Colorado PGA - Pro Peaks Magazine - October 2018

PRO PEAKS

Pro Peaks is the official digital publication of the Colorado PGA October 2018

Rohrbaugh Doubles Up On Player of the Year Honors

Three Colorado Juniors Qualify for DCP National Championship

Lanting, Andonian Claim Associate, Women’s Titles Cover photo(s) courtesy Mike Schoaf/Southwest PGA

The Official Magazine of the Colorado PGA Pro Peaks is produced by the Colorado PGA

Colorado PGA Officers

West Chapter Officers

Ben Welsh, PGA Vice-President | 2017-2018 Frost Creek Golf Club

Brett Gagnon, PGA Vice-President | 2019-2020 Red Sky Golf Club

Ty Thompson, PGA President | 2017-2018 Crosshairs Consulting

Dr. Phil Brown President/Founder, Six Points Consulting

Jeff Boyer, PGA President | 2019-2020 Eagle Ranch Golf Course

Jim Hajek, PGA Secretary | 2017-2018 Fossil Trace Golf Club

Brad Dombaugh CEO - PSA Worldwide Corp.

Walter Glover EVP/COO - United States Olympic Endowment

Luke Brosterhous Secretary | 2017-2019 Catamount Ranch and Club

Leslie Core-Drevecky, PGA Honorary President | 2017-2018 Murphy Creek Golf Course

Ed Marzec, PGA Honorary President | 2019-2020

Board of Directors

Andy Benson, PGA | 2017-2019 Highlands Ranch Golf Club Jeff Boyer, PGA | 2019-2020 Eagle Ranch Golf Course Bob Doyle, PGA Past District 9 Director Life Member

Board of Directors

Tom Apple, PGA | 2019-2021 Country Club of the Rockies Jacques Deyoe, PGA | 2017-2019 Aspen Glen Club

Charles ‘Vic’ Kline, PGA Past District 9 Director

Steve VanDyke, PGA | 2018-2020 Aspen Glen Club

Cathy Matthews-Kane, PGA | 2016-2018 Country Club of Colorado

Colorado PGA REACH Trustees

Josh Miller, PGA | 2016-2018 GOLFTEC Dennis Murray, PGA | 2018-2020 Valley Country Club Mike O’Donnell, PGA | 2018-2020 Fort Carson Bobby Quaratino, PGA | 2017-2019 West Woods Golf Course Chris Swinhart, PGA | 2017-2019 Thorncreek Golf Course Dave Troyer, PGA | 2016-2018 CommonGround Golf Course

Independent Directors Theo Gregory Spencer Zinn

Bob Lally Chief of Staff - YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region George Lee Managing Director – Investments Wells Fargo

Kenny Thayer, PGA | 2019-2021 Beavercreek Golf Club

Jim Miller, PGA | 2018-2020 Sonnenalp Golf Club

Dominic Karaba President - Specialty Lending and Business Banking - UMB Bill Keller Lieutenant Colonel USAF, Retired

Alice Plain, PGA | 2018 - 2020 Vail Golf Club

Kyle Heyen, PGA Past District 9 Director Hiwan Golf Club

Theo Gregory Senior Vice President - El Pomar Foundation

Adam McDiarmid Regional Manager - Business Banking - UMB

Spencer Zinn Chairman

Scott McGraw VP of Employee Benefits Cherry Creek Insurance Group

John Andrew Brigadier General USAF - Retired

Honorable Sue Payton President - SCI Aerospace Inc.

Dan Bennett Investor/Partner, Southwest Greens Management

LTG Ed Soriano, US Army (Ret) Director, Bus. Dev. Global Land Forces - Northrop Grumman Corporation

John Bond President, BOOST Performance Consulting Agent, ReMax Urban Properties

Bill Vogeney Chief Revenue Officer Ent Credit Union

Anne Broholm CEO | AHEAD

Staff

Executive Director/CEO Eddie Ainsworth, PGA eainsworth@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1593 C (719) 761-6125 Assistant Executive Director Patrick Salva psalva@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1597 C (303) 246-1007 Tournament Director Justin Limon, PGA jlimon@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1588 C (720) 390-1160 Junior Golf Director Holly Champion, PGA hchampion@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1591 C (217) 232-1790 Junior Golf Coordinator Scott Minta sminta@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1590 C (630) 532-3230 Executive Assistant Annie O’Donnell adonnell@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1595 Marketing and Communications Coordinator July Malone jmalone@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1594 Career Consultant Keith Soriano, PGA ksoriano@pgahq.com C (720) 841-1006 PGA Junior League Regional Manager Anthony Vitale, PGA avitale@pgahq.com C (561) 267-1208

Tom Bauerle Owner - Colorado Golf and Turf

Colorado PGA

6630 Bear Dance Drive | Larkspur, CO 80118 P | (303) 681-0742 www.coloradopga.com

Pro Peaks is distributed free to members and affiliates of the Colorado PGA eleven times per year.

The articles and other information contained within this publication are informational and do not necessarily represent the view or opinions of the Colorado PGA. The Colorado PGA 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 written permission of the Colorado PGA is prohibited.

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Colorado PGA Pro Peaks Digital Magazine

What’s Inside

President’s Report 5 Thank You!

Membership News 6 Member Update

Executive Director’s Report 7 It’s Time to Celebrate – Plan for the Future – And Continue to Grow

District Director Report/PGA of America News 8 2018 Ryder Cup - An Incredible Experience

Career News 12 Inspiration, Invitation and Innovation

Colorado PGA News 10 Matthews-Kane Elected to Serve as Secretary of the Colorado PGA 14 Player Development Award Winner Wearner Thanks Those Before Him 16 Youth Player Development Award Winner, Erin Diegel, Found Her Niche

Working with Youth 18 O’Dell, Private Merchandiser of the Year, Part of a Real Team Effort 20 Public Merchandiser of the Year Carlson Provides ‘Exceptional Moments’ to Guests 22 Hanson and Red Sky Team Claim Fourth Resort Merchandiser of the Year Honor 24 West Chapter President Marzec Honored with Assistant Professional of the

Year Award

Tournament News 28 Reidy Takes Home Rip Arnold Section Championship Trophy 30 Rohrbaugh, Andonian and Lanting Claim Player of the Year Honors 30

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OMEGA Player of the Year List Junior News Terrific Trio Sweep For Kent Denver Golfers Double Dipping

October 2018

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Colorado PGA Pro Peaks Digital Magazine

President’s Message

Thank You! T

hank you! That is what keeps coming to mind as I think of the honor it has been to serve the Colorado Section. Over the past ten years, I have learned a lot about the process and strategy of association governance, lived the passion of serving the member and growing the game, created a lifetime worth of memories and have gained many friends along the way.

