Rizzuti Excited to be New Coach of Mamaroneck Golf

Most area high school golf coaches stay at their post for many years, so Adam Rizzuti was pleasantly surprised when the varsity job opened up at Mamaroneck.

"I've been playing for over 20 years and this is a job that I've always dreamed of, but I never thought it would come up," Rizzuti said. "I had to jump at the opportunity. I thought, 'This has got to be too good to be true, but it was true.'"

Rizzuti has been an art teacher at Hommocks Middle School for nine years. He played golf for five years at John Jay-Cross River High School before graduating in 1996, so he's familiar with the format of the matches.

The team has only made a few trips to the driving range so far, and Rizzuti hasn't made cuts from the 17 who tried out. But it's clear who the team leader is — Hayden Novikoff, a senior with a four handicap.

"Hayden's got a really good swing and I know he's been working very hard on it," Rizzuti said. "He's worked with golf pros on his swing, playing a long time, and it's just clear that he takes golf very seriously for his age."

Rizzuti anticipates another senior, Matt Weston, playing at No. 2. After that is four more seniors and a bunch of underclassmen who can break into the starting lineup.  The group includes eight sophomores and a couple of freshmen with great swings, which bodes well for the future.

"I think they can contribute this year, and going forward in a year or two, we can be a powerhouse," Rizzuti said.

The youth movement includes hard-hitting sophomore Emma Hjarne, who didn't play last year but made it a co-ed team.

"These kids can really get some distance," Rizzuti said. "Their overall ability is better than I thought."

Rizzuti is also excited that his team will play on some of the area's best courses this season. Besides hosting matches at Bonnie Briar Country Club, Mamaroneck will play twice at Winged Foot and also play Edgemont at Scarsdale Country Club, Scarsdale at Sunningdale Country Club and White Plains at Fenway Golf Club.

All those great courses should make Rizzuti's first season even more memorable.

"I always thought it would be cool to be a golf coach," Rizzuti said. "When I started teaching, I wasn't expecting it, I thought I would be waiting a long time to get in line. I was pleasantly surprised when it came up."