PROGRAM VOLUME 47
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ISSUE 1
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SPRING ISSUE
2019 SCPGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
Dr. Alison Curdt 1
PROGRAM MAGAZINE - SPRING ISSUE
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PGA
#WeAreSoCalPGA New year, new hashtag! Join us in 2020 as we use the new #WeAreSoCalPGA tag on social media. This inclusive hashtag can be used to share your connection with the SCPGA community. Follow along with the SCPGA on social media at @SCPGA on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
THE FUTURE OF COACHING
CONTENTS
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PRESIDENT’S REPORT TONY LETENDRE, PGA
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MEMBERSHIP SCPGA MEMBER UPDATES
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2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MEET YOUR ELECTED
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REPRESENTATIVES
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SCPGA FOUNDATION THE GIVE CHARITY TOURNAMENT
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RAISES $200,00 FOR COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS
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PLAY LIKE A KID AGAIN 2019 SCPGA TEACHER OF THE YEAR, TASHA BOHLIG, PGA
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WHAT’S HOT LATEST PRODUCT TRENDS IN WITH ERIC LOHMAN, PGA THE BUZZ FROM NEW MEMBER
ORIENTATIONS AT YOUR CLUB TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR CLUB BY
ROBIN SHELTON, PGA
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SCPGA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
COVER STORY 2019 SCPGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR, ALISON CURDT, PGA
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SCPGA RULES OFFICIAL SPOTLIGHT GARY ALBIN
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10 THINGS TO KNOW CROSSWORD PUZZLE BY SCPGA CHIEF MEMBERSHIP OFFICER, JEFF JOHNSON, PGA
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SCPGA PARTNER: SI MEXICO GOLF ELIMINATE THE STRESS IN MAZATLAN
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MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THE SCPGA FOUNDATION DOES IT ALL, BY TOM ADDIS III, PGA
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SCPGA CHAPTER CORNER UPDATES FROM YOUR CHAPTER
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SCPGA PARTNERS 2020 PARTNER CONTACT LISTING
LOGAN SCOTT OF OAKMONT
COUNTRY CLUB
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KURT DONAHOO, PGA
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AB5: STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING FULL RELIEF IN 2020 BY CRAIG KESSLER
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GOOD FITTER, OR GREAT FITTING 2019 SCPGA CLUBFITTER OF THE YEAR,
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A VICTORY WORTH THE WAIT TEAM SCPGA WINS THE 2019 CALIFORNIA CUP MATCHES
COVER PHOTO: KARENSHARE PHOTOGRAPHY
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PROGRAM THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PGA VOLUME 47, ISSUE 1 | SPRING ISSUE 2020 THE PROGRAM IS PRODUCED BY THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PGA PUBLISHER & EDITOR: BRYCE SEIVER & TYLER MILLER
SCPGA BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS
PRESIDENT | TONY LETENDRE, PGA DOVE CANYON GOLF CLUB VICE PRESIDENT | ROBIN SHELTON, PGA SEACLIFF COUNTRY CLUB SECRETARY | ERIC LOHMAN, PGA MONARCH BEACH GOLF LINKS HONORARY PRESIDENT | TODD KEEFER, PGA LOS POSAS COUNTRY CLUB
DIRECTORS
RANDY CHANG, PGA JOURNEY AT PECHANGA & TALEGA GOLF CLUB DR. ALISON CURDT, PGA WOOD RANCH GOLF CLUB JOE GROHMAN, PGA EL DORADO PARK GOLF COURSE SCOTT HEYN, PGA THE FARMS GOLF CLUB ROB OOSTERHUIS, PGA SHERWOOD COUNTRY CLUB JOHN KULOW, PGA MONTEREY COUNTRY CLUB
INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS
KIM FALCONE, PGA LA JOLLA COUNTRY CLUB ED HOLMES SCGA PAST PRESIDENT
CHAPTER REPRESENTATIVES DESERT | MICHAEL HOLYK, PGA MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTRY CLUB
INLAND EMPIRE | STEVE ADAMIAK, PGA THE LEGENDS GOLF CLUB METROPOLITAN | ERIC MITCHELL, PGA ANAHEIM HILLS GOLF COURSE NORTHERN | RODNEY SCOTT, PGA RUSTIC CANYON GOLF COURSE SAN DIEGO | GRANT STROBEL, PGA MCAS/MINIMAR MEMORIAL GOLF COURSE
PGA OF AMERICA EXECUTIVES DISTRICT 11 DIRECTOR
BILL TROYANOSKI, PGA NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SECTION
OFFICERS & CEO PRESIDENT | SUZY WHALEY, PGA THE COUNTRY CLUB AT MIRASOL CROMWELL, CT VICE PRESIDENT | JIM RICHERSON, PGA TROON SCOTTSDALE, AZ SECRETARY | JOHN LINDERT, PGA LANSING, MI
SCPGA SECTION STAFF
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | TOM ADDIS III, PGA TADDIS@PGAHQ.COM ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | NIKKI GATCH, PGA | NGATCH@PGAHQ.COM
MEMBERSHIP CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/ CHIEF MEMBERSHIP OFFICER | JEFF JOHNSON, PGA | JJOHNSON@PGAHQ.COM
COMMUNICATIONS
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER | BRYCE SEIVER BSEIVER@PGAHQ.COM COMMUNICATIONS ADMINISTRATOR | TYLER MILLER TAMILLER@PGAHQ.COM
FOUNDATION
FOUNDATION DIRECTOR | MATT GILSON | MGILSON@PGAHQ.COM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT & GOLF IN SCHOOLS DIRECTOR | ANTHONY LEONE ALEONE@PGAHQ.COM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATOR | MAX BERMAN MBERMAN@PGAHQ.COM
TOURNAMENTS
DIRECTOR OF COMPETITIONS | MAX DESPAIN MDESPAIN@PGAHQ.COM TOURNAMENT OPERATIONS MANAGER | STEPHEN MONDAY SMONDAY@PGAHQ.COM
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
PARTNER RELATIONS & MARKETING DIRECTOR | DAVE KUHN DKUHN@PGAHQ.COM
JUNIOR GOLF
JUNIOR GOLF DIRECTOR | KEVIN SMITH KSMITH@PGAHQ.COM SENIOR MANAGER, JUNIOR GOLF | TRAVIS CUTLER TCUTLER@PGAHQ.COM JUNIOR GOLF MANAGER | EDDIE RODARTE, PGA ERODARTE@PGAHQ.COM JUNIOR GOLF MANAGER | AMBERLYNN DORSEY ADORSEY@PGAHQ.COM JUNIOR GOLF COORDINATOR | TYLER SEE TSEE@PGAHQ.COM JUNIOR GOLF COORDINATOR | HANNAH FACCHINI HFACCHINI@PGAHQ.COM
FINANCE & HR
FINANCE MANAGER | KRISTY WATTIMENA KWATTIMENA@PGAHQ.COM HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER | TAYLOR VERMILLION TVERMILLION@PGAHQ.COM RECEPTION & ADMINISTRATION | BROOKLYN ADDIS BADDIS@PGAHQ.COM
PGA OF AMERICA STAFF REGIONAL LEAGUE MANAGER - PGA JUNIOR LEAGUE JUNKO SUZUKI, PGA | JSUZUKI@PGAHQ.COM CAREER CONSULTANT KEN FERRELL, PGA | 951.894.5024 | KFERRELL@PGAHQ.COM
CEO | SETH WAUGH PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PGA 3333 CONCOURS | BUILDING 2, SUITE 2100 ONTARIO, CA 91764 PHONE 951.845.4653 | FAX 951.769.6733 SCPGA.COM | SCPGAJRTOUR.COM
THE PROGRAM IS DISTRIBUTED FREE TO MEMBERS AND AFFILIATES OF THE SCPGA THREE 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.
