INDUCTION CLASS OF 5 READY FOR WESTERN MASS. GOLF HALL OF FAME CEREMONY AUGUST 30
SOUTHWICK, Mass. – All facets of golf will be represented when the Western Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame inducts its Class of 2023 during an Aug. 30 ceremony at The Ranch Golf Club.
Honorees into the Hall of Fame’s 11th induction class include a golf professional, amateur golfer, superintendent, course owner/ambassador and media member. Inductees are longtime PGA of America professional Dan DiRico, noted golf course superintendent Paul Jamrog, elite amateur golfer Dean Godek, golf course owner and ambassador Pete Clark and longtime golf writer Russ Held.
Hall of Fame events include a 1:30 p.m. shotgun and evening dinner inside the icon barns on the Sunnyside Road property.
DiRico, a lifetime member of the PGA of America, was a pro shop fixture at Franconia and Veterans golf courses in Springfield, as well as Hampden and Springfield country clubs. The six-time Greater Hartford Open qualifier and five-time Western Mass. Chapter PGA Championship winner currently helps lead the Connecticut Section PGA Junior Golf Program.
Jamrog is a highly regarded groundskeeper in New England and currently the superintendent at Metacomet GC in East Providence, R.I. He left his mark in the region during his 15 years at Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley, particularly the course conditions at the 1987 U.S. Girls’ Junior won by Michelle McGann.
Godek is an accomplished amateur golfer, with eight USGA Championship appearances including a trip to the third round of the U.S. Amateur on his resume. He was champion of the Massachusetts Four-Ball, reached the semifinals of the state amateur and enjoyed success in state Father/Daughter and Father/Son competition.
Clark is the owner and co-founder of The Ranch GC, an award-winning course that has held numerous state, regional and national-level championships. Clark’s golf resume also includes charity work with the Jimmy Fund/Cancer tournament.
Held was the golf writer at The Republican and MassLive.com for 25 years. The 2021 Western Mass. Tee Party honoree freelanced for national golf publications and was also co-host of a handful golf talk radio shows in Springfield.
Robert Bontempo and Tom DiRico are co-chairs of the Hall of Fame, which was founded in 2007 and inducted 63 people during its first 10 years. This year’s ceremony will be its first since 2016.
“It’ll be great to see the honorees at The Ranch, and we know it will be a wonderful day of golf and dinner for them and everyone who participates,’’ Bontempo said.
Tickets for a four-person scramble and induction dinner are available for $130. Dinner-only tickets sell for $50. Contact Olivia at olivia@theranchgolfclub.com or in The Ranch GC pro shop at (413) 569-9333 to reserve golfing and dinner spots.
Please visit the Hall of Fame website at https://westernmassgolfhalloffame.wordpress.com/.
CONTACT: Tournament Chair Robert Bontempo, (413) 695-2998