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After three decades as Head Golf Professional at Westwood Country Club, John Sico will retire at the end of the year, leaving behind a career defined by relationships, service, and a genuine love for the game.
Sico’s golf story started on Cleveland’s west side, where his father introduced him to the game at age 10. He grew up playing at Ridgewood Golf Course alongside future PGA Professionals, including longtime friend Rob Moss, now Head Professional at Pepper Pike Club. His earliest memories were shaped by then-Head Professional Bob Barto, who gave him his very first lesson.
After playing high school golf at Padua and four years of collegiate golf at Xavier University, Sico considered a career in sales. But a graduation trip to visit family in California unexpectedly set his path in golf. He began working at The Lakes in Palm Desert, where he logged 60-hour weeks as an assistant. “I didn’t know what I was getting into,” he laughs, “but I learned so much.”
That experience led him into the PGA Program, and eventually back to Cleveland to split seasons between Palm Desert and Mayfield Country Club. When an opportunity arose at Westwood in the early 1990s, Sico had to choose between Long Island’s Maidstone Club and a future in Cleveland. He chose Westwood — and his future wife, Maureen. By 1995, he was promoted to Head Professional, and in 2016 became Director of Golf, a role he has held since.
Two PGA Professionals left a lasting impact on Sico’s philosophy: Mike Clifford at The Lakes, who was “the consummate professional” in member relations, and Charlie Wood in Cleveland, whose even-keeled humor shaped Sico’s approach to leadership.
“They showed me that being a golf professional is really about people first,” Sico reflects. “I’ve always considered myself a people pleaser, someone who overcares — not about what members think of me, but how they’re treated. My goal was always to make their experience special.” During his tenure, Sico has mentored numerous young Assistant Professionals himself, more than 10 of whom have advanced to become Head Professionals, Directors of Golf, or even owners of their own facilities. Many of them remain in contact with him to this day. Sico credits much of his success to the people he’s worked with at Westwood, including both former and current General Managers and Superintendents—individuals with whom he spent more time during the summer months than even his own family. "Over the years, the colleagues I’ve worked with have made coming to work each day genuinely enjoyable. Building strong relationships throughout the club staff is essential, as collaboration is key to achieving our shared goals."
That philosophy has defined his career. From bringing champagne out to a member who made a hole-in-one, to organizing unforgettable trips abroad, Sico’s people-first focus has been his hallmark.
Among his favorite memories are the many trips abroad with Westwood members — to Ireland, Scotland, and the UK. “On those bus rides, you really get to know people differently,” Sico says. “They look at you in a whole new way after you’ve traveled together.”
For aspiring PGA Professionals, Sico emphasizes two points:
● Complete your PGA work early. “It takes time to figure out how a club works, and getting the coursework out of the way frees you to focus on your craft.”
● As your daily list of “things to-do” gets longer instead of shorter, be grateful for your environment. “It’s the best office you could ever have. If you’re frustrated, you can step outside, check the pace of play on the course or hit a few putts, breathe and reset.”
Retirement doesn’t mean slowing down. During COVID, Sico discovered a passion for teaching when his lesson book tripled. He also hopes to explore creative outlets in music, painting, and nature, and he jokes that he plays “a mean air guitar” while recently adding bongos to his collection.
Sico and his wife Maureen raised three sons — all of whom worked at Westwood during high school, one as a caddie and two in the bag room. Now grown, they remain part of the extended Westwood family.
As John Sico prepares to close the chapter on his professional career, his legacy is clear: 32 years of service marked by warmth, humor, and an unwavering commitment to making others feel valued.
By Danielle Monas
After opening the 41st Northern Ohio Senior PGA Professional Championship with a 3-under 68 on Monday, Painesville’s Gary Rusnak questioned whether he would be able to go under par again during Tuesday’s final round at testy Chagrin Valley Country Club.
“You know, I came to the Section five years ago when I was 57 and I had a pretty good run,” he said on Monday while sitting on a two-shot lead. “Won some events. Played pretty well. But I’m 62 now and those good rounds don’t come one after the other like they used to.”
Sometimes they do.
Rusnak refuted his Monday concerns on Tuesday, shot a one-under 70 and won the Championship for the second time in five years with a two-day total of 4-under 168.
“It wasn’t stress free,” I’ll tell you that,” said Rusnak, who held off hard charges from Belmont Country Club Director of Instruction Mike Stone (74-67=141) and Union Country Club Head Professional Sean Kenily (70-71=141). “It was stressful.”
Cheers to Rusnak, 62, and Kenily, 56, as the only two players able to post consecutive sub-par rounds over CVCC’s 6,456 wind-blown yards.
Youngstown Country Club Assistant Pro Jon Jones (70-74=144) finished fourth to earn the final qualifying spot to the 37th Senior PGA Professional Championship, to be held Oct. 23-26 at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Kenily, seventh in this event last year at Westbrook Country Club, began the day two shots behind but soon got Rusnak’s attention. While Rusnak birdied two of the first four holes Kenily birdied three of the final five, including a chip-in from the back fringe on the 510-yard fifth, to take a one stroke lead at 5-under to Rusnak’s 4-under.
The lead didn’t last long as Rusnak parred the par-3 ninth to Kenily’s bogey.
“He got off to a great start,” Rusnak said. “I mean, it got to the point that we were either tied or he was ahead. “He played very well.”
Things started to change in Rusnak’s favor early on the back nine. He birdied the easy 11th – to Kenily’s par -- by making a six-foot putt and made par on the demanding 12th – arguably the toughest hole on the course – while Kenily took a dreaded double bogey. A lip-out from six feet led to a bogey on 13 and an errant drive into the left trees forced Kenily to punch about sideways, which led to another bogey on 14.
It’s not like Rusnak took charge as he also bogeyed the 13th and 14th but did not let panic take over. He played holes 10 through 14 at one-over to Kenily’s four-over. The lead was back to two.
Perhaps an overlooked hole was the 408-yard 15th. Both made par but Rusnak was forced to make a tricky four-footer.
“The two-putt on 15 was big,” he said. “I knew I was two or three shots ahead so I felt if I could par in I would be okay.”
Both sandwiched a birdie between two pars over the final three holes.
“I thought 12 and 13 were big swings,” said Rusnak, who went par-bogey to Kenily’s double and bogey.
Meanwhile, several groups in front, Mike Stone was trying to make a charge. The 2023 champ and two-time runnerup led the field with six birdies. His fifth of the day on the 330-yard 14th got him to even for the first time since Monday morning. He closed his round with a birdie on the 18th to get into the red numbers.
While Rusnak allayed his pre-round fears with back-to-back par-breaking rounds he said winning at 62 was extremely harder than winning at 57, as he did in 2021. He might even be a little more proud on Tuesday than he was on the final day at Lakewood Country Club.
“I told you that when I returned to the Section five or six years ago at age 57 and had a really good run it was one thing. But now I’m older and there are a lot more younger guys, guys in their 50s, coming in and they are very good players, like Mike Stone and a lot of others. It’s tough. It’s tough to win at my age. So, I am really proud of this. To win in your 60s is not easy. Gary Robison did it and made it look easy. But that’s Gary.”
Rusnak did not make it look easy. But, for two days he made a believer of himself and many other guys in their 60s. Back-to-back rounds under par in the heat of competition can do that.
By Tim Rogers, NOPGA Media
