Shouts of 'fore!' as temps break record by 4

Michael Roknick, The Herald, Sharon, Pa.
·2 min read

Feb. 15—Wednesday's record-breaking local temperature warmed golfers' hearts to play at area courses.

The high temperature for the day hit 69 degrees, as measured at Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport's weather station in Vienna, Ohio. That shatters by 4 degrees the old record of 65 degrees set in 1954, Danielle Kittle, a meteorologist with AccuuWeather, said.

"We saw new high temperature records set for the day across Pennsylvania," Kittle said.

That was fine with John Kerins, owner of Tam O'Shanter Golf Course in Hermitage. "This is the earliest we've ever opened in our history, and we're more than 80 years old," Kerins said.

Wind gusts at Youngstown-Warren Airport hit 44 mph but nary a complaint was heard among golfers.

"The wind wasn't bad out there," said Tom Novosel of Boardman after playing a round at Tam O'Shanter. "This is the first time I've ever had to put on sunscreen in February."

Other golf course opened such as Avalon Country Club at Buhl Park. Pine Lakes Golf Club in Hubbard counted 148 adventurers for the day, said Chris Carfangia, Pine Lakes' head PGA golfer said.

"And we're starting to fill up for Sunday," Carfangia said of booked tee times.

While the course is always open regardless of the weather, golfers came out in droves on Wednesday, he added.

Scores didn't seem to matter as golfers said they were just happy to play.

"I only lost one ball,' Jay Porterfield, a Sharpsville native who now lives in Girard said after playing at Tam O'Shanter.

For retired New Wilmington resident Scott Campbell, this was only the second time in his life that he golfed in February.

"This is awesome," Campbell said after playing a round at Tam O'Shanter.

Courses were in remarkable shape for February, golfers said.

"I shot 7 above par for 9 holes," said one golfer at Yankee Run Golf Course in Brookfield. "That's pretty good for me."

Wednesday's temperatures were due to the jet stream pumping up warm weather from the south and southwest ahead of a storm, Kittle said.

AccuWeather's forecast for today calls for rain and a high of 59 degrees. With the exception of Sunday, local temperatures aren't expected to rise above 50 degrees for the rest of the month, Kittle said.

"For the next 30 days temperatures look like they're going to be above average with above-normal precipitation," she said.

Still, Wednesday bodes well for the local sport, Kerins said.

"It's nice to get off to a great start," he said.