NEW YORK STATE GOLF ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION “Providing life changing opportunities to all communities through golf related programs” The Official Newsletter of the NYSGA Foundation
Winter 2021
FOUNDATION REPORT For many years, the NYSGA Foundation operated quietly, often overshadowed by the more visible activities of the NYSGA. It isn’t well known that since 2009, the NYSGA Foundation awarded $120,000 in grants to bring golf into elementary physical education curriculums across upstate NY. Or that over $300,000 in scholarship awards were given to deserving students during that same period. The association’s marketing team has worked hard to reverse this trend, helping to illuminate the Foundation’s primary initiatives: need-based scholarships for employees of NYSGA member clubs and providing access for junior golfers to play $5 rounds of golf through Youth on Course. The NYSGA Scholarship Fund, which awards up to $1,500 a year to deserving employees of NYSGA member clubs, saw record growth in 2021. Eleven new students earned scholarships this year, raising the total number of recipients to 31 for the 2021-22 academic year. The excitement generated by the dramatic increase in new recipients was dampened when numerous deserving students were left out. We strive to support all eligible students in financial need, and as we grow so must our focus on fundraising. In 2021, our generous supporters donated over $20,000, with $13,000 coming from November’s Giving Tuesday Campaign. The fundraiser was a great start, but to achieve this goal we must take it further. Our fundraising focus in 2022 is the newly created NYSGA Foundation Membership Program, which partners with clubs and individuals to raise funds. Participating clubs solicit donations directly from their members, which are reinvested into their employees. Golfers not affiliated with a club, or who are members of a club not part of the program, can join by donating at least $25 via the association’s website. We are confident that this program can generate a significant, sustainable revenue source that will allow us to greatly increase the number of scholarships awarded in the future. The NYSGA Foundation also proudly supports Youth on Course, a national program that provides junior golfers access to play 18-hole rounds of golf for just $5. Ensuring juniors have affordable access to golf is vital to fostering the next generation of golfers. While this is a newer Foundation initiative, we are encouraged by its growth, which is fully owed to our supporting clubs. Our focus for 2022 is expanding our reach by adding new clubs and partnering with junior golf programs to increase membership. I look forward to the opportunity to build on our progress in 2022 and am grateful for your support.
Andrew Hickey NYSGA Assistant Executive Director
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NYSGA FOUNDATION OFFICERS & EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Officers
Executive Committee
President
Shawn Baker
Frank Suits
Oak Hill CC
Cortland CC
Lee Bearsch
Doug Vergith
Binghamton CC
Chautauqua CC
John Cooney
Rich Weber
Burden Lake CC
Brookfield CC
Ryan Gabel
Brian Williams
Trump National HV
Winged Foot GC
Jim Gifford
Warren Winslow
Mohawk GC
Western Turnpike GC
Joseph Enright Lancaster CC
1st Vice President
Henry Fust
Onondaga G&CC 2nd Vice President
Jamie Miller
Crag Burn GC Secretary
Iris Stanek
Lancaster CC Treasurer
Robert Smith
Highland Park GC General Counsel
Lawrence Lessing The Creek
Christy Schultz Oak Hill CC
Peter Jones Drumlins CC
Foundation Quick Facts Scholarships: * The NYSGA Scholarship Fund awards $30,000 annually to deserving recipients. * Since 1970, more than 300 scholarships have been awarded totaling $400,000. Grants: * Since 2009, more than $120,000 has been donated in grants to golf related programs across the state. * This Year the NYSGA Foundation awarded $5,000 in Grants. - $3,000 to the First Tee of WNY for the Donovan Cup. The First Tee is an international youth de velopment organization introducing the game of golf and it’s core values to kids and teens. The Donovan Cup was held in memory of longtime NYSGA Executive Committee member, Jack Don ovan, who was a strong and longtime supporter of junior golf initiatives across WNY. - $2,000 to the PGA Reach-WNY for their program, which supports their 3 pillars, Youth, Military and Diversity/Inclusion. Youth on Course: * NYSGA Youth on Course jumped from 8 rounds played in the first year to 89 rounds in 2021. Other: * The NYSGA Foundation offers free USGA GHIN Handicaps to juniors (18 & under).
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NYSGA FOUNDATION MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM About: The NYSGA Foundation Membership Program was unveiled this year, mirroring that of Caddy Scholarship Programs. The purpose is to raise money from members of our member clubs to fund scholarships for NYSGA member club employees. This provides much needed support to deserving students while also helping our club’s facilities attract and retain employees. A major goal of the NYSGA Foundation is to grow the Scholarship Fund in dollars and number of awards given each year. This program will help us reach our goal. Clubs: The NYSGA Foundation is currently working to roll out this program at 4 member clubs for the 2022-23 academic year. The NYSGA staff handles the bulk of the administration of the program from working with the club to solicit donations, encouraging employees to apply, processing applications and sending annual reviews/marketing materials for the club to share with membership. If your club would like to join this program, please contact Andrew Hickey, NYSGA Assistant Executive Director, at Andrew@nysga.org.
