‘Ock’ Willoweit was in at start of golf in U.S.

Oscar Gustavus "Ock" Wllloweit always referred to himself as The Dutchman. His friends, poking fun at his penchant for talking too much, called him The Silent Dutchman. It was a name that was never appropriate until now. Willoweit, one of Dayton's best known golf professionals, died Sunday afternoon after a two-year illness. He was 85.

“He was the most generous person I ever met” said former Daytonian Bob Rickey, whose father hired Willoweit for the MacGregor Golf Co. In 1928. "He made a lot of money and he gave everything away. He spent nothing on himself. He was a beautiful guy."

Willoweit, employed for 40 years.by MacGregor, was one of the 1st of a fading breed who saw golf get its start in the United States. He rubbed shoulders with the legends of the sport. At the age of 21, he worked as a clubmaker for the great Walter Hagen in St. Petersburg, Fla. He played golf with Tommy Armour, Jimmy Demaret, Ben Hogan, Toney Penna, Byron Nelson, Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead.

“I even played an exhibition with Babe Dickerson” he recalled last year. At this time of-year about 75 years ago Willoweit became infatuated with the game that supported him for life.

Born in Dayton In J 903, he was 10 years old when he saw some men playing golf while he was hunting mushrooms. His father, a butcher at Sucher Packing Co., was not a golfer. It was his mother who went downtown to the Banner Bazaar and bought him his first set of clubs – five irons and a wood – as a Christmas present.

Willoweit caddied as a teenager at the Dayton Country Club. He attended Stivers High School but did not graduate. He joined the Professional Golfers Association at the age of 15 and worked at pro shops in Cincinnati, Lima, Escanaba, Mich., and Brunswick, Ga. Willoweit was 25 years old when he went to work in Dayton for the Crawford, McGregor & Canby Co. He worked in the repair and special club department for I 0 years. 

Natural salesman

In 1938 he went on the road, selling MacGregor equipment to club-pros In Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.  "Dad (Clarence Rickey) saw that he had personality and was a natural salesman.'' Bob Rickey said.

Willoweit enjoyed his job because it enabled him to play a lot of golf. He would walk into a pro shop, write up an order and then adjourn to the golf course where he usually taught the host pro a lesson.

"To this day," Rickey said, "I run into guys, old pros, at the (PGA) merchandise show who ask about him. He didn't play good customer golf. He used beat their brains out.”

In his first year on the road, Wllloweit met his wife, Ruth, in Pittsburgh at a night club where she worked. They were married two years later and made a deal that was perfect for Ock. "If you'll take me dancing on Saturday nights," Ruth told him, "you can play all the golf you want."

Winning ways

Wllloweit's game was sharp. When he broke the course record at the old Dayton Power & Light Course by shooting a bogey-free 66, playing partner Wil Goeke called It "one of the most perfect rounds of golf I've ever seen.”

Willoweit won the Miami Valley PGA Match Play Championship at least three times - in 1953, 1957, and 1960- and won the MVPGA medal play crown eight times- in 1938, 1942, 1944, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1952 and 1957. He was 56 years old when he beat Carl Rohman of Troy Country Club for the 1960 match play crown. Willoweit played in at least six U.S. Open Championships, qualifying for the first time in 1926 at the age or 24 and the last time in 1956, when he was 52.

In 1954, he won the first PGA Club Professionals Championship in Dunedin, Fla. In 1956 he had what he considered his finest tournament. He was runner-up to Pete Burke in the PGA Senior Championship at Dunedin, losing by a stroke when Burke birdied the last hole.

One or Ock's favorite stories was about the time in 1938 when he failed to get a big check in a $10,000 tournament in Cleveland because he didn’t drink enough liquor. "Steve Zappe and I went up there and the night we hit town we had a few rounds of drinks,” Willoweit said.

After tying Ky Lafoon for the first round lead with a 70, Willoweit went out drinking again. He also had a few drinks the next night after shooting 71.       

After posting a 73 in the third round, Willoweit was tied for third and sensing that he could make $800 or so with one more good round. Some of his friends from Ohio threw a party, but Ock backed off.

"I figured there was too much at stake so I left around 10 p.m. without touching a drop,” he said. "The next day all I did was guide the ball. I shot a 78 and won only $75.

"I don't know whether turning teetotaler for a night was a big mistake, but when I got back to Dayton, my boss, Clarence Rickey, had me on the carpet. He asked me why I didn't get good and tight that night instead of breaking my luck.”

• Born 9/3/1903, birthplace Dayton, Ohio. Resided with parents, Father was born in Germany, Mother Ireland.  Both parents immigrated to the U.S. in the late 1800's.  Ock had 3 brothers, one sister.
• As a teenager he became interested in golf as well as other sports.  His passion was golf that was a major part of his entire life.  He was a caddy for several years as a teenager, and became a caddy master.  He advanced overtime to become an assistant golf professional, eventually becoming a professional.
• He was a golf pro at several golf clubs, including the Dayton Power & Light course, Walnut Grove, Dayton,  Lima Ohio, and Brunswick Georgia.
• At age 25 he became employed by the Mac Gregor & Canby Company in Dayton.  He was responsible for club repair & manufacture duties.
• MacGregor subsequently relocated to Cincinnati, and Ock was promoted to sales representative responsible for Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia & New York. His responsibility was calling on golf professionals at public & private clubs.  Mac Gregor produced "pro line" available only to club pros, not to retail outlets which were few during the early expansion of golf in the U.S. 
• Ock met his soon to be life long partner in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Ruth Goodman  They were married, raising three children, Ruthie, Romaine, and son Rickey.
• Ock would continue to work for Mac Gregor for 40 years, and play golf enhancing his skills.
• Essentially, his work schedule at MacGregor was from March through December, the active golf season in the north section of the country. This schedule was ideal as he was able to migrate to Florida in the winter months along with many other pros enabling him to interact with clients, and play golf. It was obvious he processed a high degree of skill in the sport, resulting in copious wins in local  tournaments.
• Accomplishments include, several course records; DP&L 66, Elks Country Club 64.  Seven verified hole in one.
• He was fortunate to develop friendships and play golf with the best pro golfers of the day. Champions such as; Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Tommy Armour, Gene Sarzen, Jimmy DeMerrit, Tony Penna, Craig Wood.
• Professional Golfers Association Of America Life Member
• After retiring from Mac Gregor, he opened during the winter season "The Ock Willoweit School Of Golf".  Customers were able to practice their swings indoor as well as golf lessons Ock would provide.  He continued teaching at Kitty Hawk, Larchtree, and Homestead golf clubs. He offered lessons for several years until health issues impacted his ability to continue.