For Just the Fourth Time in it's 105-Year History, Stafford Welcomes the Area's Top Amateurs for the 2026 RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial
CLICK HERE for PAIRINGS, START TIMES and other information for the 2026 RDGA District Championship at Stafford Country Club.
By DAVE EATON
STAFFORD, NY – Looking back at the storied history of Stafford Country Club, a history that includes original design work by noted architect Walter Travis as well as playing appearances by legendary golfers such as Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen and Arnold Palmer – it’s surprizing that the club has only hosted the area’s biggest men’s amateur championship three times.
Later this month, that event – the RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial – returns for a fourth time to Stafford Country Club. Make no mistake, despite the relative lack of RDGA Championship history – at least, compared to some of it’s more recognized bretheren closer to Rochester – Stafford is no stranger to championship golf, at both the State and local level.
Since opening in 1921, Stafford has hosted three RDGA District Championships, four RDGA Senior Championships, three RDGA Match Play Championships, one RDGA Junior Championship – not to mention several premier championship events conducted by the Western New York PGA Section and the New York State Golf Association.
Clearly, Stafford Country Club has extensive experience hosting major golf tournaments – hardly a newcomer when it comes to hosting big-time tournament golf.
In the most recent RDGA District Championship to be held at Stafford, in 2014, Oak Hill’s Trevor Sluman won the first of three consecutive District titles and Jenna Hoecker of Brook-Lea won the first of two RDGA Women’s Championship titles, setting the women’s course record at Stafford (65) along the way.
When the 2026 RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial comes to Stafford on July 16 through 18, one big difference from those prior championships is that it will mark the first time that the historic private facility has hosted an RDGA Championship since its recent renovation program. The renovations, which were completed within the last 5 years, included the removal of many non-historic trees, as wll as a bunker restoration project and the reconstruction of several greens – all in an effort to restore the course to its original appearance as envisioned by Walter Travis more than 100 years ago.
For the staff and membership at Stafford – including Superintendent Mike Armstrong and PGA Head Professional Eric Haile – hosting the RDGA District Championship will provide the facility yet another opportunity to shine as one of the top private clubs in the Rochester area.
From a Bold Vision, Stafford Has Enjoyed a Rich History
In the early 1920’s, a small but prominent and influential group of businessmen from Batavia and LeRoy – led by attorney Everest A. Judd and Jell-O heir Ernest L. Woodward – took the first major step towards fulfilling their vision of a first-class country club for Genesee County.
After careful consideration, they acquired several acres of rolling farmland bordering Black Creek in the small hamlet of Stafford, deemed ideal for a first-rate 18-hole golf course. In short order, they brought the esteemed golf course designer, Walter J. Travis, to inspect the site and commissioned him to design a “second to none” course.
At the time, Travis was one of the most respected and sought-after golf course designers in the country. His reputation was based on his work at Ekwanok Country Club in Vermont, Garden City Golf Club on Long Island, Hollywood Golf Club in New Jersey, his three courses at Westchester Country Club, and others. Travis was no stranger in Western New York. He was widely acclaimed for his redesign of the Country Club of Buffalo course, enabling the club to host the 1912 U.S. Open Championship. Soon after, the Park Club of Buffalo enlisted him to design their new course in Orchard Park.
During the summer of 1921, Travis made several trips to Stafford from his home in Garden City, Long Island, in order to oversee the construction of the first nine holes (now played as the back nine).
When the first nine holes were completed, Travis wrote the club, stating, “There are several superb holes, unsurpassed anywhere, and with not a single weak one in the whole bunch. All in all, I am proud of the whole thing.”
In October, 1921, during his first visit to Stafford, Rochester native and early golfing superstar Walter Hagen declared the course “second to none, and worthy of the interest of its members for years to come”. Subsequent visits by professionals such as Gene Sarazen, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, and Julie Inkster brought similar acclaim.
Over the years, a few alterations were made to the original Travis course. In the early 1930’s, minor renovations were completed under the direction of noted architects Robert Trent Jones and Stanley Thompson. A golf course master plan was developed in the late 1990’s in order to assure that improvements to the course adhered to the character of the classic Travis design. Implementation of the master plan began in 1999 with a complete bunker restoration and renovation.
