Sean Melia
A golf podcast covering the small stories that deserve some discussion.Subscribe on iTunes here: http://bit.ly/H7cGIf
July is in the books — 6 courses played across Massachusetts as I keep chasing every golf course in the state. A mix of public and private, nine and eighteen holes, a couple of new checkmarks, and one revisit to a favorite. TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Intro 1:12 Oyster Harbors 2:03 Forest Park Country Club 6:33 Segregansett Country Club 14:50 Heather Hill 19:27 Boston Golf Club 27:04 Bellevue Golf Club
This week we cross into Maine with Eli Spaulding, the two-time Maine Amateur champion (2024 & 2025) and Loyola University standout, fresh off a stacked summer that includes wins at the Philadelphia Amateur and New England Amateur, plus a qualifying spot for the U.S. Amateur at Merion. Eli talks about falling in love with golf watching Tiger Woods, growing up in a family of college distance runners, and learning to practice by watching Brunswick GC standout Caleb Manuel. He breaks down his creative, feel-based approach to shot-making, why he skips a traditional yardage book in favor of writing clubs on a scorecard before each round, and how journaling after tournaments — reflecting on process rather than just results — has become one of his biggest edges. He also relives the final-round duel with Caden Piselli at the New England Amateur, and looks ahead to his third straight US Amateur appearance and what challenges Merion will provide. A great listen for anyone interested in course management, mental prep, and the process behind two Maine Am titles.
Dan Boisvert joins after attending the New England Amateur and watching the final group battle for 18 holes. Eli Spaulding defended his title as Caden Piselli made a run at him early in the back nine. Dan talks about Eli Spaulding and Caden Piselli, two players he hadn't seen play before. He also talks about how he watches his students, like Joey Lenane, when he can see them in competition instead of the practice range. Then they shift gears to discuss the U.S. Amateur qualifying at Boston Golf Club on Monday, July 20 and the reasons for an influx of players from outside the region playing in USGA qualifiers in New England.
It's Open Championship week, and Paul Burke joins me to talk Royal Birkdale before the year's toughest major gets underway across the pond. We start with a question Paul's been sitting on all week: what actually makes a great sporting event? From there we get into the buzz building around an English run to a World Cup final this week, and a look at the trends that pop out from former champions at Birkdale — Palmer, Watson, Miller, Trevino, Harrington, O'Meara, Spieth — and what that list tells us about who might contend. We also stake out early tee times, salute a great story in qualifier David Howard, dig into golf's ongoing fan-behavior debate, and lay out best-case/worst-case scenarios before locking in our picks.
This week's guest is Lillian Guleserian, the 2026 New England Women's Amateur champion and Penn State freshman, fresh off her comeback win at Concord Country Club. Lillian breaks down the dramatic back nine of the final round, rallying from four shots back. The conversation covers her game, her freshman year playing college golf at Penn State, and how the pressure of team qualifying rounds has made her a more resilient competitor. She also talks candidly about why she refuses to watch leaderboards mid-round, the recovery routines (sauna, cold tubs, float beds) she's picked up from Penn State's athletic facilities, and her advice for junior golfers navigating the college recruiting process. Lillian also reflects on her roots at Ponkapoag Golf Course, her longtime coach Julie Cole, and how she's prepping for the Ouimet Memorial, Women's Mass Am, and her upcoming sophomore season at Penn State.
