PROgram Magazine July/August 2014

VOLUME 41 | ISSUE 4 | JULY/AUGUST 2014

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PGA

MICHAEL BLOCK PGA PROFESSIONAL NATIONAL CHAMPION

contents

SAVE

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 04 CONSIDER THIS...

SPONSOR DIRECTORY 06 YOUR VALUED SCPGA

PROFESSIONAL SCRATCH 23 GRIFFIN & CUFF VICTORIOUS AT

SPONSORS & PARTNERS

SECTION REPORT 07 Foundation is the

Hosts CALLAWAY GOLF SPRING TEACHING SUMMIT

ANNANDALE GOLF CLUB

PROFESSIONAL OFFICIAL 24 LOHMAN & CHRISTENSEN

foundation

PGA PLAYER DEVELOPMENT 08 Corporate outreach

PATRIOT PROFESSIONAL-AMATEUR 26 SCPGA RAISES FUNDS FOR

through get golf ready

EMPLOYMENT CONNECTION 09 Knowing a club’s culture

11

NEW MEMBERS

WElcome to the southern california pga family

SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW 12 THE ALISAL GUEST RANCH

& RESORT TO HOST SCPGA PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 14 RODNEY SCOTT, PGA

HEADLINE NEWS 15 PGA MEMBER ESTABLISHED

ASSOCIATION TO POSITIVELY INFLUENCE GOLF COMMUNITY

SUMMER MEETING 16 TEMECULA CREEK INN HOSTED

E-Z-GO SUMMER MEETING & PRO-PRO SCRAMBLE

SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT 17 E-Z-GO

BEST PRACTICES 18 RETAILING: RON CASTILLO, PGA

NATIONAL CHAMPION

20 SCPGA PROFESSIONAL MICHAEL BLOCK CLAIMS 47th

PGA PROFESSIONAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

SPRING TEACHING SUMMIT 22 TUSTIN RANCH GOLF CLUB www.scpga.com

TRIUMPHANT AT OJAI

FOLDS OF HONOR AT PATRIOT PROFESSIONAL-AMATEUR

TPS CHAMPIONSHIP 27 CRANFORD CAPTURES

IMPERIAL TPS FINALE

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT 28 PGA PROFESSIONAL HOSTS

QUALIFIER FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS SUMMER GAMES

JUNIOR GOLF 29 SPRING SERIES ENDS WITH

A BANG

GOLF SERVICE 30 CONVERTING SATISFIED

SENIOR FOUR-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP July 7-8 | Morongo G.C. at Tukwet Canyon

WOMEN’S PLAY DAY

July 10 | Rancho Santa Fe G.C.

SCPGA MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP July 14-15 | The Grand G.C.

PATHWAY TO SUCCESS

July 17 | SCPGA Headquarters

SENIOR INDIVIDUAL & PRO-PRO AMATEUR July 27-28 | Tierra del Sol G.C.

CALIFORNIA STATE OPEN

July 30-August 2 | Morongo G.C. at Tukwet Canyon

SCPGA/NCPGA SENIOR CUP MATCHES

August 4-5 | Santa Maria C.C. & Rancho Maria C.C.

WOMEN’S PLAY DAY

August 5 | Canyon Crest C.C.

AAA SWEEP 5 - STROKE PLAY August 7 | South Hills C.C.

CUSTOMERS TO LOYAL CUSTOMERS

TOWN HALL MEETING

SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT 31 NIKE, GREAT SHOT GOLF

SENIOR SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP

CHAPTER CORNER 33 SCPGA CHAPTER UPDATES

SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT 34 FIRST TEE PROMOTIONS

SANDALS RESORT

ASSOCIATION NEWS 36 CAG, EWGA, GCSAA, USGA

ASK THE RONS 37 YOUR RULES QUESTIONS. ANSWERED.

TOURNAMENT RECAP 38 TOURNAMENT RESULTS

SECTION NOTES 39 NEWS & NOTES FROM THE

August 14 | Mile Square G.C.

August 25-26 | El Camino C.C.

SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP

September 8-10 | The Guest Ranch & Resort at the Alisal - Ranch & River Course

NATIONAL CAR RENTAL SCPGA ASSISTANT CHAMPIONSHIP

FEATUREDCONTENT

DISTRICT 11 DIRECTOR 13 DISTRICT 11 DIRECTOR REPORT

the DATE

NOTABLE UPCOMING EVENTS IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SECTION

September 15 | Palos Verdes G.C.

PROFESSIONAL-ASSISTANT CHAMPIONSHIP

September 22-23 | Mission Hills C.C.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OPEN

November 3-5 | Arroyo Trabuco G.C. & Monarch Beach Golf Links

WOMEN’S SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP November 12-13 | Rancho La Quinta C.C.

PROFESSIONAL-LADY CHAMPIONSHIP

November 17 | Las Posas C.C.

SCPGA OFFICE PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

03

consider this...

By SCPGA President, Jeff Johnson, PGA

It was a vision. A dream to be sure. Converting an abandoned and distressed piece of property, located in a troubled area in the heart of San Diego, into a civic beacon. A vision requires a visionary and stepping forward to fill that role was a man of unique character and integrity. A man as large in spirit as in physical presence. Ernie Wright, an NFL All Star with the Los Angeles and then San Diego Chargers always said, “Golf is the hook, education is the payoff.” Mr. Wright had the vision and, with a few prominent San Diegan's, formed a 501 (C) 3 corporation

Jeff Johnson, PGA and Ernie Wright

PRESIDENT’SMESSAGE

the table. From the aging and structurally challenged headquarters on 52nd Street, a golf course emerged, programs began and the Pro Kids Golf Academy was born.

The City Heights Police Department was grateful that a wasteland was replaced with a safe environment. The San Diego Unified School District was thrilled as there were now after school programs for at-risk children. With grants and funding from a number of sources, chief among them being Callaway Golf and the Building Industry Association, who constructed the 7,000SF clubhouse, opportunities to teach life lessons through the game of golf became a reality and served as a model for what today is called the First Tee Program.

With a second facility now in Jeff Johnson, Dick Howard, Tom Wilson, Ernie Wright, Joe Debock, Bob Martin & Wilmer Cooks Oceanside and an employee roster and made a deal with the city to assume that has grown from a few to over 50, the lease on the crime-plagued Colina including our Section's Junior Golf Park Golf Course. What followed was Leader Todd Smith, PGA, let’s say happy nothing short of beautiful. In early 20th anniversary, not only to this city 1994, it began and other visionaries treasure, but to Mr. Wright for his love came to share their desire to be a part of of a community and his enthusiastic this inspired effort. Joe DeBock, PGA, commitment. Mr. Wright passed away Wilmar Cooks, Tom Wilson, PGA, Dick in 2007 and he would surely be so very Howard and Dick Thorman formed proud of the evolution he fostered... the first Board of Directors and allowed me a seat at the table representing the San Diego PGA. It was magnificent watching this train begin to move and witnessing the unbridled passion that those who were steering the train brought to Curtis Burkhead, Tom Wilson, PGA, Jason Timlin, PGA, Todd Smith, PGA, and Tom Addis, PGA

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PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

New Members Elizabeth Benson, PGA; Brian Bigbee, PGA; Bryan Carlson, PGA; Erik Crowley, PGA; Roman Gonzales, PGA; Geoffrey Hodge, PGA; Mark Kagaoan, PGA; Cynthia Kuragami, PGA; Eugene Lee, PGA; Mark Madson, PGA; Brian Powers, PGA; Jamie Puterbaugh, PGA; Kenneth Randall, PGA; James Rocco, PGA; Steven Thomason, PGA; Dean Tonneslan, PGA; Jonathan Waddington, PGA; Craig Welker, PGA; Chad Wright, PGA; Brett Wycoff, PGA Newly Registered & Re-Registered Apprentices Eun Y Cho; Francois Duffy, Michael Gainey, Ryan Holly, Reese Hutchins, David Jacobo, Nicholas Jankowski, Ryan Jocoy, Jacqueline Kazarian, Kyle Lewis, Kyle Ritter, Jill Shatkus, Oscar Trigueros, Kevin Yarng, Joshua Young New Half Century Member Monte Sanders, PGA Quarter Century MEMBERS Jerry Herrera, PGA; Thomas Page, PGA; Randy Peterson, PGA; Duffy Waldorf, PGA Moving Up Timothy Bauman, PGA Bermuda Dunes Country Club

A-4

Gary Groff, PGA A-1 China Lake, Naval Air Weapon Station Paul Hjulberg, PGA Oak Valley Golf Club

A-1

Joshua McDonald B-1 Fullerton Golf Club Christopher Olseth, PGA Marrakesh Country Club

A-1

Sean C. Paul, PGA Los Robles Golf Course

A-1

Jeffrey L. Smith, PGA Sherwood Country Club

A-1

Brett Teunis, PGA A-1 The Quarry at La Quinta Greg Van Natta, PGA Tradition Golf Club

A-4

Rick Wooten, PGA Reidy Creek Golf Course

A-1

Newly Certified Professional James Watkins, PGA - Teaching & Coaching Welcome Wagon Dennis Foster, PGA Pacific Northwest Gary Groff, PGA Unaffiliated Dustin Irwin, PGA Aloha Rodney Johnston, PGA North Ohio www.scpga.com

I A N P O U LT E R _ FA ST J A C K E T ® X L _ G 3 0 ™ I R I D I U M ® AVAILABLE IN OAKLEY PRESCRIPTION

DISRUPTIVE BY DESIGN T H E THR EAT O F FAILUR E CO NTIN UES TO DR IVE H IM TO THE TO P

©2014 Oakley, Inc. | 800.320.9430 | OAKLEY.COM/GOLF

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES FOR SUPPORTING THE GOLF PROFESSIONALS OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PGA!

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 • scpga.com • 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

USA

AT-LARGE DIRECTORS David Foster, Porter Valley Country Club • Bill Hulbert, PGA TOUR Superstore • 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, Mountain Meadows Golf Course INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS Susan Roll, Carlsbad Golf Center Tom Wilson, Life Member - Active CHAPTER REPRESENTATIVES Desert: Jon Vesper, Westin Mission Hills Resort Inland Empire: Bryon Smith, Goose Creek Golf Club Metropolitan: Scott Heyn, Oakmont Country Club Northern: Mark Wilson, North Ranch Country Club San Diego: Ross Marcano, Barona Creek Golf Club PGA GOVERNANCE DISTRICT 11 DIRECTOR Bill Hulbert, 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, taddis@pgahq.com David Myrdahl, Foundation & Operations Director, dmyrdahl@pgahq.com Rob Keller, Director of Competitions and Rules, rkeller@pgahq.com Alexandra Tegels, Director of Youth & Player Development, ategels@pgahq.com Sharon Curfman, Membership, scurfman@pgahq.com Breanne Mitchell, Communications Manager, bmitchell@pgahq.com Kristy Custer, Finance/Office Manager, kcuster@pgahq.com Daniel Hale, PGA, Foundation Programs and Events Administrator, dhale@pgahq.com Dave Kuhn, Tournament Operations Coordinator, dkuhn@pgahq.com Matt Gilson, Player Development Manager, mgilson@pgahq.com Mike Mowry, Assistant Junior Golf Director, mmowry@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 Marshall Gerlach, Junior Golf Manager, mgerlach@pgahq.com Junko Suzuki, PGA, Golf in Schools Territory Coordinator, jsuzuki@pgahq.com Eddie Rodarte, PGA, Golf in Schools Territory Coordinator, erodarte@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

THE PROGRAM VOLUME 41 • ISSUE 4 • 2014 JULY/AUGUST ISSUE

The Program is produced by the Southern California PGA. The Program is distributed free to members and affiliates of the SCPGA seven 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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PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

www.scpga.com

Foundation is

the foundation

By SCPGA Executive Director and CEO, Tom Addis III, PGA

“To promote interest and involvement in, and enjoyment of, the game of golf for the Southern California community by providing services to PGA professionals, the golf industry and golfers of all ages and skill levels.”

www.scpga.com

At the club level, our 3-Hour Challenge is a fresh idea to raise dollars while playing golf in a fun atmosphere.

The 3-Hour Challenge is our version of the 100 Hole Marathon, only we play as many holes as possible in a three hour time frame. Basically, gather a group of four people, in golf cars with personal drivers and go for it! Of course monetary pledges are part of the fun – take pledges for a certain amount, say $1 per hole, your foursome plays as many holes as possible in the three hours – multiply the number of holes played by the pledges and the number of players and there you have it – the contribution. The neat thing about it is that we stipulate that half of the funds collected go to your charity of choice, if you wish, and the other half goes to the SCPGA Foundation for the above mentioned grants and scholarships.

We have many other activities that will help us raise the funds we need to support golf and the growth of the game. Our Adopt-AJunior program and our beverage tastings, for adults of course including this Fall’s beer tasting and another wine-tasting event.

A huge new program is our Golf in Schools Program in North County San Diego and North Orange County that brings golf to local elementary and middle schools and bridges young school kids to high school and junior golf and leads them to the game of a lifetime.

Join in and help support our Foundation! Pass the word to your peers, members and customers. An interested person may go to scpga.com and click on the Foundation link near the top of the page. We need the help and we hope you will pass on the word to build a foundation for the game of golf we all love.

