He’s worked 11 months a year for 37 years. John O’Connor, of Lynn, is retiring as head golf professional at Far Corner Golf in Boxford.
O’Connor said he’ll miss “people coming through the door.”
“It’s going to be hard for me. I love golf and I’ve always loved the business,” O’Connor said. “I love Far Corner and I’ve been here so long. It’s hard to walk away.”
He enjoyed making people feel comfortable and helping them with their crafts.
“They call you up, they thank you, and they tell you about a round they had, you know?” O’Connor said. “That’s the reward.”
Helping people raise money for charities was another reward.
“It’s important to people and I’ve met so many through all of that,” O’Connor said.
Now, he looks forward to wintering in Florida, playing some more golf, and traveling with his girlfriend, Deb Stevens.
“You get to a certain age [and] you’ve got to move on,” said O’Connor, who added that a thrill of his life was qualifying for the Senior National Club Pro at Black Horse and Bayonet in California just eight miles from Pebble Beach.
Hailing from Lynn, O’Connor is proud to be a “Gannon kid.”
“It was Happy Valley when I was a kid,” O’Connor said. “I’m one of the products of all the pros that came out of there.”
His next chapter awaits, but he’ll never forget the others.
“I made a lot of friends, whether it be through golfing, obviously teaching, meeting people, and helping them,” O’Connor said. “You get to know people over the years.”
