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

The

SUMMIT

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

Geoff Keffer, PGA

Wins Colorado PGA Professional Championship

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

Colorado PGA Officers

West Chapter Officers

Jim Hajek, PGA Vice-President | 2019-2020 Fossil Trace Golf Club

Luke Brosterhous, PGA Secretary | 2019-2020 Catamount Ranch and Club

Ben Welsh, PGA President | 2019-2020 Frost Creek 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 President | 2019-2020 Eagle Ranch Golf Course

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

Brad Dombaugh CEO - PSA Worldwide Corp. Maj. Gen. Barbara Faulkenberry, USAF, Retired - Corporate Director: Callon Petroleum; USA Truck Walter Glover EVP/COO - U.S. Olympic Endowment Theo Gregory Senior Vice President - El Pomar Tom Gunnerson VP Investments, Wells Fargo

Alice Plain, PGA | 2018 - 2020 Vail Golf Club

Dominic Karaba President - Specialty Lending and Business Banking - UMB

Todd Schafersman, PGA | 2020-2022 The Bridges Golf & CC

Bill Keller Lieutenant Colonel USAF, Retired

Kenny Thayer, PGA | 2019-2021 Beavercreek Golf Club

Eric Kenealy Chairman - Mackinaw Holding Corp.

Kyle Heyen, PGA Past District 9 Director Hiwan Golf Club

Max Twarjan, PGA | 2020-2022 Maroon Creek Club

Sandy King Entrepreneur/Songwriter

Charles ‘Vic’ Kline, PGA Past District 9 Director

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

Bob Lally Navy Captain, Retired

Colorado PGA REACH Trustees

George Lee VP - Ameriprise Financial Services

Jeff Boyer, PGA | 2019-2020 Eagle Ranch Golf Course Bob Doyle, PGA Past District 9 Director Life Member

Spencer Zinn Chairman

John Andrew Brigadier General USAF - Retired Tom Bauerle Owner - Colorado Golf and Turf Dan Bennett Investor/Partner, Southwest Greens Management

CJ Perry, PGA | 2020-2022 West Woods Golf Course

John Bond VP Sales & Marketing, Golf Division of Garb

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

Independent Directors Theo Gregory Spencer Zinn

Dr. Stephen Davis Cheyenne Mountain Dental Group

Adam McDiarmid Regional Manager - UMB Scott McGraw VP of Employee Benefits Cherry Creek Insurance Group Honorable Sue Payton President - SCI Aerospace Inc. LTG Ed Soriano, US Army (Ret) Director, Bus. Dev. Global Land Forces - Northrop Grumman Corporation Mike Talaga Credit Analyst - Janus Hendeson Bill Vogeney Chief Revenue Officer Ent Credit Union

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

Field Staff

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 Let Your Relationships Support You In A Time Of Stress

6 8 10 12 13 14 16

Executive Director’s Report Honoring Our Members District Director Report/PGA of America News Fall Updates Career Development News Upheaval, Upgrade & Upward West Chapter News West Chapter Championship and Chapter Cup Matches Colorado PGA News Board Elects O’Donnell To Be Its Next Secretary Half-Century Club Inductee - Clayton Cole Quarter Century Club Inductee - Anne Kelly

18 20 22 24 27 28 32

Special Awards Feature Joe Assell - Warren Smith Award Scott Erwin - Bill Strausbaugh Award Mark Bacheldor - Professional Development Award Nick Clearwater - Teacher of the Year Award Colorado PGA REACH News More Than $137,000 Raised ... Tournament News Keffer Wins the Colorado PGA Professional Championship Fitzgerald Claims Title as 2020 National Car Rental Colorado Assistant Champion Junior Golf News 36 Colorado PGA Jr. League Summer Season Comes to a Close Membership News 34 Membership Update

September 2020

President’s Message

Let Your Relationships Support You In Times Of Stress Fellow PGA Professionals,

020 has certainly continued to keep us on our toes and who’d have thought that a global pandemic would send the golf industry into overdrive? With some reports showing national golf rounds up over 18%, it has been a great time for growth of the game programs, customer engagement and merchandise sales. It may seem like sometimes we are just keeping our heads above water on the day-to-day operations, but I hope that you can find the time to make those lasting relationships and customer connections that allow you to retain this influx going forward.

Ben Welsh, PGA President Colorado PGA Head Professional Frost Creek bwelsh@pga.com P | (970) 328-2326 C | (970) 688-0115

I also want to extend a genuine concern for you, the Colorado PGA Member, and all that you may be dealing with personally this year. Amid the pandemic, increased rounds, potential financial stressors at home and now an ever-changing school calendar for your families, it is important to take care of yourself. The work-life balance is always a challenge in our business. With the added pressures this year, I encourage you to reach out to those closest to you for help if you need it or maybe to talk things through. Just sharing your challenges or commiserating with an old friend can help and hopefully allow you to be present for your family when you are home. You may even be able to help someone else get through these times. This month, we get to celebrate more of our Colorado PGA Member’s successes with the award winners highlighted in this issue. I want to give my personal congratulations to Nick Clearwater (Teacher of the Year), Scott Erwin (Bill Strausbaugh), Mark Bacheldor (Professional Development) and Joe Assell (Warren Smith) for all their achievements. Please read on and get to know these exceptional PGA Members. Lastly, the Section Championship reminded us all of the game we love and gave us a chance to compete for a spot in the PGA Championship. It was great to see many of you there and I want to thank Barry Milstead, PGA, and his team at Valley Country Club for hosting us. I wish you the best with the remainder of the golf season and a healthy fall for your families.

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

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Executive Director’s Message

Honoring Our Members My Fellow Colorado PGA Members,

ately, I’ve been thinking quite a bit about how blessed I am to be in the Colorado Section. As we are right in the middle of our Championship Season, my favorite time of the year by the way, I get the chance to speak with a large percentage of our Membership at these events. Plus, being a starter at the Colorado Senior Open, I can see a lot of PGA Members from other Sections. Concurrently, I’ve been on numerous phone calls with candidates and support staff for the office of Secretary for the PGA of America, and the one consistent theme I hear is this: our Colorado PGA Professionals are highly respected! This month’s SUMMIT highlights the Best of the Best of the Colorado PGA. To hear the personal stories of these outstanding PGA Professionals is always inspiring for me and helps me to refocus and reaffirm my dedication in serving all of you. You are my focus each day, as we are always striving to serve and support you the best we can, even more so during this pandemic. Therefore, if you are in need of any assistance whatsoever, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. If we cannot assist you, we will be certain to put you in touch with someone who can. We are here for you!

Eddie Ainsworth, PGA CEO/Executive Director Colorado PGA eainsworth@pgahq.com C | (719) 761-6125

As we move into October, I look forward to being in our West Chapter for our West Chapter Championship at Aspen Glen, October 5-6, and I hope you will join us for our Virtual Fall Meeting on October 19. As we all navigate through these times, let each of us make it a point to stay connected with family and friends and be certain to reach out to your fellow PGA Professionals who might need a little encouragement and support from others. Normally, I ask you all this question around the Christmas and New Year’s Day Holidays, Who’s Your Wingman? This has been a difficult year for all of us - record rounds, record revenue and record hours worked by our PGA Members. Stay vigilant in taking care of yourself, your family and your PGA Brothers and Sisters, along with your staff. TOGETHER, our 863 Colorado PGA Members and Associates can rise together to support each other and accomplish great things through the game of golf here in the Colorado Section. Thank You for the opportunity to Serve. Very Respectfully,

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

Join us for the 2020 Colorado PGA Fall Membership Meeting! Where: Virtual When: Monday, October 19, 2020 Time: 8:00 - 10:00 am

Registration information will be available October 1, 2020.