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YOUTH TEACHING & COACHING SUMMIT PRESENTED BY
SUPPORTED BY
MARCH 23, 2020 TGR LEARNING LAB REGISTER & LEARN MORE
SCPGA.COM/YTCS20
Call TO ACTION HELP OUR SECTION GROW IN 2020 by Tony
Letendre, PGA
SCPGA President & Dove Canyon Golf Club Assistant General Manager
With my first year as Section President behind me, I reflect upon the impact we made to our sport in 2019. Our Foundation continues to thrive, donating more and more sets to high school teams through ClubsForeYouth®. Our new #WeAreSoCalPGA hashtag is gaining momentum in showcasing our professionals on social media (thank you BTW). We even brought golf to Compton Unified School District where it looks like there will be four new high school teams in the Spring. What a tremendous success story this is and thanks to SCPGA staff member Eddie Rodarte, PGA, for driving that one down the middle!
hard work and dedication to our sport never ceases to amaze me. I am inspired every year by our award recipients; congratulations to you all. Also, I hope it was a nice surprise that we had Dave Marr III as our Master of Ceremonies. Thanks, Dave, for taking the time to be here with us. And of course, thank you Rob, Jeff, Nick and the entire Sherwood
team for your hospitality and a successful Annual Meeting. The Section had a great tournament season for both our junior tours and our professionals. Congratulations again to Jeff Hart on his Section and Section Senior Championships! You’ll see in this double issue, we started
However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. We recognized many of our great PGA Professionals at Sherwood Country Club during our Annual President’s Dinner. The COMPTON UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT FIELD TRIP TO THE GENESIS PRO-AM
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the year by recognizing many of our top junior players at our Annual Banquet of Champions. I was in attendance and must tell you how impressed I am with the stellar play and maturity of these young golfers. It makes me proud to see golf’s future is definitely bright! Looking into the year 2020 and our “vision,” if you will, we look to build upon our prior year successes while continuing to grow and be outside the box. What does that mean exactly? It means we want more contributions to our Foundation so we can continue to donate clubs through ClubsForeYouth®. It means targeting more underserved areas and exposing golf like we are doing in Compton. It means raising awareness of golf and
“ There are many ways you can be a part of this 2020 vision.” securing more funding to do the great things we do – and not from just golf partners. Think of it this way…who ever heard of Korn Ferry before the sponsor change; who will the Southern California PGA put on the map? I like to have a call to action – it’s kinda my thing. So, as a sectionwide resolution for 2020, I am challenging you to look at those in your network to help our Section
grow. Maybe it’s by bringing a new partner to the table. Maybe it’s by naming the SCPGA Foundation as benefactor of a charity event at your Club (Thanks Virginia CC!). Maybe it’s in the form of reinvigorating lapsed golfers you know and getting them to the golf course again. There are many ways you can be a part of this 2020 vision. But no matter what it is, remember that everything we do benefits the sport, our business and all of us collectively. I hope everyone’s 2020 is off to a good start both personally and professionally. On behalf of your Board of Directors and the Section Staff, thank you in advance for everything you will do for our sport and our section this year. Please never hesitate to reach out if I can be of assistance in any way.
TONY LETENDRE, PGA PGAPRO1198@GMAIL.COM
Rules Committee Chairman Ron O’Connor, PGA, receives his Half Century Award during the Annual Meeting at Sherwood Country Club.
Compton Unified School District Clinic
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MEMBER SERVICE REQUIREMENTS MSR, is a requirement of PGA Members. The current cycle is Cycle 15A: June 16, 2018 – June 15, 2021. Credit requirements consist of two categories: (a) 54 Total Credits, and (b) 36 PGA Required Credits which must be from Meeting/Education and/or Player Development.
EARN MSR ONLINE! VISIT SCPGA.COM/MEMBER-SERVICES SCPGA Catalyst is a one hour, bi-weekly webinar series to create additional education opportunities and resources for Members and Associates. Participate from your phone or computer and earn one MSR credit on a specific topic during each session after completing a ten question exam. MAR 26 Greg Twiggs on the state of the insurance industry as it pertains to the golf industry APR 9 Craig Kessler, Director of Governmental Affairs for SCGA APR 23 Rob Oosterhuis, PGA, CCM, COO Sherwood CC, Food & Beverage MAY 7 Bud Garmany “Garmany Golf & Travel” MAY 21 Aaron Weintraub on “The Mental Side of Golf Performance” JUNE 11 11amPST /8am Aloha: District 11 Catalyst: Bill Troyanoski, District 11 Rep on “PGA.COACH” JUNE 25 Gary McCord, PGA Tour and former CBS Golf Analyst JULY 9 Eric Lohman, PGA, “Team Building and Creating a Winning Culture” JULY 23 Linnet Carty, MBA “Diversity & Inclusion” AUG 13 Andy Thuney, PGA “The History of the Game” AUG 27 Ken Ferrell, PGA, Career Consultant, SCPGA NOV 12 Jim Richerson, PGA, President of the PGA of America
MEMBERSHIP UPDATES NEWLY ELECTED PGA MEMBERS Parker T. Anderson, PGA Wasinchai Anochayagul, PGA William J. Baker, PGA Joseph L. Fritz, PGA Mark J Geddes, PGA Jaeyoung Kang, PGA
ONWARD AND UPWARD Parker T. Anderson, PGA Greener Golf, A-24
Jaeyoung Kang, PGA Strawberry Farms Golf Club, A-8
Wasinchai Anochayagul, PGA Admiral Baker Golf Course, A-8
Todd A. Keefer, PGA Las Posas Country Club, A-13
William J. Baker, PGA Aviara Golf Club, A-8
Sam Mirreghabi, PGA Vista Valley Country Club, A-8
Steven W. Donar, PGA Anaheim Hills Golf Course, A-9
Aaron A. Moe, PGA La Quinta Country Club, A-8
Meredith K. Foster, PGA The Reserve Club, A-8
Jason L. Mohr, PGA Shadow Hills Golf Club, A-8
Joseph L. Fritz, PGA Classic Club, B-21
Richard Moore, PGA San Gabriel Country Club, A-14
Joseph L. Fritz, PGA Classic Club, A-21
Remington D. Post, PGA Outdoor Resorts/Palm Springs, A-4
Jeffrey P. Gathmann, PGA, Ranch Las Palmas Country Club, A-8
Ryan A. Richardson, PGA Vintage Club, A-8
Mark J Geddes, PGA Coronado Golf Course, A-8
Reed R. Spangler, PGA Rancho La Quinta Golf Course, A-8
Steve A. Harmon Desert Falls Country Club, B-1
Christian T. St. Pierre, PGA San Juan Hills Golf Club, A-1
NEW ASSOCIATES
QUARTER CENTURY MEMBERS
Thomas J. Bene Ill W. Chang Christopher M. Combs Hannah N. Haythorne Gabriel J. Hearn Randall C. Hensley Bryan S. Kerr Stephen W. Knittle Paul H. Lee Bobby W. Luo Jordan C. McDaniel Michael J. Mendez Andrew D. Norton Christopher E. Robertson Matthew A. Roesch Edward S. Shin Seymour Silverstein D.D.S. Harrison J. Wright
Terri J. Benson, PGA Patrick F. Casey, PGA Richard D. Cessna, PGA Garry G. Finneran, PGA Sharon A. Fletcher, PGA Chris C. Kaczke, PGA Arthur K. Law, PGA Tina M. Mickelson, PGA Phil E. Vigil, PGA
HALF CENTURY MEMBER Ron O’Connor, PGA
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Sam Mirreghabi, PGA Jason L. Mohr, PGA Ryan A. Richardson, PGA Reed R. Spangler, PGA Christian T. St. Pierre, PGA
Tony Letendre, PGA President
Randy Chang, PGA Director
John Kulow, PGA Director
Robin Shelton, PGA Vice President
Dr. Alison Curdt, PGA Director
Rob Oosterhuis, PGA Director
Eric Lohman, PGA Secretary
Joe Grohman, PGA Director
Kim Falcone, PGA Independent Director
Todd Keefer, PGA Honorary President
Scott Heyn, PGA Director
Ed Holmes Independent Director
Meet Your 2020 SCPGA
Board of Directors
Grant Strobel, PGA
San Diego Chapter Representative
Voting for the one At-Large Director position took place during the Annual Meeting at Sherwood Country Club. John Kulow was elected to the At-Large position and will now serve a two-year term. Eric Mitchell and Rodney Scott assumed seats as Metropolitan and Northern Chapter Representatives respectively.
Michael Holyk, PGA Desert Chapter Representative
Steve Adamiak, PGA Inland Empire Representative
Rodney Scott, PGA Northern Chapter Representative
Eric Mitchell, PGA Metropolitan Chapter Representative
VISIT SCPGA.COM/ABOUT-US/LEADERSHIP TO CONTACT YOUR BOARD MEMBERS!
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The John Mallinger Charitable (JMC) Foundation is pleased to announce that its 2nd annual “The Give” Pro-Am co-sponsored by Farmers and Merchants Bank (FMB) and TravisMathew (TM) raised $200,000 for the SCPGA Foundation on Monday, February 10th at Virginia Country Club.
There was a similar event held at VCC in the 1940s and 1950s preceding the Los Angeles Open. Players such as Hogan, Snead, Nelson and Demaret (among others) played in this event during the old West Coast swing. The JMC Foundation and VCC look forward to resuming this practice in years to come.
In conjunction with the JMC Foundation, Virginia Country Club (VCC) along with CEO Jamie Mulligan, PGA hosted “The Give” Pro-Am. This 2nd annual tournament offered the latest high-quality and innovative TravisMathew gear to all participants. The field featured 20 marquee PGA Tour Players paired with 80 amateurs. The PGA Tour Players included Luke List, Bill Haas, Beau Hossler, Charlie Hoffman, Brendan Steele, Charlie Wi, Pat Perez, Bud Cauley, Harris English, Wyndham Clark and Max Homa, among others.
