MESSAGE FROM NEPGA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The end of winter is in sight...isn’t it? One year ago at this time New England golfers were asking one another “how many rounds have you played so far this year?” This year we are asking “how much time have you spent on the slopes?” What a difference one year can make. March is the month when many PGA Professionals report back to their facilities, hopefully recharged and energized for the new golf season. We witnessed much enthusiasm at the 2013 Boston Golf Expo on March 1 – 3, when over 50 NEPGA Professionals assisted in giving hundreds of 10 minute tune ups to amateurs and free lessons to junior golfers. It was great to see our PGA Professionals each doing their part to grow the game! Last year was a very successful year for the New England PGA and we are planning to pick up right where we left off. Tournament participation was up 17% in 2012, the Junior Tour witnessed the largest membership increase in years, rounds were up, spirits were up and the overall feeling of the industry seemed to be improving. There are some very exciting programs and opportunities in the New England Section in 2013, so be on the look out over the next few weeks and I encourage you to get involved! During the “off season” the New England PGA Section Board of Directors and Staff have been working very hard to prepare for the upcoming season. We have experienced a very active employment season and there has been quite a bit of movement in the New England Section. The Facility Relations Committee has been actively meeting with facilities to assist with the hiring of a PGA Professional, working with PGA Members to improve compensation, prepare for job interviews and improve their situations. I cannot stress enough how valuable the Compensation Survey is, and how much ammo it provides the Committee during negotiations. This is for your benefit and the more PGA Professionals that complete the Compensation Survey the more data we will have, and the better prepared we will be. I urge you to please take a few minutes to complete the survey prior to the March 15 deadline. The Section Spring Meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 9th where we will once again invite our Section Sponsors to attend and join our PGA Professionals for Sponsor Appreciation Day. Please clear your schedule and attend the meeting, and if possible to join your fellow PGA Professionals and sponsors for the Sponsor Appreciation Day Pro-Am following the meeting. I know when many of us look outside our windows it does not appear that the golf season is right around the corner, but it will be here before we know it.
NEPGA Officers Jim Noris, PGA President jnorisdcpc@aol.com Larry Kelley, PGA Vice President larry@fivestargolfcars.com Susan Bond, PGA Sec-Treasurer cslcbond@aol.com Steve Demmer, PGA Honorary President sdemmer@kittansett.org
NEPGA Staff Michael J. Higgins Executive Director mhiggins@pgahq.com Dave McAdams Tournament Director dmcadams@pgahq.com Joan Stuart Accounting/Finance Director jstuart@pgahq.com Ron Green, PGA Rules & Championships Senior Director rgreen@pgahq.com Jacy Settles Junior Golf Operations Manager jsettles@pgahq.com Chapter Tournament Managers Dave Christy, PGA (VT) dchristy@pgahq.com Tony Decker, PGA (ME) tdecker@pgahq.com
Enjoy the last few weeks of winter and I look forward to seeing you in the spring.
Mickey Herron, PGA (CC/RI) mherron@pgahq.com
Respectfully,
Frank Swierz (NH) f.swierz@comcast.net
Michael Higgins Executive Director New England PGA
CONTENTS
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Front Nine
Member News
2013 GOLF EXPO BOSTON HIGHLIGHTS
OPEN FORUM CRACKER BARREL
PGA MEMBER BENEFITS
A Massachusetts Chapter Open Forum cracker barrel will be held on Monday, March 18 at The Harmon Golf & Fitness Club from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. PGA members in attendance will earn 3 MSR credits in the Education Category. The cost is $25 to attend; lunch is included. Click here to register!
As a PGA Professional, there is a wide range of benefits, service and resources available to you and your facility. We encourage you to visit the PGA Benefits section on PGALinks.com, as new offerings are added frequently. Click here for more information on the professional side of NEPGA.com.
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NEPGA TOURNAMENT NEWS For those of us who are not lucky enough to have escaped to a warmer place, I hope you are surviving our New England winter. It really is like winter this year, isn’t it? I have fulfilled my quota for shoveling already. That said we are starting to experience longer days that will soon turn warmer and allow some green grass to start showing. Get ready; it’s almost time to crank it up for another year. We will be back to playing golf in no time, I hope!
TAYLORMADE PRODUCT SEMINAR A special 2013 product training and fitting seminar will be held at Granite Links Golf Club on Thursday, March 7, 2013. You will have the opportunity to learn and experience the next great game changing products from TaylorMade and adidas Golf scheduled to launch this year. Special guests will include Benoit Vincent, Chief Technical Officer, Head of R&D at TaylorMade Adidas Golf, Dean Snell, Senior Director of R&D Golf Balls and Parker Stevenson, Adidas Global Footwear product manager.
