| Troy Gofer of Week 5/1 |
| Wednesday, 30 April 2008 | |
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Mike DyerThe RecordALBANY – No longer does John Vaccaro have doubts about his success on the fair¬ ways and greens.A “serious” golfer for only six years, Vaccaro says boldly “I know how to win.”The 51-year-old Menands father of three is a champion in three states and a near champ in a fourth.Last September Vaccaro won the New York State Golf Association’s 24th annual Mid- Am Championship. In October he won the Cape Cod Senior Open Championship in Hyan¬ nis, Mass. and then he cap¬ tured the Vermont Senior Open in Rutland. He was also the No. 1 amateur in the Rhode Island Senior Open in Cranston, R.I. Mike DyerThe RecordALBANY – No longer does John Vaccaro have doubts about his success on the fair¬ ways and greens.A “serious” golfer for only six years, Vaccaro says boldly “I know how to win.”The 51-year-old Menands father of three is a champion in three states and a near champ in a fourth.Last September Vaccaro won the New York State Golf Association’s 24th annual Mid- Am Championship. In October he won the Cape Cod Senior Open Championship in Hyan¬ nis, Mass. and then he cap¬ tured the Vermont Senior Open in Rutland. He was also the No. 1 amateur in the Rhode Island Senior Open in Cranston, R.I.In the state’s Mid-Am, Vac¬ caro was the leader for two days but needed a par on the 18th hole to force a playoff with Poughkeepsie’s Steve Nosonowitz at Dutchess Golf & Country Club.Vaccaro won the playoff with a par on his third extra hole.Vaccaro, The Record’s Golfer of the Week, then ven¬ tured to Orlando, Fla. in November and attended the Senior Tour qualifying school.The top 30 seniors from all over the country went on to the Senior Tour. Vaccaro was 13th after two days and then 29th on the final day. “I missed the cut,” he said. “Hurricane Noel had winds of 35 miles an hour and I finished only 33rd.”The Cornell University alum¬ nus and Wolferts Roost Coun¬ try Club standout says his goal is simple. “I try to get better,” he said. “I didn’t get serious until six years ago and I’ve improved each year since then.” Vaccaro won the 2006 Tri-County Golf Association match play championship and hopes to win it back in two weeks.Global account manager for Gexpro, Vaccaro would love to win the New York State Golf Association men’s amateur championship this July at Pine¬ haven Country Club. “Winning the Mid-Am feels great,” he said. “I played at Pinehaven recently and had five birdies and a 73. I’m sure I will con¬ tend for the State Am title.”Playing golf was never an option for John Vaccaro. He was born into the game.His grandmother owned a nine-hole course in the Syra¬ cuse area and Vaccaro was always a golfer. He mowed the fairways at Randy Brook Golf Course and then he went out and played….and played.“I remember some days play¬ ing 72 holes,” says Vaccaro. “I worked hard and then I played.”Vaccaro will compete in the U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open qualifiers this season. “I’m there to win,” he said.His first local appearance this spring will be the Stadium Two-Man Invitational at Stadi¬ um Golf Club this weekend. Troy native Chuck Connolly is his partner.Vaccaro’s lone hole-in-one came at Stadium in 1997. He has made three double eagles, one at Capital Hills at Albany. |
