The golf community is fortunate to have dedicated and caring professionals working at area courses.

Two of those pros have received well-deserved awards from the Connecticut Section PGA.

The Connecticut Section named Norwich Golf Course pro Mike Svab the merchandiser of the year for a public course and Stonington Country Club’s Sue Cart the teacher and coach of the year.

Let’s start with Cart’s story:

Cart, who lives in Old Saybrook, loves going to work.

Teaching golf has been her passion since as far back as 1988 when she first started helping golfers improve their games.

“Originally, I went to Mississippi State on a golf scholarship,” Cart said. “I was always fascinated by the swing. I went down the road looking at maybe playing for a living. I gave that a little bit of a crack. I was never just devoted just to playing. I would teach in the winters in Florida and then I would play in the summer.

“It became very obvious that if you’re going to play, you need to do that 100 percent. So, I always found I got more satisfaction out of helping someone else than winning an event. It was kind of weird. Not that it wasn’t enjoyable, but it was like, it happened and then it was done. Whereas when you saw someone else improve, you felt like that lingered for a while.”

Before coming to Stonington, she gained a loyal following while teaching at the Troon Golf Academy at Lake of Isles in North Stonington.

She made the switch to Stonington in 2019.

“It’s been fantastic,” Cart said. “They’ve built an academy since I’ve been there. It’s just been really good. I’m teaching so many people that I was already teaching, just a little closer to home for them.”

Cart puts in a full day and then some, especially during the summer months. She starts teaching as early as 8 a.m. and ends as late as 7 p.m.

“The last three years, I’ve been busier than I’ve ever been,” Cart said.

The downside with being so busy is Cart has little time to play golf. She still gets the urge to sneak in a round but prefers teaching over playing.

As far as winning an award from the Connecticut Section, Cart greatly appreciates the honor.

“I’m absolutely honored that I received that award,” Cart said. “I’ve been nominated before but this is the first time that I’ve pulled through. I’m ecstatic. It was fun to see the members of the club being so excited about me winning the award.

“When you enjoy going somewhere to work, it’s easy. Just having a lot of support has really helped, honestly. … I’m going to keep on helping people improve and doing what I enjoy.”

For Svab, it’s the second time that he’s been honored by the Connecticut Section. While at Pautipaug, which is now Mohegan Sun Golf Club, he earned merchandiser of the year award for private courses.

Svab is very old school in his approach. He doesn’t do social media and relies on making personal connections with people.

He considers it a team award that he shares with his merry band of employees who’ve helped the pro shop thrive over the years. About a dozen part-timers share the duties.

“It’s real kudos to the whole staff inside,” Svab said. “I’m not in front of the customers all day long, they are. So, hopefully, you set up a system to help them succeed and make it easy for them. And I think that was done.

“... Everybody who works here does a great job and you appreciate everybody supporting you as a PGA professional.”

Svab keeps prices reasonable.

Because of his connections in the business, Svab hasn’t had some of the supply chain issues that hurt other businesses. He also knows what people are looking for.

“Our shop is very small, but we’ve been fortunate through COVID and everything, I’ve been able to pretty much get everything for everybody….,” Svab said. “I have hundreds of accounts, so if you want something, I can probably get it for you. I’ve been doing this for almost 30 years now.”

It also helps that Norwich Golf Course has an attractive logo, which features a rose, as well as great reputation. It is one of the busiest public courses in the state.

People come off the course and buy things like tees, ball markers, gloves, shirts and shots.

“If you sell the logo and you believe in the logo, people buy that,” Svab said.

Svab and Cart and the other award winners will be honored at Pine Orchard Yacht and Country Club in Branford. The date of the event has yet to be determined. Joe Starzec of Pine Orchard was named the section’s golf professional of the year.

Short putts

Dave Jones of Norwich played in his first U.S. Senior Amateur Championship last weekend at The Kittansett Club in Marion, Mass. He fell just short of making the cut for match play, finishing with a two-round total of 157 (78-79).

Hollis Barry of Essex recently added to her Old Lyme women’s club championship total, beating Michelle Abraham of Old Lyme, 1 up. The two golfers also met in the 2020 title match, with Barry winning on the 18th hole to defend her title.

In another championship match that went down to the wire, Lynn Edwards of Lyme defeated Clinton Standart, 1 up, in the nine-hole tournament.

Brian Quilter of Black Hall Club finished seventh in the 60th Assistant Connecticut PGA Championship Tuesday at Hop Meadow Country Club in Simsbury. He shot a two-round total of 2-over 146 (74-72). Shane Marchenkoff of Stonington Country Club placed 12th with a 153 (80-73) while Norwich Free Academy graduate Ed Hilario of Wampanoag Country Club took 11th at 152 (77-75).

Adam D’Amario of Indian Hill Country Club won the event in a playoff, posting a 3-under 141 (70-71).

The 71st Senior Connecticut PGA Professional Championship also was held at Hop Meadow, teeing off on Monday and Tuesday. Kevin Shea of Great Neck was the top local finisher, tying for 12th with a two-round total of 151 (774-77). Philip Krick of Mohegan Sun Golf Club tied for 17th at 154 (81-73).

Fran Marrello was the champion, firing an even par 144 (74-70). The win enabled Marrello to clinch the Connecticut Section’s Senior Player of the Year for a record 10th time.

Bill and Billy Buscetto fired a 1-under 71 to finish tied for third place at the CSGA’s 86th Father & Son Championship at Torrington Country Club on Monday. Paul and Steven Ferraro of Quinnatisset Country Club tied for fifth with a 72 while Bill and Eric Hermanson placed seventh with a 73.

Matt and Andrew Dunn of Shuttle Meadow Country Club secured the title on the first playoff hole. They shot a 2-under 70.

Upcoming events

Great Neck Country Club will crown club champions in a number of categories on Monday when the finals tee off.

Old Lyme will hold its men’s club championship final on Monday.

The Mohegan Sun Golf Club in Baltic will host the PGA Pro-Veteran tournament on Sept. 7.

Bulls Bridge Golf Club in South Kent will be the site of the CSGA’s 17th Tournament of Champions on Sept. 8. Mike Serio of Shennecossett and Bill Hermanson will be in the field.

Shennecossett will host a CSGA one day event on Sept. 12.

Norwich Golf Course’s member-member tournament tees off on Sept. 18.

Please send golf results, hole-in-one information, etc., to g.keefe@theday.com