While we wait for that white stuff to disappear, I want to take a couple of minutes to whet your appetite (sort of like Spring Training) for the upcoming season. It should be a great one, highlighted by our New England PGA Professional Championship at the marvelous Wannamoisett and Ledgemont Country Clubs in Rhode Island. The New England Open will continue its return to prominence at its new home, the demanding Belmont Country Club. More details in the coming months on those and a host of other Championships, Invitationals and other events we will be conducting in 2013.
Lunch for all attendees from 12:00 – 1:00 and the presentation will begin at 1:00.
But for now, let’s talk about what is just a little over a month away.
RI CHAPTER EDUCATION SEMINAR
April 10 at Andover Country Club is the official kick-off to another season, following the NEPGA Spring Meeting; we will ease into our competitive schedule with our Pro-Sponsor event. Last year, Marshfield’s James Antonelli and TaylorMade’s Jamie Griffiths teamed up for the W. Later in April, we return to one of our most popular venues, Thorny Lea Golf Club for our first Section Pro-Am. A few days later, we travel across the bridges to Cape Cod and the unique rolling terrain of the Woods Hole Golf Club, another opportunity for you to get out and play some early season golf with your members. The first Championship in 2013 will be contested at Lebaron Hills Country Club, who will once again be the host site for our Pro-Pro Match Play Championship. We will be back next month with more details on the above events and what else is coming up. You can check out the entire NEPGA tournament schedule and start registering for events on the nepga.com website beginning on March 15. It should be a great season, hopefully Mother Nature is kinder to us than she has been to the PGA TOUR so far, I seriously don’t need any wind, fog, or especially, snow delays to deal with! Hope you all are as excited as I am to get started; I look forward to seeing many of you in all parts of New England in the coming months. See you down the road, Greenie
Details Thursday, March 7th 12:00 – 3:00 Lunch will be served from 12:00 – 1:00 Presentation will be from 1:00 – 3:00 You will earn 4 MSR POINTS for coming, so please make sure you click here to RSVP.
An education seminar on “Hardgoods in 2013 and Beyond: Sell-Through Techniques and Best Practices in Golf Club Sales” will be held on Tuesday, April 2, 2013 from 8:30am-1:00pm at Kirkbrae Country Club in Lincoln, RI. The seminar is sponsored by: Callaway Golf (Peter Guild), Cleveland Golf (Brittany Roberts and Matt Howard), Cobra Golf (Clem Lamarre), Nike Golf (Mike Daron), PING (Shannon Johnson), TaylorMade Golf (Gary Rencurrel) and Titleist (David Moynihan). Join the RI Chapter as we discuss Best Practices and Techniques in the sell-through of Hardgoods. In today's market, setting yourself apart is vital to conducting fruitful hardgood sales. We will explore various topics, including Demo Club Practices, Using Clubfitting as a Sales Tool, Differentiating Yourself from the "Box Store" and more in an open session where everyone can ask the questions they want to ask. As an added bonus, all of our sponsors and their representatives have agreed to be in attendance--before, during and after the event--and will answer your questions pertaining to their products and the hardgoods business. The schedule is: 8:30-9:00 Registration 9:00-12:15 Session 12:15-1:00 Lunch Weather permitting, there will be the opportunity to play golf afterwards at Kirkbrae for those who are interested. The fee for this seminar is $20 (lunch is included) and all attendees must register at NEPGA.com by Saturday, March 30th. All PGA members will receive 3 MSR points. For more information, please contact Mike Bradshaw, PGA at Kirkbrae CC, 401-333-1303 or pgapro@kirkbrae.com. Click HERE to register online! 3
MICHAEL BREED LEADS A SUCCESSFUL 2013 NEW ENGLAND PGA TEACHING SUMMIT “Let’s Do This”. If you follow golf you know the phrase and it is synonymous with Michael Breed, PGA. But it’s more than just a catch phrase; it is the epitome of the man. New England Section Professionals and a few select friends were able to experience the Golf Channel star up close and personal on Monday, March 4 at the Cyprian Keyes Golf Club. The host of “The Golf Fix” showed what has made him one of the great ambassadors of the game, as well as an advocate for his fellow PGA Professionals. While Breed’s knowledge of the golf swing and ways to teach it are obvious, it is the energy and engaging way that he presents that knowledge that makes him so unique. To say the man has enthusiasm for what he is doing isn’t doing the term justice. When you start a presentation at 9 AM and are still going strong past the scheduled 3 PM conclusion, and are more than willing to stay and chat with your fellow Professionals afterward, that just about says it all. Did I mention instead of taking a lunch break like the attendees, he hung out at the front of the room and talked with anyone who had questions or comments from the morning portion of the presentation?
