Deitz calm under pressure

SCHENECTADY — Justin Deitz has the perfect temperament for golf.

He doesn’t throw clubs, doesn’t yell when he misses a putt and doesn’t fret over shooting higher scores than usual.

“Actually, the strongest part of my game is the way I control myself on the golf course. I don’t let anything get to me,” said the 18-year-old Shenendehowa High School graduate, who will attend Siena College in the fall. “Being calm is a natural part of my personality. My mom always wonders where I got it from. I don’t have a temper or anything. That’s the way I’ve always been.”

Deitz, a member of The Edison Club, will put his calm demeanor to the test today when he competes in The Gazette Newspapers’ annual Newspaper in Education Capital District Junior Golf Championship at Schenectady Municipal Golf Course. A field of 97 will tee off with an 8 a.m. shotgun.

One of the reasons Deitz never gets upset with his golf game is because he’s a brilliant putter.

“My favorite club is the putter, he said. “The last two years, I’ve stayed strong with the putter, but earlier this year, I kind of struggled a little with it. Usually, though, it’s the strongest part of my game.”

Deitz has his own putting style, and he never deviates from it.

“I’ve always been more of a feel putter,” he said. “I usually pick a line first, and even if it’s downhill, I never think too much about the speed. I’ve been told that the ones I make sometimes are moving pretty good at the hole. But when I roll the ball, I feel like I’m doing it at the perfect speed for me.

“I just step right up and putt the ball. I don’t take a practice stroke. I may take a couple of practice swings behind the ball when I’m looking at the line, but when I’m ready to go, I just step up and hit it.”

Deitz surprised many observers when he reached the quarterfinals of the New York State Amateur several weeks ago at Pinehaven Country Club. He won a pair of matches and represented the Capital Region contingent extremely well.

“That was a lot of fun, but the proudest moment of my career, so far, was qualifying for the USGA Juniors last year,” he said. “I didn’t play too well out there, but I was playing with the top juniors in the world, and it was a real thrill.”

Interestingly, Deitz became basically a scratch player in just four years.

“I was a hockey player growing up,” he said. “I never played golf until I started high school.

Going from eighth grade to my freshman year in high school is when I really took up the game. I got on the varsity team as a freshman.”

It was while playing hockey that Deitz started getting severe migraine headaches that have plagued him for a couple of years, but recently, those headaches have gone away.

“In the last few weeks since I played in the State Am, I haven’t had a migraine since,” he said.

Deitz will be among the top contenders in a loaded 15-18 age division. Other favorites include Bryan Barach of Mohawk Golf Club, Brad Krohl of Ballston Spa Country Club, Nick Longo of Albany Country Club, Ryan Prinzo of Normanside Country Club and Mark Sabatino of Saratoga Lake. Each is listed as a scratch player.

Other strong challengers are Dan Bennison of Pinehaven Country Club, Andrew Bissonette of Stadium, Kevin Brown of Orchard Creek, James Buchanan of Olde Kinderhook, Joe Cimmino of Western Turnpike and Dan DeNyse of Capital Hills at Albany.

In the boys’ 12-14 division, Alex DeMarco of Stadium, Jon Farah and D.J. Tozier of Mohawk Golf Club, Victor Fox of Normanside Country Club, Chris Giglio of Pinehaven CC and Ryan Lynch of Schenectady Municipal Golf Course are among the favorites.

There are 11 players in the girls’ 12-18 division. Top threats include Sarah Romer, Jenn Murphy and Rachel Murphy of Mohawk Golf Club, Bailey Cocca of Shaker Ridge Country Club, Jacqueline Young and Lisa Gyangen of The Edison Club, Stephanie Bednar of Columbia Golf & Country Club and Jessica Madsen and Grace Ziamandanis of Colonie Golf & Country Club.

Prizes will be awarded for low gross and Calloway net in all three divisions.

PAIRINGS

1A – Bryan Barach, Brad Krohl, Nick Longo, Ryan Prinzo.

1B – Jim Buchanan, Justin Deitz, Shane Kisielis, Mark Sabatino.

2A – James Bologna, Scott Brayden, Joe Macaluso, Sean Miles.

3A – Seth Adams, Bryan Gorman, Victor Ralbovsky, Jeff Stopera.

3B – Chris Hilliker, Derek MacLeod, Josh Powers, Patrick Seebald.

4A – Brandon Bush, Conor Hart, Pete Koehler, Chris Mathewson.

5A – Erik Hill, Brendan Jeffes, Isaiah Marcelle, Matt McCaffrey.

5B – Animesh Hajela, Ethan Kreisel, Alex Olbrych, Kevin Schlansker.

6A – Lucas Grant, William Mallia, David Mastroianni, Ran Zielinski.

7A – Kevin Brown, Joe Cimmino, Kyle Young, John Young.