2021 Spring Membership Meeting - Philadelphia PGA
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2021 Spring Membership Meeting
Philadelphia PGA Section
The Philadelphia PGA Section, covering eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and
Delaware, is one of 41 geographical managing entities of the PGA of America. This Section
manages nearly 900 PGA Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities
in our region.
Officers
President Jeff Kiddie, PGA
Vice President Patrick Shine, PGA
Secretary Chip Richter, PGA
Director of Section Affairs Bob Hennefer, PGA
Director of Tournaments Eric Kennedy, PGA
Honorary President John Rogers, PGA
Board of Directors
District 1 Kevin Duffy, PGA
District 2 Anthony Malizia, PGA
District 3
Dustin McCormick, PGA
District 4
District 5 Brett Nelson, PGA
District 6 Gerald Davis, PGA; Dean Kandle, PGA
Independent Directors Binney Wietlisbach, Tom Conery
Central Counties Chapter
President Judd Caruso, PGA
Philadelphia Assistants’ Organization
Co-Chairs Michael Congdon, PGA; John Rogers, PGA
Staff
Executive Director Geoffrey Surrette, PGA
Assistant Executive Director Barbara Creveling
Foundation Director Leila Mackie, PGA
Tournament Director Brian Schulte, PGA
Communications Director Matt Frey, PGA
Member Services Administrator Sue Unger
Foundation Coordinator Courtney Curcio
Tournament Coordinators Lewis Harry, PGA; Allison Zwarka;
Leilyn NowacysnskiPresident’s Report
H ere we go again! After an unforgettable
2020, the 2021 golf season us now upon
us. If you think back to where we were one
The Philadelphia Assistants’ Organization
(PAO) has seen some decline in participation
over the past few years. If you are a PGA Head
year ago today, we all should be appreciative Professional or PGA Director of Golf, I urge
to where the game of golf is today. you to encourage your Assistant Professionals
to get involved. There is a PAO Patron
This is the second year of my two-year term program for PGA Head Professionals and
as Section President. It has been an incredible PGA Directors of Golf to sponsor their staff
honor to serve with the current Board of members’ PAO registration fees. The PAO
Directors as well as our talented Section staff. is a great opportunity to compete with some
We have an exciting year to look forward to of the best players in the Section. However,
with it being the Section’s centennial. We it’s also a great chance for newer tournament
are excited to celebrate this throughout the players to gain competitive experience. In
entire season and we hope you are able to addition, there are educational opportunities
take part in some of the celebratory events, associated with the stand-alone events to
especially the Centennial Pro-Am being held further enhance these offerings.
at Saucon Valley Country Club on October
18. This is the third consecutive meeting
that has been affected by the COVID-19
We have so many great Section initiatives pandemic. It has been since October 2019
that the Board and I would like to encourage that we last were able to meet in person. I
you to take part in. Hopefully, you are able to know I am optimistic that our 2021 Fall
carve out some time now before the demands Membership Meeting will be in person. I
of the season fill these voids. We understand cannot wait to be back to shaking hands face-
that your job and your family take a great deal to-face! It will certainly be a welcome change.
of time and energy. Hopefully there is some Until we get that opportunity, continue to do
additional time to give back. Here are some the incredible job that you do sharing your
of the opportunities to get involved: passion for our great game. Let’s continue to
capitalize on the amazing momentum that
• Participate in the Golf Marathon in golf gained last year. We are more prepared
support of the PGA Reach Philadelphia; for it than we were in 2020 which should allow
• Volunteer to help with the PGA HOPE us the opportunity to be even better. Have a
Philadelphia program; great season and we will see you throughout
• Promote the Philadelphia PGA Junior the year.
Tour and/or host a Junior Tour event;
• Play in the PGA REACH Philadelphia Regards,
Pro-Am at Bidermann Golf Club on July
26; Jeff Kiddie, PGA
• Play in the Section tournaments; Philadelphia PGA Section President
• Attend Section education events.Vice President’s Report
Finances PGA Junior Tour, the lifeblood of our
Section, is seeing an incredible resurgence!
A s Section Vice President, I would like to
thank my fellow Executive Committee
members and the Board of Directors for
As other sports are trying to pivot, golf has
come centerstage. Our Philadelphia PGA
Junior Tour team creates a professional, yet
their time and commitment to our Section. friendly arena for kids to compete. As PGA
In addition, thank you to all of you that Professionals let us continue promoting youth
donate your time to any of the Section’s golf at our facilities and pushing those youth
committees and or any of the growth of golfers to the Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour.
the game initiatives. Finally, thank you to In the long run, this will create a healthier
all of you who provide our Section and our Philadelphia PGA Section.
Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour access to your The Executive Committee will continue to
facilities for tournaments and seminars. make investments back into our business
to provide education and member benefit
In 2020, we faced unprecedented challenges opportunities. Additional ADP funding has
as an industry and as well as a PGA Section. allowed us to highlight our members with
During the initial shutdown, Geoff and the additional promotion and marketing as well
entire Executive Board were tasked with as growth of the game initiatives.
making very difficult decisions. Uncertainty
as to the length of our shutdown as well as Club Relations, courtesey of Jonathan Gold, PGA
the landscape of our sport coming out of the
shutdown added to the dilemma. Geoff and As we start our journey into the 2021
his team made collective sacrifices, pivoted, golf season, one thing is for certain, PGA
and salvaged a tremendous year. Professionals have experienced a challenge in
hiring for golf operations-specific positions.
The Section was able to take advantage of While the number of management
the payroll retention credit $10,772 paid as a opportunities is consistent with previous
credit to the payroll expense to the Section years, the need for assistant golf professionals
in December (additional credits will follow in and seasonal golf operations help is greater
2021).* than ever. This can be attributed to facilities
looking to keep up with the demand for golf
Haverford’s balance as of 12/31/20 was as well as PGA Professionals exploring other
$463,471 — an additional $140,000 was opportunities in the golf industry rather
invested back into the restricted fund in than the traditional PGA Head Professional,
January. The market value in the Haverford PGA Director of Golf, PGA Director of
(Restricted) account was $591,758 as of Instruction, and PGA Teaching Professional
1/31/21. roles. One thing is for certain, now more
than ever PGA Professionals are taking the
Overall Section income was down by “always recruiting” mindset into their staff
$626,583 compared to budget while and facility. Rather than focusing on the
expenses were down by $685,931 leading to 2022 staff in November, it is important to
a positive variance of $59,348 (budgeted net create a pipeline of talent and identify those
income $12,480 actual net income $71,828). interested in a career in golf and introduce
Foundation - PPP loan of $24,500 in 2020 — them to a possible career in the industry.
the loan has been forgiven in its’ entirety as Without a doubt, 2021 is forecasted to be
of February 9, 2021. an active year regarding participation in golf.
Over the winter months, the Philadelphia
I am happy to report that Philadelphia PGA section conducted an operation surveyVice President’s Report with the goal of identifying service standards for golf operations. Should you be looking for further information about the survey results which can help you further negotiate needed operational resources, please contact the Section office. Hall of Fame / Playing Legends Twenty-twenty was a Hall of Fame year. This year’s inductees included Bob Barnett Jr. (posthumously), and Burlington Country Club PGA Head Professional Mike Mack. Congratulations to Mike Mack and the family of Bob Barnett Jr. Twenty-twenty-one is a Playing Legends year and the committee is always looking for nominations. Nomination forms will be distributed later this Spring and will have a deadline for submission of August 23, 2021. I would like to give special thanks to the committee of Mike Cole, PGA; Jack Connolly, PGA; Leo Degisi, PGA; Harry Hammond, PGA; Pete Micklewright, PGA; John Poole, PGA; Dick Smith Sr., PGA; Pete Trenham, PGA; Geoff Surrette PGA; and Sue Unger for their dedication and hard work to this committee. Respectfully submitted, Patrick W. Shine, PGA Philadelphia PGA Section Vice President *There is a positive variance to budgeted salaries at year-end of $65,614 (this includes the afore mentioned payroll credit of $10,772)
Secretary’s Report
T he role of Secretary is an Executive Officer position within the Section and primarily
oversees three main committees in addition to sitting on the Board of Directors – Junior
Golf, Education, Membership/ Communications. I would like to take a moment to thank
each of those PGA Section Members who have taken the time and put forth the effort to
further the cause in each of these areas. I can tell you that each of these individuals has put
their best foot forward to try to make our Section better. Here are the Committees and their
members:further information about the survey results which can help you further negotiate
needed operational resources, please contact the Section office.
