92-year-old golfer has stroke of success

On March 20, Longboat Key Club member Michael Sarzynski shot a round of 82. He just so happens to be 92 years old.

By comparison, the average golfer regularly shoots around 100 in a round of golf; for professionals, this number is in the 60s to mid-70s.

Last year’s winner of the Masters, Bubba Watson, shot rounds of 69, 68, 74 and 69.

“To beat your age by 10 strokes is just amazing,” said Terry O’Hara, director of golf at the Key Club. “I’ve never heard of anyone like that. That’s an incredible feat.”

“Everything just worked out perfectly that day,” Sarzynski said. “I did some exercises before I played so I could swing the club back further. I tried to strengthen those areas. I went out and played like usual and didn’t worry about anything. I didn’t plan for this, but it just happened to be a perfect day.”

When Sarzynski shot 82, he was playing with three other Key Club members, Alan Milbauer, Lou Lobes and John Rutledge.

“The guys were just all in amazement,” O’Hara said. “They couldn’t believe something like this happened. No one could. They watched for four hours in disbelief. It’s pretty cool.”

Sarzynski’s love of golf began when he was 18 and received a set of golf clubs as a high school graduation gift. 

Sarzynski spent his working years in Michigan as an engineer with refrigeration and air conditioning. He and his wife bought a house in Longboat Key in 1980 after retirement. 

He joined the Key Club 22 years ago and now plays three days a week.

“I worked hard all my life, and since I retired, I have to have something to do,” Sarzynski said. “I’ve found that with golf. I have something to do.”

Sarzynski currently winters here and spends summers in Michigan, where he also golfs.

His proudest accomplishment with golf was playing a tournament in Arizona for four years and winning it.

“I’ve always enjoyed the game and enjoyed the people,” Sarzynski said. “My favorite part about the game is meeting different people that you normally wouldn’t meet, people in different industries.”

This modest man isn’t quick to point out his accomplishments, but he is proud of shooting an 82.

“It was one of those days that you’d like to do something like that, but I never really thought about it,” Sarzynski said. “All I knew was that I was hitting the ball the way I like to hit it. I just felt good. I just felt relaxed.”

The Longboat Key Club has approximately 125 members over 90 who play golf. Many are successful at the sport, but none has ever matched Sarzynski’s feat.

 “I’ve been a golf pro for 22 years, and I’ve never heard of anybody breaking their age by more than a couple shots, let alone 10,” O’Hara said. “To be just couple putts away from shooting in the 70s, he just amazes me. It’s a great feat, and if anybody deserves the recognition, it’s someone like him.”

“ I went out and played like usual and didn’t worry about anything. I didn’t plan for this,
but it just happened to be a perfect day.”

— Michael Sarzynski