F&M Bank has an outstanding reputation for their long-standing integrity and was a wonderful partner for this event. The proceeds will go towards 10 college scholarships, as well as golf equipment for the
VCC is an 110-year-old course designed by William P. Bell and A.W. Tillinghast. It is the home of 10 TOUR players, coached by Mulligan. These players most-notably include Paul Goydos, John Cook, Melissa “Mo” Martin, Luke List and Patrick Cantlay. List won the event, shooting a 60. This is the second lowest score ever recorded at VCC. Ironically, the record of 59 is held by John Mallinger, PGA President of the JMC Foundation.
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SCPGA Foundation’s ClubsForeYouth® program. Scholarship distribution will be based on need, academic aptitude, golf prowess and community involvement. “One of the goals of our partnership was to expand and enhance The Give’s reach throughout Southern California. We want to make this event far-reaching and influential in name and impact, both regionally and nationally going forward,” said “The Give” Board President and Tournament Chairman Mallinger.
Pictured Left to Right: Farmers and Merchants Bank CEO Daniel Walker, SCPGA President Tony Letendre, SCPGA CEO Tom Addis, and The Give Chairman John Mallinger
“The Southern California PGA Foundation is very fortunate and thankful for the opportunity to partner with The John Mallinger Charitable Foundation and Virginia Country Club. Through their dedication and support, we’re afforded the opportunity to award ten 4-year scholarships to the best and brightest student-athletes in Southern California. These young men and women exemplify the strong dedication and community support shown from The Give and the entire community of Long Beach.” SCPGA Foundation Director, Matthew Gilson
Special thanks to everyone who has made this event possible, including Virginia Country Club, Farmers & Merchants Bank, TravisMathew, Jamie Mulligan and “The Give” Board Members, John Mallinger, PGA, Joe Mallinger, Lou Rampino, George Heuser, and Jeff Tagliaferri.
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TIPS TO HELP YOU
PLAY LIKE A
KID AGAIN Last year, we began a program at El Caballero Country Club where we introduced golf to children who are between two and three years old. The goal of this program was to create a welcoming and fun environment for our youngest golfers and serve as a feeder into our other junior programs that begin at four years of age. These sessions were a cross between sensory experiences and a Parent/Child class with golf as the overarching theme. These classes were a huge hit with our membership and will be an ongoing program at our Club.
BY TASHA BOHLIG, PGA
Activities included golf-themed art projects, obstacle courses, and various sensory stations that tap into visuals, sounds, and textures. Even though this was not a traditional golf class, the nature of the program can teach us a few things that can help golfers of all skill levels.
2019 SCPGA TEACHER OF THE YEAR Director of Instruction at El Caballero CC tbohlig@elcaballerocc.com
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Bring The Fun Make a goal of having at least one fun activity during your practice time. Whether it is a contest among friends or a favorite drill, make sure to reward hard work with some fun. Give golfers at least one fun way to spend their time at the course for their enjoyment, to give them a purpose and to promote retention.
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Imagination Station I think all of us can get caught up in technique and we forget about the art of playing golf. Make the range a place where technique and imagination can coexist. For example, if you are working on your driving accuracy, you may begin working on form (swing, alignment, etc.) but try finishing the session with visualizing holes and shaping shots. This style of practice is better for skill transference to the course and more engaging than repetitive hitting.
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Progressive Skill Building When teaching a new skill, design lesson plans to progress as the golfer improves. With our classes, the goal was to have the children be able to putt on their own by the end of the 4-week session. We progressed from using bumpers, large targets and tennis balls to using real golf balls and putting to a regulation-sized hole without assistance.
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Think Outside The Box Drills and games that are outside of the norm are engaging and memorable. I will never forget watching Annika Sorenstam pitch into her caddie’s baseball glove during a practice session. This type of creativity was at the forefront when developing our lesson plans. Every activity had to be fun, engaging, and age appropriate. An example of this mindset was when we introduced green reading. Since they don’t process directionality yet, we had our little golfers use stickers to make their own line to the hole. Half the fun was putting down the stickers and then moving them around to find the line! Drills that are outside of the norm helps to cement information while making the golfer’s experience more memorable.
Pool noodle putting and obstacle courses are not traditional golf exercises but there is much to learn from programs and drills designed for children. I think we all can get mired in technique and can lose sight of why we play golf. Adding fun and imagination to our practices and shifting our mindset can remind us of why we started playing this great game. Happy Practicing!
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PHOTO: PGA of America
What’s Hot
LATEST trends in golf equipment, technology, apparel & Accessories FROM THE 2020 PGA Merchandise show! Here ARE the top picks from SCPGA Secretary ERIC LOHMAN, PGA, of MONARCH BEACH GOLF LINKS The show was crazy busy with lots of attendees, PGA of America leadership, Presidential son Eric Trump, celebrities (including John Daly, N’Syncer Joey Fatone and Ken Griffey Jr. among others), and Instagram influencers like Paige Spiranac. Most every brand you are familiar with was represented along with a few new ones offering something we might not be able to live without or need to sell to our valued guests and members. Among many great offerings, these were the standouts I could recall (with so many happy hours and parties it isn’t that hard for memories to be cloudy) and recommend you check out.
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1.
MEDTERRA CBD CBD is a wellness trend that is staying and only getting stronger and Irvine’s Medterra seems to be the leader in the clubhouse. They are now introducing their gum product and by the looks of the PGA pros recently seen chewing some sort of CBD gum live on the tour’s telecasts, this new product will not be hard to sell at the counter or on your beverage cart (your superintendent might not be happy with all the new trash).
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G4 This So Cal based brand led by the iconic Mossimo Giannulli has taken off and is no longer just about colorful gloves and the redundant skulls and cross bones. It might be gaining the most traction with its shoe line that blends traditional, modern and radical styles and colors. It’s newest athletic offering, MG4+, will most certainly compete with the best offerings from Nike, Adidas and UA, mixing performance and So Cal cool styling.
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FLIGHT SCOPE The Mevo+ makes range time more fun. At a price tag of $1,999 it is not that affordable, unless you compare it to its big brother, but it separates itself from other more affordable launch monitors by giving more data than the average personal shot tracker, and adds gamification. It has all the regular stats and it can also play five courses that come pre-loaded in the app. If it could only hit range balls for me while I worked.
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CALLAWAY I’m requesting a fly by for the Mavrik Driver and the other clubs in Callaway’s newest line. All I have to say they have recently been recognized for the most Gold Medals in the Best Clubs Lists announced at the show and use supercomputing artificial intelligence (A.I.) to maximize yardage on center and off center hits. These will be hotter than any beach volleyball movie scene.
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CUATER TravisMathew’s own accessory line is upping its game with more belts, towels, socks, hats, underwear and shoe offerings. In 2020 expect to see more upscale casual shoes as well as their first efforts at golf shoes. They hired some staff away from Sketchers and they have created sporty, lightweight, and comfortable casual course and off course offerings.
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GALVIN GREEN Not for the price conscious, but for the consumer who simply wants to buy the best, from the best, and only so often. Proven to be exceptionally wearable and weather proof by the European Ryder Cup, this Swedish based clothing line is fashionable, durable and extremely well made. Known for its outerwear, its new polos and euro/athletic styling is its strongest attribute.
MALBON If playing Jeopardy, the answer to that question is…What do you get when you mix hip hop, athletic streetwear from the 80’s, and something your Aunt bought you when you were 12 that you never wore because you would be too embarrassed. This pseudo golf line is unique amongst a plethora of traditional golf attire. Most everybody would be able to find something in their line to wear, but golf shops that have been carrying their product, such as ours, have been selling through their shipments quicker than we can get them to restock. For those who like to wear something that strikes a conversation, this is the brand for them
If you have never gone to the PGA Merchandise Show I would recommend going at least once, even if you don’t have a say in your property’s buying. There is no aspect of working in golf that isn’t covered there and if you are just a fan of golf, you will be amazed by how strong our industry and association is represented. Cheers, Eloh!!! elohman@monarchbeachgolf.com
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THE BUZZ FROM NEW MEMBER ORIENTATIONS AT YOUR CLUB by Robin
Shelton, PGA
SCPGA Vice-President & SeaCliff Country Club General Manager
I believe in the ROAD method - Rip Off And Duplicate. I can’t remember the last time that I’ve had an original idea seen through solely to completion, or an idea that wasn’t influenced by others. Every time that I have an idea, see an idea, or learn of an idea - I always reach out to others and see how it’s working or how it could be improved. One of my mentors, Gregg Patterson, shared the best New Member Orientation with me - which I’ve ripped off and duplicated. At many Clubs, a new Member joins the Club, he/she pays an initiation fee, receives a welcome or congratulatory call, receives some welcome handshakes and is then ‘on their own’ to learn the customs, traditions, and policies of the Club. It can be like the first day of high school - excited to be there, but nervous during the first few weeks to ‘fit in.’
