CHIP SHOTS
TOPICS NEWSLETTER
NEW APPRENTICES
The South Florida PGA would like to welcome the following new apprentices to the Section: Brett McCurdy Jr. B-8 The Breakers Rees Jones Course Richard Myatt B-8 Weston Hills Country Club Colbert Camille B-6 Country Club of Miami Eric Higgins B-8 Coral Creek Club Justin McCarraher B-8 Fiddlesticks Country Club Miles Nixon B-8 Crown Colony Golf & CC SOUTH FLORIDA SECTION Aaron Ragone B-8 Normandy Shores Golf Club 186 Atlantis Boulevard Ashton Samaroo B-8 Pompano Beach Municipal GC Atlantis, FL / 33462 Neal Vaidya B-8 Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa
CONTACT US
QUARTER CENTURY CLUB
PHONE / FAX Congratulations to PGA member Dean Sklar was elected to the Quarter Century Club of the 561-729-0544 / 561-729-0914 PGA of America, an elite group of members who have served the PGA with honor and pride for 25 years. Congratulations Dean!. EMAIL sflorida@pgahq.com
IN REMEMBERANCE
We offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of SFPGA Life Member William WEBSITE Arnold, who passed away at the age of 73 on December 13, 2012. William is survived by his www.sfpgagolf.com wife Barbara. Our condolences go to Barbara and all who mourn William’s passing.
PROS ON THE GO
PROFESSIONAL TO FROM Mitchel Peterson, PGA A-1 – The Dye Preserve Minnesota Section Paul Zurek, PGA Life Member A-1 – Ironhorse Country Club Jonathan Pazdera, PGA A-1 – The Sanctuary GC A-8 – The Sanctuary GC Erik Zinn, PGA New England Section A-1 – Sombrero CC, Marathon Brian Paquette, PGA Unattached A-4 – Rio Mar CC, Vero Beach Robb Herron, PGA A-17 – CC of Coral Springs A-1 – CC of Coral Springs Andrew Bell, PGA A-1 – Gasparilla Inn GC A-8 – Gasparilla Inn GC
PAT PASSERS
PRESIDENT Warren Bottke, PGA VICE PRESIDENT Mark VanDyck, PGA SECRETARY Donald Meadows, PGA IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Brian Peaper, PGA
Congratulations to all SFPGA Apprentices and aspiring Apprentices who successfully passed their Playing Ability Test this year. SOUTHERN CHAPTER PRESIDENT Bob Mallek, PGA Stonybrook GC of Estero: 4/29/2013 Royal Palm Country Club: 5/23/2013 Estero, FL Naples, FL SOUTHEAST CHAPTER PRESIDENT Neil Lockie, PGA Branden Allen Jason Karchefsky Raul Avilez Justin Konwiczka SOUTHWEST CHAPTER PRESIDENT Joseph Batdorf Tom Lathrop Dan Gawronski, PGA Ryan Booth Jesse Murray Alexander Breheim Robert Porter Luke Edelman Robert Randall ISLAND CHAPTER PRESIDENT Jonathan Ellingwood Zachary Young Aaron West, PGA Michael Faulkner Khonesaveng Thephithack EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Alan Gaw Geoff Lofstead Brian Herring Tyler Lunderville ADVISORY BOARD Catalina Mackelfresh Paul Anderson Justin McCarraher Rick Bayliss Alexander Medinis Steve Sponder Sally Meiners Conor O’Rourke Ken Kennerly Joshua Proben Matt Lambert Juanita Rico Peter Lund Eric Rogers Devyn Steele Kodi Stephen Karen Wise
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CHIP SHOTS
TOPICS NEWSLETTER SFPGA PROFESSIONALS COMPETE AT THE 2013 SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP IN ST. LOUIS
SFPGA Professionals Jerry Tucker, Master Professional of Jerry Tucker Golf, Lee Rinker, Director of Golf at Emerald Dunes Golf Club, Mike San Filippo, Director of Instruction at Trump International Golf Club and Ed Sabo, SFPGA Life Member, took on a competitive field at the 74th Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid hosted by the beautiful and challenging Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri on May 23-26. Tucker, who received a sponsor exemption into the event, used to be the Head Professional at Bellerive CC where currently his brother has taken over as Head Professional. Rinker, San Filippo, and Sabo all qualified for the event by finishing in the top 35 of the field at the 2012 Southworth Senior PNC held last October 11-14 at Creighton Farms in Aldie, VA. The SFPGA congratulates them for their admirable representation of the South Florida PGA at the 74th Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid.
