Chip Lutz has a flair for accomplishing whatever he sets out to do. In 2010, the year he celebrated his 55th birthday and joined the world of senior amateur golf, he set his sights on winning the most prestigious tournaments in his age bracket.
Lutz did just that, becoming one of the most dominant senior amateurs in the world. This week, Lutz, a lifelong Berks County resident, has been honored for his long list of accomplishments in five short years.
Lutz was inducted into the National Senior Amateur Hall of Fame Wednesday night at High Point, N.C. Lutz was this year’s only inductee. He joins a list of members that includes former USGA president Fred Ridley and Philadelphia area players O. Gordon Brewer and William Hyndman III.
The Hall holds a tournament each year in conjunction with the induction ceremony. The 54-hole event is being played at High Point Country Club and concludes Friday. Lutz won last year’s tournament. He shot 2-over 74 Wednesday and trails leader Gary Robinson of Fayetteville, N.C., by six shots.
Lutz, who also will be inducted into the Pennsylvania State Sports Hall of Fame this year, has a nearly flawless senior amateur record.
Lutz won British Senior Amateur and Canadian Senior Amateur titles in 2011 and 2012. He’s a three-time U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist. He was the silver medal winner for lower amateur at the British Senior Open in 2012, ’13 and ’14. Lutz also is a five-time Golf Association of Philadelphia Senior Player of the Year. His win at the Philadelphia Senior Amateur last September helped him become the first player to win Philadelphia’s Junior (1972), Amateur (1977), Mid-Amateur (1998, 2007) and Senior Amateur championships. Lutz also was the Golfweek National Senior Player of the Year in 2010 and ’11.