Letter From The ED

Jon Guhl Executive Director

Speaking of which, I am looking forward to our 2nd Annual PGA REACH Pro-Am at TPC Potomac! This is a perfect event to raise needed monies for our Foundation and PGA HOPE. We have an amazing site at TPC Potomac. We want you, our PGA professionals, to bring three amateurs who love golf and want to support the cause. They will get plenty of tee gifts and food. It will be a 10 am shotgun. CLICK HERE to register.

Have you signed up for deferred compensation? PGA Members can potentially earn up to $1,500 a year to a deferred compensation fund by participating in a combination of 16 activities. I know that the younger you are, the more beneficial this program will be. But even if you are on the back nine like me, I wouldn’t mind having $15-$30,000 waiting for me at age 65, just to help to grow the game, which has always been our mission! Go to p.ga/dc to sign up, the program starts April 1st!

On the employment front, I hope you have been able to have some good, honest discussions at your facility about the hiring market. The workforce has changed, possibly permanently. Just because we used to work from sunup to sundown 6 days a week, doesn’t mean that it is the correct way to do it now. Just because we paid an entry-level assistant $30K a while back, doesn’t mean we can get that person now for the same price. If you ask your leaders at the club how they are treating their employees at their businesses, I guarantee it is much different than it used to be, and in the employees’ favor. We need to ensure that the same thought process is applied to our golf facility employees. Weekend days off should not be off the table. Quality of life is important. Now, not every facility can snap their fingers and make changes overnight. But those conversations need to happen at your facilities. It is our intent to keep having those discussions at Section and Chapter meetings. If we can’t ask for more resources now, when the golf industry is thriving, when will we ever be able to ask for them?

I hope you have a wonderful season and that you make more time to play golf! I would love to see you at our tournaments, but even just playing more recreational golf with your members/patrons will fill your cups and help you remember why you love this game!

Warm regards,

Jon Guhl MAPGA Executive Director

The Middle Atlantic PGA is proud to announce the late Paul Michaelian and Rick Schuller as its newest honorees for the MAPGA Hall of Fame. They will become the 59th and 60th members of the MAPGA Hall of Fame in the Spring of 2024.

Paul was born in Plainfield, New Jersey to Charlie and Joan Michaelian. His father introduced him to golf at Williamsburg CC. He was allowed to pull his dad’s cart and occasionally attempt a shot or two, but it was more exciting for Paul to get a cheeseburger from Lois (clubhouse cook), or a soft vanilla cone from the “Ice Cream Hut” on the way home, which hooked him on golf.

Paul’s first work experience in golf was at Williamsburg Country Club as the cart boy for Pete Britton, Jr. making $2/hour and all the range balls he wanted to hit, as long as he picked them up. Fourteen-year-old Paul loved it from the start. After graduating from Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, NC with a BS in Business Administration in 1984, Paul began his professional career in golf back at Williamsburg CC as an Assistant Professional. He relocated to Richmond in 1987 to be an Assistant Professional at The Country Club of Virginia. In 1989, Paul was elected to membership in The PGA and promoted to Head PGA Professional at CCV’s Westhampton Course. In 1996, Paul was again promoted, this time to be the Head PGA Professional at CCV’s James River and Tuckahoe Creek Golf Courses. In 2000, he moved on to become the Head PGA Professional at Meadowbrook Country Club in Richmond, and three years later was selected to be the Head PGA Professional at The Princess Anne Country Club in Virginia Beach. Paul stayed at PACC for 13 years.

Paul first served the MAPGA and the Southern Chapter in late 1995, when he was elected Secretary of the Southern Chapter. After two years, he was elected to be their President and in 1999, Paul was elected Section Secretary. On November 3, 2003, Paul was elected as MAPGA President. He served as the chair and as a member of numerous committees during his time with the Section. Paul was honored as the MAPGA Professional of the Year in 2003, the Section’s highest annual honor for the consummate PGA Professional. He also received the 1994 MAPGA Professional Development Award, honoring him for outstanding service and contributions in the areas of education and professional development for fellow PGA Professionals.

Paul served the National PGA as a delegate for many Annual Meetings and on the PGA Board of Control from 2011-2015. In that role, Paul was one of 4 PGA Members to study, learn and help adjudicate issues with specific PGA Professionals. In total, Paul reviewed hundreds of cases each year, always trying to help his fellow PGA Professionals.

Paul Michaelian passed away on February 14, 2023 and leaves behind a lasting legacy in the Middle Atlantic PGA Section.

RICK SCHULLER, PGA Meadowbrook Country Club

Schuller, 60, has been an outstanding player in the Section for many years. Rick won the Section Championship 4 times (’03, ’04, ’09, ’13) and was Section Player of the Year 5 times (’98, ’04, ’07, ’09, ’14) and Senior Player of the Year 7 times (’13, ’15, ’17, ’20, ’21, ’22, ’23). In 2009, Rick won both the National Match Play and the National Stroke Play on the way to winning National Player of the Year honors. He also won the National Match Play in 2006, and 2011. He played in the National Club Pro Championship 15 times, and the PGA Championship 3 times (2001, 2003, 2016). He also played in 3 Senior PGA Championships, a US Amateur (1984) and two US Opens.

Rick’s list of playing accomplishments extensive, with over 100 wins in MAPGA Section events and qualifiers.

Rick’s career started in northern Virginia as an assistant professional at a few locations, before moving to Richmond in 2001. He spent a few years as the Head Professional at CC of Petersburg and River’s Bend G&CC, before moving into a teaching role, where he currently teaches at Meadowbrook CC.

The Section is incredibly honored and proud to select these two gentlemen for induction to the MAPGA Hall of Fame in early 2024. Please share our congratulations to these two fine examples of MAPGA Professionals!