Junior Golf Committee
Chair: Chip Richter, PGA Don Strassner, PGA
Michael Caldwell, PGA Steve Wager, PGA
Harry Hammond, PGA Chris Young, PGA
Lewis Harry, PGA Allison Zwarka
Brian Schulte, PGA
Education Committee
Chair: Chip Richter, PGA Chad Halvonik, PGA
Darren Bolton, PGA Eric Handley, PGA
Jeff Breiner, PGA Frank Hesson, PGA
Ryan Carfara, PGA Dean Kandle, PGA
John Carpineta, PGA Anthony Malizia, PGA
Michael Congdon, PGA Jason Martonick, PGA
Bob Crowther, PGA Charlie Schuyler, PGA
Kevin Edwards, PGA
Membership / Communications Committee
Chair: Chip Richter, PGA Kevin Edwards, PGA
Darren Bolton, PGA Matt Frey, PGA
Jeff Breiner, PGA Anthony Malizia, PGA
Ryan Carfara, PGA Sean Palmer, PGA
Leo DeGisi, PGA Meghan Spero, PGA
The Philadelphia Section PGA would like to inform you of the following changes in
membership since the 2020 Fall Meeting:
Attained PGA Membership
Stephen DiFerdinando, PGA Troy Thierolf, PGA
Owen Downard, PGA Michael Wilson, PGA
Brian McShalley, PGA
Achieved Half Century Status
N/ASecretary’s Report
Achieved Quarter Century Status
Tom Borsavage, PGA Bob Lennon, PGA
Joseph Daily, PGA Darren Mills, PGA
Brett Ernst, PGA John Pillar, PGA
Francis Hayes, PGA David Quinn, PGA
Butch Holtzclaw, PGA Orist Wells, PGA
Achieved Senior Status (as of March 29, 2021)
Ian Dalzell, PGA Jim Larkin, PGA
Brian Farrell, PGA Gary Mackay, PGA
Jeff Kiddie, PGA
Deceased Members
Herman Schneider, PGA
First-Time PGA Head Professionals
Michael Caldwell, PGA Ron Pine, PGA
Dominick DiGerlando, PGA Gregory Matthias, PGA
Timothy Friedrich, PGA Michael McCarraher, PGA
Cameron Gunn, PGA Ryan Rouch, PGA
Transfers into the Section (as of March 1, 2021)
Mark Beran, PGA Casey O’Reilly
Maria Ciekielski, PGA Robert Rankin
Daniel Cozzi John Russell
Nicholas Dalessandro Ward White, PGA
Dennis Downes Carl Winfrey
Sean Farren, PGA Michael Wilson, PGA
Timothy Harner Miranda Wiss
Brian Hecker Jacob Woodman, PGA
Steve Kuchka
The Philadelphia Section PGA would like to to recognize all of the PGA Professionals who
have completed their certification in the various categories within the Philadelphia Section
since October 2020:
Golf Operations
Parks Price, PGA
Respectfully submitted,
Chip Richter, PGA
Philadelphia PGA Section SecretaryDirector of Section Affairs’ Report
T he Director of Section Affairs oversees various committees including the Special Awards
and Instruction Committees and the PGA REACH Philadelphia foundation. The role
helps to create programs and opportunities for the PGA Professionals in our Section, as well
as to extend our reach into the community. The PGA Professionals listed in this report have
all helped greatly and volunteered a significant amount of time and I am very thankful for
their service.
Awards Committee
Chair: Bob Hennefer, PGA Brett Nelson, PGA
Matt Bonanno, PGA Jason Gebhart, PGA
Jeff Breiner, PGA Anthony Malizia, PGA
Gerry Davis, PGA Dustin McCormick, PGA
Kevin Duffy, PGA Chip Richter, PGA
Dean Kandle, PGA Charlie Schuyler, PGA
On December 10, 2020, the committee met virtually via Google Meet to select the following
winners for their respective awards:
PGA Golf Professional of the Year Dean Kandle, PGA
PGA Teacher & Coach of the Year Andy Miller, PGA
Bill Strausbaugh Award Anthony Malizia, PGA
PGA Professional Development Award Dean Kandle, PGA
PGA Patriot Award John Carpineta, PGA
PGA Player Development Award Abby Mann, PGA
PGA Youth Player Development Award David Zimmaro, PGA
PGA Merchandiser of the Year - Private Jameson Wallace, PGA
PGA Merchandiser of the Year - Public Kevin Edwards, PGA
Justin Riegel PGA Assistant Ron Pine, PGA
Golf Professional of the Year
Salesperson of the Year Kevin McClellan
Hopefully, we will be able to gather in person this year to celebrate the last two years of
award winners, they no doubt deserve it! National Award nominees are recommended by the
Awards Committee and finalized by the Executive Committee. We wish everyone the best
of luck through that process.
In closing, I would like to thank the Board of Directors and our committees for all they do,
especially the Awards Committee. I would also like to thank Geoff Surrette, PGA, and the
entire Section staff for all they do for us daily during COVID-19 last year, and as we navigate
this upcoming year. It is challenging times for everyone, and we have the best Section staff
in the country to help guide us through!
I hope everyone has a wonderful season in 2021.
Bob Hennefer, PGA
Philadelphia PGA Section Director of Section AffairsDirector of Tournaments’ Report
I doubt there has ever been more anticipation for a golf season in our lifetime. After a
prolonged existence of isolation and quarantines, 2021 has given us hope that the global
pandemic is coming to an end and our lives may soon return to normal. It has also given me
a glimmer of hope that my golf game will begin to age like fine wine, i.e. Dave McNabb,
George Forster and John Pillar rather than my typical, two-month-old buttermilk.
