NEW YORK STATE MEN’S SUPER SENIOR & LEGENDS
AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Crag Burn Golf Club - East Aurora, NY
July 30-31, 2024
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NYSGA Officers
President - Jamie Miller, Crag Burn GC
1st VP - Doug Vergith, Chautauqua GC
2nd VP - Rich Weber, Brookfield CC
Secretary - Ryan Gabel, Southern Dutchess 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
Karen Feldman, Columbia G&CC
Henry Fust, Onondaga G&CC
Ryan Gabel, Southern Dutchess CC
Megan Grehan, Hudson National GC
Brent Herlihy, Glens Falls CC
Brian Kumiega, CC of Buffalo
Lawrence Lessing, The Creek
Tom Owen, Corning CC
Christy Schultz, Oak Hill CC
Frank Suits, Cortland CC
Brian Williams, Winged Foot CC
Michael Aquino
Norm Amyot
Tom Andrews
Gary Assad
John Barry
Al Belair
Vic Bergsten
Vincent Bonvino
Chris Boynton
David Braunscheidel
Kevin Broderick
Daniel Bronchetti
Gene Bullis
John Bullis
Ron Case
Sue Chambers
Cory Ciambella
Darrell Cornett
Jerry Danielski
Patrick Donoghue
Edward Evans
Michael Fitzgerald
Georgette Folley
Adrian Forzani
Shaun Francis
Bill Geider
Tom Hahn
Wade Hall
Joe Hazard
Patrick Henry
Jeff Holmes
John Hudacs
Al Huggard
Mary Ann Keeler
Stephen Keeler
Robert Kawa
David Kokes
John Kulesa
Tom Lanahan
Rod Lindstrom
NYSGA Staff
Bill Moore Executive Director
Andrew Hickey Assistant Executive Director
Dan Thompson Director, Marketing and Partnerships
Jack Travers Assistant Director, Rules & Competitions
Mark Ackley Manager, Course Rating
Deb Spilman Manager, Special Events & Volunteer Operations
Michael Dirkes Manager, Regional Associations
Maggie Stewart Manager, Marketing & Creative Content
Carson Crestohl USGA P.J. Boatwright Jr. Communications Intern
Garrett Aadal USGA P.J. Boatwright, Jr. Intern
Jack Corcoran USGA P.J. Boatwright, Jr. Intern
Luke Lynch USGA P.J. Boatwright, Jr. Intern
NYSGA Committee
Fred Arliss
Larry Arliss
Marci Bevilacqua
Doreen Biviano
Marian Blain
John Blain
Timothy Brady
Sue Chambers
Andy Conway
James Cook
John Cooney
George Cretekos
Tom Cotter
John Davis
Dick Dorgan
Georgia Dusckas
Thomas Eckert
Joseph Enright
Laurie Enright
John Ernst
Vie Evans
Mary Beth Fiore
Tim Frank
John Gaffney
Richard Galvin
Brad Griffin
David Hayes
Brad Houston
Marge Hubbell
John Hudacs
Tim Kayes
Edward Koslick
Bill Loehr
Ronald Mack
Gene Meyle
Ginny Meyle
Albert Mowery
John Quijano
Nick Raasch
Joe Riccio
Robert Rosen
Thomas Reidy
Chris Schmidt
Tim Schum
Robert Simms
John Sniezyk
Ron Socash
Jerry Stahl
Iris Stanek
Edward Stanek
Peter Stoj
Joseph Strykowski
John Sullivan
Thelma Taylor
David Vaneenaam
Sheila Vergith
Mona Wasserman
Warren Winslow
Joe Enright, John Blain
Pete Dougherty
Dick Galvin
Mark Gaughan, Tom Reidy,
Doug Vergith, Jamie Miller
PJ Alterio
Mike DeBlois
Tim DiGiulio
Jamey Friedman, Ryan Gabel
Jim Gifford
Andrew Hickey
Tom Owenn
Jimmy Pizzutelli, Chris Van Tuyl
Jeff Wolniewicz
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, the 2019 NYS Men’s Amateur Championship, and most recently the 2023 Men’s Mid-Amateur.
