News

SPRINGVILLE, N.Y. -- The upcoming 65th New York State Men’s Senior & 26th Super Senior Amateur Championships will be contested at Springville Country Club on September 14-15, 2022.  

Related: Championship Home / Scoring / Pairings / Program / 2021 Recap

The 36-hole stroke play championships begin on Wednesday with 18 holes, followed by a second 18 holes on Thursday to decide a champion in each division. If a tie exists after 36 holes, a sudden-death playoff will determine the winner.

CHAMPIONSHIP QUICK FACTS

2021 Champions:

Daniel Russo of Schuyler Meadows Club (Senior)

Scott Dean of Woodstock Golf Club (Super Senior)

Format: 36 holes of stroke play, played over two days of competition.

Eligibility: This championship is open to male amateur golfers who meet the following requirements: Be a member of the NYSGA, defined as either (1) belonging to an NYSGA member club or (2) joining the NYSGA as a 2022 NYSGA eClub member. Players must also have a USGA Handicap Index issued by an NYSGA member club of 12.0 or less for the Senior Championship and 15.0 or less for the Super Senior Championship and at least 55 years old as of September 13, 2022.

Age Groups: 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75+

Par & Yardage: 

SENIOR DIVISION 

HOLE	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
YARDS	392	507	188	308	405	414	496	149	424
PAR	4	5	3	4	4	4	5	3	4

 

HOLE	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
YARDS	359	501	168	427	180	352	342	196	575
PAR	4	5	3	4	3	4	4	3	5

 

OUT: 3,283 yards / IN: 3,100 yards

TOTAL: 6,383 yards, par 36-35-71 (70.9/129)
 

SUPER SENIOR

HOLE	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
YARDS	392	492	167	308	392	394	477	136	389
PAR	4	5	3	4	4	4	5	3	4

 

HOLE	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
YARDS	359	481	161	404	160	341	320	178	513
PAR	4	5	3	4	3	4	4	3	5

 

OUT: 3,147 yards / IN: 2,917 yards

TOTAL: 6,064 yards, par 36-35-71 (70.0/121)

Schedule of Events:  

Tuesday, September 13

• 9:00-4:00pm.......... Registration
• 11:00-2:00pm.........Player lunch
• 9:30-3:00pm.......... Practice rounds

Wednesday, September 14

• 7:30-9:00am............Round 1, tees #1 and #10
• 11:00-3:00pm..........Player lunch
• 12:30-2:00pm..........Round 1, tees #1 and #10

Thursday, September 15

• 7:30-9:00am............Round 2, tees #1 and #10
• 11:00-3:00pm..........Player lunch
• 12:30-2:00pm..........Round 2, tees #1 and #10
• 7:00pm....................Award ceremony
  
  

The Field 

Past NYS Men’s Senior Champions in the field

Dave Benedict, 72, of Brook-Lea Country Club, secured the title in 2011 at Vestal Hills Country Club. Benedict also won the 1994 Mid-Amateur when it was hosted at Wayne Hills Country Club, and the 2005 Rochester District Golf Association Senior Championship. 

Tom Fletcher, 65, of Tuscarora Golf Club, won the 2015 championship with a birdie on the second playoff hole at Onondaga Golf & Country Club against Don Enga of Cherry Valley Club. He won the 2020 and 2021 AIM Senior Championship. Fletcher was inducted into the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame in 2017 and is also a member of the LeMoyne College Sports Hall of Fame.

Matt Haefele, 72, of Stafford Country Club, was the oldest player in the field at this year’s U.S. Senior Amateur. It was also his first USGA Championship appearance. He won the NYS Senior Amateur in 2009 at his home club.

Bob Hughes, 61, of Watertown Golf Club, won the 2018 championship at Mohawk Golf Club in a two-hole playoff over Wade Sarkis of Canandaigua Country Club. He is an eight-time winner of the Watertown Men’s City Golf Championship.

Dave Prowler, 64, of Towers Country Club, won the 2017 championship at Crag Burn Golf Club. He won the 2022 New York City Senior Amateur. He recently competed in the Long Island Open Championship in 2019 and 2020. Prowler also made the field for the 2012 U.S. Senior Open Championship.