There aren’t enough thank you’s for our Section Tournament Director Brian Schulte, PGA;
Executive Director Geoff Surrette, PGA; and our amazing tournament staff. Completing
an entire season safely was our main goal. Not only did we accomplish this goal, but our
tournament staff did so under difficult circumstances. Special thanks to all of our 2021
Tournament Committee members. Our committee is dedicated to serving the needs of the
entire membership and enhancing our tournament program to keep it the best in the country!
Tournament Committee
Chair: Eric Kennedy, PGA Ashley Grier, PGA
John Appleget, PGA Bob Hennefer, PGA
Ben Debski, PGA Joe Kogelman, PGA
George Forster, PGA Dustin McCormick, PGA
Jason Gebhart, PGA
Thank You to Our Partners
Even with the hard work and dedication of our Section staff and committees, our tournament
program would not be possible without the generosity of our great partners. No golf company
is required to provide us with prize money each week so it is incumbent upon each of us to
show our appreciation in any way possible. Even if you are not the person at your facility
in charge of ordering products, apparel or equipment, you can show your appreciation by
sending thank you notes, greeting and thanking our sponsors in person and by recognizing
their contributions on social media. None of these acts take much time or effort but go a
long way toward attracting and retaining great sponsors. I challenge each member this year
to ask several questions before each event. “Who is writing the check?” and “What are
their goals for this event?” Maybe it’s to open an account or increase sales, but more often
than not it’s to gain valuable feedback from the PGA Professionals on the front lines. Just
remember- we are blessed to have great sponsors; it’s our job to keep them.
2020 Recap
A special thank you to all of our host facilities, their membership as well as the staff. Our
events would not be possible without great venues and accommodating memberships. Our
tournament program is arguably one of the best in the country, with some of the strongest
fields. Our 2020 highlights included a new Philadelphia Players Championship at Lookaway,
an event that promises to be the premier event in our section for many years. Thank you
to Scott Hutchinson, Mike Little, PGA; and the Lookaway membership for hosting such a
special event.
Congratulations to all of our Section champions, Alex Knoll, PGA; John Pillar, PGA (Senior);
and Michael Tobiason (Assistant) on their fine play.Director of Tournaments’ Report 2021 Forecast and Changes As I mentioned previously, 2021 promises to be a great year for golf and a banner year for the golf industry. Several new events for this season include a Women’s Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship, a Parent-Child event, the Peninsula Pro-Am, and a celebration of Philadelphia PGA Section’s centennial. Our 100th Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship will take place in August at Aronimink Golf Club and Applebrook Golf Club and is sure to be a memorable event. We will also conduct a Centennial Pro-Am at Saucon Valley in October. The Philadelphia PGA will continue its already successful travel pro-am schedule by adding the Casa de Campo Pro-Am in the Dominican Republic. The event will take place in December and joins the Destination Kohler Pro-Am at Whistling Straits in October and the Pinehurst Pro-Am in March. In keeping with our mission of providing a safe atmosphere during our events for our staff and players alike, the Tournament Committee has adopted the following COVID-19 protocols for the 2021 golf season. • Tee time selection is available during registration; • Single-rider requests will be taken during registration. In threesomes, only one single- rider golf car per group, maximum two golf cars per group (e.g. 33 pairing groups, only 33 single rider golf car available). Single-rider golf cars are available on a first-come, first- served basis. Single-rider requests will be assigned on availability and a player requesting a single rider cart may not receive a tee time close to their tee time selection. In foursomes, no single-rider golf cars are permitted; • Rakes are permitted at host facilities discretion. If a facility does not permit rakes, we will politely ask if we can have them for our event. If they say no, we play the ball up with no rakes; • Carrying your bag / push carts are prohibited. Walking is permitted if player brings their own caddie or has a club caddie; • Paper scorecards are the official scorecard; mobile scoring is strongly encouraged; • When checking in at the first tee, in the scoring area and when social distancing is not possible, players will be required to wear masks. Masks are not required when playing golf. Lastly, thank you, the members of the Philadelphia PGA for making this the best Section in the country and I look forward to seeing most of you out on the golf course this season. I do not know about you, but after spending nearly every waking moment with my family in the past year, my goal is to sign up for every single event (especially the travel pro-ams) to get as far away from them as humanly possible. All the best, Eric Kennedy, PGA Philadelphia PGA Director of Tournaments
Central Counties Chapter President’s Report
H o n e s t l y, I am not exactly sure how to begin this report. This past year has been a
rollercoaster ride like no other. From the lows of being shut down last March to the surge
of players seeking an outlet from the pandemic, it’s been one heck of a ride. Unfortunately,
it’s difficult to embrace in the demand for golf given the loss this pandemic has inflicted on
so many of us. If we as PGA Professionals can take anything positive from all the hardship
of the past year, know that all of you provided a ray of light to so many people that looked
to us for some sort of escape from the uncertainty of the world. That hosel rocket out of
bounds has never felt so good to many of our players and thank you all for pushing through
last season with no hesitation.