hard to create an opportunity to be able to present his thoughts. You don’t just call the Golf Channel and say I’d like to have a few hours every week to share my thoughts and ideas. As incredibly talented as he is in helping people to play and enjoy the game he is equally as talented in engaging people. A couple of days before our Teaching Summit I had the opportunity to witness Michael interacting with people/fans at the Boston Golf Expo. The man is a rock star; several very excited people (youngsters and adults) came by our PGA Booth to ask where he was appearing. Later in the day I took a walk down to where he would be doing his presentation and there were people lined up, waiting to have him sign copies of his previously mentioned books, many also asked if he would take a picture with them. It was like a PGA TOUR player was in the house. He spent the entire day at the Expo giving three presentations, talking and signing books. I first saw him around 10 AM and when I last saw him in the early afternoon his attitude, enthusiasm and most importantly his interaction with the people was exactly the same. He completely engaged with each and every person giving them his undivided attention. He truly is a “brand” unto himself and he shared some invaluable thoughts and ideas on what we all should be doing to make ourselves stand out from the rest.
Attendees were treated to Breed’s thoughts on the mechanics of the Whether you agree or disagree with swing and how to communicate them. everything that was presented, the He also shared his thoughts on putting See more pictures from the Summit on page 8... different aspects of the swing and putand how his extensive research on the ting techniques, we were all challenged subject has inspired him to write a to become not just better instructors, but better people. Of all book, “The 3-Degree Putting Solution: The Comprehensive, the statements that Michael made during his presentation the Scientifically Proven Guide to Better Putting.” This is the secone that stood out the most to me was, “the one thing that ond book he has had published; the first was with Greg Midbothers me more than anything, is when I hear another PGA land, and was titled “The Picture Perfect Golf Swing: The Professional ripping a fellow Professional for the way he teachComplete Guide to Golf Swing Video Analysis”. es.” As Michael put it, no one way is right, and no one way is One of the things you realize as you listen to Breed speak, he wrong. Don’t waste your time saying bad things about somedoes have his own theories on what is the most efficient way one else and their methods to try and steal their business. to swing the club and the most concise way to teach those Make people want to come to you for their next lesson betheories. However, he made it abundantly clear that he undercause you have taken the time to create a positive learning stands that his way, is not the only way, and he challenged eveenvironment and developed your own teaching style and theoryone in attendance to develop their own theories and the ries that will make them better. best ways of communicating them. Find and create something It seems like we could use that theory in the way we go about that makes you unique. our everyday life doesn’t it. If we get up each day and do the Unique, a word that I have used several times to describe best we can we will have been a success. Breed, and making an effort to create a brand and an image So, “Let’s Do This”. that is unique and directly identifiable to you was the way he closed his presentation. Ron Green, PGA As hard as he has worked to become a respected Professional and innovative instructor of the game, he has worked just as
Director of Rules & Competitions
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WELCOME, NEW MEMBERS!
NEW ENGLAND GREEN SEMINAR The USGA Green Section, GCSANE and MGA are once again teaming up to host the New England Green Section Seminar being held at Blue Hill Country Club in Canton, MA on Tuesday, March 26, 2013.
Newly-elected member, Michael West, PGA, recently filled out our New Member Questionnaire. Continue reading to learn more about one of our newest members!
Michael West, PGA Elected into Membership: Jan. 29, 2013
Geared towards the needs and challenges of the green committee chairpersons and club officials, attendees will hear from the USGA Green Section staff and area superintendents as what they do to make the daily golf experience enjoyable and challenging.
Where are you from? Grand Rapids, Michigan Where did you attend college? Lake Superior State University
This one-day seminar is targeted towards green committee chairpersons (and green committee members), superintendents, club managers, golf professionals, presidents and owners. Club board members and interested members and staff are also welcome to attend.
What was your first job in the golf ‘business? Assistant at Stow Acres Country Club Where do you work? Stow Acres Country Club What are your career aspirations? Head Golf Professional Learn more about our new members on the Newly-Elected Members page on NEPGA.com, found under Directories.
The cost per attendee is $50 which includes a networking luncheon at the conclusion of the seminar. PGA members in attendance will earn 5 MSR credits. Click here for more information on this year’s event. Click here to register on the seminar website.
2013 SECTION, CHAPTER & ASSOCIATION SPRING MEETING SCHEDULE Date
Meeting
Location
Time
New Hampshire Chapter
Intervale Country Club Click here for directions.
9am
Tues., April 9th
NEPGA Section
Andover Country Club Click here for directions.
9am
Wed., April 10th
Rhode Island Chapter
Kirkbrae Country Club Click here for directions.