The Colorado Section is held in extremely high regard throughout the PGA of America. This respect is due to the amazing work each of you have done through junior golf, mentorship, community impact, merchandising, teaching and much more. As your President for the past two years, I have constantly had compliments and kudos shared about our members and section. This may be most evident by our Section being awarded the Herb Graffis Award for the second time in eight years. In November, I will accept this award on your behalf and we will once again raise the flag of the Colorado Section.

During my Presidency I have often encouraged our members to embrace the cyclical nature of our professional “Journey.” No matter how each of us spends our time throughout the years, whether it’s playing tournaments, volunteering for Colorado PGA REACH events, teaching junior golf, merchandising at your facility, serving on the board, etc. – I encourage you to “make memories and enjoy the moments” along the way!

Ty Thompson, PGA President Colorado PGA Consultant Crosshairs Consulting ty.thompson@pga.com P | (303) 918-9270

To those who have reached down and mentored me throughout my career – thank you!

For those who have grown alongside me as peers in the business – thank you! Lastly, for those who have opened your hearts, minds and careers to my mentorship – thank you!

Together we have made each other better.

Our Section is on an incredible trajectory that has come from a strong and unified vision by the Board of Directors and the Colorado PGA REACH Board of Trustees. I am extremely proud of the work we have accomplished over the past many years and it is with great confidence that I turn the role of President over to incoming President, Ben Welsh.

I would be remiss if I did not share my gratitude for the work of our section staff. For over a decade, our Executive Director, Eddie Ainsworth, has relentlessly led our Section with a passion to do what is in the best interest of our Section and its Members. He has been diligent to employ and retain the best talent in the business. When it comes to taking the vision and strategy of the Section Board and executing it on a day in and day out basis, no one does it better than our section staff!

In closing, I wish each of you the very best as you enjoy your journey as a PGA Golf Professional. Whatever your future brings, I hope it affords you the continued privilege of being a member of the Colorado Section of the PGA. Sincerely,

Ty Thompson, PGA President Colorado Section PGA ty.thompson@pga.com P | (303) 918-9270

October 2018

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Membership News

Membership News An update on our Colorado PGA Members By the Numbers Members - 732 Associates - 103 Total - 835 Male Members - 699 Female Member - 36 11th out of 41 Sections 109 – Management positions (MP, A-4, A-9, A-11, A-13) 313 – Club Professionals (A-1, A-2, A-7, A-8) 112 – Instructors (A-6, A-10, A-12, A-14) 22 – Expanded Career Paths (A-15 thru A-24) 117 – Life Members (LM, LMM, LMA, LMMA) 59 – Other Categories (A-3, A-5, HM, IN, F, RM)

New Members

The Colorado PGA welcomes new members and associates to our Section on a regular basis. For some, this is the first time they have joined our Section while others may be returning. Please join us in welcoming them!

Austin T. Logan, PGA | A-8 | Estes Park Golf Course

Colin M. Miller, PGA | A-8 | Club At Cordillera Valley Course

Sonny A. Scheer, PGA | A-6 | The River Course At Keystone

Transfers to the Colorado PGA

The Colorado PGA welcomes the following members to the Colorado PGA with open arms.

Todd W. McKittrick, PGA | A-1 | The Club at Cordillera - Summit Course | previously at Manchester CC in

the New England Section

Class Changes

Colorado PGA members are always on the move. The following members have changed classification within the Section in the last month.

John R. Lynch, PGA | A-4 | River Valley Ranch Golf Club | previously an A-1 at River Valley Ranch Golf Club

John T. Hamer, PGA | A-9 | City of Fort Morgan | previously an A-13 at Quail Dunes Golf Course

Timothy M Fuhrer, PGA | A-14 | GOLFTEC-Cherry Creek | previously an A-14 at GOLFTEC-Park Meadows

Steven J. Grove, PGA | A-1 | Maroon Creek Club | previously an A-8 at Maroon Creek Club

Max R. Twarjan, PGA | A-4 | Maroon Creek Club | previously an A-1 at Maroon Creek Club

New Associates

The Colorado PGA welcomes our newly registered associates. Associates in the PGA of America are responsible for upholding the mission of the PGA, to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf.

Adam R. Accica | B-8 | Sonnenalp Golf Club

Jason M. Anderson | B-6 | Deer Creek Golf Course at Meadow Ranch

Brandon S. Wood | B-8 | Saddle Rock Golf Course

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Colorado PGA Pro Peaks Digital Magazine

Executive Director’s Message

It’s Time to Celebrate – Plan for the Future – And Continue to Grow W

hat a year it’s been for the Colorado Section PGA! Each year it amazes me to see what our Colorado PGA Professionals accomplish.

Our programs continue to expand. We continue to increase the amount of work we do with our Allied Associations to grow the game of golf in Colorado. And, through our Foundation, Colorado PGA REACH, we are continuing to make positive differences in the lives of others.

I hope you will join us on Monday, October 15, at Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club for our Fall Membership Meeting. During this meeting, we will celebrate the many accomplishments of our Colorado PGA Members, recognize some outstanding people who, through their efforts and contributions have promoted and enhanced West Chapter Membership Meeting: Steve VanDyke, Head Professional at the Colorado PGA Professional, hear from our Aspen Glen and Meeting Host; Eddie Ainsworth, Colorado PGA Executive leadership on what to expect in the future and Director; and Ed Marzec, West Chapter President. learn from one of our Legendary Colorado PGA Professionals on what it takes to be the best of the best.

We truly have a lot to celebrate, but none of us can rest on our accomplishments as we must continue to learn, to improve and to grow. That is why we are asking all of our PGA Members and Associates to take a few minutes and let us know how we can better assist you on your PGA Journey. You can access our Membership Survey by clicking here. The input we receive from this survey will help guide the Board of Directors as they chart our course for 2019. The deadline to provide your feedback is Wednesday, October 10. We will discuss the results of this survey during the Open Forum Session of our Fall Membership Meeting in order to provide every opportunity to hear from you, our Colorado PGA Members, and to learn what measures we need to take to insure we are meeting your needs to the best of our ability.

Eddie Ainsworth, PGA CEO/Executive Director Colorado PGA eainsworth@pgahq.com

Last month we talked about taking care of ourselves first so we can take care of those around us. As we head into the “off” season, let me challenge you to speak with your mentor (seek one out if you don’t have one) on what you should do to continue to learn, to improve and to grow. Growth takes time – it takes commitment. It doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen without a plan. If you’re not sure where to start, give me a call, I’d love to help guide you, get you connected with a mentor and help you along your PGA Journey.

Can’t wait to see all of you at Heritage Eagle Bend!!!

Thank You for the opportunity to serve as your Executive Director.

