Thorny Lea Golf Club in Brockton has been a hotbed of talented adult amateur golfers in Massachusetts for decades. Over the next four years, the club will get to showcase much of its skilled roster.
In an announcement made Monday, Thorny Lea has been selected to host the 2024 Massachusetts Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship for the Keyes Cup, as well as the 2026 Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Championship. As part of the agreement, Thorny Lea will also host a pair of qualifying events for either Mass Golf, USGA or the New England Golf Association.
The Women’s Mid-Amateur will take place September 17-18, 2024, one week after the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur takes place at Brae Burn Country Club in Newton.
“It is an honor to continue Thorny Lea’s storied history with Mass Golf,” said Megan Bearce, vice president of Mass Golf and a member of Thorny Lea. “We have a great course and a great club that is very active, willing and enthusiastic about volunteering to host Mass Golf events and qualifiers. This makes me very proud as a member of Thorny Lea and as a board member of Mass Golf.”
Thorny Lea has hosted the Women’s Mid-Amateur twice previously, with Marion Maney-McInerney earning both titles in 1984 and 1990. Maney-McInerney won the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur title in 1992. The only other person from Massachusetts to win that title is Thorny Lea member Shannon Johnson.
While Thorny Lea has never hosted the Mass Mid-Amateur, one of the best mid-amateurs in the country is a member. Matt Parziale, the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion who played in the 2018 Masters and two U.S. Opens (2018 & 2019), has won the Mass Mid-Amateur three times (2015, 2016, 2021).
Past Mass Golf Championships Hosted at Thorny Lea
Some of the past champions who held or hold membership at Thorny Lea include:
Thorny Lea’s course is one of many esteemed New England layouts designed by Wayne Stiles and John Van Kleek. Despite being less than 6,500 yards from the back tees, it continues to test some of the regions best golfers.
The course began as a short 6-hole facility along West Street and was soon expanded to nine holes with the purchase of additional property along West Street in the area of existing 15 green and 16 tee. The nine hole course was lengthened in 1918, when the first hole became a dogleg left with a new green near Braemoor Road and the second a 510-yard par 5 in its current position. The sharp dogleg hole remained in place through the Wayne Stiles remodel in 1925. Years later, the hole was straightened, but the original green appears to remain. It was only a matter of time before Thorny Lea expanded to the standard complement of 18 holes.
Canadian architect Ian Andrew recently completed the 10-year renovation of the golf course in accordance with the Thorny Lea’s master plan. His work included tree removal, bunker renovation and the updating of several golf holes, all with the respect and guidance of the original Stiles and Van Kleek design.
Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Future Sites
Massachusetts Women’s Mid-Amateur Future Sites
Mass Golf is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is dedicated to advancing golf in Massachusetts by building an engaged community around the sport.
With a community made up of over 110,000 golf enthusiasts and over 340 member clubs, Mass Golf is one of the largest state golf associations in the country. Members enjoy the benefits of handicapping, engaging golf content, course rating and scoring services along with the opportunity to compete in an array of events for golfers of all ages and abilities.
At the forefront of junior development, Mass Golf is proud to offer programming to youth in the state through First Tee Massachusetts and subsidized rounds of golf by way of Youth on Course.
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