Locascio (left) won First Flight of the Inaugural Men's Net Championship in 2017 at South Hills Country Club. Pictured here with 2017 WPGA Handicap Chair and current Vice President Dan Johnston (right).

Tony Locascio - 232 rounds in 227 days
By Mike Dudurich • April 20, 2020

Mike is a freelance writer and host of The Golf Show on 93.7 The Fan Saturday mornings from 7-8 AM. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeDudurich.


Editor's Note: We understand that many people are going through difficult situations as we continue to navigate this public health crisis. During this uncertain and difficult time, the WPGA will continue to produce local golf content in a series as an outlet for the golf community. This is the first in that series. We hope that you all enjoy.

There are golfers who set high goals each year in terms of rounds played. It’s a badge of honor of sorts.

In all kinds of weather, the target hunters are out on the course doing their best to reach those goals.

Even though he posted 232 rounds during the 227-day West Penn Golf Association active season in 2019, Sewickley’s Tony Locascio is not one of those guys.

“I just like to play, like to walk and carry my bag,” he said. “I always try to do that. I love the game, the exercise. I like to be outside. That’s what motivates me.”

The 54-year-old is a native of California and graduated from UCLA in finance but had little to no interest in golf at that point in his life.

“I was exposed to golf while I was doing some business work at Oakmont Golf Club (in Santa Rosa, California),” he said. “I’d spend time with my father-in-law watching golf on TV and I thought it was really boring. But I started playing when I was 31.”

Once Locascio was hooked, he was hooked big-time. He took advantage of California’s generally nice weather and his job as a consultant at a golf course, playing as often as he could.

His game improved as he continued to play, and that game traveled across the country when he and his wife moved to Western Pennsylvania four years ago for her job.

Locascio joined Sewickley Heights when he and his wife settled here, and he’s been a fixture at the club since.

His big year of 232 rounds featured his best round of the year of 73. He had a few eagles and won the senior net champion at Sewickley. And he almost had a very special round at his home club.

“I made a hole-in-one on the 13th (170 yards) and came within inches of one on the 16th (201 yards),” Locascio said. “That would have been a really special day.”

Locascio said he played to a “4-something handicap index” last year and had his career-best round of 70.

“I’m not a bomber, I average about 230 off the tee,” he said. “That’s a disadvantage sometimes, but the consistency I normally have from playing as often as I do makes up for it.”

In addition to enjoying the exercise and the outdoors, Locascio also gets great satisfaction from playing with a regular group of guys with a standing collection of wagers always in play. “I love gambling on the course,” he said with a laugh.

His total of 232 rounds is remarkable, especially in an area where bright, sunny days are no longer the norm. But he was right back at it as 2019 wound down. From December to February, Locascio played 60 rounds during the height of winter, although this one was a mild one.

Regardless, he played 60 rounds in that time, getting out every week, sometimes three of four times a week.

“I’ll play in 38 degrees as long as there’s no wind,” he said.

Now that’s a man who truly loves the game.


About the WPGA
Founded in 1899, the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association is the steward of amateur golf in the region. Started by five Member Clubs, the association now has nearly 200 Member Clubs and 33,000 members. The WPGA conducts 14 individual competitions and 10 team events, and administers the WPGA Scholarship Fund.