Aerial of Crag Burn Golf Club
Past Champions of the New York State
Men’s Super Senior Championship
Year Host Club
1996 Westwood CC
1997 Cedar Lake Club
1998 Midvale CC
1999 Stafford CC
2000 McConnelsville GC
2001 Niagara Falls CC
2002 Powelton Club
2003 Normanside CC
2004 Lakeshore CC
2005 Vestal Hills CC
2006 Lafeyete CC
2007 Powelton Club
2008 Normanside CC
2009 Stafford CC
2010 Wayne Hills CC
2011 Vestal Hills CC
2012 Wolferts Roost CC
2013 Normanside CC
2014 Cedar Lake Club
2015 Onondaga G&CC
2016 Brookfield CC
2017 Crag Burn GC
2018 Mohawk GC
2019 Cavalry Club
Champion
Bob Lindahl, Cortland
Robert Hoff, Rochester
Hank Mafla, Mamoranock
Hank Mafla, Mamoranock
Hank Mafla, Mamoranock
Coville Windsor, Seneca Falls
Robert Botsford, Poughkeepsie
Ralph Maru, Mechanicsville
Alfred Audi, Fayetteville
Perry Noun, Oswego
John Dennett, Lake George
Mickey Gallagher, Groton
Mickey Gallagher, Groton
Alan Foster, Manlius
Charles Connolly, Queensbury
Charles Connolly, Queensbury
Charles Connolly, Queensbury
Earl Winchester, Glenmont
Randy Young, Jamesville
John Hathway, Birmingham
Jim Smith, East Aurora
Jim Smith, East Aurora
Jim Hamburger, Poughkeepsie’
John Hamilton, Tuckahoe
2020 Suspended for COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Powelton Club
2022 Springville GC
2023 En-Joie GC
Scott Dean, Woodstock
Robert Branham, Norwich
Philip Stegemann, Orchard Park
PAST CHAMPIONS
Past Champions of the New York State
Year Host Club Champion
2023 En-Joie GC
John Benware, Endwell
Entries
Play is open to male amateur golfers who are 1) An active NYSGA Member with a USGA Handicap Index of 15.0 or less and 2) Are 65+ (Super Senior) or 70+ (Legends), as of July 30, 2024.
Format
28th NYS Men’s Super Senior Amateur- Stroke Play, 36 Holes
2nd NYS Legends Amateur - Stroke Play, 36 Holes
Ties
In the event of a tie for either Championship, a sudden-death playoff will be held immediately following play.
Schedule of Events
Monday, July 29 // Registration & Practice Rounds
•12:00 pm-4:30pm.... Player registration and driving range open
•1:30 pm-4:30pm.........Practice round tee times
Tuesday, July 30 // Round 1
•6:30 am............................Practice facilities open
•7:30am-9:27am..........Tee times from holes #1 & #10
•12:00-3:00pm...............Player lunches
Wednesday, July 31 // Round 1
•6:30 am........................... Practice Facilities open
•7:30am-9:27am..........Tee times from holes #1 & #10
•12:00-3:00pm...............Player lunches
•2:00pm.............................Awards ceremony
Coverage
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @NYSGA1923. Check out full photo galleries from all NYSGA tournaments and events at nysga.smugmug.com
The member of the club set to host the upcoming 2023 Men’s Mid-Amateur, was steady and sound with his final-round of 2-under 70, which was the only round under par of the tournament. While the rest of the field was struggling early, Stegemann was able to find an answer to the tour-tested championship golf course that was saturated with rain overnight but had cleared up by the morning.
Starting his day with a bogey on No. 1 (his starting hole during the second-round shotgun), Stegemann bounced back, collecting four birdies over the next twelve holes to gain a lead on the field.
With a mid-range birdie on his final hole of the championship (No. 18), he secured his first state title and fended off many of the best super senior (ages 65+) players in the state of New York.
“Bogeyed the first hole though so it was a slow start but had some birdies on the front nine and held it together,” said Stegemann. “I had my driver going and felt very comfortable with my irons today.”