6pm
Thurs., April 11th
Cape Cod Chapter
Sandwich Hollows Click here for directions.
9:30am
Tues., April 16th
Maine Chapter
Val Halla Golf Course Click here for directions.
9am
Thurs., April 18th
Assistants’ Association
TBD
TBD
Tues., April 23rd
Massachusetts Chapter
Myopia Hunt Club Click here for directions.
10am
Fri., April 26th
Seniors’ Association
Middleton Golf Club Click here for directions.
9am
Tues., May 7th
Vermont Chapter
Rutland Country Club Click here for directions.
9am
Thurs., April 4
th
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NEWS FROM YOUR PGA EMPLOYMENT CONSULTANT “OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE” How did you read the headline? You may have read it as “Opportunity is No Where.” Look again, and you will see that is also says “Opportunity is Now Here.” The message is disguised because opportunity itself is usually not obvious. Sometimes, opportunity is where you unexpectedly stumble upon it or in most cases, when you take the initiative to go and find it. Opportunities for improvement are everywhere. However, you must take the initiative in searching for them - reviewing each program you are involved in (and some you are not involved in) is critical for future success. Just like the headline “OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE” you can view life from different aspects. You must not fall into the trap of doing the same mundane tasks in the same mundane manner they have always been done. There is always another approach that could be taken that often leads to a more advantageous result. During these tough economic times if you are continuing to conduct business as you have in the past, YOU are going no-where. The PGA of America provides unique and beneficial initiatives that can help all PGA Professionals become more valuable and relevant to employers and the golf industry. It is important to participate in these programs, all of which you can access on PGALinks.com. As you finalize your plans for the 2013 season, embrace the challenges and changing times of the golf industry and try a new program or two. In-the-box programs like GetGolfReady, PGA Sports Academy, Tee it Forward, among many others can easily revitalize a membership or customer base which generates more revenue for your facility. As the face of golf, the Ambassador of your facility, you can make a difference in 2013!
FREE JR TOUR MEMBERSHIP FOR CHILDREN OF PGA PRO’S! We are offering FREE NEPGA Junior Tour membership to children ages 9-21 of PGA Professionals for the 2013 season! Please submit the completed application (FAX OR MAIL) for each child. Click here to download the application. Please allow two days upon receipt of the application for membership to be processed. Once the membership is processed, you will be emailed a username and password from the BlueGolf Tournament Software. Keep this information in a safe place as this allows one to log in to sign up for tournaments. Note to remember—The user id and password will be sent in all caps (uppercase). You will need to use all lower case when logging in.
2013 PGA Compensation Survey Calling all Chapter members! Your Chapter needs all active Members and Apprentices to participate, so if you have not completed the 2013 Survey, please do your part in helping to create the most complete database of compensation information. You can access the survey from the PGALinks Employment homepage, or click here. 431 PGA Professionals representing the New England Section have NOT completed this year’s survey. As we prepare for the upcoming Annual Spring Meetings at the Chapter level, take the time during break-outs to ask your peers if they’ve helped the Chapter prepare for 2013 contract negotiations! Massachusetts Chapter Cape Cod Chapter New Hampshire Chapter Maine Chapter Vermont Chapter Rhode Island Chapter
188 PGA Professionals 62 PGA Professionals 57 PGA Professionals 56 PGA Professionals 36 PGA Professionals 32 PGA Professionals
Please be assured that the compensation information you provide in the survey is completely anonymous and confidential, and no one sees or has access to your personal information. Also, if you are the lead PGA Professional at your facility, please make sure that all PGA Members and Apprentices on your staff complete the survey as well. PGA Members who complete the survey by mid-March will receive 2 MSR credits (maximum 5 survey credits per MSR cycle year). Your information is invaluable to the Facility Relations Committee and more importantly your fellow PGA Professionals. Michael Packard, PGA Employment Consultant New England, Connecticut & Northeastern NY Sections mpackard@pgahq.com 860.851.9008
PGA SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION Last call to submit the application for the PGA Financial Assistance Fund Scholarship Program!. Please note that the applicant must have a cumulative 3.4 grade point average in either high school or college to be eligible to apply. The online application deadline date and receipt of the transcript is March 15, 2013, 5:00 p.m. Click here for more information. Please keep in mind that for students to be considered for the NEPGA Wemyss Scholarship, they must apply for The PGA of America's Financial Assistance Scholarship. In addition, click here to view tips for searching for available scholarships as well as tips for filling out scholarship applications. Click here to view additional web sites to help you with your search for scholarships.
