The New England Amateur is an American amateur golf tournament. In its very early years, the tournament did not garner much attention due to inadequate fields and poor play. However, the fifth edition, held in 1930 at Portland Country Club in Maine, was a watershed moment due to the tight competition and excellent tournament administration. In the mid-20th century, the tournament advanced on this success, regularly being hosted by the top clubs in New England, like Worcester Country Club and The Country Club, while annually boasting a competitive field. In the 1970s, the character of the tournament changed significantly as organizers modified the format, transforming it to a stroke play event, while the top players were primarily young, college students. Student-athletes like Bill Mallon, Brad Faxon, and Billy Andrade won during the late 20th century.
History Early editions: struggle and growth In early 1926, it was announced by The Springfield Daily Republican that the state of Rhode Island had been selected to host the inaugural New England Amateur. The first tournament would be held at Rhode Island Country Club. The New England Amateur would commence with a two-round medal play qualifier; the tournament proper would be played in the match play format. The event was sanctioned by the New England Golf Association (NEGA). Organizers decided to rotate the tournament, playing in a different state in New England each year. The state of Vermont was not immediately included in the rotation, however. The state lacked a golf association and organizers feared, due to Vermont's relatively obscure location, that an insufficient amount of players would commit. By the late 1930s, however, Vermont was added to the rotation.
The very early years of the tournament were known for mediocre fields and mistake-prone golf. According to The Springfield Daily Republican, "In its early years the New England didn't attract general attention." This was true at the inaugural event, held in 1926. The Boston Globe noted, "There was a good deal of disappointment because some of the prominent golfers failed to put in an appearance," including Francis Ouimet, the best golfer in the region. The top draw was Jesse Guilford, former U.S. Amateur champion. Guilford, however, did not play well at the preliminary rounds. According to the Globe he "qualified well up in the list, scoring 160," which included an opening 82. In general, the quality of play at the qualifier was seen to be poor. "Outside of the first five players," the Globe continued, "the golf displayed by the field was not of championship caliber." At the tournament proper, Guilford's play did not improve. In the third round, he faced Frank Newton. Though "rated as one of the best putters in the country" Guilford gave "a weird exhibition on the putting green," putting poorly. He hit his drives erratically as well. He lost to Newton, who was 55-years-old, in extra holes. Newton reached the finals where he played the medalist, Ed Stimpson. Stimpson had an 18-inch putt on the 36th hole to win but missed. Newton won the match in extra holes. The tournaments immediately following were not perceived to be much better. The second tournament was played at Worcester Country Club. In the qualifier, according to the Associated Press, "Most of the field... experienced trouble" and "[h]igh [s]cores" were common. Even Fred Wright, the recent Massachusetts Amateur champion, opened with a "mediocre" 79 at the qualifier. In the tournament proper, however, Wright had much success and reached the finals where he faced W.A. Whitcomb. Similar to Stimpson's mistake the previous year, Whitcomb had a two-foot putt on the 36th hole to force extra holes but missed. Wright earned the championship. The tournament continued to get inadequate fields. At the following year's event Wright elected to not defend his championship. The next season, in 1929, most of the "stand-out golfers from the Boston district" decided not to play, including Ouimet, electing to play in the Massachusetts Amateur, also held in late July. In addition, top draws like Wright and Guilford chose not to compete citing business commitments.
However, the 1930 event, marked a turning point in the history of the tournament. Even in the late 1920s, there was some signs of progress. According to Springfield Daily Republican, the third edition of the event was seen as one of the challenging "warm-ups" for the 1928 U.S. Amateur, also held in New England. The Hartford Courant referred to the following year's event, held in 1929, as the "best" tournament the state of Connecticut would host throughout the season. However, the fifth edition of the tournament, held at Portland Country Club in Falmouth, Maine, marked a sea change in the significance of the New England Amateur. The Boston Globe opined that "the tournament is rapidly reaching a place in the forefront of amateur golf in New England." The Hartford Courant noted the 1930 New England Amateur possessed "one of the best balanced fields in the history of the event." A hitherto unknown teenager from Greenwich, Connecticut named Dick Chapman stole the show. In the first round, Chapman upset defending champion Paul Haviland. In the quarterfinals, Chapman easily defeated medalist Emery Stratton, 5 and 3, receiving much attention for breaking the course record in the process. In the semifinals, he defeated Charles Clare, one of the favorites, in an "effortless manner," 5 and 4. Elmer Ward of Massachusetts narrowly defeated him in the finals, however. According to "enthusiastic consensus" the event was "the most successful in the history of the New England Golf Association." The legendary tournament director Fred Corcoran "declared without equivocation that everything was perfect about the local arrangements." The politician and regional "sports authority" William Garcelon stated after the event to organizers: "You have put the New England [Golf] Association on the map. Congratulations to you and the Maine hosts on the success of the tournament."