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Gregg taught me that every new Member should go through an orientation with the Club Manager. And, not a boring group orientation about rules and regulations where the new Member is ‘talked to’... but rather a fun and individualized interactive orientation where the member is “talked with”. Under this orientation program, every new member receives a forty question quiz in advance (once a mutually convenient orientation program has been set). At the orientation, the Club Manager asks each question - every question the new Member gets correct, he/she gets a drink ticket; every question the new Member get incorrect, he/ she has a drink ticket taken away. As the answer of each question is being discussed, a quick story is shared by the GM that explains why that question is important or the significance of each question. The purpose of the drink tickets is to help the new Member get connected into the Club. Everyone
“Everyone likes someone who buys them a drink - and its a great way to get 'in'..." likes someone who buys them a drink - and its a great way to get ‘in’ to a group or invited back to join a golf group or tennis match.
away forty drink tickets, I give away thirty drink tickets and ten event passes/dinner certificates/special invitations/etc.
This type of orientation generates the ‘BUZZ’ all Clubs want and gets Members excited about the Club - while teaching them the forty important parts of the Club. New Members walk out of of the orientation with free, useful items to get more connected to the Club. Current Members welcome new Members knowing free drinks are possible.
The BUZZ, the intangible spirit of pride, excitement, and camaraderie that flows through a Club can’t always be measured. But, member retention can be measured and we saw a forty-two percent retention percentage improvement using this method. The BUZZ grew, retention improved, and Club financials hit record levels.
I used Gregg’s method and made some improvements to the orientation process that better suited my Club. Gregg emailed the quiz in a word document, I sent a PowerPoint/PDF with Club pictures as the background. Gregg gives
I’m convinced that this is the best way to do New Member Orientations - all from ripping off an idea from Gregg. By the way...even ROAD (Rip Off And Duplicate) was ripped off... RShelton@seacliffcc.net
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SCPGA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Logan Scott
OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB
Logan Scott was born in Sydney, Australia where he lived until the age of eleven. In 1999 his family relocated to San Diego where Logan was able to join his high school golf team and discover his true passion for golf. Growing up he played many sports, but it wasn’t until moving to California that his obsession with the game truly began. Logan began his career with the PGA of America at Montecito Country Club in Santa Barbara at the age of nineteen. From there he served as an Assistant Golf Professional at La Cumbre Country Club. Then he became Lead Instructor at Trump National Golf Club and, finally, he arrived at his current position as Director of Instruction at Oakmont Country Club. During the last four years at Oakmont Country Club Logan has built a large junior golf program and found his passion in developing competitive junior golfers. 2019 was a big year both personally and professionally for Logan, in April he competed in his first PGA Professional Championship, in August he married his longtime girlfriend Courtney, and in November three of his students accepted scholarships to play collegiate golf (Ethan Davidson - Sacramento State, Buddy Arnold - UC Santa Barbara, Henry Fitzhugh UC Irvine). Logan takes great pride in serving the Oakmont membership, providing the highest-level of golf instruction possible, and representing the club in both local and national PGA Tournaments. Mentorship from PGA Members Mark Wilson and Scott Heyn has played a key role in Logans development and his continued impact on the game of golf in the Southern California Section. 18
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A VICTORY WORTH THE WAIT
TEAM SCPGA WINS THE 2019 CALIFORNIA CUP MATCHES Last December eight of the best PGA Professionals from the Southern California PGA (SCPGA) and Northern California PGA (NCPGA) Sections converged on the picture perfect Alister Mackenzie and Robert Hunter designed Valley Club of Montecito for the second California Cup Matches. The biennial tradition between the Associations began in 2015 and features Four-Ball, then Singles matches across two-days, with each association alternating the responsibility of hosting. The Inaugural California Cup Matches were held on the Bayonet & Blackhorse Courses in Monterey with the host Team NCPGA claiming the cup 7.5 to 4.5.
When the rain subsided, the severity of the damage to the Golf Digest Top 100 course was apparent. The creek running along the back nine washed out several bridges, flooded numerous fairways, and piled up over four feet of mud on the par 3, 11th green. Once again, the matches were forced to be postponed until December of 2019. It was worth the wait for the host team of Michael Block, Rick Garboski, Andrew Kramer, Jeff Hart, Vinnie Poncino, Kyle Mendoza, Bruce Nakamura, Brian Smock,
and captain Jim Gormley. Day one’s Four-Ball matches resulted in a 2-2 split, with victories from Block/Mendoza and Poncino/ Smock for Team SCPGA. Eight points were up for grabs on day-two and Team SCPGA clinched the victory with match wins from Block, Mendoza, Smock and Kramer. Hart and Garboski both halved their Singles matches, finalizing the winning score of 7-5 Team Southern California PGA!
The SCPGA was slated to host the follow up matches in 2017 when tragedy struck the region. A series of devastating fires swept across Santa Barbra County the days prior to the scheduled matches forcing the postponement until January of 2018. That is, until a storm brought heavy rain and flooding throughout the valley.
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GOOD FITTER OR
GREAT FITTING? BY KURT DONAHOO, PGA
2019 SCPGA CLUBFITTER OF THE YEAR kdonahoo@pga.com
“I want it to be all about the player and what they want.” Being a good custom fitter is all about the numbers, but great custom fitting is about so much more. In my years of club fitting, I have seen the use of launch monitors expand from just major club manufacturers using them, to now, just about anybody can get a launch monitor to test ball flight. With so much information out there about launch conditions and ball flight, players have more knowledge than ever before. So, to put it simply, yes, you must know all the numbers. That being said, a great club fitting is more than just the numbers. So, what is the difference between being a good club fitter and delivering a great club fitting experience? What if I told you that empathy, relatability and player preference are just as important as spin rates and launch angles? My journey started like that of many PGA Professionals - working in the proshop, playing, merchandising and teaching. From there I landed a job as a club fitter for a major equipment manufacturer. It was one of the most impactful learning experiences of my life. I was fitting some of the best players in the world, and when I wasn’t on the tee I was building clubs and testing components. As you can imagine, I became very proficient at understanding the technical aspects of club data and performance. For much of my career, I carried that mindset into my fittings. I let the numbers do
the talking. I knew which clubs would help which players achieve the numbers that I wanted them to hit. I was very good at it, and the results were quantifiable. But over the course of the last six plus years as a TaylorMade Experiential Rep, I’ve learned that there’s much more than just numbers in a great club fitting. Because of this I have truly changed the way I fit golf equipment. It’s not all about showcasing knowledge of launch conditions, or even explaining to every golfer why they need certain launch conditions – although some players do want this. Delivering a great custom fitting is about unlocking a golfer’s full potential, it’s the connection point for developing trust and building lasting relationships. To this end, I’ve adapted how I conduct a fitting to be more player centered. I want it to be all about the player and what they want. It starts with interviewing the player and understanding their goals. What do they want to achieve and how can I help them get there? It continues from there by asking questions throughout the fitting and getting
feedback (likes, dislikes, good, bad). It all gives us information we can use to fit them for their preferences. All players have a vision of who they are as a golfer, my goal is to connect them to a club that matches their vision. Keep in mind that this does not mean that we don’t fit them to what works best for them. We definitely do, but we also fit them to their preferences. It’s about relative optimization. I want to match the golfer with a club that meets their goal, while also providing the most optimal fitting possible. This gives both of us the best chance at a successful fitting. It’s an equal blend of art and science. By keeping this golfercentric philosophy, I’m able to keep the player involved in the decisionmaking process. This way the golfer feels, and knows, that it’s all about them because it is! It’s very easy to get caught up in the numbers of a fitting and lose sight of what we are really there to do, help golfers of all abilities to play better golf. Embracing this philosophy builds trust and leads to a great fitting. I encourage you to give it a try. The value will speak for itself.
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2019 SCPGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR Dr. Alison Curdt
PHOTOS: KARENSHARE PHOTOGRAPHY
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Being recognized as the 2019 Golf Professional of the Year award for the Section is one of the greatest highlights of my career! After finishing as a 2-time Academic All-American at Florida State University, I started my PGA career in Palm Springs at the Westin Mission Hills and Trilogy Golf Club in La Quinta. Fluffing and folding shirts wasn’t really my gig, until I received a chance to do some coaching alongside the Westin’s Barry Clayton. Being outside and helping golfers strive to be their best motivated me to pursue my passion within the golf industry. Sadly, a house fire in 2006 derailed my plans temporarily as it took a little over a year to get back on my feet. After a short stint with GolfTec where I was able to build a solid structure for my teaching knowledge, I landed the next 7 years of my career at Sherwood Country Club before moving on to open my own teaching business at Wood Ranch Golf Club in Simi Valley. It was really iconic to receive the Golf Professional of the Year award at Sherwood with my family present as my career really catapulted in a positive direction during my time there. However, splitting my time between golf professional duties and teaching was straining as I truly enjoyed the moments I spent with players trying to help them be their best. The past 6 years at Wood Ranch has allowed my business and skills to grow, reaching thousands of players, and the industry has been greatly supportive in recognizing my achievements.
