2013 PROgram Magazine - Junior Golf Edition

VOLUME 40 | ISSUE 6 | JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PGA

SO

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U PG TH A ER 20 JU N 13 C N Y EA IO AL R IF IN R TO OR Ju R E ni V U NI or IE W R A To

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THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PGA

3333 Concours Street • Building 2, Suite 2100 • Ontario, CA 91764 951.845.4653 ph • 951.769.6733 fax • scpgajrtour.com THE SCPGA BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS Jeff Johnson, President - San Bernardino Golf Club John McNair, Vice President- JC Resorts Todd Keefer, Secretary - PGA West Jason Taylor, Honorary President - Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation AT-LARGE DIRECTORS David Foster, Porter Valley Country Club • Bill Hulbert, PGA TOUR Superstore, Green River Golf Club • D.J. Limardi, Sandpiper Golf Club & Rancho San Marcos Golf Course • Tony Letendre, Newport Beach Country Club • Eric Lohman, Monarch Beach Golf Links • Robin Shelton, Glendora Country Club INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS Susan Roll, Carlsbad Golf Center Tom Wilson, Life Member - Active CHAPTER REPRESENTATIVES Desert: Jon Vesper, Westin Mission Hills Resort Inland Empire: Mike Pearson, Oak Valley Golf Club Metro: Scott Heyn, Oakmont Country Club Northern: Mark Wilson, North Ranch Country Club San Diego: Mark Hayden, Eagle Crest Golf Club PGA GOVERNANCE DISTRICT 11 DIRECTOR Bill Hulbert, Green River Golf Club, PGA TOUR Superstore - Southern California Section PGA OF AMERICA PRESIDENT - Ted Bishop, The Legends Golf Club - Indiana Section VICE PRESIDENT - Derek Sprague, Malone Golf Club - Northeastern New York Section SECRETARY - Paul Levy, Toscana Country Club - Southern California Section

PMS 2767

SPONSORDIRECTORY

Official Radio of the Southern California PGA

SCPGA SECTION STAFF Tom Addis III, PGA, Executive Director/CEO, scpgata@aol.com David Myrdahl, Foundation & Operations Director, dmyrdahl@pgahq.com Rob Keller, Director of Competitions and Rules, rkeller@pgahq.com Andrew Zeller, Director of Junior Golf & Golf in Schools, azeller@pgahq.com Sharon Curfman, Membership, scurfman@pgahq.com Breanne Lockard, Communications Manager, blockard@pgahq.com Alexandra Tegels, Player Development Manager, ategels@pgahq.com Kristy Custer, Finance/Office Manager, kcuster@pgahq.com Amy Stadelman, Programs and Events, astadelman@pgahq.com Dave Kuhn, Tournament Operations Coordinator, dkuhn@pgahq.com Matt Gilson, Player Development Coordinator, mgilson@pgahq.com Mike Mowry, Assistant Junior Golf Director, mmowry@pgahq.com Thomas Camaione, Junior Golf Manager, tcamaione@pgahq.com Max DeSpain, Junior Golf Manager, mdespain@pgahq.com Christopher Gilkey, Junior Golf Manager, cgilkey@pgahq.com Kevin Smith, Junior Golf Manager, ksmith@pgahq.com Kristine Lorencz, Section Administration, klorencz@pgahq.com PGA PLAYER DEVELOPMENT REGIONAL MANAGER Nikki Gatch, PGA 760.534.1370 • ngatch@pgahq.com PGA EMPLOYMENT CONSULTANT Ken Ferrell, PGA 951.894.5024 • kferrell@pgahq.com

VOLUME 40 • ISSUE 6 • 2013 JUNIOR GOLF EDITION The Program is produced by the Southern California PGA. The Program is distributed free to members and affiliates of the SCPGA six times a year.

The articles and other information contained within this publication are informational and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the SCPGA. The SCPGA 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 permission of the SCPGA is prohibited.

04

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

www.scpgajrtour.com

To ur ior Ju n

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PGA JUNIOR TOUR

DO E ER IT? H W UF YO

2013 YEAR IN REVIEW

contents

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 07 CONSIDER THIS...

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE 08 MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

ALUMNI PROFILE 26 MICHAEL KIM

OF JUNIOR GOLF & GOLF IN SCHOOLS

MEET THE STAFF 09 MEET THE SCPGA JUNIOR

ALUMNI PROFILE

24 Q&A WITH GABRIELLA THEN

TRAVELING TEAMS 28 SCPGA TRAVELING TEAMS

MAKING A STATEMENT

GOLF STAFF

WHERE ARE THEY NOW

11

SCPGA FOUNDATION

TO THE NEXT LEVEL

ALUMNI PROFILE 12 PGA TOUR PLAYER

COREY PAVIN

ALUMNI PROFILE 14 JENNIFER JOHNSON

ALUMNI PROFILE 16 Q&A WITH MAX HOMA

ALUMNI PROFILE 18 PGA PROFESSIONAL

SCOTT HEYN

PLAYERS ON THE MOVE 20 SCPGA JUNIORS ARE ON

THE MOVE

COREY PAVIN INVITATIONAL 21 SCPGA INTRODUCES THE

COREY PAVIN INVITATIONAL

ALUMNI PROFILE 22 JOE SKOVRON

30 SCPGA JUNIORS TAKE IT

COLLEGE CORNER 31 A TYPICAL COLLEGE

200 Competitive Golf Events. Sharpen Skills.

Qualifying Events for Toyota Tour Cup.

FEATUREDCONTENT

THE SCPGA FOUNDATION INVOLVED IN 2013

College Prep. Nationally Ranked. 36 to 54-hole Golf Events. Elite Players.

GOLF TOURNAMENT

PLAY WITH THE PROFESSIONAL 32 SCPGA PLAY WITH A PGA

PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM

TESTIMONIALS 33 SCPGA JUNIOR TOUR TESTIMONIALS

PARTNER PROFILE 35 RFK TRAINING

Ages 7-18. Semi-Competitive.

Executive Courses. 9-hole Golf Events.

SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT 36 NIKE

PARTNER PROFILE 37 SUN SAFETEE

PARTNER PROFILE 38 TGA

SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT 39 GOLF ACADEMY OF AMERICA Team Golf. Fun Environment. Beginner Level.

Learn Golf Skills.

www.scpgajrtour.com

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

05

CONSIDER THIS...

By SCPGA President, Jeff Johnson, PGA

The measurement and strength of any organization is its people.

Well, we have people. They are remarkable and as a result we are strong. Among them are the talented staff members that lead our efforts in growing children in the game. It was just 65 years ago that Bill Bryant, with assistance from Ralph Miller, founded what we fondly call today The SCPGA Junior Program. With its levels from Square One to JDL, the Players Tour and the prestigious Toyota Tour Cup Series, this evolution and growth would make our founders proud. Our program will have 2500 Junior Golfers playing in 265 events in the year ahead. The growth is a testament to the enthusiasm and enduring reputation we have created. Tom Sargent, PGA, our Junior Golf and Foundation Chairman, has harnessed the strength of our programs and, with his deep history in our Section, has guided our Junior Program and its activities with help from our dedicated staff of professionals: David Myrdahl, Andrew Zeller, Kristine Lorencz, Max DeSpain, Thomas Camaione, Chris Gilkey, Mike Mowry, and Kevin Smith. Our benefactors are also such a key to our success and the gift our kids receive. This generous support system includes our many friends as presenting sponsors from Titleist, Cleveland/Srixon Golf, Bridgestone Golf and our great long standing relationship with Toyota. Thank you one and all...

Los Angeles and Orange County remain the strongest areas for participation however, growth is taking place throughout the Section and there is no doubt that our leaders like Mr. Miller, Mr. Bryant and Mr. Sargent have provided a road map for us to follow and one that has flattered us all.

2013 FOUNDATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE This committee encourages participation and player development throughout Southern California, advises and makes recommendations on grants and scholarships.

PRESIDENT’SMESSAGE

Tom Sargent, PGA (Mesa Verde CC) – Chairman Jerry Anderson, PGA (SCPGA Past President) Andy Thuney, PGA (SCPGA Past President) Amy Alcott (World Golf & LPGA Halls of Fame) Bob Kummer (Mellon 1st Business Bank – Retired) Frank Talarico (President/CEO, Goodwill Industries of Orange County) Joshua Jacobs (President/CEO, TGA Premier Junior Golf) Susan Roll, PGA, LPGA (Carlsbad Golf Center) Nikki Gatch, PGA (PGA Player Development Regional Manager) Pearl Sinn-Bonanni (Head Women’s Golf Coach at Cal State Fullerton) Jeff Johnson, PGA (San Bernardino Golf Club/SCPGA President) John McNair, PGA (JC Resorts/SCPGA Vice President)

2013 JUNIOR GOLF ADVISORY COMMITTEE This committee advises and makes recommendations for the growth and improvement of the SCPGA Junior Tour. The Committee also lends support for any discipline issues.

Tom Sargent, PGA (Mesa Verde CC) – Chairman Chris Smeal, PGA (Future Champions Tour/Stadium Golf Center) Billy Gibbs, PGA (Blackhorse Golf Resort) Paul Bucy, PGA (Desert Willow Golf Academy) Steve Adamiak, PGA (The Legends GC) Robert Pang, PGA (Big Canyon GC) John Milligan, PGA (Oakmont CC) Jeffrey Fowler, PGA (Saticoy CC) Holly Kennedy, PGA (Kennedy Golf) Dave Emerick, PGA (North County Junior Golf/Crossing at Carlsbad) Dave Shackelford, PGA (Tahquitz Creek GC) Lou Skovron, PGA ( Valley Junior Golf/The Legends GC) Bobby Frazier, PGA (Iron-Wood Nine GC) Joe Simonds, PGA (Woodhaven GC/Mobile Golf) Nikki Gatch, PGA (PGA Player Development Regional Manager) www.scpgajrtour.com

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

07

Message from the Director of

JUNIOR GOLF & GOLF IN SCHOOLS

By Director of Junior Golf & Golf in Schools, Andrew Zeller

DIRECTOR’SMESSAGE 08

As we near the end of the 2013 season, I would like to make sure I acknowledge and thank each and every supporter of the Southern California PGA and the Southern California PGA Junior Tour. We would like to give a special thanks to all of our SCPGA players, alumni, sponsors, parents, PGA Professionals, and all of the other stakeholders of the program. We would be unable to have the opportunity to deliver one of the largest and most respected junior golf programs in the country without your contributions. We might not always get things right, but we will continue to work tirelessly for the best interest of junior golf. Please do not hesitate to share your feedback as we are continually striving to improve the program and provide more value to its members.

The 2013 season was an overwhelming success for the Southern California PGA Junior Tour. I am happy to announce that the SCPGA Junior Tour surpassed 2,300 members in 2013, its 65th anniversary season. In addition to the increase in memberships, the SCPGA Junior Tour will complete 20,000 rounds, which represents a 3,000 round increase from the 17,000 rounds played in 2012. The SCPGA Junior Tour will continue to work to introduce and offer playing opportunities for this great game to more and more individuals within Southern California.

The SCPGA Junior Tour implemented several changes on all levels of the program throughout 2013. I am extremely positive about the direction that these changes will take us and how they will continue to improve the program. Based on the increasing demand for the Toyota Tour Cup Series, the SCPGA increased Toyota Tour Cup events from 18 to 28 this past season. I strongly believe that the addition of the ten events not only provided more PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

playing opportunities for our Toyota Tour Cup members but it also added some variety to the schedule. The additional events included two California Junior Invitational events featuring the top ranked players throughout the state, two SCPGA College Showcase events that were open to high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors only, and two expanded player field events that increased the tournament field size from 90 to 135 players. The entire SCPGA Junior Tour staff and I are excited to top off this great season with our Toyota Tour Cup Championship at Torrey Pines Golf Course.

The SCPGA Players Tour (formerly the Junior Tour) continues to offer playing opportunities for kids throughout Southern California by providing a competitive atmosphere necessary to gain tournament experience as well as offering Toyota Tour Cup qualifying opportunities. This season the Players Tour introduced a very successful two-day tournament series that was sponsored by Cleveland/Srixon Golf. I was extremely pleased at the first year of this two-day series initiative that provided individuals a chance to gain junior golf scoreboard and other national rankings at some championship facilities. This series met the increasing demand for nonToyota Tour Cup members who want the opportunity to compete in two-day competitions. We will be looking to continue and extend this two-day series in 2014.

The SCPGA Junior Development League (JDL) continues to be the fastest growing tier of our program. I am pleased to announce the SCPGA has been able to reach an agreement with Garb Inc. to become the title sponsor of the 2014 Garb JDL season. All JDL members will receive significant value added to their SCPGA experience via the sponsorship benefits Garb Inc. will provide to each and every individual. The staff will pass along more details as we move closer to the start of the 2014 season.

