The SUMMIT - Colorado PGA Magazine - June 2020 by Colorado PGA

The

SUMMIT

The SUMMIT is the official digital magazine of the Colorado PGA - June 2020

Doubles Golf Create Awareness

What’s Inside: How to Get Involved with Doubles Golf Merchandisers Share Golf Shop Ideas Coach Ed Oldham Comments on Kupcho’s First Professional Win West Chapter Summer Tournmant Schedule Released

The Official Magazine of the Colorado PGA The SUMMIT is produced by the Colorado PGA

Colorado PGA Officers Ben Welsh, PGA President | 2019-2020 Frost Creek Club

Jim Hajek, PGA Vice-President | 2019-2020 Fossil Trace Golf Club Cathy Matthews-Kane, PGA Secretary | 2019-2020 Country Club of Colorado Ty Thompson, PGA Honorary President | 2019-2020 Crosshairs Consulting

Board of Directors

Mark Bacheldor, PGA | 2020-2022 UCCS PGA Golf Management Program Jeff Boyer, PGA | 2019-2020 Eagle Ranch Golf Course Bob Doyle, PGA Past District 9 Director Life Member

West Chapter Officers Jeff Boyer, PGA President | 2019-2020 Eagle Ranch Golf Course

Luke Brosterhous, PGA Secretary | 2019-2020 Catamount Ranch and Club Ed Marzec, PGA Honorary President | 2019-2020 Red Sky Golf Club

West Chapter Board of Directors

Tom Apple, PGA | 2019-2021 Country Club of the Rockies Alice Plain, PGA | 2018 - 2020 Vail Golf Club Todd Schafersman, PGA | 2020-2022 The Bridges Golf & CC Kenny Thayer, PGA | 2019-2021 Beavercreek Golf Club

Kyle Heyen, PGA Past District 9 Director Hiwan Golf Club

Max Twarjan, PGA | 2020-2022 Maroon Creek Club

Charles ‘Vic’ Kline, PGA Past District 9 Director

Steve VanDyke, PGA | 2018-2020 River Valley Ranch GC

Colorado PGA REACH Trustees

Walter Glover EVP/COO - U.S. Olympic Endowment Theo Gregory Senior Vice President - El Pomar Tom Gunnerson VP Investments, Wells Fargo Dominic Karaba President - Specialty Lending and Business Banking - UMB Bill Keller Lieutenant Colonel USAF, Retired Eric Kenealy Chairman - Mackinaw Holding Corp. Sandy King Entrepreneur/Songwriter Bob Lally Navy Captain, Retired George Lee VP - Ameriprise Financial Services Adam McDiarmid Regional Manager - UMB

John Andrew Brigadier General USAF - Retired

Scott McGraw VP of Employee Benefits Cherry Creek Insurance Group

Tom Bauerle Owner - Colorado Golf and Turf Dan Bennett Investor/Partner, Southwest Greens Management

CJ Perry, PGA | 2020-2022 West Woods Golf Course Keith Stilwell, PGA | 2020-2022 Cheyenne Shadows Golf Course

Anne Broholm CEO | AHEAD

Dave Troyer, PGA | 2019-2021 CommonGround Golf Course

Dr. Phil Brown President/Founder, Six Points Consulting

Theo Gregory Spencer Zinn

Maj. Gen. Barbara Faulkenberry, USAF, Retired - Corporate Director: Callon Petroleum; USA Truck

Spencer Zinn Chairman

John Bond VP Sales & Marketing, Golf Division of Garb

Independent Directors

Brad Dombaugh CEO - PSA Worldwide Corp.

Dr. Stephen Davis Cheyenne Mountain Dental Group

Staff

Executive Director/CEO Eddie Ainsworth, PGA eainsworth@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1593 C (719) 761-6125 Operations Coordinator/ Tournament Director Justin Limon, PGA jlimon@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1588 C (720) 390-1160 Education Director Holly Champion, PGA hchampion@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1591 C (217) 232-1790 Junior Golf Director Scott Minta sminta@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1590 C (630) 532-3230 Junior Golf Coordinator Samantha Crawford p (303) 966-1597 C (720) 884-6130 Finance Specialist Annie O’Donnell adonnell@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1595 Marketing/Comms. Director Judy Malone jmalone@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1594 C (720) 490-0333

Honorable Sue Payton President - SCI Aerospace Inc.

Marketing/Comms. Associate Cathy Thompson cthompson@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1589

LTG Ed Soriano, US Army (Ret) Director, Bus. Dev. Global Land Forces - Northrop Grumman Corporation

Field Staff

Mike Talaga Credit Analyst - Janus Hendeson Bill Vogeney Chief Revenue Officer Ent Credit Union

Career Consultant Keith Soriano, PGA ksoriano@pgahq.com C (720) 841-1006 PGA Jr. League Regional Manager Anthony Vitale, PGA avitale@pgahq.com C (561) 267-1208

Colorado PGA 6630 Bear Dance Drive | Larkspur, CO 80118 P | (303) 681-0742 www.coloradopga.com

The SUMMIT is distributed free to members and affiliates of the Colorado PGA eight times per year. The articles and other information contained within this publication are informational and do not necessarily represent the view or opinions of the Colorado PGA. The Colorado PGA assumes no responsibility or liability for claims made for or by any product in this publication whether reported or advertised. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the Colorado PGA is prohibited.

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What’s Inside

President’s Report Welcome Back2Golf

6 8

Executive Director’s Report Create Awareness for Doubles Golf Doubles Golf

District Director Report/PGA of America News 10 Diversity and Inclusion ... Our committment as PGA Members Career Development News 12 Nirvana, Nostradamus & New Normal West Chapter News 14 West Chapter Tournament Schedule Established 5 16 20

Colorado PGA News Colorado PGA Hires New Junior Golf Coordinator, Crawford Golf Industry Merchandisers Resilient During Pandemic Ed Oldham, PGA, Shares in Kupcho’s First Professional Win

Membership News 18 Membership Update 22 Quarter Century Club Inductee

Kevin Cubbage, PGA

20 26

Colorado PGA REACH Foundation News Curry, Griffin, Kloppenburg Find Great Joy in Impacting Others Tournament News June Stroke-Play Events Get Colorado PGA Members Back2Golf

28 29 30

Junior Golf News Colorado PGA Jr. League ... Getting back to the 2020 season Colorado PGA Adds Summer Interns to Team Great Accomplishment for Colorado Junior PGA Winners

June 2020

President’s Message

Welcome Back2Golf

A Great Place To Enjoy Each Others Company Fellow PGA Professionals,

hile this has certainly been a challenging year thus far and I’m sure for different reasons for each of us, the golf industry is in a great place. Golf rounds are up nationwide, and it seems that we are seeing the benefits of our collaboration and communication as an Association to reassure people that golf is a safe activity and a wonderful way to get outside. I know that personally, we have seen new golfers coming to the game, lapsed golfers coming back and our avid golfers are playing more and supporting golf shops as much as ever. I wish you the best as you move through your local reopening phases and only ask that we keep representing the game, our industry and the PGA as the experts that you are, providing a safe environment for our guests and staff. Playing the game professionally is one of the hallmarks of the PGA Member and we are proud to have returned to our Tournament Program as of June 1. With modifications, we have been able to conduct four stroke-play events and a few PAT’s in June. Congrats to the winners and all who participated in those events so far. Beginning in July, we will reintroduce our Pro-Am Tournaments, albeit with some changes for the time being. I encourage you to engage with your golfers and reconnect with your favorite team members for a great remainder of the summer. Ben Welsh, PGA President Colorado PGA Head Professional Frost Creek bwelsh@pga.com P | (970) 328-2326 C | (970) 688-0115

Best wishes,

Ben Welsh, PGA Head Golf Professional President, Colorado PGA Section 970-328-2326 (Shop) 970-688-0115 (Cell)

Colorado Membership Dues Update ~ Goal Exceeded! As of June 24:

340 PAID

Thank you for helping the Colorado Section meet its dues goal. Your early payment is of great assistance to the Section’s cash flow and any additional payments by the end of July will be greatly appreciated.