US US Foods Foods is a proud proud sponsor sponsor of the the Southern Southern California Californa PGA PGA

SECTIONREPORT

The above is the Mission for the Southern California PGA Foundation. Since its establishment in 1990, the Foundation has brought programs to the Southern California community in ways previously unrealized, including developmental and competitive junior golf programs, CIF high school golf programs, programs for the lessabled person, college scholarships for deserving youth and college-bound student services, support of turf grass research, support of programs dealing with legislative and environmental issues in the State of California through the California Alliance for Golf, grants for young golfers in need of financial assistance in order to participate in junior tournaments in Southern California, a fire and burn foundation for youth, the First Tee Programs in Southern California, SCGA Youth on Course, the WSCGA Foundation, Special Olympics Golf, the Jr. World Golf Championship and the Section’s Patriot Professional-Amateur, which benefits the Folds of Honor Foundation, to name a few.

The SCPGA Foundation heavily relies on the financial and in-kind support of our community, business organizations and individuals throughout Southern California. We encourage you to support our SCPGA Junior Golf Alumni Association, even though you don’t need to be an alumnus - I’m a member and I played my junior golf in Northern California. It’s easy to contribute and help grow our Foundation and its programs, and for joining I received a great golf bag with the Foundation logo!

www.usfoods.com PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

07

Corporate Outreach

through get golf ready

By PGA Player Development Regional Manager, Nikki Gatch, PGA

PGAPLAYER DEVELOPMENT

As Get Golf Ready nears the completion of its fifth year, it has proven to be the leading program in the effort of bringing adults to the game in a fast, fun and affordable way. With over 3,300 facilities providing Get Golf Ready programs, it is becoming increasingly easier for the general consumer to find and experience the program. In the Southern California Section, 44% of all facilities are registered Get Golf Ready facilities.

A somewhat untapped market for Get Golf Ready is the corporate market. Across the country, as well as here in Southern California, facilities are teaming up with local corporations and businesses to offer Get Golf Ready classes specifically for their employees.

Get Golf Ready is postured as a great tool for relationship and team building, leadership development and a health and wellness benefit. A recent study revealed that 90% of executives view golf with a business associate as a way to establish a close relationship and build new contacts; 50% say there is no better way to get to know associates and clients; 45% say prospective clients are more likely to give you their business if you play golf together; and 43% cite some of their biggest deals as being made or started on the golf course. These are very powerful statements and can be used to validate the power of Get Golf Ready to any prospective companies near your facility.

Earlier this year, the Active Network, headquartered in San Diego, partnered with three local facilities to offer Get Golf Ready to its employees. Lomas Santa Fe Country Club, Mission Bay Golf Course and Torrey Pines all provided classes to nearly 30 students. Ken Clay, Senior Account Executive for Active Network, saw the classes as a great benefit to his employees. “At ACTIVE we are always looking for ways to keep our employees physically active and enjoying the outdoors. Get Golf Ready

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PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

was fantastic for this. We have over 450 employees in our San Diego office. In our initial launch of Get Golf Ready we had 30 participants. What I loved about it was it engaged new people and the buzz around the office was how much fun they were having. We will definitely be putting more of these on for our employees.

They loved it and it didn’t cost the company a dime!”

Chris Lempa at Torrey Pines has seen several students from the Active Network class continue on with classes and individual lessons. Chris immediately saw the value of corporate outreach, and has since conducted classes for AT&T and UPS, and has reached out to SDG&E and Scripps Hospital, both located near Torrey Pines.

Will Keller at Tustin Ranch taught a pilot class for UPS employees in Orange County earlier in the year and they have now requested to continue the classes this summer. UPS has also branched out to other locations in Orange County, as well as San Diego, to capture a greater base of employees. Will saw several UPS students return to Tustin Ranch to practice on the driving range and even play on the “Big Easy” course.

Following Get Golf Ready classes, students were surveyed and we found that 92% believe that people stressed at work would get more relief if they played golf, 78% of Get Golf Ready grads continued playing golf, and women in particular are finding significant success with Get Golf Ready. Beginning a Get Golf Ready class for a business near your facility is an easy process and one that will give you a great opportunity to showcase your facility, your professionals and the game.

A company may be right down the street from your facility – how many of those employees know your facility exists and know what programs are available to get them started in the game? They certainly won’t know unless you tell them! The PGA provides great marketing tools for you to use in promoting to corporations.

Feel free to contact me for help in getting started. www.scpga.com

KNOWING A CLUB’S CULTURE

By PGA Employment Consultant, Ken Ferrell, PGA

“While it can be fairly straight forward to assess the right skill set, finding and assessing the right cultural fit can be a real challenge for employers.”

A key recent human resource trend in attracting and retaining talent is in branding the workplace.

Businesses who have “branded their workplace” understand who they are, what differentiates them from their competition, how they offer value in www.scpga.com

their products and services and who their current customers and target clients are. Once determined, they go out and find a support staff that matches and delivers their brand promise. Successful companies align their culture with the brand and hire those that have values and practices shared by other members of their workplace. These companies also invest in their staff and take a serious look at how to improve their talent.

Personal branding is an understanding of oneself, what special talents one possesses and how one prepares to sell themselves to others. To better understand if you and the employer are a right fit, align your personal brand with that of the facility brand, and be sure to understand the values and practices of the facility. You need to know who you are and make sure your values match those of the potential employer. Here are some potential interview questions that might be asked by employers to identify if brand alignment and cultural fit exist with a candidate: • What do you know about our facility?

• Why do you want to work here?

• How do you promote facility brand awareness and customer loyalty?

• How do you build long-term relationships with your golfers?

• How have you handled a policy put in place that you did not agree with?

• Give an example of a program that you implemented that failed. What did you do?

• How is the business you support better off since your hire?

Employers want skilled staff members who enjoy coming to work because a happy and enthusiastic staff carries that same attitude to customers and other co-workers. To ensure a long-term and enjoyable working relationship, consider the culture shared by you and a potential employer - It could make for a better workplace.

Ken Ferrell, PGA is a PGA Employment Consultant serving Southern California Section Members and Apprentices. He can be contacted at 951-894-5024, kferrell@pgahq.com.

I love talking with people…I love to hear about their goals, their dreams and their aspirations. I love hearing how they want to achieve. While the specific ambitions are different with each person, there is one commonality among all people – they want to be great.

I have never heard “As a husband, I want to be average,” or “As a friend, I want to take up space,” or “I want to be a mediocre golf professional.” I think that deep inside of people, we all want to be great at something and do something great with our lives.

It is amazing how “in the blink of eye,” life happens and it goes by so quickly. We get busy, we get distracted, we don’t do the things that we wanted, and we fall short of our goals and lose sight of our motivation.

For whatever reason, it just doesn’t go as we thought it would.

Being great is not easy. If it were, everyone would be great. But, what does it take to be great?

It takes more than talent, intelligence, skills and personality. Natural charisma or good looks won’t do it either. There is one common characteristic on the path to greatness.

Michael Jordan would sacrifice time to work on his free throws. Ben Hogan was well-known for all of the time that he spent on the practice range.

Wayne Gretzky developed the greatest concentration and confidence in hockey by studying the game at every opportunity.

They were great because of sacrifice.

Sacrifice is the investment to greatness.

If you want to be great, you must sacrifice something – it could be time, money, or an activity. It could be time with friends, recreation time, time on computer games or social media, or the amount of time spent sleeping.

As a golf professional, sacrifice can come in many different variations. As an Apprentice, one could sacrifice a daily cup of Starbucks to save money for a Checkpoint. Assistant Golf Professionals can sacrifice a day off to study/learn more about financial management. Great players sacrifice time with friends to improve their golf game. Leaders in the golf industry continue to sacrifice their individual time to network and grow the game on a regional and national level.

To be great requires one thing – sacrifice. What could you sacrifice on your path to greatness? Sacrifice is the investment to greatness.

EMPLOYMENTCONNECTION

Upon meeting an employer for a new position they advertised, the usual questions were asked regarding the skill set necessary for the position and what may have been lacking previously. The answers featured a now all-too-common response: “We hired the most qualified candidate the last time and they simply were not the right fit for our club.” What the club had missed was a candidate that fit into their culture.

While it can be fairly straight forward to assess the right skill set, finding and assessing the right culture fit can be a real challenge for employers. Traditional word-of-mouth and professional referrals still dominate the industry’s hiring process. New programs and techniques can always be learned, but someone who doesn’t possess the same values as the club could be problematic for an employer in the long run. Thus, smart employers are not just focused on the individual’s skills and abilities, but their values and attitudes as well.

The Path to Greatness

By: Robin Shelton, Mountain Meadows G.C.

09

2

0 1 4

GET THE CLUBHOUSE TALKING The 2014 Venza makes versatility stylish. With its LED daytime running lights, luxurious interior, and 70.2 ft.3 of cargo space, Venza is sure to draw plenty of attention along the gallery.

Check one out at your Southern California Toyota dealer today. We make it easy.

Welcome to the Southern California

PGA FAMILY

Fifteen new PGA members attended the May 29, 2014 orientation at the SCPGA Headquarters.

Below includes their facility, classification and why they became a PGA Professional.

Sean Keller A-13 To access a variety of golf opportunities because of my dedication and respect for the game. Thanks to my family, friends and mentors for their support.

Dominic Provenzano A-1 PGA WEST I became a PGA Professional to be involved in competition, teaching and growing the game at the highest level.

John Bozigian IV A-15 Dick’s Sporting Goods My motivation was to be able to do what I love and love what I do for a living while growing the game of golf.

Matthew Mouser A-8 Ironwood C.C. I love the game and enjoy being around the golf course. I want to help grow and bring enjoyment to the game.

Logan Scott A-8 The Crosby Club I was motivated by playing opportunities and growing the game.

Derek Cole A-8 Big Canyon C.C. My dad introduced me to the game when I was 13 and I wanted to turn the passion I had for golf into my profession.

Christopher Olseth A-1 Marrakesh C.C. My primary reason is to make a positive impact in growing the game of golf.

Keefe Shanahan I was motivated by my love of golf and a desire to teach.

Roman Gonzalez A-14 Tiger Woods Learning Center I was motivated by the chance to become an expert of business and teaching in an industry of the greatest game ever created.

Sean Paul A-1 Los Robles Greens G.C. I became a PGA Professional to surround myself with the game I love and to pass my passion for the game along to everyone I can.

Kari Sur A-8 Palos Verdes G.C. I became a PGA professional to get more women in the PGA!

Bryan Jones A-8 South Hills C.C. I have a passion for the game of golf that led me to the PGA.

Brian Powers A-6 To open up more opportunity for myself as a golf teaching professional in the golf industry.

Steven Van Leeuwen A-8 Lakeside G.C. My father introduced me to the game at age six. I was able to turn my passion of the game into a career and become a PGA member.

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

NEWMEMBERS

www.scpga.com

Josh Almieri A-8 Pelican Hill G.C. I was motivated to be an ambassador for the game I love.

The sport taught me so much and I want to pass that along to others.

11

The Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort to Host

southern california pga professional championship

The Southern California PGA is proud to announce the 2014 Southern California PGA Professional Championship will be held at The Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort! The property has a rich history, fantastic golf courses and an exceptional PGA Professional staff that oversees the golf operations of the Resort. The Championship will be held on September 8th-10th on the Ranch and River Courses at The Alisal during peak conditions for both courses. Contestants will compete for a projected purse of over $80,000 in prize money and add to the history of The Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort as it hosts a prestigious Southern California PGA Professional Championship!

The history of the The Alisal dates back from 1810 to the current ownership that purchased the 10,000 acre property in 1943.

On July 16, 1946, Charles Pete Jackson, Jr. opened the resort for the summer with a

Ranch Course - Hole #10

SECTIONCHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

maximum capacity of 30 guests at resort rates starting at $16.50 for a single room.

The private Ranch Course at The Alisal was built in 1955 when Pete Jackson offered Bill Train, a golf professional out of Ranch Santa Fe C.C., to come and work with Billy Bell to build a golf course on the property. Mr. Train was the first Alisal Golf Pro in 1955 and remained in that position until 1978. Mr. Train was one of the legendary PGA Professionals in the Southern California Section during his entire tenure at The Alisal. The Ranch Course is a classic Southern California gem. The original course record of 65 is held by long time member “Mr. 59,� Al Geiberger. The modern course record is now 63.

The Jackson Family built the River Course at Alisal in 1992 as a public option for the community and resort guests. The River Course is a links style layout in superb shape that contrasts the layout of the Ranch Course.

The current River Course record is 63.

The two courses are located in the scenic wine region of the Santa Ynez Valley, near the Danish tourist town of Solvang, and provide all the challenge and beauty you could ask for in a destination resort.

Ranch Course - Hole #8 12

www.scpga.com

DISTRICT 11 DIRECTOR

REPORT

Donʼt become a skin cancer statistic.

By District 11 Director, Bill Hulbert, PGA

•

Your association has been very busy the last two months. Here are some of the highlights: •

•

On May 2nd it was announced that the 2022 PGA Championship will be held at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, NJ, and the 2017 Senior PGA Championship will be held at Trump National Golf Club DC. Donald Trump is now the host of two of our finest events.