Personally, one of my favorite additions to the SCPGA Junior Tour has been the “Play with the Pro”

program. In an attempt to help forge a relationship between PGA Professionals and SCPGA Junior Tour members the SCPGA selected specific Junior Tour members based on a variety of criteria including their player of the year points, community service, GPA, etc. to play golf with select PGA Professionals at their facilities. This program has been a great experience and reward for the individuals selected as they were able to play golf with someone they admired within the golf industry. I would like to say thank you to the host PGA Professionals for taking the time and making the commitment to our junior golfers. I am thrilled to announce that we will be extending the pilot offering we had this year. The SCPGA Junior Tour will be providing this opportunity to more juniors at more facilities in 2014.

Details regarding the application process and procedures will be distributed to all SCPGA Junior Tour members in the beginning of 2014.

As the 2013 season winds down the SCPGA staff and I are excited to build upon this year’s success in 2014. Our staff will continue to focus on providing more than just a great on-site tournament experience for our members. The SCPGA Junior Tour will continue and improve upon its communication via the SCPGA Junior Tour website and social media outlets. We have committed to providing more photos, educational opportunities, pace of play tips, rules tips, etc. to all of our members.

Thanks again for all your support,

Andrew Zeller Director of Junior Golf & Golf in Schools

Junior Tour www.scpgajrtour.com

JUNIOR GOLF STAFF Meet the SCPGA

DAVID MYRDAHL FOUNDATION & OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

David Myrdahl was born and raised in Arcadia, CA and has worked for the SCPGA for over 11 ½ years with eight of those years in the Junior Golf department. David graduated from Dordt College in Northwest Iowa with a degree in Business Administration and played on the golf team all four years. He currently lives in Banning, CA with his wife Katie, son Matthew, and is expecting a baby in the spring of 2014.

MIKE MOWRY

ASSISTANT JUNIOR GOLF DIRECTOR

Mike Mowry graduated from the University of Dayton in 2010 with a degree in Sports Management, began working as a Tournament Operations Team Member for the SCPGA in February 2012, and has been working on the Players Tour since December. Some of Mike’s hobbies include; playing golf, watching movies, and rooting for Cleveland sports teams.

DIRECTOR OF JUNIOR GOLF & GOLF IN SCHOOLS

Andrew Zeller was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. Andrew graduated from the University of Dayton with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management with minors in finance and business administration along with a Masters of Business Administration.

Andrew has had the opportunity to work on the Southern Ohio PGA Junior Tour and has also worked as the Junior Golf Director for the South Central Section PGA.

MAX DESPAIN JUNIOR GOLF MANAGER

Max DeSpain is a Greensburg, Kentucky native and Western Kentucky University Alum. Prior to coming on board with the SCPGA, Max interned with various junior golf organizations such as the Kentucky Junior Golf Foundation, AJGA, and Middle Atlantic PGA section. He is an avid sports fan and a UK basketball enthusiast. Go Cats!

CHRISTOPHER GILKEY

JUNIOR GOLF MANAGER

JUNIOR GOLF MANAGER

KEVIN SMITH

KRISTINE LORENCZ

JUNIOR GOLF MANAGER

JUNIOR GOLF ADMINISTRATOR

Kevin Smith was born and raised in Upland and has been a SCPGA staff member for the past year. Kevin graduated from the University of La Verne with a degree in Business Administration and helped his golf team to three top ten finishes at the NCAA National Championship. Kevin enjoys all sports and is a big fan of the Lakers, Yankees, L.A. Kings, and Vikings.

Christopher Gilkey is originally from Crofton, Maryland where he was the captain for the Arundel High School Varsity Golf Team his junior and senior year. He then went on to play NCAA Division II golf at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Leisure Studies.

MEETTHE STAFF

THOMAS CAMAIONE Thomas Camaione was born and raised in Southern California. He attended Southern Utah University and majored in Hotel Resort Hospitality Management with a minor in marketing. Thomas likes surfing and being a beach bum, mixing music, and finding a good track to tee it up. He is a diehard Yankees fan.

Thomas also played in the SCPGA Junior Tour Program when he was a junior golfer.

www.scpgajrtour.com

ANDREW ZELLER

Kristine Lorencz is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She attended Edinboro University. She has one daughter, Amanda, that works at NYU.

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

09

She said she'd leave me if I go golfing again this weekend ...

I sure will miss her.

Former world #1 tennis player and recent golf addict Andy Roddick has some tough decisions to make.

travismathew.com Š 2013 TravisMathew, LLC. All Rights Reserved

The SCPGA Foundation

INVOLVED IN 2013

Junior Tour Alumni The SCPGA Junior Tour Alumni Association’s purpose is to re-connect past junior tour members and cultivate ongoing alumni support of current programs & participants. The SCPGA www.scpgajrtour.com

ADOPT A KID The SCPGA Adopt a Kid Program allows donors to support and mentor a deserving junior golfer in our SCPGA Junior Tour Program. The SCPGA Adopt a Kid Program was created as a part of the SCPGA Junior Tour Alumni Association with the goal of providing juniors with grant assistance and a mentorship program. The SCPGA Adopt a Kid program helps ensure that all kids have the opportunity to play and learn the game of golf. The entire donation goes directly toward the junior’s membership and tournament costs. Donors will have the opportunity to meet, mentor, and follow the special junior golfer they support with their donation. Lizette Salas was the first SCPGA Junior Tour Alumni Member, to join and support the SCPGA Adopt a Kid Program.

on challenge day, the team completes as many holes as possible in the 3-hour time frame, with overall proceeds from the event going to the SCPGA Foundation (50%) and their charity of choice (50%).

In 2014, the SCPGA will extend the chance to host a 3-Hour Challenge to year round. We will work with individual facilities to help tailor each challenge to best fit their facility and aid them in reaching their fundraising goals.

For more information on the Southern California PGA Foundation, contact David Myrdahl, Foundation Director, at dmyrdahl@pgahq.com or Amy Stadelman, Program and Events, at astadelman@pgahq.com.

SCPGA Foundation Scholarship Recepients It is important to the SCPGA Foundation to support individuals and help them achieve their goals of higher education. The SCPGA has numerous different scholarship opportunities for graduating seniors who are members of the SCPGA Junior Golf program.

The following individuals were the 2013 Scholarship recipients:

SCPGA Foundation Scholarship ($2,000):

Brandon Tsujimoto – UC Riverside Dane Casaga – Santa Clara University Grant Prescott – Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Gabriella Then – USC Sam Gillis - UC Riverside

Johnny Revolta Memorial Scholarship ($1,000; renewable for 4 years):

Carolane Gariepy - Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

3-HOUR CHALLENGE The SCPGA Foundation “3-Hour Challenge” Program is our version of a golf marathon. Teams and/or Individuals compete in a “3-hour golf marathon” to raise money for the SCPGA Foundation and a charity of their choice. The objective is to complete as many holes as possible in a 3-hour time frame.

The facility and challenge day are to be selected by the individual or team.

Participants collect pledges per hole completed or overall one-time donations leading up to their challenge day. Then,

Gabe Hrab/Canyon Lake Scholarship ($1,000):

SCPGAFOUNDATION

The SCPGA Foundation is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization based in Ontario, CA, established to promote the game of golf to youth. The SCPGA Foundation runs the popular SCPGA Junior Tour – a four-tier program providing Southern California juniors with a place to improve their golf and life skills through competitive and noncompetitive tournament opportunities, Neighborhood Golf – an aggressive player development program in which golf is brought into the neighborhoods of Southern California and then players are bridged back to local golf facilities, and other programs such as Free Lesson a Month, Play With a Pro, Clubs Fore Kids, and qualifying for the National Drive, Chip and Putt Championship.

The SCPGA Foundation supports junior golfers through grants which assist in covering tournament fees and registration, and awarding scholarships for their educational advancement.

The Southern California PGA Foundation has been working diligently this past year to add worthwhile Foundation programs in the hope of generating additional funds for grants and scholarships for junior golfers in Southern California. In 2013, the SCPGA Foundation launched three (3) new programs: the SCPGA Junior Tour Alumni Association, Adopt a Kid, and 3-Hour Challenge. Each program is very unique in itself and we’re excited to grow and expand upon these programs in the coming years.

Junior Tour Alumni Association creates alumni networking opportunities, hosts events, offers alumni benefits, and provides charitable donation opportunities through the SCPGA Foundation. Joining the SCPGA JTAA is a great way to stay involved & informed.

Michael Finch - BYU Corbin Burnes – St. Mary’s College of Moraga Jamie Gracie – Amherst College Kelsey Torsney – UC San Diego Ryan Yoshikawa – UC Irvine

Mike Lawson Memorial Scholarship ($1,000):

Zachary Whittet - University of Redlands

Bob McCurry Memorial Scholarship ($1,300):

Jade Sto. Thomas - UCLA Casandra Stevenson – California State University, San Marcos Ameer Bahhur - Loyola Marymount University Kaley Milligan - UC Irvine

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

11

ALUMNI PROFILE

PGA TOUR PLAYER COREY PAVIN

The beginning of Corey Pavin’s illustrious career was rooted in Southern California junior golf like so many others. The Oxnard, CA local grew up developing a love for the game at Las Posas Country Club in Camarillo, CA. Pavin’s brother’s interest in golf and the great junior atmosphere at the club really helped build his foundation and passion for competition.

the Los Angeles area. I remember my mother taking us until my brothers were old enough to drive. My brothers are three and five years older so they were often teeing off hours earlier than I was. We often had to leave at 4 in the morning to drive into LA to play the events and would not get back until eleven at night,” Pavin recalled.

At 15, Pavin began taking lessons from

U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Corey Pavin during an interview at the 38th Ryder Cup at the Twenty Ten Course

ALUMNIPROFILE 12

“My parents were members of Las Posas Country Club, a short dog leggy golf course.

I have two older brothers who played golf. I was always just the tag along little brother and started playing when I was about six years old.

I loved golf right away and always wanted to be a professional golfer. It really helped me that there was really good junior players at the club which created some really good competition. We hosted the “hot dog open” every Saturday and Sunday. We played for hot dogs and the loser always got the hot dogs for the winners on their parent’s account.”

At 8, Corey participated in his first tournament, the Junior World Championship, where he had a fifth place finish. He was a frequent participant in the single day Southern California PGA Junior Golf Association (now the SCPGA Junior Tour) events. Pavin recalls his memorable moments from playing in the SCPGA Junior Tour.

“As a junior, I played in a lot of Southern California Junior Golf Association events.

There was an SCJGA event over Easter weekend when we were on spring break on Catalina Island; that was one that particularly sticks out. The Lee Hammil at Los Coyotes was the big two-day event for us in the summer. That was a fun event. I remember winning that tournament, but what sticks out the most was jumping off the 10 meter platform into the pool, after the event was over. I played all local tournaments, mostly in

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

Bruce Hamilton, which was a major step in his development. At 17, his spectacular season was highlighted by victories at the SCPGA Lee Hammil, Callaway Junior World, and the LA City Championship. He advanced to the semi-final match in the US Junior Amateur and was a member of the winning Southern California PGA team at the 1977 Boy’s Junior America’s Cup. “There were some really good junior players in Southern California when I grew up and a lot of good competition. The Southern California Junior America’s Cup team in 1977 was really good. David Games who people might not have heard of was a really good player who ended up going to Stanford. Eric Evans was strong and hit it a long way. He went to Oklahoma State. Jessie Moreno who was a great junior player filled out the team.

Our team was so strong. In the U.S Junior Amateur that year I played Willie Wood in one semi-final and David Games played Eric Evans in the other final. So we had three out of the four match play finalists all play on the Southern California team that year. It was a great experience to go and play golf in Mexico City as a seventeen year old,” Pavin recalled.

In the beginning of summer, Pavin graduated from high school but was still unsure of where he would be attending college in the fall. Luckily, he had a successful summer and attracted multiple universities’ attention.

PGA OF AMERICA

“I am a November baby. The summer of 1977 I was 17 and between high school and college. I had played ok the years before but nothing fantastic. So starting that summer I didn’t know where I was going to college.

Then that summer I won the Junior World, the Lee Hamill, LA City Championship, and reached the semi-finals of the Junior Amateur.

By the time I showed that I could really play good golf most universities had given out all their scholarships. There was interest from Cal State Northridge, UCLA, and a few schools on the east coast. UCLA ended up being a great fit for me. I could drive home when I needed and my golf instructor was only an hour away as well,” said Pavin.

Pavin’s decision to attend and play golf for UCLA turned out to be a great decision.

