Anthony "Tony" Mastronardi

Anthony R. Mastronardi, or “Tony” to many, age 79, of Fairfield, passed away on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at Bridgeport Hospital.

Born in Bridgeport, Tony was the son of the late Anthony J. Mastronardi and Rose Pagliuco Mastronardi and remained a lifelong Fairfield resident. He graduated from Notre Dame High School, where he excelled in both golf and basketball, before attending Texas Christian University. While earning his bachelor's degree, he played collegiate golf and later worked for the Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company, further deepening the lifelong connection to the game that would define so much of his life.

Tony proudly served on the Fairfield Police Department from 1978 to 1989. In the years that followed, he explored several careers, but no matter where life took him, he always found his way back to golf.

His passion for the game began at age 12 when he started caddying at Brooklawn Country Club. What began as a childhood job grew into a lifelong calling. Over the years, Tony built a respected reputation throughout Fairfield and New Haven Counties as both a master club craftsman and an exceptional golf instructor.

He owned Taurus Golf, specializing in club repair and refinishing, served as Assistant Golf Professional at the Country Club of Fairfield, and spent the last 27 years at the Sports Center of Connecticut, where he served as manager before focusing on what he loved most—teaching golf.

Tony helped hundreds of golfers improve their games through professional instruction, meticulously fitted and repaired clubs, and an uncanny ability to simplify the golf swing. His gift wasn't simply technical knowledge; it was making the game approachable, enjoyable, and rewarding for players of every skill level.

An accomplished golfer himself, Tony was a familiar face at Fairchild Wheeler Golf Course for decades, where weekends often found him competing alongside lifelong friends. Over the years, he captured numerous local amateur and club championships and became one of the area's most sought-after partners in member-guest tournaments at many of Fairfield County's private clubs. Friends knew that if Tony was on their team, they always had a chance to win.

When he wasn't on the course or giving lessons, he was watching professional tournaments, studying the latest teaching techniques, testing equipment, or simply talking golf with anyone who shared his passion. Golf was never simply a hobby -

it was the thread woven throughout his life.

Perhaps Tony's greatest joy in the game came from sharing it with his two sons, Michael and Christopher. He instilled in them not only a love for golf, but also an appreciation for the values it teaches: patience, discipline, integrity, perseverance, and respect. Those lessons extended far beyond the golf course and helped shape the men they would become.

Away from golf, Tony was a quiet and reserved man who never sought the spotlight. A man of few words, his calm confidence, steady presence, and quiet strength left a lasting impression on those who knew him.

In addition to Kathy, his devoted wife of 53 years, Tony will be deeply missed by his beloved sons, Michael Mastronardi and his wife, Lisa, of Fairfield, and Christopher Mastronardi of Fairfield; his cherished grandsons, Luca and Nico Mastronardi; his brother, Gary Mastronardi and his wife, Tracy, of Lantana, Texas; his niece, Lea Campos; his nephew, Matthew Mastronardi; and the many cousins, friends, clients, and golfers whose lives he touched throughout the years.

Friends may greet the family on Wednesday, July 22, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Road, Fairfield. A prayer service celebrating Tony's life will be held at the conclusion of the visitation.

In honor of Tony's lifelong love of golf, we invite those attending to wear their favorite golf shirt or golf polo as we celebrate his life.