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Executive Directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Message

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September 2020

PGA of America News

Fall Updates October brings the Senior PGA Professional Championship

would like to start off by congratulating the Colorado PGA Golf Professionals who qualified for the Senior PGA Professional Championship. Congratulations to Jeff Hanson, Doug Rohrbaugh, Michael Zaremba, Micah Rudosky, Bill Hancock, Dale Smigelsky and John Ogden. The Championship will be held at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida, October 15-18. It is great to be returning to playing member championships, although it will be somewhat of a different environment as we deal with protocols that will be in place to ensure the safety of all players. Good luck to all of you; I’ll see you there! ANNUAL MEETING The Annual Meeting will officially be held virtually this year. While it will be different, it allows us the opportunity to conduct our association’s business, as well as conduct the election for National Secretary, Vice President and President. I encourage you to set the time aside on Thursday, October 29, to watch your association governance in action. GOLF EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND I want to give everyone an update on the Golf Emergency Relief Fund. During Phase 1, which ran from mid-April to mid-May, $4,133,000 were awarded. That averaged to $1,233 per grant for 3,351 grants awarded. During Phase 2, which started May 27th, $3,670,366 has been awarded to date, which is an average of $1,825 per grant for the 1,825 grants awarded. In total, over 5,000 grants were awarded totaling almost $8 million. The PGA of America contribution totaled $7.5 million. MEMBER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM During these challenging and stressful times, an important resource available to our PGA Members and Associates is the Member Assistance Program. The SupportLinc Member Assistance Program (MAP) is a company-sponsored resource that helps you deal with life’s challenges and the demands that come with balancing home and work. SupportLinc provides members and associates with confidential, professional counseling for a wide array of personal and work-related concerns, including short-term counseling, legal and financial consultation, dependent care referrals and technology-based resources to assist in every aspect of life. You can call SupportLinc toll-free at 866-4PGAMAP (474-2627). You will be immediately connected to a licensed SupportLinc counselor who can provide you with assistance. SupportLinc is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you are logged into PGA.org, you can access the Member Assistance Program website directly through the Benefits & Tools area. Login information is not required. You can also access services through pgamap. com. You will need to enter “pga” as the login name. The password is linc123. As we start heading into the “off season,” I want to reiterate that I am here to serve you, the members and associates of the PGA of America. I will be the District 9 Director for only a few more months, but if there is anything I can do or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me, ron@cranecreekcc.com. Ron Rawls, PGA District 9 Director PGA of America Head Professional Crane Creek CC

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

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Career Services Update

Upheaval, Upgrade & Upward

“Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets.” - Arthur Jones

few of my colleagues and I recently formed a virtual book club. We each had our reasons for joining; maybe it was a break from the daily grind, a chance to increase our level of human interaction while working from home, or to expand and enhance our current skill sets. Whatever the reasons were, it was well worth it. For our first read, we chose “Upstream,” by Dan Heath. It came highly recommended and I believed it had enough practical professional applications to justify doing a little reading and discussion on company time. Within the first 10 pages, in which Heath invoked the quote above, it was clear that the book could change the way we approached the work we do as Career Consultants. According to Heath, “Downstream actions react to problems once they’ve occurred,” meaning that “Downstream” systems are a cycle of response, constantly putting out figurative fires and measuring each as a success, even if the “fire” was preventable. Conversely, “Upstream” thinking and systems aim to prevent problems from happening in the first place. As a consultant, I address and resolve the downstream “fires” every day, but the highest and best use of my time is when I work upstream, preventing those fires from ever happening. The personal, professional and organizational implications of this kind of thinking are endless, but it really hits home when we apply this thought process to your career. How and where do you start? Begin with an acknowledgment and understanding of the stages you will encounter: Upheaval | Upheaval occurs when you miss out on opportunities or suddenly realize that you are not where you thought you would be at this point in your career. This “ah-ha moment” is an inflection point where upstream thinking could be useful, but you will first need to work through some barriers to upstream thinking. Those include: 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.

Problem Blindness: “I don’t see the problem.” Complacency and comfort are powerful forces, and both reinforce downstream thinking. Don’t be afraid to question both the “how” and “why” of your current systems. 1. Lack of Ownership: “The problem isn’t mine to fix.” People often feel as though they are at the mercy of the system and they can’t see a reason to expend the energy to move upstream. 2. Tunneling: “I can’t deal with the problem right now.” Sometimes we may recognize the problem but are so focused on the fires in front of us that we can’t possibly move upstream to fix the real problems.

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Career Services Update Upgrade | Once you have recognized the problem, taken ownership of it and stepped outside of the tunnel to see the bigger picture, you can begin to upgrade your systems. The possibilities are endless, but a few systems to consider include: 1. Education: Waiting until your lack of professional education becomes a stumbling block is a downstream fire. Proactively seeking education that aligns with your future goals is upstream thinking. Fortunately, opportunities for education are endless: PGA Education, CMAA & GCSAA education and online and university education related to finance, leadership and marketing can dramatically expand your skill set. 2. Experience: PGA Members may lament that they want to pursue opportunities that require experience that they haven’t yet received. Upstream thinking would identify the necessary skill sets for the job you want and proactively seek out opportunities to gain that experience BEFORE it is required. This could mean asking for more responsibility in your current position or seeking a “lateral” move that will provide more opportunities to expand your experiences. 3. Engagement: Heath states that uniting the right people is a necessary component for Upstream thinking. Like PGA Tour players with a swing coach, mental coach, strength coach and nutritionist, you need to proactively build your team. Start with your PGA Career Consultant and then identify mentors who care about your growth. Surround yourself with people with the skills to move you Upstream. Upward | If you made it this far, you have done the hardest part. Now take your Upstream mindset and make significant changes to your personal and professional lives. Find leverage points that create significant gains, create measurable metrics to define your success and constantly assess the quality of the new system you created. Maybe you’ll succeed, maybe you’ll hit a few bumps in the road, but I’ll be here to support you as you move Upstream.

Keith Soriano, PGA, ARWC PGA of America Career Consultant Serving the Colorado, Utah, and Nebraska PGA Sections ksoriano@pgahq.com 720.841.1006

September 2020

West Chapter News

West Chapter Championship and Chapter Cup Matches Join the Section Virtual Fall Meeting, October 19 Colorado West Chapter PGA Members,

his season has brought plenty of excitement for golf in the West Chapter. First, we had to adapt to new restrictions and protocols surrounding COVID-19. Then, most of us have been filling our tee sheets ever since. And to top it off, we have had one of the hottest and driest summers I have seen in my 25 years here that led to wildfires and the closure of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon for two weeks. It certainly hasn’t been “business as usual,” but I think we all feel lucky that business is good. As we enter our Fall season, my hope was that we would have our traditional West Chapter Fall Meeting and Chapter Championship at the amazing Aspen Glen Club. However, since it still doesn’t work to have our meeting due to COVID restrictions, we have decided to cancel the meeting portion of the event. The West Chapter Championship is still on for October 5 - 6 at Aspen Glen. Space is still available, and the entry deadline is September 30. All Colorado PGA Members, in good standing, are encouraged to play. Instead of having a separate virtual Fall meeting for the West Chapter, I encourage all West Chapter Members to participate in the Section’s virtual Fall Meeting, which has been scheduled for October 19. The West Chapter Cup Matches are scheduled for Friday, October 16, and will be played at Tiara Rado Golf Course in Grand Junction. The matches are between the top Pros and the top Amateurs on the Western Slope each year and help to raise funds for the Western Colorado Golf Foundation. Over the last 20 years, the foundation has given over $200,000 to over 130 deserving high school golfers to help with their college education. The top eight players on the West Chapter PGA Points List, who are also from the West Chapter, will be invited to play in this Ryder Cup-style event. The format will consist of three 9-hole matches, a Fourball, Foursomes and Singles match. For those towards the top of the points list now, play well in the Chapter Championship, and mark your calendars for October 16! Enjoy this beautiful time of year in Colorado and stay healthy! Jeff Boyer, PGA President - Colorado West Chapter General Manager Eagle Ranch Golf Club

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

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Colorado PGA News

Colorado Board Elects O’Donnell To Be Its Next Secretary T he Colorado Board of Directors held its election for the position of Secretary during its August 20, 2020, virtual meeting. PGA Master Professional Mike O’Donnell was elected to serve in this position and will take office during the Fall Membership Meeting on Monday, October 19.