Crag Burn Golf Club’s Philip Stegemann was able to overcome a four-stroke deficit to claim his first state title at the 27th NYS Super Senior Amateur at En-Joie Golf Club.
Stegemann fired a two-over tournament to win by two strokes
PHILIP STEGEMANN CLAIMS 2024 SUPER SENIOR TITLE
Phillip Stegemann
Playing at the host course of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open on the PGA Champions Tour is nothing but a privilege for Stegemann and understands how big of a moment this is for him.
“Lonnie Nielson, a very good friend of mine, won here in the Dick’s Tournament. Lon has passed away so it’s pretty special for me to win here, thinking about Lon all day today.” said Stegemann reflecting on past PGA Champions Tour winner Lonnie Nielson who was also a former club professional at Crag Burn in the Buffalo area.
This is 67-year-old Stegemann’s first time playing in the NYS Super Senior Amateur Championship. He competed in last year’s Senior Am championship, finishing in the top-10 at Springville. He also won the 2022 Super Senior Porter Cup at Niagara Falls CC.
He is the second from Crag Burn to capture this title, since fellow member Jim Smith captured it two years in a row in 2016-17. He also joins brothers Billy and David Hanes as state champions from the East Aurora club in 2023, although there are plenty of state winners from Crag Burn over the years...
Following him into the clubhouse was 2021 NYS Super-Senior co-runner up Jim Burns of Canandaigua Country Club and the 1st NYS Super Senior Amateur FourBall champion Dan Levinson of MGA eClub - NYC. They both ended their two rounds at 4-over and tied for second place.
In a two-way tie for fourth place was the round-one leader Bob Cooper of the NYSGA eClub - Capital District, and the 2015 NYS Men’s Senior champion Thomas Fletcher of Tuscarora Golf Club, who both finished at 5-over 149.
Dan Levinson
Jim Burns
BENWARE SECURES INAGURAL LEGENDS TITLE
Benware finished at two under to prevail by two strokes PION
The inaugural NYS Men’s Legends Amateur saw many former Senior and Super Senior champions and familiar competitors taking the jump up to the new age division.
However, local area and Binghamton Country Club player, John Benware, shot two rounds under par to claim his and the championship’s very first title.
In a pretty dominant performance, Benware stayed in red figures throughout both rounds and was never in jeopardy of losing his lead. He shot 2-under on his front nine in the final round and was bogey-free through 16 holes.
“It is a terrific golf course,” said Benware on playing this year’s championship at En-Joie Golf Club. “I have some familiarity with the course even though I am not a member here so that certainly helps.”
Benware was the only player in both divisions to get to under-par and stayed atop the field for the entire tournament.
The Endwell resident sank two birdies in his final round, and only a lone bogey on the 17th hole, giving him two rounds of 71 for a total of 142.
In solo second place was the 2014 NYS Men’s Super Senior champion Randy Young who shot 1-under in his final round to finish at even par for the tournament.
John Benware
He did what he could to charge and put pressure on Benware, but a few late-round bogeys prevented that from happening. Finishing behind him was last year’s Super Senior runner-up at Robert DeWitt of Transit Valley Country Club.
“I played a lot of golf with Bob DeWitt and we’re great friends,” said Benware on playing together in the final group. “It was just a treasure to play a round of golf with him. A terrific player and it couldn’t have been better. You couldn’t have scripted it any better.”
In fourth place was Scotty George of Westchester Country Club who was able to bounce back from his first round and shot even par in his final round. He finished the championship at 5-over 149.
Rounding out the top five was Lake Shore Yacht & Country Club member and 2006 Super Senior champ Perry Noun, who shot 8-over 152 (77-75) at 86 years old. In a three-way tie for sixth was Donald Lalonde of Stonehedges Golf Club,
Matthew Ryan of Endwell Greens Golf Club, and the 2019 NYS Men’s Super Senior champion John Hamilton of Hudson National Golf Club, each finishing the tournament at 9-over.
En-Joie was set up at 5,394 yards for the legends division and played to a par of 72.
Robert DeWitt
Randy Young
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SCHULTZ WINS BACK TO BACK MID-AM TITLES
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