2023 NYS Men's Mid-Amateur Championship Program

2023

NEW YORK STATE

MEN’S MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Crag Burn Golf Club - East Aurora, New York

September 22-24, 2023

CONDUCTED BY THE

SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Please support our Sponsors! Their support of the NYSGA and golf community, helps us to strengthen our services, member benefits and tournament experiences.

NYSGA Officers

President - Henry Fust, Onondaga G&CC

1st VP - Jamie Miller, Crag Burn GC

2nd VP - Doug Vergith, Chautauqua GC

Secretary - Iris Stanek, Lancaster CC

Treasurer - Robert Smith, Highland Park GC

General Counsel - Peter Jones, Drumlins CC

NYSGA Executive Committee

Shawn Baker, Oak Hill CC

Lee Bearsch, Binghamton CC

John Burns, Niagara Falls CC

Ryan Gabel, Southern Dutchess CC

Jim Gifford, Mohawk GC

Megan Grehan, Hudson National GC

Brent Herlihy, Glens Falls CC

Lawrence Lessing, The Creek

Christy Schultz, Oak Hill CC

Frank Suits, Cortland CC

Rich Weber, Brookfield CC

Brian Williams, Winged Foot CC

Norm Amyot

Michael Aquino

Fred Arliss

Larry Arliss

Gary Assad

John Barry

John Bartholomew

David Beattie

Al Belair

Vic Bergsten

Marci Bevilacqua

Doreen Biviano

John Blain

Vincent Bonvino

Chris Boynton

Timothy Brady

David Braunscheidel

Gene Bullis

John Bullis

Ted Casey

Sue Chambers

Michael Chianelli

Cory Ciambella

Brian Clark

Matt Clarke

Andrew Conway

James Cook

Darrell Cornett

Thomas Cotter

George Cretekos

Jerry Danielski

John Davis

Garrett Davitt

Gordon Dewey

Todd Dischinger

Patric Donaghue

Renato Donato

Mike Donnelly

Dick Dorgan

Michael Drennen

Georgia Dusckas

NYSGA Staff

Bill Moore Executive Director

Andrew Hickey

Assistant Executive Director

Dan Thompson Director, Marketing and Partnerships

Jack Travers

Assistant Director, Rules & Competitions

Michael Dirkes Manager, Regional Associations

Mark Ackley Manager, Course Rating

Deb Spilman Manager, Special Events & Volunteer Operations

Christopher Buerle Communications Intern

Alexander King USGA P.J. Boatwright, Jr. Intern

Damian Rodriguez USGA P.J. Boatwright, Jr. Intern

NYSGA Committee

Tom Eckert

Wayne Eckhardt

Joe Enright

Laurie Enright

John Ernst

Vie Evans

Karen Feldman

Mary Beth Fiore

Mark Fitzgerald

Michael Fitzgerald

Georgette Folley

Adrian Forzani

Tim Frank

John Gaffney

Richard Galvin

Bill Geider

Brad Griffin

Tom Hahn

Julie Hamm

David Hayes

Joe Hazard

Sherry Heath

Patrick Henry

Jeff Holmes

Braden Houston

John Hudacs

Al Huggard

Don Hurley

Ed Kaczor

Robert Kawa

Tim Kayes

Mary Ann Keeler

Stephen Keeler

Jeffrey Kennicutt

Edward Koslick

John Kulesa

Peter Lalla

Nan Lanahan

Tom Lanahan

Rod Lindstrom

Bill Loehr

Janis Luce

Ron Mack

Patrick MacRae

Susan Marsh

Robert Martin

Ronald Mason

Patricia Mayne

Jim McConnell

Theresa McGibbon

Thomas McGibbon

Pat McKenna

James McKillip

Patrick McNierney

Sean McPhee

Richard Meath

Brian Merritt

James Meyers

Gene Meyle

Ginny Meyle

Matthew Micheli

Bill Moore

Matthew Moran

Bill Moreland

Albert Mowery

Jack Mulvey

Art Munson

Jim Murrett

Thomas Oles

Thomas Owen

Rocco Palmieri

Brandon Payne

Mark Perry

Noah Poskanzer

Richard Prestopnik

Joe Pucello

John Quijano

Nick Raasch

John Raunick

John Reagan

Tom Reidy

Joseph Riccio

James Roff

Robert Rosen

Sean Rotella

Tony Scarpello

Chris Schmidt

Carl Schultz

Tim Schum

Dan Scott

Martin Siefka

Robert Simms

Sue Sims

Sarah Simson

Jaspal “Ricky” Singh, M.D.