A very significant announcement last month presented a new event - the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. A five-year agreement with the LPGA and KPMG gives the PGA another major championship, this one for women.

A full day summit on Women in Business and Golf will be held on the Tuesday during tournament week.

An added benefit allows female PGA Members to qualify for one of the eight spots available for LPGA or PGA club professionals. The weekend rounds will be shown on NBC, which continues to support the PGA.

www.scpga.com

•

•

While you are on PGA links check out the new PGA Member’s Merchandise shop, with top brands and much better Member pricing.

Two task forces are hard at work looking for ways to grow the game and improve our profession. The “Grow the Game” task force, chaired

by Ted Bishop, includes innovative people from a variety of professions.

They have met once already and reported to the board on June 20th at our summer meeting. Additionally, our “Future PGA Workforce” task force is looking to “provide a recommendation to the board on the future standard for PGA membership, including apprentice and university education, member recertification and proposed next steps to better support current and future PGA members with enhanced compensation, enhanced value and additional career opportunities.”

Chaired by Secretary Paul Levy, the task force has an ambitious job ahead of them. More to follow on both groups and their work.

Have a great summer and be proud to be a PGA Member!

®

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

DISTRICT11DIRECTOR

•

The Super Regionals were concluded and candidates for PGA Secretary, Suzy Whaley, Michael Haywood and Russ Libby, had their last opportunity to meet the delegates prior to the annual meeting in November. They will work hard communicating with Section officers over the next five months to deliver their message and gain support.

In response to several negative articles on golf and the golf business, President Bishop released a response letter that was supported by our fellow associations. It addresses some of the negative press and stresses the positive aspects occurring within the game. The NCPGA Officers and Board were vocal in responding to some of those articles and helped move the dialogue along. To see Ted’s message go to PGA Links, where you can also find more on the KPMG Women’s PGA.

R

PROGRAM TM

Cover Up Before You Tee It Up

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

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

25

13

Where Does Your Interest Lie?

By: Bob Madsen, Sycuan Resort

MEMBERSPOTLIGHT 14

Where should your student’s attention be riding? On the swing plane? I hear there are plenty of open seats.

This is an article about interest. Interest is absorbed attention and it belongs on the target, not the ball.

The ball is not the target. The target is the hole, the green, the fairway or something of the like. It is always out there somewhere. When a typical golfer is asked, “Are you trying to hit the ball?,” the response is almost always, “Yeah.” From the admission, I suppose that for this person, the ball has become the target.

Hitting at the ball doesn’t work very well. I discourage it. Avoid the word hit.

Swinging the club and letting the ball get in the way works much better. Encourage your students to learn about this.

Invite your students to put their attention on the destination. Have them be as interested in the target as they would be on goal posts if they were kicking a field goal. Simply put, one is not trying to hit the ball - one is trying to hit the green. One does not kick the ball in football, they kick field goals - there is a big difference. From this, it is possible to get the person to gradually be more able to swing the club and allow the ball to get in the way.

You can easily tell which golfers are more interested in the target and which ones are only interested in the ball - just watch their eyes. Are they looking interestedly toward the target between each shot in practice or are they staring at the ball? If they are spending more time looking at the ball than at the target they have got it backwards.

From this rough indicator, you can guide them toward making the target the object instead of the ball. Many good swings come to a crashing halt because the delivery of the blow thinks and feels they are all done at impact. He wrongly thinks he is supposed to hit the ball and that impact is critical.

Nothing could be further from the truth. For good pros, the moment of impact is not all that momentous - it just occurs as a side-effect. The swinging clubhead goes through and incidentally the ball gets sent.

The moment of impact is not incidental for the average golfer. For them, that moment is an emotion-filled instant of tremendous importance - too much importance. The far end of the swing following impact seems cosmetic, useless and unromantic.

On the contrary, what follows after the club goes through is part of the swing. You will find that two main things will occur here. First, as you coax attention off the ball and onto the target, the student’s club will swing through to a better finish. Secondly, as the club swings through, impact will not interrupt as much.

Impact is a side-effect and the ball is not the target. Attend to the matter at hand and have your students do the same. They will get better and you will be a big winner.

PGA MEMBER

Spotlight

At the age of 12, Rodney was visiting his cousin, Jeff, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Jeff was a great golfer who introduced Rodney to golf with a trip to the golf range. Rodney took the Wilson Fg-17 blade and his newly learned interlocking grip and went at it. Having played all types of sports throughout his life, he was stunned by the difficulty of golf and was instantly hooked. That moment started his long journey in golf.

Rodney’s first job was working in the cart barn at Eagles Landing G.C. in Ocean City, a Top 100 new course in 1991.

For the next few years, he spent each day working and playing golf and even played in the high school golf state finals.

After graduating high school, Rodney went to a local community college for half a year before deciding to head west to follow another love - acting. Rodney drove across the country to Los Angeles to pursue acting and was fortunate enough to have one of those one-in-amillion stories.

Within a year, he landed his first job on a show called Promised Land. Shortly after, Rodney was working nonstop.

He played David Cassidy in a Partridge Family movie called “Come on Get Happy,” followed by guest staring roles on shows like the X-Files and Dawson’s Creek. Rodney’s big break was the lead in a spin-off of Dawson’s Creek, called Young Americans, where he starred alongside Kate Bosworth, Charlie Hunham and Ian Somerhalder. The show was short lived, yet he continued to act very steadily in movies and TV shows for

RODNEY SCOTT, PGA RUSTIC CANYON GOLF COURSE

Rodney Scott, PGA

the next eight years. Rodney was lucky enough to work on 25 different shows including CSI: MIAMI, NYPD Blue, JAG, NCIS, Crossing Jordan, American Dreams, The District and many others.

After getting married in 2007, Rodney decided the grind of being an actor felt more like work than having fun compared to when he was younger. Golf beckoned his return and that was a career he wanted to try. He went to a local golf shop and applied for a job making $9 an hour. Rodney became the manager of the shop within a short amount of time and realized PGA Membership was a necessity for success. During his first few months of the bookwork, Rodney realized he needed to be at a green grass facility. Rustic Canyon G.C. was always his favorite course in L.A. so he applied and a few weeks later became their PGA Assistant.

Two and a half years later, Rodney attained Class A Membership and became the Head Professional at Rustic Canyon, running not only the golf shop, but also the Food & Beverage Operations alongside the Cart & Outside Service Operations. Rodney has been very honored to be the Head Professional at Rustic Canyon for the last few years.

Dan Martin, Director of Instruction, was instrumental in helping Rodney excel towards PGA Membership during his fast ascent to running Rustic Canyon.

“Golf is a game for a lifetime. No matter what your background is and it has a place for anyone at any time to discover.” – Rodney Scott, PGA

www.scpga.com

PGA Member establishes association to positively

INFLUENCE GOLF COMMUNITY The Southern California municipal golf courses have a fresh outlook on the effectiveness of a community when brought together. PGA Professional Michael Lautenbach, golf manager of the City of Anaheim, has become the first president of the Southern California Municipal Golf Association (SCMGA). The SCMGA was incorporated at the beginning of 2014 with the purpose of serving as a medium for golf members, golf managers and the Southern California municipal golf sector.

With over 50 municipal golf courses as current members in the Southern California region, the SCMGA hopes to bring a sense of camaraderie between golf members and its associations.

As a thirteen year PGA member, Michael serves as the regional city golf

what the association will accomplish over the next few years.

“Our main objective is to assist municipal golf managers in the exercise of their professional responsibilities,” he stated. “Giving these managers the opportunity to learn more about the golf business and provide peer review and be able to serve as a source of information that will not only help them personally, but their facilities and the golf market in general,” he added.

A personal goal as well as a SCMGA organizational goal is to encourage relationships with the many organizations that establish the greater golf community.

The California Alliance for Golf (CAG), which serves as a unified voice for protecting and promoting the golf industry, has offered the SCMGA a board

manager at Anaheim Hills Golf Course and Dad Miller Golf Course. During his first term as president, Michael’s initial task is to “create awareness and demonstrate the effectiveness of the association to members.” The first official meeting and workshop proved to be a successful event as discussions focused on pricing and marketing strategies and future trends in the golf industry. The SCMGA emanates openness in their approach of idea exchanging with peers and industry experts and hopes word will circulate through the golf community about their variety of educational sessions.

Michael has high aspirations of www.scpga.com

seat, to which Michael was very excited and grateful to receive. “There are many issues to address, from participation levels to water conservation and the SCMGA plans to be a very active partner in our efforts as an industry,” he stated.

The SCMGA plans to leave a legacy in years to come by reporting on the changing social, demographic, legislative, regulatory and economic conditions affecting the municipal golf sector and also by acting as a clearinghouse for innovative programs, products and services directly relating to municipal golf management. With the decline in number of golfers in the United States, Michael hopes to reform this endeavor

Southern California Municipal Golf Association Board of Directors President Michael Lautenbach, PGA Golf Manager, City of Anaheim Vice-President Mark Marney Deputy Director of Golf, City of San Diego Treasurer Robert Livingstone Superintendent of Golf Operations, City of Long Beach

HEADLINENEWS

“Our main objective is to assist municipal golf managers in the exercise of their professional responsibilities”

with the benefit of the SCMGA. “I hope that a few years from now, we can proudly state that the SCMGA was an active partner in bringing more golfers back and that municipal golf courses played an important role of introducing new golfers to the game,” he said. To learn more about the Southern California Municipal Golf Association, please visit socalmga.com or contact Michael Lautenbach directly at (714) 221-2729 or mlautenbach@anaheim.net.

Secretary James Ward Golf Manager, City of Los Angeles Director-at-Large Jorge Badel, PGA Sr. Golf Director, LA County Director-at-Large Robert Knapp Recreation Manager, City of Costa Mesa Director-at-Large Eric Burton Golf Manager, City of Ventura PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

15

Temecula Creek Inn Golf Resort Hosted

SCPGA E-Z-GO SUMMER MEETING & PRO-PRO SCRAMBLE

SUMMERMEETING

The 2014 SCPGA E-Z-GO Summer meeting was hosted at Temecula Creek Inn Golf Resort on June 2, 2014. The meeting was a great success with 215 people in attendance.

It featured two guest presentations on the status of the SCPGA Investment Fund, presented by Jason Levey of Canterbury Consulting, and on California governmental affairs, presented by Craig Kessler of the SCGA. President Johnson featured a “Remember the Past, Embrace the Future” program in each membership meeting. The members and apprentices in SCPGA E-Z-GO Pro-Pro Scramble Champions Mark Fernando, PGA & Gary Sowinski, PGA Annual Meeting on December 8th, 2014 attendance were inspired by Bill Hartley, at San Diego Country Club, alongside who has been a PGA Member for 54 Todd Keefer, PGA WEST, as Vice years, representing the past and Andrew President and John McNair, JC Resorts, Cortez, of Bear Creek Golf Club who as President. attained PGA Membership this April, The meeting was superb and the golf representing the future. to follow was great as well. At just over President Johnson announced Tony 6,500 yards, the Oaks and Stonehouse Letendre, PGA, of The Newport Beach nines looked like they may be a push Country Club, as the incoming Secretary over. However, they provided plenty of on the SCPGA Board of Directors. He variety and challenge, especially when will assume his new role at the SCPGA

E-Z-GO Summer Meeting & Pro-Pro Scramble | Temecula Creek Inn | Oaks & Stonehouse | June 2nd, 2014 1 Mark Fernando, Coronado Municipal G.C., Gary Sowinski, The Hodges Golf Learning, 59, -13, $3,000 T2 Mike Nokes, Thomas Chu, Stadium, 61, -11, $1,950.00 T2 Chris Starkjohann, Torrey Pines G. Club & Outings, Butch Sheehan, First Tee of Coachella, 61, -11, $1,950.00 T2 Eric Riehle, Univ of California Riverside, Jeff Munak, San Diego C.C., 61, -11, $1,950.00

the traditional Temecula Valley breeze made an appearance. A trio of teams made a charge and finished at 61 (-11).

The team of Gary Sowinski, PGA (The Hodges) and Mark Fernando, PGA (Coronado G.C.) made quick work of the difficult Stonehouse nine and birdied all but its 8th hole for a 28 on that side en route to a 59 (-13) and a two-stroke victory. Congratulations on capturing the E-Z-GO Summer Meeting & Pro-Pro Scramble!

The E-Z-GO Summer Meeting and Pro-Pro Scramble was made possible by: E-Z-GO, US Foods, Golf Buddy, GOLFSTIX, First Tee Golf & Travel, Amazing Thailand, There’s Nothing Like Australia, Sandals, Global Tour Golf, Mizuno, SCNS Sports Foods, FlightScope, Great Shot Golf, Kenwood and Pepsi. Very special thanks to JC Resorts and the Vice President of JC Resorts, John McNair, PGA, and the Temecula Creek Inn. The golf staff, led by PGA Director of Golf Curtis Rowe, was tremendous and the entire team, including Superintendent Todd Kochanowski, Assistant Golf Professional Peter Wininger, Sales Manager Chad Lashelle and Conference Services Manager Brian Hartig. Thank you for making this day possible!

