Jimmy Petrino Jr. feels like a lucky man these days. First, the Milton-Hoosic Club assistant golf professional survived driving the “skating rink that was the New Jersey Turnpike” during the recent October Nor’easter en route to Florida. Ultimately, he reached his final destination at venerable Seminole Golf Club just north of Palm Beach, which gives him a front row seat with the rich and famous. Petrino, 37, is one of those rare Northeast golf professionals who serves as a caddie during the winter months, and Seminole GC is one of the most exclusive clubs in the nation. It has hosted numerous presidents and foreign dignitaries over the years, even Ben Hogan, who spent nearly a month there every spring preparing for The Masters.
A Connecticut native, Petrino was a teammate of current PGA Tour pro J.J. Henry on the golf team at Fairfield High and he also played golf at Central Conn. State University. He was in Florida when he met a woman who works at Belmont Country Club. Sparks flew, and Petrino ended up leaving Fisher’s Island for an assistants’ job at Milton-Hoosic Club in order to be closer to his now-girlfriend, Emily. Petrino made quite an impression in his first season at Milton-Hoosic in 2011. He wrote an article for the New England PGA Assistants Newsletter about dressing to impress while representing a member club, and it also reached a national audience after getting published in the Sept. issue of PGA Magazine.
“Jimmy has managed to put the Milton-Hoosic Club on the map,” said Milton-Hoosic head pro Todd Cook. Petrino is beginning his 12th season as a caddie at Seminole GC. He also loops it occasionally at other area standouts such as Jupiter Island and McArthur GC in Hobe Sound when the action picks up. “In Florida, it’s fairly common for an assistant pro to caddie, but it’s almost unheard of for someone from the Northeast,” he said. “I love it. It’s a great way to enjoy myself in the winter, and it gives me flexibility with my hours.” Petrino, however, hasn’t lost sight of the big picture. ”I want to become a head professional,” he said.”It’s all about location, and being in the right place at the right time.”
(Bob DiCesare is the golf writer for The Enterprise in Brockton, MA, and he is also a member of the International Network of Golf)
About Bob Dicesare
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