NORTON, Massachusetts (April 16, 2026) – Mass Golf has announced a comprehensive restructuring of its Player of the Year Awards, presented by Delta Air Lines, aimed at better reflecting the current competitive amateur golf landscape across Mass Golf, New England and United States Golf Association (USGA) championships.
The overhaul includes a full revamp of all Player of the Year (POY) points systems, along with the introduction of new recognition categories and adjustments to existing awards.
Among the most notable changes is the creation of a Mid-Amateur Player of the Year Award, which will be given to the top Mid-Amateur eligible player (age 25+) in the standings for the Richard D. Haskell Player of the Year, which has been awarded annually since 1976.
Similarly, the Women’s Mid-Amateur Player of the Year Award will now be determined by the top eligible player (age 25+) in the Anne Marie Tobin Women’s Player of the Year standings rather than a cumulative stroke-play score in the Massachusetts Women’s Amateur and Massachusetts Women’s Mid-Amateur championships.
“One of the common themes our working group discussed was the recent success of Mass Golf Members on the national stage,” said Kevin Eldridge, Senior Director of Rules & Competitions. “We wanted to ensure players who are not only performing well locally, but also competing against the best of the best, are properly recognized.”
In developing the new system, Mass Golf conducted peer analysis of other golf associations and gathered feedback from multiple player groups. Those discussions helped shape a model designed to balance performance, participation, and competitive strength.
Eldridge added that the restructuring focused on two priorities: rebalancing how points are weighted between national competitions, including those conducted by the USGA, and statewide Mass Golf events, while also refining distribution across open and eligibility-restricted tournaments.
The updated Player of the Year structure is designed to identify the most well-rounded performers each season, players who excel here while also representing Mass Golf on the national stage.
Since 2022, Delta Air Lines has served as the presenting sponsor of the Player of the Year Awards, which recognize the top amateur golfers in Massachusetts. The partnership includes integration with Delta’s “Keep Climbing” campaign, with monthly standings and updates shared throughout the season as players compete for top honors.
More information and updated point systems can be found on the Mass Golf website.
The current awards are as follows:
Mass Golf is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is dedicated to advancing golf in Massachusetts by building an engaged and inclusive community.
With a community made up of over 145,000 golf enthusiasts and over 360 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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