News

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- The upcoming 2023 New York State Women’s Senior & Super Senior Amateur Championships are set to challenge many of the best senior women amateur golfers around the state over 36 holes of stroke play from August 22-23 at Whiteface Club & Resort in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Related: Championship Home / Pairings / Scoring / Program / 2022 Recap / Past Winners

More than 110 players will be divided into two divisions: Senior (ages 50-64) and Super-Senior (ages 65+). The championship begins on Tuesday with 18 holes of stroke play in a shotgun format beginning at 10:00 am. Wednesday, the field will play another 18 holes of stroke play in a shotgun format at 10:00am to decide champion in both divisions (Senior & Super Senior) as well as age division winners, for both gross and net. If a tie for either championship exists after 36 holes, a sudden-death playoff will determine the winner.

CHAMPIONSHIP QUICK FACTS

Date: August 22-23, 2023

Host Site: Whiteface Club & Resort, Lake Placid, N.Y.

2022 Champions:

Susan Kahler of Ballston Spa Country Club (Senior)
Mary Jo Kelly of Wolferts Roost Country Club (Super Senior)

Format: 36 holes of stroke play, played over two days in a shotgun format. 

Par and Yardage:

Senior: 5,301 yards, par 71
Super Sr: 4,954 yards, par 71

Schedule of Events:

Monday, August 21
8:00am.............… Registration opens
8:59am-2:00pm...... Practice round tee times
6:00pm............... Cocktail reception
7:00pm............... Contestant dinner

Tuesday, August 22
10:00am….......… Round 1 (shotgun start)

Wednesday, August 23
10:00am…......… Round 2 (shotgun start)
3:00pm.............. Awards ceremony

The Field  

Past Women’s Senior Champions in the Field

Tammy Blyth, of Monroe Golf Club, made par on the second hole of a playoff to win the 2018 NYS Women’s Senior Amateur Championship at Thendara Golf Club over Kim Kaul and Sue Kahler. The three past champions finished the 36-hole tournament tied at 156. She finished T5 in the 2019 championship. 

Teresa Cleland, of Bellevue Country Club, took home the NYS Women’s Mid-Amateur title in three consecutive years from 2011-13 at Rome CC, Seneca Falls CC, CC of Ithaca, respectively. Cleland also won the Women’s Senior title consecutively in 2009-10 at Thendara GC & Ontario CC. More recently, the Syracuse native has collaborated with Carina Watkins to win back-to-back NYS Women’s Senior Amateur Four-Ball (2018 & 2019), making her a seven-time New York State champion. The Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame Inductee has competed at the national level numerous times including USGA Women’s State championships, U.S. Mid-Ams and US Women’s Senior championships, and qualified for the 2022 U.S. Senior Women's Amateur in what was her eleventh appearance. Cleland was the runner-up in the 2021 NYS Women’s Senior.

Susan Kahler, of Ballston Spa Country Club, won the 2023 NYS Women’s Senior Amateur at RaNic Golf Club by three strokes. She won the 2013 title at decade earlier as well. She also has two NYS Senior Mixed Team titles (2013, 2014) under her belt, where she won with her brother, Gary. Kalher won the 2021 NEWGA Senior Championship and the 2022 NEWGA Championship. She has won 21 club championships at Ballston Spa and is currently an assistant women’s golf coach at Union College.

Kim Kaul, of East Aurora Country Club, is a three-time NYS Women’s Senior Amateur champion (2008, 2015, 2021) and took home runner-up honors in the 2015 and 2018 NYS Women’s Mid-Amateur. A member of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame, Kaul has been named Buffalo District Golf Association Player of the Year three times and placed second in the 2005 NYS Women’s Amateur. She qualified the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur Championship in 2022 and also won the NYS Senior Mixed Team and NYS Women's Senior Four-Ball with partners last season.

Mary Sicard, of Queensbury Country Club, won her third NYS Women’s Senior Amateur championship in 2019 at Bristol Harbour. Her other two titles came in back-to-back in 2016 & 2017, in her first two years competing in the field. 

Carina Watkins, of Beaver Meadows Golf Club, was the 2011 champion at Clifton Springs Country Club. Watkins also won the 2018 & 2019 NYS Women’s Senior Four-Ball Championships with partner Teresa Cleland.

Past Women’s Super Senior Champions in field 

Kitty Colliflower, of Oak Hill Country Club, won her first state title in the 2019 Women’s Super Senior Amateur championship. She placed third in the 2018 championship. She won the 2018 Rochester District Golf Association Women’s Open. She also qualified for the inaugural U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball championship in 2015 at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.

