Berkshire’s Whitman poetic in Senior Division win
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FLEETWOOD, Pa. — Like a golf soldier stationed overseas, Byron Whitman needed a homecoming to clear his war-torn mind.
It happened Wednesday when he returned to Moselem Springs Golf Club (par 70, 6,483 yards) for the Frank H. Chapman Memorial (Gross). Whitman, a Moselem Springs member of 10 years (1992-2002), settled into friendly surroundings, stamped a 1-under-par 69 and snagged the Senior Division title.
Overbrook Golf Club’s Oscar Mestre, the tournament’s defending champion, placed second at 1-over-par 71.
“Sometimes when you’re struggling with your game, it’s good to get to a place that you’re familiar with, a place you’ve had some success,” Whitman, a six-time men’s club champion at Moselem Springs, said. “I felt like I was fighting it, trying to make some swing changes. Being here seemed to bring back some good memories. I started out half-decent, and it just went smoothly from there on.”
Smoothly and successfully.
Whitman, who started on No. 10, emerged from a notoriously difficult stretch (Nos. 12-14), “Moselem’s version of Amen Corner,” at 1 under. He executed a preconceived plan to perfection on No. 12 (par 5, 490 yards): manage shot selection and enter the 100-yard range for your approach. Whitman lifted a gap wedge 100 yards to three feet for birdie.
“I played it conservatively knowing I had an advantage here,” Whitman, now a Berkshire Country Club member, said. “I didn’t want to give it away by doing anything stupid. I have the tendency to do that.”
Old habits died hard Wednesday. Whitman reached the trying No. 13 (par 3, 199 yards) green with a 4-hybrid and walked away with a par. Two putts from 50 feet on the next hole (par 4, 377 yards) kept his scorecard — and unabashed smile — smooth. After all, Moselem’s 14th hole played a full stroke over par Wednesday.
“I got around the course today without a three-putt, which is what you have to do if you’re going to score here,” Whitman, 60, of Reading, Pa., said. “I happened to get on the right side of the pin most of the time. Knowledge really worked on at least a couple of shots today.”
It certainly worked on No. 2 (par 4, 395 yards). Knowing the green’s contour favors front landings, Whitman knocked an 8-iron 148 yards to 12 feet for birdie.
“I got a good look from my playing partner (Ron Weaver),” Whitman, who registered 11 of 14 available fairways on the day, said. “He had a 30-footer on that same line. It didn’t break as much as we thought.”
Of course, Whitman’s “worst swing of the day” resulted in his lone bogey. On the bunker-laden No. 3 (par 3, 172 yards), he attempted to play a 6-iron onto the green’s ridge, which naturally delivers any visitors to a front left doorstep. Whitman instead hung onto it and missed greenside right. Such a position disallows the holding of mortal chips. Whitman left an ensuing 10-footer short in the heart. A handful of birdie opportunities surfaced coming in. None sank; Whitman relied on course knowledge for safe harbor instead.
“It’s amplified here because this is one of George Fazio’s first designs. He really put a lot of work into the putting surfaces,” Whitman, who works in sales and marketing in the wellness industry, said. “They’re some of the most unique and challenging greens you’ll ever face. Everyone always remarks about how phenomenal these greens are. Today was no exception.”
Whitman captured the Senior 27-Hole Challenge a year ago alongside clubmate Joe Butto. He played in the first group Wednesday, waiting seven hours for his first GAP individual win to become official.
“It’s a tough field of a lot of good players. You need to be on top of your game, and you have to have a few things go right,” Whitman, who lost in a playoff for the 2010 Marston Cup, said. “It was a big surprise to me today.”
Frank H. Chapman, a Whitemarsh Valley Country Club member, served as the Association’s secretary-treasurer for 23 years. He died on June 7, 1955 at the age of 88. The Gross tournament, now in its 13th year, is held in his honor.
Super-Senior Division

It wasn’t the usual Don-anation the Super-Senior field has grown accustomed to. Nonetheless, the six-straight Super-Senior Player of the Year claimed the leaderboard’s top spot once again.
White Manor Country Club’s Don Donatoni outlasted the 44-player field – including three matching his low mark – to win a fourth career Chapman (Gross) title at Moselem Springs Golf Club (par 70, 5,824 yards). It was the powerhouse’s first Chapman victory since 2016.
“Anytime you can win the Chapman, it’s a tremendous honor,” said Donatoni, 71, of Malvern, Pa. “No matter how the tournament may have ended, I’m thrilled to bring home another one. It means a lot to me, especially among such a talented group of GAP players.”
In the morning wave, three players set the clubhouse mark. The home club’s Rich Colaguori, in addition to Country Club of York’s Dennis Lankford and Lu Lu Country Club’s Wayne Bartolacci, filed 2-under par 72s for that early lead. Donatoni joined that party in the afternoon, teeing off at 12:50 p.m., with a matching 72 of his own.