Official Radio of the Southern California PGA

SCPGA E-Z-GO Summer Meeting & Pro-Pro Scramble Sponsors 16

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

www.scpga.com

SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT

E-Z-GO

www.scpga.com

“E-Z-GO OFFERS A CHOICE OF MODELS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COURSES.” PHIL GREEN Chief Operating Officer/Principal OB Sports Golf Management

REAL STORIES. REAL RESULTS.™ See the OB Sports story at EZGO.com/RealResults.

SPONSORHIGHLIGHT

E-Z-GO® Advancing the Game for 60 years This June E-Z-GO® celebrates a milestone in its history that few companies enjoy, its Diamond Anniversary. redesigned TXT® golf car, E-Z-GO was founded by with innovative TruCourse™ brothers and Army veterans Technology and its brand new Bev and Billy Dolan on 72-volt AC drive fully electric June 13, 1954, in a one-room Cushman® Hauler™ PRO turfmachine shop in Grovetown, utility vehicle, which can travel Ga., near Augusta, on a simple as many as 50 miles between belief that they could build a charges. golf car, to better meet the needs of the Golf cars are integral to the golf customer. Dubbed the Model 100, the first E-Z-GO vehicles were manufactured industry today, representing one of the largest and most important revenue using surplus 24-volt electric motors originally intended to power wingflaps on streams at most golf courses. They have enabled more people to enjoy the sport the B-17 Flying Fortress. who typically would have been challenged From those humble beginnings, walking a round of golf.

E-Z-GO has grown into a global leader E-Z-GO became part of Textron Inc. within the golf industry and the design (NYSE: TXT) in 1960. This global, multiand manufacture of light-transportation industry company leverages its global vehicles. Building many thousands network of aircraft, defense, industrial of vehicles each year from its global and finance businesses to provide headquarters in Augusta, E-Z-GO customers with innovative solutions and has been recognized as one of the top services. Textron is known around the 10 manufacturing facilities in North world for its powerful brands such as Bell America by Industry Week magazine.

Helicopter, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, “E-Z-GO is excited to celebrate its Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, diamond anniversary this year, and to Greenlee, and Textron Systems. mark six decades of leadership in light Today, E-Ztransportation GO still has that and service to the single belief – golf industry,” that it exists to said E-Z-GO build vehicles President Kevin and services Holleran. “We that exceed the are also honored expectations of and humbled, the customer. It is because we know the drive to sustain that our success and improve that would not be position – to offer possible without an unparalleled the support of combination our customers of world-class products, advanced and partners in the golf industry, many technology, manufacturing expertise, and of whom have been loyal to E-Z-GO extraordinary service – that leads E-Zthroughout its existence. We look GO to cover new ground. forward to serving them for many E-Z-GO manufactures more than 50 decades to come.” different vehicle models across the E-ZE-Z-GO has strived to continue the GO, Cushman® and Bad Boy Buggies® legacy of creativity and technological brands, for industries and environments advancement set by Bev and Billy Dolan. ranging from golf courses and resorts, to A renowned leader in electric-vehicle factories and commercial campuses, to technology, E-Z-GO has continued neighborhood paths and off-road trails. to innovate its products. From the For more information on E-Z-GO revolutionary RXV®, with exclusive and its products, visit www.ezgo.com or AC Drive technology and automatically contact your Fleet Sales Representative. applied parking brake, to its newly

For more information contact: Scott Stevens Fleet Sales Representative sstevens@textron.com 760.936.7530 Joe Martin Fleet Sales Representative Sr. JMartin2@textron.com 949.233.1186

©2014 E-Z-GO Division of Textron Inc. All rights reserved.

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

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Best Practices: Retailing

Ron Castillo, PGA Ron Castillo, Jr. on the business of becoming a better retailer: Ron Castillo, Jr. is a PGA professional, A-20. He has received many awards including Aloha Section Merchandiser of the Year, Aloha Section Teacher of the Year and Aloha Section Player of the Year.

He is now a member of the Southern California Section and a 24-year member of the PGA of America.

BESTPRACTICES 18

Ron Castillo, Jr. on the importance of following the business model of the top retailers: We need to understand how the world’s most successful retailers conduct their business and how they stay one step ahead of the competition. The Harvard School of Business has studied the business model of Costco, one of the best retailers in the world and a Fortune 500 company. The golf industry trends in merchandising point to a more competitive market place than ever.

- 2014 PGA magazine May issue, “Industry Trends” “After a very challenging first quarter in golf last year, we expected some further headwinds and only modest improvement, but instead we saw a continued significant decline.”

- Dick’s CEO Edward Stack, Headlines from “The Street” (a Financial Blog 2014) The golf professional is challenged by threats from big box discount stores and outlet malls. Vendors are saturating their products to a large spectrum of retailers at discounted prices. The consumer is more knowledgeable than ever with the ability to instantly compare prices through their smart devices. The golf professional needs to adjust to the changing retail landscape or struggle to survive in a marketplace. The inability to adjust to the marketplace is, in my point of view, why golf courses are losing to discount super stores and the internet, regarding the sale of golf clubs, and if not careful, they will lose the on-course apparel business too.

Let’s look at what Costco does in its warehouses and how you can profit from following its business model.

• You have to be a member to shop at Costco. Some clubs require you to be PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

• • • •

a member to play and shop at their course. Membership has value.

Costco never advertises, but directly communicates to its members via newsletters and its website.

Costco members tend to have a higher than average income and a higher degree of education.

Costco members are always looking for more value and quality in their purchases.

Costco prides itself in superior customer service. Costco would rather lose a sale and take back a returned item than lose you as a member. Sound familiar? Your golf shop should be more like a Costco than you think.

There are no signs indicating where products are. The reason for that is Costco wants you to wander around and discover new “treasures” in the store. Displays are BIG, which makes a statement, and are always seasonal. “End Caps” displays in Costco lead the aisle with featured items, drawing you down the aisle to shop for more items.

Anyone who has ever shopped in a Costco knows that items are moved around daily. Sometimes frustrating, but this is an effective way to get customers to engage employees for help. This creates an opportunity for staff to educate customers on products. This service element is core to Costco’s success.

Most importantly, Costco offers unique and special items, as well as the basic necessities, with their own private brand. Over 30% of Costco sales are their own brand, Kirkland Signature.

The mandate of the Kirkland Signature brand is to be of quality. In many cases, it is better than the name brands and is priced for value. Costco believes that the Kirkland brand is their most valuable asset. As sales of the Kirkland Signature have grown, so has customer loyalty and total sales volume. The fact is, the only place any customer can find Kirkland Signature is at a Costco store or website!

The better retailers in the world share a similar strategic path. Nordstrom, Saks, Neiman Marcus and Macy’s have all stated that the growth of their own brand has led them to great success.

Consider having your own custom branded apparel in your golf shop. Your own brand allows you to offer as good, if not better, quality than the name brands and your member or guest will never find your brand at $19.99 at the outlet or sporting goods store. The fact that most golf shops have already established their own brand via embroidery on the products they carry, makes this strategy even easier to implement.

Costco and the better retailers in the world have an E-Commerce presence.

A web-based store will never take the place of your physical store, but it allows you to stay in touch with your customers when they want to connect and allows you to offer more products than you could in your shop. Online apparel sales are growing over 20% per year and exceeding $50 billion dollars in sales. An E-Commerce store is a great vehicle to promote new arrivals, available stock and promote upcoming events.

Now, if we could only get golfers to buy their shirts in a twelve pack!

Ron Castillo, Jr. on the importance of watching what the best retailers in the country are doing: • Know your customer.

• Have unique and special items, as well as the basic necessities.

• Move items around the golf shop often.

• Displays should make a statement.

Your displays should be seasonal and draw the customer to an area in the shop least visited by floor plan.

• Have an exceptional return policy.

• Have your own custom branded products. Having brands that the BIG BOX stores carry is not unique or special. Don’t let someone else determine your profitability by being forced to match price with discount stores.

• Have an E-Commerce presence to promote the items in your store to provide 24/7, year-round customer service.

If you would like to contact the author of this Best Practices directly, please email Ron_castillo@hotmail.com. www.scpga.com

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Southern California PGA Professional Michael Block claims

47th pga professional national championship

NATIONALCHAMPION 20

47th PGA Professional National Champion

Not since Jeff Freeman won the 1999 PGA Professional National Championship at Whistling Straits has a Southern California PGA Professional been crowned a National Champion.

Michael Block, of Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, added his name to the list of champions as he claimed the 47th PGA Professional National Championship on Wednesday, June 25th.

"It was great. I wasn't in any ads or pictures or anything before this event.

I came in under the radar. I'm known a little more in my cul-de-sac than I am here. When I got here there was no pressure on me. I had my family and had the support [of the staff at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club] and obviously can't thank [them] enough. You are the reason why I am here. Thank you!"said Block, 38, the PGA head professional at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo.

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

Michael Block, PGA with Caddie Josh Hurst

Block is the ninth player to win the National Championship in his first attempt. He closed with an even-par 72 to force a playoff at 2-under-par 286 with Jamie Broce, the men’s golf coach at the University of Toledo, who posted a 75 after leading the Championship since the ninth hole of the second round.

Seven years ago, standing over a putt in a Sectional Qualifier playoff to earn a berth in the 2007 U.S. Open, Michael Block thought to himself, “Why Not?” Block made that putt to earn a major championship trip and didn’t forget those two words, which he has either written or imprinted on his golf balls since that day.

Fast forward to Wednesday at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where Block didn’t hesitate when he faced a threefoot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to win the 47th PGA Professional

PhotoS & Article: PROFESSIONAL GOLFERS’ ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

www.scpga.com

www.scpga.com

47th PGA Professional National Champion, Michael Block, and PGA of America Secretary, Paul Levy

said Block. “I feel bad for Jamie because he had it, and that putt he had for par on the last regulation hole was perfect. Some grain got it and it hit the lip and it lipped out up the hill.”

“All of a sudden it opened up, and here we were going to a playoff. It was a win-win for me for me at that point. I was going to the PGA Championship, had a nice check. I had no pressure whatsoever.

I was thinking I was back home playing with the boys in a skins game.”

Block took home $75,000 from a $550,000 purse in the Championship presented by Club Car, Mercedes-Benz and OMEGA and will advance to the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, in August.

Michael Block and Jamie Broce after second play-off hole In addition, Block will also receive exemptions into six PGA TOUR events within the year and will be a member of the 2015 PGA Cup Team.

Mike Miles of Old Ranch Country Club narrowly missed a chance at joining Block at the PGA Championship. Making birdies on his last two holes during the final round, Miles would end up missing the playoff for the last spots by a single shot. Block and Miles were joined by three others whom made the cut; Brent Smith of Ivey Ranch Country Club, Tim Parun of Sail Ho Golf Club and Chris Starkjohann of Torrey Pines Gold Club & Outings.

Others competing included Jeffery Cranford of The Palms Golf Club, Eric Lohman of Monarch Beach Golf Links, Matt MacConnell of The Madison Club, Mike Mitchell of the Hideaway, and Michael Block, on Hole #8 during round three Alan Scheer of Steele Canyon Golf Club.

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

NATIONALCHAMPION

National Championship, stroking it home to defeat Broce of Ottawa Hills, Ohio, and become the second Southern California PGA member to win the showcase event for PGA Professionals.

“I think now about that day seven years ago and what I went through today. I guess it was a lot alike in some ways. This time, however, it was for a National Championship. Yeah, why not? I had my chance and I took it,” said Block.

Block led the chase of Broce with a steady three-birdie, three-bogey effort. He trimmed the deficit to one stroke with a birdie at 16, while Broce struggled with his iron play and made three birdies and six bogeys – none more painful than a missed winning opportunity at 18.

Both players found the left greenside bunker at 18 with their approaches. Broce blasted out four feet past the hole, while Block hit his to two feet. Broce’s par putt lipped out. Block stepped up and tapped in to force extra holes.

The players matched pars on a return to the 18th in the playoff, then moved to the 382-yard, par-4 10th hole. Block hit a 56-degree sand wedge that settled three feet from the hole, with Broce following by hitting his approach 25 feet from the flagstick. Broce ran his birdie putt four feet past, made the comeback par before Block ran in the winning putt.

“It’s amazing to be sitting here as a National Champion. I wasn’t leading that Championship for one second until that putt dropped on the second playoff hole,”

21

Tustin Ranch Golf Club hosted the

Callaway golf spring Teaching Summit

The Callaway Golf Spring Teaching Summit took place on Monday, April 28, at Tustin Ranch Golf Club and was an outstanding and entertaining event. PGA Professionals Randy Peterson of Callaway Golf and Brian Manzella of Brian Manzella Golf Academy were this year’s key note speakers.

Thank you to the SCPGA Teaching Committee and Teaching Committee Chairman Bill Hulbert, PGA, for making it such a successful event. Thanks to our host facility, Tustin Ranch Golf Club, and their PGA Professionals: James Spadoni - Director of Golf, Erik Horve - Director of Instruction, and Ian Mittelstaedt - Head Professional. Thank you also to our title and presenting sponsor Callaway Golf and to supporting sponsors SmartFlex, PSP Golf, Fit Fix Training (formerly RFK Training) and Pepsi.