“It’s an honor to have been elected by the Board to serve as an officer of the Colorado Section,” expresses O’Donnell. “As an officer, it is a tremendous responsibility to help guide our Section into the future and always ensure that the best interests of our Membership remain the top priority. I am excited to continue to serve alongside my fellow Officers and Board Members and will strive to make a positive difference in the lives and careers of our Membership.” Having worked in varying capacities across public, private, resort and military golf, both domestically and internationally, O’Donnell’s diverse background affords him a unique understanding of the opportunities and challenges that confront golf professionals. His experiences serving on various boards and committees at the executive level in both the private sector and government also fits well with the expectations and guidelines for serving as a member of the Colorado Board. When asked what goals he would like to focus on during his time as a Colorado officer, O’Donnell was quick to respond that his priority is to “always represent and advocate for the best interests of our Membership in a transparent and consistent manner.” In addition, his aspirations include the continuous assessment and improvement regarding how our Section grows and develops partnerships across our industry, invests its time and resources, leverages and influences at the National Association level, and promises a robust succession plan that ensures the right people are in the right place as we navigate our future.

September 2020

O’Donnell believes that “trust is earned and maintained by behavior, not implied by position. I represent each of you, and to do so effectively, I hope that you will reach out and let me know how you believe we're doing and where you believe we may need to improve. Straight-forward, candid, and timely feedback is always welcome!” “Besides all of these ambitions,” smiles O’Donnell, “I hope to have fun, continue to build lasting relationships and create some great stories along the way!” On a more personal note, O’Donnell was born in Texas, grew up in England, has dual citizenship (American and British) and has worked in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and the United States (Texas, California, Illinois and Colorado). He likes to fish, ski, golf and spend time enjoying the great outdoors with family and friends.

Colorado PGA News

“Relationships Developed are Career Highlights,” Shares Newest Half-Century Club Member, Clayton Cole

n rare occasions, a PGA member will have their membership reach the 50-year mark, which the PGA of America has coined as “HalfCentury Members.” This month, the Colorado PGA acknowledges and congratulates PGA Professional, Clayton Cole as he is the newest member of the Half-Century Club.

Clayton Cole was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi. At the age of 8, his family moved to Monroe, Louisiana, where his dad was the Head Golf Professional at Bayou DeSiard Country Club. Calling Monroe his hometown, Clayton played basketball and a little golf in the summers. It was when he broke his arm in 10th grade during basketball that he decided to stick with golf. His high school golf highlight was being on the golf team as a Senior when the Neville High School team won the State Golf Championship for the first time. He worked at the golf shop in the summers with his dad. He cleaned the sets of clubs from the prior day’s play and racked them every morning before he could practice. Then, he picked up the range in the afternoon. It was also in high school where he met his future wife, Rena, whom he began dating his senior year. They married in 1960. Cole attended the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) on a golf scholarship. He then transferred to the University of Houston where he finished three more years on a golf scholarship. Upon graduation in 1963, Cole returned to Monroe, Louisiana, and worked in the life insurance business for a few years, even earning “Agent of the Year” in one agency. However, he recalls a five-to-six-hour workday feeling like it was twelve. The times he spent with his dad, working in the golf business, a 12-hour day felt like it was five-to-six-hours. He decided that golf was the route to pursue. In 1967, Cole wanted to try playing on the PGA Tour. He qualified in the fall on 1967 and played the PGA TOUR in 1968 with moderate success for eight months. Then, in 1970, he was offered an Assistant Golf Professional job at Cherry Hills Country Club and became a PGA Member. He worked at Cherry Hills until 1974 when he

took his first Head Professional job at Dallas Country Club. After 12 years in Dallas, Cole moved to Austin, Texas, as the Director of Golf and Vice President of Operations at The Lakeway Company in 1986 and was there until the end of 1990. He oversaw running three golf courses, a golf teaching academy, 32 tennis courts, food and beverage, the air park (airport) and a 300-slip marina. Cole was able to keep his relationships at Cherry Hills from when he was the Assistant Golf Professional. The timing of the late ’80s, when The Lakeway Company was about to have new ownership and Warren Smith, PGA, was about to retire from Cherry Hills, worked out perfectly for Cole. He was contacted by the Board at

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Colorado PGA News Cherry Hills to see if he might be interested in applying. He had a great experience there as an Assistant and was very happy to apply for the Head Professional position. In January 1991, Cole started at Cherry Hills as the Head Golf Professional where he worked until his retirement in May 2008. When asked about a career highlight during his years at Cherry, he told this story of the 1993 U.S. Senior Open: “I qualified to play, made the cut and played two practice rounds with Arnold Palmer. One of those was also with Jack Nicklaus. How this happened is that Palmer called, asked for the Head Professional and asked, ‘Would you get me some tee times?’ I said, Mr. Palmer, I would be glad to. Is there any chance I could play with you in the practice round because I qualified for the tournament? He said, ‘sure.’ This was the steppingstone to me becoming a real good, personal friend of Arnold Palmer.” “The next two U.S. Senior Opens that I qualified for, I called him, and asked if I could play a practice round with him. He said sure again. Between those three times over a period of five years, we ended up becoming good friends. That was a big highlight because of Arnold Palmer’s involvement with Cherry Hills; his only U.S. Open Victory was at the U.S. Open at Cherry Hills in 1960 and he was an Honorary Life Member of Cherry Hills. It was a nice combination of him and me qualifying for that particular Open – a highlight that led to a very enjoyable relationship.”

Cole has been busy since retirement. He was given an Honorary Life Membership to Cherry Hills, which is very meaningful to him. Cole was a governor with the Colorado Golf Association for 10 years and is currently on the Colorado Golf Foundation Board since 2013. He has also been on the Grounds Committee at Cherry Hills for seven years. All of this has been enjoyable to him because it has created nice relationships and friends at Cherry Hills and in Colorado. Cole also is the CEO and Founding Owner of SES Lighting. When asked on advice he would like to give to PGA Professionals, Cole states, “It’s important to have mentors to help you along. In my case, it was my father (W.E. Cole) and Warren Smith. Be in the kind of work that you really enjoy. If you can find something to do that you have a passion for then it will be a lot more enjoyable - your whole journey will be a lot more enjoyable. Keep doing your best and have high standards.” Celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary this year, Clayton and Rena have three daughters, six grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren, all who live in Denver. *The Horton Smith Award was renamed the Professional Development Award in 2020.

Cole has several awards and accomplishments to note during his career including the 1993 Colorado PGA Private Merchandiser of the Year, 1993 Colorado PGA Senior Player of the Year, the Horton Smith Award* in 1995 and 1996, election to the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2003, the Warren Smith Award in 2005 and the Colorado PGA Nobel Chalfant Award in 2018. Two more that especially stand out for Cole are the Bill Strausbaugh Award for the Colorado PGA in 2007 and the National Bill Strausbaugh Award in 2008. Because the Bill Strausbaugh Award is given for one’s accomplishments in mentoring, it is appropriate to mention Model-Netics. As part of his training to assistants, Cole taught a 20-week management course, Model-Netics, which increases organizational management effectiveness and efficiencies. While at Cherry Hills, Cole also ventured out on a 5-month trial run to see if indoor teaching had a place in the golf world. At the end of the trial, he hired Joe Assell, PGA, to run the organization, which is now known as GOLFTEC. Cole is very proud to be a part of one of the largest employers for PGA Professionals and comments that Assell has “done a phenomenal job running it.”

Cole in a 1993 U.S. Senior Open practice round at Cherry Hills with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Pictured Opposite Page: Clayton with his wife of 60 years, Rena.

September 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, Anne Kelly, PGA.

Anne Kelly, PGA

University of Colorado – Head Women’s Golf Coach Where did you grow up? I grew up in Tucson, Arizona. What was your first introduction to the game of golf? My dad introduced me to the game. He loved golf! Why did you choose to become a PGA Golf Professional? I love the game and being a part of it. After my stint on the LPGA, I wanted to stay involved with the profession. Being associated with the PGA gave me the most opportunities to do so. What makes you most proud about being a PGA Professional? The work the organization does to help kids become involved with the game, especially those that haven’t had the opportunity or exposure to golf, is what makes me proud. What golf facilities have you been employed at and in what capacity? I have worked at Silverbell Golf Course in Tucson, Arizona, as an Assistant Golf Professional. Then, at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, I was a Golf Coach, like I am now at The University of Colorado. What do you feel is the most meaningful contribution to the game of golf you have made? Coaching student athletes and helping them to pursue their goals not only in golf, but with future professions, is the most meaningful contribution I feel I have made to others.

