Ulster County Men’s Amateur Golf Championship (The Herdegen) tournament director Dean Palen, left, and tournament chairman Jim Baker are photographed behind a table of tournament trophies during the second round of The Herdegen on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at Apple Greens Golf Course in Highland, N.Y. Behind the trophies is a photo of the Rev. Henry E. Herdegen. (Rick Remsnyder/Daily Freeman)
NEW PALTZ, N.Y. — When competitors approached the scoring table of Friday’s opening round of the 73rd Ulster County Men’s Amateur Golf Championship (The Herdegen), they were greeted by a framed photo of the late Rev. Henry E. Herdegen sitting on the table.
Tournament chairman Jim Baker and other Herdegen officials, who were seated at the table at the Woodstock Golf Club, said most of the field had a quizzical look on their faces when they saw the photo of the Rev. Herdegen.
“Many of the competitors don’t know who Rev. Herdegen is,” Baker said Saturday during the Herdegen’s second round at Apple Greens Golf Course in Highland.
Several members of the scoring committee were happy to explain who Rev. Herdegen was when competitors asked.
The late Daily Freeman Sports Editor Charles J. Tiano originated the Ulster County Men’s Amateur Golf Championship in 1951 at the Twaalfskill Club, according to the Herdegen’s 50th anniversary journal. The tournament was created as a memorial to Rev. Herdegen, a priest at St. Peter’s Roman Catholic parish in downtown Kingston.
An accomplished golfer and highly acclaimed orator, Rev. Herdegen advanced to the finals of the men’s club championship at the Twaalfskill Club where he lost to John J. Van Gonsic on the first extra hole of the 18-hole tournament.
When one player was told Rev. Herdegen was a priest at a Kingston parish following Friday’s opening round at Woodstock Golf Club, he quipped, “I could have used his help today.”
Longtime Herdegen competitor and 1987 champion Duane Postupack thought it was a good idea to have a photo of Rev. Herdegen at the scoring table so some of the younger participants could discover who the county stroke-play championship was named after.
“Absolutely a great idea,” Postupack said as he was making the turn in yesterday’s second round at Apple Greens. “History is history.”
On Saturday, the black-and-white photo of Rev. Herdegen was moved to an adjacent table along with the Daily Freeman champion’s trophy, which is donated annually by the Daily Freeman. It will be awarded to the winner of the 2024 championship following Sunday’s final round at the Wiltwyck Golf Club in Kingston.
Also on display was a permanent trophy adorned with the names of all 72 previous winners. The trophy was designed by Bill Collins Sr., Leon Randall (the all-time leader with 16 Herdegen titles) and the staff at Schneider’s Jewelers in Kingston. The trophy is crowned with a beautiful Baccarat Crystal Vase.
The Herdegen Mid-Amateur Trophy, in honor of the late tournament director Bob Casavant, will go to the player age 25 and over. The Senior Trophy, in memory of the late Randall, will be awarded to the low competitor age 50 or older. Both trophies were on display at Apple Greens.