Without your support, we could not host events of this caliber!

Brian Manzella, PGA - Outdoor Session

SPRINGTEACHING SUMMIT 22

Outdoor Session

Teachimg Chairman Bill Hulbert, PGA, Brian Manzella, PGA, Teaching Co-Chairman Billy McKinney, PGA

Thank you to Callaway Golf for presenting the 2014 SCPGA Callaway Golf Teaching Summit

Brian Manzella, PGA - Indoor Session

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

www.scpga.com

Griffin & Cuff Victorious at

ANNANDALE GOLF CLUB

National Car Rental Professional-Scratch Championship | Annandale Golf Club | May 19th, 2014 1 Michael Griffin & Ed Cuff - Fairbanks Ranch, 60, -10, $1,125.00 2 Robert Pang & Taylor Wood - Big Canyon C.C., 62, -8, $900.00 T3 Grant Strobel & Scott Stevens - Fairbanks Ranch, 64 -6 $580.50 T3 Ted Parker & Les Farmer - California C.C., 64, -6, $580.50 T3 James Ley & Tyler Ley - Twin Lakes G.C., 64, -6, $580.50 T3 Michael Block & Ola Strandqvist - Arroyo Trabuco G.C., 64, -6, $580.50 T3 Scott Shiroma & Greg Wells - Rolling Hills C.C., 64, -6, $580.50 www.scpga.com

KBS EDUCATION CENTER

EARN MSR CREDIT THROUGH KBS

Jack Barber, PGA

KBS Advisory Board 2009- National PGA Golf Professional of the Year 2011- Hall of Fame Member

Susan Roll, PGA

KBS Advisory Board 2011 PGA Merchandiser of the Year – Public

PGA professionals who complete the updated KBS educational seminar will earn 1 MSR credit. This condensed, online tutorial is designed to educate industry professionals on the KBS product line.

PROFESSIONALSCRATCH

The 2014 SCPGA National Car Rental Pro-Am Series Professional-Scratch Championship was, once again, held at the beautiful Annandale Golf Club in Pasadena. This year, the SCPGA designated this prestigious event as one of the National Car Rental Pro-Am Series events. With the new partnership and Annandale Golf Club, again, playing host, the tournament was sure to be a hit. Taking advantage of superb weather and playing conditions, the winning team from Fairbanks Ranch Country Club of Michael Griffin, PGA and Ed Cuff were on fire from start to finish and shot an outstanding 10-under par (60) in the fourball format. Griffin and Cuff needed every stroke they could get as the team of Robert Pang, PGA and Taylor Wood, from Big Canyon Country Club, had an impressive day as well, firing an 8-under par (62). National Car Rental Professional-Scratch Champions Michael Griffin, PGA & Ed Cuff Scratch Champions also claimed one of Five teams finished the day tied for third two skins, thanks to their eagle on the at 6-under par (64). The 2014 National par four 10th, and the team of Jonathan Car Rental Pro-Am Series ProfessionalGoglia, PGA of Oakmont Country Club and Chris Paz claimed the other with a two on the par four 17.

The SCPGA would like to send a special thank you to our sponsors including: National Car Rental, Golf Buddy, Cleveland Golf/Srixon and Pepsi. A big thank you as well to Annandale Golf Club, PGA Head Professional Wade Berzas and his staff who are first-class. We cannot thank them enough for their support.

Once again, congratulations to our 2014 SCPGA National Car Rental Pro-Am Series Champions Michael Griffin, PGA and Ed Cuff!

Annandale Golf Club Host Professional Wade Berzas, Rob Keller, SCPGA

Begin the course here: kbsgolfshafts.com/education-center WWW.KBSGOLFSHAFTS.COM

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

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Block Captures Second Leg of Imperial TPS

Lohman & Christensen

Triumphant at Ojai

Imperial TPS at Morongo G.C.Champion Michael Block, PGA

PROFESSIONALOFFICIAL

Congratulations to Michael Block, PGA, of Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, for capturing the second Imperial TPS Series event of 2014! His rounds of 67-69 =136 were good enough for a two-stroke margin. Kyle Mendoza, of South Hills Country Club, used the tournament low, 65, he fired in the second round to try and catch Block, but fell just short of a remarkable comeback. Block, who also captured the Imperial TPS Series at Saticoy Country Club in March, continued on to compete for the sweep of the TPS Series at Bear Creek Golf Club on June 9th. Congratulations to Jim Schaeffer, PGA on his hole in one during the second round on the difficult 4th hole.

The 156 yard par 3 played the most difficult of the par 3’s during the day.

Sweet shot!

Special thanks to Imperial, Tour Lock Pro, PGA TOUR, Pro Compression and Pepsi for their support of the Imperial TPS Series!

Thanks as well to the Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon, home of the Southern California PGA, for hosting.

PGA Director of Golf Henry Liaw and the Morongo Staff were fantastic and gracious hosts.

Club Car Professional-Official Champions Eric Lohman & Chad Christensen, Club Car Representatives Eric Andrews

The Ojai Valley Inn & Spa provided a breathtaking backdrop for the 2014 Club Car Professional-Official Championship.

The day was picture perfect and the team of Eric Lohman, PGA and Chad Christensen, of Monarch Beach Golf Links, stood out amongst the field. Their 11-under par round of 59 in the Net FourBall competition was four better than a trio of teams that would tie for second.

Congratulations to Eric Lohman, PGA and Chad Christensen!

In other competitions during the day, dedicated to our PGA Professionals and their Club Officials, Michael Block, PGA from Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club carded the low PGA Professional score of 67 (-3), while six PGA Professionals earned skins: Bobby Nickell, Dave Hartley, PGA, Scott Heyn, PGA, Clint Whitehill, PGA, Kay Hoey and Tom Sargent, PGA. Finally, the five $100 Closest to the Hole prizes

Imperial TPS at Morongo Golf Club | Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon – Legends Course | May 12th, 2014 1 Michael Block, Arroyo Trabuco G.C., 67-69, 136, -8, $1,700.00 2 Kyle Mendoza, South Hills C.C., 73-65, 138 -6, $1,300.00 T3 Trevor Young, The Grand G.C., 70-69, 139, -5, $950.00 T3 Tim Parun, Sail Ho G.C., 72-67, 139, -5 $950.00 T3 Dean Tonneslan, La Jolla C.C., 72-67, 139, -5, $950.00

Club Car Professional-Official Championship | Ojai Valley Inn & Spa May 5th, 2014 1 Eric Lohman & Chad Christensen Monarch Beach Golf Links, 59, -11 $550.00 T2 Michael Block & Matt Donovan Arroyo Trabuco G.C.,63, -7, $396.67 T2 Jim Gormley & Ed Whittemore - Palos Verdes G.C., 63, -7, $396.67 T2 Kay Hoey & Bill Applebee – Mesa Verde C.C., 63, $396.67

were won by Bobby Nickell (#3), Ben Smock (#8), Matt Donovan (#11), Clint Whitehill, PGA (#14) and Rick Barnes (#16).

Special thanks to the sponsors of the Club Car Professional-Official Championship: Club Car, CIG / GIS, US Foods, SkyGolf, Antigua, Imperial, Titleist and Pepsi. Thank you also to the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa and PGA Director of Golf Mark Greenslit, Superintendent Brian Ramsey and Catering Manager Lisette Barba for hosting such a wonderful day for all the PGA Professionals and Officials who spent their day with us. Thank you all!

Host Professional Mark Greenslit, PGA & Ojai Member Pete Ells 24

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www.scpga.com

A L W A Y S

D R I V E N

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SCPGA Raises funds for Folds of Honor at

PATRIOT PROFESSIONAL-AMATEUR

2014 Patriot Professional-Amateur Championship at Toscana Country Club

A

A PG

SOU T

The 3rd Annual SCPGA Patriot Professional – Amateur, presented by FirmGreen and supported

by Citizens Business Bank, was hosted at Toscana Country Club on April 23, 2014. The Tournament brought together PGA professionals, amateurs and active military personnel to benefit the Folds of Honor Foundation. The Southern California PGA Patriot Pro-Am is the SCPGA’s flagship fundraiser for the ALIFOR NC NI ER H

PATRIOTPROFESSIONAL-AMATEUR

Folds of Honor Foundation, a nonprofit that provides educational scholarships for the children and spouses of military officers that have been disabled or killed in the active line of duty. A scramble format paired one PGA professional, three amateurs and one active military participant per each of the 24 tournament teams. The event was hosted by PGA of America Secretary and Toscana Country Club General Manager and CEO, Paul Levy and PGA Director of Golf, David Craig. Guests had the rare opportunity to meet and hear from the special guest speaker Major Dan Rooney, a former F-16 Fighter Pilot in the Oklahoma Air

Champions - Tony Letendre, PGA, Mike Close, Ted Embrey, Adam Kath, SCPO Dan McKenna 26

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

National Guard, PGA Professional and USGA member. Rooney is the founder of Folds of Honor and has been awarded numerous honors for his philanthropy and patriotism over the past decade, including being named People Magazine’s Hero of the Year and ABC World News’ Person of the Year. This year’s Patriot Pro-Am raised over $38,000 for the Folds of Honor Foundation.

Color Guard at Reception www.scpga.com

Cranford Captures

imperial tps finale

Imperial TPS Bear Creek Champion Jeffrey Cranford, PGA

TPSCHAMPIONSHIP

Bear Creek Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus Signature design, is one of the best tests of golf in Southern California. Southern California PGA Professionals tested their games over 36 holes in the final Imperial TPS of 2014 and saw both sides of the great layout in Murrieta. In the morning, nine of the 63 players were able to break par with Steve Holmes, PGA of Westlake Village Golf Club leading the way with a four under-par 68. In the second round, the wind made an appearance and limited the field to one round under-par and yielded only five rounds total of even or better. The afternoon 71, posted by Jeffrey Cranford, PGA of the Palms Golf Club, combined with a morning score of 69 to give him a three shot victory at the Imperial TPS at Bear Creek. Chris Gilley, PGA of SeaCliff Country Club finished runner-up as the only other player in the

field under par (143). Congratulations to Jeffrey Cranford on the great play and victory in the finale of the Imperial TPS! The Imperial TPS is a three tournament stroke play series, with each event being contested over 36 holes in a single day. This final Imperial TPS took place two weeks prior to the start of the 47th PGA Professional National Championship. Nine of the 10 Southern California PGA Professionals participating in that championship, gave their game a final tune-up at the Imperial TPS at Bear Creek. Champion Jeffrey Cranford is one of those that represented the SCPGA at the Championship in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Thank you to Imperial, PGA TOUR, Tour Lock Pro, Pro Compression, NYX Golf and Pepsi for making this great event possible. Special thanks to the Bear Creek Golf Club, PGA Head Professional Kim Schilling, Golf Course Superintendent Iain Sturges and the entire Bear Creek family for hosting us for the day!

Imperial TPS - Bear Creek | Bear Creek Golf Club | June 9th, 2014 1 Jeffrey Cranford, The Palms G.C., 6971, 140, -4, $1,450.00 2 Chris Gilley, SeaCliff C.C., 71-72, 143, -1, $1,150.00 T3 Brent Smith, Ivey Ranch C.C., 72-72, 144, E, $812.50 T3 Steve Holmes, Westlake Village G.C., 68-76, 144, E, $812.50 www.scpga.com

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

27

PGA Professional hosts Qualifier for

Special olympics Summer Games

SUPPORTED BY:

By SCPGA Foundation Programs and Events Coordinator, Daniel Hale, PGA

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Marty La Roche, PGA a Special Olympics Certified Instructor at Tijeras Creek Golf Club, is now in his 16th year of hosting the Special Olympics Summer Games qualifier for golf. The 60 athlete field was made up of one Special Olympics athlete and either a volunteer, family member or friend in a ninehole alternate shot format.

Preceding this tournament, athletes sharpened their skills through Marty’s 10 week instructional program that was Special Olympics Summer Games qualifier at Tijeras Creek Golf Club station-based with driving, chipping and putting as the focus. an inspiring and magical day!

I caught up with athlete Tom Peale, This event was spurred to mind in a Special Olympics Global Ambassador 1998 when Marty overheard a man come and official photographer of the World into the section office complaining there Games, who is in his 15th year of playing were no golf events for special needs in the event and his partner, Riley athletes in California. From there, Marty Edwards, who has been playing in the took the initiative to grow the game by event with Tom for six years now. They offering instruction to the handicapped both agreed that their favorite part of the and becoming a Special Olympics whole experience was being out on the Certified Instructor. There has been course and seeing old and new faces, in nothing but great events happening since addition to having a chance to compete then, as the tournament is in its 16th year and see everyone in the Special Olympics running with sustained growth each year family. and a capped field at 60 participants.

The shotgun kicked off at 3PM and Marty’s ultimate goal for this event is it was all smiles and high fives out on the to have an expansion into Northern course for these athletes. The athletes California with the opportunity to hold were competing for one of six qualifying North/South matches against each spots, three of which automatically regions Special Olympics Golf Team. qualify for finishing in the top three of the tournament and the other three picked by staff. Conditions were ideal for the day with sunny skies and light breeze.

