AGA News

Updegraff Award

Drew Woods’ dedication earns ‘incredible honor’

Drew Woods

When Drew Woods was asked to serve on the Executive Committee, he decided that he needed to learn all he could about the inner workings of the Arizona Golf Association.

In that pursuit, he has served on the board of governors and every one of the AGA committees as well as handicap chairman and course rater. He has assisted in marking courses, fixing handicap computers and serves as a starter and rules official for multiple college events each year.

His dedication to those tasks led to Woods being named the 2018 winner of the Updegraff Award, which is the highest honor given by the AGA and goes to an individual who, “By his or her actions and accomplishments exemplify the spirit of the game.”

“The way I Iooked at it was that you couldn’t serve on the Executive Committee and be efficient at it unless you fully understood all of the inner workings, so I tried to learn everything I could about every facet of what it does,” Woods said.

“No matter what role I was in at the time, I always wanted to leave the place in better shape than it was when I got there. I hope I have been able to do that.”

The Indiana native was introduced to golf in Arizona in 1977 when he was serving in the Air Force. He later moved to Colorado and returned to Arizona in 1998. He began serving on the Board of Governors in 2002 and Executive Committee two years later.

Along with his AGA involvement, Woods has worked with the Pacific Coast Golf Association for 12 years, serving as its president in 2009 and ’14, and he and his wife Janice have played a significant role in the prestigious Patriot All- America tournament since its inception.

Being a fellow Tucson resident and friend of Dr. Ed Updegraff made this award all the more special to Woods. “I know him fairly well and obviously know what he has meant to golf in Arizona,” Woods said. “To be mentioned in the same breath as Dr. Ed is an incredible honor and extremely humbling.”

“No matter what role I was in at the time, I always wanted to leave the place in better shape than it was when I got there, and I hope I have been able to do that.” — Drew Woods

Dorothy Pease Achievement Award

Barrett’s life runs gamut from LPGA to First Tee

Tina Barrett has experienced just about every facet of golf, from a successful LPGA Tour career to teaching young children how to hold a club in First Tee, and says it has provided her with more than she could ever give back to the game.

“Golf has given me my home, my husband, a comfortable way of living, my whole life really,” she said. “I have enjoyed it so much. I really want to pass that along to whoever I come in contact with now, so that’s what drives me to help others in the game.

“I believe that you get more than you give when you volunteer and I try to make that part of what I want my life to be.”

Those efforts led to her receiving the Dorothy Pease Award, the highest honor presented annually by the Arizona Women’s Golf Association.

Tina Barrett

“What I loved about First Tee was the life skills element of the program and being able to interact with kids and give back to a game that has given me so much.” — Tina Barrett

After leaving Longwood College in Virginia, Barrett began a successful LPGA career, winning as a rookie in the 1989 Mitsubishi Motors Ocean State Open, posting 53 top- 10 finishes in 19 years on the tour and earning more than $3 million.

After retiring from competition, she served nearly 10 years as a First Tee volunteer and now is in her second year as assistant women’s coach at Ottawa University. When her schedule allows, she continues to work with the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf program.

“After I retired from competition, I wanted to stay in the game but didn’t want to stand on a lesson tee all day,” she said. “What I loved about First Tee was the life skills element of the program and being able to interact with kids and give back to a game that has given me so much. The girls’ golf program has allowed me to continue with that.”

“It’s nice to be recognized for some of those things I’ve done, although that certainly isn’t the reason I do them. And knowing all that Dorothy Pease did for golf in Arizona, it is incredibly humbling and makes me feel like I’m not deserving. I haven’t scratched the surface yet of what she accomplished.”

Doc Graves Volunteer of the Year

Vincent joins group of ‘special guys’

Jeff Vincent has spent nearly 10 years rating golf courses around Arizona as part of the AGA ratings team, so it’s safe to say he has earned his spurs. Receiving the Doc Graves Volunteer of the Year Award made that official.

“There are three or four others who were rating courses when I first started who have received this award, too, so it kind of puts me in a class of guys who are special.”

“But what makes it truly special is to have the name Doc Graves on the award. He is such a great guy and what volunteerism is all about.”

Vincent, who grew up in northeast Ohio and moved to Arizona in 1978, was serving as greens chairman for the Arizona Sunset Golf Association when he heard that the AGA was in need of course raters. He took to the task quickly and has attended numerous rating seminars, as well as representing

Jeff Vincent

Arizona in two USGA National Course Calibration Seminars. He has rated nearly 150 courses in the Phoenix metro area, logging more than 7,000 miles in the process.

“There are so many volunteers who are deserving of recognition,” Vincent said. “To receive this award reflects well on me but it really reflects on all the volunteers who do such a great job.”

Champion of Golf Award

Spensieri makes history of his own

John Spenieri

When he saw a Phoenix Country Club employee wearing a badge 10 years ago from the 1983 Phoenix Open, it piqued John Spensieri’s interest in the club’s role in that event.

That led to the creation of PCC’s highly successful History Week, which in turn led to the club landing the Charles Schwab Cup, the final event of the season on the PGA Tour Champions.

“I had an idea that we should celebrate the history of championship golf here,” Spinsieri said. “Of course I had no idea it would result in us bringing pro golf back to the city of Phoenix, and then to extend the contract to 10 years is something we are very proud of.”

Spensieri also was instrumental in bringing the Goldwater Cup back to PCC, which hosted the Phoenix Open more than 40 times between 1932-86. His efforts have helped raise tens of thousands of dollars to help at-risk kids through Elevate Phoenix and other programs.