TEAM GOLF PRACTICES ARE UNDERWAY!
Team Captain Casey Mitchelll, PGA , Assistant Golf Professional at North Palm Beach Country Club and her team as they begin practices
Practices are underway for numerous teams participating in the South Florida PGA Foundation’s newest junior golf initiative, Team Golf. Team Golf is designed for junior golfers ages 7-14 with beginning level golf experience and offers an introduction to tournament play through 9-hole team stroke play competition. Team Golf serves as a fun, social, less stressful approach to tournament golf, and provides junior golfers with knowledge and skills that set the stage for a lifetime of golf enjoyment. This program is unique in the sense that it gives golf the benefits of a team atmosphere that is normally absent in our sport, but is what this age thrives on. With the Team Golf kicking off its season on June 7th at Palm Beach Par 3, many teams have started practicing. The South Florida PGA will conduct seven events each in three regions this summer as the inaugural year for Team Golf. Currently, the three regions include: Northern Palm Beach, Southern Palm Beach, and South West (Lee and Collier Counties). Regions are comprised of between five to nine teams depending on the particular region. Registration is still open, and teams are more than welcome to continue to sign up. Throughout the three regions, nineteen teams are currently signed up, with a potential of reaching more than 200 juniors over the next 3 months. This initiative has incredible potential, and we thank all of our PGA Professionals who have supported Team Golf in its first year. It’s not too late to sign a team up for this season! Contact Meredith Schechter at 561-729-0544 or mschechter@pgahq.com if you would like more information about the program, or to sign up your facility.
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CHIP SHOTS FLORIDA FAMILY GOLF DAY
Florida Family Golf Day is a new initiative taking place July 2728, 2013, with the support of the Florida Golf Alliance. The goal of the day is to grow golf in the state of Florida, but also to drive new business to and highlight your facility. We’re asking that you schedule some kind of family oriented activity, for either day, and register the event through ACTIVE.com. The South Florida PGA will be conducting a consumer marketing campaign to help drive more business to your events, by directing the public to ACTIVE.com. Activities can vary from family clinics, to parent-child tournaments, and a fun day with multiple activities. For examples of possible activities, click here. This is a great opportunity to not only grow golf in your community, but also to highlight your facility and programs with a free marketing campaign. We hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity! If you have any questions, please contact Meredith Schechter at 561-729-0544 or mschechter@pgahq.com.
TOPICS NEWSLETTER SMILING FORE LIFE PROGRAM RECEIVES A GRANT FROM THE FLORIDA JUNIOR GOLF COUNCIL After three successful years of providing golf to young hospital patients throughout the South Florida Section, The South Florida PGA Foundation has received additional support to help fund the Smiling Fore Life Program from the Florida Junior Golf Council. A special thanks to the Florida Junior Golf Council for their $5,600 grant to The South Florida PGA Foundation in support of the Smiling Fore Life Program.
With the help of nine South Florida PGA Professionals at 5 area children’s hospitals, the Smiling Fore Life Program has touched over 1,000 young children throughout the South Florida community. It has given them an opportunity to learn a new sport, get outside, and clear their mind from the challenges they are facing. This grant will help this program continue to grow and impact the lives of more children throughout the community.
TOM YEAGER OF HOBE SOUND GOLF CLUB COMPLETES 100 HOLE GOLF MARATHON
The South Florida PGA Foundation touches the lives of more than 100 juniors on a weekly basis through various programs including but not limited to the South Florida PGA Junior Tours and Smiling Fore Life. on May 23, Hobe Sound Golf Club PGA Head Golf Professional Tom Yeager through PGA Golf Day assisted in the SFPGA Foundation mission of “touching lives through the south Florida community through the game of golf” by playing 100 holes in support of the South Florida PGA Foundation and Wounded Warriors Project. Just a little over one month ago Tom committed to his golf marathon by reaching out to his members and friends asking for their support, and that is exactly what he received. After two short weeks Tom exceeded his fund raising goal of $3,000, establishing a new goal of $5,000. Yeager completed his 100 hole golf marathon in only 8.5 hours! With his best ball throughout the 100 holes, Yeager also shot an impressive combined low of 64. In total, Yeager raised $6,250 for the Wounded Warriors Project and the SFPGA Foundation, surpassing his goal of $5,000. A portion of the $6,250 will go directly to the Wounded Warriors Project while the remainder will go to the South Florida PGA Foundation. Each PGA Professional who participates in PGA Golf Day will have the ability to choose another charity of their choice to receive funds in addition to the South Florida PGA Foundation. We congratulate Tom on his oustanding feat, and thank him for his support of the South Florida PGA Foundation!
