Butler golfer Weiland among best golfers never to turn pro
This is the second in a series of articles profiling the 2022 Butler County Sports Hall of Fame inductees
SUMMIT TWP — From the time he was a kid, Ray Weiland was into golf.
“That was his game. That was his passion,” his wife, Patty Weiland, said.
It will soon be his legacy.
Weiland, who died in January of 2021 at age 83, will be inducted into the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame during the organization’s annual banquet at 6 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Lyndora American Legion Hall. His wife will accept the induction on his behalf.
“It’s going to be my honor to do that,” she said.
She’ll have plenty to talk about.
Weiland won numerous golf championships from 1964 through 1982. He was a two-time Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania Elks champion, three-time Ridgeview Country Club champion, three-time Butler County Open champion and four-time Armco Country Club champion.
He teamed with Ron Milanovich, Don Gaiser and Jack Whitmer to win the Pittsburgh Press Old Newsboys Golf four-player title and that tournament’s two-man best-ball crown with Milanovich, both in 1972.
After winning the Genesse Amateur Golf Classic in 1982, Weiland had one more title run left in him. He claimed the Butler County Senior Classic championship in 2005.
Though she didn’t know Weiland until he was past his golf prime, Patty said he was still an outstanding player.
“He used to tell me stories about how he grew up near Hiland Golf Course,” she said. “When he was 10 years old or so, he’d reach up and put a quarter on the counter — and they would let him go out and play golf. He played every day.
“Ray wound up helping them put in the back nine holes at Hiland.”
She described putting and chipping as Weiland’s strengths on the golf course. She caught him practicing that phase of his game first-hand when they were living in Florida.
“We had a one-bedroom condo down there,” Patty said. “I went to get groceries one day, came back, and found Ray with his clubs out and eight or 10 golf balls on the living room floor. He was chipping them through the hallway, up on to the bed in the bedroom.
“Then he’d turn around, put the golf balls on the floor again and chip them on to the living room couch. I was afraid he was going to break something. He didn’t have that fear at all. He knew how accurate he was.
“Ray was very humble about his golf. He never thought he was worthy about something like this Hall of Fame, but he’s very deserving. He never had the money to back him, but he could have been pro. He was that good,” she added.
As solid a golfer as he was, Weiland never forced any tips or advice on anybody he played with.
“He wasn’t like that,” his wife said. “He just enjoyed playing golf with others and he loved the competition. He and I played golf together many times and he never once advised me on how to play.”
Weiland played baseball during his youth, but golf was his sport of choice from the start.
“Ray was a great person, a great family man,” Patty said. “He loved watching his sports, loved the Steelers. He’d be proud of this. He really deserves it.”
Tickets for the banquet are $30 in advance and will soon be available at Parker Appliance in Chicora, Saxonburg Drug, the Butler Radio Network, Maddalon Jewelers in Zelienople and at www.bcshof.com. Tickets will be $35 at the door.
