“In 1981,” says the United States Golf Association media guide, “the USGA inaugurated the U.S. Mid-Amateur, which for amateur golfers of at least 25 years of age provides a formal national championship for the post-college amateur, for whom the game is truly an avocation.

“Before the arrival of the Mid-Amateur,” the guide continues, “the post-college player could compete in the [U.S.] Amateur, sometimes successfully, but these older amateurs faced greater odds [against] college golfers, for whom the game is close to a full-time activity.”

Three years later, the SCGA created its own Mid-Amateur Championship but over nearly a quarter-century of play an interesting trend has developed: the winners have been what might be called post-post college golfers; half of the 24 champions have been age 40 or above, including this year’s winner, Tim Hogarth, while eight have been in their 30s.  Only four have been under the age of 30.

A few years ago, it appeared as if the trend was turning, as 25-year-old Eric Wang and 26-year-old Manny Hays captured titles in 2003 and 2004, respectively.  The following year, 26-year-old Josh Warthen lost to 46-year-old John McClure in a playoff at North Ranch.  However, the “old” trend has reappeared.  Following McClure to the winner’s circle have been 43-year-old Robert Funk and Hogarth.

At the time of both tournaments’ inceptions, many older golfers thought the age level was too low.  “I can remember thinking that we’d just see a bunch of young kids walking off with the trophy time and time again,” said one veteran golfer.

It hasn’t happened that way.  In this year’s SCGA Mid-Amateur, six of the top 11 finishers were age 40 above.  John Pate, age 47, was runner-up to Hogarth and 50-year-old James Meyer, who was in second place after two rounds, finished tied for seventh.  At age 33, Tyler Crawford was the youngest top-11 finisher.

“Maybe we need a super mid-amateur,” said Craig Steinberg, age 49, who rallied with an even-par 72 on the last day to finish tied for seventh.  “Actually, what I need is to have Tim in another division.”

Although there are several reasons for this seeming incongruity of veteran, one standout reason is the growth of professional tours. 

“When I began with the SCGA in 1984,” remembers SCGA Executive Director Kevin Heaney, “there weren’t many professional playing opportunities for golfers coming out of college.  So you had players who tried to make it on the PGA Tour and relatively quickly decided to become club professionals or to regain their amateur status and get on with their lives.”

Prior to 1990 in the U.S., there was the PGA Tour and a handful of mini-tours.  All of that changed in 1990 when what was then called the Ben Hogan Tour debuted at Bakersfield CC (that first event was won by 1987 California Amateur champion Mike Springer).   Suddenly, younger aspiring players (and, as it turned out, veterans as well) had a place to hone their games.

In addition, lower fares from airline deregulation help make it possible for players to compete in Asia, Australia, Canada and Europe.  Charlie Wi, the 1990 California Amateur and 1995 SCGA Amateur champion, spent several years elevating his game in Asia before moving onto what is now known as the Nationwide Tour.   Although purses are about 10 percent of what’s paid on the PGA Tour, sponsorships by first Nike and now Nationwide Insurance have made the Nationwide Tour a place where the best players can earn a decent living.

Once on those tours, players are staying longer; every time they think about packing it in, along comes a Rich Beem or Mark Wilson — golfers who have toiled at lower levels who catch the gold ring by winning a PGA Tour event.  For players like Todd Demsey — who won the 1992 California Amateur, 1993 SCGA and Pacific Coast Amateurs and played on the victorious 1993 U.S. Walker Cup team — the dream is very much alive.  And for older golfers, the lure of the Champions Tour remains a goal for which to strive.

Thus, Hogarth sees the SCGA Mid-Am winners’ ages as logical.  “We just don’t have many quality 25-27 olds who enter this event,” says Hogarth.  “Most of them are turning pro and if they don’t have the ability to give at least mini-tours a shot, then they can’t win this event.  The fields are just too strong.”  Technology also helps; the SCGA allows players to ride carts in their championships (the USGA does not). 

When players do come back to the amateur ranks in their early- to mid-30s, if their games weren’t quite good enough for the pro tours, they provide formidable challenges for any amateur field.  Consider, for example, 36-year-old David Bartman who, since his return from the pro ranks, has competed strongly in nearly every event he’s entered, winning last year’s Trans-Mississippi Mid-Amateur and teaming with Robert Funk to win the most recent SCGA Four-Ball and Foursomes titles.

Add the mix career amateurs such as two-time defending SCGA Amateur champion Scott McGihon, Pate and Steinberg, and you’ve always got a strong field.  For decades, outstanding mid-amateur-age fields have been a hallmark of SCGA events (in addition to their success in the SCGA Mid- Amateur, mid-ams have won the last three SCGA Amateurs and six of the last 10).   And the beat goes on.

— Robert D. Thomas is SCGA Senior Director of Communications