Moving Day: Ed Montone Returns to Hometown Course as Club Pro

Golfers arriving at the Winthrop Golf Club this season will be welcomed to the course by a new head professional.

After a delayed start to the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ed Montone began in his new position at the WGC on May 8.

Montone will oversee all golfing operations and the newly renovated pro shop following his three years working as an assistant golf professional at Tedesco Country Club under Head Golf Professional Bob Green.

“Bob Green is the best mentor I could’ve asked for,” said Montone. “He was head professional at Tedesco for 40 years. He played in US Senior Opens and golfed with Arnold Palmer and all the legends and he’s a real pro’s pro. He set the bar high for us. My time there really got me ready for this.”

Playing Golf for the Vikings

While Montone prepped for the prestigious designation of “Head Professional” at Tedesco in nearby Marblehead, he is a Winthrop resident and has been a golfing enthusiast from a very young age.

Ed is the 28-year-old son of Andy Montone and Debbie Montone, the youngest of four children. His sister, Alexandria Montone, was a superlative shortstop in Dave Guffey’s WHS softball program. He also has a sister, Adrienne Montone and a brother, Matteo Montone.

A 2009 Winthrop High School graduate, Ed played four seasons on the golf team headed by Coach Peter Lyons. He competed in the No. 2 position on the team’s ladder during his three seasons on the varsity, captaining the Vikings in his senior year.

Pursuing a Career in the Golfing Industry

Ed Montone enrolled in a two-year program at the Professional Golfers Career College (PGCC) in Orlando, Florida. He received his degree in Professional Golf Management from the highly regarded, specialized golf school.

While living in Orlando, Montone made it a point to attend the annual PGA Merchandise Show, the nation’s leading expo for PGA professionals and golf industry professionals.

“That’s one of the best golf shows I’ve ever been a part of,” said Montone. “At Orange County National Course, they do the demo day and all the companies just set up their tents and you walk around the whole driving range and see some pretty cool, new equipment for the upcoming year.”

In 2011, he began working at The Clubhouse Golf and Entertainment, an indoor facility in Middleton. “It was one of the first indoor places in the area that had a golf simulator,” said Montone.

There he impressed golfers with the depth of his knowledge and his teaching abilities. He was recommended by a Tedesco employee for an assistant’s position at the club which is located near Vinnin Square.

A Finalist at the Mass Open

It didn’t take long for Tedesco members to take notice of Montone’s golf game and his willingness to help others advance their love of the sport.

He shot a sizzling 71 to qualify for the Mass Open, an achievement that attracted the attention of Tedesco members and the North Shore golfing community.

“It was good because I was the third assistant and none of the members knew who I was – usually third assistants don’t teach at all and I’ve always been passionate about teaching,” he related, “But after I qualified for the Mass Open, my name got around and I starting getting a lot of requests for golfing lessons. I gave a lot of golfing lessons at Tedesco and had a nice little following.”

Coming Home to the WGC

This winter, Montone was offered the job as head golfing professional at the Winthrop Golf Club.

The WGC also hired a new course superintendent, Sam Hasak, son of legendary Tedesco course and grounds superintendent Sam Hasak.

“Sam honestly saved the greens here (WGC) – there was a 50-50 chance that the greens weren’t going to come back and sure enough, they did,” credited Montone. “The greens are now the best they’ve ever been. It’s a real treat to play here now.”

Montone said having a golf course in his hometown laid the foundation to his eventual career.

“If it weren’t for this place, I wouldn’t be in the golf industry because there was no other course around and there was always the convenience factor,” said Montone.

He is well known in the Winthrop community and and familiar with the membership at the WGC whose president is former WHS quarterback Rob Noonan. Some of the well-known regulars include Council President Phil Boncore and his perennial playing partner, Bob Katz, former owner of Nu-Tread Tire, East Boston. Olympic hockey captain and gold medalist Mike Eruzione is an honorary member.

“I’m just the face of it bringing in new energy to the club,” said Montone. “The members and whole board have been unbelievable. I’m just so appreciative of everything they’ve done. It’s a dream come true being here. This is home to me and membership is family.”

Montone said there have been numerous inquiries about memberships after the course reopened last week. The course is closed to the public during Phase 1 of the state’s reopening of businesses but open to members who must observe state  guidelines.

Montone lives on Main Street, which is about a John Daly drive away from the course. He and his fiancée, Tina Wyatt, have a son, Andrew Montone, who is named after Ed’s father.

“My dad [Andy Montone] has been a huge help this whole time,” credited Montone. “He’s keeping calm and collected through all this because it’s a whole new world for me running my own golf operation.”

Montone is being assisted at the WGC by Jackson Allard of Nahant and Andrew Dove of Swampscott, who are both former Tedesco employees.