SECTION GOAL: 150 Members Pay Section Dues by July 31 Payment Options: #1: Pay Colorado Section Dues by July 31. #2: Pay Membership Dues in Full by October 31, 2020.

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Colorado PGA News

Colorado PGA Hires New Junior Golf Coordinator, Samantha Crawford! S

amantha Crawford was raised as a military child and moved around a lot, like most military families. It was during those early years, as a young five-year-old, that her parents gifted her with her first set of golf clubs. She was introduced to the game of golf in the yard with her dad where she would hit plastic balls for hours and loved every minute of it! During her middle school years, her family settled in Utah, where she continued golf and played on the Bingham High School girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s golf team in South Jordan, Utah. Growing up with the game, she developed her best friends through the sport and attributes much personal growth to the game. College golf took her to Kearney, Nebraska, where she played at the University of Nebraska. Crawford majored in Sports Management and minored in Coaching. Summers were spent back in Utah with the Utah PGA, who gave her summer internship opportunities to help run junior league programs. This eventually led to her being a lead intern, as well as an Assistant Golf Pro at Glenmoor Golf Club in South Jordan. After her parents moved to Colorado, it was Career Consultant, Keith Soriano, PGA, who she attributes for letting her know about the opportunity to interview in Colorado and join her family in this great state. Crawford has several other family members locally and she is already enjoying time spent with them since moving here in April. One thing she looks forward to this summer is finally being able to meet, in person, the Members of the Colorado Section and the families enjoying the sport. Her first many weeks on the job were during the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stay-At-Homeâ&#x20AC;? orders, so she is very much looking forward to getting out and being with players. When she is not working, Crawford can be found in her home cooking and baking, which she finds to be relaxing. A consistent joy for her is also watching movies. However, she is most enthusiastically looking forward to watching the Colorado Avalanche as she is a huge fan.

June 2020

Executive Director’s Message

Create Awareness for Doubles Golf My Fellow Colorado PGA Members,

y now, hopefully, you have heard about Doubles Golf. Co-founded by Jack Nicklaus and the originators of PGA Jr. League Golf, Doubles Golf is the first format in the history of the game created in the USA. This relaxing format is a rebranding of the two-player scramble, which allows for a less stressful approach to golf in both recreational and competitive play. Our original plans were to launch Doubles Golf this spring, encourage many of our PGA Professionals to host Doubles Golf programs at their facilities and conduct a Doubles Golf Championship in August, followed by a Section Championship in October. As we know, many plans have changed this year and most everyone’s Tee Sheets are pretty full at the moment. Therefore, we have had to regroup in launching Doubles Golf in 2020. The goal in 2020 was to create awareness for Doubles Golf, and we are sticking to this goal. Starting with the end goal in mind, the U.S Doubles Golf Am Championships will be hosted by Jack Nicklaus at The Bears Club in Jupiter, Florida, November 3-5, and Eddie Ainsworth, PGA the Colorado Doubles Golf Am Championships will be hosted by the Colorado PGA at The Golf Club at Bear Dance on October 8. During the week of August 10, immediately CEO/Executive following the PGA Championship, Doubles Golf Week will be held across the country as Director Colorado PGA a fundraiser for the Golf Emergency Relief Fund. Any registered Doubles Golf Team that eainsworth@pgahq.com posts a score during this week, will trigger a $10 donation from the United States Doubles C | (719) 761-6125 Golf Committee. By now I’m hoping that you’re asking yourself, what do I need to do to support Doubles Golf? It’s really quite easy and simple: • • • • • •

Register your facility for Doubles Golf; Help promote it to your players/members; and Marketing will be done in the July Issue of ColoradoAvidGolfer Magazine, ColoradoAvidLifestyle, Golf Radio Shows and social media. Designated email templates have been developed for you to use if you’d like. Host a Doubles Golf Championship at your facility in August; There are many ways to do this, with one of them being a “Ladder Championship” where teams can play during Doubles Golf Week and post their scores on DoublesGolf.com

It truly is really quite simple for you to help support and create awareness for Doubles Golf in 2020. Our goal in 2021 is to create Doubles Golf Leagues where you as a Colorado PGA Professional can earn anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 by hosting leagues at your facility. For 2020, you will receive $10 for every team that registers from your facility on DoublesGolf.com. I would ask that you take our call concerning Doubles Golf. One of our Section Staff or someone that’s part of the Doubles Golf Headquarters’ Staff will be reaching out to further discuss the program. In the meantime, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

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Executive Directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Message Remember, the goal for 2020 is to create awareness for Doubles Golf. Therefore, I can guarantee you that this will not take a lot of effort on your part while creating some fun and excitement at your facility, raising some money for a good cause and putting a little extra revenue in your pocket. I hope I can count on your support, if you are able. Stay Safe & Stay Healthy. All the Best.

Eddie Ainsworth, PGA Executive Director/CEO Colorado PGA 6630 Bear Dance Drive Larkspur, CO 80118 eainsworth@pgahq.com C (719) 761-6125

June 2020

Doubles Golf

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June 2020

PGA of America News

Diversity and Inclusion Our committment as PGA Members

n these challenging times, I hope that every one of you are healthy and safe. A lot has changed in the past six months, and with recent happenings around the country, I thought this might be a good time to revisit the PGA of America’s commitment to Diversity and Inclusion. The statement below can be found on PGA. org, and it summarizes the commitment the PGA of America has made: “In 2014, the Association’s leadership intentionally positioned inclusion and diversity as a foundational principle in the Long-Term Strategic Plan, recognizing that we will be defined by how our commitment to inclusion and diversity resonates throughout the PGA of America, our programs and practices. This commitment is vital to the health and relevance of our business and the game overall. In order to attract more of the increasingly diverse consumer population to the game, the business and golf’s workforce, we must become more inclusive in every regard. We have made meaningful strides in embracing and leveraging inclusion and diversity, with particular emphasis on education and skill development, workforce diversification, vendor inclusion and community engagement, but there is still much more work to be done.