As far as our plan for the Chapter moving forward, my goal is to have the season we wanted
2020 to be. Coming off last year rather than trying to reinvent the wheel in 2021, I’d like to
see us get closer to a normal playing season. Personally, I think we’re going to continue to
be busier than usual for at least the first half of this year and hopefully a day away at one
of our pro-ams can be a much needed break from the day to day stresses we’ll all be under
shortly. Our tournament director, Jason Gebhart, has done a fantastic job putting together
our schedule this winter and I can not thank him enough. He’s added several new venues to
the rotation and I encourage everyone to come out and support our host facilities.
I’d like to thank everyone at the Section for all their hard work through the off season.
They’ve adapted to these strange times with a huge variety of online education opportunities.
If you have not taken advantage of these webinars, I strongly encourage you to give them a
try.
In closing, I want to first thank Chip Richter for his years of service to the Chapter and
wish him continued success as he continues his service in the Section. As always a huge thank
you to Geoff, Barb, Sue and everyone at the Section for enabling the Chapter to continue our
mission of providing playing opportunities to our membership. They do all the heavy lifting
that enables us to do what we do, thank you!
I encourage everyone to get out and support our events and please do not hesitate to reach
out to any of our board members or district directors if we can be of service in any way.
Respectfully submitted,
Judd Caruso, PGA
Central Counties Chapter PresidentPGA REACH Philadelphia Report
T h e 2021 season will mark the second year for the newly formed PGA REACH
Philadelphia Committee, which was formerly the player development committee. The
new role of the committee is to support the Section’s 501(c)3 charitable arm, PGA REACH
Philadelphia.
The committee is pleased to announce that 2020 was a successful one financially, despite
the challenges we faced with the COVID-19 pandemic. We hit several big milestones for
our organization’s fundraising efforts. While we were not able to run many programs within
our youth, military and diversity pillars in 2020, we were still able to adjust and engage
our consumers in a positive way. Our Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour Diversity Scholarship
program had a successful year as we awarded six scholarships last year to youth in our area.
We also added a mentor component to this program which proved to be a successful addition
for our kids enrolled in the program. We are planning on resuming all our programs including
PGA HOPE Philadelphia, PGA Jr. League, Golf in Schools, and the Diversity Scholarship
program as normal in 2021 which COVID-19 safety guidelines in place where needed.
I would like to thank our entire committee for their time and voluntary support. The
committee focuses on two areas: programming and fundraising. Our objectives are to provide
developmental programs that support our three pillars; Youth, Military, and Diversity. In
order to provide these programs, we need funds to do so.
PGA Jr. League
PGA Junior League is a phenomenal program to implement at your facility; most of those
facilities that have implemented the program have seen tremendous success. Participation
in the program among our Section continues to grow as you can see by the numbers for 2019
and previous years. Twenty-twenty was an unusual year for the program given the COVID-19
pandemic. The plan is to resume postseason play and championships in 2021. Fall league
season was available this year and will continue to be promoted going forward in addition to
the regular 13U and 16U summer seasons. PGA Family Cup is another program that will be
available in 2021, you can visit pgafamilycup.com for more information.
• 2019 participation: 20 leagues, 150 teams
• Section qualifier host (East Division): August 2, 2021 at Penn Oaks G.C.
• Section qualifier host (West Division): TBA
• Section championship host: August 17, 2021 at Blue Bell C.C.
PGA HOPE Philadelphia
PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) is the PGA of America’s flagship military
program, introducing weekly golf clinics to Veterans with disabilities to enhance their physical,
mental, social and emotional well-being. Locally, the PGA HOPE Philadelphia program
has served over 300 Veterans through our five chapters in Bensalem, Pa., Marlton, N.J., and
Harrisburg, Pa., Cape May Court House, N.J., and Middletown, Del. We are planning to
resume programming in all five chapter locations in 2021.PGA REACH Philadelphia Report Golf in Schools Our Golf in Schools program has seen a great amount of support and interest from local area schools and administrators. We have partnered with the Golf Association of Philadelphia and together we use SNAG Golf to introduce physical education teachers to the curriculum so they can incorporate it into their class schedules. The program was in at least 38 different schools / districts in 2019 / 2020. We are supporting this program through our PGA REACH Philadelphia foundation by funding the program to local schools that participate. Our goal is to continue to grow the program by adding new schools each year. We also have plans to enhance the program by building an after-school component to the program as a next step for kids that participate. This year is still up in the air given the current situation. Program activation is depended on the school’s reopening guidelines for 2021. Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour Diversity Scholarships With opportunities to learn, grow, and compete many tour members graduate to play at the college level and beyond. The Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour is proud to help in developing social skills, self-esteem, and inspire youth in our community by providing scholarships to individuals from diverse backgrounds. The Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour Diversity Scholarship includes: annual tour membership dues and tournament event fees (up to five tournaments per year until recipient turns 18 years old). The 2021 applications are currently being reviewed and they will be selected in the next few weeks. Mentor Program The goal of this program is to provide a mentor that can serve as a role model and coach for our junior golfers enrolled in the Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour Diversity Scholarship program. Fundraising Golf Marathon: The Philadelphia PGA’s 100-Hole Golf Marathon was established by PGA Professional in the Philadelphia Section to raise money for the programs supported by PGA REACH Philadelphia. PGA Professionals, and all other willing supporters will play 100 holes of golf in one day, on a date of their choosing anytime throughout the 2021 golf season. Last year our Section raised $37,500 through the golf marathon and our goal is to beat that number this year. We need the support of our PGA Members to help us reach our goal, please consider participating in 2021 by holding an event at your facility. Thank you to those PGA Members that continue to support PGA REACH Philadelphia and give back to your community by taking part in this event year after year, we really appreciate it! Pro-Am Championship: We are excited for year two of our PGA REACH Philadelphia Pro-Am Championship, the event is scheduled for July 26, 2021, at Bidermann Golf Club. Proceeds raised from this event will go toward supporting foundation programs and services for youth, military, and diversity groups. Registration information and sponsor/team entry details can be found on the Section tournament schedule as well as the PGA REACH Philadelphia website.
