Billy Farrell, 1961 NJSGA Open Champion, passes away at age 84

Photo: Billy Farrell (right) with father, Johnny in 1961

Billy Farrell, a native of Springfield, N.J., and winner of the 1961 NJSGA Open Championship, passed away from coronavirus on May 8 at age 84.

Farrell, the son of World Golf and NJSGA Hall of Famer Johnny Farrell, carved out an illustrious career of his own, playing on the PGA Tour where he made 70 cuts in 102 PGA Tour events. He played in eight U.S. Opens and seven PGA Championships, making the cut in three U.S. Opens and five PGA Championships. He finished in the top 25 four times.

In 1967, Billy Farrell tied for 23rd in the U.S. Open played at Baltusrol, where he had spent many a day cleaning clubs, shagging balls and caddying. The highlight of his best U.S. Open finish came during the second round on the massive par-5, 610-yard 17th hole when Farrell became the first to reach the green in two, hitting driver, then a 3-wood into the green. At the time, it was the longest hole in U.S. Open history.

In the 1993 U.S. Open, much fanfare was made when John Daly hit driver and 1-iron to reach the green in two on the then 630-yard hole, but a careful check of the record books showed him to be the second to do it behind Farrell.

“Don’t forget, my father did it with a persimmon driver and fairway wood - and a balata ball,” said Bobby Farrell, the long-time head professional at Tamarack Country Club in Greenwich, Conn. “It was (Hall of Famer) Jim Barnes, an assistant under my grandfather, Johnny Farrell, who taught my father how to hit driver. When he was playing on the PGA Tour, he was hitting a 9-iron from 150 yards to the green when nobody did that.”

When he won the 1961 NJSGA Open Championship, he and his father Johnny became the first of three father-and-son duos to win a NJSGA Open. Johnny had won the Open in 1936.

Besides the NJSGA Open Championship, other local victories for Billy, known for his robust driving ability, included the Met PGA Section Championship, the Westchester PGA and the Westchester Senior Open.

Billy had learned the game at his father’s side. At age 18, he caddied for his father in a foursome at Baltusrol on National Golf Day which included Ben Hogan. Farrell, a former basketball player at Holy Trinity High School in Westfield, became inspired by watching Hogan shoot a 64 that day. Legend has it that young Farrell shot a 72 the next day.

By 1964, after his time on the PGA Tour, Farrell was hired to work as the first head PGA professional at renowned Stanwich Club in Greenwich, Conn. His retirement party in 2000 included emcee Jim Nantz and 300 guests.

Among those who recently sent condolences to Farrell’s wife of 63 years, Alvera, was Jack Nicklaus.

“Billy was a good man. We’ll miss him. I’m sorry he’s gone. I’m sorry I have to make this call,” Nicklaus said in a voice mail.

Billy’s father, Johnny Farrell, won the 1928 U.S. Open, defeating legend Bobby Jones in a 36-hole playoff. He won 21 PGA events, including eight in a row in 1927. He was runner-up in the U.S. Open twice, the PGA Championship twice, and the British Open once. He played on three Ryder Cup teams and was voted best U.S. golf professional in 1927 and 1928. He was head professional at Baltusrol for 33 years, from 1934 to 1967.

Growing up in the shadow of his famous father never seemed to bother Billy Farrell, although a lot of headlines referred to him as “The son of legend Johnny Farrell,” when he was leading a tournament.

Billy’s son, Bobby, has been the head professional at the Tamarack Country Club in Greenwich, Conn., since 2003.

“His famous words were ‘Bring it up to the top and drop it in there with rhythm.’ Like Johnny he was a great golfer and a great family man,” Bobby Farrell said. “He had a big heart and a big family. People always looked at him as a strong intimidating kind of guy. He was that on the golf course, but off the golf course, he was a sweetheart of a man,” stated Bobby.

The Farrell family plans on returning to the Stanwich Club when able, to celebrate a great family man with seven children and 18 grandchildren.

“It’s going to be a great time to relive all the fun,” Bobby Farrell told NJ.com. “I’m sure that I’m going to be up for telling some stories. Everybody will. The fact that it’s going to be afterwards a little bit will be good because emotionally we’ll be able to get through it. But it’ll bring it all back.”