In the end, the winning score was an outstanding 41, shot by Greg Kazlowksi and Jake Newman. Coming in second was Kenji Horita and McKenna Pauscht.

Rounding out the top three was Marty La Roche and Kevin Guthrie. A pizza party ensued, following play, with awards and raffle items donated from Cobra Puma Golf given out to the most encouraging individuals of the day and of the entire 10 week series. Some of the athletes even got to share their funny moments of the day Marty La Roche, PGA with Tom Peale, Special Olympics Global with the entire group, which capped off Ambassador www.scpga.com

Spring Series

ends with a bang

www.scpga.com

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

JUNIORGOLF

Halie Lasken (74-73-147) made six birdies in the final round of the Championship, including the 18th hole, to claim first place.

The Boys 14-15 and Boys 16-18 age divisions put on a scoring clinic.

Led by frontrunners Andrew Fernandes (75-68--143) and Jacob Johnson (70-73--143), who both finished first in their respective age divisions, there were a combined 10 rounds at even par or better.

Bridgestone Spring Series Champions - Rose Zhang, Elyse Kim, & Zoe Campos Fernandes made advances of the Championship. The SCPGA on Par-3’s, leading the field with a total would like to recognize Empire Lakes of -3 for the tournament. Second place Golf Course and all of their professional in the Boys 14-15 division belonged to staff for their great assistance over the Cezar Cozianu (74-70--144), thanks to weekend. Most importantly, the Southern a final round front nine of three-underCalifornia PGA Junior Tour would like to par 33. Johnson, who had 9 total birdies thank all of the participants and parents and a total of 30 holes at par or better, claimed victory by three shots over Justin for their continued involvement and support.

Sheparovich (71-75--146).

The Southern California PGA Junior SCPGA Junior Tour Alumni Tour would like to thank Bridgestone Shine Bright Golf for their title sponsorship and for The Southern California PGA Junior outfitting our Bridgestone Champions Tour, in its 66th year of existence, holds with a Bridgestone Series Champion a lengthy list of successful alumni. Two backpack and cap. The Junior Tour would of the most recent examples are Lizette also like to thank the Golf Academy of Salas and Max Homa. Both players America for their supporting sponsorship recently claimed their first professional victories on the same weekend.

Salas won the LPGA Kingsmill Championship while Max took first place at the BMW Charity Pro-Am on the Web.com Tour. With Salas and Homa on track for an incredibly bright future, there is a large group of Junior Tour alumni looking to follow closely in their footsteps. This year, there were 72 former members in NCAA Division I that were selected All-Conference, including four players that were chosen as their Conference Player of the Year. Of the 31 conferences included in Division I golf, SCPGA Junior Tour Alumni were selected to All-Conference teams in 16 of them. With an evergrowing membership base, there is no Bridgestone Spring Series Champions - Justin Sheparovich, Jacob Johnson, Dominic Ariondo limit to the potential success of the SCPGA Junior Tour Alumni. facebook.com/SCPGAJuniorTour twitter.com/SCPGAJuniorTour @SCPGAJRTOUR

The 2014 Players Tour Spring Series came to a close over Memorial Day weekend with the completion of the Bridgestone Spring Series Championship hosted by Empire Lakes Golf Course.

With ideal course conditions and an average temperature of 78 degrees, the field of 140 individual Spring Series Champions set the stage for a truly exhilarating event.

The 9-11 age divisions competed on the back nine of the Arnold Palmer designed championship layout and produced incredible results with Phichaksn Maichon firing a threeunder-par two-day total of 69. Finishing three strokes behind were Alexander Gibalevich (34-38--72) and George Lu (37-35--72). Rose Zhang (37-37--74) took individual honors for the Girls 9-11 age division, firing two rounds of one over par and beating out Elyse Kim (38-37--75) by a single shot.

Daisy Wan and Chae-Rim Lee fired first round scores of 73 to share a three shot lead in the Girls 12-14 age division after day one. Wan followed up her round one play with an impressive 77 to card a two-day-total of 150 (+6) and claim first place. Lee closed the championship with a 79 on day two and finished in a tie for second place with Elise Sumner. Both carded two-day-totals of 152 (+8).

The race for the Boys 12-13 individual title came down to the wire. Alexander Pak (74-74--148) needed a birdie on the par-5 18th hole to claim a one-shot victory over Brad Calubid (72-79-149). Jonathan Ku (76-74-150) made a move up the leaderboard on Sunday by making 13 pars and two birdies to take third place outright.

In the Girls 15-18 division, Christine Perez (68-80--148) tied the low round of the tournament by posting a bogey-free, four-under par 68, in round one. However, Perez was unable to hold on as the charging

29

Converting Satisfied Customers to

with the enjoyment of their round (bad weather, slow play, etc.). No one likes negative surprises, but they will certainly appreciate being told up front.

By National Golf Foundation, NGF

5. Increase number of touchpoints. Building loyalty means being where your customers are and being available to them when they need you. Reach golfers in as many places as possible – at the shop, online (your website), on social media (with a course Facebook page and/or Twitter account), on their cell phones (text messages or mobile app) and in their email inboxes.

Be accessible to them and always try to be top of mind.

loyal customers

GOLFSERVICE 30

Golfers today have the power to choose among many options with respect to equipment, apparel, accessories or whatever they think will enhance their game or suit their tastes. They also have numerous options in terms of where to play, including where they play most frequently. If a golfer chooses to play at your course and they have an enjoyable experience, you have the unique opportunity to build a loyal, long-time customer.

Golfers base their ‘where to play’ decisions on many factors. In a recent survey, NGF confirmed that more than 71% of core golfers chose to play a course because of value – their perception of whether the overall golf experience was worth, or even exceeded, the price that they paid for the round of golf. Creating value can be approached from two angles: (1) A golf course operator can lower rates or provide special offers; (2) The operator can enhance the product and overall experience. Rather than focusing on the strategy of competing based on price, let’s look at how you can enhance your product to exceed customer expectations and draw repeat play.

Enhancing the product does not necessarily mean making capital improvements or including ‘free stuff ’ with a greens fee (range balls, beverage, etc.). A better, enhanced product can be achieved through determining what drives customer satisfaction and meeting (or exceeding!) those expectations to provide golfers with a great experience at your golf course. The goal is to motivate them so your course is always their first choice. According to NGF’s GolfSAT benchmarking data, a golfer plays at their primary course 56% of the time on average, which translates to about 10 rounds (per golfer) per year. If you can convert 20% of your customer base to become loyal customers, how many more rounds per year does that equal?

Transforming satisfied customers to loyal customers means understanding the root causes of customer satisfaction, PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

focusing on customer experience and giving golfers a reason (tangible or intangible) to come back to play often.

Here are 8 action steps for creating loyal customers: 1. Review operations to determine strengths and weaknesses. Take an objective look at your entire operation and make the changes that need to be made. What does your operation do well? What areas can be improved? What should you do more of? What should you do less of? Get feedback from employees. They can be your best internal resource for identifying areas that need improvement.

2. Get feedback from customers. Understanding customers’ opinions of your facility is essential to identifying their expectations. Use a formal survey (such as NGF’s GolfSAT) or an informal survey to ask customers what they perceive to be your golf course’s strengths and weaknesses. Find out what their expectations are and what motivates them to play your course or another. Also, use a survey instrument that helps you identify your chief competitors for your customers’ wallet share – the results may surprise you.

3. Review the data. Review and apply all data to better understand your market. Use what you gathered from your customer feedback survey to understand your customer base. Also, use available industry data to get a broad picture of trends in the golf industry. Utilizing the data will help you better serve golfers and provide solutions to meet whatever their needs may be.

4. Communicate. As in any solid relationship, good communication is key. Communicate with golfers to get to know them better. What’s going on with their game? What do they want to improve? What new equipment might they purchase soon? Tell them about what’s happening at the course (upcoming events, new products coming to the pro shop, etc.). Also keep them in the loop on any potential issues that may interfere

6. Provide unmatched customer service. Customer service is not only about solving customer problems. It also means making golfers feel comfortable on your course and making them feel special. NGF research shows a very strong correlation between a golfer’s commitment to the game and their level of comfort at the course. Provide golfers with a friendly, welcoming environment, and they are more likely to return more often. Why not identify first-time players to your course and greet them at the 18th green after their round, cold beverage in hand?

7. Be creative. Loyal customers are engaged customers. What are you doing to keep golfers engaged? Get creative about motivating customers to return to your facility. Tournaments, leagues, special events, night golf, putting contests and demo days are all ways to attract golfers to your course outside of a traditional round of golf. Get creative and have fun. Fun is a primary driver of golfer commitment.

8. Get continual feedback.

Survey customers regularly. A golfer’s opinions and needs change over time.

You want to stay ahead of the curve so you continually strengthen relationships with customers. Plus, if you’re making improvements, you’ll want to measure how effective they are.

Customer loyalty is powerful. When you have loyal customers, not only do you get more wallet share, but they are more likely to recommend your course to other golfers. By understanding your customers better and exceeding their expectations, you can build a loyal customer base that will pay dividends to your bottom line. www.scpga.com

SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT

NIKE

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For the second time in three years, Nike Golf is transforming golf ball technology with another industryfirst. Building on the success of the game-changing 20XI ball and RZN core technology, Nike Golf is unveiling its innovative Speedlock RZN core technology and adding four golf balls to the new RZN franchise – RZN Platinum, RZN Black, RZN Red and RZN White – designed to deliver more distance, better feel and a more consistent, stable ball flight than ever before.

Nike’s proprietary Speedlock RZN core technology features an interlocking core design – the core’s surface is similar to that of a waffle iron – that interconnects with the compression

“The lightweight RZN material allows us to add weight to the perimeter of the golf ball which gives the new RZN family an extremely high Moment of Inertia (MOI) in a golf ball,” Ishii adds. “This provides incredible ball flight stability in all wind conditions.”

When the exploration into new technology began a little over a year ago, Nike Golf designers looked to the past to find inspiration for the future. They landed on the original Haskell ball, which emerged in the early 1900’s as the first rubber core golf ball, consisting of elastic thread wound around a rubber core under extreme tension. The Haskell design helped make historically slower materials faster – and Nike Golf engineers began to explore what that could mean for a

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lighter, more modern RZN material in the core.

“Tightly-wrapped material pulls more energy through the layers, and converts that energy into additional ball speed,” Ishii says. “One additional mile-perhour produces an average of five yards in additional distance.”

Several Nike Golf athletes, including Rory McIlroy and Paul Casey, have put the new ball into play.

“I’m finding that especially around the greens there is a big difference,” adds McIlroy. “The ball feels and sounds a lot softer. And even from inside 50 yards, it felt like the ball was getting a little more grip, a little more spin. My iron shots were great, and wedge shots were great, too.”

A new spin-optimized coating on the outer surface of the ball helps grip the grooves for better control on wedge and iron shots. The coating, in addition to a softer cover and softer compression in the core, also helps provide improved sound and feel, especially on off-center shots.

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SPONSORHIGHLIGHT

layer to form a tighter bond that helps promote better energy transfer through the layers at impact. Similar to how snow tires utilize aggressive treads to bond with a road surface, the Speedlock core’s interlocking geometry helps eliminate the slipping that normally occurs between a traditional, smoothsurface core and the outer layer. When a core slides or slips on impact, the ball loses energy and as a result, speed and distance. Speedlock Technology helps to harness more energy between layers for faster ball speed, longer distance and more stability into the wind.

“We knew we hadn’t pulled 100-percent of the energy that we could out of the existing RZN core,” says Rock Ishiii, Senior Director, Golf Product Development. “Working in partnership with DuPont we were able to develop a softer and faster RZN material and created the interlocking core design to reduce energy loss at impact. That means more distance, especially with fairway woods, irons and wedges, and softer feel and sound around the greens.”

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SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT

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SPONSORHIGHLIGHT

PGA Professionals are always looking for ways to spice up their tournaments, from Member matches to charity events their clubs are hosting. Just ask Billy Whitney, former PGA Professional and Vice President of Sales for Great Shot Golf, the industry’s premier provider of event prize coverage. Billy, who spent years as an Assistant Great Shot Golf Vice President Billy Whitney at the SCPGA Summer Meeting - June 2 Professional planning his club’s events, knows both the struggle golfers who love the fairways, the greens to make events new and exciting and the whooshing sound of a great for members and the grind it puts swing. And even though we are based in on Professionals. Because of Billy’s Chicago, when we hear about a bad slice, knowledge and expertise, Great Shot we are thinking about the green, not has programs tailored specifically pizza. to Professionals, and our company’s We are known for creating custom sponsorship of the Southern California prize packages. Sick and tired of offering PGA includes extra incentives. a cash or car prize? Let us do the work for you: tell us about your member clientele Pro Benefits and we will build completely unique Our loyalty program is the first to packages that will make your golfers put money straight back in your pocket want to shoot that ace for more than just by rewarding you with commission for bragging rights.

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PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

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Desert Chapter

As our temperatures reach triple digits, our season winds down and offers more time for our members to relax and to compete in many golf events.

