“Any time
you win
something
with the
name
Palmer, it’s
humbling.”
Hickory Heights Golf Course
BY PAUL GLASSER
G
olf professional Sam Depe III
says receiving an award from the
Professional Golfers’ Association
was a humbling experience.
Depe, owner of Hickory Heights Golf
Course, accepted the Deacon Palmer
Award at the PGA’s annual meeting in
Austin, Texas, on Nov. 1. The award
honors a golf professional who shows
character and integrity while overcoming
a major obstacle in life. Depe has been a
PGA member for 36 years. The award is
named for the father of Arnold Palmer,
who is Depe’s favorite player. “Any time
you win something with the name Palmer,
it’s humbling,” says Depe, 68.
In 1998, Depe lost both his legs in an
automobile accident while returning home
from a tournament in Fox Chapel. The car
flipped several times. He says he survived
because his legs were in an elevated
position above his head, which slowed the
bleeding. After arriving at the hospital,
Depe went into cardiac arrest twice and
fell into a coma. “I would have been brain
dead if my head and feet were the other
way around,” he explains.
Originally, Depe hoped to play golf
again but wasn’t able to return to the game.
“I never thought about giving up,” he says.
“I was going to be the same person. Maybe
that sounds naïve, but that’s the way I felt.”
Although he can’t play anymore, Depe
says the only thing he really misses is the
camaraderie of the game. Laurel Valley
Golf Club was his favorite course to play,
but he also liked to go on golf trips with
friends. “I’m OK with it now,” he adds.
Depe was able to fulfill a dream when he
bought Hickory Heights in 2009. He has
refurbished the dining area and updated
the golf course, and hopes his son, Sam
Depe IV, will take over some day. Depe
is very proud of his son, who stays up to
date on the most recent golf innovations.
“He’s way better than I ever could have
imagined,” he notes. “I know my dad
would be real proud.”
Sam Depe IV is the third-generation
golf professional in the family. His
grandfather, Sam Depe Jr., started the
tradition. Sam Depe III helped his father
every day at the golf course by selling
candy and cleaning clubs. “There was
never any other profession I was getting
into,” he says.
Depe III played golf at Point Park
University and was the head golf pro at
South Hills Country Club for 28 years.
He once encountered Arnold Palmer,
his idol, at the Latrobe Country Club in
Westmoreland County. He recognized
him from his distinctive swing. Depe’s ball
ended up right in front of Palmer, who
scrutinized him while he made a birdie.
Later on, Palmer gave Depe a thumbs-up.
“That made my life right there,” he recalls.
Depe has been featured in newspapers,
magazines and on the Golf Channel. “I’m
proud of what I’ve done, but I’m humbled
by all the attention,” he says.
He urges aspiring golfers to practice
frequently and pursue an education,
because the professional competition is
so fierce. “There are so many good golfers
today,” Depe explains. “It’s very tough. The
golf business has changed since I left.”
Depe only rarely provides golf lessons,
but he does work with disabled golfers. He
says their efforts are very inspiring. Depe
urges anyone facing an obstacle, such as a
serious illness or injury, to persevere. “Try
your best every day,” he advises.
For more information, visit
hickoryheights.golf. n
South Fayette | Winter 2017 | icmags.com 17