Tamarack Country Club, located in the backcountry of Greenwich, Connecticut and one of the New York metropolitan area’s premier member-owned private clubs, is pleased to announce that Michael Ballo Jr. has been named the club’s new Head Golf Professional, effective January 15, 2024. Ballo Jr. will oversee numerous aspects of the golf program at Tamarack, including golf operations, tournament planning & execution, instruction, and merchandising.
Ballo Jr. will be working closely with Tamarack’s membership of avid golfers and presiding over its 18-hole championship golf course – designed by “Golden Age” architect Charles Banks (and currently undergoing a master plan restoration led by Renaissance Golf Design associate Brian Schneider), that is currently ranked the No. 4 private course in Connecticut by Golfweek.
A Class-A member of the PGA of America, Ballo, Jr. comes to Tamarack with a highly respected reputation as both a champion golfer and an experienced club professional. He most recently spent four years as an assistant golf professional at Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York. Prior to that, Ballo Jr. began his club professional career on the assistant staff at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York. He has also garnered numerous Met PGA titles, including the Met PGA Assistants Championship, the Silvercrest Cup, the New York State Open, and the Westchester Open. Ballo Jr. is currently the Met PGA Assistants Association president and serves on the Met PGA Tournament and Education Committees.
“Mike comes to us with an impressive background in golf, and we believe he will be a tremendous asset to our Club,” said Tamarack Country Club President Chris Thompson. “We have every confidence that Mike’s expertise and passion for the game will further elevate the golf experience at Tamarack for every member and guest.”
Ballo Jr. played collegiate golf at St. John’s University, earning All-Big East honors, and was named to the PING All-Northeast Region Team. He also won two MGA Ike Championships and was twice named Westchester Amateur Player of the Year. Following college, he played seven years as a touring professional on the Canadian tour and Web.com Tour before transitioning into the club professional ranks.
Golf has always played a central role in Ballo Jr.’s life. He grew up on the fairways and greens of Woodway Country Club in Darien, CT—where for decades, his late father, Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame member Michael Sr., served as the club’s head golf professional. Ballo Jr.’s mother, Page, was an All-ACC golfer at the University of North Carolina and one of the first ten female members of the PGA of America. His brother Peter is also a club professional in Connecticut. In 2021, The Ballo family was named “Family of the Year” by the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association for their contribution to the game of golf. Past winners have included the Jack Nicklaus family, the George Bush family, and the Justin Thomas family.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join Tamarack Country Club. It has been a career-long dream of mine to work at a place that matches my passion and enthusiasm for the game of golf. I have found that at Tamarack,” says Ballo Jr. “As the son of two golf professionals, it feels like destiny that I find myself here, and I can’t wait to share my knowledge of the game with Tamarack’s members, who will now be like family.”
Ballo Jr. currently resides in Stamford, Connecticut with his fiancé, Amanda Pucci.
About Tamarack Country Club
Tamarack Country Club is a member-owned, private country club nestled in the rolling hills of backcountry Greenwich, Connecticut, minutes away from Westchester County Airport and Rye, New York. Tamarack offers full golf, house, and pool/tennis memberships for individuals and families. The centerpiece of Tamarack Country Club is its impeccably conditioned, 18-hole, world-class championship golf course – designed by renowned “golden age” architect Charles H. Banks and currently ranked No. 4 in Connecticut by Golfweek. Tamarack also boasts a recently rebuilt 55,000 sq. ft. elegantly appointed clubhouse, featuring a full-service dining room and bar, picturesque portico dining, a private dining room/board room, banquet facilities, a golf pro shop, indoor golf training room, fitness center, kid’s club, and men’s and ladies locker room facilities. Tamarack’s other amenities include a five-court tennis facility and an expansive, resort-style pool complex – complete with changing rooms, poolside waitstaff service, and a soon-to-be-unveiled cabana bar. To learn more about Tamarack Country Club, visit www.tamarackcountryclub.com or follow the club on Instagram and Facebook @tamarackcountryclub.