All the Best,

Eddie Ainsworth, PGA Executive Director/CEO - Colorado PGA 6630 Bear Dance Drive - Larkspur, CO 80118 eainsworth@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1593 | C (719) 761-6125

October 2018

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PGA of America News

2018 Ryder Cup - An Incredible Experience Having just returned from Paris and the Ryder Cup, I want to begin this article with some thoughts from the event. The experience was incredible, probably one of the highlights of my PGA career.

Every part of the experience was great, other than that whole losing thing, of course.

The week started with the Ryder Cup Gala Dinner held at the Palace at Versailles.

There were 1,100 people at this dinner; all had some involvement in the Ryder Cup. The teams had their own dinner with our officers and other officials of the European Ryder Cup, totally about 110 people. The Palace was incredible, a true “work of art,” with over 2,300 rooms. Rather large!

PARIS, FRANCE - SEPTEMBER 27: The United States team attends the opening ceremony for the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National on September 27, 2018 in Paris, France. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) Credit: Getty Images

The following evening we had our PGA of America dinner, which included our National Officers, the Board of Directors, Senior Staff, Past Presidents and honored guests.

We had the honor and pleasure of being seated with David and Nina Kohler, of the Kohler family, who will be the hosts for the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. They are very nice people, and of course, very excited about the opportunity in front of them in two years.

Ron Rawls, PGA District 9 Director PGA of America Head Professional Crane Creek CC

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By the time Friday morning came around, the level of anticipation was unbearable. The first tee experience at the Ryder Cup is breathtaking, as some of you have experienced. There were 10,000 people surrounding the first tee an hour before anyone was scheduled to tee it up! The European fans are very passionate about the Ryder Cup and their players, and it showed.

It was unbelievable how much noise they could make, and then when a player set up to hit their tee shots on the first tee, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

That first morning our players played as expected and dominated that first session. However, as the afternoon foursomes got underway, it became evident that there was a momentum shift, and the crowd sensed it as well. I am not sure who fed whom, the crowd inspiring the players or the players inspiring the crowd, but we all know the results of that Friday afternoon foursomes, a complete sweep for the Europeans.

That momentum followed on Saturday, and at the end of the day, I think a lot of us felt “lucky” that the American team was able to get 3 points. Sunday morning there was a lot of optimism of an epic comeback, and for a short while, it looked possible.

I think a couple real turning points were when Paul Casey halved the match with Brooks Koepka and when Tiger got back to even with Rahm, but then lost the next two holes. Those two matches could have kept the pressure on the Europeans and perhaps motivated our team some more for a different result.

I was honored to serve as the American Observer for the 10th singles match, Patrick Reed vs. Tyrell Hatton. I was glad that Patrick played much better

Colorado PGA Pro Peaks Digital Magazine

Colorado PGA News

than he did the first two days, as one of the observer’s responsibilities is to help “secure the ball” if it found its way into the gallery. Both players played very well, so we didn’t spend much time worrying about the golf ball. I was leaving the 15th green heading to 16 when Phil Mickelson rinsed his tee shot on 16, conceding the match to Molinari, which was the deciding point for the European team. So, it went from organized and controlled to bedlam in a matter of minutes. I was caught up in the European celebration behind the 15th green, which, had it been our team, would have been really cool. Instead, it was not all that cool! But it was a great experience to serve as an observer.

My final thoughts of the Ryder Cup are these. It is a great celebration of our game of golf. At the end of the day, it is just a game and what a great game it is. I had a European PGA Member tell me that in Europe there are two important events – the Open Championship and the Ryder Cup. I am sure the Ryder Cup does not rank that high with our American players, but it was very interesting to hear. At the end of the day, the best team won. Our players just played poorly, and their players played great. It had little to do with pairings, or anything else. These are the greatest players in the world, and our players played poorly. Even with the loss, it was a great experience and one I will cherish forever.

As we move forward, we look towards the Annual Meeting coming up in early November. We have some important business of the Association to take care of, including electing a new National Secretary. The election looks like it’s too close to call, with all four candidates still working hard to gain support. I look forward to our new CEO, Seth Waugh, addressing the delegates for the first time as CEO. As I stated last month, I think Seth will do a great job and be a confident and progressive leader as we continue to work on a potential headquarters move, as well as the other business dealings of the Association.

As we head into the “off season,” I want to reiterate that I am here to serve you, the members and associates of the PGA of American. If there is anything I can do or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me, ron@cranecreekcc.com.

Seth Waugh Named PGA of America CEO

immersion in—and love for—the game, a close-knit relationship with many of the sport’s power brokers and five years in the organization as an independent member of the board of directors and as a member of an advisory board to Pete Bevacqua.

Waugh, who lives in North Palm Beach, Fla., is a native of Ayer, Mass., and a graduate of Amherst College, where he earned degrees in English and economics.

He was with Deutsche Bank Americas for 13 years, including 10 as CEO, during which time he oversaw the creation of the Deutsche Bank Championship, the PGA Tour’s FedExCup Playoff event in Boston now known as the Dell Technologies Championship.

Having served with Seth on the PGA Board for the past eighteen months, I am excited about this decision and I know he is the right person to continue to lead the PGA and its members as we face many challenges in the next few years, while continuing to focus on the long-term strategic plan to serve the PGA Member and grow the game.

100th PGA Championship It was a very exciting week in St. Louis watching Brooks Koepka capture the 100th PGA Championship.

It is the first Championship I have ever been involved in, and I have to say our Association does an outstanding job conducting and presenting this Championship.

From the Past Champions Dinner, to the coordination of the event itself, to the Champion’s Toast, it is an incredible production that Kerry Haigh and his team seem to pull off with ease. I know that’s not entirely true, but it does make a PGA Member proud to see how Kerry and his team conduct this event. I know the players appreciate it as well. Thanks to the thousands of volunteers and to the members of Bellerive Country Club, who couldn’t have done a better job hosting our 100th PGA Championship. I hope those of you who were able to attend enjoyed it as much as I did.

At your service, Ron Rawls, PGA District 9 Director PGA of America Head Professional Crane Creek CC

Former CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas, and current Independent Director on the PGA Board of Directors, Seth Waugh has been named the new CEO of the PGA of America. Seth will start his new position as of September 24 and comes to the head of the PGA with impeccable business credentials, a later-in-life

October 2018

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Colorado PGA News

Matthews-Kane Elected to Serve as Secretary of the Colorado PGA Diversity of the Game an Important Factor for New Secretary

C

athy Matthews-Kane, PGA, was elected by the Colorado Board of Directors to become the next Secretary of the Colorado Section of the PGA. She will be just the second female Colorado PGA Member to hold this position.

