2011 Illinois PGA Senior Masters Honorees Terry Russell and Tony Makarek

The borough of Port Allegany, PA, nestled in the foothills of the Allegany Mountains in the far north-central reaches of the Keystone state is hardly what one would consider a breeding ground for golf professionals.  In fact, in the late 1960's you had to drive close to 20 miles one-way just to reach Smethport Country Club, the nearest 9-hole golf course.  But lack of convenient access, coupled with the fact his high school didn't even field a golf team back in those days, didn't preclude Terry Russell from finding his way to the game and carving out a successful career as a PGA golf professional.

Elected to PGA membership in 1981, Terry played all the typical sports growing up, including basketball, football and baseball.  But after being introduced to the game of golf while on vacation at the age of 9-years-old, Terry was immediately hooked.  "I can remember swinging a 9-iron and watching the ball fly high in the air and land on the green and stop.  I thought that was the coolest thing," says Russell today.  And he learned the game mostly from playing.  "We didn't have a driving range in the area or anywhere to really take lessons.  My parents would drop me off at the golf course on their way to work and I would just keep going around that 9-hole course until they'd pick me up on their way back after work.  Sometimes I'd play with friends, but a lot of times I'd just keep going around the golf course by myself."

Despite playing many rounds of golf throughout his teenage years, it wasn't until he came across an article in Golf Digest magazine in 1975 that his path to a career in golf was truly set.  "I read about the PGA's new Professional Golf Management program at Ferris State (University) and really felt like that was something I wanted to try."  At the time Terry had spent his first two years of college attending Penn State Erie at Behrend College studying civil engineering.  After enrolling at Ferris State, Terry went on to graduate as part of the very first PGM class in 1978.  Today the PGA's PGM program is now offered at more than 20 universities across the country.

Upon graduating, Terry served his first internship at The Pittsburgh Field Club in Pittsburgh, PA, under PGA professional Gary Ellis.  In fact it was Ellis, who at the time was serving as the vice-president of the PGA of America, who gave Terry his first taste of being involved and active within the PGA.  "I got to see and experience some really neat thinks working alongside Gary," remembers Russell.  "It was a real indoctrination into the inter-workings of the Association."  One of those "neat experiences" included picking up the Ryder Cup from Arnold Palmer.  "As vice president of the Association one of Gary's duties one-time was to pick up the cup from Arnold here in Pennsylvania and transport it to the airport so it could be flown to England for a party the Queen was holding," said Russell.  "It was the coolest thing.  We opened up the box and there was the actual Ryder Cup.  Of course we had our picture taken with it and the whole deal.  It was just one of those experiences you just don't get every day in the golf business."

Following his internship at The Pittsburgh Field Club Terry worked briefly at the Country Club of Florida, where he was introduced to long-time Illinois PGA professional Hal Miller.  Miller brought Terry up to Evanston Golf Club, where he would serve seven years as an assistant professional.  "During my time at Evanston I learned a lot from Hal about the business, and I also had the opportunity to play a lot.  That was back before the days of Monday outings at clubs, so we would go play all of these wonderful courses around Chicago on our day off.  That's when I decided I wanted to stay in the Chicago area and establish my career," says Russell.

Following a brief three-year hiatus from the golf business in the mid-1980's, during which time he traded commodities on the Chicago Board of Trade, Terry took a job in 1988 as an assistant golf professional to Ken Bartosh at Bryn Mawr Country Club in Lincolnwood, IL.  Three years later in 1991 he would gain his first head professional position at River Forest Country Club in Elmhurst, IL, where he served for 15 years.

In 2006 Russell was offered the opportunity to return to Bryn Mawr, this time as the head golf professional, and continues to serve in that role today.  And his service to the game has not been limited to the facilities he has worked for.  In his now more than 30 years working and playing in the Illinois Section PGA, Russell has built an impressive resume of service and achievements both on and off the golf course.  In 2010 he completed a 16-year run serving as an Illinois Section Director and Officer, including two years as President (2006 – 2008).  Seven of those years he served as Section Tournament Chairman.

