Dobesh Becomes First Public-Golfer to Win BDGA Mid-Am
By Mark Gaughan
EAST AMHERST, N.Y - Shane Dobesh went toe to toe with Western New York’s top mid-amateur of the past decade and came away with his first Buffalo District victory Wednesday.
The 33-year-old Dobesh, who plays out of Sheridan Park Golf Club, shot an even-par 71 on the final round to finish even par for 36 holes and claim the 2025 Buffalo District Golf Association Mid-Amateur title.
It turned into a two-man race between Dobesh and Billy Hanes in the final round at Transit Valley Country Club. The 39-year-old Hanes, of Crag Burn Golf Club, placed second at 2-over 143. Hanes has six New York State Golf Association crowns to his name, including the NYS Mid-Amateur titles in 2022 and 2023. He won the Buffalo District Individual in 2023 and has been BDGA Player of the Year five times since 2015.
“It’s nice to get back in the winner’s circle because I haven’t won anything on my own ball in awhile,” Dobesh said. “I won the match play title in Rochester in 2015, but since then I haven’t won an amateur event.”
Dobesh grew up playing at the public Webster Golf Club and played collegiately at Division II Roberts Wesleyan in Rochester. He turned pro for a few years after college, then regained his amateur status in 2019.
He becomes the first public-course player to win the BDGA Mid-Am in the 18-year history of the event.
“That’s pretty cool,” Dobesh said. “I like that. I’m a public guy, through and through.”
Dobesh showed no jitters entering the final round tied for the lead at even par with Hanes and Jaret Chipman, a 2021 Canisius University graduate and a member at Ontario’s Cherry Hill Club.
Dobesh birdied the first four holes to take a four-shot lead. He sank a 40-foot putt on the 185-yard par-3 fourth.
“It feels good because I know Billy has played a lot of good competition over the years, and obviously he’s won a bunch,” Dobesh said. “Being able to get to a hot start today was important, but I knew Billy was going to stay in there, so I couldn’t let my guard down.”
Hanes methodically tracked Dobesh down. Hanes’ highlights included a 270-yard fairway wood into the wind to the green on the par-5 10th hole, which led to a birdie. Then Hanes sank a 7-foot downhill birdie putt on the par-4 16th to forge a tie at 1-under.
The wind, blowing 16 mph and gusting to 28 mph, was howling on the par-3 17th.
Dobesh, who normally hits his 8-iron 165, hit the club from 182 yards to 25 feet. Hanes’ downwind 8-iron landed just 2 yards short of the green and rolled back into the left front bunker. He made bogey, while Dobesh sank the putt for birdie and a two-shot swing.
“I hung in there,” Hanes said. “We were even with two to go, and he made a great birdie on 17. . . . It was very tough out here in the wind, and that’s why nobody broke par for two days.”
Chipman, who ranked 12th among Ontario mid-amateurs in 2023, finished third at 3-over 145. Glen Oak’s Kyle Harman was fourth at 147. Brookfield’s Kyle Gay was fifth at 150.
Dobesh managed the tough wind conditions well. He has excellent balance in his swing, with a stable lower body and a peaceful weight shift. His right side seemingly never gets overaggressive.
“His strength is his ball striking,” said Clarence’s David Wagner, who caddied for him and has played with him since college days. “In this wind, he did exceptional today. His club sound is different. It’s solid every single time.”
“I’ve always been preached tempo,” Dobesh said. “My dad’s not a golfer, but he could always tell when I was getting fast. So that’s pretty much been my thought process over the years. If I can get the tempo down, stay within myself and not force it, I play really well. Especially in windy conditions, you’re trying to flight it, you’re not trying to hit high shots or overpower it. You’re trying to hit smooth shots that stay under the wind as long as possible.”
