"Willie the Wedge" Turnesa, twice U.S. Amateur Open Champion, and British Amateur Champion. Walker Cup Captain in 1947 and 1949.

Knollwood has been blessed for half a century as the home of two of the fabled Turnesa brothers, Willie and Mike. Willie Turnesa first came to Knollwood in 1939. The youngest and only non-professional among seven golfing brothers (and two sisters), Willie was born in Elmsford on January 20, 1914. He first attained national prominence with his victory in the 1938 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont, soon after graduating from Holy Cross.

His superb wedge play was the difference, earning him the nickname "Willie The Wedge" from the noted British golf writer, Bernard Darwin. In the final match alone, Willie got down in two each of the 13 times his approach found a bunker. Willie's well worn wedge was donated to the U.S.G.A. Museum at the Golf House in Far Hills, New Jersey.

In 1947, Willie was unbeaten in Walker Cup competition at St. Andrews just prior to capturing the British Amateur title at Carnoustie. The following year, he regained the U.S. Amateur trophy, defeating Ray Billows in the finals at the Memphis Country Club. Willie also played on the 1949 Walker Cup team, and served as playing captain of the 1951 team. Knollwood played host to the 1951 team just before they sailed for Great Britain.

Locally, Willie served as president of both the Metropolitan and New York State (1954 1955) Golf Associations in 1955, and together with Udo Reinach of Quaker Ridge created the Westchester Caddie Scholarship Fund in 1956. Willie won the 1937 Met Amateur at Metropolis, and was runnerup to Frank Strafaci in 1938 at Ridgewood, losing 3&1 in the finals, succumbing to a barrage of birdies over the final nines holes after carding a 69 in the morning round. Almost two decades later, in 1956, Willie again reached the finals of the Met Amateur, this time losing out to Tommy Goodwin 4&3 at Century.

Willie twice (1957 and 1958) captured individual honors in the IKE Championship. In three consecutive years, he led Knollwood teams to victory in the IKE, winning with Frank Malara in 1956 and 1957 and with Fred Fiore in 1958. He also captured the Westchester Amateur (1933, 1936, 1937, and 1938), New York State Amateur, Anderson Memorial (twice, with Udo Reinach as partner), and Hochster Memorial, the latter also four times, and the Lesley Plate in 1948. In 1976 he was honored by the M.G.A. as recipient of its Distinguished Service Award.

He served the M.G.A. as president in 1955, and the New York State Golf Association in a similar capacity during 1954-1955.

Mike with Ben Hogan at the 1948 PGA Championship.

Mike Turnesa, who was born on June 9, 1907, came to Knollwood in 1943 as head golf professional, succeeding Fred Decker, and remained on the scene until his retirement in 1987, after which he became the club's "Director of Golf." Mike's salary in 1943 was $1,500, from which he was expected to pay the caddy master.

Mike's first job in golf came in the pro shop at the Metropolis Country Club. He then became assistant professional at Innwood in the late 1920's before being named "playing professional" representing Fairview in 1931. All told, Mike played on tour for 18 years before settling down at Knollwood. He won the 1933 and 1941 Westchester Opens, and the 1949 Met P.G.A. at Ardsley, but is better known for having finished second to Ben Hogan in both the 1948 P.G.A. Championship and the 1942 Hale America Tournament, the war-time substitute for the U.S. Open. Mike also played in the inaugural Masters Tournament in 1934 along with brother Joe.

Mike is also remembered for a narrow second-round loss to Byron Nelson in the 1945 P.G.A. Championship. In that match, Mike led by two holes with four to play, and parred out, only to fall victim to a birdie-birdie eagle-par finish by "Lord Byron. Mike fired rounds of 68-69 in as gallant a losing effort as that national championship has ever seen. Nelson would later comment that this was the best finish of his career.

Mike has been honored twice by the Metropolitan section of the P.G.A., first with its "Professional of the Year" award in 1963, then with the "Sam Snead Award" for contributions to golf and the P.G.A., in 1986.

Mike and Willie teamed up in 1946 to win the M.G.A.'s Amateur-Professional Championship, a regional "major" tournament that replaced the Met Open for eight years 1941-1948. Mike passed away in November 2000 at the age of 93.

The seven Turnesa brothers with father Vitale.

The Turnesa's father, Vitale, also known as "Mike," was born in 1875. He came to the United States from Naples at age 14, an orphan and former shepherd at the time. He worked as a steward on the ferry boats operated by the Erie & Lackawanna Railroad between Manhattan and Hoboken, and eventually married Anna Pascarella.

In 1908, he walked the 26 miles from Manhattan to Elmsford where he came upon the Fairview Country Club's new course under construction. He applied for a job, and remained with the club for 52 years, eventually rising to the position of foreman on the greens'crew, then to greens superintendent. He built a home half a mile from the club. His sons caddied at Fairview, each starting at the age of five or six, and learned the fundamentals of the game under John Inglis, Fairview's long-serving golf professional who has been called the "Knute Rockne of golf." Vitale Turnesa died in 1960, three years after his wife had passed away.

Of the other Turnesa brothers, perhaps the most accomplished was Joe, who won the inaugural Met P.G.A. tournament in 1926, then recaptured that title in 1930. He also finished one stroke behind Gene Sarazen in the 1925 Met Open, but he too is best remembered for his runnerup finishes in national championships, finishing one stroke behind Bobby Jones in the 1926 U.S. Open and losing 2&1 to Walter Hagen in the finals of the 1927 P.G.A. Championship.

Joe represented the United States on three Ryder Cup teams, and eventually settled down at the Rockville Links, serving that club as professional for some 20 years. Mike Turnesa, Jr., is now the Rockville professional. Joe Turnesa also is remembered for having won two tour events while putting one-handed. Jim Turnesa did win a major, the 1952 P.G.A. Championship, beating Chick Harbert 1-up for the title. He also won the 1959 Met Open and finished second in 1952, and played on Ryder Cup and Canada Cup teams.

Phil Turnesa served as professional at the Elmwood Country Club for over 50 years. Doug and Frank also were club professionals locally, Doug at Briar Hall, Frank at Briar Hills and Harrison.

Joe, Mike and Jim have been elected to the Metropolitan P.G.A.'s Hall Of Fame.

[Sidebar: Click here for Corey Kigannon's New York Times article on "7 Famous Brothers" plus a never published before photo of Wlater Hagen, Joe Turnesa and Gene Sarazen at the 1st Ryder Cup.]

[previous]