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”
My mission is to contribute to our PGA organization in a way that ALISON CONTINUED makes us all be our best. ”
I was told early on in my career to carve out a unique niche for myself. For me that included elements of psychology and understanding my players on a deeper level and to help them overcome struggles in their life to make golf fun again. Very similar to my own experience where at one point golf become toxic for me (aka burnout). But the flame reignited and I enjoy learning, practicing, and competing more than ever. Achieving my doctoral degree was a huge academic achievement that provided a lot of validation for my continued approach to helping golfers from the inside out, and outside in. I feel my career is a trifecta of source: player, coach, and service. My playing performance is still of great importance for me and I still strive to practice, grind, learn, and compete the best I can. I’m a sucker for learning, so in the division of coaching I want to continue to hone my craft and be the best coach I can be. Lastly, my motivation to be of service within the section is rewarding. Sitting on the section board the past few years, currently serving as the first female President of the Northern Chapter, VP of the LPGA Professional division, and volunteering my time on several committees is fulfilling to give back to the section, its members, and for those who come behind us. My mission is to contribute to our PGA organization in a way that makes us all be our best. Being a dual member of both organizations allows me to leave my footprint in a positive way for this great game to continue to grow. For me, it doesn’t stop here. There are still many more goals I wish to achieve. The pursuit is endless, because with a growth mindset, better never stops. www.alisoncurdtgolf.com | alison@pga.com
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Versatile enough to handle any terrain. Even sand.
AB5 THE STATE CANNOT CATEGORICALLY EXEMPT WHAT IT CANNOT DEFINE
STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING FULL RELIEF IN 2020 by Craig
Kessler
Director, Governmental Affairs, Southern California Golf Association (SCGA) ckessler@scga.org
No one is more relieved than I that all the employment lawyers I have privately consulted about AB 5 are as confused as I. So, take solace if you too are confused. It’s not you; it’s the nature of the beast. It’s the nature of something that even before it became effective on January 1 was being openly defined as more transitory than fixed. Because the legislature began the process of codifying the Dynamex decision by first exempting certain professions from the ABC Test, many have assumed that absent a specific exemption or carve out in the language of AB 5, an occupation, profession or job activity would automatically fall under that ABC Test, the “B” part of which all but guarantees that anybody who performs a function at all consistent with the business enterprise for which they perform it is an employee. A bad assumption that led those who drew it to approach the AB 5 discussion based on a fundamentally flawed premise.
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Bill author Lorena Gonzales (D-San Diego) and the California Labor Federation that oversaw the drafting effort began the process with the low hanging fruit of divining those professions and occupations specifically defined in the California Labor Code and exempting those for which they discerned one of two features: 1) A profession or occupation for which a prima facie case for an independent contracting business model can be easily sustained (e.g., physician, certified public accountant, lawyer, pharmacist) or 2) an occupation that under circumstances specifically delineated in the text of AB 5 are amenable under those specifically delineated circumstances and only under those circumstances to rising to the level of a bona fide independent contracting situation (e.g., hairstylist, cosmetologist, manicurist). Both categories of “low hanging fruit” have one thing in common.
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They are government sanctioned in that the ability to practice such professions or occupations is regulated by state testing and licensing protocols. In short, they are specifically defined. We can know what a pharmacist or a hairstylist is for the purpose of California law, because it is someone who has passed the requisite tests, is current with licensing requirements, and remains in good standing with the governmental or in some cases nongovernmental body charged with maintaining such records. They have one other thing in common as well. There is a very definite state interest in guaranteeing to its residents that when someone advertises themselves as a surgeon or a dentist or a lawyer or a pharmacist or even a cosmetologist, the person making the assertion has some semblance of the expertise necessary to deliver the service competently and/or safely. Most occupations and jobs do not rise to the levels of professional
expertise and safety that compel the state interest that triggers formal testing and licensing protocols. Nor would most of us want such a result. This doesn’t mean that musicians, translators, and yes even golf professionals who routinely and to their personal benefit operate as independent contractors don’t deliver services that require great skill and knowledge; they most certainly do. It’s just that we let consumers of their expertise (the market) make those determinations without benefit of prior state sanction, and we do that because citizen health/ safety is not jeopardized thereby. Simply put, the state cannot exempt what it cannot define. And it cannot and almost all would agree should not “define” the hundreds if not thousands of occupations and job classifications sometimes better performed as employees and sometimes better performed as independent contractors depending upon the circumstances of their execution. And that is why the legislature inserted exceptions other than specific occupational carve outs into the final text of AB 5, the “business to business for professional services” being the largest and for golf’s purposes the most pertinent one. Did they do a good job of crafting language capable of capturing the thousands of job classifications that are sometimes employee based and sometimes contractor based as is the case with PGA golf professionals? No! Did they mightily improve upon the “B” part of the ABC test? Yes! Did they acknowledge that they fell short in the arduous task of capturing the myriad job classifications often better served by independent contractor status? Most assuredly yes! They apologized for the work they left undone, work that they pledged to finish in 2020. Do they understand that the world’s 5th largest economy is much too complicated to be seen through one narrow lens, in this case the lens that saw everything in terms of righting the wrongs of worker misclassification? It would seem so
based on everything the drafters, initiators, and supporters said as they passed AB 5 into law. And this is why the California golf community is optimistic that it can achieve the changes in that “business to business for professional services” language required to give California golf facilities full confidence that under the provisions contained therein they can accommodate independent contractor teaching without any legal jeopardy whatsoever. Some are already finding that the risk posed by the current language of the generic exemption is sufficiently small to keep current models. Others are making changes in their professional retention agreements to come within the confines of the exception. Others are making different calculations and restructuring contractor agreements as employment agreements. All are defensible and should be respected.
But to the degree that some in the golf community have begun to wonder whether some kind of formal state licensing of PGA professionals might provide more upside than downside in California’s current political climate, it probably behooves the state’s two Professional Sections to undertake a comprehensive study of the subject. Very comprehensive; it’s a subject as complicated as it is fraught. If you encounter anyone who is sure they know the black letter law here or the best course to pursue re state licensing – the right answers as it were – run as fast as you can. There are no “answers” here, just decisions based upon hard boiled and fully vetted risk/utility calculations.
DID YOU KNOW? The SCPGA is a member of The California Alliance for Golf (CAG) which is a non-profit corporation serving as the unified voice for the golf industry in California. It is an umbrella trade organization spanning the state to protect and promote the golf industry at local, regional and national levels.
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SCPGA RULES OFFICIAL SPOTLIGHT
GARY ALBIN LtCol Gary Albin USMC Ret. Grew up in a small farming community in Southern Idaho and graduated from the University of Idaho. He served for 24 years as a Helicopter pilot and commanded a Helicopter Squadron for two years and was the Executive Officer of a Marine Expedition Unit for two years. As a SCPGA rules committeeman, he is called “Marine One,” for the five years he spent flying Presidents Carter and Reagan around the world in the Presidential Helicopter. Gary, is a long-time, dedicated volunteer who spends over 100 days a year officiating at golf tournaments. A Long Beach resident, he joined the Southern California Golf Association (SCGA) Rules Committee in 2004 and the Southern California PGA Rules Committee a few years later. He has worked as the Senior Rules Official or Rules Chairman for AJGA, SCGA and SCPGA tournaments and various California golf festivals and collegiate events. Gary has provided Rules training at the Tiger Woods Learning 28
Center, at Cal State Long Beach and at home, since his wife has only played miniature golf. He has also volunteered for a number of sessions for disabled golfers. Gary’s efforts have improved the quality of play wherever he has worked, and he brings a sense of commitment to each assignment, fostering an excellent tournament experience for thousands of Southern California golfers. For his contributions to the game, Albin was inducted into the Long Beach Golf Hall of Fame in 2019. Even though Gary has limited playing abilities, he enjoys the game and all it fine traditions, especially the Rules of Golf.
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10 THINGS TO KNOW 1
ABOUT THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PGA SECTION with Jeff Johnson, PGA SCPGA CFO/CMO
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DOWN: 1. The World Handicap System is a ________ inititive. 3. A movable pole placed by the committee is a _________. 4. Two or more players may share a ________. 5. Playing with integrity, following the rules and applying all penalties is _____ expected of all players. 8. We will now use the best _______ differentials of your last 20 scores in determining your handicap.