“I am honored and privileged to have been selected to serve as the Secretary of the Colorado PGA,” stated Matthews-Kane after the election. “This is one of the greatest accomplishments of my career and I look forward to serving our members by being an ambassador across the industry for the more than 800 men and women of the Colorado Section.”

Matthews-Kane is the PGA General Manager at the Country Club of Colorado located at Cheyenne Mountain Resort, a Dolce Resort, in Colorado Springs. She began honing her golf skills in her hometown of Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Canada. A graduate of Iowa State University, she was a three-time academic All-American and a four-year Varsity letter winner as part of the women’s golf team. Cathy moved to Colorado in 1999 after accepting a golf professional position at The Broadmoor where she remained for more than 13 years.

In 2002, Matthews-Kane was elected to membership and was a Titleist Apprentice Scholarship winner for the State of Colorado. She earned her MBA in May of 2012 from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

“I’ve known Cathy for many years and she brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to the Secretary’s position,” noted Ty Thompson, Colorado PGA President. “She will be a great addition to our executive committee and I’m incredibly excited to see where she can lead the Section during her time in office.”

Matthews-Kane will be sworn in as Secretary and will begin her tenure at the upcoming Fall Membership Meeting set for Monday, October 15, 2018, at Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club.

“I am excited to continue the work to grow the game through our Colorado PGA REACH Foundation as we try to make the game of golf more diverse and inclusive across all demographics,” concluded Matthews-Kane. “I appreciate the opportunity to continue working with the leadership of the Section to make the Colorado Section the best of the 41 sections.”

Consider Joining a Colorado PGA Committee I

n 2016, in order to give more of our PGA Members the opportunity to get involved and engaged, the Colorado PGA moved to a two year commitment for all committees, except for the Awards Committee where the previous year’s winners select the current year’s winners. This time frame conincides with the term of the President of the Colorado PGA and our hope is that more of our Colorado PGA Members will want to participate and get more involved in the governance of our Section. If you are interested in serving on a committee, listed below, please click here to submit your name for consideration.

• • • •

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Education Committee Junior Golf/JGAC Committee Tournament Committee Member Engagement Committee

Colorado PGA Pro Peaks Digital Magazine

Colorado PGA Fall Membership Meeting

Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club Monday, October 15, 2018 - 8:00am to 12:00pm Presented by GolfStatus Supported by Masek Golf Cars of Colorado, Golf Scorecards Inc., Gallagher Risk Management and Foresight Sports Join us for our season-ending celebration at our 2018 Colorado PGA Fall Membership Meeting.

We will recognize a number of members with Special Award, swear in new board members and recap our incredible 2018 season!

The meeting will be highlighted by a visit from PGA of America Chief Membership Office, John Easterbook and a fireside chat with Country Club of the Rockies Director of Golf, Tom Apple!

October 2018

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Career Consultant News

Inspiration, Invitation and Innovation 110

years ago, on October 1, 1908, the first Model T rolled off the assembly line at Ford's Piquette Avenue production plant in Detroit. Before its production ceased in 1927, more than 15 million Model T cars would be produced, forever changing how our world moved and what was possible for the common man. Henry Ford didn't invent the automobile, but possibly more than any other individual in history, he transformed the automobile from an invention into an innovation that has profoundly shaped the world.

Innovators change things. They take new ideas, sometimes their own and sometimes those of other people, and develop and promote those ideas until they become part of everyday life. Innovation requires self-confidence, a taste for taking risks, leadership ability, the space to create and a vision for what the future could be.

"Gratefulness does more than just drive innovation; it can transform your entire life."

- Kristopher Jones While we may not be changing the course of the world by making efficient transportation available to the masses, we can certainly inspire and invite innovation in the workplace to better serve our constituency, our leadership, our team members and ourselves. A culture of innovation brings out the best in your team and may very well be the defining characteristic that separates you from the pack as you pursue your career goals.

This month’s resources highlight the benefits of innovation in the workplace and provide some insight into creating a culture in which innovation flourishes.

The Psychology of Innovation: From Purpose to Gratitude "Understanding Key psychological factors of business will put you on a more fulfilling path to success and happiness."

Forbes I Kristopher Jones The Benefits of Encouraging Creativity and Innovation in the Workplace "Creativity is essential for any organization if you want to keep your business moving forward."

Startup Nation I Catherine Plano How Google Encourages Innovation Among its Employees Keith Soriano, PGA, is a PGA Career Services Consultant serving the Colorado and Utah Sections. He can be reached at (720) 841-1006 or ksoriano@ pgahq.com.

"Ask the average person to name a company that does innovation well and Google will almost always come up. Here's how they do it."

Engage Me I Stuart Thomas Everyone Wants Innovation - Why is it so Persistently Hard to Find?

"Examining barriers to innovation in business."

Forbes I Victor Lipman Reality check time: If you're in a leadership position, are you pushing yourself to innovate?

Are you creating an inviting space for those that you lead to be inspired to innovate on behalf of the team? If you're part of a team, are you content with the status quo or are you pushing to be more, do more and create more?

Let's get together and make plans to inspire, invite and innovate.

Keith Soriano, PGA PGA Career Consultant I Colorado & Utah Sections of the PGA ksoriano@pgahq.com 720.841.1006

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Colorado PGA Pro Peaks Digital Magazine

October 2018

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Colorado PGA News

Player Development Award Winner Wearner Thanks Those Before Him T

he 2018 Colorado Player Development Award is being presented to Trent Wearner, PGA, Owner and Director of Instructor at Trent Wearner Golf Academy. He looks at every hour of every day as being uniquely different and doesn’t know how anything he chose to do could be better than what he is doing.

“I certainly have those before me to thank for the level of success I have achieved,” shares Wearner. “None of this happens without the great people I have had the good fortune to work with during my 22 years of coaching nor does it happen without the students who have chosen to share their journey with me.”

Wearner, a Colorado native, has been working in the world of golf since the age of 16 when his mom encouraged him to get a job. Part of high school and all through college he worked at Hyland Hills in Westminster first tending to the driving range and then moved into the golf shop. His first summer out of college, a friend recruited him to work as an Assistant Professional in Illinois where he was in charge of the junior golf program.

“It was truly a blessing in disguise that I was given the responsibility of the junior golf program that first summer,” remembers Wearner. “Frankly, it set everything in motion for me and my career. Although I love working with golfers of all ages and skill levels, junior instruction is at the heart of what I do.”

Returning to Colorado from Illinois, the first order of business for Wearner was to figure out how to teach or coach on a full-time basis. He was indirectly introduced to Keith Lyford, PGA, a top 100 Golf Magazine Teacher, who ran a golf school in New England in the summer and his own school in Scottsdale in the winter. For three years, Wearner traveled between the two locations and would have continued but he and his wife desired to get back to Colorado. He considers himself lucky to have found a place with Mike McGetrick, PGA, teaching at his facility at Meridian Golf Club. After three years, McGetrick moved on to do other things in the golf world and left Wearner at Meridian to continue the golf school. That was 19 years ago.