Daniel Russo, 64, of Schuyler Meadows Club, repeated as the Men’s Senior Champion last year after capturing the title in 2019. He competed in his first state senior in 2018, finishing T9. He’s qualified for the U.S. Senior Open twice (2017, 2009), and the 2015 U.S. Senior Amateur. He won the 2020 Society of Seniors Dale Morey championship and finished T7 in the Golfweek Senior Challenge Cup.

Donald Van Gorder, 73, of Newman Municipal Golf Course, won the championship in 2006 at Lafayette Country Club. He also won the Syracuse District Golf Association Super Senior Stroke Play championship in 2017 and 2022.
 

Past NYS Super Senior Champions in the field

Scott Dean, 68, of Woodstock Golf Club, won his first New York State title at the 2021 Men’s Super Senior Championship. He also finished third in the 2019 championship. 

Jim Hamburger, 71, of McCann Golf Course, won the 2018 championship by four strokes over Anthony Tomaselli of Yahundasis Golf Club. He finished runner-up in the 2019 championship, falling by one stroke. He also won the 2016 Dutchess County Senior Amateur. Hamburger recently competed in this year's U.S. Senior Amateur and had the distinction of being the second oldest player in the field to fellow New York player Matt Haefele.

John Hathway, 74, of NYSGA eClub – Watertown, won the title at Onondaga Golf & Country Club in 2015 by a stroke.

James Smith, 73, of Crag Burn Golf Club, won back-to-back Men’s Super Senior titles in 2016 and 2017. He’s back after a several year hiatus to make another run at the championship. Smith also has two Buffalo District Golf Association Championships under his belt.

Randy Young, 74, of Bellevue Country Club, claimed the title in 2014 at Cedar Lake Club by three strokes with a 227 (+11). He won the SDGA Super Senior title in 2019.

Other Past NYS Champions in the field

Mark Battle, 68, of Ravenwood Golf Club, is a two-time NYS Men’s Senior Four-Ball winner. He took home the title in 2013 and 2021. He captured this year's Rochester District Super Senior title and is a past president of the RDGA.

Robert Branham, 67, of Canasawacta Country Club, teamed up with Kevin Webb to win the 2017 Men’s Senior Four-Ball. He’s a member of the SUNY Cortland Hall of Fame.

Andy Conway, 67, of Ravenwood Golf Club, is the president of the Rochester District Golf Association. He took home the NYS Amateur Mixed Team title in 2016 with his partner Sara Eichelberger.

Todd Dischinger, 66, of Foxfire Golf Club, won the 1992 NYS Men’s Amateur Championship at Drumlins Country Club. He is the president of the Syracuse District Golf Association and was elected the Super Senior player of the year in 2021 after winning both the super senior stroke play and match play championships. He is also a member of the SDGA Hall of Fame.

John Gaffney, 63, of Brookfield Country Club, won the Men’s Amateur at Wanakah Country Club in 1999.

Bob Rosen, 61, of Country Club of Buffalo, is a two-time Men’s Senior Four-Ball champion with partner Matt Clarke, capturing their second title earlier this year. He won the 2021 Erie County Senior Amateur title. He also won the 1993 Buffalo Golf Association District Championship. 

Wade Sarkis, 60, of Canandaigua Country Club, won the 2019 Senior Amateur Four-Ball championship with partner Ken Ogden. He was the 2018 Senior Amateur runner-up and lost in a two-hole playoff to Bob Hughes after shooting a final-round 68. He finished T24 in the 2019 Senior Porter Cup. 

Jim Scorse, 57, of Stafford Country Club, Scorse, won the 2016 NYS Mid-Amateur by one stroke at Stafford Country Club. He’s a five-time NYSGA champion overall, winning the 2011 and 2012 Four-Ball titles, 2005 Men’s Amateur and 2013 Mid-Amateur. He’s been a frequent presence at the U.S. Mid-Amateur for the past decade. His list of district championships includes eight Rochester District Golf Association (RDGA) Match Play titles, eight Mid-Ams, five Amateurs, and was elected RDGA Player of the Year fourteen times since 1997. Recently, he's captured RDGA Senior titles in 2022 and 2020.

