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In 1990, a young PGA Professional named Tim Ausperk had a choice to make—two job offers, two career paths. One was at Parkview and Airport Greens, and the other was at Black Brook Golf Course in Mentor, Ohio. He chose Black Brook, attracted by the opportunity to run his own shop in his second year. That decision turned into a 35-year legacy, still going strong today.
Ausperk’s path into the golf industry wasn’t straightforward. Growing up just up the street from Mayfield Country Club, he began as a caddie in sixth grade—the magic age when you could start earning loops. Bob Hamrick was the head professional when Tim started, and Charlie Wood took over the following year. “Charlie was the one who made me think being a golf pro was something cool,” Tim says. “I always thought I wanted to be a Charlie Wood one day.”
He played high school golf at Cathedral Latin before transferring to Brush High School his junior year, where he stopped playing competitively. A brief detour into the tool-and-die world followed—Tim even started taking classes at Lakeland Community College to pursue it. But each day, driving past Parkview Golf Course, he couldn’t shake the feeling that his future belonged in golf.
On his dad’s advice, he went back to talk to Charlie Wood about becoming a PGA Professional. Wood’s assistant, Tom Sluiter, was at the end of the PGA apprentice program and helped Tim understand the path. “The playing ability test was the part I wasn’t sure I could pass,” he says. “I hadn’t played in two years.”
Tim worked nights at a restaurant and took a daytime job at Willoughby Golf Center under George Brown so he could practice. “Eventually I got back to where I could shoot in the low 70s,” he recalls. That discipline paid off—he passed the PAT, became a PGA Member in 1987, and spent the next seven years helping George Brown expand the golf center’s business to four locations and over $3 million in annual sales.
Still, he wanted to be on an 18-hole course. In 1990, the opportunity at Black Brook came along—and he’s never looked back.
Tim worked under private ownership until 2005, when the City of Mentor purchased the course. When the facility’s general manager chose not to stay on, the city asked Tim to lead the way. Today, he serves as Head Golf Professional and Golf Course Manager.
“Sometimes I look back and can’t believe I’ve been here this long,” he says with a laugh. “But I still love it. Thursdays are my favorite day of the week—junior golf day.”
His junior golf league is a cornerstone of the Black Brook experience. When the Willoughby Golf Center closed, many of its juniors came over to Black Brook, and Tim made sure they had a home. “We become like family,” he says. “They invite me to graduation parties or tournaments—it means a lot.”
He often thinks back to something his brother Christopher told him: “You’re who you needed when you were young.” That philosophy still guides him.
While many accomplishments mark his career, Tim fondly remembers his first Northern Ohio PGA Section tournament—a best ball at Astorhurst with future Section Hall of Famers like Dominic Antenucci and Rod Johnston in the field. “We were the first group out, shot 61, and didn’t know any better,” he recalls. The round won them $400 each. Tim took that money and bought a dog. “The dog cost exactly $400,” he says with a smile.
His approachable, steady presence is part of what’s made him a mainstay at Black Brook. “I think one of my best qualities is just being friendly and approachable. I like to talk, but I really like to listen. People know they can come to me and talk about their game, their swing, or anything else. I’m here to help.”
As for advice to the next generation of professionals?
“Remember names. That little thing makes a huge difference. I learned that in a PGA seminar with Bob Burg, and it stuck with me. When someone calls you by name, it changes the interaction. It builds trust.”
After 35 years at Black Brook, it’s clear that Tim Ausperk has done much more than build trust—he’s built a legacy.
Will Grimmer approached his golf ball which had come to rest on the right side of the 18th fairway on the South Course of Firestone Country Club.
He was protecting a one-shot lead in the final round of the 104th Ohio Open Championship -- which he had authored by playing nearly flawless golf through 17 holes -- and was about 167 yards from the pin.
It was very close to the spot Tiger Woods had stood in near darkness in 2000 and pulled off one of the most memorable shots during one of his eight victories at Firestone.
In fact, Grimmer was so close to the spot he could read the commemorative plaque that club officials had placed there, acknowledging Woods’ “Shot In The Dark” that led to a victory in the World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational.
Grimmer, a self-admitted golf historian, could not resist.