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Free Golf Lessons for Veterans/Disabled Veterans There will be free lessons on Saturdays during the month of March at Cedar Hill for veterans and disabled veterans group from 10:00 am till 4:00 pm. The remaining dates include Saturday, March 9th and Saturday, March 16th. Each session will be worth 6 MSR hours under Growth of the Game Category. There will also be clinics on Tuesdays at Cedar Hill from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The last event is on Tuesday, March 12th. This session will be worth 3 MSR hours under Growth of the Game Category. Bob Beach, PGA would appreciate some volunteers at each session to help with this most worthwhile endeavor. Help grow the game to our veterans! To volunteer or for more information, please contact Bob Beach at 781-843-6513 or bbeach@braintreema.gov. Visit the “Community Outreach” page on NEPGA.com found under “About Us” to view new volunteer opportunities. Reminder: Check out the “Community Outreach” page on NPEGA.com to see more photos like the ones below!
RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS 2012 PING Regional Club Fitters of the Year Tom and Jean Waters at Essex Country Club as well as Norman White III and TJ White at Sandbaggers Driving Range have been honored as a 2012 PING Regional Club Fitters of the Year, PING announced today. The company, which pioneered custom fitting nearly 40 years ago, recognized the New England PGA members for their commitment to helping golfers of all abilities improve their games through custom fitting. “PING offers more custom-fitting options than ever before with our adjustable driver heads, new shaft combinations, and adjustable-length putters, so it’s vital that we have fitters who are knowledgeable in fitting for every club in the bag,” said John A. Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO. “These members demonstrate their knowledge every day. They are terrific ambassadors for PING’s custom-fitting principles because they work with players of all ability levels to show how a proper fitting is an essential first step to playing better golf and having more fun. For all these reasons, they are very deserving of this recognition.” Nominating Tom and Jean Waters at Essex Country Club for the honor was Bryan Saylor, PING Field Representative for the area. Nominating Norman and TJ White at Sandbaggers Driving Range for the honor was Shannon Johnson, PING Field Representative for the area. Retail Tribe Rainmaker of the Year Award - 2012 Michael Kernicki, PGA Head Professional, Canterbury Golf Club was awarded the inaugural Retail Tribe ‘Rainmaker of the Year Award - 2012’.
Left: Cedar Hill Special Needs Clinic ; Right: Bob Beach, Justin Daley, Brendan Crowley
CLUBS FOR VETS UPDATE! Five golf bags were donated through the Clubs for Vets initiative by Atkinson Country Club. We appreciate your support of this program! Bob Beach, PGA needs your help to provide golf clubs and bags to veterans who have served our country and put their lives on the line. If you are able to donate to Clubs for Vets), please contact Bob at 781-843-6513 or bbeach@braintreema.gov.
In 2012, Michael showcased the true meaning of being a Rainmaker. He continually generated increased participation in golf and club events. He inspired more golfers to want to play better golf and more golf; generating increased lessons, clinic participation and rounds on the course. Michael is growing the game. This is good for his golf facility, his business and the golf industry as a whole. If any professional in the Section receives recognition or an award, let us know! We would like to share this accomplishment with the entire Section.
DID YOU KNOW? We are now featuring our newly-registered apprentices on NEPGA.com. Visit the "Newly Registered Apprentices" page on the Section website listed under the Directories menu to view a running list of new apprentices and to learn more about them in our Q & A section. We are currently featuring NEPGA apprentice, Mark Anderson. Click here to learn more about Mark! 7
OUTSIDE THE ROPES The NEPGA is introducing a new feature about the Section's PGA Professionals giving back to their communities called "Outside the Ropes". If you have a story to share that might inspire other Professionals to become involved in charitable endeavors, contact Joan at jstuart@pgahq.com to request a questionnaire. This month, we’re featuring Rick Johnson, PGA of West Barnstable, MA.
Devin Beck, PGA A-8, Wannamoisett Country Club I recently completed an 8 day trip to Haiti with the non-profit group Executives Without Borders. In Haiti, I took part in numerous meetings with high up officials in the country about the program: Ramase Lajan or "From Trash to Cash." I also helped with all tasks regarding the program throughout most of the country. I visited an orphanage for a day and helped with the children there. I am currently in Africa for 5 weeks and the last 12 days will be volunteering in an underprivileged village in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. I will assist with the local schools and orphanages in any way I can. I am also a Big-Brother in the Big Brothers of Rhode Island Foundation.
Devin at an orphanage in Haiti.
Devin Beck and Jeff Pelletier at a plastic recycling center in Haiti.