David Smith

John Sniezyk

Ron Socash

Don Sommerville

Joseph Sorrento

Jerry Stahl

Edward Stanek

Tom Steele

Peter Stoj

Joseph Strykowski

John Sullivan

Levin Sullivan

Gale Sutton

Thelma Taylor

David Vaneenenaam

Jerry Vereeke

Mona Wasserman

Rich Weber

Bryan Whooten

Loretta Whooten

Steve Wilber

Richard Wilson

Doug Young

Jon Zucarelli

On behalf of the entire New York State Golf Association, welcome to the 39th Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship!

The NYSGA is pleased to join with the leadership and staff of Crag Burn Golf Club to provide a memorable challenge in crowning New York State’s men’s mid-amateur champion.

We are proud to return to this Robert Trent Jones, Sr. masterpiece that was founded in 1969. This will mark our third state championship hosted by Crag Burn in the past decade including the 2017 Men’s Senior & Super Senior, and 2019 Men’s Amateur. The NYSGA has previously held Men’s Mid-Amateurs in 1986, 1999 and 2010.

We anticipate an exciting and memorable competition over the next few days, and the golf course and setup will surely challenge the players to utilize their full ability and skill.

I’d like to offer our thanks and appreciation to the management, club and pro shop staff, and especially the course grounds crew, whose combined efforts have provided us with this wonderful championship venue.

Finally, I’d like to thank our NYSGA staff and fantastic team of tournament volunteers, who work tirelessly to provide a first-class experience and support the talented players that participate in our competitions.

We hope you enjoy this year’s championship and we appreciate your support of our association and tournaments. If there’s anything that we can do to make your experience more enjoyable, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of the NYSGA staff.

Sincerely,

Henry W. Fust , President New York State Golf Association

In the late 1960s, Frank Goodyear Jr. and his family decided to turn their rarely used polo grounds into a golf course. The family hired Robert Trent Jones Sr. to design a course on the 190-acre field where “a group of friends could play golf”.

On May 1, 1972, Crag Burn officially opened its doors. Through the years, many course improvements have been made to Crag Burn, including some commissioned by Robert Trent Jones’ son Reese Jones.

The gently rolling lands; the soils and the drainage pattern which so readily adapted to the creation of small lakes and streams; the mature vegetation ranging from lowland maples and ash to beautiful specimens of beech, hickory, hemlock and oaks was all ideally suited for the design of an outstanding golf course.

The physical character of the course emerges in part from the diverse nature of the site. Nearly half of the holes play through dense woods. Here, wide fairways are park-like and similar in appearance to Augusta National. The remaining holes are like an open meadowland where amply wide fairways are carved out of tall meadow fescues. The vivid contrast between lush, green bentgrass fairways and the golden color of the fescue roughs impart a character to these holes strongly reminiscent of Shinnecock Hills and the famous links of Scotland.

The course has hosted many amateur events, beginning in 1986 with the New York State Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship. Crag Burn also hosted this event in 1999 and 2010. More recently, the club hosted the 2017 New York State Men’s Senior and Super Senior Amateur Championship, and most recently the 2019 NYS Men’s Amateur Championship.

Thank you to the leadership & staff at Crag Burn GC for hosting this year’s championship!

No. 9 at Crag Burn Golf Club located in East Aurora, N.Y.

More rain rolled through Seven Oaks Golf Club on Sunday as the final round to crown the 38th NYS Mid-Amateur champion was underway after a weekend of poor weather.