MSR OPPORTUNITIES
Looking for ways to earn more MSR credits? Volunteer your time with the SFPGA Junior Championship and Challenge Tours. PGA Members and Apprentices earn 1 MSR credit/hour they are able to volunteer. On course responsibilities include monitoring pace of play, assisting with rulings, and starting. To volunteer, please call JoAnna Smith the section office at 561.729.0544 or email jsmith@pgahq.com. Upcoming voluteer opportunities include: - Junior PGA Championship Qualifier - CC of Coral Springs - Coral Springs - June 8th - Junior PGA Championship Qualifier - Stoneybrook GC of Estero - Estero - June 9th - Junior Championship Tour Event #5 - Raptor Bay GC - Bonita Springs - June 11-12 - Junior Challenge Tour Event #6 - Abacoa GC - Jupiter - June 19-20 3 - Junior PGA Championship - Boca Grove Golf & Tennis Club - Boca Raton - June 26-27
TOURNAMENT NEWS
TOPICS NEWSLETTER
HORROBIN OF MIAMI WINS 26TH ANNUAL SOUTH FLORIDA SENIOR OPEN
Peter Horrobin of Miami made a birdie he didn’t know he needed on the last hole and won the 26th annual South Florida Senior Open presented by the Seminole Casino Immokalee on May 9-10. “I was playing for par…that’s all I thought I needed,” Horrobin said. “I knew I was ahead of Gene Fieger,” the first round leader with 66, who was in the final threesome with him. “We didn’t know about Chris Campbell,” who finished one group ahead with 68-137. Horrobin, 52, who plays out of the CC of Miami in Hialeah, said he was between clubs in the 18th fairway, decided on a soft 9-iron, hit it to 12 feet and birdied for his second straight 68 for 136 on the Fazio course at Jonathan’s Landing Golf Club at Old Trail. He received $1,000 from the total purse of $15,250 in cash and merchandise. Campbell, head professional at Vista Plantation GC in Vero Beach, was second, followed by Fieger, who holds the same title at Hideout GC in Naples, third on 72-138. Campbell said he lipped out on a five foot birdie putt at the 18th Friday.
Victor Tortorici, Sr. Vice Chair for the South Florida Senior Open, and Champion Peter Horrobin
Herb Smith, the 2003 Senior Open champion from Hialeah, and PGA Master Professional Bill Davis of the Jupiter Hills Club, tied atop the 60-69 age group at 148. Amateur age group winners were Steve Sponder, Cooper City, low gross, 150, and Stan Zabytko, Port St. Lucie, low net, 140, 50-59; and Vic Gerard, Palm Beach Gardens, low gross, 152, and Leonard Carothers, Boca Raton, low net, 137, 60-69.
The two oldest age groups played the adjacent, par 71 Hills course. The winners were Roger Kennedy, Stuart, 70-72—142, and Earl Puckett, Palm Beach Gardens, 75-older, 73-70—143. There were no amateurs in the two oldest flights. “I want to try and qualify for the Champions Tour later this year,” Horrobin said. “I am just trying to see how well I can play, especially how well I can putt, under the gun. I tried qualifying last year and was doing okay until I shot 76 the last day. There are a lot of good players in these tournaments.” He made five birdies and a bogey in each round here. The tournament presented by the Seminole Casino Immokalee drew 103 entries. For full results, CLICK HERE.