The eventual champ’s day began with a bogey blemish, which surfaced on Moselem’s first, a 324-yard, par-4. It was immediately cancelled out. On No. 2 (par 4, 355 yards), Donatoni flushed an 8-iron approach, tossing it to 15 feet. The birdie attempt was made. The bogey blemish was erased.
Donatoni’s “steady” game meant seven straight pars to follow, resulting in an even-par mark at the turn. Although a few short birdie misses appeared, the champion would cross into the red with a jarred 3 on No. 11 (par 4, 403 yards). It was there where Donatoni darted a 6-iron from 165 yards out that “never left the flag”, landing within six feet, leading to the make.
Three “really dissapointing bogeys” in Donatoni’s final five holes meant the long, fateful wait began. When it was declared Colaguori, Lankford and Bartolacci were not present at the time of the playoff, Donatoni gained his second GAP Major of the season.
“It’s a different way to win,” said Donatoni. “I do love playoffs, but a win is a win.”
In early May, Donatoni took home his third career Warner Cup (Gross) crown. It was a blistering 3-under 67 at Burlington Country Club that got the job done there. His two early-season victories have propelled him into position-A for the season-long Super-Senior Silver Cross Award. Donatoni holds an eight-stroke lead over the field heading into the final leg.
The ultimate test arrives when the GAP Senior Amateur Championship tees off at Little Mill Country Club, Sept. 3-4.
“I’ve been lucky enough to bring home a few Silver Cross wins in my day,” said Donatoni, a four-time Silver Cross winner. “Anything can happen when you’re halfway through the competition, so I won’t think about it too much. But the strong performances at the beginning of the year have put me in good position.”
Silver Cross aside, Donatoni is already batting 1.000 (2-for-2) to begin his 2019 campaign. And so, the Don-anation continues.
GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The Association’s 274 Full Member Clubs and 75,000 individual members are spread across the Eastern half of Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey and Delaware. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.
Senior Division results | |
Name, club score | |
Byron Whitman, Berkshire Country Club | 69 |
Oscar Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club | 71 |
Chip Lutz, LedgeRock Golf Club | 72 |
Rand Mendez, Fieldstone Golf Club | 72 |
Jim Yenser, Raven’s Claw Golf Club | 72 |
Jeffrey Allen, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club | 73 |
David Blichar, Olde Homestead Golf Club | 73 |
Scott Mayne, LedgeRock Golf Club | 73 |
Thomas Soares, Lehigh Country Club | 73 |
Barry Cahill, Radley Run Country Club | 74 |
Greg Guyer, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 74 |
Jim Lowthert, French Creek Golf Club | 74 |
John Psillas, Moselem Springs Golf Club | 74 |
Michael Quinn, Philadelphia Publinks GA | 74 |
Glenn Smeraglio, Lu Lu Country Club | 74 |
Brian Rothaus, Philmont Country Club | 75 |
John Conway, Little Mill Country Club | 76 |
Brian Corbett, Country Club of Scranton | 76 |
Doug Fedoryshyn, Concord Country Club | 76 |
Eric Meyer, Whitford Country Club | 76 |
Michael Tash, The Springhaven Club | 76 |
Michael Vassil, Country Club of Scranton | 76 |
Marlin Detweiler, Lancaster Country Club | 77 |
Edward Erickson, Makefield Highlands Golf Club | 77 |
Robert Harrington, Merion Golf Club | 77 |
William McGuinness, Tavistock Country Club | 77 |
John Nottage, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 77 |
Kenneth Phillips, Lancaster Country Club | 77 |
Ray Pyontek, Mercer Oaks Golf Course | 77 |
John Robinson, Lu Lu Country Club | 77 |
Joseph Roeder, Little Mill Country Club | 77 |
David West, Wyncote Golf Club | 77 |
Joe Campisano, Five Ponds Golf Club | 78 |
Scott Carney, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 78 |
Gregory Day, Old York Road Country Club | 78 |
Michael Fagan, DuPont Country Club | 78 |
Thomas Hyland, Little Mill Country Club | 78 |
Jim Gavaghan, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 78 |
Thomas Krug, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 78 |
Bryan McClaskey, Merchantville Country Club | 78 |
Randy Mitchell, Wilmington Country Club | 78 |
Carlos Ochoa, Little Mill Country Club | 78 |
Paul Rogowicz, Yardley Country Club | 78 |
Elliot Sheftel, Lehigh Country Club | 78 |
Steve Walczak, Wilmington Country Club | 78 |
