Frank Strafaci

Frank Strafaci (April 24, 1916 – February 19, 1988) was an American amateur golfer, who competed against the top amateurs of his time. He is remembered as one of Brooklyn's top amateur golfers.

Career

Strafaci was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He started his dominance on the amateur scene at Dyker Beach Golf Course in 1935 when he joined the Shoreview Golf Club. He won the U.S. Amateur Public Links in 1935.[1] He won the Shoreview's Club Championship in 1936 and again in 1938. Over the next 15 years he dominated amateur golf in the area. He won the Long Island Golf Association Amateur Championship five times, the Metropolitan Amateur seven times, the North and South Amateur twice and the Richardson Invitational Championship twice. He also took his talents overseas, playing in the British and French Amateur Championships.

In 1940, Strafaci qualified for the U.S. Open. Shortly after qualifying, Strafaci learned Ben Hogan did not qualify but would be the first alternate. On May 27, a few weeks before the Open was to be held at the Canterbury Golf Club in Ohio, Strafaci issued Hogan an "Insurance Policy". In a letter to Hogan, Strafaci told him "Go ahead to Cleveland and get ready for the Open Championship. I'll see to it that you get in." Strafaci believed Hogan one of the best players in the World should be in the Open. By his own admission, Strafaci did not like his game even though he qualified.[2] With no other player withdrawing, Strafaci withdrew on June 6 from the Open which enabled Hogan to play. Hogan was in contention all four rounds and would go on to finish T5.

In 1954, Strafaci played in the U.S. Amateur and had a very interesting first match opponent named Arnold Palmer; this was Palmer's final amateur appearance before turning professional. Palmer later stated that his toughest match was against Strafaci, who was all square with him entering the 17th hole. Palmer eventually beat Strafaci 1-up and went on to win the championship.[3][4]

Strafaci semi-retired from amateur golf in the late 1950s and became Executive Director of the Florida Golf Association. In 1960 he became the Director of Golf at the famed Doral Country Club.[5] He has been credited with naming the course the "Blue Monster". He continued to live in Florida until his death in 1988.

Family

Strafaci was one of five brothers, all of whom were top amateur golfers. His brother, Thomas U. Strafaci, was the only brother to turn professional and became the head golf pro with his son Thomas Strafaci, Jr. at Dyker Beach Golf Course in Brooklyn. His older brother Dominic was the 1941 MGA Public Links Champion winning the title at Bethpage Black.

Strafaci had one son also named Frank and a daughter named Cathy. Both of whom currently reside in Florida.

Frank Strafaci, Jr.'s grandson Tyler Strafaci is currently a member of the Georgia Tech golf team. Tyler, in 2017 his freshman year won the Valspar Collegiate which earned him a sponsor's exemption to the 2018 Valspar Championship at the Innisbrook Golf Club. In June 2018, Tyler qualified for the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills by winning a six-way playoff at the sectional qualifying in Jupiter, Florida. In July 2020, Tyler won the North and South Amateur at Pinehurst #2 just like his did grandfather in both 1938 and 1939. Like Frank Sr, Tyler has qualified for the Masters Tournament and having qualified 2021 for the U.S. Open through his finalist status at the 2020 U.S. Amateur Tournament as a fourth-year junior.

Amateur wins (21)
  • 1935 U.S. Amateur Public Links
  • 1938,1941,1947,1949,1951 Long Island Amateur
  • 1952,1953 Long Island Golf Association - Richardson Invitational
  • 1938,1939,1945,1946,1947,1950,1954 Metropolitan Amateur
  • 1938,1939 North and South Amateur
  • 1938 Long Island Golf Association - Amateur/Professional Championship
  • 1937 Hochster Memorial Tournament at Quaker Ridge CC
  • 1936,1938 Shoreview Men's Golf Club - Club Champion

Other career highlights

Results in major championships
Tournament 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
Masters Tournament WD
U.S. Open 9
U.S. Amateur R256 R32 R16 R16 R64
The Amateur Championship
Tournament 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
Masters Tournament NT NT NT
U.S. Open NT NT NT NT CUT
U.S. Amateur R16 R32 NT NT NT NT QF R256 QF
The Amateur Championship NT NT NT NT NT NT
Tournament 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958
Masters Tournament 58
U.S. Open
U.S. Amateur R128 R64 R64 R256 R128 R128
The Amateur Championship R256 R256 R16 R128 R64 R64 R128 R64 R32

Note: Strafaci never played in The Open Championship or the PGA Championship.

  Top 10
  Did not play

NT = no tournament
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
R256, R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = round in which player lost in match play

Source for The Masters: www.masters.com

Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database

Source for 1950 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 24, 1950, pg. 7.

Source for 1951 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 22, 1951, pg. 6.

Source for 1952 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 30, 1952, pg. 2.

Source for 1953 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 28, 1953, pg. 4.

Source for 1954 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 27, 1954, pg. 4.

Source for 1955 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, June 2, 1955, pg. 4.

Source for 1956 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 30, 1956, pg. 4.

Source for 1957 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 29, 1957, pg. 4.

Source for 1958 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, June 5, 1958, pg. 4.

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References
  1. 1935 U.S. Amateur Public Links
  2. Trost, Ralph (May 28, 1940). "Strafaci Issues Policy For Hogan in U.S. Open: Boro Golfer Offers to Withdraw Permitting First Alternate to Play". Brooklyn Eagle. p. 15 – via newspapers.com.
  3. Arnold Palmer: Kingdom Magazine - Where it all Began
  4. 1954 U.S. Amateur
  5. For 40 years, tackling the Blue Monster at Doral has been - 03.04.02 - SI Vault
  6. Frank Strafaci - Masters results
  7. Frank Strafaci - U.S. Open results
  8. Western Amateur - Championship History
  9. Golf Medal Taken by Frank Strafaci
  • Dominate Players, The History of the L.I.G.A., Longislandgolf.org Retrieved 10/15/2010
  • Long Island Golf Association Yearbook 2003-2004, Amateur Championship, Richardson Invitational Retrieved 10/18/2010
  • Metropolitan Amateur Past Winners, MGA.org Retrieved 10/18/2010
  • The Blue Monster, Miamiherald.com/2009/03/09, Retrieved 10/18/2010
  • Paul J Strafaci, President, Shoreview Golf Club, Retrieved 10/18/2010
  • Golf Anecdotes: From the Links of Scotland to Tiger Woods page 130, Retrieved 10/18/2010
  • NY Times June 1937 Hochster Winner, spider.nytimes.com/pay_1937, Retrieved 10/18/2010
  • MGAGolf.com 1941 MGA Public Links Winner.
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