JARED ISAACS, 2013 FORT LAUDERDALE OPEN CHAMPION
Jared Isaacs of Miami birdied the last hole for the lead, then had to wait about a half-hour before he could claim victory Tuesday, May 14 in the 14th annual Fort Lauderdale Open supported by Global Golf Sales, The PGA Tour, and Coral Ridge Country Club. At 143, Isaacs finished one stroke ahead of four players who tied for second at 144. “I’m surprised,” said Isaacs, 41, an instructor at the Jim McLean Golf School at Doral. “There were a lot of good players still on the golf course who were ahead of me,” on the leaderboard. Isaacs had bogeyed the first and 10th holes, then sank a 40 footer on the 18th for his only birdie of the day. He finished the first round Monday even better with birdies on his last three holes, the seventh, eighth and ninth. He finished with five birdies and three bogeys for 70, tied for seventh. The group at 144 included John Lee of Naples, the only one in the quartet to match par-72. Brett McCurdy equaled the low round of the day, a 70, and was among six players at 145. Defending champion Richard Terga shot 71-75—146.
Scott Fox, Director of Golf at Coral Ridge Country Club and Ft. Lauderdale Open Champion, Jared Isaacs.
Isaacs said he has worked for the Jim McLean Golf Schools for 17 years, at Doral since 2004 after six years at PGA West in the California desert. Another McLean teacher, and first round leader, Chad Middaugh, rounded out his event with a two-day 147. It was Isaacs’ first victory since he won the Southern Chapter championship in 2009. He earned $2,547.54. Lee and Jerry Tucker of Stuart ranked one-two in the senior division at 144 and 145. Pros 50 and older could play in both divisions but from the longer tees, 6,826 yards, compared to 6,426 yards for seniors who did not “double-dip.”
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FEATURE SPOTLIGHT
TOPICS NEWSLETTER
“SATISFACTION”: A PATH TO SUCCESS FOR THE GOLF INDUSTRY As a PGA Member, Directory of Golf at Glades Golf & Country Club in Naples, and Adjunct Porfessor at Florida Golf Coast University in the Professional Golf Management Program, Joe Groch was able to see first hand at his facility, and many others in South Florida, the national trend of the number of people getting involved in the golf industry at a steady decline. As a PGA Professional,Groch believes the core purpose of his job is to make his members happy. “And yet, it always seems to be an elusive endeavor because sometimes pleasing one group of members may mean displeasing another group of members. In reflecting upon my own experience and looking at the declining number of golfers in our industry over the last decade, combined with the fact that the annual turnover rate for golf professionals is 46% higher than the national average, I came to the conclusion that people are not satisfied,” said Groch about how he became interested in researhing the topic of satisfaction in the golf industry, and how to measure it in a quantitative way. “My thesis is, if golfers were satisfied with their experiences then they would not leave the game and our turnover rate would not be so high. So I decided to investigate the elements and interplay of golfer satisfaction, employee satisfaction and operational performance in the golf industry. The goal was to gain a better understanding of golfer satisfaction and to maximize it.” Groch spent the better part of three months preparing his research report. He spent one month gathering quantitative data to support his theories, and unravel a series of hypothosis’ for his research project, one month analyzing the meaning of this data, and yet another month creating conclusions about his research analysis. Even though Groch believes that most people focus on the customer satisfaction aspect of the paper, his research is actually much broader than simply customer satisfaction. His research includes the elements of employee satisfaction and operational performance as well, which all play a most significant role in maintaining a fully satisfactory, and functioning operation at any golf facility. Specifically, the research showed that golfer satisfaction is connected to perceived operational performance and that operational performance is highly correlated to employee satisfaction. So in other words, employee satisfaction is an integral part of golfer satisfaction (see figure below). Therefore, as long as the employees are not motivated and treated properly, any attempt to improve operational performance and hence golfer satisfaction will be difficult if not impossible. Groch admits that after conducting his research, he found that some of the results he gathered indeed surprised him. “While I think we, as PGA Professionals, all have a general understanding of what makes our members happy, I was surprised to see the number of nuances there are to satisfaction. For example, I learned that satisfaction is not just an evaluation performance. You can’t just ask the question, ‘How are we doing?’ You have to account for members’ expectations as well. In other words, satisfaction is a function of BOTH expectation and an evaluation of performance. When performance meets or exceeds expectation, then members are happy. If performance does not meet expectations then they are not happy.” Another conclusion that Groch found throughout his study was that the expectations and preceptions of various demographic groups vary greatly. “I found that each club in the study had a different “profile of desires” based upon its demographic make-up,” stated Groch. His research showed that women valued pro shop services like courtesy of the staff and merchandise more than men, low handicap golfers valued course conditions more than high handicap golfers, and less frequent golfers believed that outside services such as the bag drop operation were more important than more frequent golfers. To make matters
FEATURE SPOTLIGHT
TOPICS NEWSLETTER
A RESEARCH REPORT CONDUCTED BY: JOSEPH M. GROCH, PGA more complicated, they each perceived the quality of the services in different ways. For example, women thought the staff was more discourteous to them than the men, higher handicappers had a more favorable opinion of the value they get for their money than lower handicappers, and less frequent golfers were more satisfied with the tee times they get than more frequent golfers. Finally, Groch discovered throughout his research that there was one common demoninator in increasing and maintaining customer satisfaction and loyalty; Value. “Value does not mean cheap. In fact, no golfer commented on price as being a driver of satisfaction. Value can be perceived in small things; a welcoming attitude by employees, a well placed landscape area, a free demo day, an employee knowing a golfer’s name, a free rules seminar, a complementary cold towel given to a player on a hot day or a free cup of coffee given on a cold day. The main conclusion is this: we need to know what is important to our members and then exceed their expectations in the areas that they think are important not in the areas we think are important,” States Groch regarding value. Joe Groch, PGA accepts award for his research paper at the
Groch has had the opportunity to Mustang International Academic Conference in Las Vegas share the findings of his reasearch project in a two hour education seminar at FGCU to a group of his fellow PGA Professionals entitled, “How to make your members happy”. Groch believes that all facilities, whether public, semi-private, private or resort can benefit from applying what he has coined, GSI (Golfers Satisfaction Index). “The goal was to provide a research based tool for golf course stakeholders to enhance understanding and organizational outcomes,” says Groch. According to Groch, the benefits of applying the GSI at your facility are both simple and direct (see figure below). Groch’s research can be of infinite benefit to those looking to improve the retention rate of new golfers, 1) Understanding what people want rather than guessing generate new members, as well as 2) Shield against criticism (you have facts to support your position) improve the satisfaction of current 3) Being proactive rather than reactive (ability to identify strengths/weaknesses) members at their facilities. 4) Identify trends (make corrections before they become problems) We highly encourage you to read 5) Basis for strategic planning (GSI surveys should drive everything you do) more about Groch’s research and to 6) Propaganda (tout your strengths!) apply his satisfaction survey at your own facility. Growing the game of golf is not only crucial to the success of your facility, but also to the continued development and success of the golf industry as a whole. To read Groch’s research paper in it’s entirety, CLICK HERE.
FACILITY BENEFITS FROM GSI SURVEY
JUNIOR CHALLENGE TOUR
TOPICS NEWSLETTER
LLANERAS AND WILLIAMSON WEATHER STORM TO CLAIM MOTHER’S DAY VICTORY AT ATLANTIS CC
