Mastro inducted into Fitch HOF, gets hole in one

October 10, 2014 at 12:00a.m.

By TIM CLEVELAND

Aug. 30 and 31 were huge days in the life of Austintown’s Joe Mastro.

First, he was inducted into the Austintown Fitch High School Athletic Hall of Fame, then the following day he recorded his sixth hole in one, this one at Firestone Farms in Columbiana.

“I was very proud to be the first male golfer to be inducted,” he said. “I worked hard. I’ve been playing golf since I was 4 and I still go to the range three to four times a week.”

Mastro’s ace occurred on hole No. 2, a 174-yard par 3 at Firestone Farms with a 6-iron. He shot a 2-under par 70 for the round.

“I was just playing with one other person,” he said. “It still felt good. I had three holes in one before I was 20. I had one each at 52 and 53 and now one at 59.”

Mastro graduated from Fitch in 1973 and played golf all four years he attended the school. As a junior, he averaged 37.1 strokes per nine-hole round. He was named All-Steel Valley Conference his final three seasons. He and his Fitch teammates fell one shot shy of qualifying for the state tournament when he was a junior.

Mastro also did well in several junior tournaments. He won several in the 13-15 age group, including the Mahoning County Peewee, plus the 16-18 age group match play tournament at Stambaugh Golf Course.

“I’m still a scratch golfer,” Mastro said. “I just play for fun, local scrambles here and there.”

When asked what his future goals are in golf, Mastro said, “Being 60 in the spring, just stay the same strength every year so I can keep up with the young guys.”