From left to right: Brittany Fan, former CU Player and currently a Symetra Tour Member; Anne Kelly, PGA, and Esther Lee, current LPGA Member.

What hobbies do you have outside of golf? I enjoy hiking, biking, skiing, pickle ball and listening to Podcasts. If you could have a dream foursome, who would it be and why? My dream foursome would include former team members Emily Talley, Brittany Fan and Erin Kerr Houstma because they loved playing golf and had so much fun playing the game.

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

Music on or music off on the course? Off Morning or evening person? Morning

Favorite fast food chain? Chick –Fil-A Shorts, pants or skort on the course? Skort Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate

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Since coming online in 2008 and releasing its first vodka and bourbon three years later, Breckenridge Distillery quickly became one the most highly awarded producers of fine spirits, earning Bourbon of the Year, Colorado Distillery of the Year and winning Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky award twice at the World Whiskies Awards. Breckenridge Bourbon was awarded 96 points in 2012 at the Ultimate Spirits Competition, beating Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve, 23 year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon (95 points), a huge achievement in their early age. Byran Nolt, founder and CEO, can boast having the largest independently owned distillery in Colorado and is noted as one of the top 15 craft distilleries in the nation.

Breckenridge Distillery is proudly one of the World’s Highest Distilleries. Led by its flagship bourbon, they offer more than 20 spirits available in 49 states “Our reputation is built upon quality of the product- color, density, nose, mouthfeel, flavor and finish,” says Nolt. “If I can’t win you over based upon those factors, then it shouldn’t be in our portfolio.

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September 2020

Special Awards Feature

“An Emotionally Special Award”

The Warren Smith Goes to

Joe Assell

he Warren Smith Award is given to a PGA professional for special contributions to the game of golf, the Colorado Section, junior golf and to the facility and their community. This year’s recipient is someone who knew Warren Smith personally and is humbled to receive the award named in his honor. Congratulations to Joe Assell, PGA, President and CEO of GOLFTEC. Assell grew up in Oswego, Illinois, and lived across the street from a public golf course. He played at this course daily and when he was 12 years old, he began to work for a man who became very important to him, Leon McNair, PGA, Head Professional at Fox Bend Golf Course. McNair put him to work vacuuming, dusting and straightening shelves, etc. By the time he could drive, he was working outside services, and as a 17-year-old, he

worked behind the counter. Assell loved working with the professionals in the golf shop and being a part of the team. After high school, Assell participated in the PGM Program at Mississippi State. Like others, he did three internships as part of the program. The first was at Stonebridge Country Club in Aurora, Illinois. The second was at the Golf Club of Tennessee, near Nashville; and the third internship was at Cherry Hills Country Club in 1993. That internship is what brought him to Colorado, where he met Clayton Cole, PGA, Head Golf Professional at Cherry Hills. Warren Smith had recently retired in 1990 but was a member at the Country Club. Assell returned to school and graduated in December of 1994. In choosing his next steps, he

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Special Awards Feature spoke with Cole back in Colorado. At that time, Cole’s idea was to move the teaching computer they had at the Country Club into a location for the public to be able to access. The timing was perfect, and the job opportunity for Assell to be the business manager and the teaching professional of what became GOLFTEC occurred in April of 1995. Twenty-five years later, GOLFTEC has 215 locations in six countries with 900 employees. What does it mean to you to receive the Warren Smith Award? To receive an award named after Warren Smith is really special to me and a meaningful life honor. I knew Warren Smith as “The PRO” and he was a member at Cherry Hills. I did my internship there and am now a member there. In 1978, when Andy North won the U.S. Open at Cherry Hills, my dad watched the Championship with his dad, my grandpa. The next day, my grandpa went in for open heart surgery and didn’t make it.

golf with perseverance and extreme hard work. People who start doubting themselves, stop trying. One thing we do at GOLFTEC is “extreme focus” on the customer. We make sure we are always putting the customer first to enhance their experience. What is your proudest moment as a golf professional? My proudest moment would be last year when GOLFTEC gave our TEN-MILLIONTH golf lesson. Share something about yourself that others may not know. I am an avid mountain biker and skier.

The last thing my dad did with his dad was watch the final round of the U.S. Open at Cherry Hills. With Warren Smith being at Cherry Hills for 27 years, the man of influence he was there, and his lifelong accomplishments in the PGA, this is an emotionally special award to me as I knew him well. What are the qualities you possess that you believe supported you receiving the Warren Smith Award? Being a leader in golf, not just leading my team, but by leading my team to build the business we’ve built, we have become leaders in golf and elevated the standard for golf instruction across the country. We have elevated the quality of life for PGA professionals with weekends off and benefits. I feel we have become leaders in the industry for golf instruction and employment. What are two tools you use in your profession that help with your success? I try to operate with high levels of integrity and clear communication. Communicating honestly and candidly with one another is key. From employee relations to business deals and partnerships, communicate plainly as a leader.

Assell’s family includes his wife, Kerri; daughter, Alexis; and son, Matthew.

Secondly, I think outside the box, not taking the way we’ve always done it as the way we are going to do it. I like to think, “Is there a better way to do things?” As it relates to golf, what is the best piece of advice you have received and what advice would you give to others? Set your vision for what you want to do and then work your tail off to achieve it. A lot can be accomplished in

September 2020

Special Awards Feature

Passionate to Serve Others, Scott Erwin Accepts the Bill Strausbaugh Award

he Bill Strausbaugh Award is presented to a Colorado PGA Member who has shown outstanding integrity, commitment to mentoring PGA Professionals and has made a significant impact on the careers of PGA Professionals. This year’s recipient of the award is a very accomplished player and professional. Congratulations to Scott Erwin, PGA, Director of Golf Emeritus at Maroon Creek Club. “Any success I have enjoyed in the past 49 years serving in this career has everything to do with how I was mentored by unselfish, capable leaders,” credits Erwin, who uses his experience to mentor others in their professional growth. A generous and kind man, he wants to see the PGA Professionals in his realm of influence succeed. He is passionate about helping others and encourages not only professional growth but also communication and physical routines that lead to personal growth. When mentoring others, Erwin works with a person’s communication style. While Erwin taught Bob Hope how to swing the club, Bob taught him

how to communicate with others using tone of voice, body language and eye contact. Bob was a great storyteller and when you are competing in the final interview, you better be able to tell your story. What does it mean to you to receive this award? It is both a humbling and a proud moment to receive this award from my fellow PGA Members. It means, on a few occasions, I might have helped a fellow PGA Member be successful in winning their dream job. At age 71, my career is almost over but by mentoring others, I can still contribute. What are the qualities you possess that you believe supported you receiving the Bill Strausbaugh Award? The golf business is all about relationships with your co-workers, membership/customer, the community and your association. I have three goals/qualities that have served me well.

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Special Awards Feature 1) I try to be accountable for the situation I find myself in; 2) I try to be kind and considerate to everyone I meet; and 3) I try to never miss an opportunity to show my appreciation. What are two tools you use in your profession that help you with your success? Teamwork: I hire good people and encourage them to be accountable. I utilize the talent around me to do a deep dive to fully understand a situation so I can make an informed decision. Visualization: I try to put myself in the place of the president or owner of the country club and look at a situation from their perspective. Next, I visualize the result that honors the membership and co-workers. Then, I act. As it relates to golf, what is the best piece of advice that you have received and what advice would you give to others? One of the best pieces of advice that I learned, and I would give to others, I learned from legendary professional golfer, Byron Nelson. Thirty-four years ago, Nelson came up behind me and put his hand on my shoulder and said, “Scott, you did the right thing in dealing with the member whose behavior was inappropriate with members and staff. It is better to be trusted and respected by the majority of the membership, than it is to try and be popular with all

members. Your decision honored the silent majority.” The advice is this: do not let the integrity of the membership and staff be devalued because you are afraid to deal with a member whose behavior is inappropriate. What is your proudest moment as a golf professional? In keeping in line with my mission statement of looking out for the interests of others, my most proud moments are when I receive a phone call from a fellow PGA Member, whom I have mentored, who just won the final interview and earned their dream job. Share something about yourself that others may not know. In the early 80’s, along with two-time PGA Champion, Paul Runyon, and Eddie Merrins from Bel Air Country Club, I served on the People to People Sports Committee as a Golf Ambassador. The People to People Sports Committee was started by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to spread goodwill around the world. Each trip was approximately 28 days long and my teams traveled to: Switzerland, Italy and France; Scotland, England and Ireland; Norway, Demark and Sweden; and twice to Fiji, New Zealand and Australia. Another fun fact is that my wife and I enjoy playing cards but are the two worst fly fishers in the State of Colorado.

