Hall of Fame

Raised in Waterbury, CT, Alan Foster’s golf career was spurred by his father’s interest in the game. As a pre-med major at DePauw University, he lettered on the school’s golf team for two years, but starting in 1963 took a tenyear hiatus from the game as he focused on his medical career. It was during this time that Dr. Alan Foster was appointed to the St. Joseph’s Hospital staff and resumed his interest in golf by becoming a member of Bellevue Country Club in 1974.

The Syracuse region quickly took note of Foster after he won the 1975 NYS Men’s Amateur Championship at Bellevue Country Club. “You know, I never played more than number three man in high school and number five in college,” said Foster in an interview after his win with the Syracuse Herald-Journal. “And the only formal lesson I ever took was one last year from Jerry (Bellevue pro Jerry Steelsmith).”

While Foster wouldn’t capture the NYS Men’s Am title again (he did finish second in 1984 at the CC of Troy to George Zahringer), his NYSGA career was far from over. He won the NYS Mid-Amateur twice (1992 and 1995), the NYS Men’s Senior Amateur (2003) and the NYS Men’s Super Senior Amateur (2009). This record of winning four different NYSGA championships remains unmatched to this date.

Locally, Foster would cement his legacy as one of the region’s best amateurs by winning ten area majors, including eight Gerry Ashe Memorial titles (the SDGA’s stroke play championship) and two Post-Standard Amateur Championships. In recognition of his various accolades and local dominance, Foster was inducted into the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.

Foster often competed nationally, winning the 2002 Senior Porter Cup and qualifying for 13 national championships including the 2005 and 2006 U.S. Senior Opens. His best finish in USGA competition was in the 2004 and 2005 U.S. Senior Amateur Championships, where he lost in the semi-final matches.

Internationally, the golfing doctor began competing abroad as early as 1981 when he reached the third round of the British Amateur played at the Old Course at St. Andrews, defeating defending champion Duncan Evans in the second round. Two decades later, he made his way back across the pond to compete in the British Mid-Amateur Championship in 2000.

In 2005, at the age of 62, Foster won the Senior British Open Amateur Championship at Woburn with a six over par 220 total. In 2006, he competed in the U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Senior Amateur, British Senior Open and British Senior Amateur, a testament to both his consistency and golfing excellence.