The Massachusetts Amateur is here, and Sean Melia is joined by Paul Burke for a deep dive into the state's premier amateur event. With the tournament heading to Winchester Country Club (July 6–10) for just the eighth time in history, Sean and Paul break down the Donald Ross layout hole by hole, debate what kind of player thrives there, and argue about whether "second shot golf course" is even a useful phrase. They also dig into the tournament's rich history — from Francis Ouimet's six titles to the seven-time winner who died on a golf course at 60, to Rob Oppenheim shooting a 62 at Winchester the week of recording to break a 54-year course record. Plus: Jim Salinetti's unique place in Mass Amateur lore as a three-time champion now serving as Winchester's head pro, the Monaghan family sending three members into the same draw, players to watch, and tips on the best days and spots to spectate if you're heading out. Newsletter: Baystategolf.beehiiv.com
Episode Description: 2026 Massachusetts Open champion Evan Harmeling joins Sean Melia to break down his wire-to-wire win at Oyster Harbors. Evan shares how a 73 in brutal wind on Day 1 didn't rattle him, why he refused to look at a leaderboard all week, and how chasing Ken Venturi's course record became the mental trick that kept him locked in down the stretch. He also reflects on what's changed since his 2013 Mass Open win, the brotherhood of grinding on various tours, his experiences in South America, and why a caddy who talks about anything but golf might be the best thing for his game right now. Chapters: [00:00] — Intro Sean kicks things off with zero coffee and big news: Giannis is a Miami Heat. [01:32] — Breaking Down Round 1 at Oyster Harbors [06:15] — The Shot That Could Have Unraveled Everything [09:00] — Ignoring the Leaderboard & Chasing a Course Record [13:00] — 2013 vs. 2026: Two Mass Open Titles, Two Different Lives [17:35] — Life on the Road: Corn Ferry, Canada, and Latin America [23:00] — The Best Golf Course He Ever Played [27:15] — Spring 2026: Myrtle Beach, US Open Local Qualifying & the Mass Open [30:50] — Harmeling's putting technique: Thumbs Off the Putter [33:20] — What He Actually Needs from a Caddy
Sean and Paul are ready for the U.S. Open. They break down everything ahead of US Open week at Shinnecock Hills — one of the most demanding venues in major championship golf. They revisit the 2004 Sunday massacre (scoring average: 78.73), debate the USGA's love/hate relationship with tour pros, dig into who's got the game to handle firm and fast conditions, and make their picks in the annual snake draft. Father's Day is on the line. Somebody's going to be right. Timestamps 0:00 — Intro 2:00 — What's the ideal US Open winning score? Does it even matter? 5:30 — The 2004 Shinnecock flashback: the Sunday that broke everyone 17:00 — USGA animosity: a PGA Tour problem more than a USGA problem? 21:30 — Scottie Scheffler and the career Grand Slam. 34:00 — Rory: has he dropped the rope on everything that isn't the Masters? 38:00 — Xander Schauffele's baffling yet incredible US Open résumé 43:00 — Adam Scott's 100th straight major gets its proper respect 44:00 — Trending & not trending heading into the week 47:30 — The snake draft picks (three each and one dark horse) 1:06:30 — Trunk slammers: who's going home early?
The 116th Mass Open is coming to Oyster Harbors from June 9-11. Dan joins Sean to talk through some storylines, history, and players to watch.
Sean Melia sits down with the 2025 Massachusetts Mixed Masters Four-Ball champions, Conor McCormack and Alexis Florio, fresh off their win at Willowbend. The pair, who met at Woodland CC when Alexis worked their in the summer of 2025, break down how their Mixed Four-Ball Championship. The conversation goes well beyond the trophy. Alexis, a Columbia golf alum now in law school, talks about trusting her competitive instincts when practice time is scarce. Conor opens up about the grind of Massachusetts amateur golf — qualifying pressure, leaderboard watching, and staying mentally in it when the wheels start to wobble. They swap the one trait they'd steal from each other, and reflect on balancing serious competitive golf with real life. If you love the inside look at the amateur game in New England, this one's for you.
