The Steam Room by midamgolfHQ Vol 33
The Steam Room by midamgolfHQ
August 2026
What we are steaming on this month:
Welcome to Volume 33!
While July brought a quieter stretch on the major mid-amateur calendar, the month was far from lacking in compelling storylines. Across state and national championships, many familiar names continued to add to impressive seasons, while a strong contingent of mid-amateurs proudly represented our community at the likes of the Southern Amateur, Monroe Invitational, and state level competitions. The race for the coveted mid-am spot on the Walker Cup Team is in full effect and we will be tracking these developments closely.
With fewer marquee events to recap, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to take a trip across the pond and shine a light on some of the premier mid-amateur competitions in the United Kingdom. To help guide us, we've partnered with friend of the newsletter Matthew Allen, a regular competitor in many of the UK's top events and founder of IBT Golf , whose insights provide a unique look into one of mid-amateur golf's most storied scenes.
We finally want to thank the brands that continue to support this newsletter including Holderness & Bourne with our “Worth the Detour” section! We also continue to partner with TourIQ Golf and they have an offer for a free month to our readers so go check it out HERE!
Across the Pond
The U.K. & Ireland's Must-Play Mid-Amateur Events
With a slower July we wanted to dive into the competitive mid am circuit overseas. While much of the mid-amateur spotlight falls on the United States, the U.K. and Ireland quietly offer some of the most unique and historic events in mid-amateur golf. From heathland classics to links golf in the Scottish Highlands, these tournaments provide the rare opportunity to combine elite competition with some of the game's most storied destinations. Friend of the newsletter Matthew Allen from IBT Golf Travel, a regular competitor on the U.K mid-am circuit, helped us identify four events every golf-traveling mid-amateur should have on their radar.
The Carnegie Shield at Royal Dornoch may be the ultimate bucket-list event. Now in its 112th edition and newly recognized as a WAGR event, the event features a stroke play format that eventually pairs down the field and leads to match play. Dornoch is truly one of the greatest courses in the world so the opportunity to play a competition on such storied grounds is special! Competitors can also pair the event with a Highlands journey featuring courses such as Brora, Tain, Golspie, Nairn, Moray Old, and even the wonderfully remote Durness.
The Logan Trophy, effectively England's premier mid-amateur championship, rotates among many of the country's finest clubs and this year visited the restored Alister MacKenzie gem at Hadley Wood. Depending on the venue, players can build see clubs and courses such as Royal St. George's, Rye, Princes, and Royal Cinque Ports.
A short hop away we have Ireland's Irish Mid-Amateur Championship which offers a perfect excuse to explore the country's rugged northwest links, with County Sligo, Enniscrone, Strandhill, and Carne all within reach of this year's host venue.
And finally for lovers of heathland golf, few weeks can rival the Gerald Micklem at Sunningdale(!!). Played each September on the famed New Course, the championship provides access to perhaps the greatest concentration of inland golf in the world, with Berkshire, Swinley Forest, Woking, St. George's Hill, Walton Heath, Hankley Common, and The Addington all nearby. For readers considering making the trip, Matthew and the team at IBT Golf Travel specialize in building bespoke itineraries around these championships, helping competitors turn a single tournament into a larger trip. Readers make sure and use code IBTNicheGolfHQ for preferred rates with Matthew and friends!
2026 August Major Tournament Preview
The Picard Cup
August 13-14, 2026
Canterbury Golf Club
Defending Champions: Nicholas Fiore and Brian Joseph
As August approaches, so too does one of the most anticipated weeks on the mid-amateur calendar: the Picard Cup. The event has established itself as far more than a premier two-man championship—it has become a summer tradition and gathering place for many of the game's top mid-amateurs. With another deep and talented field expected in 2026, competitors will once again be tested by championship conditions and the razor-thin margins that have come to define this event. Expect plenty of familiar names, a crowded leaderboard, and another week where every shot matters. Your defending champions are Nicholas and Brian who played some incredible golf in 2025!
Beyond the competition itself, the Picard Cup continues to embody everything that makes mid-amateur golf special. The event seamlessly blends elite competition with the camaraderie and hospitality that keep players returning year after year. Whether it's post-round conversations on the patio, reconnecting with friends from across the country, or experiencing another outstanding host venue, the Picard has become one of the true highlights of the summer schedule. If recent editions are any indication, the 2026 championship promises another memorable week filled with great golf, great stories, and the unique spirit that defines the mid-amateur game.
Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur
August 18-21, 2026
Brantford Golf & Country Club
Defending Champion: Charles Fitzsimmons
One of the premier championships on the Canadian amateur calendar returns this month as the nation's best mid-amateurs converge for the 2026 Canadian Men's Mid-Amateur Championship at historic Brantford Golf & Country Club. The championship has long been a proving ground for elite players balancing careers, families, and competitive golf, and this year's edition promises another deep and talented field. With exemptions into several prestigious events on the line, expect a highly competitive week where experience and patience will be at a premium on one of Canada's classic venues.