Ron Rawls, PGA District 9 Director PGA of America Head Professional Crane Creek CC

Education and Skill Development: We are committed to deepening the real understanding of inclusion and diversity, and the business case for it, throughout the Association at the Chapter, Section and National levels. We continue to deliver extensive instructor-led education at PGA Member forums, staff and leadership gatherings, and golf industry events. We engage subject matter experts to assist in the development of training materials and digital resources to help ensure they are contemporary and credible. Workforce Diversification: We are committed to evolving the demographically homogeneous composition of the golf industry’s workforce; including the PGA Membership, Boards of Directors, Senior Leadership and Staff at the National, Section and Chapter Levels of the Association. Recruiting, developing, actively engaging and retaining diverse talent at every level of the Association will drive innovation and fulfillment of our mission. Key activations in support of our commitment include PGA WORKS Fellowships, PGA WORKS Golf Management University Scholarships, PGA WORKS Beyond the Green and the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship, as well as the PGA LEAD emerging leaders program, our diverse slate interview protocol and our recruiting partnership with Jopwell. We also educate historically unengaged consumers through strategic partnerships about opportunities in the golf industry. Those partners include the likes of Black Girls’ Golf, RISE, Sesi Magazine, Black College Today Magazine, Black Enterprise, Latin Business Today, Sigma Pi Phi, African American Golfer’s Digest and more. Vendor Inclusion: We are committed to including minority-, women-, disabled-, LGBT- and Veteran-owned businesses in our procurement bidding opportunities and business operations. Like workforce diversification, the inclusion of diverse-owned businesses helps drive creativity and innovation in pursuit of our mission. Through strategic alliances with the National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA), the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), the United States Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC), Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR), we successfully source prospective vendors for inclusion in our Tier 1 and Tier 2 bid (Continued on Page 13)

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June 2020

Career Services Update

Nirvana, Nostradamus & New Normal “With the lights out, it’s less dangerous Here we are now, entertain us I feel stupid and contagious Here we are now, entertain us” Smells Like Teen Spirit | Nirvana

ntertain us.

Weeks have become months, and the world is ready to emerge from quarantine and be entertained by whatever life is like in the “new normal.” As I was searching for a quote to inspire me, I came across the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” lyrics above. I was a teenager in the early 1990’s when this song changed music, so I know it wasn’t written about a pandemic quarantine. But reading the lyrics makes me feel like it could have been, meaning Kurt Cobain is both a trendsetting rock icon and the Grunge Nostradamus.

Keith Soriano, PGA is a PGA Career Services Consultant serving the Colorado, Utah and Nebraska Sections. He can be reached at (720) 841-1006 or ksoriano@ pgahq.com.

As the quarantine ends and economies around the world reopen, I see an opportunity to redefine the workplace. While science and medicine will certainly have their say in this definition, we can channel our inner Nostradamus and try to predict what the future should hold. This examination of both the rights of employees and the responsibilities of leaders will be critical to the success of businesses and organizations in the “New Normal,” and I have identified 5 areas of opportunity where positive changes can be made to the workplace. • Safety - The viral outbreak of COVID-19 affected many people, including essential workers in places such as hospitals, meatpacking plants and nursing homes. While commitment to serving the customer is important, an employer’s #1 responsibility is to ensure the safety of their employees. • Empathy, Compassion and Mental Health - In addition to the importance of safety from physical harm, an increased focus on the mental health of workers deserves just as much attention. People everywhere worry about both the present and the future, and the time they spend at work shouldn’t exacerbate those fears, but rather serve to support those most in need. This cannot be done without an intentional assessment of workplace culture and the support of empathetic and compassionate leaders and teammates.

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Career Services Update •

Communication - It is strange how an era of “social distancing” and isolation also created a system with more connection due to frequent (and often more effective) communication. While our need to share information and invite feedback was increased due to physical distancing, these behaviors should be nurtured and continue to grow in both the virtual and physical realities of the “New Normal.”

•

Clarity and Focus - COVID created an environment where many businesses were forced to reduce services to focus on a few key activities. This brought clarity to Mission Statements, allowing employees to spend their time and energy on fewer projects while achieving better execution and efficiency. Going forward, leaders would be wise to provide the same level of clarity and focus in order to continue the momentum created.

•

Utilize Strengths - In a crisis, job descriptions were thrown out the window and employees were forced to assume new roles, exposing talent that was being underutilized in the process. Leaders should take this opportunity to decide how to BEST utilize the special skills and talents of their team and let them continue to flourish post-COVID.

I’d ask you to take stock of the last 60+ days and look forward to the next 60. Are there areas of opportunity for the workplace to be found? I hope you see as much promise as I do. Looking toward the future,

Keith Soriano, PGA, ARWC PGA of America Career Consultant Serving the Colorado, Utah, and Nebraska PGA Sections ksoriano@pgahq.com 720.841.1006 (Continued from Page 10) opportunities. We conduct PGA Championship and Ryder Cup Diverse Business Opportunity Exchange events to actively introduce prospective Tier 2 suppliers to our Tier 1 vendors, as well as PGA JobMatch to fill necessary Championship operations roles with diverse talent from the local community. Community Engagement: We are committed to engaging underrepresented and under-resourced consumers in the game and ensuring there are no real or perceived barriers to entering the game. This comes to life in collaboration with our foundation, PGA REACH. In our quest to foster a culture of inclusion within the game, we collaborate with those who champion inclusion and diversity – organizations and golf facilities that have successfully demonstrated growth with diverse groups. Of particular note is our partnership with Sports Matter by DICK’s Sporting Goods to provide scholarships that support underresourced youth’s entry into PGA Jr. League, as well as our partnership with African-American fraternity Sigma Pi Phi, which helps recruit youth of color into PGA Jr. League.” As I stated, you can find this statement on PGA.org. It is a great reminder to the commitment the PGA of America has made to Diversity and Inclusion. In closing, I hope you all stay healthy and safe. If I can be a resource for you or be of any assistance whatsoever, please contact me (ron@cranecreekcc.com). At your service, Ron Rawls, PGA District 9 Director PGA of America Head Professional Crane Creek CC

June 2020

West Chapter News

West Chapter Tournament Schedule Established Join us for our summer tournament schedule Colorado West Chapter PGA Members,

rom what I’ve been hearing, most facilities are experiencing a higher demand for golf than we have for many years. This, along with the new procedures we have had to put in place to keep our staff and customers as safe as possible, has made our jobs even busier than before. I know I haven’t been working on my game too much lately, but the idea of getting together with my fellow PGA Professionals to play a great golf course with a few bucks on the line sounds pretty great right now. And, for as hard as you’ve been working, you deserve it! As with everything lately, our West Chapter Tournament Schedule has been a moving target. Now that regulations around the state allow us to safely conduct tournaments, we have established the following dates for West Chapter Tournaments: Tuesday, July 7 - Ironbridge Pro-Pro - $2,000 added to the purse! Tuesday, August 11 - Eagle Ranch Stroke-Play Monday, August 24 - River Valley Ranch Pro-Am Tuesday, August 25 - Aspen Glen Pro-Am Monday & Tuesday, October 5-6 - West Chapter Championship at Aspen Glen

Jeff Boyer, PGA President - Colorado West Chapter General Manager Eagle Ranch Golf Club

In the 25 years that I have been in the West Chapter, I have never valued the network of our PGA Professionals as much as this year. Being able to pick up the phone and discuss how another facility is handling the challenges we are facing has been a tremendous asset. I want to thank all of you for all the efforts you have made at your facilities and for your collaboration to make golf such an enjoyable experience for people during this time. I hope that we continue to see this high demand for many years to come. Thank you,

Jeff Boyer, PGA Colorado Section/West Chapter President General Manager, Eagle Ranch Golf Club

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June 2020

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Merchandising Feature

Golf Industry Merchandisers Resilient During Pandemic Hear what Colorado’s Merchandisers of the Year have to say...

he golf industry is showing its resilience by choosing to not back down from the 2020 season and the challenges presented as a result of the coronavirus. Although many courses that remained open in April and May reported record rounds, other areas of the business remained closed or operated in a limited capacity, impacting revenue. One such area subject to