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NYSGA SCHOLARSHIP FUND The NYSGA Scholarship Fund annually awards $30,000 to deserving students across New York State. Eligible applicants must be in their second year of employment at an NYSGA member club, be in good academic standing, and demonstrate a financial need.
2021-22 New Recipients
David Allen, Outdoor Operations at Moon Brook CC Lucas Branigan, Golf Associate at the College GC at Delhi Anika Buzzy, Pro Shop/Bag Room Staff Manager at Oneonta CC Sean Campbell, Cart Attendant at Bartlett CC Sean Carron, Course Maintenance at Schuyler Meadows Club Shawn Colella, Lead Pro Shop Attendant at Owasco CC
Anthony Delisanti, Pro Shop Attendant at Willowbrook GC James Faso, Customer Service/Outdoor Sales at Teugega CC Julian Galletta, Bag Boy/Pro Shop Assistant at Onondaga G&CC Orville Ivey, Course Maintenance at Schuyler Meadows Club Haley Michels, Pro Shop Attendant at Cazenovia CC
Scholar
Club
College or University
Grad Year
David Allen
Moon Brook CC
SUNY Fredonia
2022
Luke Barney
NYSGA Player
Le Moyne College
2023
Brian Beck
NYSGA Player
Allegheny College
2022
Lucas Branigan
College GC at Delhi
SUNY Cortland
2025
Anika Buzzy
Oneonta CC
Moravian College
2025
Brenna Callahan
Brookfield CC
Gannon University
2023
Sean Campbell
Bartlett CC
University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
2023
Sean Carron
Schuyler Meadows CC
SUNY Delhi
2024
Shawn Colella
Bellevue CC
SUNY Binghamton
2025
Sean Dadey
Drumlins CC
College of St. Rose
2022
Jed Danaher
Onondaga G&CC
Binghamton University
2024
Ryan Davis
Normanside CC
Fordham University
2022
Anthony Delisanti
Willowbrook GC
Valparaiso University
2025
Alex Farkas
Park CC
Niagara University
2022
James Faso
Teugega CC
University at Buffalo
2023
Ryan Fecco
NYSGA Player
SUNY Oswego
2022
Julian Galletta
Onondaga G&CC
Stevenson University
2025
Michael Griswold
College GC at Delhi
SUNY Oswego
2024
Orville Ivey
Schuyler Meadows CC
SUNY Cortland
2023
Zackary Krotz
Holiday Valley GC
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
2023
Elyse Maniccia
Oswego CC
Le Moyne College
2023
Joshua Marshall
Tuscarora GC
SUNY Canton
2022
Haley Michels
Cazenovia CC
Hamilton College
2025
Olivia Minor
NYSGA Player
Nazareth College
2022
Benjamin Petell
Cedar Lake Club
Saint John Fisher College
2023
Ian Rivers
Links at Erie Village
Northern Kentucky University
2023
Evan Ryan
Potsdam Town & CC
Clarkson University
2022
Jonathan Sandstrom
Moon Brook CC
John Carroll University
2022
Ben Spitz
NYSGA Player
California University of Pennsylvania
2022
Pasqualina Tartaglione
NYSGA Player
SUNY Albany
2022
Carleigh Wachtel
Mohawk GC
SUNY Geneseo
2024
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FOUNDATION SPOTLIGHT ORVILLE IVEY, SCHUYLER MEADOWS CLUB New York State Golf Association Scholarship recipient, Orville Ivey, just recently completed his third year as a part of the golf course maintenance team at Schuyler Meadows Club, an NYSGA member club that hosted the 98th NYS Men’s Amateur Championship in August. Ivey and his fellow team members worked tirelessly to keep the course at Schuyler Meadows in peak condition for New York State’s best amateur golfers. He has enjoyed the position ever since a connection from high school led Ivey to pursuing a job in golf. “It’s so nice to be able to work outside, especially on a nice sunny day, it makes the time pass quickly,” Ivey said. Over his past three years with the maintenance staff, he has gained experience with a handful of specialized equipment related to course preservation. “When I first started, I mainly used the push mower. Now that I have more experience, I use the fairway mower, which is my favorite.” Ivey is a junior at SUNY Cortland, where he’s pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science. He envisions a career in Biological Engineering after graduation. Ivey is a member of the track team where he specializes in sprinting. He also enjoys playing the saxophone. “I am proud of how far I’ve come,” Ivey said. “I always wanted to play a college sport and am happy to be a part of the Cortland Track team, and I have improved my grades each year since freshman year.” Outside of his responsibilities on campus, Ivey finds time to play golf -- one of his favorite childhood pastimes with his father. He learned to golf not only through the encouragement of his father, but also by taking advantage of the local golf camps and clinics that were offered in his area, the Capital region. Working at Schuyler Meadows has allowed Ivey to grow a deeper appreciation for one of the sports he grew up playing. The NYSGA Scholarship Committee is proud to support students just like Ivey. To apply for a 2022-23 NYSGA Scholarship, visit nysga.org/scholarships-application. To donate, visit nysga.org/donate.