Most recently, the club undertook the latest reconstruction and renovation project, aimed at restoring the course as closely to Travis’ original plans as possible.
Stafford Country Club: A Classic Design, A Singular Challenge
Stafford Country Club’s classic 18-hole championship golf course, designed by Walter J. Travis in 1921, offers a spectacular view of the Genesee County countryside from its elevated vistas, while the subtle challenges of elevation and contour are best seen from its lower areas.
The front side features narrower fairways, the shortest (132-yard No.4) and longest (196-yard No. 8) par 3s on the course; mid-length par-4s; and the longest hole on the course – the 542-yard, par-5 5th hole.
Statistically, the toughest hole on the front side is the 416-yard, par-4 2nd hole (the No. 1 handicap hole) – a dogleg left, with a significant slope to climb to the green. The green slopes from back to front. Bunkers guard both the left and right front portions of the green.
The back nine features long par-3s (168 and 192 yards) and challenging par-4s, offering risk-reward possibilities, such as the short, 312-yard 10th hole.
One of those challenging par-4s – the 429-yard 11th hole – is the hardest hole on the back side, earning the No. 2 handicap status. According to the StaffordCC.com website, No. 11 is a “monster of a hole. There’s OB both left and right, and Black Creek runs diagonally across the fairway starting at about 150 yards from the green, and makes its way to the left side of the green. There are no fairway bunkers, and just a tiny bunker to the left of the green. The green has 3 tiers, and has runoff areas to the right and behind it.”
A Major Championship for Local Golfers
As the premier event on the Rochester District Golf Association’s annual tournament calendar, the RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial is also the RDGA’s longest-running event, having been played every year since 1930 – with the exception of 1943, in the midst of World War II.
In the early years of the District Championship, the tournament was hosted by a rotation consisting of most the original 12 member-clubs of the RDGA, with the format of the event beginning as a 32-player match play competition. This format continued, with minor changes, through 1968 – but in 1969, the controversial decision was made to change the District Championship to a 72-hole stroke/medal play competition, following lengthy debate amongst delegates from RDGA-member clubs. Although considered a “trial” format at its inception, the popularity of the stroke-play format quickly took hold and the District Championship was conducted in that format for the next 50 years.
In 2020, the tried and true format of four rounds and 72 holes of competition changed – only slightly – to a three-round, 54-hole stroke play Championship, allowing for players to take less time off from their places of employment, as well as providing the host club an opportunity to allow for more member play during the busy local summer season.
Only one other significant change has been made to the RDGA Championship format since the switch to stroke play in 1969. As the event continued to grow in popularity, so too did the number of entries, with the RDGA occasionally having to limit the starting field based on players’ Handicap Index.
Following a record number of 169 entries for the 1990 RDGA Championship, the decision was made to begin hosting separate qualifying rounds prior to the District Championship beginning in 1991 – a schedule that has continued to this day.
From its’ beginnings, the RDGA Championship produced many memorable champions – some young, some old – but it was a young RDGA Champion from whom the RDGA District Championship now takes its name. In July, 1982, 20-year-old CCR member John H. Ryan Jr. won his second consecutive District Championship – just a preview of the many he was sure to win throughout his life. Tragically, though, Ryan was killed just two weeks later in a boating accident. It didn’t take long for the RDGA to honor young Ryan – renaming the tournament as the John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial in 1983, another District Championship tradition that continues to this day.
Since 1990, the RDGA District Championship has seen six repeat champions, including Monroe Golf Club’s John Kircher, winner of four RDGA District Championship titles (1990, 2000, 2004 and 2011); Stafford Country Club’s Jim Scorse, who has five RDGA titles to his credit (2001, 2003, 2005, 2012 and 2017) – including two at Cobblestone – and Irondequoit Country Club’s Larry Sand, who won titles in 1997 and 2008.
More recently, Gavin Hall became a three-time District Champion at Irondequoit in 2013 (following his titles in 2009 and 2010). Between 2014 and 2016, Trevor Sluman – the nephew of pro tour golfer and 1977 RDGA winner Jeff Sluman – won the RDGA Championship three consecutive years before declaring his professional status. And in 2021, Yaroslav Merkulov added a second RDGA District Championship title to his first one in 2019.
This year, Aiden Spampinato will attempt to become the newest three-time RDGA District Champion, as he defends the back-to-back District Championship titles he won in 2024 and 2025.
