“I just like to play!”
Grady Boyer, 11 years old from Canton, hits a lot of golf balls. If he’s not at a tournament, he’s at St. Lawrence Golf and Country Club, working on his game with his “best buddy” and coach, Mary Lawrence. And when his mom finally peels him off the course each night, he still finds a way to get some reps in.
“He is very dedicated and spends five to eight hours a day playing or practicing whether at SLU — his home course — or another one,” Boyer’s mom, Meg Spadaccini, said. “Even when I won’t let him stay longer he comes home and hits balls or putts for hours at home.”
The persistence has paid off in a big way this summer. Upon joining the Northeastern New York Junior PGA Tour, Boyer competed in eight events across the Capital Region, finishing in the top-10 in each event. He earned three second place finishes, and won two tournaments in the Boys 8-12 division, good enough for first place in the group heading into the Tour Championship.
At Colonie Golf and Country Club on Aug. 8 and 9, Boyer posted rounds of 37 and 42 to win the Boys 8-12 Flight by securing 500 points. He was named player of the year for his age group for the 2025 season on top of his Tour Championship.
“It feels good to win the tour championship, really good,” Boyer said. “And being named player of the year is awesome. It was my goal after I won the first tournament of the year. I play golf all day long and practice at home when I’m not at St. Lawrence, too. I was ready!”
Boyer’s week did not end with the NENY Jr. PGA accolades over the weekend.
On Monday and Tuesday, he competed at the New York State U14 Amateur Tournament at Eagle Crest in Clifton Park, where he secured another win, this time capturing title with rounds of 83 and 84 to win the Boys 12 & Under Flight by five strokes as the only 11-year-old in the field. As such, he was named New York State U12 Amateur Champion.
While competition is a main focus, Boyer finds the camaraderie of the sport as enjoyable as the game itself. And, he maintains perspective on a key component that most golfers twice his age struggle to remember.
“My favorite part about the season was meeting new friends in other places around the state and being able to compete with them. I’ve met some pretty nice people this summer!” he said. “My biggest challenge is staying calm when my shots don’t go as planned. That’s always the hardest part and I think probably always will be.”
The young golfer has more planned this summer. Boyer will travel to Turning Stone on Wednesday to compete in the Drive, Chip & Putt subregionals. His goal is to place in the top two and advance to New Jersey in September. A win there could vault him to the pinnacle; a trip to Augusta the Sunday before the Masters.