As recent as May, all merchandise operations have been shut down at The Club at Ravenna. Orders were placed on hold and shipping dates were moved further into the season. In April, Ravenna logged 2,500 rounds of golf compared to 967 rounds in April 2019. Our staff of four is working seven days a week keeping golfers safe by washing and sanitizing golf carts, picking the range and sanitizing range balls. There was no time in the day or the week to focus on anything but our golfers and their safety. The Club at Ravenna ~ George Kahrhoff, PGA, Director of Golf

regulation includes merchandising. Clubhouse closures, social distancing and sanitation requirements all impacted the exposure of items available for sale to members and guests and limited club-fitting sessions. We know our golf Professionals in the State of Colorado are extremely clever and resourceful. With golf shops changing their Until June 9, Walnut Creek Golf Preserve was closed in observation of an abundance of caution for the staff, citizens and the community. This action aligned with the County guidelines and the Stay-at-Home Orders that were effective for all City of Westminster’s facilities. The main focus for us now is to offer and operate golf amenities in the simplest form and function. The golf shop is fully stocked with the arrival of spring orders that arrived prior to the shutdown; however, guests are slow to buy at this time. Walnut Creek Golf Preserve ~ Brian Carlson, PGA, Head Professional

protocols and procedures to abide by the Stay-At-Home and Safer-At-Home guidelines of the COVID-19 epidemic, we asked our Colorado Section Merchandisers of the Year and Colorado’s National Merchandiser award recipients to share what initiatives they put into place to help maintain a revenue stream in their golf shop at this time. Here is what we learned.

We are not open at this time, so I am interested in what others in the Section might be doing. While we are required to keep our shop closed, we will move our displays to make them visible to our guests without entering the golf shop. I’m thinking we will put a bigger focus on social media, member campaigns and booking one-onone personal shopping experiences. Beaver Creek Golf Club ~ Kenny Thayer, PGA, Director of Golf

When we received the notice that we had to closedown in late March, we were sitting on our full spring inventory. To help move it without any event traffic, we leveraged our social media accounts by highlighting some of our new products and we offered several sales to online buyers. In the end, we had some moderate success with online hard-good sales, but, as expected, we found that soft goods were a tougher sale. With the shop now open, we have returned to a much more “typical” golf-shop operation. A large part of our business is club sales. To reduce the coronavirus impact as much as possible, we looked for ways to do low- or no-contact fittings with regular sanitation procedures built-in. With many of our soldiers on base, we saw a huge increase in new golfers who had never played the game before. So, right off the bat, we had to increase our already large inventory of new-golfer equipment. Like many other shops, for our guests’ and teammembers’ safety, we posted social-distancing reminders, placed dividers throughout the shop to minimize congestion and installed plexiglass at the front counter. Cheyenne Shadows Golf Course ~ Keith Stilwell PGA, General Manager

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Merchandising Feature

Early on, the goal at Fossil Trace was to have as many conversations with staff as possible to coach through the ever-changing climate presented by COVID-19 and prepare them with a variety of options. We believe the ability to respond instantly to changes offers them the best opportunity for greatest success.

The clubhouse at Red Sky remains closed as of the middle of June. Members are able to bring guests for golf if they are residents of Eagle County. For merchandise, guests can view and select items from our displays at the front door of the clubhouse and then staff retrieves them from the shop for them. Because no one is getting into the shop yet, we are working with our vendors to create PDFs of our retail specials that we then send to our members. This also gives us a way to alert our loyal customers of new items we have available for purchase. We are conducting one-on-one personal club-fitting, as well as personal-appointment trunk shows where we also offer lunch, wine and cheese. Red Sky Golf Club ~ Jeff Hanson, PGA, Director of Golf

Assistance Professional Nick Borgeson, PGA, created videos with items we have available for purchase, along with pricing. The links are included in the tee-time email confirmations and reminders. When a guest calls to pay, they are reminded of the items, which if purchased, are then available for pickup with the starter. Borgeson is also in the process of creating club-fitting videos to explain product lines, shaft options and all the details of our equipment lines. The golf shop at Fossil Trace opened as of June 5. Prior to this, we were trimming soft-good orders for July onward, as we were confident vendors would have ample product available for reorder and relatively quick delivery dates. We are also taking a far more conservative approach by going with proven lines and products. Since re-opening, the response to merchandising has been excellent and we are now bringing in more unique items. So far, there has been no real effect for 2021; however, golf events will continue to have a great effect on our buy, as well as the resumption of traveling guests from around the country/world. If guests are not traveling to play, our buy will be changed to a more regional traffic demographic. Fossil Trace Golf Club ~ Jim Hajek, PGA, Head Professional and Vice President of the Colorado Section

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no surprise that merchandisers have also been impacted by the state of the economy because of COVID-19. A couple thoughts from this side of the business help to provide additional insight.

It has been a trying start to the 2020 season for all of us. Orders have been cancelled or put on hold with the clothing business being hit the hardest. Just like the facilities I work with, my overall business will be off this year. Looking forward to 2021, it is too early to determine what the buying trend may be. The decision to hold regional or national shows has not yet been addressed, but it is my hope that shows will be scheduled, as I believe they will be part of the healing process.

My goal for the 2020 season is to support our customers to the best of my ability during this challenging time. Adidas Golf Sales Representative Mike Bryant

AM&E, Cutter & Buck, Maui Jim, Sterling Cut Glass and Sun Mountain Sports Sales Representative, Kevin Neff

June 2020

Membership News

Membership News An update on our Colorado PGA Members By the Numbers

Members - 747 | Associates - 107 | Total - 854 Male Members - 806 | Female Members - 48 123 – Management positions (MP, A-4, A-9, A-11, A-13) 296 – Club Professionals (A-1, A-2, A-7, A-8) 118 – Instructors (A-6, A-10, A-12, A-14) 24 – Expanded Career Paths (A-15 thru A-24) 136 – Life Members (LM, LMM, LMA, LMC) 50 – Other Categories (A-3, A-5, F, RM, RSV)

New Members and Associates

The Colorado PGA welcomes new Members and Associates to our Section on a regular basis. For some, this is the first time they have joined our Section while others may be returning. Please join us in welcoming them! Members Benjamin D. Lanting, PGA | A-8 | Bear Creek Golf Club Jake David Larkowski, PGA | A-8 | Sonnenalp Golf Club Robert M. O’Rourke, PGA | A-8 | Red Rocks Country Club Alec B. Simmons, PGA | A-8 | Roaring Fork Club Peter W. Weisel, PGA | A-6 | Trent Wearner Golf Academy Associates Zachary S. Svendsen | B-8 | Omni Interlocken Resort

Classification or Location Changes in Colorado

Welcome Wagon

On the Move

Specialized Professionals

The following members have recently become specialized in one of the three caree paths of the PGA Specialized Professional Prgogram. Josh W. Troyer,, PGA | A-6 | GOLFTEC - Denver Tech Center | Executive Management