Crag Burn’s Billy Hanes posted 1-under to claim the title by two strokes. He finished with a three-round total of 4-under par 212.

He was the only player in the field to fire all three rounds under par in tough fall conditions throughout the championship.

Hanes entered the day with a three-stroke lead, just as he did in 2018, when he ultimately lost the championship in a playoff at Wanakah and finished runner-up.

“I haven’t won an individual state title since 2000,” Hanes said referring to his first NYSGA victory as a Boys’ 14U Junior. “It feels great to win. I hope I can get better in state, national and local events for years to come.”

He also won NYS Men’s Four-Ball titles in 2015 and 2018, and most recently in 2023 with brother David. He also captured the Erie County Am and Buffalo District Match Play last year prior to the state win.

The victory marked Hanes’ first individual state title since the NYS Boys’ 14U Amateur in 2000.

HANES CLAIMS 38TH NYS MID-AM CROWN AT SEVEN OAKS

Billy Hanes

2022 CHAMPIONSHIP

“I knew that the rain was coming, and I am not a good rain player,” Hanes said. “I was confident, but I wasn’t that confident mostly because of the rain.”

Hanes played consistent golf from the start and turned at even par. He dropped a stroke on the par-3 11th, and missed a short birdie putt on the 12th, which opened the door for Locust Hill’s Kyle Downey

Downey strung together three straight birdies beginning on the drivable par-4 13th. He took the lead

on the scorable backside at Seven Oaks while Hanes was a few groups behind him.

After hitting his drive just right of the green on 13, that was playing up at 282 yards Sunday, Hanes chipped in for eagle to regain the lead. It was a lead that he wouldn’t again surrender, as Downey eventually three-putted for bogey on the 18th while Hanes knocked in a birdie on the 16th.

Downey matched the tournament low round with a final-round 69.

“I felt like I was playing really well the last couple days, I just had a couple of bad swings and a couple of bad holes that didn’t allow me to get anything going,” Downey said. “I finally got something going today, especially on the back at the turn, where I made three or four birdies in a row.”

He would finish in solo second place for the tournament at 2-under 214, two strokes shy of Hanes.

Kyle Downey

Carl Schimenti

Jacob Katz Jim Gifford

“Runner-up is definitely an accomplishment but I’m still knocking on the door waiting for that first win of some kind,” Downey said. “It’s just a little bit frustrating and it’s going to have to wait for another time.” (little did Downey know, he would go on to break through and win the 100th NYS Amateur at Wykagyl in August of 2023).

2021 champion Carl Schimenti, of Cornell University GC, shot even par in all three rounds to finish in third place.

Rounding out the top five were Jacob Katz, of Brookfield CC, and Jim Gifford, of Mohawk GC.

Katz also fired a 69 on Sunday to climb the leaderboard and finish tied for fourth with a 1-over 217. Gifford also finished at 1-over, putting together an even-par final round.

The top 20 finishers earned an exemption into this year’s championship at Crag Burn Golf Club, Hanes’ home club.

The top 10 finishers also earned an exemption into the 2023 Men’s Amateur which was hosted by Wykagyl Country Club.

The course played at 6,821 yards at to a par of 72 for the final round.

Billy Hanes

Seven Oaks Golf Club hosted the 38th NYS Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship in September of 2022.

1 PAR FOUR 420 YARDS

2 PAR FIVE 607 YARDS

3 PAR FOUR 342 YARDS

4 PAR FOUR 398 YARDS

5 PAR THREE 209 YARDS

6 PAR FOUR 410 YARDS

7 PAR THREE 150 YARDS

8 PAR FIVE 532 YARDS

9 PAR FOUR 409 YARDS

10 PAR FOUR 410 YARDS

11 PAR FOUR 389 YARDS

12 PAR THREE

176 YARDS

13 PAR FOUR 410 YARDS

14 PAR FIVE 513 YARDS

15 PAR FOUR 425 YARDS

16 PAR FIVE 529 YARDS

17 PAR THREE 191 YARDS

18 PAR FOUR 433 YARDS

TOTAL 6,915 YARDS

Par 72

Clubhouse at Crag Burn GC.