He joined forces with a group of talented players such as Steve Pate, Duffy Waldorf, Jeff Johnson, Tom Pernice Jr., Mickey Yokoi, Jay Delsing, Louie Bartoletti, and many more to form one of the best collegiate teams in the country. His collegiate career highlights included being a 2-time NCAA All-American, NCAA National Player of the Year, U.S. Walker Cup Team member, and had over ten collegiate victories.

“After my junior year I almost turned pro.

I sat down and had some meetings with Eddie Merrins, Bruce Hamilton, and my parents.

Bruce and I thought it was time that I turn professional. My junior year I was a little bored. I was an All American my sophomore year and won 6 tournaments. I thought it was time to move on. My parents and Eddie talked me into staying which in hindsight was the right thing to do. It allowed me to make and play on the Walker Cup team in 1980. All those experiences really helped me when I did turn pro. In 1982, I really had a renewed vigor for college golf. I was NCAA Player of the Year and an All-American. Later that year in September the time was right for me to turn professional,” said Pavin.

Pavin’s transition from college to the PGA Tour proved to be initially more challenging than expected.

“I wasn’t as ready as I thought I would be when I turned pro in 1982. I ended up missing Q-school in regional qualifying. It was kind of a shock to me but ended up being a blessing in disguise. I ended up playing overseas for a year starting in South Africa. I played well enough there to be exempt in Europe where I played the rest of the year. Then when I came back to Q-school in 1983 I qualified for the 1984 season,” said Pavin.

During the 1983 season, Pavin claimed three international victories including the 1983 Lufthansa German Open where he held off Seve Ballesteros to claim victory.

With three wins in 1983 and his first PGA www.scpgajrtour.com

www.scpgajrtour.com

PGA OF AMERICA

Corey Pavin at the 72nd Senior PGA Championship Presented by KitchenAid

California PGA Junior Tour and junior golf within Southern California have provided him with a foundation to build upon for the rest of his career. As a former SCPGA Junior Tour member, collegiate player, and successful PGA Tour player, Pavin has had many experiences and has developed wisdom to share with kids and parents moving through the junior golf journey.

“I think golf inherently teaches a lot of great values. I certainly learned a lot of things to help me with life in general. Junior golf taught me how to compete and how to play against better players than myself while still being respectful. Junior golf gave me the opportunity to be out there and pursue something that I love and still love to do.

It is really hard to put any value on that. I love to play and love to compete. Putting those together and being able to do that between the ages of 8 and 18 was pretty incredible. I learned a lot about myself and how to persevere through difficult times. I almost quit playing when I was 16 but I was talked into sticking with it. Statistically it probably didn’t look like I was doing so bad when I was 16, but it was frustrating for me to continuously finish in 4th or 5th every time when I knew I was good enough to win. This really helped me a lot later in life when I had some tough years as a professional. Junior golf taught me to have a lot of confidence in myself. To me it’s not only important to act and behave appropriately on the golf course but also to give 100% at all times. There isn’t much more you can do than doing your very best.”

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

ALUMNIPROFILE

United States team made a strong charge forcing the Ryder Cup to be decided by the last match. Graham McDowell was able to defeat Hunter Mahan in the last singles match to end the American’s comeback at 14.5 to 13.5.

“The Ryder Cup means so much to me. The amount of anxiety that I felt in the Ryder Cup was a 100 times stronger than I felt when I hit the last shot of the US Open, because I was representing my team and most importantly our country. It is a goal and you work on being a member of the team for two years and it is an honor and opportunity that is unmatched in golf. I love the Ryder Cup and it is so much fun. My role as a captain was totally different than as a player. A lot of people think that it would be really challenging not to play. It wasn’t challenging for me because I knew as Captain what my role was. It was easy for me to watch and I really wanted to focus on being a stabilizer for the team. I didn’t want to rev them up any more than they already were. I wanted them to be able to look to me and see calm. It got pretty close till the end. We almost came back and won it. It was pretty interesting the feeling the last day. There was a good feeling amongst the fans in the morning. As the day went on you could feel the tension building as it got close. It was really fun to get to look around and take in the whole experience.”

Pavin is still competing and living out his dream of being a professional golfer on the Champions Tour. He has compiled one victory, six-second place Corey Pavin during the Past Captains/Celebrity Scramble at Medinah Country Club

finishes, and 33 topten finishes over the last two seasons on the US Open is nerve racking. I hit a great Champions Tour. putt and that allowed me to play 18 rather “The Champions is so amazing. We have conservatively. Even though I hit the shot that opportunity to still play and compete at a close I was just trying to hit the ball in the high level. It is incredible. I can still do what middle of the green and it came off perfectly.”

I love to do in my 50s while competing with Pavin was selected to captain the United guys my own age. It is amazing how many States Ryder Cup team in 2010 at the Celtic major championships and tournament wins Manor Resort in Whales. His previous are represented in the field every single week. experience in the Ryder Cup as a threeThe competition is unbelievable. I have had a time participant and assistant captain to good run lately and played incredibly well and Tom Lehman in 2006 made him the perfect haven’t won. It is tough to win out there. It is choice to captain. Pavin’s squad found my contention if you took the top 10 players themselves with a large deficit heading into from the Champions Tour and put them out Sunday’s singles matches after struggling and on the PGA Tour for a year you would have a gaining only .5 of an available 6 points on couple wins at least,” said Pavin.

Saturday’s Foursomes and Fourball matches.

Pavin’s experience with the Southern Despite the uninspiring odds, Pavin and the Tour victory in 1984 at the Houston CocaCola Open, Pavin’s legendary career was off to a great start. His reputation as a fierce competitor characterized his career and helped him become one of the best golfers of his generation. Pavin finished his career with 28 professional wins including 15 PGA Tour victories and one Major Championship victory. As a SCPGA Junior Tour alumnus, he represented the United States as a player on three Ryder Cup teams and two President’s Cup teams. Pavin’s consistent play kept him in the top ten Official World Golf Rankings for 150 weeks between 1986 and 1997.

En route to the biggest victories of his career, Pavin hit the most memorable shots in major championship history. Standing on the tee of the 72nd hole of the 1995 United States Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, he was leading Greg Norman by 1-stroke. After placing his drive in the fairway, Pavin hit a 4-wood from 228 yards to within 5-feet of the hole. The clutch 4-wood helped him secure victory and accomplish his dream of winning a Major Championship.

“The most obvious highlight of my career was winning the U.S. Open. The 4-wood on the last hole is what people tend to remember the most. For me the most important shot was the four-foot par putt I made on 17 to keep a one shot lead at the time. It was a key shot for me. It wasn’t easy but obviously having a par putt on the 71st hole of the

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ALUMNI PROFILE

JENNIFER JOHNSON

ALUMNIPROFILE 14

Jennifer did not start playing golf until her dad introduced her to the game at the age of seven. Growing up in Carlsbad, CA, Johnson started out by hitting balls on the range and taking lessons. It wasn’t until she was nine years old that she started to take the game more seriously and got involved in tournaments. Jennifer’s love and passion for the game continued to grow as she started competing and found out that she had a real gift and excelled on the course. “I always looked forward to the summertime when there were tournaments every week that I could play in. I also remember how lucky I was to grow up in Southern California and play in such a competitive age group.”

Johnson also shared with us about her most memorable junior golfing experience, the victory she had at the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions, and how that win helped her gain more confidence and take her game to the next level. She also said, “The Junior Ryder Cup and Junior Solheim Cup were also a great experience and a lot of fun. I feel like playing in those events really gave me the confidence to compete against the best players in the country.”

Jennifer decided to take her talents to the defending NCAA Division I Girls’ Champions at Arizona State University. “The year before I came they won nationals so I had some very big shoes to fill. Even though I only went to ASU for one year it was a great year and the coaches and the way they train and practice really helped me improve my game. It was a great overall experience.” Jennifer had quite the freshman year as she racked up more awards and great experiences along the way. She finished second at Nationals, won Freshman Player of the Year, and was a 2010 NCAA First Team All American.

When asked how difficult the decision was to leave Arizona State after just one

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

year and challenge herself to compete at the LPGA Tour level, Jennifer said, “It was really tough because I loved my teammates and coaches and didn’t want to let anyone down but I had to make that decision for myself. School and golf are almost like having two fulltime jobs and I was getting a little discouraged by not doing as well as I would like. I’m a bit of a perfectionist and I felt that my time would be better spent if I focused all of my attention on golf.”

After receiving a sponsor’s exemption to the Kraft Nabisco and qualifying for the US Women’s Open, Jennifer made the cut in both events and felt that she was ready to challenge herself at the next level by competing full time on the LPGA Tour. We also asked Jennifer if the transition to the LPGA Tour was as

difficult as most would imagine and she commented by saying, “There wasn’t anything easy about the transition to the LPGA Tour. You really have to get over the mental hurdle of realizing you are still just playing golf and you can’t focus too much on the players competing against you.”

Johnson described her life on tour by telling us how difficult it was to compete at such a high level for her first year but that things got a little easier her second year as she had already seen some of the courses once before and felt more acquainted with the level of competition.

Jennifer also gave us a little insight to one of the most difficult parts of the LPGA Tour by saying, “Getting used to a caddy was one of the most difficult parts of the transition to the LPGA Tour for me. It was tough because I was used to doing the math and consulting with myself over which club to hit and now there is another opinion that I have to take into consideration. I always listen but I still have to take my caddy’s opinion as second to mine and rely upon myself to make the final decision. I do have a great relationship with my caddy now and feel I can really rely upon him to help me through the process.

He has been on other big player’s bags before like Julie Inkster and Se-Ri Pak, and I really trust him because of the experience he has as one of the best caddies on tour.”

Jennifer broke through this year with her first win on the LPGA Tour at the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic. She broke the previous tournament record and carded rounds of 67-70-65-65 for a one shot victory at 21-under par. Johnson said, “It was a shock because going into the final round I was paired with Stacy Lewis and there was about ten people in front of me to start the day. I started off playing well and then all of the sudden I started making birdies and finished with birdies on 7 of my last 12 holes. I was so www.scpgajrtour.com

Jennifer Johnson on hole five during Fourball Matches of the Junior Ryder Cup held at The Club at Olde Stone

me of th Ho

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friends while she is in town. “I really like to shop and just enjoy Carlsbad because I’m gone so much that being back home is really like a vacation for me.”

Jennifer has had a very successful 2013 season, but like all great athletes she is still not satisfied and says that there is always room for improvement.

When asked what her goals for the 2014 season are she said, “Next year I want to make the international team, get more consistent in the majors, and get another win.” With her level head, pure determination, and humble attitude, there is no telling what the future will hold for her. All we can say is that we would be surprised if she wasn’t holding a few more trophies when her career is all said and done.

e

in the zone that I birdied the par 3 17th and started getting really nervous on the final hole when I realized I had a one shot lead.” She held onto that lead and took home her first career LPGA Tour victory.

When asked if the victory has helped her confidence on tour she commented by saying, “I think it immediately boosted my confidence but a couple weeks after I regressed a little probably because I was still excited about the win, but since then I have got it back on track and just came off my best finish in a major.”

We asked Jennifer a little about her daily practice routine when she’s not playing in competition. Like most Tour players, Jennifer does spend quite a bit of time practicing even on her weeks off. She said, “During my practice sessions I like to do a lot of drills and games. You can’t replicate the pressure of competition but it does help to practice by trying to add some competition through games. My coach is trying to get me away from being too technical so I’m trying to get more creative with my practice routine.” We also wanted to get Jennifer’s insight on how often she practices her short game, and particularly her putting. Like most Tour players would say, putting is by and large the most important part of the game and there definitely needs to be an adequate amount of time spent to practice it. “I probably practice my putting for about an hour and a half per day. I don’t like to set a time limit if I feel I have accomplished what I set out to do.”

Johnson does like to enjoy herself while she is back in her hometown of Carlsbad, CA. Like most girls, she really enjoys shopping and catching up with her

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949.240.8247 MONARCHBEACHGOLF.COM Jennifer Johnson, during the Foursome Matches of the Junior Ryder Cup at The Club at Olde Stone PGA OF AMERICA

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ALUMNI PROFILE

Q&A WITH MAX HOMA

ALUMNIPROFILE

Max Homa, a Southern California PGA Junior Tour alumnus, has endured much success in the years to follow his junior golf career. Homa played four years at the University of California, Berkeley where he became the first player in the history of Cal to win an NCAA individual championship, helping to lead his Bears to 11 tournament wins throughout the regular season.

Furthermore, Homa earned third-team All-American honors, All-Region, and All-Pac-12 honors throughout his senior year at Cal. Some other highlights of the Valencia, CA native include his performance at the 2013 Walker Cup as he helped to lead team U.S.A. to victory.

