Nodine’s on par for continued success on course and in life

June 25--Battling a herniated disc and no longer the sprightly 30-year-old who once shot an 18-hole round of 69 at the rolling, challenging Lockport Town & Country Club, Rob "Robbie" Nodine knew he was in for a bit of a challenge last week in the Lock City Golf League.

Nodine, a 1980 graduate of Lockport Senior High School, watched his league playing partner for the day, "Andy," drill his opening tee shot 320 yards down the Niagara County Golf Course fairway on Davison Road. Nodine, a standout Lions' golfer in high school and proud father of one, managed a 220-yard drive and foresaw an uphill battle.

"I'd been shooting in the 50s lately and I was playing against a kid who could really smoke it," said Nodine last week at his family's three-generation "A.A. Nodine Insurance" business on East Avenue.

"But then I rolled in a 30-foot snake and it went on from there," Nodine said. "It was just one of those days when you're in the zone."

Nodine managed just two bogeys on the afternoon, with two birdies to compensate, finishing with a par score of 36 on the county's back nine holes.

Outstanding golf has been par for the course in the Nodine household throughout Rob's lifetime. Rob's father, the late Robert A. "Bob" Nodine, noticed his son's keen interest in golf starting at the age of four.

"My mother would take my sisters and I to Twin Fair to go shopping, while my dad headed to the golf course, so I started running out the back door and following my dad," Rob said.

"Yeah, I guess you could say I liked it right way, because I didn't want to go shopping for half the day."

A great talent locally, Nodine was among several standout youth golfers in the area in the 1970s and at LHS in his scholastic hey days from 1978 to 80, along with Chuck Kandt, Lou Valery and Bob Drury. The Lions at the time were coached by Jack Iannone.

"Those guys were all good players," Nodine said. "And Jack was a good guy. He was fair. And at the country club, there was a guy named Pete Tracy, who, every Friday, would take us out to golf and lunch at different local golf courses. We got spoiled. He was a phenomenal golfer late in his years who worked out at Harrison's. When he was 72, he could shoot a 72. One of those players. We played the best courses when we were young and we were fortunate."

Inspired by pro golfers that included Johnny Miller and Gene Littler growing up, Rob once won the Buffalo District Golf Tournament in Elma when he was 17. He went on to shoot a personal best of 68 at the Niagara County Golf Course, but he's a lot prouder of his 69 at the LT&CC, by far a more challenging course.

"But those were a long time ago," Rob said, modestly. "I must have been 30 years old."

When asked why he liked golf, Rob said, "Because you can't blame anybody else (laughing)."

"I like the Lock City League. We've got city workers, accountants, lawyers -- you name it. It's fun. We've got a lot of good men," Rob said.

In the meantime, Rob said he loves his job and watching his son, Christian, excel in sports and in life.

Christian, 19, who topped the 1,000-point scoring mark as a basketball star at Starpoint, is now playing hoops at Niagara County Community College, under head coach Bill Beilein.

Contact US&J Sunday Editor John D'Onofrio at 439-9222 ext. 6247.

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