Despite the loss, Chapman's good performance precipitated Connecticut dominance of the tournament in the ensuing years. In 1932, a "fairly amazing" scenario manifested itself as only Connecticut golfers reached the semifinals: Bobby Grant, Frank Ross, Dow Ahern, and Charles Clare. Grant defeated Ahern in the finals. According to sportswriter Bill Lee, the achievement was an important step for Connecticut golf, noting in a retrospective article for the Hartford Courant: "That was a New England first that put some of the Massachusetts feats of Francis Ouimet, Jess Guilford, and Fred Wright in the shade for a while." In 1933, for the second successive year, it was "an all-Connecticut semifinal." Clare, Grant, and Ross as well as newcomer Dom Soccoli all won their quarterfinals matches. Ross defeated Clare, 4 and 3, in the finals. In the words of W.A. Whitcomb, The Boston Globe golf writer, the tournament was starting "to resemble a Connecticut sweepstakes." The following year's event was held in Connecticut at the Country Club of Waterbury. At the qualifier, Clare earned medalist honors. Clare reached the finals where he earned a "decisive" 7 and 6 win over Charley Round. It was the "third successive year" that the title went to a Connecticut golfer. The following year, in 1935, the Hartford Courant predicted that there could be "a break in the domination of Connecticut golfers" due to a new format and challenges from top golfers from other states. Connecticut, indeed, "suffered astonishing reverses" of fortunate; of the dozens of Connecticut players that entered the event only three remained after the 4th round. As the semifinals approached the only Connecticut golfer that remained was unknown Holly Mandly, Jr. Mandly went on to win the tournament, though, assuring "the fourth successive year that a Connecticut man has won the New England crown." The following year, in 1936, it looked as if another Connecticut champion was imminent as three of the four semifinalists were from the state. However, Johnny Levinson, a summer resident of Maine, won the event.
World War II interregnum and afterwards In the 1940s, the event was severely effected by World War II. At the 1940 tournament, held at Manchester Country Club in Manchester, New Hampshire, the tournament was colored by the likelihood of conscription. According to Bill Lee, a sportswriter for the Hartford Courant, "Most of the players in this tournament are in the age group that would be called first if the draft bill goes through. They've been talking about that almost as much as the golf that is played." Leo J. Martin of Weston, Massachusetts was victorious, defeating Tommy Leonard in the finals, 6 and 4. In early 1942, a couple months after the United States entered the war, the New England Golf Association (NEGA) decided to suspend the tournament. The United States Golf Association (USGA) had recently suspended their championships and the NEGA was following their precedent. According to Raynor Gardiner, the Secretary of the NEGA, "With so many of New England's outstanding golfers in the Army and Navy, it certainly would be an empty honor for the winner if we held our championship next summer." Indeed, many golfers who regularly played the tournament entered the service. Bobby Knowles joined the army. Dow Ahern, the 1932 runner-up, joined the navy. In addition, Leo J. Martin, the 1940 champion, joined the navy and his twin brother, Eddie Martin, joined the army. Leo was stationed in Europe and Eddie in North Africa. Ahern survived but was in veterans' hospitals for much of the remainder of his life. Knowles returned safely and had a number of top performances in the event in the 1950s. Among the Martin twins, Leo did not return, dying in a strange incident in the North Atlantic, though Eddie survived. Eddie would also have a number of top performances in the event in the 1950s.
The tournament resumed in 1946 and managed to preserve its prestige with top fields. During the decade, according to Donald B. Bagg of the Springfield Daily Republican, "The New England amateur tournament draws a stronger field every year than any other golf event in this corner of the country." Despite the gap between events it was largely the same collection of golfers who did well, including a number of surviving veterans, though a few newcomers played well. The most recent champion, Ted Bishop, was successful again, "trouncing" Ernie Gerardi in the finals, 7 and 5. The following year, Johnny Levinson, the 1936 and 1937 champion, won for the third time, defeating Ernie Doherty 4 and 3 in the finals. He was the first three-time champion. The following year, in 1948, Robert Walsh defeated Tommy Leonard, the 1940 runner-up, 3 and 1 in the finals. In 1949, Bobby Knowles, a World War II veteran, reached the semifinals but was defeated by Ernie Gerardi. Gerardi went on to win the tournament 8 and 7. However, Knowles reached the finals the following year, facing another World War II veteran, Eddie Martin. Knowles "holed a thrilling 45-foot putt on the 36th green" to defeat Martin, 1 up. In 1951, Dick Chapman, the 1930 runner-up, won for the tournament for the first time, defeating Dr. Ray Lebel, a dentist from Maine, 8 and 6.