Homa went on to qualify for the 113th U.S. Open, after his victory at the NCAA individual championship in Georgia, and competed against two teammates in the 113th U.S. Open as an amateur. As a recent graduate of Cal, Homa made his professional debut at the Frys.com Open at CordeValle in San Martin, CA on a sponsor’s exemption where he finished T-9. The future holds much promise for the young professional and the Southern California PGA is honored to have had a small part in the success that is Max Homa.

Can you talk a little bit about the 113th US Open at Merion putting the cap on an outstanding collegiate career?

It was just a good starting point for me going into professional golf to just get a feel for what it is like on such a big stage.

How has Coach Desimone shaped you as a player?

He was very motivating to me throughout my collegiate career and believed that I can make it and be successful at a professional level.

Whether you like it or not, he made me believe it too. Coach has been a great supporter of me and ultimately pushed me to be as good as I could be.

How did it feel to be a part of the winning U.S. squad playing in the 2013Walker Cup? There is really nothing that you can compare to it, I wish I could even explain it in words but it was the most fun and unique experience having two teammates, and to have two really good friends on

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PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

“IT HIT, TOOK ONE HOP, AND WHEN IT STARTED SPINNING BACK, I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO GO IN. IT GOT SO LOUD! IT WAS REALLY FUN.”

Max Homa at Cal Berkeley

the team was just an added bonus. It is something I don’t think any of us will never forget and I can’t even imagine matching the amount of excitement that that week really was.

Can you talk a little bit about your hole in one on hole number 6?

I was on the fifth hole and had just made a par putt to stay within range; the kid I was playing was drumming me and I was playing pretty bad at that point.

I told myself, “Let’s make a good swing here on six, get on track and try to get some rhythm. I actually struck it very well. It hit, took one hop, and when it started spinning back, I knew it was going to go in. It got so loud! It was really fun.”

For all of our members out there who are looking to play in college, can you discuss your personal recruitment process?

The process wasn’t terribly complicated for me because I knew I wanted to stay on the west coast but I CAL GOLF

really didn’t have a lot of schools recruit me. It was really just a matter of playing well at the right time when you’re going into your junior year and I was fortunate enough to do that and it ultimately spring boarded me out to Berkeley.

Your thoughts in regard to your experience with the Southern California PGA Junior Tour?

What people don’t all know about Junior Golf in Southern California is how good the competition is and what ever tournaments you play in, you’re going to find that stiff competition and it can prepare you for the college level.

As far as the SCPGA goes, the way the tournaments are run you get a real feel for what a golf tournament is and it makes it less intimidating once you are going to a bigger stage. The experience builds into comfort and really the more comfortable you are, the better you are going to play throughout your career and that is really what I got out of my experience with Southern California Golf. www.scpgajrtour.com

ALUMNI PROFILE

PGA PROFESSIONAL SCOTT HEYN

ALUMNIPROFILE 18

Scott Heyn’s golfing career has come a long way from its humble beginnings at El Cariso Golf Course in Sylmar, CA. The local Southern California native was elected into PGA membership in 2004 and is now the General Manager at Oakmont Country Club in Glendale, CA. Heyn’s love and passion for the game of golf has been a constant driving force throughout his life and career.

The par 62 executive length El Cariso Golf Course was the perfect setting for Scott’s introduction to golf. Scott’s father and younger brother provided a large influence on his connection with the game. By the time he turned 11 years old, Scott was ready to jump into tournament golf, playing in the LA City Championship at Griffith Park Golf Course. Once he got a taste of tournament golf there was no turning back.

“My dad was a big golfer and that sparked my initial interest in the game. As I was growing up I always played baseball and the field happened to be very close to the golf course. During the games my dad would drop me off and then head over to the course to practice. When I was done I would walk over to the golf course and hit balls all afternoon in my baseball uniform until my dad was done golfing.

Once I was a little older my brother had a big influence on me playing golf. He is a pretty good player too and we grew up playing SCPGA events. He is three years younger so we weren’t directly competing but we were always out there together. It was great for me to have someone to play and practice with growing up.”

“Once I started playing tournaments I became hooked. My brother and I played almost exclusively Southern California PGA Junior Tour (formerly Southern California Junior Golf Association) events. Like most kids these days I was picking out all the SCPGA events I wanted to play when the schedule came out. I also played in a couple of AJGA events and was fortunate enough to qualify for Junior World twice. When I wasn’t in school during summer break I played at least 3 or 4 days every week. I remember my parents driving us all over Southern California to play. We lived pretty far north in the valley so there weren’t as many events as Orange County.

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

This led me to learning the freeway systems at a very young age but only as it related to the location of golf courses.”

As Scott continued his golfing career and preparation for college, he became more focused on golf instead of other sports.

Heyn’s commitment to tournaments and the SCPGA Junior Tour paid off in more ways than one. Not only did his experiences provide college golfing opportunities but also allowed him to make friends and memories he still cherishes to this day.

“It is amazing how vivid my memory is on some of these things. I can still remember many of the major SCPGA junior events. The Lee Hammil and Yorba Linda Championships always stood out because they provide golf bags to the winners. I always remember playing the events at my home course. I could play the course good every day but when the tournament came around it was all of a sudden much tougher. There seemed to be so much pressure because everyone wanted you to win. My experiences as a junior golfer directly links to my occupation in the golf industry today. Today when I travel around I can think back and remember my experiences as a junior. I can go to a golf course and remember being in a playoff there for the 14-15 year old group and how big of a deal it was for me.”

“I have so many cool memories of playing the SCPGA junior events. I feel very fortunate to have developed so many relationships with the people I played against in junior golf. A lot of those individuals are still my best friends today.

Obviously there are a lot of guys that I played against that you still see playing on TV every week. Tiger Woods and many others have certainly done pretty well for themselves. Tiger is a few months younger than me so we played a lot of golf together growing up. One of the

Scott Heyn, PGA

friendships I have made over the years as a result of the SCPGA is my good friend Zach Allen from De Bell Golf Course.

We played a lot of junior golf growing up and now we have the opportunity to play in section team events. Eric Lohman is also one of my best friends to this day.

Eric and I go way back to high school and junior golf. Our relationship even went to another level, business. He hired me and I worked for him for three years. He has really helped my career and I would say we have a great friendship and business relationship.”

After high school graduation, Heyn attended the University of Nevada on a college golf scholarship. Scott played two successful seasons in Reno before deciding to transfer back home to Loyola Marymount University. He finished his last two years of eligibility playing for the Loyola Marymount men’s golf team. Scott was the first person from the university’s men’s golf team to be named to the First-Team All-West Coast Conference.

“You know I had a little different www.scpgajrtour.com

www.scpgajrtour.com

Scott Heyn, PGA

has given much back to his peers and his association. In addition to being an active tournament player and association member, Scott has served on the SCPGA Metro Chapter Board and is currently a member of the Southern California PGA Board of Directors. He provides his insight and experiences to these advisory vehicles to grow the game of golf and the PGA brand.

“I don’t play nearly as much golf as I once did but I do value it much more.

Unfortunately I do not have lots of time to practice and work on my game but I love to get out and play in competitive events from time to time because I still really enjoy competing. I play in as many PGA section and chapter events as I can.

I look forward to competing in section events and they can really help me get through a tough week when I know that next Monday I will be playing in an event with my good friends. I still want to play at the highest level possible and can still play pretty well from time to time. I am lucky to have the ability still to go to the tee and have a good chance of shooting under par.”

“Since I started working in the golf business as a PGA Professional I have been lucky to have some great playing highlights. I qualified and played in the 2004 Nissan Open at Riviera Country Club which was a great thrill for me because I grew up in Los Angeles. In 2007 I played in the Buick invitational at Torrey Pines Golf Course and had a great experience there as well. I won the Straight Down Fall Class this past year with Corby Segel, a good buddy of mine

from my junior golf days. We actually beat Fred Couples and his partner in a playoff which was really cool. I have been lucky enough to win many team and individual SCPGA Section events.

Two times I have qualified and played in the PGA Professional National Championship. Still being able to play at the higher level from time to time is great. It is something I don’t want to lose but it becomes harder and harder to stay at that level. It’s at least nice to have a flash from time to time.”

Scott Heyn has been a great PGA Professional and ambassador for the game of golf throughout his career. Heyn is an alumnus of the SCPGA Junior Tour and continues to be a strong advocate hosting many SCPGA Junior Tour events over the years. As a teacher and father, Heyn has a unique perspective to share with current and future junior golfers.

“For me I always tell kids to play as much golf and as many tournaments as possible. It doesn’t matter what the event is, it is about trying to get better and getting more experiences under your belt.

The more situations you find yourself in on a golf course will only improve your game in the future. I want kids to learn the chess match of how to get the ball in the hole and not just mastering a good technical golf swing. I think the people that have that skill are the ones who can score when they don’t have their game especially when the conditions are tough.

Being a tough competitor on the course can help you overcome a lot of things, even some small swing flaws.”

“I think there is nothing greater for a child to learn than to learn to play golf.

I think there is no sport greater and no sport that teaches kids more about life.

At 8, 9, and 10 years old, I was able to socialize with adults on the golf course. I really learned how to work and interact with adults and business people. I could play golf with anyone and always feel comfortable on the course. I have really taken those experiences with me as I am now in the business world. In business it really helps to break the ice with clients if you are able to do business on the golf course. It tends to open a lot of doors for you. Golf is also the one sport you can continue to play for a lifetime.

Unlike other sports where you can only talk about how good you used to be, in golf you can go tee it up and still play no matter what your age is. Golf is a neverending challenge with an unreachable goal.”

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

ALUMNIPROFILE

policy than some kids that go through the recruiting process. Like a lot of kids I had my dream list of schools that I really wanted to attend and schools that I was a big fan of but in the end I chose a place where I was going to have the opportunity to play and travel. I was realistic in my evaluation of myself and I wanted to go somewhere that I felt comfortable I was going to have the opportunity to play. If I was going to get better I needed to play and accumulate more tournament rounds. I needed to play various types of golf courses, conditions, and tournaments so that I could gain the experience I needed to play at a high level.”

“In four years I think I only missed one tournament. In college golf you get to play against a lot of teams. You might not play for USC or UCLA but you will get to the opportunity to compete against them and I always focused my attention on beating those guys from the big schools. I thought that it would be better to play and compete against them rather than being the 6th or 7th guy on that team that ends up sitting at home every weekend.”

After graduation, Scott had a brief stint as an aspiring professional golfer.

Heyn realized he loved the game and enjoyed it much more when playing for fun instead of his paycheck. Combining his passion for the game of golf and his knack for business, Heyn decided to pursue a career in the golf industry.

Under the tutelage of PGA Professional Phil Lopez, Scott started cleaning clubs in the bag room at La Paloma Country Club in Tucson, AZ. Mr. Lopez was a driving factor and mentor as Scott began his path to becoming a PGA Professional.

In 1999, as an employee of Troon Golf, Heyn moved back to Southern California and was given the opportunity to open Eagle Glen Golf Club in Corona, CA. He was able to gain invaluable experience successfully opening and operating a golf facility over his two and a half years there.

From Eagle Glen Golf Club, Scott moved back to the San Fernando Valley and worked at Porter Valley Country Club for six years. Scott’s experiences throughout the golf industry landed him at Black Gold Golf Club where he was General Manager for six years. Recently, Heyn has made the move to Oakmont Country Club in Glendale, CA where he has taken on the role of General Manager.

During his time as a PGA Professional in the Southern California Section, Heyn

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SCPGA Juniors

ARE ON THE MOVE JDL TO PLAYERS TOUR

PLAYERSON THE MOVE

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*AS OF 9.15.2013

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SCPGA introduces the

COREY PAVIN INVITATIONAL

The Corey Pavin Southern California Invitational Presented by the SCPGA Junior Tour this partnership. Mr. Pavin is not only one of the greatest players of all-time, he is an alumni of our program, and a tremendous supporter of the game. I feel this event can be a great addition to the already thriving junior golf landscape in Southern California, including junior golf programs and player development activities. With the support of Mr. Pavin, the SCPGA is honored to feature the bright future of this great game. ” –Tom Addis III, CEO and Executive Director of the Southern California PGA Section

COREY PAVIN

Proven tour professional Corey Pavin is a two-time All-American and 1982 NCAA Player of the Year. In addition to these accolades, Corey has 15 PGA Tour victories, is a three-time Ryder Cup member, and two-time Presidents Cup team member.

COREYPAVIN INVITATIONAL

Corey Pavin and the SCPGA are excited to announce the inaugural Corey Pavin Southern California Invitational presented by the SCPGA Junior Tour at Maderas Golf Club on January 25th-26th, 2014. The 54-hole event will feature 90 of the world’s top junior golfers (from Southern California and around the world). As an SCPGA Junior Tour alumni and Southern California native, Corey Pavin is thrilled to have the opportunity to support the growth of the game and host this prestigious event.