Since May, the Desert Chapter has proudly presented the Pro-Pro Mixed Championship at Desert Island C.C., the Tamarisk Pro-Am benefitting the Tracy Lane Foundation, the Desert Assistant’s Championship held at Heritage Palms C.C., the General Meeting and ProAssistant held at Desert Horizons C.C. and our Desert Chapter Championship held at Mountain View C.C. In addition to our members events, we conducted a “sponsor” appreciation golf event at Indian Wells Resort. Special thanks to Joe Williams and his team for hosting this special day and special thanks to all of our chapter sponsors.

We held our General Meeting on May 20th at Desert Horizons C.C. Special thanks to Tom Addis, Jeff Johnson, Ken Ferrell and Section Staff for attending.

Inland Empire Chapter

The Inland Empire Chapter was proud to host the 2014 Summer Meeting and Pro-Pro Scramble on June 2nd. A crowd of over 200 SCPGA members and apprentices gathered at the Temecula Creek Inn for business and golf on what turned out to be a beautiful day. Mark Fernando and Gary Sowinski stole the show in the scramble with an impressive 13 under total of 59. On another note, the Pro-Scratch Best Ball at Victoria Club on June 4th brought out some good golf in tough conditions as Paul Dietsche of Redlands C.C. and his partner squeaked by with a 1 shot victory over Michael Drake and his partner with an 8 under total of 64. As many of our facilities www.scpga.com

San Diego Chapter

Things have been relatively quiet in San Diego as our professionals are tending to our members and guests during "high season." Our Match Play Finals were held on June 17th at Aviara Golf Club: Logan Scott vs. Al Valentine Bruce Nakamura vs. Monte Hanson Garrett Daag vs. Chris Lempa Grant Strobel vs. Trevor Young As a Board, the SDPGA has proposed a change that would make the officer terms one year in place of the current two year term time frame as in the Chapter Bylaws. This change would allow for more opportunity for fellow Members to serve on the Board without committing 11 to 14 years of service if one wishes to become an officer. The term of three years for an elected board member would remain the same. This change would only impact those after becoming an officer for the Chapter. The Board Officers can decide to stay on an extra year if circumstances warrant it. Our membership will vote on this at our next meeting.

2014 Summer Meeting & Pro Team Event Sponsored by Adidas Golf On Monday, June 16th, the San Diego Chapter gathered for the Summer Meeting and Professional Team Event. We had a great turn out for the tournament with 63 players competing for glory. The golf course was in excellent condition and a special thanks to Troy Ferguson, PGA Head Golf Professional, the golf operation staff and entire F&B department for an outstanding day.

Special thank you to Steve Splavec and Mishelle Reed from Adidas Golf for their awesome presentation of the new technology for both the golf shoes and apparel. Adidas also was the title sponsor and added in $1000 to the

purse. Additional thank you to Imperial Headwear, John Suveges for providing headwear to all meeting participants, Paula Mullins-Worster from First Tee Travel & Promotions and Floyd Jones from USA Golf Masters.

On the course we had some outstanding scores from our Chapter Professionals on the Par 72 Twin Oaks Golf Club.

Individual Event Jamie Puterbaugh (Aviara Golf Academy) came out firing and shot a nice 8 under 64 to win the Individual event.

Close behind finishing 2nd was Matt Gibbens (Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club) with a nice 5 under 67 and in 3rd was Trevor Young (Grand Golf Club) with 3 under 69.

Team Event This meeting we tried a new format for the Team Event which was 1 Best Ball on Par 3’s, 2 Best Balls on the Par 4’s and 3 Best Balls on Par 5’s. The team of Matt Gibbens, Al Valentine, Scott Engelland and Kip Puterbaugh fired an outstanding score of 24 under 128 to capture 1st place.

In 2nd place, with a score of 130, was the team of Jason Timlin, Ron Cropley, Paul Marchewka and Curtis Burkhead.

3rd place went to Barry Mahlberg, Shay Blechynden, Shawn Cox and Michael Szoka with a score of 135.

Congratulations to all the winners.

Final standings and prize payout will be coming later this week. Thank you again to all of our sponsors.

CHAPTERCORNER

Upcoming Events Senior Chapter Championship July 1st-2st Mission Hills Country Club - Palmer Course

are preparing for the summer heat, golf camps and hopefully many happy customers, we wish everyone throughout the SCPGA good wishes for a great summer.

Northern Chapter

Thanks to Bob Kitowski, PGA for hosting our Summer Stroke Play at Village Country Club. The blustery conditions proved for a stern test with Steve Holmes, PGA taking home the win with an even par 72. Congratulations, also, to Jon Fiedler for capturing the senior division with a 72.

Please be sure to keep in touch with the Chapter via our pages on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!

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SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT

hua hin Thailand’s Oldest Beach Resort

PRESENTS

Hua Hin Fisherman

SPONSORHIGHLIGHT

Banyan Golf Club

Hua Hin Beach

800.433.5052 www.firs�eetravel.com 34

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Hua Hin is Thailand’s Oldest Beach Resort, located on the west coast of the Gulf of Thailand, just over 120 miles from Bangkok. Hua Hin became popular in the 1920’s when the southern railway was completed. The ease of travel attracted the Royal Family, which prompted the construction of luxury resorts and hotels.

Hua Hin gained city status in 1950 and today has a population of approximately 80,000.

The name Hua Hin means "stone head" in Thai. When the first settlers arrived it was called Baan Samor Rieng, which means "anchor row" because of the anchors left behind by fishing boats that are exposed at low tide. Later, the name was changed to Baan Laem Hin or "stony cape village" and in 1911 Prince Narate Vorarit changed the name to Hua Hin.

Today people from Bangkok and the West are fueling city expansion as they establish vacation homes nestled in the hills and amidst spectacular ocean views.

The emergence of many new housing developments has also prompted the development of new golf courses, a new shopping complex and movie theater. The charm of Hua Hin is preserved by its old fishing village serenity tucked between modern luxury beach resorts.

Hua Hin has established itself as one of the best golfing locations in Thailand.

Those who golf here are spoiled by the 9 premier courses, all of which are located within a 30 minute drive of downtown.

Some of the newest additions to the Hua Hin area include Black Mountain Golf Club and Banyan Golf Club.

If you need a break from the high energy pace of life that is found on the beaches, then heading to one of the many golf courses will keep you content and relaxed for the duration of your stay. All courses are in excellent condition and will present challenges for both the novice

and experienced golfer.

Weekends and national holidays are known to draw larger crowds of people, as these are the times when the Bangkok residents come to visit. During the high season (December - March), play can be slow due to the increase in tourists and golfers alike. However, in the rare event that it does take 5 hours to play a round, there will be plenty of distractions to keep everyone happy and relaxed. The scenery and plentiful watering holes are wonderful distractions to take your mind off any small delays. At other times of the year, it is common to not see anyone other than your playing partners and caddies.

The hire of caddies is mandatory, but they are not expensive and make your golf game much more fun and interesting than it would be without them! It is also customary to tip your caddie at the end of the round, approximately 300 Baht/$9.25 USD. Do bear in mind that the vast majority of caddies are small women, who pull your clubs across the entire course in high temperatures.

Hua Hin has many attractions including a long white-sand beach, peaceful Buddhist temples, rustic local markets, world class seafood restaurants, luxurious resorts and spas, a variety of sporting activities, shopping complexes such as Market Village, Grand Royal Palaces, annual events and festivals, the aforementioned world class golf courses, and above all a friendly and welcoming local community. Hua Hin has it all!

www.scpga.com

SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT

SANDALS RESORT INTERNATIONAL Sandals Royal Plantation & Beaches Resort & Golf Club Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Beaches Ocho Rios - If you’re game for “surf & turf,” from a huge actionadventure waterpark to championship golf for the whole family, look no further than Beaches Ocho Rios all-inclusive resort, voted among the Top 10 Best Beach Resorts by Parents magazine.

Twenty-two acres of lush tropical gardens, a gorgeous private white-sand beach, 6 gourmet restaurants, 3 fantastic swimming pools, a scuba practice pool and an entire ocean of water sports are just a few ways to unwind.

If you're looking for a family www.scpga.com

beachfront getaway with a private beach, a Pirates Island Waterpark, extra-large accommodations, all-inclusive golf programs for kids and near Jamaica's best, Beaches Ocho Rios is for you.

Plus, only at Beaches Ocho Rios, families can meet Oscar, the resident Grouch from Sesame Street, and participate in the From Trash to Treasure activity and join in at Oscar's Sing-A-Long pre-show... all part of the Beaches Resorts' Caribbean Adventure with Sesame Street.® All rooms and suites at Beaches Ocho Rios are larger than similar rooms at other resorts. With the most expansive views, oversized areas, separate living spaces and private patios, the luxurious suites of Beaches Ocho Rios are truly in a separate category all their own. It all adds up to the best family vacation value in Jamaica.

Sandals Golf & Country Club - The Sandals Golf & Country Club in Ocho Rios, Jamaica is recognized as one of the finest in Jamaica by Golf Digest and Frommer’s Travel Guide. Give yourself the perfect golf vacation, with rolling fairways lined by sweeping views of the sea and mountains. This magnificent 6,404 yard, par 71, 18-hole course rises 700 feet above sea level in the lush hills of Ocho Rios, with a practice range, putting and chipping greens, pro shop, restaurant and snack shack. The plantation-style clubhouse includes a wonderful restaurant where a gourmet meal and post-game cocktail can be enjoyed at a leisurely pace.

All Sandals Resorts guests in Jamaica receive complimentary greens fees and transfers within the Ocho Rios area.

Want to work on perfecting your swing, or to improve your game? PGA lessons can help you with all aspects of your game. Sign up (at an additional cost) at the Tour Desk or Club. Or join in on one of the complimentary PGA-certified clinics, held at the Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. TaylorMade club rentals and Adidas shoe rentals are available for men and women.

Sandals Grande Riviera Beach & Villa Golf Resort Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Sandals Golf & Country Club

SPONSORHIGHLIGHT

Sandals Only All-Butler Boutique Resort - Understated elegance and exquisitely private, Sandals Royal Plantation is an intimate all-butler resort of just 74 ocean view suites tucked into a magnificent coral bluff. Spend days lounging by the pool with cool libations delivered by a beach butler. Tee off at Sandals Golf & Country Club, followed by afternoon tea on the terrace. This historic resort is a favorite hideaway for those seeking casual island elegance and authentic Jamaican vibes, surrounded by roaming peacocks and manicured lawns.

Exquisite furnishings and new innovations - like Jamaica's only champagne and caviar bar - are designed to impress.

Personal butlers are trained in accordance to the Guild of Professional Butlers (the ones who provide butlers to nobility and celebrities). They handle every detail of your vacation with unobtrusive grace. From drawing a rose-petal candlelit bath to pressing your wardrobe, your butler ensures your stay will be beyond flawless.

At Sandals Royal Plantation, 5 extraordinary restaurants offer tantalizing temptations. From French cuisine to Italian favorites and authentic pub fare, impeccable service, mouthwatering cuisine, and a romantic atmosphere are found everywhere. Accompanied by Beringer® Wines corked exclusively for Sandals, every meal becomes a celebration of your love.

PRESENTS

Beaches Ocho Rios Resort & Golf Club

800.433.5052 www.firstteetravel.com PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

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ASSOCIATIONNEWS

Rounds 4 Research Auction to be held Aug. 1st-10th The final 2014 Rounds 4 Research auction will be held on Aug. 1st-10th in conjunction with the playing of the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club.

The Rounds 4 Research program was designed to address a critical shortage in turfgrass research funding by auctioning donated rounds of golf online.

The program is administered by the Environmental Institute for Golf (EIFG) and presented in partnership with Toro.

EIFG is the philanthropic organization of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).

Rounds 4 Research allows GCSAA affiliated chapters and turfgrass foundations to participate as fundraising partners with the 80% of proceeds from the auctioned rounds going back to those organizations. In this way, these organizations can direct the proceeds to specific projects that will have the most significant impact in their local areas.

Numerous golf facilities from Southern California are participating in the auction including Bighorn Golf Club, Crosby National Golf Club, Fairbanks Ranch Country Club, North Ranch Country Club, PGA West, Rancho La Quinta Country Club and TPC Valencia.

It’s a great chance for golfers to access some of the area’s best private and daily fee courses while supporting a great cause. Golfers can register for the auction at https://www.biddingforgood. com/auction/auctionhome. action?auctionId=215273611.

GCSAA would like to thank the PGA of Southern California for their support of Rounds 4 Research and anyone wishing to donate rounds can do so through the end of July by visiting www. rounds4research.com and clicking on the donate button.

CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE FOR GOLF The California Alliance for Golf met in general session May 1st at Sequoyah C.C. in Oakland It was the first meeting of the advocacy coalition since the mid-spring retention of Englander, Knabe and Allen (EKA), a lobbying membership development, and public relations firm with offices in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Tony Rice, of the Sacramento office, provided those 36

PROGRAM MAGAZINE JULY/AUGUST 2014

in attendance with a comprehensive legislative update, with particular emphasis upon bills of specific interest to the golf industry and the various versions of a Water Bond floating around the Capitol. He predicted that after years of false starts, some iteration of a Water Bond would find its way to this November’s ballot.

