By Richard Rapp
rrapp@massgolf.org
SOUTH HADLEY, Massachusetts (August 4, 2025) – Towards the end of a long qualifying round on a stagnant, muggy day at Orchards Golf Club, many U.S. Mid-Amateur qualifying hopefuls leaned on their pushcarts for support. Not Ben Spitz (Milton, MA), who wheels his like he’s got somewhere to be. There’s a technician’s demeanor about Spitz. He strides purposefully, pulls up alongside his ball, checks the yardage book, surveys the shot, yardage book again, selects his instrument, a spit in the glove, and he’s ready to go. On the greens, as his playing partners putted, he sprang into action as soon as the ball left the face, so eager was he to go about his business.
It’s a level of efficiency that explains how Spitz balances a family, a career, and competitive golf. In Jim McCabe’s recent piece on Spitz, one quote stood out: “Playing competitively is why I practice. I’ve always practiced with a purpose. I’m not just blindly hitting golf balls. I work out daily, I swing weighted clubs all to get better.” This may be over-simplifying things, but elite Mid-Amateur golf is a battle of very good players who spent many years treating the game as the most important aspect of their lives, it was their entire identity, and now they must reckon with a new phase of life that finds the hierarchy of priorities shifting. It is perhaps not the most talented players that succeed on this level, rather, the ones that can best thread the needle.
So, when Spitz entered the difficult closing stretch at Orchards Golf Club with the low round on the course, he locked in. As his player partners chatted amiably from tee to green, Spitz wheeled his bag forward at a deliberate pace: here’s the thread, there’s the needle. Fairway, green, two putts. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
Spitz balked at the notion that he was playing those last few holes conservatively, more like aggressive swings at conservative targets: “You just kind of play aggressively to your spots. Most of my spots were middle of the greens and the safe side of the greens out there, just because a lot of the pins were tucked.”
On the demanding finishing hole, well aware that a par would go along way towards securing a qualifying position, Spitz blasted a 300 yard drive into the narrow upper neck of the fairway. He then threw a wedge at the left pin that drew steadily and smartly to the center of the green, lagged to two feet, and was on his way to Arizona with a 3-under round of 67. Clinical.
In a great demonstration of what it means to be an elder Mid-Am, Spitz knew he’d once played in a U.S. Mid-Am at John’s Island, but couldn’t recall the year (it was 2015). So it’s been ten years, but Spitz’ is on a roll, and he sounds optimistic about Tucson, “I’m playing well, so If I just do that, I should be alright. And then, you know, make it to matchplay then anything can happen, right?”
View this post on Instagram
Joining Spitz will be Sam Russell (Boston, MA), who survived a 3 for 1 playoff to earn his spot in the championship. The playoff pitted Russell against Ben Balter (Wellesley, MA) and Adam Brickle (Pittsfield, MA). Balter had a chance to advance to his third consecutive Mid-Am with a par on the 18th in regulation, but his approach shot found the bunker, and he was unable to get it up-and-down from there.
All three players parred the first two playoff holes, including an impressive sand save from a fried egg in the bunker facing by Balter. On the gettable par-5 third, each player gave it a go on their second. Brickle came up short left and drew a dodgy lie, which led to a bladed chip and ultimately a bogey. Balter’s approach looked to be on line, but scooted over the green. Russell hit the best of the bunch, hole high and about 30′ left on the green.
“It was a really hard shot, 200 on the number, about 182 front edge, and I knew anything that landed on the green was gonna go over like Ben’s did, so I knew I had to land it right into the hill,” said Russell. “So, it was a tough shot, and in a way it was probably the best shot I hit today, especially considering the circumstances. Just to get it on that green from the rough, I probably could have done that 1 out of 20 times.”
Balter faced a difficult chip from the rough on the upslope, which released about 6 feet past the hole. Russell stepped up knowing there was a chance 4 would be good enough, and he very nearly holed his putt for eagle. “It was all a speed putt. I just knew, knowing where those guys were, they probably were gonna have a tough time getting up-and-down, so I just knew, make four at worst. Don’t blow it by.”
He left himself a two inch tap-in, and Balter was unable to shake in his birdie putt. Russell will make an eagerly anticipated return to the U.S. Mid-Am, which he played in 2021 at Sankaty Head, and called the “highlight of my golf career.” Russell (and, I should note, his mom, who could hardly contain her glee, and who’s presence her son cited as a key to today’s success) were clearly overjoyed with the result. “I was just in the final stage of U.S. Am qualifying, played like crap, so I was itching to get back here and get some redemption. And I missed in a playoff two years ago when it was at Erin Hills, so I’ve been knocking on the door a couple times since Sankaty. And I just, I don’t know what to say. I’m so excited to get back, can’t wait!”
James Pleat (Nashua, NH) matched Spitz’ 3-under round, and will appear in the U.S. Mid-Am for a second consecutive year. Pleat opened with a birdie, then gave it right back on two with his only bogey of the day. He played a spotless round the rest of the way, notching birdies on 8, 9 and 11.
COMPLETE LIST OF U.S. MID-AMATEUR QUALIFIERS AND ALTERNATES FROM ORCHARDS:
QUALIFIERS (Names; Cities); Score
Ben Spitz, Milton, MA; 67 (-3)
James Pleat, Nashua, NH; 67 (-3)
Sam Russell, Boston, MA; 68 (-2)*
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Ben Balter, Wellesley, MA; 68 (-2)
Adam Brickle, Pittsfield, MA; 68 (-2)
*Earned spot with a birdie on the third playoff hole (No .3)
Wealthy industrialist Joseph Skinner set out to build a golf course across the street from his home for his daughter, Elisabeth Skinner. The Orchards Golf Club, designed by Donald Ross, opened in 1922 to fulfill Skinner’s vision. When the golf course opened, Skinner invited 40 friends to join for the cost of $30 per year (roughly $500 in today’s value). However, the course was open to the public to play for a $1 fee.
Mount Holyoke College purchased the club from Joseph Skinner in 1941 for $25,000, and since 2000, it’s been managed and maintained by outside companies. Over its 100 years, The Orchards has largely been focused on keeping a budget that allows for upkeep and maintenance of the property rather than alterations. The Donald Ross layout has remained largely intact since the full 18 holes became ready for play in 1927.
The Club has hosted several Mass Golf events, as well as the 2004 U.S. Women’s Open.
Stay Informed
Visit MassGolf.org and follow @PlayMassGolf on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube for the latest information on Mass Golf championships and events. To join the conversation, use the hashtag #MassGolf.