A GLANCE INSIDE THE 2013 NEPGA TEACHING SUMMIT
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CHAPTER & ASSOCIATION NEWS CAPE COD CHAPTER CAPE CHAPTER NAMES NEW JUNIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION MANAGER The Cape Cod Chapter of the NEPGA is pleased to announce the hiring of its first of two co-managers of the CC Junior Golf Association – Mr. Mike Serijan, Harwich, MA. Serijan, a 1995 Clemson graduate has held numerous positions within the golf industry, most notably, Nichols College golf coach in the early 90’s and presently Exec. Director of the NEIGA (New England Intercollegiate Golf Association). Mike will oversee the Junior Golf Association which had nearly 400 junior members in 2012. He also proudly holds the 2011 Blue Rock GC Club Championship trophy! Welcome Mike. He can be reached at mike@neiga.org or by phone: 508-847-8700 for further information. A total of 12 $500 scholarships were awarded CCJGA high school senior members last summer to assist with financing college educations. Since the inception of the CCJGA in 1993, almost $100,000 has been awarded deserving young golfers who have moved through the association ranks. SPRING MEETING SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 11TH… SANDWICH HOLLOWS The annual Spring Meeting for all Cape Chapter members and apprentices is scheduled for Thursday, April 11th – 9:30 AM at Sandwich Hollows GC (Exit 3). Among many interesting topics to be discussed, the Chapter will officially present plaques to all the award winners, review the upcoming tournament schedule, and welcome new members to the Chapter. The meeting will be sponsored by Jeff DiBona Golf Sales. Jeff represents Fairway & Greene and Zero Restriction outerwear. Jeff has also committed to sponsoring the fall meeting, scheduled for Oct. 23rd. Thank You, Jeff! WELCOME… Willowbend Club’s new PGA Head Professional, Mike Vidal & Wianno Club’s new PGA Head Professional, Eric Steindell. TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE GOES LIVE ON BLUEGOLF – MARCH 15TH ! Tournament Chairman Jesse Schechtman and Tournament Manager Mick Herron have completed the 2013 schedule and wish to thank all the upcoming hosts and sponsors for their cooperation and interest making our events better and better for pros and their amateur partners. All events may be accessed on BLUE GOLF immediately and will open live registration for all events beginning March 15th. PLEASE SIGN UP EARLY…THERE IS NO FINE FOR CANCELLING ANY REGISTRATION UP TO FOUR DAYS PRIOR. Signing up early ensures that a certain degree of momentum
and interest by others builds from there. Signing up late only discourages others from signing up during the run-up to each event. CALLAWAY – PETER GUILD – TITLE SPONSOR FOR CHAPTER AGAIN IN 2013 For the 5th consecutive year, Callaway Golf Sales Representative Peter Guild is the Chapters’ title sponsor for 4 events in 2013. His support in terms of added money includes: THE CHAPTER CHAMPIONSHIP, THE MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP, THE ISLAND CLASSIC and new in 2013, THE CALLAWAY PRO PRO to be held at Allendale in June, which is paired with Rhode Island’s CALLAWAY PRO PRO at Ledgemont, July 8th. Thank You, Peter. Mickey Herron, PGA NEPGA Tournament Operations Cape Cod Chapter mherron@pgahq.com
MASSACHUSETTS CHAPTER By now many of you are back to work or will be going back very shortly and that means the season is coming quickly. We have a couple of quick announcements to make and then an acknowledgment and farewell to a long standing New England Section professional. The first Mass. Chapter event will be a pro-pro (6-6-6) held at Granite Links on Monday, April 8th, and then our Spring Chapter meeting will be held at Myopia Hunt Club on Tuesday, April 23rd followed by a pro-pro. We will have another event scheduled for either May or June (we are working on a potential site) and hopefully this will be revealed in the April newsletter if not sooner. We would like to thank Chris Sleeper of Granite Links and Bill Safrin of Myopia Hunt Club for their generosity and availability to host our first two Chapter events. 2013 MA Chapter Schedule of Events Mon., April 8: Pro-Pro 6, 6, 6 Format @ Granite Links Tues., April 23: Spring Meeting & Pro-Pro @ Myopia Hunt Mon., May 27: Individual Stableford (TBD) Thurs, July 25: Individual Stableford (Oak Hil…TBD) Mon., October 7: Fall Meeting & Pro-Pro @ Worcester CC Thurs., October 10: Tri Chapter Championship @ Halifax Mon, October 21: Chapter Championship @ (Vesper…TBD) Continued on pg 10...
