Golf was always in his blood, though. He coached the Villanova golf team during the three seasons (1988-89 through 1990-91) that he guided the Carroll basketball team. Then he worked as a sales representative for a golf company for a year. Then he took his current job selling golf carts, and has been able to play on the side.
Suddenly, the itch was back.
"It gave me the chance to see that I missed the game," Walsh said.
Gradually, Walsh started playing amateur tournaments again. Now, a few months later, he is arguably one of the top five amateurs in the Philadelphia area.
In the last two months alone, he has finished first three times, second three times, third twice, fourth once and seventh once in 10 tournaments.
Next up is the U.S. Amateur, which will begin Aug. 24 in Houston. Walsh is one of eight local qualifiers.
Walsh has played in the country's biggest amateur tourney twice before - in 1987 at Jupiter Hills, Fla., and in 1989 at Merion. Both times, he failed to make the cut after the first two rounds.
This time, he thinks he will make the cut by finishing among the top 64 in the field of 312.
"This year, I am playing so well that I think I can," said Walsh, a graduate of Harriton High who was the first person awarded a full golf scholarship by Villanova, which was just starting a program. "But it's always tough. These players are really good."
Walsh's local teacher of 13 years, Philadelphia Country Club pro Tim DeBaufre, thinks Walsh can make it through all four rounds of the U.S. Amateur this time.
"I really do," DeBaufre said. "I've seen Chet play for a long time, and he is definitely playing his best golf right now."
DeBaufre said that Walsh has always had a solid command of all his shots, but that now he has improved his course management.
