19th Hole: Shaun Marcellus

Photo: Shaun Marcellus
Shaun Marcellus
Superintendent // Wanumetonomy G&CC, Middletown, R.I.
What are you having? Tito’s-Sprite. A double!
Tell me about your family. I’ve been married since 2015. I have a beautiful wife named Stephanie, and we have two daughters, Paige and Isla.
What is the “Ultra for Isla?” My youngest daughter, Isla, has had some heartache — she was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome last January. It’s one-in-a-million. She’s the first case in Rhode Island and the youngest at Boston Children’s Hospital they’ve ever seen. Her whole right side stiffened up, hard as concrete. It’s been a pretty stressful 2021. I also lost my father last year. I thought 2020 was hard, but I’d take that year all over again. Isla’s godmother is Mary Latza, Stephanie’s maid of honor. She and her husband are big marathoners. They do Ironmans. Ultraman is like two Ironmans in three days. They’re crazy! She decided to promote Isla and try to raise money and awareness for stiff person syndrome because it’s so rare. (Editor’s note: to donate, visit StiffPerson.org/Ultra-4-Isla/)
What’s your favorite tool to get the job done? My team and my dog. My dog brings the best energy to the club and perks everyone up. Sven and my team are my best tools.
What should I know about the club? There are three things: It’s the shortest, hardest, most fun golf course I’ve ever played; we are the only Seth Raynor club in Rhode Island and I have the best members. They treat you like family. We bought a house our second year here, and my greens chairman organized 15 members to help my pregnant wife and me move into our house. My father passed away in June, and members set up a GoFundMe for a scholarship for my father’s high school basketball team, and they raised $5,000.

Photo: Shaun Marcellus with daughter Paige.
What is your favorite golf moment? I have a picture of it! Cutting cups with my daughter during the Presidents Cup on the 13th green at Liberty National. My wife got a picture of Paige and me. I asked the set-up guy if he minded if I let my 1-year-old daughter come out and watch, and he said, “bring her out!” I got a lot of pictures of that, the flag and the city in the background.
You’re a big Eagles fan — what are your game day traditions? Being in Rhode Island, I don’t get the full effect. I‘m supposed to be eating chowder and shrimp. But I do have Paige trained; we sing the Eagles’ fight song before the game and on every touchdown. We also make our own cheesesteaks or hamburgers, hot dogs and sausages.
I know how big a Seth Raynor fan you are.. do I even crack your top 10 Seths? Yeah, you’re in the top. I don’t know that many Seths. You’re in the top four!
As interviewed by Seth Jones, March 11, 2022.