Past Champions of the New York State Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship

Year Host Club Champion

PLAYER INFORMATION

Entries

The Championship is open to male amateur golfers. Players must be a member of the NYSGA, defined as either belonging to an NYSGA member club or an NYSGA eClub (NYS residency required of eClub members). Players must be at least 25 years old as of September 22, 2023 and must have an up-to-date USGA Handicap Index of 10.4 or less and issued by their NYSGA member club.

Format

39th NYS Men’s Mid-Amateur - Stroke Play, 54 Holes

Ties

In the event of a tie for either Championship, a sudden-death playoff will be held immediately following play.

Schedule of Events

Thursday, September 21

10:00-4:00pm........ Registration

10:00-3:30pm........ Practice rounds

Friday, September 22

6:45am....................Registration opens

7:30-9:30am............Round 1 from tee #1 and #10

11:00-3:00pm..........Player lunch

12:30-2:30pm..........Round 1 from tee #1 and #10

Saturday, September 23

6:30am....................Practice facility open

7:30-11:30am..........Round 2 from tee #1

11:30-4:00pm..........Player lunch

Sunday, September 24

6:30am....................Practice facility open

7:30-9:30am............Round 3 from tee #1

12:00-4:00pm..........Player lunch

3:30pm....................Award ceremony

There is a cut after 18 holes to low-60 players and ties, and after 36 holes to low-30 players and ties.

Coverage

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @NYSGA1923. Check out full photo galleries from all NYSGA tournaments and events at nysga.smugmug.com

GOLF IN NEW YORK

We’d like to recognize our partner regional associations for the exceptional work they do in promoting the game of golf.

AMATEUR GOLF ASSOCIATIONS

PGA SECTIONS

Rochester

Syracuse

Buffalo

Metropolitan

Westchester

Long Island

United States

Triple Cities Captial District

VISIT NYSGA.ORG/FOUNDATION

JOIN THE NYSGA FOUNDATION MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM

Since its founding in 2003, the NYSGA Foundation has impacted thousands of people through golf related programs such as scholarships, junior golf programs, supporting local first tee chapters, free USGA GHIN Handicaps for juniors, recognizing the top contributors through the NYSGA Hall of Fame, and much more. The Foundation is a 501c(3) and all donations made to support these amazing programs are tax deductible.

ESTABLISHED IN 2012 HALL OF FAME

The NYSGA Hall of Fame’s mission is to identify, recognize, and enshrine the state's finest amateur and professional golf competitors, as well as those who have made outstanding contributions to the game throughout New York by their careers as golf teachers, coaches, mentors, and volunteers to the game.

NYSGA SCHOLARSHIP FUND

FUNDING SCHOLARSHIPS SINCE 1967

The NYSGA Scholarship Fund annually awards $30,000 to deserving students, with over $500,000 given since 1967. Eligible students must be in their second year of employment at an NYSGA member club, be in good academic standing, and demonstrate a financial need. The Foundation’s goal is to increase the amount raised in order to give out more awards through the NYSGA Foundation Membership Program.

FOUNDED IN 2021 FOUNDATION

MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM

The money raised via the NYSGA Foundation Membership Program directly funds college scholarships for NYSGA member club employees. Supporters of the fund come from participating clubs and individual members across the state. Donations of $100 or more will be recognized on the NYSGA website, “Supporters of the Fund”.

YOUTH ON COURSE

PROVIDING AFFORDABLE GOLF TO JUNIORS

Youth on Course is a junior golf membership for boys and girls 6-18 to play participating courses for just $5.. Founded by the Northern California Golf Association in 2006, it is now offered in all 50 states, with over 70,000 members, 950,000 subsidized rounds of golf, and 15 million holes played. The NYSGA currently partners with 13 courses and has 60 junior members. Youth on Course promotes the game to today’s youth, allowing them to build strong long lasting relationships and instilling core values.