“I was four paces in front of the Tiger plaque so I tapped it for a little good luck,” said Grimmer, a teaching professional from Cincinnati. “I hit the same club, a little 8-iron to 25 feet and was able to roll it in for birdie.”
Woods also birdied. But from two feet. He won that event by 11 shots. Grimmer won by two. Whose shot was more critical to victory?
The birdie, his fifth of the day and third over the last nine holes, enabled Grimmer to finish with his third straight round of 66 and a winning score of 14-under 198 in the first Ohio Open played at Firestone in 63 years.
Ohio State sophomore Vaughn Harber shot two-under 68 to finish second, two shots behind with rounds of 63-69=200 and 2021 Open champion Jake McBride (Hartville) also shot 68 and finished in a tie for third place with Westerville professional Troy Taylor II, both at 9-under 203.
“Luckily I was able to keep my nerves under control and stay within myself and execute and a high level,” said Grimmer, who owns a golf training facility in downtown Cincinnati. “So, it was very rewarding to win. And winning at Firestone and on the South Course is special.”
Grimmer, a 2019 Ohio State graduate, began the final round in a tie for fifth place, one shot behind second-round leaders Ken Keller (Youngstown), Garrett Wood (Clarksville) and amateurs Kyle Smith (Akron) and Nolan Haynes (Barberton).
The 28-year old, who has spent time on the Korn Ferry and Canadian Tours, took the lead for good with back-to-back birdies on the 410-yard 10th and 418-yard 11th.
From that point he reeled off six straight, stress-free pars before finishing with that dramatic 30-foot birdie putt on the closing hole with Harber just one-shot behind.
Grimmer, 28, earns $10,000 for his victory.
Second-round leaders Wood, Smith and Haynes were in contention until the later stages and struggled against the demanding South Course layout in the final round.
Smith, a sophomore at Xavier, finished with a 75 for a 54-hole total of 6-under 206. Wood, a University of Kentucky graduate, shot 76 to finish at 207 and Haynes, a sophomore at Kent State who had the tournament’s lowest round of 8-under 62 on Monday, shot 80 to finish at 211.
McBride, who has not played a competitive round since leaving the playing part of golf one year ago to sell golf equipment, went 69-66 in his first two rounds and was pleased with his finish.
Harber, who helped OSU win the National Golf Invitational – golf’s version of basketball’s NIT – in May, was part of a two-man tie for fifth at 10-under after the first two rounds, suffered three straight bogeys on holes 6-8 but fought back brilliantly on the back nine.
He birdied four of the first six holes to get to 12-under and one stroke behind. He nearly chipped in for birdie from behind the green on the legendary 16th hole – which played at 636 yards – but could not get any lower the rest of the way.
Wood, a University of Kentucky grad, bogeyed two of the first three holes and never seemed to comfortable.
Smith, a Green High grad, also bogeyed two of the first sandwiched around a birdie on the 526-yard second. He was in contention until suffering consecutive bogeys on the 471-yard 13th and 467-yard 14th to fall to 7-under.
Haynes also had a rough outing with four bogeys on the front and a retched triple-bogey on 16 after hitting it into the water fronting the green.
To the surprise of no one, the South Course was its usual, unforgiving self. Only 10 players in the field of 71 starters broke par in the final round.
Several local players fared well, however, as Dover's Tyler Light birdied four holes on the front and eventually finished at 5-under 207 with rounds of 68-71-68.
Shaker Heights amateur Andrew Bailey, who will attempt to win a third straight Ohio Amateur Championship next week, also finished at 207 (67-71-69) and Akron’s Solomon Petrie, who will transfer from Kentucky to Toledo, finished at 208 (69-66-73).
GO FIGURE: Dublin’s Bob Sowards and Firestone member Howard Clendenin, who battled for the Ohio Senior Open Championship in May before Sowards prevailed, both shot final-round 69s to finish at two-under 210.
NEVER TOO OLD: Missed on Tuesday was he round fired by former Firestone and Brookside Director of Golf Gary Robison. With nines of 36-35 Robison shot his age. At 71, the NOPGA Hall-of-Famer was the oldest player in the field.
By Tim Rogers, NOPGA Media