Much of the attention will center around defending champion Charles Fitzsimmons, who enters the week looking to further cement his legacy as one of the great Canadian mid-amateurs of his generation. Already a three-time national champion and fresh off another impressive provincial victory earlier this summer, Fitzsimmons has repeatedly shown an ability to perform under pressure and deliver in the biggest moments. Should he successfully defend his title once again, it would add another remarkable chapter to an already decorated amateur career and further strengthen his standing among Canada's modern mid-am legends.
The Valentine Invitational
August 21-23, 2026
Hermitage Country Club
Defending Champion: John Hunter
August brings one of the premier gatherings in mid-amateur golf as the Valentine Invitational returns for another highly anticipated edition. Year after year, the event has attracted many of the game's top players and established itself as a staple of the summer schedule thanks to its elite competition, outstanding hospitality, and unique multi-course format. With another deep national field expected, the 2026 championship should once again produce plenty of fireworks and serve as an important measuring stick as players begin to turn their attention toward the final major events of the season.
Defending champion John Hunter will undoubtedly be one of the players to watch after capturing the 2025 title with an impressive 12-under-par performance. The Texan has become one of the most consistent players in the mid-amateur ranks, and his victory last year only added to an already impressive resume. However, repeating at the Valentine is never an easy task. The event's depth and history ensure that another strong collection of national names will be in contention, setting the stage for what should once again be one of the marquee weeks of the summer mid-amateur season.
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2026 “Major” Mid-Am Event Final Results
The Tree Farm Invitational - January 2026 - Rescheduled
The Gasparilla Invitational - February 2026 - Hayes Brown
The Snedeker Memorial - March 2026 - Brett Patterson
Champions Cup Four-Ball - March 2026 - Stewart & Gibbons
The Giles Invitational - May 2026 - Brett Patterson
The Jupiter Invitational - May 2026 - Jon Weiss
The Walter J. Travis Invitational - May 2026 - Chris DeJohn
The Huddleston Cup - May 2026 - Bobby Massa
European Men’s Mid-Amateur - June 2026 - Pierre Tillement
Anderson Memorial Four-Ball - June 2026 - Costanza & Esteve
C.B Macdonald Invitational Tournament - June 2026 - Stewart Hagestad
George C Thomas Invitational - June 2026 - Andrew Price
The Picard Cup - August 2026
Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur - August 2026
The Valentine Invitational - August 2026
USGA Women’s Mid-Am - September 2026
Trans-Miss Mid-Master Championship - September 2026
The Crump Cup - September 2026
USGA Men’s Mid-Am - October 2026
The Farrell - October 2026
The Stocker Cup - October 2026
John R. Williams Four-Ball - October 2026
The Berkeley Cup - October 2026
Carlton Woods Invitational - October 2026
National Invitational Tournament - November 2026
Ewing Cup Four-Ball - November 2026
East West Matches
Mid-Am Standings
As of July 27, 2026
Christian Cavaliere | East | 1179.50
Bobby Massa | West | 1144.68
Andrew Bailey | East | 649.00
Evan Beck | 602.00
Andrew Price | East | 570.00
Will Davenport | 538.15
Brett Patterson | 525.00
Chris Wheeler | 518.00
Johnny Spellerberg | 515.68
Bobby Wyatt | East | 495.00
Brandon Holtz | East | 475.00
Drew Kittleson | 457.00
Nate Smith | 454.00
Ryan Terry | 442.50
Michael Buttacavoli | East | 439.30
Christian Brand | 421.00
Ben Reeves | East | 414.60
Stephen Behr | East | 402.49
Parker Edens | West | 382.49
Dan Walters | 382.00
Jeg Coughlin | 350.00
Brad Nurski | 332.25
Joe Deraney | East | 331.25
Cody Massa | 327.50
Hayes Brown | East | 317.00
Stewart Hagestad | East | 317.00
Worth the Detour
One of the great joys of amateur golf is discovering places that rarely dominate bucket lists but consistently overdeliver once you arrive. Ohio is one of those places. While destinations across the northeast rightfully receive much of the attention, Ohio quietly boasts one of the deepest collections of championship-caliber golf in America. From Donald Ross masterpieces to timeless Golden Age gems, the state has become a regular host for elite amateur and mid-amateur competitions and has produced a golfing culture that values great architecture, strong club traditions, and genuine hospitality over spectacle.
With the Picard Cup returning to Canterbury Golf Club this month, it's a fitting reminder of just how special golf in the Buckeye State can be. Within a few hours' drive sit clubs like Inverness, Scioto, Brookside, Moraine, The Golf Club, Camargo, and many others that would be celebrated far more widely if they happened to sit on a coastline. There is an authenticity to Ohio golf that feels increasingly rare today………less about exclusivity and status, and more about the quality of the courses and the people who care for them.
That understated excellence also feels like a natural fit for Holderness & Bourne. Their understated style has become synonymous with golfers who appreciate timeless design, impeccable quality, and the traditions that define the game.
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We love to feature our passionate mid-am golf community. If you have a story, achievement, or event you'd like to share, send us a DM on our Instagram or X (formerly Twitter) @midamgolfHQ
Until next month…..