Mr. Rice also outlined plans for introducing the California golf industry to key members of the legislature and creating a CAG Political Action Committee, a mechanism that would allow the industry to participate in ballot initiatives and elective politics without directly involving, entangling or exposing constituent members of the Alliance, many of which are non-profit corporations prohibited by law from engaging in ballot issues.

Given that this meeting was in Northern California, SCGA Director of Governmental Affairs Craig Kessler updated the group regarding the plans and progress of EKA’s Los Angeles office with respect to the other pressing needs of the Alliance: membership development and the long-term sustainable funding central thereto.

Thus far, more “plans” than “progress” to report, but that was expected given the short time frame of EKA’s tenure.

While CAG’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors meet regularly, the Alliance meets in general session only two or three times per year. The next general session is scheduled for October 23rd at the SCPGA’s offices in Ontario.

PGA Professionals can benefit from EWGA connections Do you have a new idea for a clinic or teaching method? Reach out to your local EWGA Chapter and ask for feedback.

Better yet, invite them for a discounted “tryout” clinic, with 9 or 18 holes of golf afterwards. If EWGA schedules a golf outing at your course, ask the Chapter Events Director if there’s interest in an intro clinic, short rules discussion or match play strategy session. Many of our members are looking for lessons and this is a great way for them to sample your teaching style. Ask us for suggestions on clinic topics, timing and setups. Many of us have played for years and can give insight into what attracts beginner, intermediate and experienced players.

Have a gap in your tournament schedule?

Contact the EWGA Events Director to see if she can bring in a few foursomes.

This also works if you have recently changed the tee locations, completed course renovations or if you just want to introduce your course to a new source of revenue. Remember, if you treat us well, we’ll come back again and again, bringing our friends and family. Contact ewgala. org for L.A., ewga.com for all-chapter access.

Play 9 Day is July 23 The United States Golf Association, together with American Express, officially launched the Play 9 Program during U.S. Open week to demonstrate how nine-hole rounds can help more golfers enjoy the game in less time.

A creative USGA public service announcement (PSA) starring Rickie Fowler debuted during the 2014 U.S. Open Championship television coverage, showing the 25-year-old PGA Tour pro finding time to play the game with family and friends while still fulfilling other daily commitments and interests.

To view the PSA and to learn more, visit www.usga.org/play9. All golfers are encouraged to share their photos and experiences via social media using #play9golf.

The first annual Play 9 Day will take place on Wednesday, July 23, when all golfers are encouraged to play a ninehole round. The program builds on the organization’s ongoing efforts to make the game more accessible, sensitive to time considerations and sustainable.

A study conducted in 2013 by Sports & Leisure Research Group for the USGA found that 33 percent of core golfers (those who play eight to 24 rounds annually) and 38 percent of casual golfers (those who play seven rounds or fewer) would play more nine-hole rounds if the format were “more strongly encouraged.”

The Play 9 Program will provide golfers and golf courses with resources that will allow them to celebrate the nine-hole round and the game in a variety of ways, including finding time to enjoy a nine-hole match with friends, post an official score or even take a lesson. www.scpga.com

www.scpga.com

Of course, staying on a good proper pace, the group behind was standing in the fairway some 100 yards back waiting for the players in front to move on. Within a minute, one of the players in this back group started to run and dance around. A bee was attacking him; just like what had just happened with the player in front. Again, it took us a good 4 to 5 minutes before we were able to chase the bee away. We all know about a dangerous situation but we had no idea if there was a hive nearby and there really was no place to drop away from the situation because the bee was encompassing 1/2 the length of the fairway, or over 150 yards.

Same bee? Different bee?

We will never know, but we lost those 10 minutes to time par.

Any suggestions on how we could have handled this situation differently? (By the way, no players nor I, were stung.)

Thanks GW, Thank you for your question.

My first response would be to do exactly what you and the player tried, chase the bee away!

Keep in mind some people are allergic to bee stings and shoeing away the aggressor may not be advised. You mentioned USGA Rules Decision 1-4/10 Dangerous Situation; Rattlesnakes or Bees Interfere with Play. It refers to a bee hive which is stationary and where the bees are concentrated in a small area and total relief is readily available. In fact, I doubt finding a hive nearby would have solved the problem in regards to obtaining “complete relief” from what you’ve described.

Regarding your concern over losing 10 minutes on time par, justification is provided under USGA Rule 6-8 DISCONTINUANCE OF PLAY... a. When Permitted The player must not discontinue play unless; (iii) he is seeking a decision from the Committee... In this case, your presence likely shortened the delay. A Rules Official’s job is never done!

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ASKTHE RONS

RO and RR, An incident happened the other day on The Babe Course at Industry Hills during an SCPGA Toyota Tour Cup event. I’ve been doing rules for many years now and have never encountered the following situation.

Timing has been an important part of doing rules and this tournament was no different. The players were doing OK until I drove up to the 18th hole noticing a player about 75 yards short of the green doing what looked like dancing. Getting closer, I realized he was trying to get away from a very aggressive bee. Every time it appeared the bee had flown away, the player would address his ball only to have it fly back in his face, buzzing around his head.

I went over to try to distract the bee but he’d have no part of leaving the scene. The player and myself, for a good 4 to 5 minutes, kept trying to either kill or chase it away. Finally, it left and the player was able to get the shot off.

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TOURNAMENT RESULTS Parun Makes Cut at 75th Senior PGA Championship Tim Parun, PGA boarded a flight to South Bend, Indiana with the hopes of getting in the field through his alternate status thanks to some great play at the Southworth Senior PGA Professional National Championship the month prior. During that travel back east, Tim learned of his entry into the 75th Senior PGA Championship, presented by KitchenAid, his third championship. In the 10th Tour start in his career, Parun made his second cut at a Senior PGA Championship in three starts. Parun went on to finish tied for 67th of the 78 players to make the cut thanks to steady play and a SportsCenter worthy recovery shot from a water hazard that won’t ever make TV, but left Tim, and the patrons that witnessed it, with a shot they will never forget.

TOURNAMENTRECAP

Tim Parun, PGA on the 7th hole during the third round of the 75th Senior PGA Championship

Tim was one of eight Southern California PGA Senior Professionals to make the cut at the Southworth Senior PGA Professional National Championship and led the way for our Members. We are all very proud of Tim and his representation of us all here in Southern California. Great playing!

Mixed Scramble Champions Michael Drake & Jennifer Dolph 38

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Senior Desert 2-Day May 28th-29th Indian Springs Golf club Team Results 1 Butch Sheehan, First Tee Cochella Valley, John McFarland, Bridgestone Golf, Dan Yenny, Meadowlark Golf Club, 251, $275

Age Group (50-59) T1 Chris Starkjohann, Torrey Pines Gold Club & Outings, 73-66, 139, $450 T1 Mark Fernando, Coronado Golf Course, 70-69, 139, $450 Age Group (60-60) 1 John Fiedler, Los Posas Country Club, 68-69, 137, $475 Age Group (70 & Above) 1 Jack Hollis, Life Member, 74-73, 147, $350

AAA - Sweep 2, StroKe Play Calabasas Country club, April 21st 1 Tim Tait, Champions Club at The Retreat, -4, 68 2 Kenny Pigman, Goose Creek G.C., -3, 69 3 Bobby Nickell, Monarch Beach Golf Links, -2, 70 AAA/Women’s Pro/Pro Mixed ScramblE, Redlands Country club, May 15th 1 Michael Drake & Jennifer Dolph, Canyon Crest C.C., -8, 62 2 Dean Tonneslan, La Jolla C.C., Kim Falcone, La Jolla C.C., -7, 63 T3 Scot Alexander, Hillcrest C.C., Alison Curdt, Alison Curdt Golf at Angeles National G.C., -5, 65 T3 Bobby Nickell, Monarch Beach Golf Links, Alex Tegels, SCPGA, -5, 65 AAA - Sweep 3, Stroke Play PGA West (Weiskopf Course) May 27th 1 Kenny Pigman, Goose Creek G.C., -8, 64 2 Michael Drake, Canyon Crest C.C., -6, 66 3 Dean Tonneslan, La Jolla C.C., -4, 68 *PGA Professionals in Bold

July 30th - August 2nd Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon 2013 Champion - Ray Beaufils The California State Open is a 156 player field of outstanding PGA Professionals, Mini-Tour Professionals, Major Tour Professionals and only the best Amateurs. Entry guidelines allow for exemptions to qualified individuals, as well as a qualifying avenue for any interested parties. PGA Members have a deep discount of entry and Apprentices receive a lesser discount for entry. This 72-hole Championship has been won by the likes of Walter Hagen and, more recently, Jason Gore, and will include a purse of around $90,000.

See the Tournament Page for all eligibility and registration guidelines.

The 2014 California State Open will be hosted at the Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon. Host PGA Director of Golf Henry Liaw and company will provide the stage for a dramatic Championship.

Visit scpga.com for the 2014 California State Open Tournament Page.

AAA Sweep 3 Champion Kenny Pigman www.scpga.com

Mark Blakely, PGA professional at Black Gold Golf Club, won the 1982 SCGA Amateur Championship.

Greg McHatton, Henry Liaw and Jack Renner each won the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.

Bill Wright won the 1959 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.

MSR Requirements MSR Requirements Met

Met all requirements 29% Not Met Requirements 71%

New Apprentice Orientation The SCPGA Section Office held a New Apprentice Orientation on May 21, 2014. It was attended by: Michael Bram, Andrew Brehm, David Brubaker, Curtis Burkhead, Jonathan Fleming, Dave Fogle, Travis Gerrish, Jeff Gray, Eun Y Cho, Jeffrey Hirose, Matt Johnson, Robert Krasemann, Kyle Lewis, David Mattie, Alex Prochnow, Walter Reid, Robert Robinson, Justin Walker, Scott Winter and Alex Witt. The Apprentice Committee was also in attendance. www.scpga.com

STAFF HIGHLIGHT MAX DESPAIN JUNIOR GOLF MANAGER Max DeSpain is from the small town of Greensburg, Kentucky, and attended Western Kentucky University where he attained a degree in Finance and was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. DeSpain grew up playing golf and was a fouryear letterman in high school golf. Once at WKU, Max began interning for the Kentucky Junior Golf Foundation in 2008 where he found his love and enjoyment in the golfing industry. After three years with the KJGF, Max then interned with the American Junior Golf Association and the Middle Atlantic PGA section. In February of 2013, he was welcomed to the SCPGA staff as a Junior Golf Manager.

Max is an avid golfer, has a passion for the outdoors, hiking/backpacking, enjoys playing basketball and ping pong and is a diehard Kentucky basketball fan (Go Cats!). Max enjoys watching all the young talented players that come through the program and meeting people who share the same passion for golf.

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SECTIONNOTES

The MSR reporting period will end on June 15, 2015. Currently we have 344 Members who have completed both the 36 MSR credits under the required meetings, education and player development and the 54 total over all credits.

There are eleven (11) online video seminars worth 1 or 2 MSR credits in the PGA REQUIRED category upon successful completion (70%) of the assessment at the end of each seminar session. Each online seminar may only be taken once and there is just one assessment retake opportunity allowed. These may be accessed through PGALinks.com under Education and MSR links.

These online courses are being offered in order to supplement the in-person opportunities available through Section/ Chapter meetings, Section/Chapter education and Player Development/Golf 2.0 programming.

Joe Robinson Junior Award and Event The Southern California PGA and the Southern California PGA Junior Tour are honoring PGA professional Joe Robinson by naming the SCPGA Foundation’s Award the Joe Robinson Award. This award recognizes a junior golfer who is an excellent citizen, as well as an excellent student.

Mr. Robinson’s name will also be given to a junior golf event at his former club, Jurupa Hills in Riverside.

The Joe Robinson Jr. Championship will be played at Jurupa Hills on July 26th.

Prior to passing away in 1987, Mr. Robinson was a leading PGA member in Southern California. He was at the forefront in establishing the Southern California Junior Golf Association with Ralph Miller and Bill Bryant, as well as the Southern California PGA Senior Association. Mr. Robinson was inducted into the SCPGA Hall of Fame in 1986 and was the SCPGA Golf Professional of the Year in 1960.

Interested in direct deposit?

All payments from the Southern California PGA are processed through the Accounts Payable department at National Headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Checks are either mailed from Florida or outsourced to a company in Oregon and mailed from there. As a member, you are able to enroll in direct deposit with the SCPGA to receive payments faster and to eliminate the hassle of going to the bank to deposit your check! Only two items must be submitted to the Section office for enrollment: a completed direct deposit form which includes items such as your social security number, the name of your bank, location of your branch and your account and routing numbers, etc.; and a copy of a voided check or a statement from your bank verifying your account and routing numbers. Without this verification, your application for enrollment is unable to be processed.

Not only you, as a member, can have direct deposit, but your facility or company is also able to enroll and it takes less than 10 minutes to complete! If you or your facility is interested, please contact Kristy Custer (kcuster@pgahq. com) at the SCPGA office for the direct deposit form or link through Bank of America.

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3333 CONCOURS STREET BUILDING 2, SUITE 2100 ONTARIO, CA 91764 SCPGA.COM SCPGAJRTOUR.COM SCPGA_july.augNewsletter_06.06.14_.pdf 1 6/11/2014 1:22:14 PM

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Doug Campbell (S. Cal OC/LA only)

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