Sean sits down with Marcus El, General Manager of Scoreboard Powered by Clipped, live from Omni La Costa. The two dig into Eastern Michigan's stunning run to the women's Final Four, what it says about the changing landscape of college athletics, and which men's teams and players to watch as the field descends on La Costa for the NCAA Championship. Timestamps: 1:00 — Marcus joins from La Costa 1:24 — The atmosphere at La Costa: why the finals feel quieter than you'd expect 4:28 — Eastern Michigan's Cinderella story and what it says about the macro shift in college athletics 9:48 — Teams sitting home that shouldn't be: Texas Tech, Illinois, and a word on Charlotte 19:04 — Is there a "third year" advantage at La Costa? Marcus breaks down experience vs. talent in stroke play. 21:58 — The depth of the men's field and what separates it from the women's side 25:28 — How Golf Channel now dictates match play tee times (and why coaches have to wait to find out when they're teeing off) 28:34 — Team picks for match play: locking in the top four seeds, then the fun ones 29:58 — Ryan Hybl's last ride at Oklahoma and why you can't count that team out 35:37 — Picks and predictions
Ryan Downes joins the Bay State Golf Podcast fresh off helping Vanderbilt win the NCAA Regional title — and ahead of a trip to La Costa for the National Championship. The Longmeadow native talks about what it takes to compete at the highest level of college golf, how the Commodores flipped a switch after a slow spring, and why he's already got one of the most exciting amateur summers on the calendar locked in. Timestamps: 0:57 — Welcome & intro; Ryan's life on campus with finals done and massages on the schedule 1:07 — Reflecting on Regionals: pressing the reset button after a tough SEC Championship 2:23 — How Coach Scott Limbaugh reframes the postseason as a "new season" 3:28 — Who's going to Nationals and how the lineup works 4:43 — What Vanderbilt practices actually look like in-season vs. postseason 5:49 — The team's favorite (and most brutal) pressure drills 7:25 — How long a driving drill can last when no one can find the fairway 9:55 — Preparing for La Costa: yardage books, arch books, and course strategy 12:12 — How Vanderbilt tracks stats, and the incoming freshman whose dad built a shot-tracking system now used across college golf 13:38 — What the data revealed: strengths, weaknesses, and where he loses shots 14:20 — Advice to freshman Ryan Downes heading to Nashville 15:17 — The John Broderick connection and how a friendship in junior golf led to Vanderbilt 16:36 — Winning the Bryson DeChambeau Invitational in the fall and seeing his name on the wall next to Gordon Sargent 18:58 — Playing alongside Jackson Koivun (#1 amateur in the world) and what he learned 20:47 — The brutal reality of college golf depth: shooting even par and finishing 39th 22:40 — His dad (a touring pro) and uncle (CC of Wilbraham) and leaning on that family golf knowledge 23:43 — Reaching a career-high #83 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and landing a US Am exemption to Merion 25:20 — Full summer schedule: Sunnehanna, Northeast, Southern, Western, and the US Am 26:44 — Team morale heading into Nationals and his own game turning a corner 28:15 — The NCAA Championship format explained: 54 holes of stroke play, top 15 advance, top 8 go to match play
Shane Walsh and Chris Gatcomb came out of nowhere to win the 2026 Massachusetts Four-Ball at Indian Pond and Waverly Oaks — and they did it the hard way: seven-under in miserable cold and rain, a hole-in-one from Chris, an agonizing wait on the leaderboard, and a playoff birdie to beat Matt Parziale and Herbie Aikens. In this episode, the new champs break down that marathon final day, how they came together as a team, and the competitive paths that brought them here — from college and pro hockey to junior golf and the Coast Guard.
Sean and Burke are back to break down the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club — the major that sneaks up on you after a month of no-cut, no-stakes tournaments. Burke shares his firsthand take on Aronimink after playing it and attending the 2010 AT&T National there why holes 10, 11, 17, and 18 deserve your attention, and how Gil Hanse's tree-clearing renovation may have turned a great test into a bomber's paradise. The guys dig into the storylines that actually matter heading into Thursday: Rory's post-Masters reset and whether he can finally win a major that isn't Augusta; the LIV question marks around Bryson, Rahm, and the surprisingly intact reputation of Tyrrell Hatton; Xander's closing window for major number three; the no-major club of Cam Young, Ludvig Åberg, Hovland, and Fleetwood; Scottie and Rory's quietly historic stretch (four of the last five majors, three of the last four Players); and what to do about the PGA's identity crisis.