The District Championship Comes to Stafford
It wasn’t until the 50th anniversary of the first RDGA Championship that the RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial was first held at Stafford in 1979, when Mike Phillips won his first and only District Championship title.
Eighteen years later, in 1997, the Championship returned to Stafford, when Larry Sand won the first of his two District Championship titles.
That set the stage for 2014 – the last time the District Championship came to Stafford – and a memorable battle for the men’s
championship in the John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial, as the title came down to a two-man duel between Oak Hill’s Trevor Sluman and Stafford’s own Jim Scorse.
Leading by three shots over Scorse to start the day, Sluman maintained the pressure throughout the final round – although Scorse matched him shot-for-shot as the two golfers waged a memorable duel for the title.
Scorse, looking to win his first title on his home course, had an up-and-down front nine, with three birdies and three bogies – but he picked up a shot over Sluman, who posted two bogies and one birdie on the front.
The action heated up on the back nine. First, Sluman birdied No. 10 – but Scorse answered with a birdie at 11. Sluman then birdied the par-3 12th with a long putt – only to be matched by Scorse with another birdie putt.
As the championship came down to the 18th hole, Scorse drained a 10-footer for birdie, however Sluman answered with par, and held on for his first District Championship title with a 1-shot victory, finishing at 10-under-par, with a 278 total.
The victory would be the first of three consecutive titles for Sluman. For Scorse, despite the disappointment of not winning the title on his home course, he would go on to win his fifth District Championship three years later at Locust Hill.
Spampinato Returns to the 2026 District Championship as the Two-Time Defending Champion
In 2025, the 95th RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Memorial was hosted by Cobblestone Creek Country Club, which was celebrating its 34th anniversary. Following the revised 54-hole format, the 2025 District Championship was held over three days, Thursday through Saturday, July 31 through August 2.
Going into the final round of the RDGA District Championship on Saturday, August 2, Aiden Spampinato, despite being the defending champion, looked like the second or third option in a four or five-player race to the finish line. Ahead of him that morning was Christian Chapman, another past District champion and a former pro, having recently restored his amateur status – and Kyle Downey, a past New York State Amateur champion and Monroe Invitational playoff finalist.
With Chapman and Downey holding a tenuous two shot lead following Friday’s second round – and Spampinato being tied with another strong contender in Jeff March for third place – Saturday’s final round at Cobblestone was shaping up to be a shootout between four of the RDGA’s top guns.
Playing in the next-to-last group on Saturday, Spampinato set a blistering early pace with five birdies on the front side to make the turn at 5-under-par 31. Downey and Chapman, meanwhile, could only manage to tread water, at best, with front side totals of 36 and 37, respectively, giving Spampinato a three-shot lead with nine holes left to play.
Following a bogey on No. 12, Downey managed to birdie the next four holes – including the 16th – to pull within 2 shots of Spampinato.
By the time they reached the tee of the downhill, 514-yard, par-5 18th hole, what Downey and Chapman did not know was that Spampinato had bogeyed the 17th hole ahead of them. They were both now only one shot behind as they all played the final hole of the Championship.
Up ahead on 18, Spampinato closed out his round with a mid-length birdie putt to finish at 10-under-par (and a two-shot lead) for the Championship. That meant that both Downey and Chapman would have to not only go for the green in two at 18 – but also hole out for eagle, if they were to have a chance at forcing a playoff with Spampinato.
First Downey, then Chapman, each completed the first part of that goal, reaching the green in two. Both were about equal distances from the hole, but from opposite sides. Up first, Downey putted for his eagle attempt – coming up just short. Chapman’s eagle attempt came next, but it, too, missed the mark. Although both holed out for birdies, Spampinato came away with his second consecutive RDGA District Championship title.
A Look Ahead To This Year’s Championship
This year, the return of the RDGA District Championship is sure to add another exciting new chapter in the 105-year history of Stafford Country Club.
The schedule for this year’s RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial week begins with the fifth annual RDGA Hall of Fame Induction Celebration, to be hosted by Monroe Golf Club on Tuesday, July 14.