ACROSS: 2. _______ is proud supporter and partner of the USGA and the New World Handicap System. 5. A ball lifted from the putting green may always be _______. 6. Unplayable ball relief is allowed. anywhere on the course, _______ in a penalty area. 7. A round is 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the _______. 9. The maximum limit on each hole will now be _____ double bogey.
WIN A SCPGA HAT! Fill out the “10 Things To Know” crossword puzzle. Snap a photo. Post it to Instagram, tag @SCPGA and use the hashtag #WeAreSoCalPGA. First ten people to post get a free hat! Contact jjohnson@pgahq.com for the answers to this corssword puzzle!
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“ SI M AS A GO LF
SS E R T S E H T S E T A IN EXICO GOLF ELIM
CRE ATE A SEA ML ESS TRAVE L TRI P CO OR DIN ATO R AN D WIL L
Mazatlán! With an ocean breeze in
my face and the first Pacifico (frosty beverage) in hand I lean over to ‘El Presidente’ and say, “Cheers! I didn’t believe it, but you were right.” He laughs and matter-of-factly says, “I told you, you’ll have a drink in hand and ready to tee off by 1:00.” I lift my Pacifico (drink) to the sky, nod my head and smile. Was Jason Taylor right? Is it really this easy to get to Mazatlán? Apparently it is.
EXP ERI EN CE FO R YO U AN D YO
large table on the patio having lunch and a ‘world famous Estrella Del Mar Margarita’ or obligatory Pacifico before heading out for an afternoon round with our host Jorge Corral. (Fun Fact: Mazatlán is the home of the Cerveza Pacifico Clara beer company, better known as Pacifico). Mazatlán’s relaxed vibe has an ability to break down barriers and allow people to be themselves. We were no exception. Time to have some fun! This is AMAZING! Maybe I should organize golf trips more often. How fun would it be to take members on trips, see new places, play golf AND make some money? It would be awesome! Oh if it were that easy…
We are at The Estrella Del Mar Golf (EDM) golf course in Mazatlán, Mexico. Along the Pacific Ocean tall palm trees frame the stunning 7,105 yard Robert Trent Jones Jr. golf course. Home to the PGA Latin America Tour, EDM is a great test of golf, and with multiple tee boxes any golfer will enjoy the course and wonderful views. This is where our crew and hosts are bellied up to a
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Setting up a golf trip is incredibly difficult especially when added to our other responsibilities as PGA Professionals. Trips with members, family and friends create bonds that cannot be replicated, but anyone who has organized or hosted golf trips will tell you the time and effort involved is daunting to say the least. There can be a lot of stress and pressure organizing a group for a single golf outing let alone a trip than spans international borders, multiple days and different golf courses. The host will need to plan the dates, organize all of the players along with the golf courses, tee times, transportation, lodging and food! All of this work can turn a fun trip into a stress filled work week. As a PGA professional I would love to plan and enjoy trips with my members but I don’t have the time or energy to coordinate trips, and definitely not international trips.
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UR GRO UP .
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Once a trip is underway I don’t want to be stressed out and worrying about if the shuttle is late getting to the course, or if the tee times are organized, etc. It is very difficult, if not impossible to be a full time concierge and the hosting PGA Professional for your travel group. This is where Si Mexico Golf steps in. Si Mexico Golf eliminates the stress as a golf trip coordinator/host and will create a seamless travel experience for you and your group. Jason and Mike know how to plan a trip to Mexico. They literally do everything. They take care of organizing all of the flights, transportation, lodging, tee times, and food as well as creating flyers and emails for marketing. Jason Taylor is the president of Si Mexico Tours (El Presidente), is a PGA member and Past President of the SCPGA. He knows the expectations of your group and goes out of his way to provide the PGA experience for you and everyone on your trip. Mike Curran (Captain Mike) knows the golf industry as he created Click4teeetimes.com. Along with being a great guy, he is incredibly talented at creating marketing and promotional material for your trip. Mike is an expert in Mexican travel and we utilized the Cross Border Xpress (CBX), which is an exclusive
groups for bedtime or head to the hotel pool for some relaxation before another day of golf.
pedestrian bridge for passengers from the US to enter the Tijuana International Airport. You park in the US and walk into the TJ airport, it’s awesome! The experience of getting across the border into the airport was incredibly simple and the flight was only about 2 hours. Day two saw a 45 minute ride into the heart of Mazatlán’s Golden Zone to the all-inclusive El Cid Golf and Country Club. If Estrella Del Mar was out of town and a secluded community then El Cid is in the heart of the city. The preround breakfast was spectacular and during our meal our clubs were ushered to the course and luggage was taken to the hotel. Yet another day without having to carry our bags! Outside the golf shop at El Cid under a large Mexican flag is a pen/coral that has deer and Iguanas.? Truly something I have NEVER seen before. This was a good introduction as there are Iguanas all over the golf course! Adrian took the day to play and escort us around the property while he told us the history of the 27 holes. It was originally 18 holes until 1999 when Lee Trevino designed the Marina 9; and they have hosted the Canadian PGA tour and Mexico Professional Tours. The course winds around water and Bermuda fairways meander through palm trees and distinct neighborhoods. With all of the different trees, plants and animals, it feels like a country club inside of an exotic urban zoo.
We take a quick shuttle to the all inclusive El Cid Marina Hotel De Playa. The name is fitting as it is located around a working marina. You could leave your room and be on a fishing boat in less than one minute! With the VIP check-in you will enjoy your own private bar and concierge service as you are outfitted with wristbands giving you access to your room and all the amenities. After cleaning up and a little pool time we head to the La Marina bar for a private cocktail reception. We have appetizers and drinks watching sports and learning more about Mazatlan. The attention to customer service is exceptional and it feels like there is a team taking care of everything you could ever need, or want. We marinate in the bar and have appetizers and drinks while we watch sports and hear more about Mazatlan from our local friends. The evening winds down and we break off into
Day three we are off to the Marina Mazatlan golf course a few minutes away from El Cid. The Marina Mazatlan is the newest of the courses. Opened in 2009, a clubhouse is in the works so the little snackbar/golfshop offers great food and chill atmosphere before you head out to take on the large undulating greens. The course is a blast and has the feel of a new course growing up to be a beautiful community hotspot. We enjoy our last day playing golf and get cleaned up for a little tour of city. We step out of the hotel and into a Pulmonia taxi for a trip down the boardwalk and through the old colonial city. Imagine a large six-seat gas powered golf cart with a tricked out stereo like the back of a wakebaording boat, and that is a “Pulmonia.” Definitely a Mazatlan experience and a must-do when you’re in town. The inevitable question about Mazatlán or almost anywhere in Mexico… “Is it safe?” The simple answer is yes, and especially when you are with Si Mexico Golf. Si Mexico Golf introduces your group to the local community in Mazatlán. So when you travel with them it feels like you are going to visit friends. You and your group will feel comfortable and SAFE. Our group of 7 people crossed an international border, flew from TJ to Mazatlan, played 3 different golf courses, enjoyed 2 different resorts, toured the city, enjoyed local cultural experiences and it was EASY! Plan a trip to Mazatlan with Si Mexico Golf, you will love it! by Josh Kendall, PGA Lomas Santa Fe Country Club
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MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO
TOM ADDIS III, PGA
SCPGA FOUNDATION DOES IT ALL
Many don’t realize the reach and impact of the Southern California PGA Foundation. The Foundation was established in 1997 to benefit young golfers, primarily then through our SCPGA Junior Tour, and to grow the game. We certainly have fulfilled the Mission and continue to do so, every day. Junior Golf is still the “main-stay” of the Foundation. Our Junior Tour, directed by Kevin Smith and established way back in 1948 as the Southern California Jr. Golf Association, including the Junior Development Tour (JDT), the Players Tour and the Toyota Tour Cup continue as one of the top junior tours in the world. There are numerous competitions in each division with 85 tournaments at the JDT level; 180 on the Players Tour and the Toyota Tour Cup had 24 events in 2019. Our 3,000 Junior Tour members also have the opportunity to compete in special events such as Girls and Boys Junior Americas Cup, the Southern California and California Junior Amateur Championship and the Junior PGA Section Championship. There are also other
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team competitions and individual competitions that the SCPGA juniors participate in each year. The Toyota Tour Cup is one of the junior tours most watched in the country by college coaches. Part of the proof of that is there were seven All-Americans following the 2019 collegiate season including two NCAA champs in Matt Wolff and Haley Moore. Along with the Toyota Tour Cup, Toyota of Southern California is now the presenting sponsor for the overall SCPGA Junior Tour along with Friends of Golf, a major donor for golf in Southern California as the presenting partner for the JDT and our JDT Clinics. Just to throw another thing in the mix, Moore and Wolff, Patrick Cantlay, Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Xander Schauffele, Brendan Steele, John Mallinger, Pat Perez, Charley Hoffman, Max Homa, Charlie Wi, Kevin Na, Angel Yin, Muni Hee, Mo Martin, Danielle Kang and Lizette Salas are all alums of the SCPGA Jr. Tour now competing successfully on the PGA and LPGA
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Tours. Oh, and lets not forget Tiger Woods. Other recent alums swept the SCGA Amateur Championships and the SCGA Players of the Year for 2019, Alyaa Abdulghany and Sahith Theegala and William Mouw and Amari Avery, respectively. Sahith worked as an intern for the SCPGA for a season. SCPGA Junior Golf supports other programs such as certain scholarships and financial grants for those juniors normally financially unable to participate. The annual SCPGA Professional-Junior Championship is under the auspices of the Junior Tour as well. The SCPGA Foundation, under the purview of Director Matt Gilson and support of Foundation Chairman Frank Talarico, is responsible for the very successful ClubsForeYouth® Program where cash donations make it possible to provide full sets of golf clubs to deserving high school boys and girls who are members of their school golf team. Since the Fall of 2017 the ClubsForeYouth® Program has donated over 600 sets of Wilson golf clubs to nearly 90 high
Coaches Clinic events. Each year, the SCPGA Foundation provides these clinics for Southern California coaches with the support of the LA84 Foundation and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) in Southern California. Just recently, the John Mallinger Charitable Foundation and Virginia Country Club conducted The Give, a charity tournament with twenty PGA Tour professionals that raised $200,000 for the SCPGA Foundation scholarship program. Thank you to PGA professional Jamie Mulligan, the CEO at Virginia CC and to John Mallinger, PGA, former PGA Tour professional and the namesake for his foundation, for their leadership and support for the SCPGA through The Give. Combined with proceeds from The Foundation Classic at Riviera, that are shared with ClubsForeYouth, the SCPGA looks to award over $300,000 dollars in scholarships, most sustaining, in 2020.
