Pete Witkowski, NJSGA Course Rater & Njpgo President, Passes Away
Pete Witkowski, who served on the NJSGA course-rating committee for nearly three decades and was president of the New Jersey Public Golf Organization for more than 25 years, passed away on Monday, August 19, at age 77.
Witkowski, was one of a handful of original course raters for the NJSGA, beginning in the mid-1980s. He also served ex-officio on the NJSGA Board of Trustees.
“Pete knew course ratings inside and out,” said Bernie Samons, also an original NJSGA course rater. “He knew the theory and helped in the development of course ratings in New Jersey.”
He lived most of his life in Clark before moving to Toms River in 2000. Witkowski retired from Local 595 UAW after 25 years of service as an electrician.
“Pete was a great guy. He recruited me to assist him in setting up tournaments on the Union County courses about 25 years ago,” said Harry Goett III, the Union County Golf Supervisor. “He loved to golf and was also involved in one golf league or another. The best thing about Pete was he was never paid for any of it.
“I remember seeing him make a hole-in-one at Ash Brook about 20 years ago. I think he even ran a Union County Industrial Golf League back in the day.”
Witkowski took over as president of the NJPGO in 1981 and was instrumental in adding girls and women’s championships two years later. He also added a men’s Mid-Amateur and a Senior Open and Pre-Senior Amateur. They were added to a roster of events that included championships for men, juniors, boys and a team championship, all for the public golfer.
Witkowski himself won the NJPGO Pre-Senior championship in 1978. He also ran an NJPGO Summer League which consisted of up to 10 events each year for public golfers of all ages.
The day after Witkowski suffered a heart attack in 2004, PGO committeeman George Kremer commented at the PGO Senior Open: “This is probably the first time Pete Witkowski has missed a PGO event in 40 years.”
He was also instrumental in handing off the NJPGO Public Links championship to the NJSGA in 2005, and it remains one of the state’s most popular events. This year, it took place back in Union County, at Galloping Hill Golf Course, the new home to the NJSGA.
He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Nancy; sons, Jeffrey of Montclair, and Gary and his wife Lori of Pennsylvania; daughters, Susan and her husband Michael Bettinger of Waretown, Lynn and her husband Richard of Dundon; step daughters, Michelle Blusewicz of Toms River and Melody and her husband Michael Homsack of Iselin. He is also survived by a sister, Patricia Marrazza of Bayville; nine grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
A visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 21 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at Carmona-Bolen Home for Funerals, 412 Main Street, Toms River. Condolences can be sent to www.carmonabolenfh.com