Joining the RDGA Hall of Fame this year will be: former Brook-Lea Country Club Head Professional John Calabria; Oak Hill past president and “Chapin Way” namesake William “Bill” Chapin, who helped bring major championship golf to Rochester; successful amateur, then professional, golfer Bob “Bobby” Hill, who later turned to golf instruction and golf course design as a leading ambassador for golf in Rochester; the Ryan Family, including RDGA District Championship namesake John H. Ryan Jr., whose multi-generational contributions to golf in Rochester set the bar for philanthropic commitment; and Christy Schultz, who has established a superb playing record as both a junior and adult, winning seven WRDGA titles on the local scene and a women’s record nine titles at the State level
On Wednesday, July 15, the annual Championship Practice Round and opening ceremonies will take place. Following a long-standing tradition of the RDGA Championship, there will be a ceremonial “first tee shot” during Wednesday’s pre-tournament Opening Ceremony.
The 2026 District Championship begins with the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday, July 16 and 17, with a field of 156 players starting off holes No. 1 and No. 10. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 40 players (plus ties) and will conclude with Round 3 on Saturday, July 18. Following the conclusion of the Championship, an awards presentation and post-Championship reception will be held, honoring the 2026 RDGA Champion.
Other notes of interest at this year’s RDGA District Championship at Stafford:
- A NEW RECORD: EIGHTEEN (18) Stafford Country Club members will be attempting to win the 2026 RDGA Championship on their home course this year, INCLUDING five-time champion Jim Scorse. Also competing on their home course: Zach Bzduch, Geoffrey Christian, Doug Clark, John Coppa, Matt Flannery, Michael Harrower, Richard Luther, Josh Marr, Danny Meritt, Chris Nicastro, Dominic Nicastro, Jeff Pealo, Dustin Reding, B. Michael Rogers, Marc Staley, Chris White and Geoff Wormley. This is the largest home-club representation in RDGA District Championship history.
- BROTHERLY LOVE: This year’s starting field includes at least TWO sets of brothers: Colin Barber (19) and Bryce Barber (23), as well as Ben Kircher (33) and JP Kircher (39).
- FATHER’S DAY: The starting field also includes FOUR father-son combos; Tyler Eichas and Craig Eichas, Keith Kogler and Jacob Kogler, Chris Nicastro and Dominic Nicastro, Ken Starkweather and Jason Starkweather.
- AGE GAP: The youngest players in this year’s field are 15-year-olds Becket Moskel and Kyler Van Dorn; the oldest player is 67-year-old Richie Garcia.
- CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREE: Three past Champions are in this year’s starting field, accounting for a combined 8 District titles: Jim Scorse (2001, 2003, 2005, 2012, 2017); 2022 champion Christian Chapman; and two-time defending champion (2024 and 2025), Aiden Spampinato.
- LIKE FINE WINE: A total of 22 players over the age of 55 are in the field this year – all of whom will be competing for the annual RDGA District Championship Low Senior medal: – Jay Barber, Edward Cichon, Doug Clark, John Coppa, Dean Crocker, Christopher Doeblin, Tyler Eichas, Richie Garcia, Stu Harris, Keith Kogler, Rich Luther, Lance Lydon, Jeff Pealo, Ron Plummer, Dustin Reding, Wade Sarkis, Jim Scorse, Doug Slattery, Rob Snedden, Ken Starkweather, Chris White and Geoff Wormley.
- FEATURED PAIRINGS: Some key pairings scheduled for Rounds 1 & 2:
- Kyle Downey, Jim Scorse, Ben Kircher: Rd. 1 – 7:50 am (Hole 1), Rd. 2 – 1:10 pm (Hole 10)
- Angelo Latore, Alex Hill, Tyler Burchett: Rd. 1 – 7:00 am (Hole 10), Rd. 2 – 2:00 pm (Hole 1)
- Philip Minnehan, Aiden Spampinato, Christian Chapman: Rd. 1 – 12:20 pm (Hole 1), Rd. 2 – 8:40 am (Hole 10)
- This year’s District Championship marks the 44th anniversary of the tragic passing of tournament namesake John H. Ryan Jr. in a boating accident. Ryan was killed just two weeks after winning his second consecutive RDGA District Championship title in July of 1982. The RDGA soon thereafter renamed the tournament as the John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial in 1983. (Ken Andrychuk was the first to win the District Championship title as the Ryan Memorial in that year).
