JOHN BOGAERT LIKES EARLY MORNING GOLF
Taking up the game of golf at the age of 35 certainly has not hindered 69-year-old White Lake golfer John Bogaert's status as an outstanding golfer who regularly gets in 90 to 100 rounds of recreational golf during the short Tri-State golf season.
As owner-operator of the White Lake Fine Wine & Spirits Shoppe John gets in 4 to 5 rounds of golf on his two days off (Monday and Tuesday) and many days during the rest of the week getting up at 4 a.m. to be at the golf course to tee off at 5 a.m. so he can complete 18-holes of golf before he has to open his Shoppe at 9:30. "Most days at that time of the day I can get 18-holes done in one and one-half hours," he added.
Never golf on Sunday is John's strong stance as "this is family day and although I love golf I consider my greatest accomplishments are my family and especially my wife."
John noted that although he actually started playing golf at age 35 he did play one round in 1965 and "really got into the game in 1976."
Born and raised in Princess Bay and Dongan Hills, Staten Island, John attended high school at McKee High where he played Junior Varsity basketball and softball.
During the years of 1947-1951 his family lived in Venice, Florida but moved back to Staten Island in 1951.
John said he had a great love for horses as a youngster and had his own saddle horse which he rode in various Rodeo events and roped calves on Sunday. After high school he got involved with trotters and pacers (standard bred) and drove his first race at Liberty Bell near Philadelphia, Pa in 1963.
Experience with the trotters and pacers soon turned his attention to horse training and conditioning . John raced at Monticello Raceway in 1959 the second year the track was in operation with a short racing season of May through September.
In March of 1956 he was discharged from the Army and officially moved to Sullivan County where he trained two horses and became associated with well known owner-driver Lucien Fontaine who sent him four horses to train and condition.
That same year he met his wife, the former Rose Mary Manzi (of the famous Manzi racing family). John said they met on July 3, first dated on July 5 and were married that same year on November 13. Their family consists of two children, John and Christine and four grandchildren.
John stayed in the horse training and conditioning business for 15 years and in the fall of 1966 received a great job offer as a liquor salesmen with Graves & Rodgers and stayed with that company for 21 years before buying his White Lake store in 1988 which he has owned for 23 years.
Although he does not actively bowl anymore, John previously bowled in the Liberty Lanes Wednesday Business league and the Friday Mixed league with his wife in the 1980's. This lefty bowler maintained a 185 average which was considered at that time to be in the high average category. He bowled his only career 300 game on February 22, 1985.
Bogaert's golfing career included open recreational golf in 1976, league play at Lochmor in 1979, Wednesday Men's league at Sullivan County Golf & Country Club in the 1980's.
A member for 10 years at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club John played last year to a 4 handicap.
His golfing travels take him to some 34 different courses in the Tri-State area and his accomplishments include shooting an ace hole-in-one May 7, 2007 on hole No. 16 at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, broke 70 twice and shot 69 at the Liberty Sullivan County Golf & Country Club, 69 at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club in 1995, have shot 15-16 rounds at even par at various courses and most of the time scores in the middle to high 70's.
Championship tournament play includes playing five times in the New York State Senior Amateur Tournament (at various courses throughout the state) where he made the cut twice,
has won low gross and lot net in the Monticello Kiwanis Tournament in the late 90's, won the senior division in the Sullivan County Amateur Tour in 1998 and won in May 1998 the Heineken Invitational at the Costadelsol Golf Course in Aruba which was a 9-hole tournament.
John pointed out that he was vacationing in Aruba and had not taken his golf shoes and clubs so he had to rent shoes and clubs and shot a 35 which was one under par to win this event which was open to only hotel guests where he was staying.
In pointing out some of his early morning golf matches John said "it's not light enough at times so we hit the ball and it we don't hear the ball hitting trees we figure it's in the fairway somewhere."
Taking up the game of golf at the age of 35 certainly has not hindered 69-year-old White Lake golfer John Bogaert's status as an outstanding golfer who regularly gets in 90 to 100 rounds of recreational golf during the short Tri-State golf season.
As owner-operator of the White Lake Fine Wine & Spirits Shoppe John gets in 4 to 5 rounds of golf on his two days off (Monday and Tuesday) and many days during the rest of the week getting up at 4 a.m. to be at the golf course to tee off at 5 a.m. so he can complete 18-holes of golf before he has to open his Shoppe at 9:30. "Most days at that time of the day I can get 18-holes done in one and one-half hours," he added.
Never golf on Sunday is John's strong stance as "this is family day and although I love golf I consider my greatest accomplishments are my family and especially my wife."
John noted that although he actually started playing golf at age 35 he did play one round in 1965 and "really got into the game in 1976."
Born and raised in Princess Bay and Dongan Hills, Staten Island, John attended high school at McKee High where he played Junior Varsity basketball and softball.
During the years of 1947-1951 his family lived in Venice, Florida but moved back to Staten Island in 1951.
John said he had a great love for horses as a youngster and had his own saddle horse which he rode in various Rodeo events and roped calves on Sunday. After high school he got involved with trotters and pacers (standard bred) and drove his first race at Liberty Bell near Philadelphia, Pa in 1963.
Experience with the trotters and pacers soon turned his attention to horse training and conditioning . John raced at Monticello Raceway in 1959 the second year the track was in operation with a short racing season of May through September.
In March of 1956 he was discharged from the Army and officially moved to Sullivan County where he trained two horses and became associated with well known owner-driver Lucien Fontaine who sent him four horses to train and condition.
That same year he met his wife, the former Rose Mary Manzi (of the famous Manzi racing family). John said they met on July 3, first dated on July 5 and were married that same year on November 13. Their family consists of two children, John and Christine and four grandchildren.
John stayed in the horse training and conditioning business for 15 years and in the fall of 1966 received a great job offer as a liquor salesmen with Graves & Rodgers and stayed with that company for 21 years before buying his White Lake store in 1988 which he has owned for 23 years.
Although he does not actively bowl anymore, John previously bowled in the Liberty Lanes Wednesday Business league and the Friday Mixed league with his wife in the 1980's. This lefty bowler maintained a 185 average which was considered at that time to be in the high average category. He bowled his only career 300 game on February 22, 1985.
Bogaert's golfing career included open recreational golf in 1976, league play at Lochmor in 1979, Wednesday Men's league at Sullivan County Golf & Country Club in the 1980's.
A member for 10 years at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club John played last year to a 4 handicap.
His golfing travels take him to some 34 different courses in the Tri-State area and his accomplishments include shooting an ace hole-in-one May 7, 2007 on hole No. 16 at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, broke 70 twice and shot 69 at the Liberty Sullivan County Golf & Country Club, 69 at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club in 1995, have shot 15-16 rounds at even par at various courses and most of the time scores in the middle to high 70's.
Championship tournament play includes playing five times in the New York State Senior Amateur Tournament (at various courses throughout the state) where he made the cut twice,
has won low gross and lot net in the Monticello Kiwanis Tournament in the late 90's, won the senior division in the Sullivan County Amateur Tour in 1998 and won in May 1998 the Heineken Invitational at the Costadelsol Golf Course in Aruba which was a 9-hole tournament.
John pointed out that he was vacationing in Aruba and had not taken his golf shoes and clubs so he had to rent shoes and clubs and shot a 35 which was one under par to win this event which was open to only hotel guests where he was staying.
In pointing out some of his early morning golf matches John said "it's not light enough at times so we hit the ball and it we don't hear the ball hitting trees we figure it's in the fairway somewhere."
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