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Colorado PGA Pro Peaks Digital Magazine

Colorado PGA News “I was busy teaching from the start at Meridian because of Mike,” comments Wearner. “I was fortunate to be on the receiving end of his reputation.

Slowly but surely, I have been able to build my own clientele and now students are calling the Academy because of the reputation I have built. I have been very privileged and humbled to be a part of the careers of so many great golfers at every level in their development of the game.”

Trent Wearner, a three-time Colorado PGA Teacher of the Year, will receive the 2018 Player Development Award at the Colorado PGA Special Awards Gala on Friday, November 2, 2018.

Wearner sees no redundancy in what he does each day. He has never seen what he does as a j-o-b but as an outstanding profession and career.

What does it mean to you to receive the 2018 Colorado Section Player Development Award?

I consider this award one for the entire academy. I am honored to be recognized as someone who creates a wide-range of programs that develop people into new golfers and current golfers into better players. We take what we do at the academy very seriously and just try to help them manage themselves because the game can be demanding and frustrating. We’ve all heard about the cross-over between life and golf a zillion times. We use that as the focus of our teaching to help develop our players.

What do you believe are the qualities you possess that support your nomination for this award?

I think it’s all about our students – nothing happens without them. Our focus is around the accomplishments of our students as they are at the core of everything we do. For my part, it is imperative to build an environment that encourages hard work while being fun and entertaining. It is an honor to be their coach and their guide along a small part of their journey.

What are some tools you use in your profession that you wish you had known when you were beginning your career?

It would have been nice to have had access to the

October 2018

mental-game tactics we have now when I started. I don’t think it is possible to teach the fundamentals of the game of golf without working on a student’s mental game at the same time. We know that the mind leads the body so teaching some high level mental tactics is helpful. At the same time, I realize new golfers have a hard enough time getting the ball into the air so it becomes a real balance.

As it relates to golf, what is the best piece of advice you have received and what advice would you give to others?

The best advice I received and the advice I would give to others are: Don’t just work on a student’s swing, there is so much more to the game, and Don’t try to teach the same thing to every student.

What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?

If I could be 18-years-old again, I would put less pressure on myself and really try to learn from my mistakes. Making mistakes is part of the learning process and we’re all supposed to make them. It’s okay.

We are here to help our students fix their mistakes more quickly. We talk to our junior golfers about this all the time. Unfortunate as it may be, making an 8 on the last hole and throwing the tournament is quite normal for all of us to do at some point. It’s about how you react and rebound that will make or break you. Making mistakes makes you stronger and makes you want to work to improve your game. continued on page 26

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Colorado PGA News

Youth Player Development Award Winner, Erin Diegel, Found her Niche Working with Youth F

ittingly, the 2018 Colorado Section Youth Player Development Award is being presented to Erin Diegel, PGA, Assistant Professional at Legacy Ridge Golf Course. It is known that Diegel has a passion for anything and everything kids.

“It is such an honor to be recognized for this award by people who are in the golf business,” says Diegel. “However, none of these accomplishments were made all on my own; I didn’t do any of this by myself. I have such a wonderfully supportive staff and a department that listens to my ideas and lets me run. I thank them for trusting me.”

Diegel originally got into golf because of her father, Lee Hall, who ran the Pikes Peak Junior Program in Colorado Springs. By the age of 8, she was already playing a fair amount of golf, as well as competing. The lack of a girl’s high school golf program led Diegel to hang-up her clubs for a while. It wasn’t until she was a senior at the University of Colorado as an Evan’s Scholar, that the school introduced a girl’s golf program. She officially picked the clubs back up and had the honor of being selected as the captain of this inaugural girl’s golf team. Upon gradua-

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Colorado PGA Pro Peaks Digital Magazine

Colorado PGA News tion, was asked to be the team’s assistant coach.

laborate and then we go out and crush it!

“Working with the CU team filled a void for me and gave me a direction,” shares Diegel. “Because of this experience, I made the decision to enroll in the PGA Program.”

Having a difficult time critiquing herself, Diegel solicited feedback about the qualities she possesses from fellow golf professionals and parents who provided a common response – “She has the ability to lead without really knowing it. She leads by example and isn’t afraid to jump in and get the job done.”

Looking back on her career, Diegel realizes that all of the little steps she took along the way helped her to find her niche of teaching golf to kids. While working at GolfTec, she started Girl Power Golf, a girl’s only program. Although the program was run on her own time, she was allowed to use GolfTec’s facilities to give lessons to the 48 participants. From there, Diegel accepted the position as the first Junior Golf Director with the Colorado PGA. “We were on the cutting edge of programming for young golfers,” remembers Diegel. “It was a very exciting time to be in this position as we were launching programs like PGA Jr. League and Drive Chip and Putt.

We were expanding and growing the Golf in Schools program and mentoring other golf Professionals to improve, grow and retain more junior golfers.”

It was her work as Junior Golf Director that introduced her to the City of Westminster and their ambition to grow their junior golf program. When the assistant golf professional position at Legacy Ridge became available, Diegel was able to step in and make the vision she had helped create come to life. She is now completing her fourth season at the club.

“Being able to see how the tools, people and all the little things that I didn’t even know were important at the time lead me to where I am today is very cool,” concludes Diegel. “You don’t know how it all fits together until you look back—how each decision played such a large role in the future.”

What does it mean to you to receive the Colorado Section Youth Player Development Award?

It is such an honor to be nominated and recognized by my fellow golf professionals who are doing the same thing I do on a daily basis.

What are some tools you use in your profession that you wish you had known when you were beginning your career?

When I look at the opportunities for kids and how it relates to golf, I just wish we had some of our current tools a lot earlier, like PGA Jr. League, Operation 36 Golf and Golf In Schools. These are easy to succeed programs, they’re fun and I believe they have a huge impact on where we are today with golfers and our market. Knowing how kids learn and how to keep them engaged in the game would have also been great information to have when I first started.

As it relates to golf, what is the best piece of advice you have received and what advice would you give to others?

There are many aspects of the industry; find something that you are good at and that you are passionate about and make a name for yourself in that niche.

I don’t remember who gave me that advice but I would pass it along to others. Also, I would say, don’t ever be afraid to do something different. Get out of the status quo and don’t be afraid to do something first. You might fail and that’s okay but you might also do something really awesome.

What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?

Looking back, I think the biggest thing I would say to my 18-year-old self is don’t sweat the small stuff. It is always okay to step back from something, breath and try again tomorrow. Things always work out.

