Mandell]

That Mandell, he can't even spell Pine correctly.

[TEPaul]

Geo. Fazio came to PV in 1943 for about a year and then enlisted in the army. He came back to PV in 1952 and stayed until 1954 when he went out on tour. Geo. Fazio wasn't exactly PV's head professional---he was basically  their "playing professional". Jim Govan (Crump's construction foreman) was the long time head pro at PV. He was followed by his son George Govan after a brief term by a man named Cuthbert Butchart.

[Tom_Doak]

Interesting, Tom.  I had gotten the impression from somewhere that he was around a lot longer than that.  But, perhaps he hung around the club a lot even when he wasn't officially employed?

[TEPaul]

TomD:

I fear what I said may be a bit misleading (I got it from Finegan's book).

Geo Fazio was probably considered to be from PV a lot longer than I just said even if he went out "on tour" in 1954, and for that reason obviously ceased to be around PV much. But he never was their head pro, only their "playing professional".

We also have to remember how different things were back then. In those days there was no "PGA Tour" as we know it today which is a separate entity from the PGA of America (club professionals).

Back in that day golf professionals who "went on tour" generally represented golf clubs. For a number of decades now touring pros who play the "tours", particularly the PGA Tour, don't represent golf clubs. They are all considered to be independent contractors.

There was no such thing in Geo Fazio's day, and so when he went out on tour next to his name may very well have been listed "Pine Valley".

[Richard_Mandell]

Tom Paul:

Thanks for the info.  

[ForkaB]

Tom P

Also interesting about Cuthbert Butchart.  Tom MacW mentioned him recently, and he was involved at important clubs such as Royal County Down (in the late 1890's) and West Hill (in the 1900's).  He was apparently a highly regarded and successful clubmaker.

Born in Carnoustie, he spent the last 35 years of his life in the US, summering the the NE and wintering in FLA, sa one did in those days, then dying in NY in 1955.

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