(Pictured: Onondaga G&CC)

The association cancelled “85 to 90 percent” of the amateur events it had scheduled for the 2020 season, but still hopes to hold its Men’s, Women’s and Junior Amateur and Mid-Amateur competitions. A primary reason for the cancellation, said Executive Director Bill Moore, was the travel that players would be making around the state to participate in the events.

The New York State Golf Association (NYSGA) did all it could to try to make its tournament schedule work this year, but in the end, the coronavirus pandemic would not let that happen, the Albany (N.Y.) Times Union reported.

On June 1, the NYSGA announced the cancellation of six championship tournaments—including the New York State Women’s Senior and Super Senior Amateur at Pinehaven Country Club in Guilderland, N.Y.—as well as the organization’s entire amateur series, the Times Union reported. The amateur series included 25 net-based tournaments for low- to high- handicap golfers held at member clubs throughout the state.

Albany’s Capital Region was scheduled to play host to seven of those tournaments, the Times Union reported. The canceled events were set to be played at Pinehaven CC (June 29), Shaker Ridge Country Club (July 6), Albany Country Club (July 27 at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.), Columbia Golf and Country Club (July 27), Colonie Golf & Country Club (Aug. 17) and Country Club of Troy (Sept. 1).

The Women’s Senior and Super Senior Amateurs were scheduled for Pinehaven CC on Aug. 25-26.

“It was a tough decision in the respect that this is what we do best and we pride ourselves on running great events,” Bill Moore, the Executive Director of the NYSGA, said in making the announcement. “Canceling 85 to 90 percent [of the season] was a hard decision, but the way things are right now, it was pretty easy.”

A big reason for the cancellation, Moore added, was the travel that players would be making around the state to participate in the events.

The NYSGA still hopes to play these tournaments this year, the Times-Union reported: the NYS Men’s Amateur at Onondaga Golf and Country Club Aug. 11-13, the NYS Men’s Mid-Amateur at the Seawane Club on Long Island on Oct. 2-4, the NYS Women’s Amateur and Mid-Amateur at Teugega Country Club in Rome on June 29-July 1, the NYS Junior Amateur (18 and under) at Seven Oaks Golf Club in Hamilton on July 21-22 and the NYS Girls’ Junior Amateur (18 and under) to be determined.

There will be no sectional qualifying for the Men’s Amateur, Boys’ Junior (18 and under) Amateur and Men’s Mid-Amateur championships. The selection process for those tournaments will be announced in the near future.  The Boys’ Junior (18 and under) will permit golfers under 15 to compete due to the cancelation of the NYS Boys’ Junior 14 and under and championship at Seven Oaks on July 21-22

Other NYSGA tournaments that were canceled include the NYS Amateur and Senior Amateur Mixed Team at Brook-Lea Country Club in Rochester on June 22, the NYS Women’s Amateur and Senior Amateur Four-Ball at Lakeshore Yacht and Country Club in Rochester July 29, the NYS Men’s Amateur and Senior Amateur Four-Ball at Leatherstocking Golf Course in Cooperstown Sept. 21-22 and the NYS Men’s Senior and Super Senior Amateur at the Powelton Club in Newburgh Sept. 15-17.

“It came down to safety for everyone,” Moore said. “Our members, our club staffs and committee members. A lot goes into running these events. We wanted to minimize the risk to everyone involved. We are hopeful of playing the championships still when the time comes. We will have to see.”