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CHAPTER & ASSOCIATION NEWS Continued... MAINE CHAPTER Our Golf 2.0 seminar held in February had 22 PGA Members and Apprentices in attendance. We heard Brian Bain, PGA speak about the Know Your Customer and Connecting With Her play books as well as some great discussion on the PGA Junior League Golf. Following the seminar, we had 5 more facilities register, bringing our total to 7 as of March 1. The Chapter is pleased to announce that our friends at Shipyard Brewing are continuing their long standing partnership with the Chapter in 2013. Many thanks to Bruce Forsley and all our friends at Shipyard Brewing for their continued support. We are also delighted to announce that Richard Brother Financial Advisors has signed on as a new partner for the coming golf season. We will be educating everyone throughout the season about our new partner. In the meantime, I encourage you to visit their website, www.richardbrothersfinancial.com. The Maine Chapter will be conducting the Trusted Choice Big "I" National Championship qualifier for the state of Maine this summer. The event will be held on Saturday, June 8 at Cape Arundel GC. The event is open to all Maine residents who will not have reached their nineteenth birthday on or before August 5. The low male and female scorer will each earn an exemption into the Trusted Choice National Championship at Pinehurst, NC in August. We are finalizing all the other details and hope to have an announcement about a title sponsor in the next week or two. In the meantime, you can learn more about this event at www.bigigolf.com. Hope to see everyone at the Portland Golf Expo, www.portlandgolfexpo.com, on March 9-10. I hope everyone enjoys the last few weeks of winter. The green grass will be sprouting before we know it. Please let me know if there is anything I can help with. Tony Decker, PGA NEPGA Maine Ch. Tournament Operations Manager
RHODE ISLAND CHAPTER UNIQUE SEMINAR PLANNED FOR APRIL 2ND/ KIRKBRAE CC Kirkbrae’s PGA Head Professional Mike Bradshaw has announced a unique seminar focusing upon hardgoods and their sell-through at our pro shops, on April 2nd at Kirkbrae. The majority of the seminar will be “open forum” and all golf industry reps have been invited to participate. The seminar runs from 9-noon and for more info please contact Mike at: pgapro@kirkbrae.com or by phone: 401-333-1303. CONGRATS… To newly elected PGA member, Vincent Forte from Sakonnet Golf Club. The New Jersey native and Rutgers graduate formerly worked at New Jersey National GC. 2013 TOURNAMENT NEWS The Rhode Island Chapter is pleased to announce and thank the following sponsors for their renewed commitment to the success of this years’ tournament schedule: TAYLORMADE GOLF/ GARY RENCURREL, CCE/ KEITH TORTORELLA, TITLEIST/ DAVID MOYNIHAN, FOOTJOY/ PETER BUTT, HAVERSHAM RESTAURANT & our title sponsor for three events: CALLAWAY GOLF/ PETER GUILD. Chapter members and apprentices may begin registering for all events beginning March 15th on Blue Golf. Highlights include the new CALLAWAY PRO PRO scheduled for July 8th at Ledgemont (co-host of the 2013 NEPGA Championship with Wannamoisett) and the TITLEIST/FOOTJOY PRO 1 JR SCRATCH scheduled for July 17th at Misquamicut. The PRO PRO is paired with Cape Cod’s CALLAWAY PRO PRO to be held on June 6th at Allendale GC. It is hoped that both Chapters tee it up at both PRO PRO events this coming summer. In a departure from past years, the Chapter is adopting the Team & Individual Stableford formats for many of its pro-ams in 2013. Points will be awarded on a net-score basis for amateur partners (80% handicap). Please try to sign up early for all events this season to ensure solid fields. Mickey Herron, PGA NEPGA Tournament Operations Rhode Island Chapter mherron@pgahq.com
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CHAPTER & ASSOCIATION NEWS Continued... NEW HAMPSHIRE CHAPTER A second-alarm fire broke out at the Cochecho Country Club in Dover, NH on February 7th. However, due to the diligent work of the fire departments of Dover and several surrounding communities, the blaze was contained to the banquet hall. The lower half of the building suffered major water damage primarily to the pro shop and locker rooms. According to Cochecho’s Head Professional Tim Loch, “The Board of Directors, staff and members are grateful that nobody was injured and are especially thankful for the quick response of all the responding fire departments.” Loch continued, “Although this will be a setback for us as we approach the opening of the season, we are committed to ensuring our members and the community that we are up and running, offering the great service and enjoyment of the club. We may be operating out of temporary facilities on sight for a portion of the year, but we have full confidence that we have all the capabilities to provide our customary fantastic golfing experience to all.” The NHC Spring Meeting of Members will be held at the Intervale Country Club on Thursday, April 4, 2013 beginning at 9:00 a.m. The tournament schedule kicks off on Monday, April 8 th with a pro-am at Green Meadow GC in Hudson, NH. Other April pro-am events include: April 15 (The Oaks GL); April 22 (Campbell’s Scottish Highlands) and April 29 (Laconia CC). The New Hampshire Chapter is pleased to announce that Martignetti Liquors has renewed its sponsorship once again for 2013 and is the Chapter’s major contributor. The popular Pro-Lady Championship will be played at Country Club of NH this year on July 15 and two weeks later, the Chapter’s weekly pro-am schedule will return to Newport GC after a hiatus. The McDonough Scholarship Tournament will return to Abenaqui CC on September 9, 2013.