The exclusive field will feature 60 boys and 30 girls ranked among the top junior golfers from around the world.

Half of the field will consist of the top players from Southern California while the remainder of the field will include the top players from China, Australia, Mexico, and the rest of the United States.

The event will be running simultaneously with the Farmers Insurance Open hosted at Torrey Pines Golf Course. Participants will be privileged with complimentary tickets on a day of their choosing. The SCPGA and Maderas Golf Club will host a dinner for participants featuring special guests the Friday evening prior to the first round.

“I am proud that the SCPGA and Corey Pavin have been able to establish

MADERAS GOLF CLUB

Located in Poway, California, the Johnny Miller designed Maderas Golf Club will be a tremendous host facility stretching to a 7,167 yard, par 72 layout.

This Troon Golf facility will provide a fair but challenging tournament test for this deep and talented field.

Corey Pavin signs autographs at the 72nd Senior PGA Championship Presented by KitchenAid at Valhalla Golf Club www.scpgajrtour.com

PGA OF AMERICA

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

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JOE SKOVRON ALUMNI PROFILE

Rickie Fowler & Joe Skovron walk up to the 18th green at the 38th Ryder Cup

ALUMNIPROFILE 22

Joe Skovron, more formally known as the caddy for PGA Tour player Rickie Fowler, is an alumnus of the SCPGA Junior Tour and a resident of Murrieta, CA. Joe learned how to play golf at a very young age from his dad Lou Skovron, a PGA Professional. However, he didn’t start taking the game seriously or competing till the age of nine. After just a couple years of practice and hard work, Joe found that he had a real passion for the game and started to become one of the better junior golfers in the area. Joe reflected on a couple of key moments in his junior golf career that were really important to him by saying, “The moment that stood out for me would have to be when I placed 6th at Junior World at the age of 12 and was selected to compete at the Japan Cup.That was a really cool experience for me. Another good moment for me was when I got to play with Adam Scott in a tournament hosted by Valley Junior Golf.”

After a successful junior golfing career, Joe took his game to the next level and went to the University of California at Santa Barbara where he decided to redshirt his freshman year. The next year he transferred to the University of La Verne and helped his team move up the rankings and became one of the best Division III programs in the country.

When asked what his favorite moments playing college golf were Joe replied, “My favorite collegiate moments were PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

definitely the team trips that we would take. We had a lot of fun on all the traveling trips and I would definitely say that the experience of playing in four straight national championships was the highlight of my collegiate golf career.

To top it off, my senior year we won our first conference title after three straight second place finishes. It was very cool to end my collegiate golf experience by finally winning a conference title.”

After Joe finished college he went on to pursue a career as a professional golfer and competed for three years on the mini tours. He then decided it was time to hang up the sticks and went on to become the coach of his former college team at the University of La Verne. After his first year as coach of the La Verne golf team, Joe was offered the job to become Rickie’s full time caddy on the PGA Tour. When asked about the events that took place leading to becoming Rickie’s caddy Joe explained, “I never pictured myself being a PGA Tour caddy. I always wanted to be a player. I got involved with caddying almost by mistake through Brenden Steele and Charlotte Mayorkas.

I was a close friend and roommate of Brenden and caddied for him a little on the Nationwide Tour. I knew Charlotte from working at the same golf course and caddied for her a little on the LPGA Tour. I then had the opportunity to caddy for Rickie at the U.S. Amateur and a Nationwide Tour event in which PGA OF AMERICA

he finished second as an amateur and then offered the position as his full time caddy.”

Having played competitive golf at a high level himself, Joe knows how it feels to deal with pressure situations and what a player might be thinking during critical moments of a tournament. When asked how his own experience has helped him as a tour caddy he said, “I think all the competitive golf I played and all the experience I had myself in pressure situations helped me to understand a little of what my player, Rickie, has to go through. Obviously it is not to the same degree because the PGA Tour is a different arena but I still know what a player is thinking and feeling during those key moments of a tournament.”

Joe and Rickie have a really good relationship as a player and caddie but more importantly as longtime friends. “I think our relationship is a bit different than most player caddy relationships because we have known each other for so long and he almost feels like a little brother to me, but at the same time he is my boss and I try to do my best to help him succeed on and off the course.”

During competitive rounds, Joe gave us a little insight as to what he and Rickie discuss during their pre-shot routine and what is said in between shots. “We get pretty involved with what clubs we want to hit off tees and what lines we take during practice rounds. I’m not too www.scpgajrtour.com

SUIT UP IN PUMA GOLF

Rickie Fowler & Joe Skovron during the session four singles matches at the 38th Ryder Cup at the Twenty Ten Course at Celtic Manor

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the PGA sections are, not only for its members but also for the local junior golf organizations they administer. Joe reflected upon his junior golf experience and how vital a role it played in developing his career. “I think junior golf opportunities are so important, especially your local junior golf organizations where you can drive to the events and don’t have to come from a family with tons of money that needs to fly you to events. Now a days guys play pretty big schedules at the junior golf level and have to sacrifice a lot but it is still nice to have local junior golf associations where you can play in affordable events. I remember I could play 30 tournaments a summer and never leave Southern California and got a lot of experience in competition. It also gives you a lot of opportunities like being seen by college coaches and then playing college golf gives you the chance to move on from there. I know it helped me get to where I am today and without junior golf I doubt I would be in the position I am now. I think junior golf is very important and I try my best to always support it. The SCPGA was very important in my development as well and I played quite a few events and have some great memories playing in the Toyota Tour Cup series and got to play with Anthony Kim in one of those events. For me I love when the PGA section can get involved in junior golf because I come from a PGA family so the PGA of America really means a lot to me. The SCPGA also means something to me and that makes it that much better when local PGA pros can be involved and can have a junior golf association that gives back to the kids.”

PGA OF AMERICA

ALUMNIPROFILE

involved in the green reading process. I usually only get called in a few times per tournament. As far as club selection goes, our routine is to discuss each shot, but the length of discussion varies a bit from shot to shot. Certain days I am more involved in that process than others.

We usually talk about something other than golf in between shots. I try to get a feeling for his frame of mind so I know whether I should be talking with him or just letting him do his thing. We are pretty good at keeping it loose out there.”

Skovron has been on tour now for the past four years and has been fortunate enough to have some pretty incredible experiences. In his first year on tour, he had the opportunity to caddy for Rickie at the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and was able to be right in the mix as Rickie made the dramatic comeback to halve his match and give his team an opportunity to win. Joe has also attended Augusta National the past couple years for the Masters Tournament and describes it as the most amazing course and one of the highlight experiences of his career. Joe also described the first professional win that he and Rickie had together in Korea by saying, “The first professional win we had in Korea was very cool because it took us a couple of years to finally get one under our belt. It was special to see Rickie so excited because he is usually so even keeled and very calm and doesn’t tend to show a lot of emotion.” Rickie and Joe have had an outstanding first four years together and plan to continue the positive trend moving into the future.

As the son of a PGA Professional, Joe knows and understands how important

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23

ALUMNI PROFILE

Q&A WITH GABRIELLA THEN

ALUMNIPROFILE 24

This past summer Gabriella and get out around 1:30 P.M. After class the entire experience?

I go to the golf course and practice until Then, a SCPGA Junior Tour alumnus, My favorite part was getting the it gets dark. In order to balance school accomplished the challenging feat of overall match play experience. I also winning the U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur and golf it usually results in late nights of really enjoyed getting to know some of Championship. She became only the fifth the people from Indiana, especially my studying and doing homework so that I SCPGA alumni to win this prestigious can focus on practicing during the day. I host family there. I also enjoyed the also like to make time to hang out with event since Tiger Woods won back in USGA Championship setup and it was 1993. Before winning the event, Gabby great to experience that type of setup in a my friends but I am so busy with school was one of the elite junior golfers in the and golf practice that I don’t get as much match play format. country and was consistently ranked time to do that. within the top 20 If there was one girls nationwide.

She just piece of advice graduated from you could give to a Upland High junior golfer that School this past is trying to have spring and has the same type of taken her talents success you have and passion for had so far, what the game of golf would you say? to better the I would tell them program of the to always keep trying USC women’s golf and never give up team. She declares during a round, no this victory as the matter how bad you most important of might be playing. In her life and credits terms of practicing, her strong will and I would have to say passion for helping that you should her get through the always focus on grueling process. putting but try to Gabby started make it fun at the her competitive same time. I like to career with the do a lot of putting SCPGA Junior drills to help me Tour and we improve but I also felt it would be Gabriella Then poses with the trophy after the final round of match play at the 2013 U.S. Girls' Junior at Sycamore like to play a lot of great to get her Saturday, July 27, 2013 putting games with Hills Golf Club in Fort Wayne, Ind., on insight on a few different topics. We

my sister and friends wanted to see how the experience of to make it more fun and exciting.

How were you able to overcome winning the U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur the challenges that were presented Championship affected her golfing How has the SCPGA helped you to you in that final match? career and changed her perspective when further your golfing career and what I just tuned everything out and tried playing in the elite national tournaments. to think positive. I kept reminding has been your most memorable Gabby has been nice enough to give us moment competing in the SCPGA myself that I was not out of it yet and if I some of her insight and time as we asked Toyota Tour Cup? stay positive I could win the match. her several questions to see exactly what The SCPGA was the foundation of

has made her so successful throughout my junior golfing career. I started playing How do you plan to take her junior golf career. on the junior tour level and worked my what you have learned from this way up to the Toyota Tour Cup. It was experience and transfer it over to How does it feel to be the US my first experience in competitive golf your collegiate career at USC? Girls Amateur Champion? and helped me improve my game so that I plan to take the positive thoughts It didn’t set in at first. It started to I could compete on the national level that I had from this experience and use sink in a couple of days later when I in AJGA and USGA events. My most that to benefit me when I am playing in looked back at the overall experience memorable moment was competing in collegiate events. and what I did to get to that point. It has the Oak Valley Cup Matches for team finally hit me now and it feels good to What is a typical day like for you? SCPGA vs. team China. That was my accomplish something that special. first experience in a match play format And how do you find the time to and it was a lot of fun to experience that balance school and golf so well?

What was your favorite part of in a team atmosphere.

I would go to school in the morning PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

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ALUMNI PROFILE

MICHAEL KIM

ALUMNIPROFILE 26

Perseverance through adversity is a tournament proven and life-tested piece of the SCPGA Junior Tour alumni and student-athlete that is Michael Kim. His ability to remain humble and balanced under the constant expectation of success throughout his career is a true testament of the content of his character. “I like to take things one step at a time. Throughout the surrounding media relations of the game, I just try to go out there and not focus on winning each tournament but instead shift my focus to maintaining a clear mind and just playing golf.” Kim approaches his academic responsibilities at the University of California, Berkeley with the same philosophy and work ethic.

“You won’t touch a club during finals week, which is difficult, but also a part of preparation and time management. You have to really stay on top of your classes and be in constant communication with your professors to let them know when you will be out of class and to get make-up work during tournaments.”

Kim credits his teammates, coaching staff, and the University for teaching him time-management and developing him into the championship caliber player he has become. “College forces you to make more efficient use of your time. The 3 hours of free time that you had as a junior PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

golfer now becomes a great resource.”

Michael started his junior golf career playing in the San Diego Junior Golf Association which quickly led to his experience with the Southern California PGA Junior Tour. “I transitioned to the SCPGA and played in a bunch of the Toyota Tour Cup Series events!” After his dominance on the SCPGA Junior Tour, Michael then advanced to the Toyota Tour Cup and transitioned into one of the best tournament players within the program. “The best thing about Southern California is that I was getting to play against all of the best junior golfers while playing in the best junior golf programs in the country. Every junior tournament I played has helped me play well in college.”

Although his ability and recent performance is now comparable to that of a tour caliber player, he reflects on his recruiting process as a SCPGA Junior Tour Member. “I really didn’t start playing well in Tour Cup until I was about 15. I knew that I wanted to go to school in California but didn’t have too many schools try to recruit me except for Coach Desimone, who really put a great squad together at Cal. It turned out to be a perfect fit!” Kim credits his time at the University as another building block upon the foundation established

by his earlier junior golf career, “College is another step with more difficult holelocations and the length of the courses, but every junior tournament that I have competed in has helped me play well in college.”

Much of Kim’s known success revolves around his recent play on the PGA Tour, finishing 17th overall at the 113th U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club. Kim reflects, “I got to play a practice round at Merion with KJ Choi, Padraig Harrington and John Huh… three pretty big named guys on tour. We got to the first hole and I was basically shaking. Those first three holes were a blur and I was off to a bad start; I mean I thought I was going to go out there and shoot 90 with these guys in the practice round! Thankfully I had the opportunity to regroup with some Cal teammates after the round who were also in the field and it helped me gather some perspective.” Proceeding to play himself into contention firing a 73 followed with an even par second round 70, Kim made the cut to advance to the weekend.