The South Florida PGA Junior Tour presented by the Honda Classic visited Atlantis Country Club this weekend to host the fourth Challenge Tour Event of the 2013 season. 84 players from across South Florida came to compete in the SFPGA home-game tournament, held next door to the South Florida Section and Junior Tour offices. Luke Llaneras, of Miami Springs, won the Boys Overall title by posting a two-day total of 140. Llaneras fired two consecutive rounds under par by maintaining his focus during weather delays on Saturday. The delays, which halted play for approximately 90 minutes, forced some groups to complete their rounds on Sunday morning. Luke’s unfazed rounds of 70-69 were good enough to clear the chasing Overall Boys competition by six strokes. Patrick Perez, also of Miami Springs, claimed the Boys 16-18 victory by firing a 146. Second place in the division was decided by scorecard playoff, with Alex Spencer, of Port St. Lucie, edging out Ryan Stenmark, of Pembroke Pines. Both Spencer and Stenmark recorded a two-day total of 152. In the Boys 14-15 division, James Petrokus, of Royal Palm Beach, claimed the division title by carding a two-day total of 156. Petrokus bested second place finisher Tim Graham, of Port St. Lucie, by 6 strokes. Graham’s 162 was good enough to claim second place honors over Justin Friedman, of Boca Raton, who secured third by recording a 165 over the course of the 36-hole competition. In the Girls Overall division, first-time SFPGA Jr. Tour competitor, Katherine Williamson, of Boca Raton, claimed the title of Champion by carding a twoday 169. Williamson’s debut performance got off to a rocky start as her round 1, hole 1 tee ball sailed out-of-bounds. However, Katie’s resiliency won out as she earned a Mother’s Day victory with her mom watching from the sidelines. Megan Turnquest, of Loxahatchee, bested Tracy Peyton, of Boynton Beach, for the Girls 16-18 division title. Their two-day scores of 177 and 178, respectively, barely outpaced third place finisher Arianna Presilla of Weston. Presilla carded a 181 over the course of the two-day competition. In the Girls 14-15 Division, Jaci Cruz shot a two-day 177 to claim the title. Cruz did not cruise to victory, however, as second-place finisher Katya Barahona of Pembroke Pines finished one-stroke behind with a 178 total. Rounding out the top-3 was Andrea Presilla, also of Weston, recording a 182. The 12-13 Boys and Girls Divisions were the most affected by the weather delay on Saturday. Numerous groups were forced to return Sunday at 8AM and resume their first rounds. Upon finishing their respective rounds, players the teed off later in the morning to complete the 36-hole event. The delay, however, did not seem to affect the magnificent play from the division competitors. In the Boys 12-13 division, Anthony Muttillo carded a two-day, even-par total of 144 for the event. Muttillo, of Boca Raton, drained a 100+ ft. putt for eagle just moments before the rounds were halted on Saturday. Mutillo ultimately carded a 74-70 to best second place finisher and fellow Boca native, Michael Checo, by six strokes. Checo’s 150 total was followed by a 155 from thirdplace finisher Justin Shiao of Coral Springs. Gabrielle Soarez, of Weston, and Tamsyn Butler, of Lake Worth, both shot a two-day total of 167 to vie for the Girls 12-13 divisional title. Ultimately Soarez came out on top via a scorecard playoff, while Butler took home the second-place honors. Hannah Foster, of Hobe Sound, earned herself a thirdplace finish with a 170 two-day total. Thanks to PGA Director of Golf Todd Leckrone and his outstanding staff at Atlantis Country Club as well as PGA Professionals, Bob Korbel, Don Law, Trent Reeves, Scott Gardner, Stephan Adamsky, Jamie Wierenga, Juan Pino, and Bryan Peters for dedicating their time to help conduct another successful SFPGA Junior Challenge Tour event.
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JUNIOR CHALLENGE TOUR
TOPICS NEWSLETTER
BOHN AND GARRIS WIN IN SFPGA CHALLENGE TOUR VISIT TO BEAR’S PAW COUNTRY CLUB AND NAPLES
The South Florida PGA Junior Tour, presented by the Honda Classic, visited Bear’s Paw Country Club this weekend to host the fifth Challenge Tour Event of the 2013 season. 81 players from across South Florida came to compete in the Challenge Tour’s first stop in Naples for 2013. With cooperative yet warm weather, all junior players were able to successfully complete 36-holes over the course of the two-day tournament. Austin Bohn of Wellington claimed his first Boy’s Overall title of 2013. Bohn shot a consistent 3-over-par 75 in both his first and second rounds to win wireto-wire. Unknowingly, Bohn sank a sizeable putt for a birdie 3 on his 18th and final hole to seize the Overall title by 1 stroke over Naples native Chase Frederick. Frederick, who shot a two-day total of 151, claimed an intensely competitive Boys 14-15 divisional title. Hot onFredrick’s heals were Harry Brenner, of Boca Raton, and Ben Tweedie, also of Naples. Brenner fell just one stroke short of the title by shooting a 152 