It's Masters Week and I'm joined by Paul Burke (Azalea cocktail in hand) for our annual Masters preview. We kick things off by marking a historic moment: for the first time since 1994, neither Tiger Woods nor Phil Mickelson will tee it up at Augusta National. They break down the career Masters records of both legends, debate who belongs in the "should have won a green jacket" conversation (Norman, Els, Rose, Duval), and reflect on what this era of the Masters has meant to them personally. From there, it's all about 2026: Is Scottie Scheffler sharp enough despite a slow start to the year? Can Rory McIlroy back up his career Grand Slam with a defense? Are Rahm and Bryson finally hitting their stride heading into a major? The guys also highlight first-timers to watch, break down who's "on the clock" to win a major (Hovland, Fleetwood, Ludwig), and debate whether a certain caddie is getting a little too thirsty for the spotlight. The episode wraps with their Masters picks plus dark horses and some fun prop bet discussion on hole-in-ones and the elusive albatross.
Planning the ultimate golf day near Boston? In this video, I break down four affordable 36-hole combinations all within 30 miles of the city — and all under $170!Courses Covered: 1. D.W. Field + Easton Country Club (South of Boston)→ Weekend: $127 | Weekday: $102 | Brockton residents save $102. Franklin Park + George Wright (In the City)→ Weekend: $140 (non-resident) | Weekday: $122 (non-resident)→ Two classic Donald Ross designs in one day!3. Gannon + Mount Hood (North of Boston)→ Weekend: $121 | Weekday: $103→ Just 10–15 miles from the city!4. Sandy Burr + Wayland (MetroWest)→ ~$167 weekend | ~$132 weekday→ Another Donald Ross gem paired with a fun, flat track!Whether you're a Boston local or planning a golf trip to Massachusetts, these 36-hole days offer incredible value and variety across public golf courses in the state._______0:00 — Intro & the 36-hole day challenge near Boston1:04 — #1: D.W. Field + Easton Country Club (South of Boston)2:02 — #2: Franklin Park + George Wright (In the City)3:50 — #3: Gannon + Mount Hood (North of Boston)6:26 — #4: Sandy Burr + Wayland (MetroWest)9:26 — Sponsor: Galway Bay Golf Apparel10:34 — Outro, comments callout & book link📖 Buy the Digital Guidebook — 168 Massachusetts course reviews with photos, facts, and favorite holes! Updated FREE every year https://baystategolf.beehiiv.com/products/bay-state-golf-volume-1-2020-2025🧥 Gear Sponsor: Galway Bay Golf ApparelGalway Bay Homepage: https://galwaybayapparel.pxf.io/aOEWyWChino: https://galwaybayapparel.pxf.io/194W6RRockbarton: https://galwaybayapparel.pxf.io/Z6gy2qTully: https://galwaybayapparel.pxf.io/o4ryAb LINKS:Watch on YouTubeSubscribe to the Newsletter Baystate Golf on IGSeanMeliaGolf on TwitterBaystateGolf.com
A lot has happened this winter in Massachusetts golf — and we're breaking it all down in one place. From surprise sales to solar field conversions, here's everything you need to know before the 2026 season tees off.Courses discussed:- Whaling City Golf Course (New Bedford) – Charter Development is moving in, shrinking the course to 9 holes during construction, with an $8–10M rebuild planned — possibly into the 2030s- Easton Country Club – Saved from a Toll Brothers housing deal, Stonehill College has purchased the course and is launching a Division I men's golf team- Cape Cod Country Club (Falmouth) – Surprise news: the course will remain OPEN for the full 2026 season despite a pending solar energy deal with Pure Sky Energy- Stow Acres – North Course is now 9 holes; South Course rerouted; new heated outdoor driving range open all winter; celebrating 100 years as the first Black-owned country club in America- Maple Gate Country Club – Officially sold and closing to become a solar field- Shining Rock Golf Club – Acquired by Alliance Golf (Connecticut), who also owns Red Tail in MA- Leo J. Martin Golf Course (Weston) – Closed for ALL of 2026 for a $5M state-funded renovation, with architect Mark Mungeam leading the work- Cotuit Highground – Sold to Barnstable Land Trust; future as a golf course uncertain beyond 3–5 years- Lakeville Country Club – Early-stage proposal to convert to a 55+ community with 9 holes and a driving range- Chequessett Club (Wellfleet) – Closed for 2 years due to the Herring River Restoration Project; set to reopen in 2028 with improvements- Yale Golf Course (Connecticut) – Reopening late April 2026 after a major Gil Hanse renovation; public green fees from $150–$350___Subscribe to the Bay State Golf newsletter (free every Friday) for weekly Massachusetts golf updates. Paid subscribers get bonus content + a digital book reviewing 168 MA golf courses.https://baystategolf.beehiiv.com/Save Cape Cod Country Club shirts available at BayStateGolf.com — proceeds support the Save Historic Cape Cod Country Club group.https://www.baystategolf.com/shopGALWAY BAY:Galway Bay Homepage: https://galwaybayapparel.pxf.io/aOEWyWChino: https://galwaybayapparel.pxf.io/194W6RRockbarton: https://galwaybayapparel.pxf.io/Z6gy2qTully: https://galwaybayapparel.pxf.io/o4ryAb---Chapters:0:00 – Intro0:27 – Whaling City Golf Course4:20 – Easton Country Club / Stonehill College6:19 – Cape Cod Country Club9:42 – Stow Acres10:58 – Maple Gate Country Club11:53 – Shining Rock Golf Club13:04 – Leo J. Martin Golf Course15:27 – Cotuit Highground17:49 – Lakeville Country Club19:05 – Chequessett Club20:47 – Yale Golf Course LINKS:Watch on YouTubeSubscribe to the Newsletter Baystate Golf on IGSeanMeliaGolf on TwitterBaystateGolf.com
Is a winter day trip to Nantucket actually worth it for golf?In this podcast (which you can watch on YouTube), I break down the real, door-to-door cost of playing Miacomet Golf Course in the winter, where greens fees drop from $255 in the summer to $70 before April 30. I’ve played Miacomet twice during the winter months. I'll walk you through everything you need to know — parking, ferry timing, taxis, food, and why this course plays so well in the offseason.If you’re curious about winter golf in Massachusetts, affordable golf trips, or whether island golf can be done in a single day, this video will help you decide if this trip is worth it. LINKS:Watch on YouTubeSubscribe to the Newsletter Baystate Golf on IGSeanMeliaGolf on TwitterBaystateGolf.com
What are the defining shots in major championship golf over the last 25 years? Sean, Jed, and Paul draft the 15 most impactful shots from 2000–2025 — the ones that altered careers, flipped leaderboards, and created the “I remember where I was” moments in golf history. LINKS:Watch on YouTubeSubscribe to the Newsletter Baystate Golf on IGSeanMeliaGolf on TwitterBaystateGolf.com
Ranking the five best public Donald Ross golf courses in Massachusetts in honor of his birthday this week..This list is built on three things:- Have I played it?- Shot value- Walkability- The phone-call test — if a friend called the night before a round, which course would I pick?.Massachusetts has 14 publicly accessible Donald Ross designs, and I think we’re unbelievably lucky to have so many great ones you can just go play. These are my five favorites right now — plus one honorable mention that just misses.Do you agree with my top five? Drop your 1–5 ranking in the comments..Timestamps:00:00 — Intro and some context to the ranking03:23 — Course 506:54 — Course 409:54 — Course 314:45 — Course 219:15 — Course 123:31 — Final thoughts & call to actionFollow Bay State Golf📸 Instagram — @baystate_golf📬 Free Friday newsletter + bonus paid content — baystategolf.beehiv.com🎥 More videos on golf in Massachusetts, course reviews, and competitive golfThanks for watching — now let’s hear your top five in the comments.See you out there. ⛳️ LINKS:Watch on YouTubeSubscribe to the Newsletter Baystate Golf on IGSeanMeliaGolf on TwitterBaystateGolf.com