🔒YMCA’s Sparrow found golf later in life; now he wants more Hartford, other residents to do the same

Goodwin and Keney Parks are two gems in Hartford’s south and north ends, respectively, that date back to the late 19th century.

According to Friends of Keney Park, composed of 693 acres, it’s one of the largest designed landscapes in the United States. Goodwin Park is a respectable 227 acres.

The pair were initially designed by the renowned landscape architect Frederick Olmstead as part of an overall crafting of the Hartford park system. In the 21st century, both are home to golf courses that have gained the attention and respect of golfers throughout Greater Hartford.

After major renovations and being placed under new management, they’re no longer rundown municipal courses, sometimes referred to derogatorily as “munis.”

The 27-hole Goodwin Park Golf Course and 18-hole Keney Park Golf Club, which straddles the Hartford/Windsor line, have become the after-hours focus of Harold Sparrow, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Hartford.

A late devotee to the game, Sparrow, 65, has become an evangelist of sorts for the sport. He wants to see more people taking advantage of these large swaths of well-groomed fairways and greens and sandy bunkers. To Sparrow, golf is not a good walk spoiled, as Hartford’s most famous author once said.

Over soft drinks at Goodwin’s 19th hole before a round of golf at Keney, Sparrow explained the appeal of a golf course in an urban setting.

“It really draws a lot of people of different attributes to play the game. I like the courses the city has to offer,” he said. “A lot of times golf is an elitist sport but at these courses, it is accessible, it is inclusive.”

He espoused further on the issue.

“Golf courses are green spaces in cities that bring people together. Often green spaces in suburbs separate people, with big lawns, fences and more. In urban areas they can do the opposite.

“My advice would be, the urban public golf courses like Goodwin and Keney are great places to start playing. They are local, affordable, challenging and populated with many great people who play there. Showing support for your municipal golf course is a true investment people can make in their community, particularly young people.”

Sparrow also points to the body, mind and spiritual benefits he derives from golf as he pushes his cart along the fairways.

“As human beings, we are tripartite,” he explained. “Golf is physical, intellectual and there’s a spiritual side with the fellowship. You cannot play well, yet you can still enjoy the people. It’s multidimensional. Golf also gives you hope.”

As Sparrow adds, it’s also a game that will take him well into his senior years.

“It’s something I can play the rest of my life,” he proclaims.

Expanding your network

Befitting the head of a YMCA, Sparrow is physically fit. He played basketball as an undergrad at Tufts. He regularly works out at the Y and has run two Boston Marathons and completed many mini-triathlons.

He pivoted to golf after turning 60 to stay active. He had played the game occasionally as part of his work but was ready to make it a regular hobby.

It didn’t take him long to get hooked. He’s candid about not being a standout on the course having never broken 90. His eyes light up as he discusses the game.

“I go to bed at night thinking of my good shots,” he said, adding it’s a sport notorious for keeping its participants humble.

Sparrow, who heads an organization with a $19 million budget and hundreds of employees across 52 towns and cities, also points to golf as a game for urban youth to embrace for a lifetime of opportunities.

“Career advancement is certainly a benefit young people who live and play golf in the cities can find. It’s a place to meet people in the business world, perhaps create opportunities for mentorship and make contacts, which would prove to have a long-term positive impact.

“Golf is a way to expand your network and build relationships, and in order for people to be successful in their careers, they must value strong relationships and build them.”

The COVID-19 pandemic curtailed his plans, but Sparrow would like to see golf become a bigger part of the Y. He saw how popular the sport became over the last year as people looked to escape their medically-necessary confinements.

When he’s not playing, practicing or dreaming about golf, the married father of three daughters does have other interests.

In addition to puffing on the occasional cigar, he finds time to indulge his eclectic love of reading that can range from the crime fiction of Walter Mosley to the historical biographies of Lyndon Baines Johnson, and even the writings of actor Matthew McConnaghy.