VIDEO: Steve Lamontagne National Champ at BCC, Former PGA Tour Player, Coaches College, Pro Players

By  //  September 13, 2020

SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME

SPACE COAST DAILY TV: Brevard’s Steve Lamontagne competed in 124 PGA Tour events from 1989 until 2012. He continues to play PGA section events through PGA of America, but Lamontagne has focused on training the next generation.

DEDICATED COACH

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA  – The saying goes that golf isn’t a matter of life and death, but rather much more important. For Steve Lamontagne, coaching golf is indeed one of the most important aspects of his life, after his family, of course.

Lamontagne, general manager of Suntree Country Club, has plenty on his plate with his day job, but he still makes time to coach the next generation of golfers.

He himself started the sport as a kid, and it served him well, earning him a golf scholarship to Brevard Community College, the precursor of Eastern Florida State College.

When he graduated in 1985, Lamontagne was the National Junior College Champion.

“That was a great year for me, because the team won the championship and I also set the school record of nine wins in two years,” he said.

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The University of Florida followed, where Lamontagne cemented his place on the links as the All-American captain of the golf team in 1987, the same year he later turned professional.

From 1990 to 1994, Lamontagne was part of the PGA tour and he remained a pro until 1999, when he decided it was time to put the suitcases away.

“I wanted to be a full-time dad, and you really can’t do that on tour,” he said. “You live out of a suitcase 40 to 45 weeks out of the year and you’re virtually never home.

It was the best decision of my life.”

He tried being a stockbroker, but golf kept calling him back.

Lamontagne headed to Palm Bay to teach at the Majors Golf Club, where during his stint from 2002 to 2005, he coached Billy Horschel, who currently plays on the PGA Tour.

In 2005, Lamontagne accepted the position of director of golf at Suntree, and by 2009, he had been promoted to general manager. He has owned a home in Suntree since his PGA days.

Satellite High standout Steve Lamontagne, second from left, earned a golf scholarship to Brevard Community College, the precursor of Eastern Florida State College, where he played for legendary Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame coach Floyd Horgen, far left. When he graduated in 1985, Lamontagne was the National Junior College Champion, and on his way to the PGA Tour.
The saying goes that golf isn’t a matter of life and death, but rather much more important. For Steve Lamontagne, coaching golf is indeed one of the most important aspects of his life, after his family, of course.
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TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION

Lamontagne competed in 124 PGA Tour events from 1989 until 2012. He continues to play PGA section events through PGA of America, but Lamontagne has focused on training the next generation.

“I got a lot of people started in the game and I’ve taught hundreds of high-level junior players, who have gone on to college and then turned professional,” he said.

This consummate golfer remains the lone duffer in his family. His wife, Joanne, prefers tennis, while his 18-year-old daughter, Shannon, opted for cheerleading and his 17-year-old son, Brett, went for football and basketball.

It doesn’t matter if the rest of the family doesn’t want to join in, for Lamontagne has enough love for the game to spare.

A member of Arnie’s Army, Lamontagne was a high school caddie for 1954 U.S. Open champion Ed Furgol at the 1983 Suntree classic when he first saw Palmer in person.

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One of Lamontagne’s career highlights was competing in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in 2009, when Palmer chatted golf with Lamontagne and signed his children’s hats.

“It was unforgettable,” he said.

The vest worn by Lamontagne’s caddie during that very special tourney hangs prominently at his office in Suntree, a golf club that Palmer helped bring to the limelight by including it in the original stops in the Champions Tour.

It is the great heart of players such as Palmer that keeps Lamontagne pumped on golf.

“Golf is something I cherish,” he said.

From 1990 to 1994, Steve Lamontagne was part of the PGA tour and he remained a pro until 1999, when he decided it was time to put the suitcases away.

CLICK HERE to see all the members of the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame.

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT the 2021 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME, call 321-615-8111 or e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com

Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Announced, Induction Ceremony Set May 12

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame selection committee announced Thursday an impressive array of outstanding individuals to be inducted into the 2017 Class of the Hall of Fame.

Dozens of nominees were considered for the 2017 class in four categories including professional sports, college sports, high school sports and amateur sports.

Special honorary recognition will also be bestowed upon individuals and teams that have made significant contributions to sports on the Space Coast.

Space Coast Daily created the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame in 2012, and has so far inducted more than 100 of Brevard County’s most outstanding athletes, coaches and sports personalities.

Serving on the committee are Space Coast Daily President & Publisher Tom Palermo, Vice President Giles Malone, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Jim Palermo, Managing Editor Zach Clark, Assistant Editor, Space Coast Sports Talk host Alan Zlotorzynski, local youth sports advocate and promoter Mike Cadore, Friday Night Locker Room Founders Steve Wilson and Orville Susong, former Health First COO Larry Garrison, Cocoa Beach City Manager Jim McKnight and AAU Vice President Rusty Buchanan.

“The list of inductees for 2017 induction include athletes and coaches everybody knows – and some that may have been forgotten with the passing of time,” said Tom Palermo.

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FOR INFORMATION about the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame, e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com or call 321-615-8111.

SPACE COAST DAILY TV: Tim Wakefield talks about his induction into the first class of the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame.

SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2017

• PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY INDUCTEES:  Joe Kohlbrand, Football; and Cory Philpot, Football

• COLLEGE CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Jason Arnold, Baseball; Michael Coffey, Bowling; Reggie Hannah, Basketball;  Paige Kearns, Swimming; and Charles Wilson, Football.

• PREP CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Kristen Gordon, Softball; Ray Herring, Jr. Football; Katie Jackson, Soccer; and Hunter Pingston, Football.

• AMATEUR/REC CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Richard Chapman, Little League; Todd Erickson, Softball; Al Genchi, Youth Soccer; and David Kilgore, Running.

• COACHING CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Skip Arrich, Soccer; Tom Dooley, Baseball; Chuck Keener, Tennis; Steve Lamontagne, Golf; and Mike Soliven, Basketball.

• SPORTS DEVELOPMENT INDUCTEES: Jeff Carr, Eastern Florida State College; and Steve Englehart, Florida Tech.

• LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT INDUCTEES: Linda Anderson, Athletic Director; and Les Stafford, Volunteer

• SPORTS OFFICIALS INDUCTEES: Neely Dunn and Bob Walton.

• SPORTS JOURNALISM INDUCTEES: Hillard Grossman.

• SPORTS AMBASSADOR AWARD INDUCTEE : Gary Gregory, PAL Boxing.

• CHALLENGER AWARDS INDUCTEES: Brevard Special Olympics – Coach Cindy Dropeski, Athlete Chuck Conway and Volunteer Kathi Madden.

• TEAM OF THE YEAR: Cocoa High School 2016 Football State Champions.

• SPECIAL TRIBUTE: Jim Grimes, Basketball, Eastern Florida State College

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE MEMBERS OF THE SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME

The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame is located in the main athletic building on the Melbourne Campus of Eastern Florida State College. Portraits and biographies of the Hall of Famers are displayed on the wall in the building’s main hallway that runs parallel to the gym and outside the athletic department offices. Memorabilia items and related sports artifacts will be added to the display over time. (Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame image)