and securing his second place prize. Tweedie was a further stroke behind and claimed his third place with a 153 total. In the Boys 16-18 divisional title race, William Stanley of Wellington claimed top honors firing a 156 and finishing one-stroke ahead of his nearest competitors. Second place in the Boys 16-18 division was decided by scorecard playoff, as both Yavuz Akman and Anthony Noll carded a 157 total for 36 holes. Akman, of Port St. Lucie, came out on top and in second place, while Noll, of Naples, secured third. On the girl’s side of the competition, Paige Lee Garris of West Palm Beach claim¬¬¬ed the Girl’s Overall title by a cool eight strokes over Helen Dailey. Garris’ 155 total secured her first Overall win of the 2013 after a series of events just outside the top 3. Ariana Garcia, of Aventura, started the day only two-strokes behind Garris but was forced to withdraw due to illness when the heat took its toll. Naples resident, Sydney Shrader claimed the Girls 14-15 divisional title after posting a 167 total. In second-place, was first time SFPGA competitor Alexa Pano of Lake Worth. Pano, who at just 8-years-old, came out and competed up in age division and claimed second place with a 177 total. The division was rounded out by third place finisher Hallianne Hobson of Fort Myers and her 194 two-day total. Dailey, who was the runner up to Garris in the Girls Overall competition, claimed the Girls 14-18 divisional title on a solid performance of 163 of the course of the competition. Helen Dailey, a native of Naples, bested second place finisher and tour stalwart Tracy Peyton of Boynton Beach by 2. Peyton’s 165 was followed by Yumi Fujii’s 186. Fujii of Rotonda West earned third place honors for her performance. The competition in the Boys 12-13 division again proved intense, as Garrett Barber of Lantana fired a second-round, three-under-par 69 to come from behind and seize the victory. Barber’s two-day, even-par total of 144 cleared second place finisher Reece Kornfeld by five strokes. Kornfeld, of Jupiter, held the first round lead after firing a 1-over-par 73 on Saturday. He followed that performance with a 3-over-par 76 and a 149 36-hole total. Previous week’s winner, Anthony Muttillo of Boca Raton, secured third place by firing a two-day 150. In the Girls 12-13 division, Taylor Caradonna of Boca Raton claimed the title. Caradonna, who already has one second place honor to her name in 2013, fired a 169 and bested her nearest competitors by 2. Second and third place was decided by scorecard playoff between Tamsyn Butler, of Lake Worth, and Kelly Newbrough, of Naples. Both girls recorded a 171 two-day total, with Butler taking second place honors and Newbrough third. Many thanks go to Wayne Jardin, PGA and his outstanding staff at Bear’s Paw Country Club for hosting such an outstanding event, as well as PGA Professionals, Gary Cahill, Dennis Clark, Stephanie Koke, Peter LeDonne, Tara McKenna, Tom O’Brien, and Perry Smith for volunteering their time to assist with the event.
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RULES WITH DREW
TOPICS NEWSLETTER
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? Do you every wonder how you ever lived without your cell phone? The other day I was driving around an area which I was unfamiliar and wanted to grab a quick bite to eat, so I picked up my smart phone, tapped the AroundMe app and within seconds forty or so restaurant options appeared on my phone all within a couple miles of my current location. Cell phone technology has not only changed the way we do business but it has made a significant impact on our personal and recreational lives, golf included. For instance, there are numerous cell phone apps out there that can be used as GPS or distance measuring devices (DMD). The evolution of cell phone technology has forced golf’s governing bodies to define which devices are permitted when the committee adopts the Note under Rule 14-3 in its conditions of competition.
Martin Cooper of Motorola, the creator of the cell phone, started the cell phone craze 40 years ago when he made the first mobile call. It wasn’t until a decade later when the technology was made public. The first cell phone sold for just under $4,000 and weighed two and a half pounds. Today, there are 181.4 million smart phone users, which is 57.3% of the US population. It is anticipated that by 2017, 222.4 million people or 67.8% of the population will be using smart phones. These days, users rarely make calls on their cell phones. A study showed that 84% of the population mainly uses their phone to text or check email and social media but not to make calls (http://mashable.com).