Kevin Webb, 63, of Clifton Springs Country Club, was the 2017 NYS Men’s Senior Four-Ball co-champion at Leatherstocking Golf Course with a two-round total of 136 (-8). In 2018, he teamed up with his wife Lisa to win the NYS Senior Mixed Team championship at Skaneateles Country Club. The duo won again in 2021, capturing their second Mixed Team title at Brook-Lea Country Club. He captured the RDGA Senior title in 2019.

Others to Watch in Senior

Michael Dunsmore, 64, of Cobble Hill Golf Course, has competed in numerous U.S. Senior Amateurs. His best result came in 2016 when he reached the quarterfinals. He would lose to eventual champion Dave Ryan but added another feather in the cap of a long career in golf. He qualified for this year's  U.S. Senior Amateur Championship and was the medalist at sectional qualifying at Manchester Country Club in Vermont where he shot 72.

Jim Mason, 60, of Oak Hill Country Club, finished T6 in the 2018 championship at Mohawk and T4 in the 2019 championship at Calvary Club. 

David Hicks, 59, of Cornell University Golf Course, finished T2 in the 2019 championship, coming within one stroke of the eventual champion, Daniel Russo. He was the longtime Superintendent for Cornell, and recently retired from that position.

Kevin Vandenberg, 56, of Beaver Meadows Golf Club, was the 2021 NYS Men's Senior Amateur runner-up. He captured the 2022 Senior Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club, and qualified for the last two U.S. Senior Amateurs in his first two years of eligibility (2021-22). He's qualified for two U.S. Senior Opens (2016, 2019). In June, he won the Golfweek Senior National Championship held in North Carolina. Last year, he won the Sunnehanna Senior Invitational. Locally, he's won the last two SDGA Senior Stroke Play titles, and was voted the 2021 SDGA Senior Player of the Year. He's also won the CNY PGA's Post-Standard three times, and captured two SDGA Gerry Ashe Memorial titles in 2009 and 2017.

Ken Cohen, 59, of Villa Roma Country Club, finished T8 at the 2019 championship. He won his first amateur tournament in 2001 at the Sullivan County Men’s Amateur Championship. This year, Cohen claimed the Westchester Senior Amateur, defeating Tore Carlson 1 up in the final round of match play.

Dave Scialabba, 60, of Meadow Brook Club, won the 2020 Long Island Golf Association Senior Amateur at Old Westbury Country Club. He and his son, Peter, also won the 2020 Metropolitan Golf Association’s Father and Son Championship at Echo Lake. 

Dennis Lynch, 61, of Nassau Players Club, won this year’s Metropolitan Golf Association (MGA) Senior Amateur. He is a two-time Met Mid-Amateur champion and an MGA Executive Committee member.

Others to Watch in Super Senior

Bob Cooper, 66, of Schenectady Municipal Golf Club, was the runner-up in last year’s Men’s Super Senior Championship carding a 10-over 220. He also held the lead throughout the first two rounds at the 2018 Senior Amateur at Mohawk, shooting 70-69 before carding a final round 79 to finish in solo fifth.

Jim Burns, 68, of Canandaigua Country Club, finished as the runner-up in the 2021 Super Senior Championship. He tied with Bob Cooper at 10-over. He won the RDGA Senior Match Play title in 2019.

Stewart McGough, 68, of Bellevue Country Club, was named Syracuse District Golf Association Senior Player of the Year in 2015. He won the SDGA Audi memorial in 2019 and 2021.

Ed Mazza, 68, of Newman Municipal Golf Course, is a 14-time Tompkins County Amateur Championship title holder in addition to winning 13 Ithaca City Championships. 

 

Springville Country Club

Nestled in the hills of Springville, NY sits one of the most pristine country club facilities in all Western New York.  

Established by American football pioneer Glen “Pop” Warner, the Springville Country Club offers an unforgettable golf experience for all skill levels on its well-manicured, lush fairways and greens.

The beautiful 14,000 sq. ft. clubhouse, grill and dining facilities offer our members and their guests a place to relax after golf or anytime. 

We welcome new members and the opportunity to host your tournament, banquet or private event.

In addition to a true 19th hole, Springville has outstanding practice facilities. 

The 65th NYS Men’s Senior Amateur and 26th NYS Men’s Super Senior Amateur Championships are the first New York State Golf Association Amateur Championships held at this 100-year-old club.

Learn more about Springville Country Club