News

JAMESVILLE, N.Y. -- With the 2025 golf season on the horizon, the NYSGA is preparing for another exciting year in New York State. President Jamie Miller of Crag Burn Golf Club reflects on his first year at the helm and shares his outlook for the season ahead.
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Dear NYSGA Members,

As we look towards the upcoming golf season in New York State, I want to take a moment and reflect on the progress we made in 2024 and share a few goals for the upcoming year.

Last January, the NYSGA developed a comprehensive plan to support our mission. Several board and staff members met at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester to participate in strategic planning sessions, where we established new organizational goals and initiatives to guide our association forward. Part of that process was to modernize the NYSGA’s mission statement to “Engage, Embrace and Enhance the New York State golf community”, which will help guide our association for years to come.

One of the most exciting milestones of the 2024 season was the new opportunity to award our state champions the chance to compete on the national stage, with four USGA exemptions awarded: Aiden Spampinato (Men’s Am), Ina Kim-Schaad (Women’s Am), Jonathan Oakes (Boys’ 18U), Sophia Li (Girls 18U).

Our championships continue to evolve and set high standards for the player experience. Buffalo area’s Wanakah Country Club hosted the Men’s Amateur during its 125th anniversary, while other outstanding venues, including Skaneateles, Crag Burn, Schuyler Meadows, The Links at Hiawatha, Corning, Turning Stone, and Leatherstocking, Ontario, Stafford, and Green Lakes State Park, also provided first-class experiences for our players. We introduced new format enhancements by splitting the Boys' and Girls’ 14U championships from the 18U event and expanding the Women’s Four-Ball to a two-day competition.

We continued to progress in our growing support of regional golf organizations, including the Buffalo District, Capital Region (CRGA), Syracuse District and Tri-Cities Golf Associations. This past year, we conducted the CRGA Individual Championship for Men and Women and developed the inaugural Player of the Year winners in that area.

Volunteers remain the backbone of our association, and in 2024, we elevated our recognition of top contributors through our Volunteers of the Year awards, announced at our annual meeting.

Congratulations to the following volunteers for their dedication to our organization:

•       Bill Loehr (CNY) & Gene Bullis (CNY) – Tournament & Course Rating Volunteers
•       Marci Bevilaqua (WNY) & Peter Stoj (ENY) – Regional Tournament Honorees
•       Jami Sorrento (WNY) & Warren Winslow (ENY) – Regional Course Rating Honorees

Now, as we look ahead to the upcoming season, we have many exciting things on the docket.

We are thrilled to host another elite lineup of state amateur championships in 2025. Notably, Yahnundasis Golf Club will host its seventh Men’s Amateur, surpassing the six-time record it shared with Oak Hill Country Club. The Women’s Amateur at St. George’s Golf & Country Club will mark the championship’s return to Long Island after more than 70 years, and McGregor Links, one of the Capital Region’s premier public facilities, will host a key state event, the Boys’ & Girls’ 18U Junior. Additionally, the Mid-Amateur at the Country Club of Troy will coincide with their centennial season, adding to the significance of this year’s championship.

We’ve been working diligently behind the scenes to develop criteria and a points system to start having Player of the Year recognition at the state level. Another major initiative is the formation of Team New York, a new program in partnership with regional associations to identify and support the top young players in our state. Stay tuned for more announcements on these two exciting initiatives…

In the New Year, we welcome new Executive Committee members Rob Clark (Yahnundasis Golf Club), Brett Cooper (Seawane Club), and Ryan Foster (Schuyler Meadows Club), while extending our gratitude to outgoing members Ryan Gabel (Southern Dutchess Country Club), Christy Schultz (Oak Hill Country Club), and Frank Suits (Cortland Country Club) for their years of dedicated service. Additionally, Executive Committee member Shawn Baker (Oak Hill Country Club) has stepped in as our new secretary, taking over for Ryan Gabel.

The NYSGA Foundation continues to make strides in supporting golf’s future, and we look forward to furthering its mission in 2025. We are preparing to launch another online auction fundraiser this summer, with opportunities to play some top venues in our state. More updates on its growth and impact will be shared in the coming months.

New York has long been a premier region for championship golf, having hosted 75 USGA Championships at 28 different clubs - a testament to the state’s rich golf tradition. We are proud to see several top USGA events coming back to our state. The 2026 U.S. Open will return to Shinnecock Hills, followed by the 2027 U.S. Amateur at Oak Hill Country Club and the 2027 U.S. Women’s Mid-Am at the Country Club of Buffalo. In 2028, Winged Foot’s West Course will once again host the U.S. Open, and the 2030 Curtis Cup will be at National Golf Links of America. Finally, the 2032 U.S. Senior Amateur at the Country Club of Buffalo will provide another opportunity to showcase the incredible Western NY venue. These upcoming championships reinforce our state’s standing as a special region for competitive golf, and we look forward to supporting these events as they unfold over the next decade.

With another exciting year ahead, I am confident that, together, we will continue to elevate golf across New York State. Thank you for your support, passion, and commitment to our great game.

Sincerely,

Jamie Miller
President, NYSGA