Those endeavors led to him receiving the AGA Champion of Golf Award for 2018.

“I’ll never be able to pay golf back for what it’s done for me, but this award is a huge deal for me,” he said. “I never dreamed I would be recognized for any of the things I’ve done.”

Honorary Captain Award

Gallup honored for giving back to game

As the men’s golf coach at Boise State during the 1980s, Lyman Gallup thought he owed it to his players to become more knowledgeable about the rules of the game.

After he left coaching, that interest grew when he attended his first USGA Rules workshop, and now he applies what he has learned to events around Arizona. Through those efforts, he received the Honorary Captain Award for 2018.

“I think it’s a great honor and it’s great that the AGA gives such an award,” Gallup said. “As a longtime rules official, I think it’s good that they recognize the contributions those folks make to the game. What we’re trying to do is give back to the game we love, and officiating is a great way to do that.”

Lyman Gallup

Gallup, who was born in Montana, served as the executive director of the Idaho Golf Association from 1993-98 and was on the USGA’s Mid- Amateur Committee for 10 years.

“The best part about it is the appreciation I get from golfers when I help them with the rules,” Gallup said. “We try to maintain the attitude that we are here to help the golfers rather than waiting until the end of a round and springing a penalty on them. I think they recognize that and appreciate it, which is rewarding to see.”

Kathy Ehrlich Volunteer of the Year

Biddle feted for positive impact on game

As a kid, Jan Biddle was exposed to golf literally from the ground up, helping her father build two courses from scratch near Council Bluffs, Iowa, even though she didn’t start playing on a regular basis until she was 39 and living in Colorado. She moved to Arizona in 2009 and began working as a volunteer for the AWGA in 2013, increasing her workload each year. That resulted in her being named the Kathy Ehrlich Volunteer of the Year for 2018.

“My volunteer work is when I began to understand that I was helping to provide a positive environment for golfers,” she said. “The fact that I learned the industry from top to bottom has allowed me to provide support to many golfers ranging from young teenagers to retirees.”

As a tournament official, she accepted the additional duty as tournament chair in 2018, officiating at seven championships and tournaments, and recruiting and training other tournament officials.

Over the years, she also has been actively involved with the Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship for junior girls, and said she is something of a “kindred spirit” with Kathy Ehrlich, after whom the award is named.

“I never had the honor to meet Kathy, but our earlier lives were somewhat similar,” Biddle said. “The stories of Kathy’s efforts that I have heard make this award very humbling to me.”

Jan Biddle

AGA tabs Eberlein tournament director

The Arizona Golf Association has hired Tim Eberlein, former campus president for the Golf Academy of America, as its director of rules and competitions.

Eberlein, a graduate of Gannon University and a Master PGA Professional, will oversee the AGA’s men’s championships and tour events -- including a volunteer group of nearly 100 individuals -- to manage 60 events annually.

As head of the Golf Academy of America’s campus in Chandler since 2003, Eberlein has developed hundreds of professionals in all areas of golf services.

“Tim’s knowledge of all facets of golf operations at the club level, and many years educating young men and women in tournament management, Rules of Golf, and customer relations will bring extraordinary benefits to Arizona golf’s members and competitions,” said Ed Gowan, the AGA’s executive director. “We look forward to Tim sharing those extensive business experiences with our staff in service of the 80,000 members of the Association.

“Arizona Golf is blessed to have found a person with such a varied background, especially with the volunteer and personal development aspects of his former profession.”

During his professional career, Tim achieved Master Professional status with the PGA of America in teaching and has served six years on the Board of Directors for the Southwest Section PGA, as chairperson for education.

Eberlein has been the recipient of the SWPGA Horton Smith Award in 2010, 2014 and 2017. Since 2009, he has served on the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) Rules Committee for the high school golf state championships.

Medina selected top pro by SWPGA

Danny Medina Earns Southwest Section’s highest honor

Danny Medina, director of golf at Omni Tucson National Golf Resort, has been named the 45th recipient of Southwest PGA Golf Professional of the Year Award, the highest annual honor bestowed by the Southwest PGA on a PGA Professional.

“It’s a huge privilege and an awesome feeling to be honored as the Southwest PGA Professional of the year,” said Medina. “We have countless outstanding PGA Professionals in our Section who deserve this honor. To be singled out and recognized by my peers for the hard work I put into my career and my dedication to the Southwest PGA is greatly appreciated.”

Medina heads the 2018 Southwest PGA awards class for “qualities of leadership, strong moral character, and a substantial record of service” to the Southwest Section and the game of golf. He was honored at the Southwest PGA Awards Ceremony in February along with these other honorees:

• Tyler Hoeft of Pinnacle Peak Country Club — Assistant Golf Professional of the Year

• Jeremy Anderson of The Legacy Golf Club — Teacher of the Year

• Landyn Lewis of The First Tee of Tucson — Youth Player Development Award

• Dick Hyland of The Country Club at DC Ranch — Bill Strausbaugh Award

• Brady Wilson of Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club — Horton Smith Award

• Mark Croft of Yuma Golf and Country Club — Player Development Award

• Mark Croft of Yuma Golf and Country Club — Patriot Award

• Matt Brooks of Superstition Mountain Country Club — Merchandiser of the Year for private facilities

• Joe Shershenovich of Grayhawk Golf Club — Merchandiser of the Year for public facilities

• Kristie Fowler of Tubac Golf Resort — Merchandiser of the Year for resort facilities