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YOUTH ON COURSE - NEW YORK This summer marked the second season of the NYSGA Foundation’s partnership with Youth on Course. It is a national program which allows juniors ages 6-18 to play at participating courses for $5 a round.
Hear from members... Jason started playing golf from a young age when his dad used to take him out and give him lessons. Now he likes to go out and play with his group of friends, who told him about Youth on Course, saying “My friends and I really enjoy being able to get together and play a great game for an affordable price!” Playing with friends is Jason’s favorite part of the game, saying, “Golfing with my friends is a great way to get outdoors and enjoy life.” Jason mainly played Syracuse courses this season including Links at Sunset Ridge and Lyndon Golf Course. But he is looking forward to possibly traveling next season to try out other participating courses.
Jason Clifton, Syracuse Jake picked up the game of golf this past Spring based on the encouragement from a friend. He learned about Youth on Course from his mother and said, “I really enjoyed it a lot because I was able to play a lot of rounds for an inexpensive rate on a really good course. I recommended Youth on Course to a few of my friends so we could all play together!” Playing rounds with friends is Jake’s favorite part of the game. “Every round is different and gives me a new challenge every time I play.” Jake said. Through Youth on Course, he played all of his rounds at the Links at Sunset Ridge, but continued to say, “I definitely want to try more courses next year and see what others have to offer.”
Jake Elinich, Camillus
Participating Clubs Thank you to our participating courses for their support in making this program a success: Amsterdam Municipal GC Capital Region
Mark Twain GC
Southern Tier
Brighton Park GC
Buffalo
Oneonta CC
Catskills
Cazenovia CC
Central New York
Rome CC
Utica/Rome
Chautauqua CC
Western New York
Sunset Ridge GC
Syracuse
College GC at Delhi
Catskills
Western Turnpike GC
Capital Region
Lyndon GC
Syracuse
Willow Creek GC
Southern Tier
Malone GC
N. Country
In order to grow the number of participants and rounds played across the state, we need more clubs to join! Please contact Andrew Hickey, Assistant Executive Director, at Andrew@nysga.org to join this amazing program and support our junior golfers.
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NYSGA HALL OF FAME The NYSGA Hall of Fame was established in 2012 with the mission to identify, recognize, and enshrine the state’s finest amateur and professional golf competitors, as well as those who have made outstanding contributions to the game throughout New York by their careers as golf teachers, coaches, mentors, and volunteers to the game. An induction ceremony is held annually after the NYSGA Annual Meeting. In 2019, the NYSGA Hall of Fame Dinner & Induction Ceremony was held at Elmira Country Club October 5th, in Elmira, N.Y. There was no ceremony in 2020 or 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The next class will be inducted in 2022. To nominate a potential candidate for the Hall of Fame, please visit our website and fill out the form.
HOF Inductees By Year 2019 - Elmira Country Club John Baldwin, Mary Anne (Widman) Levins, Joey Sindelar, Walter Travis 2018 - Brookhaven Golf Club Walter Hagen, Dottie Pepper, Gene Sarazen, Willie Turnesa 2017 - Bellevue Country Club Virginia Guilfoil Allen, Alan Foster 2015 - Country Club of Rochester John Konsek, Thomas Reidy, Donald Ross, Lancy Smith, Sam Urzetta 2012 - Oak Hill Country Club Don Allen, Ray Billows, Frederick Box, Betty Deeley, Grantland Rice, William Tryon
Joey Sindelar (1981) and Ray Billows (1935) with Ganson Depew Cup (NYS Men’s Amateur Championship trophy).
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FUNDRAISERS Giving Tuesday Campaign * Giving Tuesday is a Global Day of Giving that thousands of charities across the world take advantage of to fundraise for their causes. It always takes place on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving and is a way to remind people of the spirit of giving and cut through the commercialism of the Holiday Season. * The purpose of this fundraiser was to raise money for 2022 NYSGA Scholarships. * To maximize the amount of funds we were able to raise, the NYSGA expanded on this day to run our campaign for one full month leading up to Giving Tuesday. * We raised $13,217 through 24 fundraisers made up of NYSGA Board and Committee members, local golf pros, and past scholarship recipients. * Help us raise more funds and become a Fundraiser for 2022! Please contact Andrew Hickey, Assistant Executive Director at Andrew@nysga.org for more details.
LETS GROW THE GAME TOGETHER... The New York State Golf Association (NYSGA) Foundation (EIN# 74-3098132) is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All contributions are 100% tax deductible. Please help us make a difference in the lives of young golfers across the state by making a donation. To contribute, please visit our website to pay via credit card. Or you can mail a check to 4933 Jamesville Rd, Jamesville, NY 13078 made out to the NYSGA Foundation.
NEW YO R K STAT E G O LF A SSO CI AT I O N
4933 JAME S VI LLE ROAD, JAM ESVILLE , NY 13 078 ( 31 5) 47 1-6979 I N YSGA .ORG