Jim Urso '70

Jim Urso was the first OHSAA individual state champion in the history of Badin High School, winning the state golf championship as a junior in the spring of 1969 over the Scarlet Course at the Ohio State University.

Jim shot 80-72-152 to capture the title, the 72 also being the best 18-hole score carded by any golfer in the two rounds of play. He was the district medalist that year as well as voted the team's Most Valuable Player, and also scored an ace against Talawanda.

That's one of five holes-in-one Jim has had in his career, which included three years of prep golf, two years of collegiate golf at the University of Cincinnati and many subsequent years of competitive amateur golf and two championships at Twin Run.

Jim played three years of basketball at Badin, and as a senior played for a St. Peter in Chains CYO team that won the state title in Akron. That spring, he just missed out on another trip to the state golf tournament in a district playoff.

A graduate of UC in quantitative analysis, he recently celebrated 35 years with GAB Robins North America, an international insurance service company, where he is currently a Senior Claims Representative.

Jim and his wife, Brenda, live in Northern Kentucky. They have two daughters, Liz, 25; and Anne, 21. Jim points out that his golf skills run in the family. His father, Joe, was a multiple local champion and considered one of the top golfers in Hamilton annals.

Back