Pasquale Palmieri

Pasquale “Pat” Palmieri of Florida, the head pro at Southampton Golf Club some 30 years ago, died on July 3 at his home. A 49-year member of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) and a member of the PGA and then Senior tours, he was 95.

Born October 29, 1913, in Southington, Connecticut, to Teresa (née D’Angelo) and Alfonso Palmieri, he was one of 11 children. He was first introduced to golf when his father was hired as Keeper of the Greens at the Old Bonnie Briar Club in Westchester and young Pat went on to caddy at Van Cortlandt Park, where he won the caddy championship four times.

After receiving some early guidance from Gene Sarazen, he eventually represented the Mosholu Golf Club and had a stellar amateur career playing against rivals Ed “Fatty” Kohn and Joe Sage. He set the course record at Mosholu and won many city sponsored events as well as the New York Journal long drive contest and matches sponsored by the New York Mirror.

Mr. Palmieri joined the PGA Tour in 1949 and was immediately signed with Burke Golf Co. as a staff advisor. He brought notoriety to the Burke punch iron with a hole in one at the Canadian Open. Playing on the tour for more than a decade, he earned the nickname “Pipeline Pat” based on his deadly accurate long drives. His peers referred to Pat’s swing, with its silky smooth tempo, great hand action and balance as a gift. This generation of players included Sam Snead, Ted Kroll, Joe Kirkwood, Claude Harmon, the Turnesa Clan and Doug Ford.

Starting in 1959, he started working as a teaching pro at a number of golf courses and clubs, including the Southampton Golf Club. He was invited to teach at the PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, by Lou Strong, whom he had befriended in the 1950s while playing in the world golf championship at Tam O’ Shanter. During the winter, Pat taught at PGA for more than 15 years and started the Bunker Club, a weekly tournament for pros in the winter that still exists today.

In the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, he purchased the Sacandaga Golf Club from the Singer family. He racked up many tournament wins as a senior golfer in the 1970s and went on to work as the general manager of the Palm Beach Lakes Golf Club in 1987-89. In 1988 he won the PGA championship stroke play for his age group (74-79). He was three-time Southeast Florida chapter seniors PGA champion in the 80-and-over bracket, and was the South Florida Senior Open champion (80 plus) in 1995. He continued to play in the Southeast chapter seniors and Bunker Club and his last competition was in the 2005 Quarter Century Championship in the 90-plus group.

Golf remained an important part of his exercise regimen and routine even though he had Alzheimer’s disease.

According to survivors, his warm engaging smile and generous spirit made him beloved within the community.

He is survived by a daughter, Patricia; two sons, Ernest and Robert; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Visitation was scheduled for today, Thursday, July 16, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Howard-Price Funeral Home in North Palm Beach, Florida. A funeral mass will be held on Friday, July 17, at 10 a.m., at St. Clare Catholic Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer’s Association Long Island Chapter, 3281 Veterans Memorial Highway, Suite E-13, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779-7675 or to the The Professional Golfers’ Association of America, c/o the Junior Golf Fund, 100 Avenue of the Champions, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418 would be appreciated by the family.