District Recaps

The Road to State continued this week at Heatherwoode Golf Club, where National Trail captured the Boys Division III championship, Alter earned its seventh consecutive Boys Division II district title, and Madeira claimed the Girls Division II crown. Outstanding performances included medalist rounds of 65 from Alter’s Matthew Kreusch and CHCA’s Sophia Fink, whose remarkable day also featured a hole-in-one.

One of the week’s best stories belonged to Arcanum, which finished second to qualify for its first State Golf Championship in 31 years. The Trojans returned home to a police and fire escort—a memorable celebration of the players, coaches and community that perfectly captures Why We Do It. Congratulations to every team and individual advancing to the OHSAA State Championships! The district schedule concludes with the Boys and Girls Division I Championships on Monday and Tuesday at Heatherwoode Golf Club.

Local Connections

The 2026 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Sand Valley Resort in Wisconsin featured several familiar names with Miami Valley ties. Ben Hogenkamp, a 2013 Miami Valley Golf Boatwright intern who now lives in northern Cincinnati, competed but did not advance to match play. Ben and his wife were also featured in a USGA walk-and-talk during practice. Bellbrook’s Jeff Scohy, a four-time Miami Valley Golf Mid-Amateur Player of the Year and six-time overall Player of the Year, qualified for his 16th USGA championship, adding another national appearance to an accomplished career as he approaches senior golf. Springfield’s Luke Wells made a strong showing, advancing through stroke play and winning his opening match before falling to Jonathan Fricke in the Round of 32.

The championship concluded with a historic moment for Ohio as Cleveland’s Andrew Bailey became the first Ohioan to win the U.S. Mid-Amateur. The two-time Ohio Amateur champion defeated Nate Smith, 5 & 4, in the scheduled 36-hole final on The Lido course at Sand Valley, capturing the title on October 1 and bringing the Robert T. Jones Memorial Trophy to the Buckeye State. Visit the USGA U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship website for complete results and coverage.

HS Sectionals by the #'s

With all 2026 OHSAA golf Sectionals complete, Miami Valley Golf’s Ohio Sectionals by the Numbers report examines 85 tournaments, 5,485 listed golfers and 1,901 advancing places—a statewide advancement share of 34.7%. The analysis highlights individual and team scoring, differences in qualification rates across districts and divisions, and competitive depth, including 58 Boys Division I golfers who scored below 80 without advancing. These findings offer a starting point for discussions about qualifying opportunities and competitive balance, with course difficulty and playing conditions providing essential context. Explore the Complete Report and Supporting Spreadsheet for the full analysis. Once all District Championships are complete, we will produce a similar report examining scoring and advancement to State.

Volunteer Spotlight

Jim Heimbach, a Centerville resident and NCR member, has loved golf since winning Greene Country Club’s 9-hole Club Championship at age nine. He enjoys the various roles he fills as an MVG volunteer and has also volunteered at Hoopla and USGA events. Jim retired from NCR Corporation in 2025 after 41 years as a Software Architect and serves on NCR Country Club’s Board of Trustees. He is married with two grown children and collects golf memorabilia, old soda signs, and clocks. Thank you, Jim, for sharing your time and passion for golf as a volunteer!

Steen Stumper

The player gets a penalty under Rule 13 (The Putting Green) in which one of the following?

A. They touch the line of play in measuring to determine who is away.

B. They repair damage to the putting green caused by the impact of a ball and in the process cause their ball to move.

C. Before putting out, they repair damage made by a caddie in the previous group when the caddie carelessly replaced the flagstick in the hole.

D. They repair an old aeration hole on their line of play.

Think you know the answer, click on this link to take the poll and learn the answer

Last Weeks Question: 42% of you got the Question Correct!

Perry Puzzler

A golfer has 20 scores in their GHIN record and a current Handicap Index of 5.2. Their oldest score—the one about to drop out—is a 78 with a 6.3 Score Differential, and that 6.3 is currently one of the golfer’s lowest 8 differentials.

The golfer plays today and shoots 76, producing a 4.5 Score Differential. The 4.5 enters the golfer’s lowest 8, while the old 6.3 drops out of the most recent 20.

Assuming no PCC, Exceptional Score Reduction, or cap is involved, what should happen to the golfer’s Handicap Index?

A. It must increase because a counting score dropped out
B. It should decrease because the new 4.5 replaces the counting 6.3
C. It must remain exactly the same because both scores counted
D. There is not enough information to determine whether it rises or falls

Think you know the answer, click on this link to take the poll and learn the answer

Last Question: 36% of you got the Question Correct!

2027 Rules Workshops

The schedule for 2027 Rules of Golf Workshops is now available! Take a look and select your site, whether in-person or virtual. Registration will open on November 4th at 10 AM ET.

To View the Schedule

Launch Your Career

Miami Valley Golf is accepting applications for its paid P.J. Boatwright Internship Program. Flexible internships range from three to 12 months and provide hands-on experience in championship administration, communications, website management, junior golf and membership services. College students, graduate students, recent graduates and anyone interested in golf association management are encouraged to apply by November 1.

Learn More & Apply

Fall Collegiate Schedules

Follow your favorite local college golf programs throughout the fall with our new 2026 Area Collegiate Golf Schedule. This searchable online resource brings together the men’s and women’s schedules from Cedarville University, Central State University, the University of Dayton, Wittenberg University and Wright State University. Search by school or program to find upcoming tournaments, dates, host sites and course locations—all in one convenient place on our website. For the Schedules

Miami Valley Golf Events

10/19 - DDWGA Classic

Miami Valley Golf
263 Regency Ridge Dr.
Dayton, OH 45459
info@mvgolf.org
VM - 937.294.6842
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