Maroon Creek Club Staff from left to right: Scott Erwin, PGA, Director of Golf Emeritus at Maroon Creek Club; Max Twarjan, PGA, Director of Golf; and Steve Grove, PGA, Head Golf Professional. Pictured Opposite Page: Scott with his wife of 41 years, Heather.

September 2020

Special Awards Feature

With a Mindset to Help Others, Mark Bacheldor Receives the 2020 Professional Development Award

he Professional Development Award is designed to recognize a Colorado PGA Member for his or her outstanding and continuing contributions in developing and improving educational opportunities for the PGA golf professional. It has recently been renamed from the Horton Smith Award, but its prestige and honor remain the same. This year’s recipient knows educational opportunities extremely well as he is the Program Director of the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs PGA Golf Management Program. Congratulations to Mark Bacheldor, PGA!

UCCS Campus and was able to join the program in 2004, its second year of existence. Bacheldor’s final internship of the PGA Program was at the United States Air Force Academy. After graduation in 2008, he continued to work there at the Eisenhower Golf Club for five golf seasons as the Head Golf Professional.

Bacheldor was raised in Aurora, Colorado, in what he describes as a “very non-golf family.” He found golf in high school on his own after picking up an old bag and some mismatched clubs at Goodwill. He would hit balls into an open field until he would finally get into trouble from the neighbors. He quickly liked the game and was able to make the high school golf team in his junior and senior years.

In the fall of 2012, Bacheldor returned to the UCCS PGA Golf Management Program as the Internship Coordinator and became the PGA Golf Management Program Director in 2018. He has been teaching PGA curriculum for more than eight years in the UCCS PGA PGM Program. One impact he has had there is in refining the delivery of material to improve student testing rates. The pass rates have improved from 74% to 90% percent over the past six years. This means that more students are retained in the program, more graduate and more become PGA Members.

As he was finishing high school and exploring career paths, the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs was just launching the PGA Golf Management Program. He learned about it as a senior, visited the

Continuing to learn is what Bacheldor does and believes in for himself and others. He completed two certifications in the PGA Certified Program; Golf Operations and Teaching and Coaching. Achieving the

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Special Awards Feature highest level of education designation, Bacheldor completed the PGA’s Master Professional Program in 2019. He is the only Teaching and Coaching Master Professional in the Colorado PGA. In addition to teaching at UCCS, Bacheldor is currently serving on the Colorado PGA Board of Directors, where he is co-chair of the Education Committee. On a national level, he is involved with PGA Golf Management Programs serving as Vice President of the PGA Golf Management Executive Association (PGMEA). This is the compilation of the staffs of the 18 PGA Universities across the country. They address ideas, concerns and thoughts about the PGA University Programs and then collaborate with the PGA of America in those areas.

As it relates to golf, what is the best piece of advice you have received and what advice would you give to others? Always be learning. You are never too old to stop learning. That is in golf and life, on the golf course and in the golf profession. Learn about other people and how they operate. Ask yourself how you can be a better person, how you can connect with people better and help people more. What is your proudest moment as a golf professional? My proudest moment was becoming a PGA Master Professional in Teaching and Coaching in 2019.

What does it mean to you to receive the Professional Development Award?

Tell us something about yourself that others may not know.

Receiving this award is validation to me that what I am doing to mentor, help and give advice to students has an impact. My biggest focus is to make sure that whatever I do in this world is going to have an impact on other people.

The two things I love to do, in addition to golfing, are hunting and fishing.

What are the qualities you possess that you believe supported you receiving the Professional Development Award? I love to mentor people. I love to teach people a way, a path in their life. I love teaching, instructing and guiding, especially as it relates to life. Certainly, as it pertains to golf, but especially in life. I am vested in what people want to do, I want to learn about others and find a way to help them. What are two tools you use in your professional that help you with your success? The two tools I would say have helped me are my availability and the example I set. I am always available. The students in the UCCS PGA PGM Program know that about me. They have my contact information and they will always get a reply from me, every day. I hope that I am modeling the behavior of someone who is successful and of someone they can look to as an example in their career. As students are asking, “How do you set yourself apart from others and how do you distinguish yourself from the next person?”, I show them the answer. I serve on the Colorado PGA Board. I show them to raise their hand to volunteer by volunteering myself. I try to show them selflessness so they can see what it looks like.

September 2020

Bacheldor family at their home in Monument, Colorado. His wife of 12 years is Morgan, and their three sons; Isaak (7), Dawson (5) and Jonas (2).

Special Awards Feature

“Make Something That Is Complicated Seem Easy,” Says Nick Clearwater, On The Art Of Teaching

he Teacher of the Year Award bestows special recognition on a Colorado PGA Professional for excellence in golf instruction, along with overall performance. Congratulations Nick Clearwater, PGA, Vice President of Instruction at GOLFTEC, for being this year’s award recipient! Clearwater grew up in Illinois and didn’t play golf until his family moved to Michigan just before high school. He realized pretty quickly that he played well and was not only interested in playing golf but also in pursuing it as a career. Clearwater played on the high school golf team and continued to play in college when he attended Ferris State University in Michigan for the PGA Golf Management Program. During the PGA Program, Clearwater had internships at Hilton Head, in Vail and Arizona. After graduation, he moved to the East Coast where he spent time as the Head Golf Professional and/or Head Teaching Professional in Connecticut and New York.

After a short time in Florida as an independent contractor, Clearwater returned to Illinois in 2012 and found a position with GOLFTEC before moving to the company’s headquarters in 2015. Currently, he has the responsibility to oversee the training and lesson quality for over 800 coaches. It is here that he creates and trains a systematic approach toward golf instruction, which has enabled GOLFTEC coaches to view a golf swing and golf instruction similarly. To mention some of Clearwater’s accomplishments, he was named a Top-50 coach in America by Golf Digest in 2019, he appears regularly on the GOLF Channel Morning Drive and has over 300 pieces of content that annually air on the Golf Channel. He also speaks nationally and internationally at Teaching and Coaching Summits, Section Events, PGM Universities and Golf Biomechanics Seminars. What does it mean to you to receive the Teacher of the Year Award?

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Special Awards Feature It is always super exciting to be acknowledged by your peers saying I have done something worth recognizing. I am incredibly honored. There are many in Colorado who are worthy of being the Teacher of the Year, it’s exciting to have even been nominated. What are the qualities you possess that you believe supported you receiving the Teacher of the Year Award?

anyone’s swing to Tour players. Place two pictures side-by-side at the same point in time during a golf swing and have a written description about what is the same and different. Use as few words as possible to make those comparisons. This trains your eye on what to look for when someone has a problem. It is a skill that if you can do well, there shouldn’t be any tricks when a strange swing shows up on your lesson tee.

I have had a lot of unique experiences in the teaching world. I have taught on the PGA TOUR as a PGA Tour Credentialed Instructor for 13 consecutive years, and during that, I have helped around 50-60 PGA Tour, Champion Tour Players and Korn Ferry Tour Players. To be around some of the best golfers in the world for that long is not usually a sustainable challenge that most people get to be a part of or that happens often. That has been super rewarding and gives me a different perspective on how the best players play the game, what they are thinking about, what types of shots they hit in different situations – really, how to help someone play better at that level.

What is your proudest moment as a golf professional?

I have also learned from some very smart people who have taught me how to measure someone’s swing and have an objective way of teaching golf. Over time I have tried to refine that to be a scalable trait. I oversee designing, training and managing the teaching system that every coach (800+) uses at GOLFTEC. I have had to learn over time how to get other people to teach quality lessons and give any golfer who walks into GOLFTEC a really good experience.

In 2005, I played my last professional event, and it just so happened to be with Michelle Wie. She was 16 years old at the time and she beat me by two shots.