The SUMMIT

Membership News

Happy Birthday! June 1 Dustin G. Erbes Matthew K. Williams, PGA

June 15 Terry Naughton, PGA Bill Ramsey, PGA

June 2 Douglas P. Montgomery, PGA Jeffrey D. Perkins, PGA Craig Stadler, PGA

June 16 Tom W. Hensel Jeffrey D. Seltz, PGA

June 3 Kevin P. Cubbage, PGA Dow N. Stewart, PGA

June 17 Samuel M. Siebert, PGA Shaun M. Wright

June 4 David J. Steinmetz, PGA

June 18 Pete Bain, PGA George E. Hart, PGA Jack Morrison, PGA

June 5 Gregory E. Patterson, PGA Steve Saulsbery, PGA June 6 Nick A. Bardino, PGA Marcus A. Gillmor, PGA Howard R. Glasser, PGA Steve Ledonne, PGA Michael B. Maves, PGA Thomas Walter, PGA June 7 Lucas D. Davis George C. Kahrhoff, PGA Sean C. Miller, PGA June 8 Theo D. Gregory II, PGA Christopher J. Rusin, PGA Anthony L. Vitale, PGA Fairington E. Wood, PGA June 9 Daniel C. Craparotta, PGA Michael Lepore, PGA Charlie A. Ray, PGA June 10 Matthew D. Lodwick, PGA Chase N. Luckett Mathias M. Reams, PGA

June 19 Jason M. Anderson Matthew P. Kantor, PGA Elliot R. Statz Aaron K. Walsh, PGA

July 3 Lucas S. Butler Brian K. Markel Michael A. Sdao Tyler S. Winslow, PGA July 6 Stephen M. Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien, PGA July 7 Jack Mendelsohn, PGA Nathan C. Morris, PGA July 8 Nicholas P. Owen, PGA Chris V. Schafer, PGA John R. Trujillo Jr., PGA Seth D. Zacks

June 21 Dillon N. Joslyn, PGA

July 9 Thomas C. Anderson, PGA

June 22 Zachary G. Anderson, PGA Jeff L. Rafferty, PGA Scott A. Stewart, PGA Philip M. Tobias, PGA

July 10 Anthony F. Del Dotto, PGA Jack E. Small, PGA

June 23 Joshua R. Nelson Eric J. Twesme, PGA June 25 Jeremy D. Hughes, PGA Ethan E. Malzahn, PGA June 26 Stefan P. Peirson, PGA

June 12 Cooper M. Bleakie DJ Ford Philip M. Linares, PGA Justin B. Mills, PGA John R. Phillips, PGA Cory T. Sigler, PGA

June 27 Joseph M. Chavez, PGA Seth R. Kaplan, PGA

June 2020

July 1 Tim Brauch, PGA James E. Faddis, PGA

June 20 Scott M. Ballif, PGA William J. Martin, PGA Jim M. Morrisey, PGA Edward Provow, PGA

June 11 Schott Davis, PGA

June 14 Rick D. Cole, PGA

June 30 Donald R. Fox, PGA Mark W. Lampe, PGA Barry Milstead Jr., PGA Justin M. Moore, PGA

June 28 Pat J. Miller, PGA June 29 James H. Pratt, PGA

July 11 John T. Buser, PGA Garrett D. Froggatte, PGA Donald Graham, PGA Jordan J. Kennaugh, PGA Kristopher C. Kodys, PGA Jason R. Maddox Lawrence H. Mullis III, PGA Keith Schneider, PGA July 12 Timothy W. Dever William W. Hughes, PGA July 13 Mark A. Fontana, PGA Robert J. Grall, PGA Russ Miller, PGA Michael D. Paavilainen Douglas Perry, PGA

July 15 John Mulliken, PGA July 16 Travis Riddle, PGA July 17 Thomas M. Pickering, PGA July 18 Jace P. Dressen July 19 John H. Clendenin, PGA Robert R. Cooley Michael J. Passmore, PGA July 20 Chase A. Flannery David L. Good, PGA Eric K. Hejl July 21 Austin T. Haley Joseph V. Sarconi, PGA Drew J. Zins, PGA July 23 Todd R. Marley, PGA Devon J. Puleo, PGA Patrick Ruddy, PGA Phillip J. Spicer July 24 Vince M. Buelk, PGA Paul D. Klatt Carroll C. Sharratt, PGA Christopher R. Sholts, PGA July 25 Jason A. Franke, PGA Dale Smigelsky, PGA July 26 Curtis A. Starkey, PGA Peter A. Wolke, PGA July 27 Heikke Nielsen, PGA July 30 Mark Rudy, PGA Sam P. Saunders, PGA July 31 Robert E. Stong, PGA Brian T. Turner, PGA

July 14 Anthony C. Allen, PGA Zachary K. Brown, PGA

Colorado PGA News

Ed Oldham, PGA, Shares in Kupcho’s CoBank Colorado Women’s Open Victory J

ennifer Kupcho, the 23-year-old born and raised in Colorado, had won just about everything significant there was to win in girls’ and women’s golf in Colorado … with one exception: The CoBank Colorado Women’s Open. On Friday, June 5, that changed. Not only did she win the CWO, but she did it with an exclamation point at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club. She both held off the No. 15-ranked female player in the world and set the tournament scoring record — relative to par — by a whopping five strokes. This marked Kupcho’s first victory as a professional and her first win since claiming the August National Women’s Amateur title in early April 2019. Kupcho’s successes and accomplishments are of no surprise to PGA Master Professional, Ed Oldham. And, he should know. Afterall, he has been her coach since she was in the eighth grade … and still is. “I think more than anything else, I’ve been a guide for Jennifer throughout her journey,” says Oldham. “I can’t say I am the reason she made it, but we have been a good team.

“By the time she was a sophomore in high school, she was one of the best golfers in the State of Colorado,” continues Oldham. “I told her at that time that she should aim higher and focus on being one of the best golfers in the country. She did even better than that as she was the number-one ranked amateur in the world according to the World Amateur Golf Rankings prior to turning professional in 2019.” Oldham and Kupcho have figured out how to make a long-distance coaching plan succeed. When Kupcho relocated to North Carolina to attend Wake Forest University, she would send videos back to her coach for him to review. Figuring out that she had access to TrackMan technology, Kupcho would send her TrackMan numbers back to Oldham along with her videos. “The TrackMan data and the videos gave us good information to work with and to practice from,” says Oldham, who rarely travels to Kupcho’s events. “When she got onto the LPGA Tour and started making money, Jennifer purchased her own TrackMan and still sends me her numbers long with a video every week. In this way, we still have an opportunity to work together long distance.” He shared a story of walking with Kupcho during the practice round at her first LPGA event in Atlanta City when she spotted two young girls around five and seven years old watching. While in the fairway, she pulled

The SUMMIT

Colorado PGA News two balls out of her bag, signed them and then handed them to the girls when she got to the green. The girl’s beaming smiles told the entire story! “I am very proud of what Jennifer has accomplished in the world of golf,” admits Oldham. “I am equally proud of the person that she is. She is so good to younger kids and she hasn’t lost that quality even with all of her successes.” The teacher-student relationship still continues today with new goals being set. “This year, we have been working on trying to improve her mental game and her distance wedges,” shares coach Oldham. “Jennifer is always working to get better and I can honestly say that she continues to improve every year!” Although Kupcho is Oldham’s first student to make it to a major tour, he has worked with mini-tour professionals and collegiate and state champions. His mission to help his students achieve their goals is accomplished through his love of the game of golf and his passion for teaching it. Oldham is the Director of Instruction at The Ranch Country Club. He is a two-time recipient of three different Colorado PGA Section Awards: Colorado Golf Professional of the Year, Teacher of the Year and the Horton Smith Award. Of his many accolades, Oldham has been named to every Golf Digest top Teachers in the State list since the inception of the list in 2000. The article Mission Accomplished, written by Gary Baines, tells the story about Jennifer Kupcho’s CoBank Colorado Women’s Open victory. Click here to read the story.