“Friday and Saturday are probably the most fun I have had in a long time.”

Kim then shot a third round 71 to place himself in contention to make a charge on Sunday. “There is a big white leader board next to the 15th green and I saw my name up there with Charl Schwartzel and Luke Donald. I stood there for probably 20 seconds and just tried to process it all; something I will never forget.”

Dynamic in nature and equally as

John Todd/GoldenBearSports.com, Todd Drexler/SE Sports Media

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experience.”

In addition to the Haskins award and the Greenbrier Classic, Kim continued to add to his collegiate resume earning a place on the All-Nicklaus team, winning the Golfweek/Sagarin Player of the Year and earning recognition as the recipient of the Jack Nicklaus Award (division 1).

Kim had seven Top-5 and ten Top-10 finishes at Cal last season and finished with a 70.14 stroke average over 43 rounds of stroke play. He was also selected for the 2013 Walker Cup, a biennial 10-man amateur team competition between the USA and a team composed of players from Great Britain and Ireland. It is played over two days with 18 singles matches and eight foursomes (alternate-

be voted by your competitors, to win such an honor and receive the Greenbrier exemption was just a phenomenal feeling.”

The Haskins Foundation grants one exemption into the Greenbrier Classic every year where Kim finished in a tie for 38th in the 136 player field, firing a 4 under four day total and making his second cut in his second PGA Tour event. “At the Greenbrier I had a lot of confidence coming off of the U.S. Open finish, I felt like if I could just go in without expectation and take it one shot at a time, I would have a decent opportunity to finish well. I finished poorly in the second round and was lucky enough to make the cut and play into the weekend and at that point your entire focus shifts to just trying to move up the leaderboard as much as possible and I felt like I played pretty well all week to finish 38th. I also had the opportunity to meet Phil Mickelson there as well as at the U.S. Open and it was just an overall great

shot) matches. The event has served as an international stage for players such as Francis Ouimet, Bob Jones, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose. It is important to note that Kim remained undefeated in the singles play and was an instrumental part of the success endured at the 2013 Walker Cup Match at the National Golf Links of America representing the United States. “It felt like since 2011, I really gained a friendship with all the guys on the team and getting to play with (Cal teammate) Max (Homa) during the Sunday foursomes was just special, it was a special week” On and off the golf course Michael Kim has already become an outstanding representation of character and work ethic which should serve as an example to junior golfers everywhere. The future remains very bright for the SCPGA Junior Tour Alumni who has already reserved his personal piece of history over the course of his short career.

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Casey Valentine/GoldenBearSports.com

PREVIEW

The Southern California PGA Junior Tour is ecstatic to announce that the 2013 Toyota Tour Cup Championship will be hosted at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California on December 21st & 22nd. The Toyota Tour Cup Championship is the crowning jewel of the season and always features one of the deepest and most talented fields in all of junior golf. This year’s championship will consist of a 90 player field- 57 boys and 33 girls.

The first round of the tournament will be held on the North Course while the second and final round will be held on the South Course.

The Toyota Tour Cup series was created in 1999 to offer the elite junior players in the Southern California region playing opportunities at premier facilities. The first event was held at Torrey Pines and this will be the first time the tour has returned since.

Throughout the sunny Southern California calendar year, members of the Toyota Tour Cup series have the opportunity to play in 28 events that range from Santa Barbara to San Diego. The top ten finishers in each event receive Player of the Year points, which accumulate throughout the year to earn an invitation into the Tour Championship. The competition is very stout and an invite to Torrey Pines this year will be well deserved.

Torrey Pines is the annual host of the PGA Tour and the Farmer Insurance Open since the late 1960’s. In 2008, they hosted one of the more memorable U.S. Open Championship’s won by Tiger Woods. Situated along the coastline of the Pacific Ocean, it ranks as one of the elite golf courses in America. The SCPGA Junior Tour can’t wait to host this prestigious event at Torrey Pines Golf Course.

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

ALUMNIPROFILE

monumental as his play in the U.S. Open, Michael Kim also became the first Cal player to take home the Fred Haskins Award in the 43 years of its history. It is annually presented to the most outstanding collegiate golfer of the year. “I actually found out (I had won the award) the Tuesday night of U.S. Open week.” Recipients of the Haskins Award have collectively won 28 Majors and recorded more than 260 victories on the PGA and Champions Tours. Kim comments on this prestigious accomplishment, “The Haskins award is a little unique when compared to the Jack Nicklaus award that I was fortunate enough to win because it is voted by your peers, coaches, and golf media alike. To

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SCPGA Traveling Teams

MAKING A STATEMENT

45th Annual Eddie Hogan Cup Team Matches Captain Mike Mowry, Justin De Los Santos, Hale Furey, Johnny Hyun, Edwin Yi

The 45th Annual Eddie Hogan Cup Team Matches were held on August 9-11 at Riverside Golf and Country Club in Portland, Oregon. After 36 holes of competition, the team from Southern California finished in 3rd Place with a total score of 6-over-par 438, 3 strokes behind the 1st Place team from British Columbia.

The team of Justin de Los Santos, Hale Furey, Johnny Hyun, and Edwin Yi held a tie for the lead after the first day with Northern California at 6-over-par. The final round of competition saw Southern Cal play much more consistently and finished the day at even-par. Improving by 6 strokes on day two was not enough to hold onto 1st Place as British Columbia fired a 5-under 211 and Team Washington shot 3-under over the final 18 holes to take 1st and 2nd respectively. The Hogan Cup Team Matches, held annually at Riverside Golf & Country Club, showcase the best junior golfers from the Western United States and Canada against each other in a team format with the three lowest scores each day determining the team total. Southern California individual results: Justin de Los Santos: 75-70-145, Edwin Yi: 77-73-150, Hale Furey: 70-81-151, Johnny Hyun: 80-73-153.

Mary Cave Cup

Captain Max DeSpain, Clare Legaspi, Cindy Oh, Robynn Ree, Ellen Takada

TRAVELINGTEAMS

Southern California had an impressive showing at the annual Mary Cave Cup hosted at Sycuan Resort in El Cajon, California in early August. Both teams placed on top of the 19 team field which was comprised of teams from Hawaii to Idaho. The Southern California team, featuring Robynn Rhee and Clare Legaspi, placed first in the 36-hole two player team better ball event. One shot shy was the fellow Southern California team made up of Ellen Takada and Cindy Oh. Rhee and Legaspi carded a better ball score of 65 in the final round to post a two day total of 134. Robynn Rhee posted 75-69 to capture individual honors in the event.

Boys Cal Cup North/South Cup Matches

Captain Thomas Camaione & Kevin Smith, Oscar Baek, Jin Ho Chung, Rico Hoey, Johnny Hyun, Brandon Mai, Victor Ponte, Brett Robinson, Sahith Theegala, Aaron Wise, Edwin Yi The Cal Cup Matches are matches held between ten SCPGA Junior Tour players and ten JGANC players with a Ryder Cup format. The matches are 36-holes match play and it’s held annually the day before the California Junior Amateur Championship.

Every year it rotates between the host section. This year it was Southern California turn, hosting it at Morongo of Tukwet Canyon Golf Club, on the Champions course. With Northern California being the defending champion, all they needed was a tie to retain the coveted Cal Cup trophy. The morning matches were foursomes, with a total of six points possible. All the matches went at least fifteen holes with each match turning with each swing. After the conclusion of the morning matches, it stood 3 to 2 Southern California. The singles matches early on was anyone’s for the taking. With each match on the front side leaning towards Northern California it didn’t look very good. With the sun setting on the backside the Southern California team kicked it into high gear and cruised in with six points out of the possible ten points for the afternoon singles. The final tally was Southern California bringing the cup back home 9 to 6.

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Girls Cal Cup North/South Matches

Captain Mike Mowry, Alicia Arzaga, Annika Gino, Cailey Gino, Halie Lasken, Elizabeth Soewondo, Joan Soewondo The California State Girls North/South Cup Matches were contested on Sunday, June 23rd at Carmel Valley Ranch Golf Course in beautiful Carmel, CA. The South team was comprised of Alicia Arzaga, Annika Gino, Cailey Gino, Halie Lasken, Elizabeth Soewondo, and Joan Soewondo. The North team came out of the gate making birdie after birdie creating a lead that proved to be insurmountable. Despite the South team’s best efforts to fight their way back into the matches, the North team held on behind their hometown fans. Team Captain Mike Mowry said, “I could not have been more proud of the way our team battled until the very end.

Several of the matches could have gone either way. The North team just made a few more putts than we did.” Southern California looks forward to claiming victory in 2014.

6th Annual Oak Valley Cup

Captains: Chris Gilkey & Kevin Smith Team Members: Brandon Tsujimoto, Sam Gillis, Josh Matz, Roy Cootes, Henry Chung, Chase Furey, Megan Kim, Brooke Graebe, Michelle Yom, Alyaa Abdulghany, Kaitleen Shee, Madeline Chou The 2013 Oak Valley Cup Matches truly set the stage for Southern California’s finest young golfers to showcase their skills and compete against a Chinese team that has endured consistent and annual success at the event. Team SCPGA came out of the gates firing on all cylinders and took the early lead heading into the afternoon matches on Saturday. The Chinese team responded well though by controlling the afternoon session and bringing the matches back to all square. In the end, team SCPGA barely held on for the victory and defeated the respected Chinese team by one point. We are very proud of the way both teams represented themselves and for the pure determination and fight that they possessed. Team SCPGA looks forward to defending their title in 2014.

Captain Alexandra Tegels, Lydia Choi, Brigitte Dunne, Stephanie Lau, Haley Moore The Sun Country Golf House played host to the 2013 Girls Junior America’s Cup at the University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course July 29th -August 1st.The team of Lydia Choi, Brigitte Dunne, Haley Moore, and Stephanie Lau represented Southern California well finishing in second place with a three-day total of +1, 649. Starting the third round nine shots behind Mexico, the Southern California team played well but could not make up the deficit against the talented Mexico team. Individually, the Southern California players finished: Choi T2, -4; Moore T5, +3; Lau T9, +5; Dunne T13, +7. The Southern California team looks forward to the 2014 event to be held at Walla Walla Country Club in Walla Walla, Washington.

TRAVELINGTEAMS

Girls Junior America’s Cup

41st Annual Boys Junior America’s Cup

Captain Andrew Zeller, Oscar Baek, Rico Hoey, Collin Morikawa, Sahith Theegala Rico Hoey, Collin Morikawa, Sahith Theegala, and Oscar Baek represented Southern California in the 41st Junior America’s Cup at Wailea Golf Club. After three days of competition, the Southern California team finished tied for 3rd place at 12-under par. Despite a valiant effort and third day charge the boys weren’t able to drop enough putts to catch San Diego. The SCPGA would like to thank all of the boys for participating and representing Southern California. www.scpgajrtour.com

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

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SCPGA Juniors

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

WHERETHEY ARE NOW

Alcorn, Max Anderson, Christian Andreas, Laura Angard, Alex Barens, Blake Bernabe, Elisabeth Buchanan, Andrew Cathrea, Casie Chen, Jason Chen, Sophia Cheng, Anne Chu, Christopher Deng, Robert DePalma, Matthew Diaz-Yi, Lauren Doty, Elizabeth Downey, Joey French, Avery Fuller, Mariah Gal, Jae Won (Charles) Gastelum, Arianna Gibson, Gabrielle Gillis, Sam Gino, Cailey Gracie, Jamie Griffith, Paris Hoey, Rico Hossler, Beau Howe, Michael In, Kaley Jeong, Alice Kahn, Amanda Kemps, Matthew Lai, Jonathan Lee, Esther Lee, Alison Lewis, Court Lillie, Allison Lim, Thomas Luo, Minjia Milazzo, Agostino Miller, Tyler Munger, Scott Murphy, Matt Noblitt, Nate Ochoa, Danny O’Conner, Ryan Pereira, Corey Pugh, Michael Ree, Lawrence Rudy, Andrew Simon-Seay, Leven Stevenson, Casandra Strauss, Will Thomas, Sarah Tsujimoto, Brandon Vasilic, Jessica Vivaldi, Natalie Wang, Crystal Wheatley, Chase Wian, Haley Wibawa, Jessica Yoch, Theodora Young, Rovonta

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PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

University of San Francisco Westminster College Pacific University UCLA University of Notre Dame Yale University Southern Methodist University Oklahoma State Princeton University University of Pennsylvania Harvard University Columbia University Harvard University University of Missouri - Kansas City University of Virginia Wake Forest University Masters College University of Las Vegas Point Loma Nazerene University Gonzaga University Drake University University of Wyoming UC - Riversitde California Baptist University Amherst College UC - Riverside USC University of Texas Rutgers UC - Irvine UC - Berkeley University of Montana California Lutheran University Yale University Duke University UCLA Cal Poly San Luis Obispo University of San Francisco University of Oregon Northwestern University CSU - Long Beach California Baptist University San Jose State University CSU - Fullerton Irvine Valley College University of Southern California UC - Irvine University of Washington Fresno State University Loyola Marymount University Georgetown University UC - Riverside CSU - San Marcos UC - Santa Barbara Flordia University of Technology UC - Riverside University of Arizona University of Colorado Academy of Art Rutgers UC - Riverside Washington University - St. Louis Middlebury College Jackson State University www.scpgajrtour.com

A Typical College

GOLF TOURNAMENT

By Coach Ted Gleason

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toward the team score. All the while the coach will be advising his respective players on yardages, reading greens, and encouraging the mental management of the game. The crowds are made up of parents, school administrators, alumni, members of the host course, and local fans. It is an exciting atmosphere, with each team representing its respective school in like uniforms, hats, and golf bags. The 36-hole day often ends with the last gleam of daylight; the players grab a quick meal together and then have a team meeting to discuss the agenda for the final round. After dinner and the team meeting, some players may hit the books, some may catch up with friends on other teams, and some may get to bed early to be rested for the final 18 holes.

