By Richard Rapp
rrapp@massgolf.org
GREAT BARRINGTON, Massachusetts (August 15, 2024) – The roadside sign for Wyantenuck Country Club, small and mounted amid an overgrowth of greenery, is easy to miss. A few wrong turns later and you could quickly find yourself on your way out of Massachusetts, rolling into New York or even, heaven forbid, Connecticut. Given Great Barrington’s place in the southwest corner of the state, it’s no surprise that the variety of license plates in the parking lot at Thursday’s U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifying made it look more like a rest stop on I-95.
The beauty of the Mid-Am is that, beyond varied geographic representation, you’re bound to find players emerging from divergent life paths, suddenly posing with the same golden ticket which sends them down the qualified road to Kinloch Golf Club. And today, we witnessed just that.
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Take, for example, Nick Resor (Boston, MA). He entered the day without expectations, left his home in Boston at 3:45 a.m. with no knowledge of the golf course, or that there wasn’t a driving range, for that matter. Heck, he had to closely read his qualifying ticket to find out where the championship is being held!
“I don’t play much competitive golf, so kind of just got aggressive and it worked. But I wasn’t really expecting to do this. Though, now I know I can play with a lot of the top guys,” said Resor.
Resor played hockey and football at Middlebury College, and now in his 30s, his competitive experience paid dividends. He noted that his strength is distance off the tee, and his aggression was rewarded, as he tallied 5 birdies to 2 bogeys. “I thought the course was awesome and it’s a course where if you hit your driver far and straight, you’re gonna have a lot of looks at birdies,” said Resor. “You know, play aggressive, and I knew I had to shoot a couple under to get in. So whether I was even or shooting like six over, it’s gonna be the same thing. So you might as well try to go really low.”
On the other hand, you had medalist Cody Paladino (West Hartford, CT), who’s played in his share of USGA events before, including a runner up finish to Colt Knost in the 2007 U.S. Pub Links Championship. Paladino was medalist at U.S. Mid-Am Qualifying at Connecticut National in 2023, punctuated by an eagle on the 18th. Today, his chip for eagle on his downhill par-4 closing hole hit the cup and spun away, so he settled for his 4th birdie in his last 6 holes (and 7th birdie on the day).
“I played solid, I didn’t really hit too many offline shots, kind of sailed. I haven’t counted, but hit pretty much every green, so that helps on a day like today. You just never know. I’ve played in a lot of these and it’s hard to predict what the score is going to be,” said Paladino.
Unlike Resor, Paladino was familiar with the course, though it had been quite awhile since he’d seen it. “I’m from Connecticut, but in high school, we used to come up and play a prep school up here. I graduated high school in 2007, so I hadn’t been back since then.”
After a decorated amateur career, including four years on the Baylor University golf team, Paladino gave pro golf a shot. But these days, he is settled back into the amateur game, and he’ll be plenty busy over the coming months: “My wife and I just had our second baby three weeks ago, so this morning I was pretty slow moving. I was up from 2 to 3 a.m., then wake up at 5 to then drive up here.”
64 on no sleep, ho-hum. Perhaps it helps to have everything in proper perspective.
“I’ve been fortunate to play in a decent amount of USGA events and it’s an incredible experience, no matter how you play. Just to qualify for one of these things is really hard and when you do, you just have to be very grateful and try to enjoy it,” said Paladino.
Then there was Joshua Shepard (Pittsfield, MA) representing Western Mass, who punched his ticket in dramatic fashion.
After he and Patrick O’Leary (Boston, MA) posted matching 2-under 68s to tie for the third and final qualifying spot, they headed to the par-4 12th for a playoff. O’Leary’s approach sailed over the green and into a bunker, while Shepard’s pitching wedge settled on the green, about 30 feet left of the flag. O’Leary then hit his bunker shot to about 14 feet.
The stage was set for Shepard:
“I knew that putt is uphill to start, and it’s gonna run out a little bit. I knew I hit it perfect, the pace was perfect right off the blade.”
About two thirds of the way there, Shepard blurts out: Go in!
“I thought I was lagging it to be honest. I was trying to, you know, two putts to win.”
The ball looked like it had run out of steam on the left edge, it’s hanging there…
“Just fell in, last second…Maybe the best putt I’ve ever hit in my life, to be honest.”
The former club pro was nearly speechless.
“I don’t even try qualifying for the Am. I’ve said it, you know, it’s my dream to play in the U.S. Mid-Am.”
Ticket punched, dream fulfilled.
QUALIFIERS (Names; Cities)
Cody Paladino (West Hartford, CT); 64 (-6)
Nick Resor (Boston, MA); 67 (-3)
Joshua Shepard (Pittsfield, MA); 68 (-2)*
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Patrick O’Leary (Boston, MA); 68 (-2)
Matthew Paradis (Lincoln, NH); 69 (-1)**
*Advanced on first playoff hole
**Earned Alternate spot in 5 for 1 playoff
Wyantenuck Country Club was originally founded in 1896, and like many early clubs, was forced to change locations as the club evolved. Wyantenuck existed in three locations and settled at the current site when the Baldwin Farm was purchased to expand recreational and social offerings. The property was purchased in 1912 and the current golf course was opened for play in 1915. The clubhouse is a lightly converted horse barn, preserved by the club for its architectural heritage, and is arguably the clubs most prominent landmark. It continues to be considered one of the most unique and iconic clubhouses in golf.
Wyantenuck Country Club is one of just two Massachusetts courses with famed architect C.B. Macdonald’s fingerprints upon it. Charles Banks, a prolific associate of Macdonald & Seth Raynor, is credited with renovating the golf course which was originally designed by Robert Pryde in 1913. Dedham Country & Polo Club, a Seth Raynor design, is the other.
Wyantenuck is slated to host the 2026 Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship and the 2029 Massachusetts Women’s Amateur Championship.
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