2020 Section Championships To Register for these events, go to https://www.pgatournaments.com 2020 Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship August 3-4, 2020 Highlands Ranch Golf Club Deadline to Register is July 15, 2020

2020 National Car Rental Colorado Assistant PGA Professional Championship August 17-28, 2020 Saddle Rock Golf Course Deadline to Register is July 29, 2020

2020 Colorado PGA Professional Championship September 14-16,2020 Valley Country Club Deadline to register is August 26, 2020

June 2020

Quarter Century Club

Quarter Century Club Celebrating 25 Years of Service as a PGA Member

GA Members who have served the PGA of America with honor and pride for 25 years are elected to the Quarter Century Club. Their steadfast promotion of our great sport is recognized with a letter from the PGA President, a special Quarter Century Club certificate and a gold Quarter Century Club lapel pin. This month, the Colorado Section is proud to feature Quarter Century Club Member, Kevin Cubbage, PGA.

Kevin Cubbage, PGA

Director of Instruction, GOLFTEC Lakewood Where did you grow up? I grew up in Great Falls, Montana. What was your first introduction to the game of golf? I was 10 years old and during the summer, my dad would drop me off at the golf course at 8:00 a.m. and pick me up at 5:00 p.m. Why did you choose to become a PGA Golf Professional? I have had a passion for golf since I can remember and always knew I wanted to have a career in the golf industry. What makes you most proud about being a PGA Professional? To see the game of golf, continue to grow and to be able to be a small part of that gives me the most satisfaction. Also, that it is a lifetime game. What golf facilities have you been employed at and in what capacity? My first job was as an assistant professional at The Country Club of Colorado, working under Bill Majure from 1992-2001. I then was hired by GOLFTEC in 2001, and have been with them to this day as the Director of Instruction, first at GOLFTEC Cherry Creek and currently at GOLFTEC Lakewood. What do you feel is the most meaningful contribution to the game of golf you have made? As a club professional, I took pride in giving great service to all the members at the club. GOLFTEC has given me the tools to give great golf lessons to our students and help them enjoy the game more, which should be the ultimate goal in this game What hobbies do you have outside of golf? I love all sports and enjoy trail runs at Red Rocks and going to Rockies baseball games. If you could have a dream foursome, who would it be and why? My dream foursome would be Jack Nicklaus, the greatest player of all time and my idol growing up; Arnold Palmer, the greatest ambassador golf has ever had; and my dad, Don Cubbage, because he got me started playing golf.

This and That? Short par 5 or short par 3? Short par 5 Match Play or Stroke Play? Match Play Pizza or tacos? Pizza

Music on or music off on the course? Music on!! Morning or evening person? Morning Person

Favorite fast food chain? Chick-fil-A Shorts or pants on the course? Shorts Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate

The SUMMIT

Colorado PGA Partners

June 2020

Colorado PGA REACH Foundation News

Curry, Griffin and Kloppenburg Find Great Joy in Impacting Others T

he Colorado PGA is committed to leadership and replicating a LEAD program in our Section. Like the PGA of America LEAD class, having a Colorado LEAD program is one way of demonstrating that commitment. The inaugural class of 2019-2020 has 11 members who are a part of this two-year leadership program. In the 2020 issues of The SUMMIT, we are introducing you, the membership, to the members of the Colorado PGA LEAD Class. This month, we are pleased to feature three members: Jeramy Curry, PGA; Matthew Kloppenburg, PGA; and Jamie Griffin, PGA. All three truly appreciate the opportunities given to them and that they can provide to others. Curry loves being around people and views getting to interact daily on a golf course as a blessing. He lives every day to get better at the game of golf and the game called life. It is his life’s passion to teach others and he is always trying to help students enjoy the game of golf. Curry has played golf since he was 10 years old, though he didn’t have much success with the game in junior high or high school golf. It wasn’t until he met PGA Professional Ben Tremayne in the winter of 2012 that his whole life and experience with golf changed. Ben got him a job at Red Rocks Country Club, where he fell back in love with the game and decided to dedicate himself to becoming a Golf Professional. Later, Tremayne helped Curry land the job he currently holds as PGA Assistant Golf Professional at The Links. What is the most valuable thing you have learned since joining the COLORADO PGA LEAD class? Since joining the PGA LEAD program, I have been able to sit in on several board meetings with the Colorado Section Officers and staff. This has given me incredible insight on the inner workings of what makes an organization like the PGA really tick. We see the decisions as Members and Associates, but I have learned so much by just sitting in and listening to how these proceedings take place and the decision making that goes into every aspect of PGA life. How do you see this helping you in the future? The COLORADO PGA LEAD program has been invaluable to helping how I see my future in this industry. Not only from getting a glimpse into the inner workings of the PGA of America, but from the people I have had the opportunity to meet along the way. So much of what we do in the Colorado Section is about networking, and this has been one of the best networking experiences I could have imagined. Kloppenburg grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, playing both hockey and golf. Playing hockey competitively occupied most of his time and energy, which in turn put golf on the back burner. He found a new appreciation for the game of golf after college, which transitioned into a career as a PGA Golf Professional. Kloppenburg has spent time in Wisconsin, Florida and now Colorado. Each of his stops have brought new roles and responsibilities, as well as challenges. He is currently an Assistant Golf Professional at Columbine Country Club. What is the most valuable thing you have learned since joining the COLORADO PGA LEAD class? The most valuable thing I have learned since joining the COLORADO PGA LEAD class is that mentorship goes a long way in developing PGA Professionals of the future. I firmly believe that providing people with the right tools and people to train them up can further enhance their careers. I personally work with 5-7 seasonal PGM interns every year and our operation would not be as successful if we didn’t mentor them properly and give them the necessary tools to succeed.

The SUMMIT

Colorado PGA REACH Foundation News How do you see this helping you in the future? I see the COLORADO PGA LEAD class helping me in the future through lasting relationships and resources to bounce ideas off in every career stop I make. Our COLORADO PGA LEAD class has individuals in various roles in their careers, which allows us to communicate openly from facility-to-facility and position-toposition. Communication is especially key in our business and our COLORADO PGA LEAD class has shown me different ways of communicating and serving the members or facilities where we work. Griffin is a Colorado native, growing up in Aurora and learning the game of golf at the City of Aurora golf courses. Her first job was at Murphy Creek Golf Course, where she was able to be involved in PGA Jr. League, among other things, and found her love for working in golf and desire to become a PGA Professional. Griffin played junior golf many summers through the JGAC and at Eaglecrest High School, but it was working at Murphy Creek that paved her way to the industry. She found out about the PGA Golf Management Program there and chose the program at UCCS for college. While in the program, she participated in student leadership by serving in various positions, including President of the student executive board her senior year. She has also worked at Valley Country Club and Pinehurst Country Club, and two years ago found her way back to the UCCS PGA Golf Management Program working as the Program Specialist. Griffin has been there ever since and loves getting to work with aspiring PGA Professionals! She has had many PGA Professionals impact her life and journey so far and having the opportunity every day to possibly do that for our students is her absolute favorite thing about her job. What is the most valuable thing you have learned since joining the COLORADO PGA LEAD class? The most valuable aspect of COLORADO PGA LEAD for me has been seeing different perspectives and stories from everyone in our cohort and having the opportunity to network and foster new relationships. We have a group with quite the range of experience and knowledge, and I have loved being able to learn and grow with everyone as peers. While the education and opportunities weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been given to learn have been great, the best part is listening to others process and finding different ways to think about things like Diversity and Inclusion, Board Governance, career progression and more. I feel that, more than anything, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been given a valuable, expanded network of PGA Professionals to work with now and in the future.