The final round again requires an early wakeup call as the players must have all of their bags packed and be ready for the van ride or flight home immediately following play. After the conclusion of the final round, the entire field gathers for a tournament meal and the awards ceremony. The trip back home is filled with the joys of victory or talk of what could have been. Each player returns to class that next morning, making up assignments and catching up with normal classwork. Keep in mind, a typical college golf program will compete in 10 to 12 tournaments per year, which requires college golfers to be organized, efficient with their time, and maintain the proper balance between academics and golf.

The opportunity to represent a golf program and university is a rewarding experience. College golfers certainly make sacrifices with their time; however, there is no better feeling than playing for a university/golf program you love and striving for common goals with your teammates and coaches you care about.

I encourage you to get out and observe a college event near you to experience the excitement of college golf firsthand. You can find a college event on www.golfstat.com or by reviewing a local university’s golf team website.

SETTING THE

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COLLEGECORNER

The SCPGA Junior Tour offers a plethora of competitive opportunities for junior golfers of all ages. Many of you are competing with the goal of someday playing college golf.

Given this goal, it would be beneficial for you to become familiar with the format of a typical college golf tournament.

The most exciting aspect of being a college golfer is the opportunity to compete in college tournaments.

Traveling with your coach and teammates to events and having the opportunity to test your skills against other college players is an exhilarating experience.

College events (in Divisions I and II) are typically 54-hole events. Many tournaments are scheduled over a 2-day period, playing 36 holes the first day and 18 holes the final round, while other college events are held over a 3-day period, playing 18 holes each day.

Both formats require the college student-athlete to be physically and mentally prepared, as well as to balance academic responsibilities. A team departs for an event the day prior to the practice round, depending on the proximity of the tournament and the resources of the golf program. College golfers typically miss 1 to 2 days of school while attending each tournament, but they could miss up to 3 days if it is an 18-hole per day format. The practice round consists of the entire team playing together and the coach assisting the players to prepare for the event. The team consists of five players selected by the coach. Each coach has his own qualifying system, so team members may vary from tournament to tournament.

The first day of competition requires an early wakeup call (dark thirty as my players used to say) to begin the 10 to 12 hours they will spend playing if it is a 36 holes in one day format. College golfers will play in every imaginable weather condition, and the low four scores from each team each round will be counted

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Coach Gleason PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

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SCPGA Play with a

PGA PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM

PLAYWITH THE PROFESSIONAL

The SCPGA Junior Tour kicked off its newest program, “Play with the Pro” in early 2013. It is a unique program aimed to reward outstanding SCPGA Junior Tour golfers, who have excelled on many levels. We looked to reward players for not only their playing ability, but also their overall character, community involvement and future aspirations.

Throughout the year, the SCPGA selected individuals with a variety of different qualifying criteria including Player of the Year points, academics, finishes in outside events, community service, sportsmanship, etc. The “Play with the Pro” program provides SCPGA Junior Tour members the opportunity to play a round of golf with select PGA professionals and one SCPGA staff member at premier golf clubs in Southern California. “Play with the Pro” is also a great way to highlight the host facilities and the PGA professionals themselves.

The SCPGA was fortunate enough to have several “Play with the Pro” events this past year.

The SCPGA Junior Tour was honored and would like to thank the host sites and PGA Professionals for participating and giving their time to the juniors:

Scott Johnson, PGA Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club Scott Puailoa, PGA The Valley Club of Montecito Trevor Baker, PGA Virginia Country Club

Junior Tour Members who participated in the “Play with the Pro”: Elizabeth Wang, Harold Calubid, Rong Ji, Felecia Taverrite, Ryan Yoshikawa, Robert Yoshikawa, Sophia Chen, Everett Najera, Sam Gillis, Aaron Wise, Ameer Bahhur, Andrew Fernandes, Justin De Los Santos, Victor Ponte, Brandon Mai, Brian Mai, Jack Ireland, Haley Tygret, Michael Alvarez, Brandon Bueno, Jack Biwer, Michelle Cheung, Everton Hawkins, and Hale Furey.

Jim Schaeffer, PGA Director of Golf at Los Angeles Country Club, Elizabeth Wang, Harold Calubid

Wade Berzas, PGA Annandale Country Club Everton Hawkins & Hale Furey at The Valley Club of Montecito

Renny Brown, PGA Aviara Golf Club David Podas, PGA Bel Air Country Club

Wade Berzas, PGA Head Professional of Annandale Golf Club, Everett Najera, Sophia Chen

Dave Whitby, PGA Hacienda Golf Club Jim Schaeffer, PGA The Los Angeles Country Club Bill O’Brien, PGA Maderas Golf Club Eric Lohman, PGA Monarch Beach Golf Links Mark Wilson, PGA North Ranch Country Club

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David Podas, PGA Head Professional at Bel Air Country Club, Victor Ponte, Justin De Los Santos

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

Eric Lohman, PGA General Manager of Monarch Beach Golf Links, Ameer Bahhur, Andrew Fernandes www.scpgajrtour.com

SCPGA Junior Tour

TESTIMONIALS “Playing in the SCPGA Junior Tour helped my golf game tremendously. I started off playing in the one day events and as I progressed I got into Toyota Tour Cups. At every level of the SCPGA, I learned a lot; whether it was my short game that needed to be improved or anything that was necessary to play better. The SCPGA also taught me sportsmanship, how I should act on the golf course and also how I should treat other people.

What got me especially motivated was that I loved the team events. From playing in the Oak Valley Cup, So Cal Team, Hogan Cup, and Junior America’s Cup I have a lot of great memories and made lifelong friendships.

I would like to thank the SCPGA for all they have done for me and for helping bring my game to the next level.”

Rico Hoey- SCPGA Junior Tour Alumni, attending University of Southern California ”The SCPGA was the one tour that gave me the opportunity to play at all levels. I began playing SCPGA tournaments when I was 6 and progressed from the 11 and under age group to the Toyota Tour Cup. The SCPGA was a gateway for me to enter and play college golf and provided a high level of competition in which I could test my skills and compete.”

“The SCPGA has been an extremely positive experience for me and has been a big part of my life since I was young. Many of my fondest memories and close friendships have come from playing in SCPGA tournaments.

Many of the kids I've grown up with playing in the SCPGA are now playing Division 1 college golf as well as playing on the PGA TOUR.” “If you want to have a career in golf, playing in SCPGA events is a must!”

Thomas Lim- SCPGA Junior Tour Alumni, attending Oregon University

Michelle Phelan (Camaione)- Former SCPGA Junior golf player, University of Wyoming Collegiate Player “The Southern California PGA Junior Program has played a great role in who I am today. I have developed life-long skills that I will forever take on and off the course because of the Foundation. I have also been able to make meaningful friendships with people because of the values that been represented by the SCPGA. I have been fortunate of all the memories and experiences I have gone through with the SCPGA Foundation. And these will forever guide me throughout my life on the road of aiming to be a better individual in everything I do.”

TESTIMONIALS

“The SCPGA is the premier junior tour around. The variety of golf courses and competitive fields gave me the opportunity to play college golf! The staff at the SCPGA always made my experience enjoyable!"

Kay Hoey- SCPGA Junior Tour Alumni, PGA Apprentice & SCPGA Women’s Champion The SCPGA has been an extremely integral part of my golf career for as long as I can remember. Their junior tour events served as a platform for me to develop my game and hone my competitive skills from a very young age. As my golf game progressed over the years, Toyota Tour Cup events allowed me to test my developing skills against top-notch competition and prepared me for conditions I would face in college golf. Additionally, these events helped me gain invaluable competitive experience and exposure with regard to recruiting. I would not be where I am today without the opportunities the SCPGA gave me throughout my junior career.

The experiences I've gained and friendships I've made through the many years I've been involved with the SCPGA have stayed with me to this day, and I owe it all to such an amazing organization!

Elizabeth Doty- SCPGA Junior Tour Alumni, attending Wake Forest University www.scpgajrtour.com

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FEELS RIGHT AT HOME IN THE ROUGH

THE ALL-NEW TOYOTA TUNDRA The all-new 2014 Toyota Tundra works hard and plays harder. Sure, it can tow more than 10,000 lbs., but the completely reworked Tundra also adds features like Bluetooth® technology and a backup camera, both standard. So it’s not only powerful, it’s powered up. Plus, the 2014 Tundra is built right here in America, a badge it wears proudly.

Check out the all-new Tundra at your Southern California Toyota dealer today.

Toyota strives to build vehicles to match customer interest and thus they typically are built with popular options and option packages. Not all options/packages are available separately and some may not be available in all regions of the country. See toyota.com for information about options/packages commonly available in your area. If you would prefer a vehicle without any or with different options, contact your dealer to check for current availability or the possibility of placing a special order.

PARTNER PROFILE

RFK TRAINING

By Roy Khoury of RFK Training

The face of Golf is changing! To be a competitive golfer nowadays you must be ATHLETIC as well as SKILLED on the golf course.

RFK Training was founded by Roy Khoury, Titleist Performance institute, Level 3 Golf Fitness Instructor. Roy has been involved in the fitness industry for over 10 years focusing on injury prevention, strength and conditioning for athletes of all fitness levels.

CURRENT PROGRAMS OFFERED INCLUDE: 1 on 1 Golf Fitness for Men, Women and Juniors o o o o

(by appointment only)

Movement Assessments Injury Prevention Increase Distance Improve Accuracy

RFKT Junior Fitness Programs "At RFK Training, we take our athletes and first make sure they move well, and we build a base for strength and power, and finally we address the physical skills are need to build great rotary athletes and golfers.”

One of Roy Khoury’s best subjects is the junior golfer. Roy believes in taking the emphasis off golf itself, and instead focuses on building a better athlete.

“Most kids specialize too soon into a singular sport and sometimes miss out on developmental periods of movement, coordination and strength. So I like to reinforce and train the athlete to develop a strong fundamental base of movement, strength and skill in the gym. Once you have established that athletic base, you can bring it back to golf and you will see www.scpgajrtour.com

(by appointment only)

o RFKT Juniors focuses on developmental strength, balance, flexibility while reinforcing the 9 principles of Golf including Fitness, full swing, and short game o RFKT Juniors programs are grouped by age and are kept to smaller groups. o 12 weeks long classes o Spaces are limited so please call to reserve your space.

PARTNERPROFILE

increased performance and decreased risk of injury” says Khoury.

In 2013, RFK Training has expanded its base and has teamed up with more PGA Professionals in throughout Southern California including Glenn Deck, PGA of Pelican Hill Golf Club, Eric Lohman, PGA of Monarch Beach Golf Links, Steve Soule, PGA from Black Gold Golf Club, Sean Lanyi, PGA of Black Golf Golf Club, Marc Marini, PGA of Sea Cliff Country Club, Scott Shiroma, PGA of Rancho Palo Verde Country Club, etc. to collaborate and improve the quality of their shared athletes.

AT RFK Training, located in Newport Beach conveniently between Pelican Hills Golf Club, Newport Beach Country Club and Big Canyon Country Club.

Sessions are by appointment only. Our goal is to improve athletic functional and strength for golfers of all ages and skill levels.

For More information contact RFK Training at rkhoury@rfktraining.com or visit www.rfktraining.com.