John Alterman, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 79 |
Richard Atcavage, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club | 79 |
Christopher Clauson, Lu Lu Country Club | 79 |
Andy Lykon, Makefield Highlands Golf Club | 79 |
Scott McIntosh, Makefield Highlands Golf Club | 79 |
David Richards, Bent Creek Country Club | 79 |
Gary Smith, Pine Valley Golf Club | 79 |
Matthew Smith, Regents’ Glen Country Club | 79 |
Gregory Buliga, Yardley Country Club | 80 |
John Donnelly, Concord Country Club | 80 |
Thomas Finn, Loch Nairn Golf Club | 80 |
Paul Hess, Hartefeld National | 80 |
Steve Hill, Hershey Country Club | 80 |
Drew Panebianco, Five Ponds Golf Club | 80 |
Rich Thon, The Springhaven Club | 80 |
Paul Berg, The Springhaven Club | 81 |
Mark Cubberley, Mercer Oaks Golf Course | 81 |
Jay Desjardins, Waynesborough Country Club | 81 |
Robert Gill, Fox Hill Country Club | 81 |
Patrick O’Brien, North Hills Country Club | 81 |
Chris Smedley, Hartefeld National | 81 |
Andrew Sterge, Applebrook Golf Club | 81 |
Ron Weaver, Bent Creek Country Club | 81 |
John Gosselin, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club | 82 |
Andrew Dietz, Laurel Creek Country Club | 83 |
Eric Lamm, Schuylkill Country Club | 83 |
Jim Simmons, Stonewall | 83 |
Kevin Sartell, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club | 84 |
Jon Stein, McCall Golf Club | 84 |
David Strohl, Olde Homestead Golf Club | 84 |
J.R. Cattoni, Williamsport Country Club | 85 |
Andy McCormick, Lancaster Country Club | 85 |
John Vergari, Tavistock Country Club | 86 |
Trey Watts, Jericho National Golf Club | 87 |
Jim Witt, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 87 |
Jim Dalzell, Linwood Country Club | 88 |
Michael Lewers, Aronimink Golf Club | 89 |
Brian Trymbiski, Doylestown Country Club | 91 |
Jeff Fialko, Aronimink Golf Club | 94 |
Bill Boyle, Metedeconk National Golf Club | NS |
Bob Beck, Lehigh Country Club | WD |
Dave Caldwell, Philadelphia Publinks GA | WD |
Ed Kahn, Little Mill Country Club | WD |
J. Kirk Luntey, Merion Golf Club | WD |
Robert Wagner, Merion Golf Club | WD |
Super-Senior results | |
Name, club, score | |
*Don Donatoni, White Manor Country Club | 72 |
Wayne Bartolacci, Lu Lu Country Club | 72 |
Rich Colaguori, Moselem Springs Golf Club | 72 |
Dennis Lankford, Country Club of York | 72 |
Daniel Burton, Lancaster Country Club | 74 |
Thomas Bartolacci, Jr., Lu Lu Country Club | 74 |
Tom Borsello, Hartefeld National | 74 |
Robin McCool, Saucon Valley Country Club | 74 |
Richard Custer, Bellewood Country Club | 75 |
Michael Moser, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club | 75 |
James Muller, Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club | 75 |
Frank Polizzi, Aronimink Golf Club | 75 |
Alan Van Horn, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 75 |
Larry Borowsky, White Manor Country Club | 76 |
Bennett Meyer, Rolling Green Golf Club | 76 |
Terrence Sawyer, Lu Lu Country Club | 76 |
Steve Tagert, Spring Ford Country Club | 76 |
Bernie Zbrzeznj, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club | 76 |
Tom DiCinti, Mercer Oaks Golf Course | 76 |
Robert Dietrich, Loch Nairn Golf Club | 76 |
Roc Irey, Lookaway Golf Club | 76 |
Gene Maginnis, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club | 76 |
Carl Everett, Merion Golf Club | 77 |
Robert Billings, Rolling Green Golf Club | 78 |
Joe Cordaro, Saucon Valley Country Club | 78 |
Gary Daniels, Applebrook Golf Club | 78 |
Bob Majczan, Lookaway Golf Club | 78 |
David Taylor, White Manor Country Club | 79 |
Jeffrey True, Lebanon Country Club | 79 |
Matthew Bellis, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 79 |
Charles Dowds, III, Applebrook Golf Club | 79 |
Buck Jones, Philadelphia Publinks GA | 79 |
Charles McClaskey, Philadelphia Publinks GA | 80 |
James Prendergast, Bellewood Country Club | 80 |
Craig Aronchick, Rolling Green Golf Club | 81 |
Thomas Mallouk, Lookaway Golf Club | 82 |
Mark Monkhouse, Makefield Highlands Golf Club | 82 |
John Palumbo, White Manor Country Club | 82 |
Howard Press, Little Mill Country Club | 82 |
O. Gordon Brewer, Jr., Pine Valley Golf Club | 83 |
Dave Jacobson, Medford Village Country Club | 83 |
John Gonsior, Limekiln Golf Club | 86 |
Gil Golding, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 89 |
George Henninger, Huntingdon Valley Country Club | WD |
* — won in playoff | |
NS — no show; WD — withdrawal |