I have many proud moments, but one that stands out is when I was teaching at the U.S. Senior Open. Tour Player, Tom Kite, had a rough time during his Wednesday practice round and asked me for help. After working together for a couple of hours, the next day, he went out and shot a 28 on the front nine, which is still the record for the lowest 9-hole score in a Major Tournament. Share something about yourself that others may not know.

Personally, I have taught thousands of lessons and can teach in a variety of platforms whether they are standing next to me during a lesson, 5,ooo miles away or even through another instructor. What are two tools you use in your profession that help with your success? I use different ways to measure a swing. I have a GEARS system, which is an optical (camera-based) motion tracking system. This is similar to what you see used in movies using cameras and markers to track movements. The second tool would be experience with launch monitors. Understanding how the club is hitting the ball goes a long way in helping you make good decisions on how to help people and how to help them quickly.

Nick Clearwater, PGA, with his wife, Ashli, and their two daughters, Sloane and Wynne. Pictured opposite page, left to right: Clearwater, Claude Harmon and David Ledbetter.

As it relates to golf, what is the best piece of advice that you have received and what advice would you give to others? The best piece of advice I have received that I would pass on to others would be to practice comparing

September 2020

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Colorado PGA REACH News

More Than $137,000 Raised in Support of Colorado PGA REACH Programs

he Colorado PGA REACH Foundation is all about helping others. The Mission Statement tells the story – “Making a positive difference in the lives of others through the game of golf.” We are well aware of the challenges many in our communities face, especially this year with the coronavirus pandemic. That’s why the Foundation continues its commitment to make a difference in the lives of our Youth, our Military and to make golf a more Diverse and Inclusive sport. Each year, Colorado PGA REACH is the benefactor of the charitable contributions raised at two golf tournaments – the Colorado PGA REACH Invitational and the Schomp BMW Cup. And, each year, we are humbled by the generosity of all that are involved – from the facilities that donate rounds of golf to be auctioned and the businesses that offer prizes to those that open their hearts and wallets to support the programs of the Foundation. It is with extreme humility and great pride that we can announce unprecedented gross contributions of $137,233.04 to the Colorado PGA REACH Foundation. The REACH Invitational grossed $84,143.04 and the Schomp BMW Cup recorded a record-high contribution of $53,090. “The record donations we received is a true testament to the generosity of the players who played in these events and who support golf,”

September 2020

comments Jim Hajek, PGA, Vice President of the Colorado PGA. “But even bigger than this is the great testament it shows to the confidence people have in the depth of the programs of the Colorado PGA REACH Foundation and their desire to support its continued work.” In this crazy year we call 2020, the auctions took on a very different look. The REACH Invitational converted its entire event from the traditional silent and live auction format to a door-prize structure; while at the Schomp BMW Cup, the live auction remained but the Silent Auction was changed to a Closed-bid Auction. “It is because of the partnerships that have been forged with many different groups that the Foundation can experience these successes,” says Eddie Ainsworth, PGA, CEO and Executive Director of the Colorado PGA. “I’d like to recognize our partnerships with Stuart Bruening, Southwest Greens; Allen Walters, AvidGolfer; Marc Steron, Shanahan’s Steakhouse; and Mark Pfingston, The Golf Club at Bear Dance; to name a few, and thank them for the part they play in making these events the successes they are. “Thank you to everyone involved for giving us the opportunity to share with you the goals and accomplishments of Colorado PGA REACH,” concludes Ainsworth.

Tournament News

Geoff Keffer Wins 2020 Colorado PGA Professional Championship

Keffer earns his second PGA Championship Title, taking the lead after round two

eoff Keffer, PGA, Assistant Professional at Lakewood Country Club, won the Colorado PGA Professional Championship by three strokes at Valley Country Club September 14-16, 2020. This is the second time Keffer has won the Section Championship with his previous win being in 2016. On day one, three-time champion Doug Rohrbaugh, PGA, Teaching Professional at The Snowmass Club, carded an incredible 66 and had a miraculous par save on the 8th hole. He was up by one stroke, Keffer was in second with a 67, and Dale Smigelsky, Life Member, was in third with a 68. Day two, Keffer pulled ahead for the lead, carding a second round of 67. Rohrbaugh slid to second after carding a 3-under-par 69. Smigelsky was still in third, but after carding a 72, he was six strokes behind the leader. It was an exciting final round and it started off with all eyes focused on Keffer and Rohrbaugh. But, Smigelsky had an impressive start to the day with five birdies on the front nine to climb from third place to within one stroke of Keffer.

President of the Colorado PGA, Ben Welsh, presents the trophy to Keffer, who also claimed a $10,000 check for the win.

Smigelsky shares, ““I got hot. I knocked it close in a lot of spots on the front nine. I was at 5-under-par at the turn and was within one of Geoff. But it switched when he made a great up-and-down on 10 for birdie and I three-putted for par. Geoff just has too much firepower. He ran away from us.” Smigelsky carded a 6-under-par round and placed second with a 10-under-par overall.

Each day Keffer played the back 9 better than the front, taking about nine or 10 holes to see a putt go in. “Once you see one go in, then it makes it easier to make more,” comments Keffer. When asked about the final round, Keffer comments, “Dale was just firing birdies left and right. He shot 5-under on the front. I had two bad bogeys and I finished even. But then, watching the putt go in on 10 and 11, I knew I was still in the lead. The 12th hole should be an easy drive for me, but I don’t think I have hit that fairway in two years. I hit it to a bad spot in the right trees, hit a good little pitch up to the front part of the green and made a good par. Then I had good pars the rest of the way. Thought I made birdie on 16, but my putt was just fast. Honestly, I didn’t look at the leaderboard until we were

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Tournament News driving up 17. I knew I had climbed ahead but didn’t know where Doug was.” Rohrbaugh double bogeyed the 13th hole and had slipped into third place sharing the position with Micah Rudosky, Head Professional at Conquistador Golf Course. Rodusky had a great final round of 68 to move him up in the ranking. They both finished the tournament 7-under par. Valley Country Club Director of Golf, Barry Milstead, PGA, comments, “It was a great tournament. The Section did a great job setting up the course and the players played well to make as many birdies as they made. It was great to have everybody out.” After Colorado experienced a surprise winter storm the week prior to the event, Valley had some maintenance issues to overcome, but the players were happy with the conditions. Smigelsky comments, “On a golf course like this, some of us have a chance because it’s not a bombers golf course. When we get to playing some of the really long golf courses that are more open, Geoff and Caine separate themselves. This is a golf course that gives us a chance – guys like Doug and I – who don’t bomb it like those guys.” Having won the Stroke-Play at Valley at the beginning of the season, Smigelsky was looking forward to playing here again. Keffer also spoke highly of Valley, “I just love this place. This is one of my favorite courses around. Barry is

Keffer makes his way up the 18th hole at Valley CC

awesome. Everybody here is great.” The top nine PGA Professionals qualify for the 54th PGA Professional Championship on April 25-28, 2021, at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Earning the qualifying spots based on the 54-hole results are: Geoff Keffer; Dale Smigelsky; Micah Rudosky; Doug Rohrbaugh; Kyle Voska, Teaching Professional at The Links Golf Course; Alexandra Braga, Director of Instruction at Denver Country Club; Chris Hyten, Assistant Professional at Castle Pines Golf Club; and Doug Wherry, Director of Instruction at Jake’s Academy. Three players tied for the last qualifying position and Ryan Bakken, Assistant Professional at Thorncreek Golf Course, was able to claim that place. The Colorado PGA and the 128 participants of the Section thank Valley Country Club for hosting the Colorado PGA Professional Championship presented by Club Car and OMEGA. Thanks also go to supporting sponsors and partners Titleist/Footjoy, TaylorMade Golf Company, Nike, the Golf Channel and the PGA TOUR. To see the full results of the 2020 Colorado PGA Professional Championship, click here. Geoff Keffer and Dale Smigelsky congratulate each other.

