The Mass Golf Player of the Year Awards presented by Delta recognize the Bay State competitors who have earned the most Player of the Year points each season. The top performing Mass Golf amateur competitors are recognized annually by being crowned the Richard D. Haskell Player of the Year, Christopher Cutler Rich Junior Player of the Year and George M. Cohen Senior Player of the Year. Competitors earn points throughout the season as outlined by the Player of the Year (POY) system that has been established for each group by the Mass Golf Championship committee.
Named after longtime Mass Golf executive director Richard D. Haskell, the Mass Golf Player of the Year award is presented to the amateur golfer who collects the most points throughout the golf season. Points are awarded based on Mass Golf Player of the Year Point Standings, which take into account performance at Mass Golf, USGA®, New England Golf Association, and other regional events.
The award was first awarded in 1976 to Bruce Douglass from Thorny Lea Golf Club. Frank Vana, Jr. & Matt Parziale have each earned nine Player of the Year honors. Vana, an inductee into the Massachusetts Golf Hall of Fame, was named Player of the Year in 1994-95 and from 2001-07. Parziale, the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, was named Player of the Year in 2009, 2013, 2016-19, 2021-22, and 2024.
Mass Golf first awarded the Christopher Cutler Rich Junior Player of the Year award in 1997. Many of the talented golfers who have earned this honor have gone on to successful high school and collegiate careers.
In 2003, Mass Golf announced that the Senior Player of the Year award would be named in honor of George M. Cohen, a longtime friend and supporter of Mass Golf. “Mr. Golf,” as most people knew him, passed away in 2002 at the age of 85, but his legacy will be remembered for years to come. Ed Fletcher of Quashnet Valley Country Club had a stranglehold on this award from its inception in 1998 until 2003. Frank Vana, Jr. has won the award a record six times (2017-20, 2022-23).
This award is presented to the Super Senior competitor who earns the most Player of the Year points. Points are awarded to Super Senior players* for their performance in Mass Golf events, USGA events, and other regional and national competitions.
*Player must be 65 years old or older in order to be eligible for Super Senior Player of the Year points.
Any questions about the Player of the Year points system can be directed to Kevin Eldridge at keldridge@massgolf.org.
***The cut-off date for 2024 Tri-State Team point-earning events is set for Thursday, September 26th. Any points earned after Thursday, September 26th will not be considered in the Tri-State team selection process. ***