PGA REACH Philadelphia Report
Birdie Program: PGA REACH Philadelphia offers its “REACH for Birdies” program for
the Philadelphia PGA Section tournament seasons to help support the foundation. When
joining the program, PGA Professionals make pledges to donate a certain dollar amount for
each birdie and or eagle that they make during all official Section and PAO events, tracked
by Section staff.
Equipment Rental Program: Did you know that our Section offers equipment rentals
for your facility programs? It’s true! You can rent Golfzilla, an inflatable hippopotamus, Birdie
Ball, SNAG kits, and inflatable nets for your facility programs. Simply contact Courtney
Curcio at the Section office or via email at ccurcio@pgahq.com to reserve your day and time
in advance. Facilities have used the equipment for junior golf camps, family events, member
guest tournaments, etc. Over 70 facilities have utilized this program so far and have seen the
value it can add to their events. All the rental proceeds go to our PGA REACH Philadelphia
foundation. Over the past few years the program has raised over $10,000 for our foundation.
PGA.COACH Certification
So far, we have had over 85 PGA Members complete the PGA.COACH certification this
yeah which is available for PGA Professionals on pga.coach. If you have not already done
so, it is a great opportunity to advance your knowledge in player development and elevate
your skills as a PGA Professional. More information about the program is on the pga.coach
website or you can reach out to Leila Mackie, PGA, at the Section office or via email at
lmackie@pgahq.com.
PGA REACH Philadelphia Committee
Chair: Bob Hennefer, PGA Michael Little, PGA
Sam Ambrose, PGA Kyle Monahan, PGA
Jeffrey Briener, PGA Dan Mrozinski, PGA
Johnny Carpineta, PGA Scott Reilly, PGA
Gerry Davis, PGA Jenna Soranno, PGA
Jason Lamp, PGA Steve Wager, PGA
Bob Lennon, PGA Kevin Wiest, PGA
In conclusion, I would like to invite all of you to get involved with these programs in any
way you can. Please reach out to Leila, myself, or any of the committee members for more
information on how you can help support PGA REACH Philadelphia. We are here to be
ambassadors for our Section and to help you at your facilities grow the game and make a
difference in people’s lives.
On behalf of the Foundation Committee, I would like to thank Geoffrey and his entire staff
for all their hard work they do on a daily basis, especially given the year we had in 2020. As
we adjust and prepare for the 2021 season, I hope that everyone stays safe and healthy as we
continue to navigate these uncertain times. Hopefully we can all look forward to another
busy golf season in Times !
Respectfully submitted,
Bob Hennefer, PGA
PGA REACH Philadelphia Committee ChairJunior Golf Report
H opefully you enjoyed the break with your families and now are all charged up and ready
to go. Thank you to the many individuals that continue to prioritize junior golf at their
facilities with creative teaching and playing opportunities. Below are some highlights for
the upcoming junior golf season, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with these
offerings and consider introducing them to your facility.
Drive, Chip & Putt
After a hiatus in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Drive Chip & Putt will return to the
section in 2021. Our Section will be hosting 10 local qualifiers and two sub-regional qualifiers
this season for the 2022 Drive, Chip & Putt Championship. The qualifiers are open to boys
and girls ages 7-15. Boys and girls will compete in separate divisions over four age categories.
For more information, please visit drivechipandputt.com.
Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour
The Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour experienced a boom in 2020 once the stay-at-home
order was lifted in the section. With 786 members (an increase of 32 from 2019) and 3,629
tournament rounds (an increase of 304 rounds from 2019). We are hopeful and excited to
match and exceed 2020 during this upcoming season. The Junior Tour would not be possible
without the support of our host professionals and facilities, and the Section would like to
extend a sincere thank you to all who hosted events in 2020. The 2021 Junior Tour Tournament
schedule is currently on phillyjuniortour.com and all events are open for registration. Our
staff is finalizing a few dates to complete the calendar to 100%. If you are not already hosting
a junior tour event and would like to, please reach out to our staff.
Junior Golf Partners
Tournament partners include adidas, Aquafina/Pepsi, David Dodge, Golf Pride, Hurricane
Junior Golf Tour, Jack Jolly, Mizuno, Nike Junior Golf Camps, Steve Sieracki Golf, Precision
Pro Golf and Under Armour/Gear for Sports will help support the Junior Tour’s growth in
2021.
Junior Tour Affiliate Program
Motivate and inspire a new junior golfer at your facility by participating in the Junior
Tour Affiliate Program. Each year, you can give away a free Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour
membership (valued at $150) to a promising junior at your facility. The only restriction is that
the free membership must be given to a new Junior Tour member, but PGA Professionals
may award the membership however they wish. The Junior Tour recognizes Affiliate Member
facilities on phillyjuniortour.com. Twenty-one facilities used their affiliate membership in
2020 and thirteen facilities have already taken advantage of the program in 2021. Philadelphia
PGA Section Professionals are the best ambassadors for growing the Philly Junior Tour.
Please consider adding a link to phillyjuniortour.com to your facility’s website.
Junior Committee and Staff: I want to thank all Junior Golf Committee members and they
are as follows: Chip Richter, Harry Hammond, Donald Strassner, Michael Caldwell, Chris
Young and Steve Wager. I would like to thank our Junior Tour Staff, Interns and Field Staff
for their time and effort toward the Philadelphia Junior Tour.
Submitted,
Chip Richter, PGA
Philadelphia PGA Junior Golf ChairPhiladelphia Assistants’ Organization Report
W e hope that all of our fellow members are rested and ready for the 2021 season. We
would like to recognize Ron Pine, PGA, our former tournament chair, who recently
accepted the PGA Head Professional position at Cedarbrook Country Club. Ron served
the PAO in various capacities over the course of six seasons, and we thank him for his many
contributions. This change created an opportunity for other members to be involved in
leading the PAO. Keith Clawson and Tony Shields eagerly expressed their interest in joining
the PAO Committee, and have improved our offerings in a short amount of time. Returning
committee members include Ashley Grier, who is now our tournament chair, and Steve
Frederick, who will lead our education programming.
—Michael Congdon, PGA, PAO Co-Chair
Twenty-twenty-one PAO Spring Meeting: The PAO Spring Meeting will be held
virtually on April 3 at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will highlight the upcoming season and will
feature a presentation by Michael Breed, PGA. We encourage all PAO members to register
and attend.
Tournaments: We are looking forward to a successful year of tournaments for the
Philadelphia Assistants’ Organization. As always we will have our combined PAO events
in conjunction with the section events. Those combined events will be: Delaware Valley
Open, Taylormade Classic, Conestoga Classic, William Hyndman III Memorial Golf Classic,
Doylestown Open, and Jack Jolly & Son Championship. We are also excited for the following
standalone PAO tournaments: Green Valley C.C., June 28; Bellewood C.C., July 12; and Old
York Road C.C., September 13. Thank you to all of our 2021 tournament hosts!
—Ashley Grier, PGA, PAO Tournament Chair
Education: This winter we introduced a mock interview program to our educational
offerings. In these exercises, PAO members applied for a PGA Head Professional position at
a fictitious club. After submitting their resumes and cover letters, they participated in a one-
way interview through SparkHire, a program commonly utilized by the PGA of America’s
Career Services team. Then, a “committee” of PGA Head Professionals from our Section
conducted a virtual mock interview with the candidate. Both interviews were recorded for
the PAO member to review. Thank you to all of the PGA Head Professionals who volunteered
their time and efforts for this program. We look forward to hosting more mock interviews
in the future.
—Steve Frederick, PGA, PAO Education Chair
Mentorship / Communication: The PAO looks forward to continued success and is
eager to grow our membership in 2021. In an effort to offer an engaging and rewarding
membership experience, the more members who join and participate in our community the
stronger it can become! Despite your background or your desired career path, the PAO is
eager to welcome you to our community and help you attain your goals.