Griffin with three UCCS PGA Golf Management students at 2019 Family and Friends Tournament.

How do you see this helping you in the future? I see my time in COLORADO PGA LEAD helping me in the future by showing me the ways to develop and give back to our Section and Membership. I have always loved being involved and giving back, and this program has shown me ways I can do that in the future in a productive manner conducive to personal and professional development. Having an understanding of how the leadership of the Colorado Section currently operates and accomplishes the goals of our Association is extremely important and I plan to use it for myself and to help others, like our aspiring PGA Professionals in the UCCS PGA Golf Management Program, understand this and hopefully contribute one day too!

June 2020

Tournament News

June Stroke-Play Events, Presented by the PGA Tour, Get Colorado PGA Professionals Back2Golf Smigelsky, Keffer, Jackson and Lanting earn season’s first-place spots

ee-time starts, golf carts with one-rider, individual bunker rakes and socially distanced scoring were small concessions to make for Colorado PGA Members to be able to get Back2Golf. This year, June 1 will fondly be remembered as the day the Colorado Section hosted the first of four Pro-only Stroke Play events in June. Each was presented by the PGA Tour. Valley Country Club hosted the season-opener on Monday, June 1, followed by The Ranch Country Club and The Pinery Country Club on the two consecutive Mondays. The fourth and final Proonly Stroke-Play returned to the site of the 2020 Colorado PGA Professional Championship, Valley Country Club. Not that those who played in the opening events needed enticing, but just in case they did, golfers were playing for an increased purse in these first four events. Because of the adjustments to the tournament schedule this season, it was possible to increase the purse by $5,000 for the Valley event and by $2,000 for the remaining three. Valley Country Club’s Director of Golf, Barry Milstead, PGA, shared his thoughts about hosting the first event of the season, ”It was an honor and privilege to have our Section Professionals out to Valley for the startup of the season. It has been crazy times and for Valley to be able to give all the Professionals some normalcy and a way to return to tournament golf was tremendous. We are looking forward to the Section Championship here in September and can’t wait to continue seeing our schedule take shape.” Taking the first-place slot at Valley was Life Member Dale Smigelsky, PGA, who set the bar high with a 7-under-par 63 finish. Geoff Keffer, PGA, Assistant Professional at Lakewood Country Club, earned second place at 4-under 66, with Caine Fitzgerald, PGA, Assistant Professional at Meadow Hills, and Doug Rohrbaugh, PGA, Instructor at The Snowmass Club, sharing the third-place slot shooting 3-under 67.

Teeing off in the first group of the day at The Valley Country Club is Valley’s Director of Golf, Barry Milstead, PGA.

Smigelsky doesn’t believe he necessarily played any better than anyone else but credits his win to his ability to keep things in control throughout the round, as well as being able to slow-it down at the end for the win. For a guy who has been side-lined as a result of a traffic accident late last year, he, himself, was surprised with his level of play. He also acknowledged the quality play of his partners as a factor for his solid round.

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Tournament News “Honestly, my game fell into place. It wasn’t that I hit it extraordinarily well but whatever I did with a shot came out okay,” comments Smigelsky. “I made the short putts I needed and didn’t make any major mistakes. Then, half-way through the back nine when I got to 4-5 under par, I just slowed my game down and hit one shot at a time.” The one regret Smigelsky shared was missing the 6-foot putt on the last hole. “Had I made that putt, I would have gone without a single 5 on my score card, but it wasn’t to be.” “Barry is a super host and Valley is a fun place to play,” continues Smigelsky. “The course was in good shape and the greens were spectacular. Not that it was easy to make putts, but the ball went where you hit it, and everyone appreciates that.” Click here to see the full results. The Ranch Country Club Results for June 8 Finishing in the money two weeks in a row, Keffer shared the first-place position with Grant Jackson, PGA, Assistant Professional at Saddle Rock Golf Course, on June 8 at The Ranch. Both carded a 1-under-par 70 to eek out the victory over third-place Life Member Mike Northern, PGA, who finished even-par. Click here to see the full results. The Pinery Country Club Results for June 15 Just 13 days after being elected into PGA Membership, Bear Creek Golf Club Assistant Professional, Ben Lanting, PGA, shot a 4-underpar 68 to win the tournament at The Pinery Country Club on June 15. One shot behind in a tie for second place were Rohrbaugh and Parsloe.

Assistant Golf Professional Daniel Costenbader, PGA, gets ready to tee off on #1 at The Ranch Country Club..

Click here to see the full results. Valley Country Club Results for June 22

Mark Avery, PGA, Head Professional at The Pinery Country Club, poses in the golf shop prior to teeing off.

It looked like the winner of the final June Stroke-Play Event on Monday, June 22, at Valley Country Club, played a different golf course than the rest of the field. Shooting a 9-under-par 63, Keffer led the field by six strokes. Second place Lanting recorded a 3-under-par 69 and Fitzgerald and Graham Cliff, PGA, Director of Golf at the Colorado Golf Club, tied for third place one stroke behind with a 2-under-par 70. Click here to see the full results.

June 2020

Colorado PGA Jr. League

Colorado PGA Jr. League Getting back to the 2020 Season

s things continue to get busier in the golf world, the Colorado Section has seen its Professionals get creative and modify their programs to create some incredibly engaging opportunities. To date, the Colorado Section has placed more team-kit orders than any other section in the country! Thanks to all who stayed patient and found unique ways to provide team-golf experiences for their families. With many sports still waiting to find responsible ways to return, we have an unprecedented ability to engage families and continue to build the great sport we all love. BACK2GOLF UPDATES AND NEW PGA JR. LEAGUE GUIDELINES With PGA Jr. League being able to restart in many areas across the Section, we are excited to share our guidelines for the 2020 season of PGA Jr. League. We look forward to the responsible return of play for your teams. As a reminder, PGA Jr. League practices, games and related activities are able to resume in areas that are authorized by local health authorities to conduct youth sports or are in Phase II of Opening Up America Again.

These guidelines were designed within the framework of Back2Golf and in alignment with the CDC to assist you, your PGA Jr. League players and their families to have healthy and fun experiences this season. Please follow these guidelines when conducting your PGA Jr. League season and share them with your parents and players as well. (Continued on Page 29)

PGA Jr. League Program Guidelines

Back2Golf Guidelines

Need a new ideo for a post-round hand shake? Check out this video!