September 2020

Tournament News

Qualifiers for the 2021 PGA Professional Championship PGA Golf Club | Port St. Lucie, Florida | April 25-28, 2021

Geoff Keffer, PGA Lakewood Country Club

Dale Smigelsky, PGA Life Member

Micah Rudosky, PGA Conquistador Golf Course

Doug Rohrbaugh, PGA The Snowmass Club

Kyle Voska, PGA The Links Golf Course

Alexandra Braga, PGA Denver Country Club

Chris Hyten, PGA Castle Pines Golf Club

Doug Wherry, PGA Jakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Academy

Ryan Bakken, PGA Thorncreek Golf Course

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Tournament News

True Temper Project X Series Leaderboard Place | Name | Facility | Points

(Point Values Include the Section Championship)

September 2020

Tournament News

Fitzgerald Claims Title as 2020 National Car Rental Colorado Assistant Champion

aine Fitzgerald, PGA, Assistant Professional at Meadow Hills Golf Course, won the National Car Rental Colorado Assistant Championship on August 18, 2020, at Saddle Rock Golf Course. Fitzgerald is a 4-time champion of this event with titles in 2005, 2008 and 2011. Fitzgerald has other notable accomplishments in the Colorado PGA, as well. In 2012, he was named the Colorado PGA Professional Champion. The Dow Finsterwald Colorado Section PGA Player of the Year was awarded to him in 2013 and 2019. This year, Fitzgerald had the opportunity to be paired with top players in the Section and previous winners of the National Car Rental Assistant Championship. Ben Lanting, PGA, Bear Creek Golf Club, is a two-time defending champion, winning in 2018 and 2019. Geoff Keffer, PGA, Assistant Professional at Lakewood Country Club, won three years in a row - 2013, 2014 and 2015. In a field of 40 players, the left-handed Fitzgerald made his mark with an impressive 8-under-par 64 in the first round, carding 8 birdies and an eagle.

Lanting was at 4-under-par 68 at the end of the first day. Though playing with defending champions, Fitzgerald had more fun than one might consider as he played with some of his good friends, and commented, “I played very well. I hit well most of the day and putted well. It added up to a very good day. It is fun to play good golf and watch good golf - one lends itself to the other. You feed off of good energy and we saw a lot of good golf shots. It was a great day with some really good people.” On day two, though, Fitzgerald started with some nerves, knowing it is hard to back up a good first round with a second one. “I started off a little shaky, not my best off the first tee. It was a little sloppy. I didn’t hit it the way I wanted. I felt a little nervy, like I just was not comfortable. But I birdied the second hole, which settled me down a little bit. Ben came out blazing. It was awesome. He really put the pressure on. I didn’t hit a good tee shot on 5. Ben had a good one. Easily, if he makes it and I miss, it would have been a tie game. But I made an eightfoot putt for par and that really settled me in for the day.”

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Tournament News Lanting started the second round with three birdies on the first four holes. Unfortunately, he had a double and a triple bogey on eight and 10, which resulted in finishing second overall with a 4-under par. Lanting comments, “Hats off to Caine. He played so solid the last two days. He earned it.” Fitzgerald finished the second round with a 5-under-par 67. He dominated the field with a total score of 13-under-par 131, which was 9 strokes ahead of the rest of the field. Keffer, who claimed third place, commented, “It was fun to watch Caine. That was the best I’ve seen him play, both days.” Coming in fourth was Ryan Wrobleswski, PGA, Assistant Professional at Cherry Hills Country Club. The top four earned qualifying spots into the National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida, on November 12-15, 2020. Filling the four alternate spots, in order of selection, are Grant Jackson, PGA, Assistant Professional at Saddle Rock Golf Course; Christopher Hyten, PGA, Assistant Professional at Castle Pines Golf Club; Jack Cavanagh, Assistant Professional at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve; and Jeff Carter, PGA, Assistant Professional at Murphy Creek Golf Course. Saddle Rock Golf Course had fantastic conditions for the Championship. Many thanks to Head Professional, Zane Zwemke, for hosting the event and also to Golf Course Superintendent, Kevin Kallas. Click here for the complete results.

Sherry Andonian, PGA, Teaching Professional at Valley Country Club, caddied for Fitzgerald and Keffer.

National Car Rental Colorado Assistant Professional Championship Saddle Rock Golf Course, August 17-18, 2020 1 2 3 4

Caine Fitzgerald Ben Lanting Goeff Keffer Ryan Wroblewski

64-67--131 -13 68-72--140 -4 70-74--144 E 72-73--145 +1

Alternates - in order 5 6 7 8

Grant Jackson Christopher Hyten Jack Cavanagh Jeff Carter

75-72--147 +3 74-74--148 +4 76-73--149 +5 76-76-152 +8

Qualifiers for the 2020 National Car Rental Assistant Professional Championship (Joining Fitzgerald) PGA Golf Club | Port St. Lucie, Florida | November 12-15, 2020

Ben Lanting, PGA Bear Creek Golf Club

September 2020

Geoff Keffer, PGA Lakewood Country Club

Ryan Wrobleswski Cherry Hills Country Club

Tournament News

Qualifiers for the 2020 Senior PGA Professional Championship PGA Golf Club - Wanamaker | Port St. Lucie, Florida | October 15-18, 2020

Jeff Hanson, PGA Red Sky Golf Club

Micah Rudosky, PGA Conquistador Golf Course

Doug Rohrbaugh, PGA The Snowmass Club

Bill Hancock, PGA Littleton Golf & Tennis

Michael Zaremba, PGA Desert Hawk

Dale Smigelsky, PGA Life Member

John Ogden, PGA Cherry Hills Country Club

The SUMMIT

Tournament News

Dow Finsterwald Colorado PGA OMEGA Player of the Year Place and Player Facility POY Points 1 | Geoff Keffer Lakewood Country Club 6,569 2 | Caine Fitzgerald Meadow Hills Golf Course 3,964 3 | Ben Lanting Bear Creek Golf Club 3,406 4 | Grant Jackson Saddle Rock Golf Course 2,623.4 5 | Chris Johnson The Country Club at Woodmoor 2,305.41 6 | Jason Witczak The Club at Pradera 2,280.7 7 | Dale Smigelsky Life Member 2,100 8 | Mike Weingartner Walnut Creek Golf Preserve 2,021.75 9 | Bill Hancock Littleton Golf & Tennis Club 1,944.5 10 | Tyler Parsloe Jake's Academy 1,866 11 | Ron Vlosich Life Member 1,855 12 | Doug Rohrbaugh The Snowmass Club 1,762.5 13 | Micah Rudosky Conquistador Golf Course 1,710 14 | Barry Milstead Valley Country Club 1,515.5 15 | Jeramy Curry The Links Golf Course 1,448.34 16 | Kirk Trowbridge MetaGolf Learning Center 1,444.9 17 | Remington Post Full Circle Golf 1,337.5 The top 17 Players will earn an exemption into the CoBank Colorado Open in 2021.

Colorado PGA Women’s Player of the Year

Place and Player Facility POY Points 1 | Sherry Andonian Valley Country Club 1,675.5 2 | Alexandra Braga Denver Country Club 600 3 | Kristyn Crippen Cherry Hills Country Club 525 4 | Tara Morris Country Club at Castle Pines 200 5 | Sonny Scheer Country Club at Castle Pines 150 6 | Maggie Hartman Experience Golf 137 7 | Kayla O’Keefe Blackstone Country Club 125

Senior Colorado PGA OMEGA Player of the Year

Colorado PGA Associate Player of the Year

Place and Player Facility POY Points 1 | Mark Franz Saddle Rock Golf Course 1,410.36 2 | Dan Augustine The Club at Ravenna 1,272 3 | Ben Lanting Bear Creek Golf Club 890.5 4 | Seth Zacks The Club at Ravenna 871.25 5 | Brandon Wood Saddle Rock Golf Course 763.33 6 | Robert Cooley Aurora Hills Golf Course 644.67 7 | Jack Cavanagh Walnut Creek Golf Preserve 560 8 | Zach Dobrota Copper Creek Golf Club 541 9 | Austin Umland Collindale Golf Course 515.5 10 | Jackie Cunningham Valley Country Club 432

September 2020

Colorado PGA Jr. League

Colorado PGA Jr. League Summer Season Comes to a Close Are you ready for fall?

ith the official PGA Jr. League postseason canceled, the Colorado PGA decided to still host a State Championship for the PGA Jr. League players. The Colorado PGA Jr. League Summer 13U Season Finale was held on August 22 - 23 at the Pinery Country Club. Coaches created teams of eight players. Those eight players were then divided into groups of two to compete in a two-person stroke-play scramble. The team score was composed of the lowest three scores out of the four scores. Teams could choose to participate on either Saturday, Sunday or both days. On Saturday, Team 1 from The Club at Pradera came out victorious with a team score of 91, a 12-shot lead over The City of Auroraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Team 1, who claimed second. The Harmony Club took third place. On Sunday, with a team total of 93, Team 1 from The Club at Pradera again claimed the title over their Team 2 by 17 shots. The Harmony Club again claimed the third-place title. Even though the summer PGA Jr. League Season has come to an end, it is not too late to have a PGA Jr. League program at your facility. The fall PGA Jr. League is just getting started. Contact us for more information about hosting a fall PGA Jr. League. So far, those who have put together a program have seen an overwhelmingly positive turnout. Our kids simply need activities, and PGA Jr. League is a great way to provide them a healthy and responsible team golf-format. Congratulations to all the players, captains and coaches for a great PGA Jr. League season in Colorado!