schools in Southern California. At least 100 of these students have advanced to higher education. Thanks to Wilson Sporting Goods for supplying the clubs and bags at a deeply discounted price and to Srixon for providing golf balls for the students to use. DevTo Support Foundation, Roll-Chaiken Foundation, Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation, Johnny Miller
Champ Foundation, Kramer Family Foundation, the SCPGA Foundation Classic at Riviera, Friends of Golf again and many others provide financial support to make ClubsForeYouth the program it is and will be well into the future. Along with, and tying in to, the ClubsForeYouthÂŽ Program is the very successful High School
Many thanks, too, go to the PGA Tour professionals who played in The Give including, John Mallinger, Pat Perez, Charley Hoffman, Brendan Steele, Charlie Wi, Max Homa ,Brett Lederer, Bill Haas, Harris English, Luke List, Beau Hossler, Bud Cauley, Wyndham Clark, Brendon Todd, Matt Every, Joel Dahman, and Ricky Barnes. The Southern California PGA Foundation, as you’ve read, is far reaching and pushing the envelope leading our sport in Southern California.
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CHAPTER CORNER UPDATES FROM THE SCPGA CHAPTERS!
DESERT
Officer Updates: New Vice President - Alexander Witt, PGA New Secretary - Richie Valenzuala, PGA Follow along on social media: @scpga_desertchapter on Instagram Desert Chapter PGA on Facebook Chapter news: Congratulations to David Woods, PGA from The Vintage Club on his 2019 Section Merchandiser of the Year Award (private). Upcoming events: Next golf event is the Foster Cup on March 10th at Ivey Ranch. Sign up today! 2020 Teaching summit coming up on April 21st at Desert Willow Resort from 11:30 - 5:00. 2020 Teaching Summit. 11:30 5:00 at Desert Willow Resort.
INLAND EMPIRE Officer Updates: President Ryan Prior, PGA, VP Vinnie Bertagna, PGA Secretary Ian Ott, PGA, and Honorary President Steve Adamiak, PGA. Chapter news: We’re excited to create a Player Series of stroke play events to add to our tournament schedule to hopefully entice more of our members and associates to participate. Upcoming events: Spring meeting at Tukwet Canyon on March 16th, Summer meeting at Journey at Pechanga on June 1st
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METRO
NORTHERN
Officer Updates: President - Eric Mitchell, PGA, Vice President - Hide Yoshinaga, PGA, Secretary - Rick Stegall, PGA, Honorary President - Vic Placeres, PGA, At Large: Cameron Carr, PGA, Gregg Walters, PGA, Andy Thuney, PGA, Thomas Chu, PGA, Chris Valeriano, PGA
Officer Updates: President - Dr. Alison Curdt, PGA, Vice President - Garrett Goodrich, PGA, Secretary/Communications - Justin Hight, PGA, Honorary President - Rodney Scott, PGA, Associate - Randy Shannon, PGA
Follow along on social media: Facebook: Metro Chapter Southern California PGA @ scpgametrochapter Instagram: Metro_Chapter_SCPGA Upcoming events: March 16th Special Awards Pro Pro Shamble
SAN DIEGO Officer Updates: At the Annual Meeting held at El Camino CC on December 9th, we voted on four open Board of Directors’ seats. We had 13 nominees for the four positions available! Our new three new Board Members are: Tom Son, Mike Jones, and Alan Scheer. Michael Major was re-elected for another term as our Education Chair. Follow along on social media: Facebook: SDPGA Instagram: @scpga_sdchapter Chapter news: Phil Woods, PGA (Footjoy Sales Rep for SD Chapter) would like to share the birth of his first child, Blake Woods. Blake Woods was born on August, 27th....and he’s really cute. Upcoming events: Spring Meeting, March 16th, Eastlake CC Summer Meeting, June 1st, Coronado G
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Follow along on social media: Facebook (@northernchapterpga), Instagram (northernchapter) and Twitter (@no_chapterpga). Chapter news: Rick Garboski, PGA (Golf Development Complex) competed in the Final Stage of PGA Tour Champions Qualifying School at TPC Scottsdale (Champions Course) in Scottsdale, AZ on December 3rd6th, 2019. Rick would finish T-29th with rounds of 72-72-69-68 = 281. Great job! The Northern Chapter hosted its first Chapter event of 2020 at Sandpiper Golf Club on January 6th, 2020 with our Pro-Pro Blind Draw Scramble. Roger Gunn (Golf Development Complex) and Jon Fiedler (Las Posas CC) would take top honors with a score of 61 (-11). Scott LaBare (Stockdale CC) and Tom Szwedzinski (The Bunker Golf Center) would take 2nd place with a score of 64 (-8), and finishing T-3rd at 66 (-6) were David DeHeras (Hidden Oaks GC) & Brian Borowski (Los Robles Greens), along with Rick Garboski (Golf Development Complex) and Bob E. Smith (Life Member Active). Upcoming events: Spring Meeting & Four-Ball Championship - Monday, March 16th @ Soule Park GC (Ojai, CA) Summer Meeting & Pro-Pro Shamble - Monday, June 1st @ Santa Barbara GC (Santa Barbara, CA) Annual Meeting & Pro-Assistant Monday, November 30th @ Wood Ranch GC (Simi Valley, CA)
PARTNER DIRECTORY Interested in partnering with the Southern California PGA or SCPGA Junior Tour? Please contact Dave Kuhn at dkhun@pgahq.com or 904-334-0011
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AFTERSHOKZ Ron Castillo, Sales Rep ron_castillo@hotmail.com Kerry Walker, Sales Rep kw.pro2@outlook.com AHEAD Ed Budz, Sales Rep ed.budz@cuttersales.com AM & E Ed Budz, Sales Rep ed.budz@cuttersales.com ANDERSON ORD Daniel Hegney, Sales Rep dhegney@andersonord.com ANTIGUA Chris Alcocer, Sales Rep chrisagolf@yahoo.com BELYN KEY Betsy Rittenhouse Besty@BelynKey.com BLAST MOTION Brian Judd, Golf Channel Manager bjudd@blastmotion.com Megan Miller, Sports Activation Manager mmiller@blastmotion.com BRIDGESTONE GOLF John McFarland, Sales Rep jmcfarland@bridgestonegolf.com
E-Z-UP Eric Hernandez, President erichernandez@ezup.com Brittany Clark, Account Support Rep BrittanyClark@ezup.com
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CALIFORNIA CANOPY Matt Sulli, President and Founder msulli@californiacanopy.com CA GOLF CENTER Alvaro Perez, Club Fitting & Club Building Specialist alvaro@cagolfcenter.com CALLAWAY Rob Chase, Director, Regional Sales rob.chase@callawaygolf.com CART STAR MOTORS Logan Fondren, District Sales Manager – SoCal logan_fondren@cartstarmotors.com CIG/GIS Greg Twiggs gtwiggs@gpins.com CLEVELAND/SRIXON/XXIO Matt Elms, Regional Team Leader MattElmes@clevelandgolf.com David Myrdahl, IND Sales Rep (Desert & SD) davidmyrdahl@clevelandgolf.com Gerald Wong, IND Sales Rep (OC & LA) geraldwong@clevelandgolf.com CLUB CAR Adam Burke, Golf Club Sales Leader-West adam_burke@irco.com Kevin Kalner, Golf Club Sales Rep- San Diego kevin.kalner@clubcar.com Buck Morrow, Golf Club Sales Rep- Desert and LA Buck.Morrow@clubcar.com COBRA PUMA Michael Hall, Director of Sales - Western michael.hall@cobrapuma.com CRYSTALPLUS Anh Nguyen anh@crystalplus.com CUTTER&BUCK Ed Budz, Sales Rep ed.budz@cuttersales.com