What is your proudest moment as a golf professional?

However, for me, the honor isn’t necessarily the award.

The real honor is knowing that I have, I am and I will continue to provide an opportunity for our youth to find a love of the game of golf.

My proudest moment is still the day I earned my PGA Membership. As I look back, my membership opened so many doors and created this really wonderful career for me.

What do you believe are the qualities you possess that support your nomination for this award?

Tell us something about yourself that others may not know.

Showing up, working hard and never giving up. I think the big thing for youth player development is having a passion and a love for children and for growing the game of golf. I believe I have a knack for seeing a vision and helping other to see that vision with me. We col-

I’m an avid big-game bow hunter. It is a unique challenge both mentally and physically – deer, elk, bear, antelope…every critter has a different approach. I get great satisfaction out of living a true field to plate lifestyle and I contribute to conservation and preservation more now than I ever did as a non-hunter.

October 2018

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Colorado PGA News

O’Dell, Private Merchandiser of the Year, Part of a Real Team Effort Offering a one-of-a-kind shopping experience that meets the expectations of the members at The Club at Flying Horse is part of what guided the decision to name Jake O’Dell, PGA, the 2018 Colorado Section Private Merchandiser of the Year.

“Receiving this recognition is a career milestone for me and a huge privilege for the team at Flying Horse,” states O’Dell. “We are very excited about this recognition and I see it as a big thank you to my ownership, our members, all of my mentors and especially the people that work with me now. This is a huge honor. Thank you!”

A Colorado native born into a golf-family, O’Dell basically grew up with a golf club in his hands. His childhood was spent in Estes Park where his dad was the superintendent for the Recreational Department’s golf courses, his mom worked alongside him in the summer watering the course and tending to the flowers and his sister honed her golf skills making her “probably a better golfer” than O’Dell.

Knowing from an early age that he wanted to become a PGA Professional, O’Dell’s dad encouraged him to work at the course as a cart kid, starting when he was just 11 or 12. He attended the PGM program at UCCS being a graduate of the very first UCCS PGM class. And according to O’Dell, the rest is history.

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O’Dell feels privileged to have had the opportunity for internships under Russ Miller, PGA, at The Broadmoor, and CJ (Clarence Parry, PGA) at the Glenmoor Country Club, through his program. During his time at both clubs, they were the recipients of the National Merchandiser of the Year and the Private Merchandiser of the Year Awards, respectively.

“I watched how great those teams were and how proud those guys were of all the work that everyone did to be successful,” recalls O’Dell. “It was at that time that I made it a personal goal to work toward one of these awards myself.”

With graduation looming and hearing that Flying Horse was building a golf course, little did O’Dell know that he would find his home when he accepted a summer position. O’Dell credits Glenn Wallace, PGA, for his friendship and mentorship during his 13-year career at Flying Horse where he has worked his way up the ranks from cart kid to Head Golf Professional.

“It has been pretty exciting to be part of a project (Flying Horse) where you get to see if from the ground up and continue to see the growth through the construction of the athletic club, the club house and then the lodge,” recounts O’Dell. “And now we are excited about building our next golf course – Flying Horse North.”

Colorado PGA Pro Peaks Digital Magazine

Colorado PGA News are only in our fourteenth year, we are very well known in the Springs area for our community outreach, growing our community and supporting our kids, as well as being a part of the FLAME Program (Finding Leaders Among Minorities Everywhere) with the U.S. Olympic Committee.

What are some tools you use in your profession that you wish you had known when you were beginning your career?

Understanding what is happening in the business of golf and trying to lead the trends has been a major part of the merchandising philosophy at The Club at Flying Horse.

What does it mean to you to receive the 2018 Colorado Section Private Merchandizer of the Year Award?

To receive this award is a milestone for me, my career and our staff. I am so proud of the contributions everyone from the cart kids to upper management put forth to position us to be at the top of our game.

Our ownership really grants us the autonomy essential for the entire team to think outside the box and to do things differently each year. I am lucky to have the team I do here at Flying Horse – our buyer, Jessica Doornbos, has done an incredible job and in my opinion is the best buyer I have had the pleasure to work with. Our my assistants Brian Mikkelsen and Ashley Skidmore, PGA, are amazing, we work hard day in and day out with a smile on our face and truly create a great experience.

What do you believe are the qualities you possess that support your nomination for this award?

I feel that we have something really special here at Flying Horse. I’ve always tried to pride myself in creating a close community with my peers and the people I work with. Our success is dependent upon having a casual and welcoming atmosphere for our members and our guests. When we have that approachable demeanor, I think it creates those lasting relationships and strengthens our team.

For us, thinking outside the box and doing things a little different every year is beneficial. We follow trends and try to get ahead of them.

We are also very proud of our community involvement, which starts with the ownership and filters throughout the entire Flying Horse organization. Although we

October 2018

Humility is always big and along with that, for me, is relationship building. As a younger person, I was less certain of myself and therefore, appeared not as welcoming to strangers. I’ve learned over the years to be more confident and hospitable.

Patience is another attribute that has benefited me and my team. Having the ability to see issues from a number of different perspectives without quickly jumping to conclusions helps me to take a challenging situation and mold it into a better scenario.

As it relates to golf, what is the best piece of advice you have received and what advice would you give to others?

The thing I’ve always held on to is “If you’re not as happy driving to work as you are driving away from work, you probably need to look for a different career.”

We have long summers and being excited to come to work every day and feel lucky to be where we are is important for our own success. I have and will continue to pass this advice on to others, as well.

What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?

Be patient. Let things come to you. If you work hard and keep moving forward, good things tend to happen.

What is your proudest moment as a golf professional?

Anytime I see any current or former staff accept a position or job that advances their career and future.

What is your merchandising strategy?

Our strategy has always been to understand what is happening in the business of golf and try to lead the trends. To do this, you have to be a student of the business and really work to stay ahead of the trends and never allowing yourself to get stagnate.

Also, our whole philosophy since we started has been when our guests walk into our golf shop, treat them continued on page 26

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Colorado PGA News

Public Merchandiser of the Year Carlson Provides ‘Exceptional Moments’ to Guests H

ead Professional at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve, Brian Carlson, PGA, was selected to receive the 2018 Public Merchandiser of the Year Award. His mantra is to keep your focus on the moments that you provide to the people that you serve. It is the moments that make the difference.

“This award is a really big deal for me and my team and completely unexpected,” remarks an emotional Carlson.

“We have a passion for what we do here at Walnut Creek and we love that we get to do it every single day. It is exciting to us to come up with great ideas and to be able to provide them to the people we serve. After all, it is the people who matter, both our guests and our staff.”