On the course Terry has qualified for and played in two Western Opens.  In 2002 Terry earned the highest honor possible for a PGA member at the Section level when he was named Golf Professional of the Year by his peers.  "I really enjoy working in and calling the Illinois Section my home," says Russell.  "All of these guys that I'm now playing senior golf with, the Mike Harrigan's and the Steve Benson's and the Jim Sobb's, they're all legend professionals in the Section and they're all good friends of mine.  I've been working and playing with them for more than 30 years now and they're all great golf professionals.  But more importantly they're great people, and I'm proud of those friendships that have been bonded through the Association.  I wouldn't trade those relationships for anything."

At 56, Russell feels he still has a big chunk of his career ahead of him.  "I've still got a long way to go, but I feel very fortunate to have gotten where I have so far in my career.  Golf has given me so much.  I often think about what I might be doing if I hadn't seen that article in Golf Digest that pulled me toward the PGM program and a career in golf.  It has provided me with so many wonderful experiences and opportunities."

Terry currently resides in Arlington Heights, IL, with his wife Nancy and son Steven.

Some people work in the golf business and call it their job. Tony Makarek works in the golf business and calls it his passion. It was his passion back in 1969 when he took his first assistant professional job. It was his passion 15 years later when he was blessed to get the opportunity to become the head professional at the club where he fell in love with the game as a caddie. And at age 64 it's his passion today, as he continues to work 42 years after first getting into the business.

Born in Germany, Tony's family immigrated to the United States when he was five years old. While growing up in the south suburbs of Chicago, Tony began caddying at Ravisloe Country Club at age 13. It was at Ravisloe, playing with the other caddies on Mondays, when Tony realized he not only enjoyed the game but had the athleticism and skill to play it well.

After graduating high school, Tony took a job at Continental Bank in Chicago. Shortly thereafter he was drafted into United States Army. While serving at Ft. Sill in Lawton, OK, Tony continued to hone his golf skills by playing with many of the military officers. After serving his country for two years (1965 – 1967), Tony returned to the south suburbs of Chicago and to Continental Bank. Within weeks Tony made a decision that would set the course for a now four-decade long career as a PGA professional. "It was at that time, as I contemplated what to do with my life, that I realized I wasn't an office guy", says Makarek today. "I needed to work outdoors and I wanted to be a golf professional."

First up was a stint as assistant professional at Lincolnshire Country Club in Crete, IL, from 1969 – 1971. In 1972 Tony moved over to another private south-side facility, Ridge Country Club, where he served for two seasons. In 1974 it was back to Lincolnshire CC, this time as head professional. Over the next ten years Tony established himself as a PGA professional. He earned his PGA membership in 1975, and worked hard at his duties as head professional and mentoring young professionals getting into the business. "I really enjoy working with people. In the golf business you meet so many wonderful people", says Makarek. "I love to work and I've always loved my job as a golf professional. But maybe the most rewarding aspect is working along side the kids getting into the golf business. I've always said that nobody ever works for me, they work with me. I've been very fortunate over the years to have good assistants and I cherish the time working with them and hopefully helping them achieve their goals."

In 1984 Tony was provided the good fortune of returning to where he was first introduced to the game when he was offered the head professional position at Ravisloe CC. "I was elated to go back to Ravisloe where it all started", says Makarek. Tony served the next 14 years at Ravisloe before moving over in the same role to neighboring Idlewild Country Club in 1996, where he still serves today.

While he enjoys playing, it's the day-to-day work as a head golf professional that truly drives him. "You need a passion for something in order to be good at it and to really enjoy it", said Makarek. "When I first told my father that I wasn't going to college he was worried for me", Makarek says emotionally today. "He didn't want me to have to work a common laborers job my entire life like he did. But I told him not to worry about me, that I would work hard and make something of myself." And make something of himself Tony no doubt has. His now 42-years and counting as a successful PGA professional can be attributed to a work ethic that demonstrates a passion for what he does day in and day out. And you can hear the passion when he talks about his career. "The bottom line is I love to work", says Makarek. "And I love to work in the golf business. I still enjoy playing, and I've played in tournaments over the years and I enjoy competing against my fellow professionals. But it's working and serving my membership everyday that I truly enjoy."

And there appears to be gas left in the tank for Tony. For now he plans to continue working hard for that membership at Idlewild. "I still have the energy, the desire and I'm blessed with good health. People say I should slow down and try and relax at this age. But the problem is, I don't know how to take it easy. Working is just what I do." And for that, Idlewild County Club and the PGA can be thankful!