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

The SUMMIT

Colorado PGA Jr. League

Saturday Results: Winning Team Pictured Above

Sunday Results: Winning Team Pictured Below

Pradera Team 1 91 Aurora 1 103 Harmony Club 104 Indian Tree 112 Aurora 2 113 Black Bear 113 Pradera Team 2 115 Pelican Lakers 116 Pelilcan Aces 117 Pradera Team 3 119

Pradera Team 1 93 Pradera Team 2 110 Harmony Club 117 Pradera Team 3 122 Valley Country Club 126 Pro Link Golf 131 Black Bear Team 2 133 Black Bear Team 1 138 Pro Link/DUGC 139

September 2020

Membership News

An update on our Colorado PGA Members By the Numbers Members - 758 | Associates - 105 | Total - 863 Male Members - 815 | Female Members - 48

125 – Management positions (MP, A-4, A-9, A-11, A-13) 301 – Club Professionals (A-1, A-2, A-7, A-8) 118 – Instructors (A-6, A-10, A-12, A-14) 25 – Expanded Career Paths (A-15 thru A-24) 139 – 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 Nathaniel M. Cooley, PGA | A-8 | Murphy Creek Golf Course Thomas W. Hensel, PGA | A-8 | Eaton Country Club Ethan R. Neumann, PGA | A-8 | Vail Golf Club Kala A. Rusk, PGA | A-8 | The Links at Cobble Creek

Associates

Classification or Location Changes in Colorado

Colorado PGA Members are always on the move. The following members have changed classification or location within the Colorado PGA. We wish them the best of luck. Mitchell T. Nielsen, PGA | LMA | previously at Willis Case Golf Course Steve Patterson, PGA | LMA | previously at Hiwan Golf Club Alexander C. Gough | B-8 | Willis Case Golf Course | previously at Cherry Creek Country Club

Welcome Wagon

On the Move

Specialized Professionals

Obituaries

Our deepest sympathies to the family who experienced a loss recently. Rick Graves, PGA | August 22, 2020, at age 74.

The SUMMIT

Membership News

Happy Birthday! September 1 Jonathan D. Atencio Micah R. Rudosky, PGA Tray D. Shehee, PGA September 2 Al Pryor, PGA September 3 Tristen B. Fay, PGA John R. Lynch, PGA September 4 Robert L. Haldeen, PGA Andrew D. Hilts, PGA September 5 Graham T. Cliff, PGA Erin E. Diegel, PGA Ty Thompson, PGA

September 15 Samantha A. Crawford Luke A. Lucero

October 1 Bryce Bervig, PGA Jacob G. O’Dell, PGA

September 17 Jim A. Edfors, PGA Kent Heusinkveld, PGA Behrod B. Keshtavar

October 3 David A. Brown, PGA Grant D. Jackson, PGA Jordan S. Londer, PGA

September 18 Jerred P. McKinney, PGA September 19 Randy C. Burross, PGA Leslie J. Core-Drevecky, PGA Matthew R. Magley, PGA Tyler A. Peterson, PGA Lonnie Reed, PGA September 20 Alicia E. Bakken

September 6 Dow H. Finsterwald Sr., PGA

September 21 Remington D. Post, PGA

September 7 Cory M. Boillot, PGA Will K. Parker, PGA Tyson J. Spratt Rich M. Zulkoski, PGA

September 22 Eric M. Goettsch, PGA John P. Kienast, PGA Tim Stevens, PGA

September 8 Anthony B. Chesla, PGA Jeffrey Trace Kea, PGA Bob Lewis, PGA Craig S. Parzybok, PGA Kurt O. Zolbe, PGA September 9 Robert P. Cherry, PGA Nathan L. Corsbie, PGA Zachary J. Dobrota Benjamin E. Spiers, PGA Michael E. Stubblefield, PGA September 10 Andy Benson, PGA

October 4 William J. Bernhardt, PGA Kayla M. O’Keefe October 5 Jonathan Arnold, PGA Peter D. Hymes, PGA Scott R. Ough, PGA Derek J. Rush, PGA October 6 Brad A. Thorberg, PGA October 7 Sam G. Broome, PGA October 8 Nathan P. Gruda

September 23 Geoffrey R. Hiland, PGA Randy Kahn, PGA

October 9 Phil Gerster, PGA David W. Heinly, PGA

September 24 Stan Fenn, PGA Austin J. Thomas, PGA

October 12 Jaime M. MacDonald, PGA

September 25 John T. Rogala, PGA Brett J. Walton, PGA September 26 Tyler J. Lowry September 27 Robert T. Nelson, PGA

September 11 Jason T. Young, PGA

September 28 Tyler J. Aynes, PGA Luke P. Lemon

September 12 James D. Davidson, PGA Steven J. Grove, PGA Daniel Harvanek, PGA Alec B. Simmons, PGA

September 29 Vincent J. Downie, PGA Peer E. Finstad, PGA Joshua G. Miller, PGA Austin C. Vannice

September 14 Richard J. Hartman, PGA

September 2020

October 13 Zachary L. Lambeck, PGA Rynk M. Strothers, PGA October 14 Caine L. Fitzgerald, PGA Rick Graves, PGA Jeff C. Hanson, PGA Stewart G. Koch, PGA Ethan R. Neumann, PGA October 15 Sherry Andonian, PGA Michael E. Northern, PGA October 16 Chad J. Miller, PGA

October 18 Matthew B. Kloppenburg, PGA October 20 Nick B. Welch, PGA October 22 Daniel J. Lee, PGA October 23 Matthew S. Weiss, PGA J R Hamblet, PGA Jacqueline M. Cunningham Stephen J. Arendt, PGA October 24 James R. Owens, PGA October 25 Steven Bruening, PGA Gregory Bryan, PGA Gregg C. Jones, PGA Todd W. McKittrick, PGA Tara G. Morris, PGA October 26 Jay A. Ewing, PGA Eugene Miranda, PGA Dominic D. Principato, PGA October 27 Bryan R. Marshall Grant Wittenwyler, PGA Craig S. Vollmar, PGA October 28 Donald A. Fox, PGA October 29 Benjamin D. Pilon, PGA Stan Sayers, PGA Patrick M. Tait, PGA October 30 Judy Begin-Sloan, PGA Ross W. McLean, PGA Kevin C. Montano, PGA Gary R. Washington, PGA October 31 Jeremy Beck, PGA Frank J. Jacobson, PGA Kala A. Rusk, PGA

October 17 Mitch L. Rambin, PGA Geoffrey J. Strasser, PGA Narudol P. Yoadjarust, PGA

The SUMMIT - Colorado PGA Magazine - September 2020

Articles inside

Membership News

Fitzgerald Claims Title as 2020 National Car Rental Colorado Assistant Champion

Keffer Wins the Colorado PGA Professional Championship

Colorado PGA REACH News

Quarter Century Club Inductee - Anne Kelly

Nick Clearwater - Teacher of the Year Award

Mark Bacheldor - Professional Development Award

Scott Erwin - Bill Strausbaugh Award

Joe Assell - Warren Smith Award

Board Elects O’Donnell To Be Its Next Secretary

District Director Report/PGA of America News

Half-Century Club Inductee - Clayton Cole

Presidents Report