Carlson is a Colorado native born and raised in the Westminster area. Coming from a single-parent family, his exposure to the game of golf didn’t occur until he was 15 when the father of a friend took them to Hyland Hills to hit balls for his very first time. Although he had no idea what golf was all about, it took just this one time for him to catch the bug. From then on, he and some buddies were spending nearly every day at the course hitting balls when they caught the eye of the Director of Golf at Hyland Hills, Marv Mazone, who asked if any of them were looking for a summer job. And, as they say, that is how it all started. Progressing from picking balls to golf shop help to working with Assistant Professionals, Todd Coover and Russ Dawson, Carlson was getting to know

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the business of golf.

“I kind of came in through the back door as a kid who didn’t know much about golf but by the time I was 16 or 17, I knew I wanted to be a golf Professional,” remembers Carlson. “It was the coolest thing ever. The course provided a great environment for me and I met a ton of great people and great golfers. It really changed my life and I felt like this was the lifestyle I wanted to pursue for myself.”

After high school, Carlson enrolled in the PGM Program at New Mexico State but left early to return home to be with his ailing grandfather. It was Paul Lobato, PGA, at Meridian Golf Club who gave him his first opportunity as the 4th Assistant. From there, he moved to the back of the house working as a teaching professional for Mike McGetrick, PGA, at the Mike McGetrick Golf School.

“Working at Meridian for Paul and Mike were some really great years and I was able to learn from some of the best in the industry,” reminisces Carlson. “But, teaching wasn’t my thing. I really loved club operations.”

In 1999, Carlson applied for a position at a new course in Westminster – Heritage at Westmoor, now Walnut Creek Golf Preserve – and has been fortunate to call this club home since.

“I feel so lucky and privileged to have been a part of

Colorado PGA Pro Peaks Digital Magazine

Colorado PGA News Walnut Creek Golf Preserve and the City of Westminster for the last 19 years,” concludes Carlson. “This is home for me and we have been able to achieve a lot of success here.”

What does it mean to you to receive the 2018 Colorado Section Public Merchandiser of the Year Award?

Obviously, this is a great honor for me. I look at it as a true team award – for me, my assistants, my golf shop staff and the City of Westminster for its support for all we do. It tells me that all the hard work we do every single day to provide a great experience in our golf shop has paid off, that we are doing it well and we are doing it right. To be recognized for all of the great things we do day-today, the partnerships with our vendors and building great relationships with our guests, Carlson and his team rebranded their facility from the Heritage at Westmoor to Walnut Creek Golf Club over the past few years. those things all have a part of us being recognized. It is a real honor to know that your letters from other golf Professionals across our Secpeers look at you and say you are doing something tion. I couldn’t tell you word-for-word what they wrote really well. I appreciate that. but I can sure tell you the way it made me feel. We all have the ability to make people feel great with a simple What do you believe are the qualities you possess that smile, a quick note or encouraging words. support your nomination for this award?

To others, I would give that same advice. Think about Ultimately, we strive to improve marginally every day your actions in those moments, listen to what people with a 1 percent gain here and 1 percent gain there. are saying and make people feel great.

Over time, these small gains have a big impact. Our team’s drive and passion to continue to make things What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self? better and provide a great experience for our guests is big in our book.

Time is important. It goes by quickly so really embrace and recognize the moments of your life. Also, don’t be What are some tools you use in your profession that afraid to try something new. It may be something that you wish you had known when you were beginning you become very passionate about and you choose to your career? do for the rest of your life.

I wish I had understood the concept that moments matter. Our guests and our employees remember the high point moments of their experiences. They remember ‘the moment’ of a beautiful golf shop, a great golf course, exceptional food or service. Because of this, I would say, “Slow down…think in moments.”

Secondly, I would say team work and having trust in the team. There was a time in my career that I thought I had to do it all. I love that we have so many great team members who can take on any number of roles and really run with them. Being able to trust this process is something I wish I had done sooner in my career.

As it relates to golf, what is the best piece of advice you have received and what advice would you give to others?

People don’t always remember what you say but they do remember how you made them feel. For example, in winning this award, I received congratulatory cards and

October 2018

What is your proudest moment as a golf professional?

One of the proudest moments in my golfing career came 19 years ago when I became a Head Professional here at Walnut Creek. That ‘moment’ of realizing I was getting the opportunity to work for an organization that has the trust in me and my team to provide a great public golf venue and experience in Westminster.

What is your merchandising strategy?

Our philosophy is simple - we build relationships and provide exceptional experiences. People want to feel good about where they spend their time and money and we work hard to be that exceptional place between work and home. The golf shop needs to be that great experience where conversations happen, people laugh, stories are told, and be a place that excites the senses of sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch. We continued on page 26

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Colorado PGA News

Hanson and Red Sky Team Claim Fourth Resort Merchandiser of the Year Honor T

his is not the first time Jeff Hanson, PGA, Director of Golf at Red Sky Golf Club, has been awarded the Resort Merchandiser of the Year Award. He and his Red Sky team were also the recipients of this award in 2013, 2007, 2005 and 2004.

“Any time you are recognized by your peers is really an honor,” says Hanson. “However, this award is a complete team effort and it’s great recognition for all the work they do to affect the success of our golf shops.”

Although Hanson was born in Denver, he grew up in Cheyenne, Wyoming, playing golf at Cheyenne Country Club. He and his buddies, carrying their bags, played non-stop golf during the summers. He was also able to experience tremendous success by winning the Wyoming State Amateur, State Junior, the State Match Play and the Jeff Hanson, who has been the Director of Golf at Red Sky Golf Club in Wolcott, CO State High School Championship. These for nearly 18 years, was awarded his fourth Resort Merchandiser of the Year Award accomplishments got him a number of this year. offers to play Division 1 College Golf but, in as the Director of Golf at Beaver Creek Golf Club the end, he accepted a scholarship to play and ultimately, the move to Red Sky,” communicates at the University of Wyoming. The goal at the time Hanson. “Clayton Cole is certainly the most influential was for Hanson to take over his dad’s title insurance person in my career!” business upon graduating from college so he stayed in state to further develop the relationships that would Hanson has been the Director of Golf at Red Sky from assist him in the endeavor. the beginning, helping develop the club from top to bottom. He was instrumental in designing the Red Sky “After graduation I just didn’t have the desire to move Golf Academy, working with the Fazio and Norman into my father’s line of business,” shares Hanson, “so teams during construction, selling memberships and I moved back to Denver. I contacted Myron Craig, the developing the marketing plan, and helping with Colorado PGA Executive Director and was told that the only position available in the Section for that spring design and implementation of both clubhouses. In 2002, the Fazio Course opened followed the next was at Columbine Country Club. I owe Columbine a lot season by the Norman course. Jeff will enter his for giving me my first opportunity to get started in the eighteenth season with the club next year. golf business.”

