“There is no greater thrill than seeing that first real golf shot from a student,” says Sciortino, a teaching professional since 1978. “It’s great to see how hard it is for students to contain their joy!” Even at the highest level, Sciortino finds ways to help players improve. Take Larry Laoretti, Senior PGA Tour member, for instance. Sciortino has coached Laoretti for a number of years, but perhaps his most influential moment was just prior to the 1992 U.S. Senior Open. Earlier that year, Laoretti had been striking the ball very well, but his putting was hurting him. During a practice round with Sciortino, he four-putted from 25-feet.

Sciortino set up a few “target awareness” drills for Laoretti. “Larry was working so hard on his stroke that he had no idea what his target was while putting,” says Sciortino. “We developed a pre-putt routine that got him focused on his target and not his stroke.” After that session, Laoretti won over $40,000 in the next two tournaments by finishing in the top ten both times. Then he called Sciortino from Saucon Valley Country Club, the host site of the 1992 U.S. Senior Open.

He told Sciortino that everyone there was scared of the “lightning fast” greens. Sciortino gave him a pep talk. “I reminded him how far he’d come in such a short time,” recalls Sciortino. “I psyched him up and told him to prepare to win.” In the final round, Laoretti sunk a 35-foot putt on the last hole to win by three strokes, and he called Sciortino from the locker room. “We did it!” Laoretti shouted. Sciortino was proud to be included, having never left the couch. It was Laoretti’s only Tour win, but Sciortino knows it wasn’t a fluke, and the timing was perfect.

“If you’re only going to win one PGA Tour event,” notes Sciortino, “make it an Open. Your name will always be on that trophy.”

Sciortino is no stranger to winning tournaments he actually plays in, either. A three-time qualifier for the Club Professional’s Championship, Sciortino once won the Southeast Chapter of the South PGA Florida Section Professional Stroke Play Championship. He also won the National PGA of America Match Play Championship in 1989. Sciortino fired the first round low of 65 on The Haig Course at PGA National during the 1993 CPC, and he and Bryan Abbott teamed up to win the North Florida Winter Four Ball Championship at Greenlefe in 1995.

Sciortino’s first attempt at golf was on the Brookville Country Club Course on Long Island, New York. He was 5. He continued playing throughout his youth, but as a high school student at The Wheatley School in Old Westbury, New York, Sciortino played team sports, including football, baseball, soccer and basketball. In college, Sciortino took golf more seriously, playing two years on the varsity team at Brown University in Providence. After that, he focused on golf exclusively. “It became an opportunity to see so many great courses all over the world as a professional,” says Sciortino. Some of his favorites include Cypress Point, East Hampton and Pebble Beach.

While working on his swing or a particular shot, Sciortino tends to make his practice sessions a mini game. Once he accomplishes his goal or reaches the object of the game, the session is over. “I much prefer chipping and putting and bunker play over beating balls with a full swing,” says Sciortino. Perhaps that’s because Sciortino believes the best part of his game is his ability to drive the ball and hit middle irons, so why not spend more quality time on the finesse shots?

An especially challenging shot for Sciortino might be any “makeable” shot over water of 185 yards or more. “Those always get my attention,” he smiles. A favorite shot of Sciortino’s is one played with quiet hands – a knock down iron into a stiff Florida winter northeast wind that’s dead straight, under the wind, bounces once and checks.

 “Students tell me they like the fact that I communicate clearly, and that I debunk a lot of the clichés and myths about the golf swing and short game,” says Sciortino. Many of Sciortino’s new students are referrals from other students who want the same level of help. According to Sciortino, beginners should concentrate on the basic fundamentals of the full swing and making putts. Intermediate players should work on the basic fundamentals of the full swing and practice chipping, pitching and putting. Advanced golfers should work on the fundamentals of the full swing, varying trajectory and shot shape and practice chipping, pitching and putting.