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DONALD ROSS Steve Hurtig, Territory Rep stevehgolfsales@gmail.com DONATE VALET Mike Carran, Owner mike@konvertmarketing.com EVOLVE GOLF Daniel Fountain, Sales Rep daniel@evolvegolf.com EPEC GOLF Chris Reh, Vice President - Sales creh@epecgolf.com E-Z-GO Joe Martin, Sales Rep jmartin2@textron.com Peter Restino, Regional Sales Director prestino@Textron.com
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FLAGD Troy Parish, Owner tparish@flagdgolf.com FLUIDLYTIX Rob Langley, Owner robert.langley@voltecommunications.com FOOTJOY Shane Voelker, Sales Rep Shane_voelker@Acushnetgolf.com FOREFITNESS GOLF PERFORMANCE Ken Mengel, Owner/Certified Trainer ken@forefitnessgolf.com Mark Spinelli, Owner/Certified Trainer mark@forefitnessgolf.com GARMANY GOLF & TRAVEL Bud Garmany, Owner bud@garmanygolf.com Lauren Moy, VP of Operations Lauren@garmanygolf.com GLOBAL TOUR GOLF Ben Malamitsas, Sales Rep ben@ggolf.com Patrick Coughlin, Regional Manager patrick@ggolf.com Garrett Smith, Sales Rep garrett@ggolf.com GOLF BUDDY Doug Campbell, National Sales Director doug.campbell@golfbuddyglobal.com Ron Castillo, PGA ron_castillo@hotmail.com Kerry Walker, Sales Rep. kw.pro2@outlook.com GOLF GENIUS Nick Wolfe, Vice President of Sales nick.wolfe@golfgenius.com Bobby Trunzo, Director of Sales - West bobby@golfgenius.com GOLF PRIDE Deedee Lasker, Sales Rep DeedeeLasker@Eaton.com GOLF SCORECARDS Mike Suckling, Sales Rep mike@golfscorecards.com Renee Mangus, General Manager renee@golfscorecards.com GOLF VANCOUVER ISLAND Chris Elder, Owner chris@golfvancouverisland.ca Patrick Meagher, Sales Rep patrick@golfvancouverisland.ca HAUS OF GREY Travis Johnson, Co-Founder/President travis@hausofgrey.com Ashley Johnson, Co-Founder/President ashley@hausofgrey.com HOLE IN ONE USA Andrew Workman, Marketing Director andrew.workman@nfp.com HJ GLOVE Bo Lee, VP of Sales bo@hjglove.com HYPERICE Paige Pflaster, Sales Rep ppflaster@hyperice.com IFGFIT Seiji Liu, COO seiji@ifgfit.com Brittany Angiuli, Mrktg, Comm, Sales Man. brittany@ifgcure.com IMPACT Ronnie Henderson, Business Dev. Manager RonnieH@ImpactCanopy.com IMPERIAL David Shaffer, Sales Rep dshaffer@paifashion.com
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JANI KING Ian Anderson, Regional Director ianderson@janiking.com JUNIOR GOLF HUB juniorgolfhub.com
SKYGOLF Paul Calabrase, National Sales Manager pcalabrase@skyhawke.com SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COLLEGE GOLF EXP. Josh Jacobs, CEO joshua@playtga.com SPIT FIRE PETITIE INC Amy Lipton, President and CEO amy@spitfirepetite.com STERLING CUT GLASS John Suveges, Sales Rep johnsuveges@cox.net STORYI GOLF Sam Yi, Owner sam.lw.inc@icloud.com SURFSIDE INNOVATIONS Henry Elloso info@surfsideinnovations.net SUPERSPEED GOLF Kyle Shay, CEO and Founder kyle@superspeedgolf.com SWINGTHOUGHT Mary Ann Baber maryann@swingthough.com
KBS SHAFTS Rhett Taylor, Marketing Manager Rhetttaylor@fstshafts.com Caitlin Minville, Sales Man.,US & Int Dist. caitlinminville@fstshafts.com KYOCERA Tom Chomyn, Sales Rep Tom.Chomyn@da.kyocera.com Seneca Hayden, Reg. Sales Manager Seneca.Hayden@da.kyocera.com Tammy Prentice, Marketing Coordinator tammy.prentice@da.kyocera.com
LINKSOUL Mary Seymour, Sales Rep. mary@linksoul.com LIQUID IV Glenn Rich, Marketing Manager glenn.rich@liquid-iv.com Alaina Bergsma, Partnership Coordinator alaina@liquid-iv.com
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MAUI JIM Keith Achman, Western Reg. Man. - Golf & Tennis kachman@mauijim.com Giovanna Ascolani, Account Executive gascolani@mauijim.com MEDTERRA CBD Taylor Massey, Director of Golf taylor@medterracbd.com NAILED GOLF Shelley West, Owner shelleyw@nailedgofl.com NIKE Jordan Kennedy, Sales Rep - San Diego jordan.kennedy@nike.com NIKE GOLF SCHOOLS/CAMPS Jason West jwest@ussportscamps.com PACIFIC PALMS RESORT Dave Youpa dyoupa@pacificpalmsresort.com PEPSI Dylan Buik, Food Service Sales Rep dylan.buik@pepsico.com Sarah Blesse, Foodservice Sales Manager Sarah.Blesse@pepsico.com PRECISE YARDAGE BOOKS Scott Brady, Owner preciseyardagebooks@gmail.com PRO ACTIVE SPORTS Todd Hansen, National Sales Manager todd@proactivesports.com Bill Chagares, Sales Rep. wchagares@msn.com PRO TAG Schenk Gordon, Owner Gordon@protag.com RAPSODO rapsodo.com RK FITNESS Roy Khoury, Owner rkhoury@rfktraining.com SCNS SPORTS FOODS Bill Stewart, Chief Operating Officer bill@golfenergybar.com Samantha Masciarelli, West Territory Manager samantha@golfenergybar.com SI MEXICO Jason Taylor, Owner jtpga@pga.com
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TAG MARSHAL Tom Cox, Vice President of Sales Tom.cox@tagmarshal.com Jim Ireland, Sales Rep jirelandua@gmail.com TAYLORMADE Greg Cesario, Regional PGA Staff Manager greg.cesario@tmag.com TITLEIST Troy Denslow, Titleist Sales Director Troy_Denslow@AcushnetGolf.com TPC DANZANTE BAY Rich Taylor, Director of Golf Development rich.taylor@vgloreto.com TRAVIS MATHEW Leif Sunderland, Marketing Director lsunderland@travismathew.com Justin Murphy, Brand Marketing Manager JMurphy@travismathew.com TRUE TEMPER David Walker, Sr. Director of Sales & Tour Operations david.walker@truetemper.com TRUE SPEC Holly Marksbury, Marketing Manager holly.marksbury@truespecgolf.com Ziff Steve, Lead Master Fitter steven@truespecgolf.com TURFHOUND Brian Golden, Sr. Vice President btgolden13@gmail.com UNDER ARMOUR Jim Ireland, Sales Rep jirelandua@gmail.com UNDERPAR.COM Greg Knuth, US Director greg@underpar.com US FOODS Mark Mejia, District Sales Manager – SoCal mark.mejia@usfoods.com Blake Ghavami, New Business Manager blake.ghavami@usfoods.com US KIDS John Bryan, Vice President, Coaches Institute jbryan@uskidsgolf.com US SPORTS CAMPS Jason West, Senior VP - Golf, Rugby JWest@ussportscamps.com WASHINGTON NATIONAL Dena Dotson, Territory Rep denaphelange@gmail.com WILSON SPORTING GOODS Clayton Brown, Territory Manager clayton.brown@wilson.com YIN GOLF ACADEMY Jody Millard, Owner info@yingolfacademy.com
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