Godfather Of Golf Balls Wins 2021 Heart Award
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioSports.com
No sport has embraced philanthropy as much as the game of golf. And while oversized cheques for charity may grab the limelight, the hearts of volunteers from coast to coast are what drives this great game. After all, there is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer.
Since its inception in 2011, the London Ontario Golf Heart Award has embraced this belief. For an 11th year, the Heart Award – presented by LondonOntarioSports.com (now including in full partner publication LondonOntarioGolf.com, est. 2004) – recognizes a member of the Southwestern Ontario golf community who has unselfishly given back to the game.
No matter what the accomplishments of the past 10 winners, giving back to communities through charitable work has always been at the forefront of this prestigious award. As much as 2014 Heart Award winner Mike Weir grew the game locally with his win at the 2003 Masters Tournament, his work with numerous charities, most notably through his Mike Weir Foundation, will be his legacy.
Heart & Stroke is the official charity of LondonOntarioSports.com, and February is Heart Month. And at a time when the world is living through the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re all looking for heroes to inspire us. The story of 2021 Heart Award winner, Walt Cherwaty of London, provides plenty of inspirational messages.
The Heart Award recognizes winners in the categories of golf professionals/instructors, golf mentors, golf course owners/operators, golf course architects/designers and members of the media. For a complete list and biographies of all 11 winners, visit our Heart Award biographies page here.
Cherwaty, 80, wins in the category of mentor, as he has established a template for giving back through golf for more than half a century. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Cherwaty’s fundraising for local charities through the collection and sale of used – and new – golf balls.
Walt Cherwaty
Father Time hasn’t been kind as of late to Cherwaty, who had his left hip replaced in February 2021. But ongoing health concerns haven’t slowed down London’s Godfather of Golf Balls, who this year – for a 51st year – continues to collect, wash and sell golf balls by the thousands in order to raise money for local charities.
Cherwaty continues his philanthropy from his Colborne Street heritage home which all year long acts as a drop-off and pickup location for local golfers donating and purchasing discounted golf balls. They range from new Titleist Pro V1s in unopened sleeves, to gently-used logoed balls lost and found in the rough at golf courses around the globe.
When Cherwaty launched his charitable deeds in 1971, astronaut Alan Shepard hit two golf balls on the moon at the end of the Apollo 14 mission. Golfers still used persimmon drivers, and we were one year away from Spalding’s introduction of the revolutionary two-piece Top Flite golf ball. And Disney World opened in Orlando, Florida.
Since 2005 alone, Cherwaty, a retired school teacher, estimates he has collected and sold more than 80,000 golf balls and has helped raise close to $55,000 for scores of local not-for-profit groups.
In March 2005, Cherwaty and his wife, Diana, lost their daughter, Jacqueline, to cancer. His parents suffered heart problems in the 1970s. It’s no surprise, then, that Cherwaty’s charities of choice are the Canadian Cancer Society, and Heart & Stroke.
And although Cherwaty first sold golf balls for Heart & Stroke in 1971, it was Jacqueline’s dying wish that her father take his efforts of raising money through golf balls sales to a much higher level.
“Her last request was more like an order,” said Cherwaty. “She said, ‘You better have the best golf ball sales ever. Get off your fat ass and do it.’ She passed the next night.”
When Cherwaty began his charity work in 1971, he canvased for Heart & Stroke and donated golf ball sales to that charitable group, raising money and awareness for the fight against heart disease and strokes. Today, when someone purchases golf balls, he encourages them to choose their charity of choice. Cherwaty then donates 100 per cent of sales to not-for-profits.
A Hamilton native, Cherwaty was recruited by legendary Western Mustangs coach John P. Metras to play basketball and football. “A shoulder injury ended my football dreams,” said
Cherwaty, “but I played some basketball as a member of the junior varsity squad.”
A retired teacher from Lord Dorchester Secondary School, Cherwaty was once an avid golfer boasting a 9.4 handicap index, and a member of Greenhills Golf Club in Lambeth from 1979 to 2011. He’s no longer able to golf – bad knees saw him exit the links. But he still finds room at home for indoor chipping, despite the wall-to-wall crates and boxes of balls.
“I used to be a good bogey golfer who could really chip and get it going with the putter, hence my personalized licence plate, CHP N PT,” said Cherwaty.
During the late-2000s, Cherwaty, along with a rotating group of Greenhills regulars including Bob Shirley, made the trek to numerous ClubLink courses, including Blue Springs, Caledon Woods, Cherry Downs, The Club at Bond Head, The Country Club, DiamondBack, Eagle Ridge, Emerald Hills, Clencairn, Greystone, Heron Point, Kings Riding, National Pines, Rattlesnake Point and Wyndance.
Greenhills is a former ClubLink property, purchased in 2020 by Brian Ublansky, owner of semi-private Echo Valley Golf Club in Lambeth, and Brent Holmes, owner of upscale public course Forest City National Golf club, are the new Greenhills owners.
“My favourite by far is Rocky Crest Golf Club,” said Cherwaty of his ClubLink choice. “Spread my ashes there – or on the putting green at Greenhills.”
There are endless stories about Cherwaty’s golf balls. A bride and groom once purchased 60 dozen to use as wedding guest giveaways – truly better than stale mints or wedding cake.
One of the more touching stories stemming from Cherwaty’s efforts is that local golfers have purchased his golf balls and have had them flown to Canadian soldiers serving overseas, so that they may enjoy the game they love during the toughest of times away from family.
The Heart Award
“That is just one story that is so touching, and so true to form of golfers,” Cherwaty said. “So, I’ll continue with this indefinitely. It has become quite a hobby.
“Collecting and selling all these balls has really taken on a life of its own,” he added, “but I’ve encountered so many nice people over the years. A bank teller even recognized me as the ‘Golf Ball Guy.’ But honestly, all I get out of it is a good feeling.”
While Diana has told Walt that there is an ample supply of golf balls at the Cherwaty house, Walt said he has a hard time saying no to anyone who wishes to donate them.
“We have golf balls under our piano, behind our furniture, but it’s all part of the process,” he said.
Cherwaty may not have acquired Shepard’s golf balls, but if NASA shows up at his door you can bet he’ll gladly accept the balls in the name of charity.
“I am truly humbled by receiving the Heart Award,” he said. “I’ve never taken a dime for collecting and selling golf balls for charity for over 50 years. I retired from teaching at age 55, and I have retired from playing golf. But I will continue raising money for charity through golf ball sales.”
It’s true, others amongst the local golf community have donated much more to not-for-profits, but no one has done it for as long as Cherwaty. He’s living proof that no matter what the stature of your effort, if it comes from the heart then it can make a difference.
LondonOntarioSports.com is proud to now include Cherwaty’s name on the Heart Award.
As always, the Godfather of Golf Balls can be reached at 519-433-7955 or by email at wallyndiana@cherwaty.com. After all, there is always room for more golf balls at the Cherwaty home, and room for charitable deeds in Walt’s heart.
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Jeffrey Reed has covered sports in Southwestern Ontario since 1980. Winner of back-to-back Best Website Feature Column awards from the Golf Journalists Association of Canada, Reed is a print and broadcast journalist, three-time author, photographer and public speaker. Reach him at jeff@londonontariosports.com.