The SUMMIT

Junior Golf News

Colorado PGA Adds Summer Interns to Team Welcome Canon and Webster

the Colorado PGA has ‘won the lottery’ when it comes to hiring summer interns to help deliver Historically, programs around the Section. And, this year is no exception to this rule! Managing the interns falls within the purview of Scott Minta, Junior Golf Director. “This year’s interns are excited to join the Colorado PGA team and hit the ground running,” says Minta. “When we hire, we account for the fact that we can teach the golf skills needed for the positions, but what we are not able to affect are character, temperament or social interaction. Our 2020 interns came with it all; an in-depth knowledge of the game of golf, an understanding of how the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado operates, they are trust-worthy, engaged and bring with them dedication and motivation. We are lucky to have them.” The 2020 Colorado PGA interns are Payton Canon and Kelsey Webster. They will work with the staff of the Colorado Section and the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado to deliver programs throughout June, July and August in the areas of junior events, tournament and Section activities. Canon, born and raised in Greenwood Village, Colorado, grew up playing in tournaments hosted by the JGAC. She just finished her second year at Oregon Institute of Technology where she is studying Healthcare Management and is a member of the golf team. Canon is excited to begin as a Golf Operations Intern for the JGAC in the Colorado PGA Section. She learned so much from her junior golf opportunities and looks to give other kids the same experience. Canon grew up playing many sports, but she found the most passion for the game of golf and has never looked back! Webster, born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, grew up playing golf as a member of the JGAC. She just finished her second year at the University of Colorado where she is a member of the golf team. Webster is excited to return to the JGAC for her second year as a Golf Operations Intern in the Colorado Section of the PGA, looking to continue to give back to the junior golf program that gave her so many opportunities. Webster’s passion for the game of golf extends all the way back to when she was little, and she is enthusiastic to continue to be involved with the game that has positively impacted her life and to share it with others. PLAN FOR A FALL COLORADO PGA JR. LEAGUE SEASON With COVID-19 turning our originally planned season on its head, we have decided to combine the Summer and Fall seasons for 2020. So, what does that mean for you? Well normally, we have distinct captain registrations and player registrations for programs that start after August 1. This year, with no official postseason and a delayed start to the summer season, we have decided to make all of 2020 one long and flexible season. As the Captain and leader of your program, you can run just a summer or fall season; you can run a season that starts now and goes through the end of the year; or you can run separate season schedules for the summer months and the fall months. Setting up the year this way creates a lot of flexibility to register, and allows you to charge and engage your students in a way that works best for you and your facility. The bottom line is that while restrictions are being slowly relaxed, kids are still hungry for more ways to connect in an athletic and responsibly social manner. How can we help you meet the customer where they are and provide meaningful experiences in this year of ongoing challenges? Please let us know how we can help you tailor PGA Jr. League to meet your needs this year. As always, we are here to assist. Anthony Vitale, PGA Samantha Crawford PGA Jr. League Regional Manager Junior Golf Coordinator (561) 267-1208 (720) 884-6130 avitale@pgahq.com scrawford@pgahq.com

June 2020

Junior Golf News

Great Accomplishment for Colorado Junior PGA Winners Franklin and Kozlowski win Colorado Junior PGA by several strokes By Gary Baines

n Wednesday, Walker Franklin of Westminster scored a personal breakthrough at the Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs by winning his first Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado major championship, the Colorado Junior PGA. This was actually his second JGAC victory at CC of Colorado as he claimed a Spring Tour title at the site in 2018. But Franklin wasn’t the only player to leave the Country Club of Colorado with their first JGAC major title on Wednesday. Ashley Kozlowski of Littleton, like Franklin is soon to be an NCAA Division I college player, similarly broke the ice. And both won the three-day Colorado Junior PGA held on June 15-17 by convincing margins, with Franklin prevailing by six strokes and Kozlowski by seven. It wasn’t unlike this event last year, when Dillon Stewart and Lauren Lehigh each won by eight strokes. Franklin and Kozlowski were both very happy with the outcome Wednesday but for slightly different reasons. For Franklin, there was some sense of relief after falling just short in quite a few significant Colorado junior tournaments. And for Kozlowski, it was proof that she could come out on top competing against players who have a history of success over the years. “It feels really good to finally break through,” said Franklin, who posted three top-four finishes in state high school tournaments for Prospect Ridge Academy, but didn’t win any, falling in a playoff last fall. “After the second round, I saw I had a five-shot lead. And I thought about state (the high school meet in 2019) where I had a four-shot lead, and I didn’t want to choke it again. “Honestly, this is like the first major I think I’ve won in Colorado, so that’s special to me. It feels good to have it finally happen — and not choke.” For her part, Kozlowski said, “To win feels so good. I’ve never won a big tournament like this before. It feels really good to finally get the first one. I played really well today and yesterday (71-71). I’m really proud of everything I’ve done to get to this point.” Both Franklin and Kozlowski have the opportunity to be playing some big-time college golf this coming season. Franklin signed a letter of intent at the University of Louisville, which finished the season ranked in the top 15 in the nation. And Kozlowski will be a walk-on at Purdue University, where she’ll have the opportunity to earn a scholarship in future years. In the Colorado Junior PGA boys’ tournament this week, Franklin wasn’t seriously challenged on Wednesday after taking a five-stroke lead into the final round. The 18-year-old from The Ranch Country Club posted a 2-over-par 73 in the final round to check in at 1-over 214 for three days.

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Junior Golf News University of Colorado signee Jacob Mason — also from Westminster — placed second at 220 after closing with a 72. Matthew Wilkinson of Centennial, who was four back of Franklin going into No. 17 on Wednesday, double bogeyed there while Franklin drained a 14-foot birdie putt for a three-stroke swing, then finished third at 221 after posting a 74. Franklin made an impression on a national/international stage last year when he placed fifth at the prestigious IMG Academy Junior World Championships. But he was determined to close the deal in a JGAC major in his final season of junior golf. And he did that on Wednesday by not beating himself as he made three birdies and five bogeys on a day when the wind blew hard at times. “On No. 3, I had an 8-foot birdie putt and I left that short. That’s probably the only time I got upset the entire day,” Franklin said. “I was pretty calm and relaxed. I was just playing conservative and making it easy on myself. Everything came together pretty well. I didn’t really make any putts, but overall it was pretty good.” In the girls’ tournament, Kozlowski swept to the title thanks to stellar play the final two days, when she was even-par (71-71). The soon-to-be 18-yearold, a graduate of Rock Canyon High School, finished with a 4-over-par 217 total, good for a comfortable seven-shot victory margin. First-round leader Aubri Braecklein of Northglenn placed second at 224 after a 78 on Wednesday. Emma Bryant of Aurora, a former 5A state high school champion who has committed to play her college golf at the University of Denver beginning in 2021, checked in third at 225 following a final-round 77. Rounding out the top five were two former JGAC Girls Players of the Year, Charlotte Hillary of Cherry Hills Village (226) and Hailey Schalk of Erie (230). “It means a lot to win,” Kozlowski said. “Going into this, I was like, ‘I could win it.’ But I saw that Charlotte and Hailey were playing. I thought, ‘Well, I’ve got to work hard to do well because they’re really great golfers too.’ Now, knowing that I beat them and did really well and came out on top, I’m excited to keep the momentum up for the next few tournaments.” Kozlowski, whose previous best showing in a JGAC major was a second place at last year’s Colorado Junior Amateur, called Wednesday’s victory her top accomplishment in golf. In the final round, the golfer from The Club at Ravenna pulled away with a four-birdie, four-bogey performance. “I actually felt really calm throughout the entire round,” she said. “It’s probably the most calm I’ve played for any round — ever. Just the last two holes I got a little shaky, thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, this is actually happening.’” It was particularly satisfying because Kozlowski and the rest of the girls in the state missed out on the 2020 state high school tournament as it was canceled due to Covid-19-related safety concerns. “I was hoping this year we’d have state because I thought this would be my year,” Kozlowski said. “But this is my tournament. I got it.” For scores from the Colorado Junior PGA, click on the following: BOYS, GIRLS.

June 2020