Mary Jo Kelly, of Wolferts Roost Country Club, is the now two-time defending NYS Women’s Super Senior champion, winning in 2021 at Pinehaven and again in 2022 at RaNic. She won the NYS Women’s Amateur in 1980 at Foxfire GC and was runner up at Kingswood Golf Course in 1999, having had major success on the local level. She’s been women’s club champion over thirty times at Wolferts Roost and has won six Northeastern Women’s Golf Association (NEWGA) championships. In 2015, Kelly earned a berth into the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur at the Hillwood CC in Nashville, Tenn.

Other NYSGA Champions in Field

Pennie Carlo, of Crestwood Golf Club, captured her first NYS title in 2019 at the Women’s Four-Ball Championship at Ravenwood Golf Club with partner Lauren Cupp. She qualified for both the 2019 and 2021 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur out of Tuscarora Golf Club. 

Karen Feldman, of Olde Kinderhook Golf Club, teamed up with Patricia Mayne in 2021 to capture her first NYS title at the Senior Women’s Four-Ball championship at Lakeshore Yacht and Country Club.

Meredith Hobika, of Yahundasis Golf Club, won the 2023 NYS Senior Amateur Mixed Team title with her brother Luke at Leatherstocking Golf Course in Cooperstown earlier this season.

Sandra Jackson, of Whippoorwill Club, won the 2023 NYS Women’s Senior Amateur Four-Ball title in a playoff at Sodus Bay Heights Golf Club.

Patricia Mayne, of Western Turnpike Golf Course, won her first state title in 2021 at the Senior Women’s Four-Ball championship with teammate Karen Feldman. She finished T5 in the 2019 championship and T6 in 2015 and 2021. She’s earned other top ten finishes in the past as well, placing T-5 in 2014 and T-6 in 2013. 

Ingrid Narken, of Thendara Golf Course, won the 2023 NYS Women’s Senior Amateur Four-Ball title in a playoff at Sodus Bay Heights Golf Club.

Others to Watch in Senior Division

Carolyn Mancini, of Binghamton Country Club, was a co-runner-up in last year’s championship at RaNic Golf Club. She also finished fourth in the 2019 championship and was co-runner-up in the 2018 championship, after finishing in a three-way tie after 36 holes at 156 with Tammy Blyth and Kim Kaul. She also qualified for the 2022 U.S. Senior Women's Amateur but was unable to compete in the championship.

Mary Scatena, of Pinehaven Country Club, was a co-runner-up in the 2022 championship at RaNic Golf Club. won the 2019 Schenectady Classic in a playoff over Nancy Kroll. She finished tied for third in the 2021 championship. 

Heidi Vittengl, of Glens Falls Country Club, was inducted into the New York State Public High School Athletic Association in 2018. She competed in this year’s NYS women’s Mid-Amateur and placed 19th in last year’s Women’s Senior.

Others to Watch in Super Senior Division 

Deborah Enders, of the NYSGA eClub – CNY, was the runner-up in the 2021 NYS Women’s Super-Senior. She was a runner-up in the 2023 NYS Women’s Senior Four-Ball after losing in a playoff.

Kathy Harkins, of Ballston Spa Country Club, won the 2016 Northeastern Women’s Golf Association championship. She finished fifth in the 2021 Women’s Super Senior. She was the first round leader in the 2022 championship at RaNic.

Barbara Harrison, of Oswego Country Club, finished as the runner-up in last year’s championship at RaNic Golf Club in Ithaca. She lost by a stroke to Mary Jo Kelly on the final hole.

Whiteface Club & Resort

Experience the beauty and challenge of one of the Country’s oldest golf courses, steeped in over 100 years of rich history. Originally built in 1898, the course was redesigned by noted architect, John Van Kleek, who benefited from the consultation of World Champion Walter Hagen.

With the Adirondack Mountains and pristine Lake Placid as its backdrop, the artistically designed course offers novices and pros alike a rewarding day. Its trademark clover leaf designed greens and bunkers illustrate the meticulous attention to details the architect provided. 

The layout has been a longtime favorite for this NYSGA championship, with at one time the association leadership hosting eight consecutive championships (1969-1976) at the Adirondack gem established in 1898. The course also hosted Women’s Seniors 1979, 1982, 1983, 1987, 2007 and 2016, along with four Women’s Amateurs in 1959, 1963, 1966 and 1968.