Since this past January, there are just over 775,000 apps available on the App Store. Of those, there are many which can be used as golf related distance measuring devices. There are far too many to list but here are just a few; Golfshot: Golf GPS, GolfLink Game Tracker, GolfLogix, Mobitee Premium Golf GPS, AirVue Pro Golf GPS and SkyDroid. As the popularity of smart phones and golf gps’ has increased, the USGA created a sheet to help players and committee members determine which cell phone technology would be permitted under the Note of Rule 14-3 (See next page for chart). As an example, let’s take a look at my cell phone to see if I would be permitted to use it during competition as a DMD. In using the chart on the next page, my distance measuring device (cell phone) would fall under the Multi-functional type (right column). It is a DMD which measures distance only. My phone also has The Weather Channel app which shows me wind direction and speed. I must access the internet to use this particular app. So, thus far my DMD is ok to use. However, since my IPhone comes with a compass app, which I do not need to access the internet to use, my cell phone would not be permitted for use as a DMD during competition. If you question whether your cell may be used as a DMD, please refer to the chart on the next page. Cell phones on the golf course can be a distraction to other players if the proper precautions are not taken, ie; placed on silent or vibrate, but the South Florida PGA does encourage you to bring your mobile on the course. One of the main reasons would be to call for a rules official. Another would be to call for assistance should someone need medical attention. Decision 14-3/16 explains other instances when your electronic device may or may not be used on the course. It states, “The use of an electronic device such as a mobile phone, hand-held computer, calculator, television or radio is not of itself a breach of Rule 14-3. For example, the following uses of an electronic device during a stipulated round are not a breach of the Rules: Using the device for matters unrelated to golf (e.g., to call home); Using the device to access information on advice-re-
lated matters that was produced prior to the start of the player’s round (e.g., an electronic yardage book, swing tips); Using the device to access (but not interpret or process) playing information from previous rounds (e.g., driving distances, individual club yardages, etc); or Using the device to obtain information related to the competition being played (e.g., the leader board or projected “cut”). However, examples of uses of an electronic device during a stipulated round that are a breach of Rule 14-3, for which the penalty is disqualification, include: Using the device (e.g., a television or radio) to watch or listen to a broadcast of the competition being played; Using the device to ask for or give advice in breach of Rule 8-1 (e.g., calling a swing coach); Using the device to access information on advice-related matters that was not produced prior to the start of his round (e.g., analysis of strokes made during that round); or Using the device to interpret or process any playing information obtained from current or previous rounds (e.g., driving distances, individual club yardages, etc) or to assist in calculating the effective distance between two points (i.e., distance after considering gradient, wind speed and/ or direction, temperature or other environmental factors).”
Some would argue that the use of cell phones on the course should be prohibited. If fact, many facilities have already prohibited their use in and around the clubhouse. I’m not going to take a stance one way or the other but I think there are definite advantages to taking your mobile on the course during play provided it is used sparing or for the reasons listed above. Should you decide to use your mobile device as a distance measure device, please refer to the chart on the next page or consult SFPGA staff.
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RULES WITH DREW
TOPICS NEWSLETTER
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NEW AND UPCOMING INTERN SPOTLIGHT
TOPICS NEWSLETTER UPCOMING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
STEPHEN LIMPACH OPERATIONS INTERN
Originally from Kentucky, Stephen grew up spending restless hours at the golf course and playing in countless junior golf tournaments across the state. His passion for golf continued after high school as he enrolled into the PGA Golf Management program at North Carolina State University.
2013 South Florida PGA Professional Championship presented by Club Car, Mercedes-Benz and OMEGA
Steve is a recent PGM graduate from NC State and a soon to be elected PGA Member. As an undergraduate, Stephen worked at several golf facilities in the Raleigh-Durham area, spent seven months working at Interlachen Country Club in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and spent last summer working at PGA Headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens. He was the President of his PGM Program at NC State and particularly enjoys the administrative side of the golf industry.
August 19-21, 2013 Jupiter Hills Club *This event is combined with the SFPGA Section Championship. Entries Close: Tuesday, July 9, 2013 at 5:00 pm EST Entry Fee: $250
Stephen looks forward to learning and growing this summer as a Tournament Operations Intern with the South Florida PGA and is excited to begin his career as a PGA Member.
UPCOMING CHAPTER EVENTS 2013 South Florida Senior PGA Professional Championship supported by: Southworth Development and Mercedes-Benz
Southwest Chapter Global Golf Sales Cup Series #1 Golf Club of the Everglades June 6
Southeast Chapter Head Pro Championship Senior Championship Assistant Championship Banyan Golf Club of Palm Beach June 24
Southern Chapter Pro-Am #1 TBD June 28
Island Chapter Pro-Am #1 Sugarcane June 5
August 5-6, 2013 Breakers Rees Jones Course This event is combined with the SFPGA Senior Section Championship. Two separate entries need to be filed. Entries Close: Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 5:00 pm EST Entry Fee: $140
Save A Sato Golf Marathon Dorado Del Mar June 17 PRGA Island Championship Sugarcane June 20-23 Pro vs Ams Royal Isabella June 30
2013 National Car Rental South Florida PGA Assistant Championship presented by: Cobra Puma Golf
September 12-13, 2013 Spring Run Golf Club Entries Close: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 at 5:00 pm EST Entry Fee: $145
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