Golf Fitness Clinics o Clinics are available for groups of 10 or more o Contact for more details and pricing

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SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT

NIKE

Nike Golf’s New Free-Inspired Footwear: Nike FI Impact

SPONSORHIGHLIGHT

IRA BERMAN LA NORTH / SANTA BARBARA / BAKERSFIELD 1-818-300-7672 IRA.BERMAN@NIKE.COM JARED EISENBERG LOS ANGELES / NORTH ORANGE COUNTY 1-925-789-0608 JARED.EISENBERG@NIKE.COM STEVE HENDREN SAN DIEGO / ORANGE COUNTY 1-714-470-2565 STEVE.HENDREN@NIKE.COM DAVID FINLEY PALM SPRINGS / TEMECULA 1-760-578-4157 DAVID.FINLEY@NIKE.COM

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PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

With the success of the Free-Inspired Nike TW’13, Nike Golf was inspired to expand the choices for men and create a new style for women. Freedom of movement with maximum ground feel is crucial to the golf athlete and FreeInspired outsole technology provides that benefit. The Nike FI Impact provides the flexibility to unleash the full power of an athlete’s swing.

Just as Tiger Woods’ insights helped pave the way for the first Free-Inspired golf shoe, Suzann Pettersen has now teamed up with Nike designers to develop the first Free-Inspired footwear for women, the Nike FI Impact. Pettersen came to Nike WHQ for footwear testing at the Nike Sport’s Research Lab (NSRL) in August of 2012. She had always been an advocate for traditionally spiked shoes, but realized quickly she could harness as much power without the removable spikes. Nike designers set to work to create a Nike Free-Inspired shoe to meet her athletic needs, incorporating technology from the successful Nike TW’13 footwear.

“We collaborated closely with Pettersen to create a shoe fit for her game,” said Lee Walker, Nike Golf ’s Footwear Product Director. “The FI Impact allows her to get the transfer of energy she demands, proving even a swing as powerful as Pettersen’s can utilize the performance of Integrated Traction.”

In her first tournament round in the footwear at the LPGA LOTTE Championship, she carded an impressive 65, charging on with four under-par rounds to win the tournament. “After I tried them once, I was dying to get them on my feet in competition,” expressed Pettersen.

“I can really feel the ground and the increase in power through my swing.”

The Nike Free-Inspired outsole of the Nike FI Impact is designed to mimic and conform to the natural motion of the foot while delivering all the protection and traction of a lightweight performance golf shoe.

This allows the athlete to keep contact with the ground longer, better harnessing the energy of the foot to the shoe and, therefore, the shoe to the ground. For Pettersen’s explosive swing, this means more control and power with every shot.

The men’s version of the FI Impact also utilizes the Nike Dynamic Fit system to help harness the foot to provide the support athletes demand. A Nike FreeInspired platform and waterproof mesh upper offer increased flexibility with breathability to keep feet cool, dry and comfortable.

www.scpgajrtour.com

PARTNER PROFILE

SUN SAFETEE

Donʼt become a skin cancer statistic.

Three Reasons to Make “SPF” and “UPF” your new BFF When it comes to sun protection many junior golfers avoid the subject because they feel that it is not important or that they will “deal with it” when they get older. Here are three reasons why sun protection is important NOW and Always.

Performance Being overexposed to the sun can adversely impact your performance on the golf course. Have you ever missed a putt on number 17 or 18 that you know you would have made earlier in the round? Chances are that you were over exposed to the sun and even dehydrated.

Using good sun protection techniques can help you avoid those problems.

Skin Cancer Every year more skin cancers are diagnosed than breast cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer combined!

90 percent of all basal and squamous cell carcinomas (the two most common skin cancers) are known to be associated with exposure to UV radiation and recent studies have linked melanoma (the deadly form of skin cancer) to UV rays as well. A single blistering sunburn can double your risk of developing skin cancer in your lifetime.

Sun damage is cumulative and because the sun exposure we get as children can cause skin problems as an adult, it is important to start protecting your skin now. Help reduce your risk of sun damage and skin cancer by following www.scpgajrtour.com

To stay well hydrated during your round, start hydrating before you get to the golf course. During your round, drink regularly by taking sips of water or sports drink often rather than taking a big drink every once in a while. If you wait until you are thirsty to drink, you have waited too long.

Good sun protection on the golf course is a lot like the game of golf… it is about personal responsibility. Be responsible and make sun protection your BFF; not just in summer but throughout the year.

The Sun SafeTee Program is a 501(c)(3) non-profit sun protection and skin cancer awareness program designed specifically for the golf community. The organization focuses on Junior and Collegiate golfers and is a partner with The SCPGA, The Golf Coaches Association of America and The National Golf Coaches Association, The American Junior Golf Association as well as numerous regional and local associations.

To learn more or to make a tax deductible donation, go to www.sunsafetee.org. You can follow Sun SafeTee on Facebook and Twitter.

®

Follow our Sun SafeTee Tips and “Cover Up Before You Tee It Up ” TM

Cover up with...

• Sunscreen with SPF of 30+ and UVA/UVB Protection • Clothing is your best rotection in the sun • Cover Up with a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses

Donʼt forget to...

• Stay well hydrated • See a dermatologist annually - more often if you have a history of sun damage • Teach students sun protection by example on the golf course

Skin cancer is preventable, education is the key!

For more information, go to www.sunsafetee.org

Sun Safe ee

PARTNERPROFILE

Sun Damage Over time, excessive exposure to the sun can cause premature aging to the skin (wrinkles). “Photoaging” is the term dermatologists use to describe this type of aging caused by exposure to the sun’s rays. The amount of photoaging that develops depends on: 1) a person’s skin color and 2) their history of long-term or intense sun exposure.

People with fair skin who have a history of sun exposure develop more signs of photoaging than those with dark skin.

these steps: o Wear clothing with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor Rating (UPF).

Clothing is your best protection in the sun and you don’t have to worry about when you apply and reapply! o Use a sunscreen with SPF 30.

Sunscreen needs to be applied before you go in the sun and most sunscreens only last for two hours before you need to reapply. At Sun SafeTee we say “Don’t Burn…Reapply at the turn”. o Visit www.sunsafetee.org and watch our video on how to apply sunscreen so it does not get on your hands and affect your grip. o Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and a wide brim hat to protect your head, ears, face and nose.

R

PROGRAM TM

Cover Up Before You Tee It Up

For more information about the program or to make a taxt deductible donation Visit: http://www.sunsafetee.org/ or contact Mark Wishner at mwishner@sunsafetee.org

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TGA

PARTNER PROFILE

Creating the Golf Ecosystem

PARTNERPROFILE

“

To create an ecosystem, you need to arrange, position and put things in place in order to provide an environment for growth. Then, once you add the living organisms they adapt to the environment and learn how to grow and survive together.

So where do the people come from to create this larger golf ecosystem and feed the infrastructure already put in place? They come from the 95+% of America that doesn’t play golf. They come from programs and marketing PROGRAM MAGAZINE JUNIOR GOLF EDITION 2013

Imagine being able to transition an entire new crop of golfers, both juniors and adults, from neighborhood activation events and structured school based programming to your facility and your book of business. The outcome of engaging the 95+% that don’t play golf would lead to healthier golf facilities, more private lessons for PGA Professionals, more participants in Get Golf Ready, PGA Junior League Golf, and Drive, Chip and Putt. It would increase family involvement in the game, and more juniors would complete the player

Imagine all the people, and all the people becoming golfers.

In golf ’s case, the PGA has done a great job in prepping the ecosystem for growth. Consider the infrastructure in place that simply needs to add the “living organisms”: Get Golf Ready, PGA Professionals continuing education, PGA Junior League Golf, and Drive, Chip and Putt.

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strategies that engage and activate nongolfers. Marketing activation strategies such as Neighborhood Golf, along with school based structured programs such as TGA Premier Junior Golf that make golf accessible by bringing it to the masses activating juniors ages 3-13 and communicating directly to parents ages 25-45.

“

Imagine the concept of a living and breathing golf ecosystem within your community.

One where golf was not only growing but thriving.

An ecosystem where any person of any age or economic background could not only be introduced into the game, but to have the opportunity to experience it for a lifetime. Imagine what this type of model and community activation plan would mean to golf and you as a PGA Professional in that area. What would you personally, and professionally do different if you had 50-100 new clients every three months calling you for private and groups lessons, for hard and soft goods advice and for tee times? It’s not so far off, and not that far fetched.

pathway and funnel to different levels of competition on the SCPGA Junior Tour. It would provide the opportunity for PGA Professionals to educate new golfers in the ecosystem on pace of play initiatives, leading to faster rounds thus combating one of golf ’s greatest barriers to entry, time sensitivity.

This potential ecosystem in your community, along with the level of success of its members will begin and end with the PGA Professional. What would you do with 50-100 new golfers at your facility every quarter? Whether you know the answer of the bat or not, get involved and support the initiatives that can make this potential a reality. Help to grow the game and reach the non-golfers.

Imagine all the people, and all the people becoming golfers. www.scpgajrtour.com

SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT

GOLF ACADEMY OF AMERICA Junior Golf a Priority for Golf Academy of America Staff and Alumni Through programs, alumni activism and faculty initiatives, Golf Academy of America is playing a major role in creating and preserving access to golf for future generations.

For an example, Golf Academy of America in San Diego is honored to serve as a SCPGA Junior Tour Series Sponsor.

It is also affiliated with the San Diego Junior Golf Association and the First Tee program in Oceanside.

Here are other examples of the college’s junior golf involvement and support across the country.

Clubs Fore Christmas Last Christmas, Golf Academy of www.scpgajrtour.com

Other Junior Golf Involvement • Michael Flanagan, a two-time San Diego PGA Section Golf Professional of the Year and a faculty member at Golf Academy of America’s San Diego campus, recently served as San Diego Chapter PGA junior golf chairman.

• Golf Academy of America is the presenting sponsor of the North Texas PGA Section’s All American Tour for players ages 11 through 18. Students at the Dallas campus assist by performing operational duties at All American Tour events.

• Tom Woody, a faculty member at Golf Academy of America in Myrtle Beach, created the Cincinnati Inner-City Youth Golf Program.

• Students at Golf Academy of America in Phoenix are trained in the Start New at Golf (SNAG) program and have worked with youth at the First Tee of Phoenix.

• Connecticut Section PGA selected Golf Academy of America alumnus Bob Sparks of Fairview Farm Golf Course in Harwinton, Conn. as a 2013 Special Awards Winner in the Junior Golf Leader category.

• Zachary Cork, a 2012 Golf Academy of America graduate recently served as a summer intern for the Junior Golf Association of Arizona.

For more information about Golf Academy of America, visit www. golfacademy.com.

GREAT HIRES DRIVE GOLF BUSINESS Making great hires is easier with graduates from Golf Academy of America.

They have over 1,000 hours of education and playing time.

Our school is designed to make them job-ready in golf operations, retail, tournament operations, teaching, club fitting/repair and more.

Contact William “Buzz” Gill at Golf Academy of America in San Diego to help you find your next great hire!

SPONSORHIGHLIGHT

Little Linksters Golf Academy of America faculty member Brendon Elliott, PGA founded Little Linksters for youth ages 2–8 in the Orlando, Fla., area.

Through Little Linksters’ popular Best Pee Wee Golf Swing in the World contest, youth have received great prizes as well as the thrill of having golf celebrities such as Annika Sorenstam, Hank Haney and Paula Creamer judge their swings.

“We recognize that junior golfers are the future of golf, and developing the next generation of golfers has always been a priority for us,” said Golf Academy of America President Jim Hart.

At Golf Academy of America’s five campuses throughout the country, students receive training on providing instruction and guidance to junior golfers.

“How as an industry do we ever think that we can compete with other popular sports if we don’t start children at the same ages they do?” said Elliott, the 2013 recipient of the North Florida PGA Junior Golf Leader Award.

Elliott’s answer was a Little Linksters Golf Academy, Little Linksters mobile programs throughout Florida and Little Linksters Tour events. Interest and focus was never a problem. Fun, creative characters Floppy, Birdie and Bogey are a hit with Little Linksters participants.

To find out more, visit www. littlelinksters.com.

America collected more than 800 golf clubs to donate to junior golfers in its second-annual Clubs Fore Christmas campaign.

Students of the two-year golf college, who learn club building and fitting as part of the curriculum, clean, re-grip and re-shaft those clubs in order to prepare them to benefit the children of the Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation and the First Tee of Phoenix.

In exchange for bringing used clubs to campuses in Myrtle Beach, Orlando, Dallas, Phoenix and San Diego, contributors received complimentary half-hour lessons with Golf Academy of America students and expert instructors.

7 6 0 -7 3 4 -1 2 08 w w w.golfacademy.edu SAN DIEGO

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3333 CONCOURS ST, BLDG 2, STE 2100 ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA 91764 scpgajrtour.com

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