MA CHAPTER
Continued...
One of the large initiatives that the MA Chapter will take on in 2013 is to assist our members in their Golfer Development endeavors. As part of this initiative, we would like to turn your attention to an opportunity that is out there for you and your juniors… PGA Junior League Golf is coming to the Boston market in a big way. Several leagues are already being created by our peers and the task to implement it is an easy one. Take the opportunity to familiarize yourself with this rewarding program and if we can answer any questions for you regarding how it all works, be sure to reach out to Todd Cook (toddcookgolfmhc@verizon.net) or Brian Bain (baingolfpga@yahoo.com) to help get you started. Do you know a suspended professional or apprentice? Unfortunately, there are more than we’d like to admit and it is the duty of all of us to try to assist those individuals. While there are a lot of ways to keep your membership active, there are also a lot of ways to fall behind and see it slip out of your grasp. As a Chapter, we’ll be doing our due diligence to try to contact these people and serve in a support role to those that need assistance. In many instances however, it will be up to friends, co-workers and neighbors to start the conversation for us. Don’t hesitate to offer a bit of guidance to someone who might not otherwise ask for it. You won’t be blamed for trying. As previously mentioned in this newsletter, the 2013 TaylorMade product training and fitting seminar will be held at Granite Links Golf Club on Thursday, March 7, 2013. Lunch for all attendees from 12:00 – 1:00 and the presentation will begin at 1:00. You will earn 4 MSR POINTS for coming, so please make sure you click here to RSVP. As many of you may now know there is to be some political change in the MA Chapter. Mark Klotz, President of the Massachusetts Chapter will be leaving the New England Section and will happily be headed to a position in the Connecticut Section. As a Chapter we all owe Mark a tremendous amount of gratitude for his efforts, passion, and time for the years he has served the Section and Chapter in various capacities. I speak for all when I say thank you and good luck Mark in your new endeavor. Mark Aldrich, PGA Secretary, Massachusetts Chapter 508-853-5087
Frank Swierz NEPGA NH Ch. Tournament Manager fswierz@comcast.net
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At the Turn
Member Updates
New Transfers into Section
New Members Name Peter C. Cole, PGA Jay Blackwell, PGA Peter Hulbert, PGA James Latraverse, PGA Paul Mattos, PGA Walter Reeves Jr., PGA
Class A-8 A-1 A-8 A-8 A-8 A-1
Facility Tedesco CC Boothbay CC Marlborough CC Hopkinton CC Allendale CC Canterbury Woods CC
Classification Changes
Name Stephen Duffy, PGA Jo-Anna Krupa Todd McKittrick, PGA Billy Nash, PGA
Class A-23 B-8 A-1 A-20
Previous Section Metropolitan Connecticut Tennessee GolfTapeForeYou
Employment Changes Name Gregg Baker, PGA
Class Start Facility A-1 1/28 Toddy Brook Golf
Name Larry Demers, PGA
Class Facility A-23 TaylorMade Performance Lab
Larry Demers, PGA
A-23 3/11 TaylorMade Performance Lab
Julie Donlon, PGA
A-1
Julie Donlon, PGA Stephen Duffy, PGA Jim Fairbanks, PGA
A-1 A-23 A-4
Stephen Duffy, PGA
A-23 3/3
Jim Fairbanks, PGA
A-4
Tom Gillis, PGA
A-1
Tom Gillis, PGA Jeffrey Hilton David Jankowski Greg Wright, PGA
A-1 B-1 B-8 A-14
Beaver Meadow GC TaylorMade Performance Lab Dunegrass GC / Nonesuch River GC Black Swan CC Nonesuch River GC Stowe Mountain Club Golfsmith
Class A-4 A-8
TaylorMade Performance Lab
2/22 Dunegrass GC / Nonesuch River GC 3/1 Black Swan CC
Todd McKittrick, PGA A-1
3/1
Manchester CC
Joshua Parison
B-8
3/1
Sanford GC
Brendon Ray
B-8
3/1
Carnegie Abbey Club
Greg Wright, PGA
A-14 2/25 Golfsmith
New Quarter Century Members Name Bob Chase, PGA Thomas Heyer, PGA
2/18 Beaver Meadow GC
Award Date 2/28 2/28
These reports reflect changes made between February 8, 2013 - March 5, 2013.
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