Networking: Throughout the years, the PAO has facilitated education, strengthened
professional networks, and created many friendships on and off of the golf course. The PAO
has developed a far-reaching network of past and present members. Assistant Professionals
who align themselves with this network will surely be able to use this network as a tool.Philadelphia Assistants’ Organization Report PAO Patron Program: This program allows PGA Head Professionals to sponsor their eligible staff members for PAO membership. By simply paying the annual PAO membership fee of $75 for your assistant professionals, they can take advantage of all the PAO has to offer. This program is perfect for PGA Head Professional who put a premium on the self-improvement of their staff. By sponsoring your assistants, they will be able to actively participate in tournaments, networking, education, and volunteer opportunities. In the spirit of professional growth, and a pay it forward mentality, we hope you will consider supporting the PAO Patron Program. For more information on this program, please visit the PAO tab on Philadelphia PGA Section website or reach out to Keith Clawson at keithclawson@meriongolfclub.com. Be sure to stay up to date on the happenings of the PAO by visiting the section website or by following along on social media. —Keith Clawson, PGA, PAO Mentorship / Communication Chair Finance / Charity / Junior Golf: We encourage all PAO memberd to become involved in the various programs that the Section has to offer. These programs include, PGA HOPE Philadelphia clinics, Drive, Chip, & Putt events, and Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour events. You can find more information on these opportunities by visiting the Section website or the PAO’s website. Please contact us if you have any questions. —Tony Shields, PGA, PAO Finance / Charity / Junior Golf Chair PAO Mission Statement: The purpose of the Philadelphia Assistants’ Organization is to prepare the Assistant Professionals of the Philadelphia PGA Section for future professional success as a PGA Member. We will give Assistant Professionals the opportunities to prepare themselves for the playing ability test, the PGA Golf Management Program, the golf business, and future PGA Membership. This is accomplished with leadership, mentoring, support through education, networking, and tournament competition.
Instruction Committee Report
T h e Instruction Committee is dedicated to providing unique learning opportunities that
fit easily into the time constraints that we all have as PGA Professionals. What does
that mean? We are working on a series of events that will be available in the form of a live
webinar and will be recorded for viewing when it best fits the schedule of the viewer. You
will see each committee member put together a unique event that showcases something each
respective member sees as valuable to his/her peers. We held a golf simulator / indoor golf
experience webinar where we featured PGA Golf Professionals who have extensive experience
In this space. Selling the idea, planning the space, programming, technology and more will be
discussed. It’s certainly an area that looks to be on fire and I don’t see it going away anytime
soon. What does that mean for all of us as teachers/coaches? Should be interesting to see.
Look for details on all of these events coming soon. We know there are an endless number of
online educational events available these days, and we want to make sure the opportunities
we put forth are unique and beneficial to our membership.
If you have any questions, concerns, ideas regarding how our committee can better serve
our Section PGA Professionals, please do not hesitate to reach out. I am more than willing
to listen to you and hopefully help each of us have success in this space.
Philadelphia Golf & Travel Show: North Coast Golf Shows has canceled all of their
shows for 2021 due to pandemic. With the various state and local governments rules on
maximum capacity etc., they felt that they could not provide a quality product under the
current conditions. We as a Section have provided quality stage presentations and free
10-minute golf lessons. In the past, and these have been two of the most popular events at
the show. Thinking ahead, maybe each of us can take a four-hour block of time at our home
facility, or even online, and provide free 10-minute golf lessons. Let’s try to take this negative
and turn it into something positive. If we all do this In our own areas, we would undoubtedly
reach even more people than we do at the show.
Philadelphia PGA Lesson Tee Facebook Group: We now have a Facebook group that
is there for all of you to post content and market your product to the masses! However, it’s
only going to be successful if we use it. I encourage each of you to take a few minutes and
post a video on the group. Free marketing is always better than paid marketing, and the more
people that post, the larger the group will get. It helps all of us.Instruction Committee Report
Golf seems to be in a great place heading into the 2021 golf season. People are excited
to play the game! It is our duty as PGA Professionals to help grow the game! The way our
members are consuming our product offerings is changing. We all need to be chameleons
and adapt with our customers. We can never be too educated or forward thinking. It is those
with creativity, desire, and dedication that are going to succeed. Do not be afraid to try new
lesson formats or new programs. Anything we can do to engage our customers is going to be
critical. Now more than ever it is going to be important for us to adapt and give our students
what they want! In closing, I would like to sincerely thank all of the members listed below
of the Instruction Committee! You have all been instrumental in helping shape the content
and educational opportunities that we’re putting out there. It is a great honor to lead this
committee and it is a responsibility that I don’t take lightly. Your opinions and thoughts on
what the future of how we provide instructional education is critical to our success. If there
is anything I can ever do for you, please don’t hesitate to ask and if you have any ideas for
future educational events please let me know.
Instruction Committee
Chair: Andy Miller, PGA John Dunigan, PGA
John Bierkan, PGA Eric Handley, PGA
Bob Crowther, PGA Frank Hesson, PGA
Becky Dengler, PGA Steve Wager, PGA
Respectfully submitted,
Andy Miller, PGA
Philadelphia PGA Instruction Committee ChairYou can also read