From there, Hanson moved to Glenmoor Country Club for a few years, spent a season at Valley Country Club before returning to Glenmoor in his first Head Professional position. He then transitioned to Cherry Hills Country Club as an Assistant Professional during both Bronco Super Bowl victory seasons!

“It has been an amazing ride for me here at Red Sky,” concludes Hanson. “We have an exceptional team that delivers experiences of a lifetime. We face many of the same challenges the other mountain courses do with a large portion of the staff being seasonal, but despite that, we have had a great run!”

“Cherry Hills was probably the best move of my life as it was an opportunity to develop the connections and the relationships that enabled me to get hired

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Colorado PGA Pro Peaks Digital Magazine

Colorado PGA News What does it mean to you to receive the 2018 Colorado Section Resort Merchandizer of the Year Award?

This award is great for our club and our staff.

It is always rewarding to be seen as a top merchandiser. I know that my merchandise manager, Susan Farrell Morrison, is extremely instrumental in us receiving this honor. She was the first employee I hired but I would be remise if I didn’t also mention the many other employees who have been with me for a very long time and their part in our success. Todd James, Ari Papadopoulos, Liz McCabe, Brett Gagnon, Dave Thompson and our talented Head Professional Chris Lai!!

What do you believe are the qualities you possess that support your nomination for this award?

Hanson talks with Norman Course Head Professional Ari Papadopoulos about

Since this is definitely a team award, I think one some new merchandise displays recently. of the qualities I possess is the ability to hire and retain talented staff in a challenging labor things too seriously and really enjoy the game. I got market and to be able to lead them in delivering the into the golf professional because I love the competitive highest quality customer service. I think it means a lot environment. I realized that if you can enjoy the game to our membership to see the same faces year-afterand have fun, you are likely to play better. year.

What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?

We also do a great job of making our members and their guests feel welcome when they come to I would tell my 18-year-old self to spend as much time our courses. Golf is a hard sport and providing a as possible with family and friends. comfortable, inviting atmosphere for them is significant What is your proudest moment as a golf professional? to our success, as well as theirs.

We give a tremendous number of lessons to our members and guests and I believe this creates longlasting relationships, as well as a high level of trust in our services. In return, they support our golf shops, not only with hard-good purchases but retail and soft-good purchases.

What are some tools you use in your profession that you wish you had known when you were beginning your career?

It is my belief that knowledge is gained through trial and error. So, the tools I have used and continue to use in my career is hard work and dedication to providing top notch service and quality products at a fair price.

Continuing to educate ourselves also can set you apart from the competition. Knowledge is everything.

As it relates to golf, what is the best piece of advice you have received and what advice would you give to others?

Being offered and accepting the Director of Golf position here at Red Sky is my proudest moment as a golf professional.

What is your merchandising strategy?

Our primary merchandising strategy is to connect with our members and guests by creating a welcoming atmosphere in all areas of the club. That includes establishing memorable teaching and playing opportunities that create a level of trust resulting in our customers choosing us for all their buying decisions.

I think it is also important to provide unique products and services at a competitive price. It is advantageous for us to find new companies each year that offer exciting new products our members will appreciate and purchase.

Share some of your “Best Practices.�

The best piece of advice I received that has served me well is to be consistent in your policies and procedures.

Each season as a staff we try to instruct and play with as many of our 250 members as possible, trying to grow the list of members we touch each year.

I would share with others that you should not take

continued on page 26

October 2018

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Colorado PGA News

West Chapter President Marzec Honored with Assistant Professional of the Year Award T

he Colorado PGA Assistant Golf Professional of the Year Award is given to a PGA member or apprentice for overall performance including leadership, service and promotion of the game of golf.

Knowing these criteria, it is apparent why Ed Marzec, PGA, Assistant Professional at the Country Club of the Rockies, is the recipient of this 2018 award.

“Receiving this award is very humbling,” admits Marzec. “I have enjoyed the opportunity to get to know and visit with many of the members of the Colorado Section, initially through the West Chapter and then the Section’s Board of Directors. It is my privilege to be a part of such a vibrant and growing Section.”

Marzec forged his own path on his way to becoming a Colorado PGA Member. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., he attained his education at Clarkson University in Upstate New York. As he says, he didn’t get into golf until his later years, making golf his second career. His first was as a professional photographer at a multi-faceted photography company.

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His golf career began as a caddy at Eagle Springs Golf Club in 1995 and that was how he got hooked on the game. He spent his early years at The Club at Cordillera moving back and forth between the Mountain Course, the Short Course and the Valley Course with his first 18-hole Head Professional position being at the Headwaters Golf Course at Granby Ranch. From there, Marzec took a position in Florida at the Ballantrae Golf and Yacht Club before returning to Colorado in 2005 as an Assistant Golf Professional with the Country Club of the Rockies.

When asked about his leadership positions with the Colorado Section, Marzec commented, “By not being native to the area, I thought my getting involved with the West Chapter leadership would be a great avenue to network and get to know my fellow Professionals.”

Marzec served as a West Chapter Board Member before working his way through the vice president and presidency positions in the West Chapter. He served as

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Colorado PGA News

the West Chapter Representative on the Colorado Section Board of Directors and is just beginning his first three-year term as an elected member on the Board.

What does it mean to you to receive the 2018 Colorado Section Assistant Professional of the Year Award?

I think this is a humbling award because it shows that the work I have been doing over my career has been recognized not just within in my own club but everywhere else from the West Chapter to the Front Range within the Colorado Section.

Being recognized on that level amongst my fellow PGA Peers will allow me to continue to strive as a leader within our section.

Marzec readies a a Golf Bike on a crisp Vail Valley morning recently.

What do you believe are the qualities you possess that support your nomination for this award?

I believe I possess a strong work ethic. The willingness to go above and beyond the normal duties of a Professional has helped to give me visibility. In addition, my verbal and written communication skills have provided me access to the members across our vast territory, from the West Chapter to the Section Board.

What are some tools you use in your profession that you wish you had known when you were beginning your career?

A couple tools that come immediately to mind are:

• Pay attention to the little details but manage the big picture.

• Be a forward thinker and look outside the box of just standard operations.

With this being my second career and having come from a multi-faceted photography company, I learned how to work with customers on many different levels.

I use a lot of the things I learned in my 20’s to work through issues with private membership, employees and demands and expectations.

As it relates to golf, what is the best piece of advice you have received and what advice would you give to others?

upon a logical process can be quantified, substantiated and enforced whether it is with your members, employees or sales representatives.

I would also give that same advice. Gather all the information you can before making a decision. Don’t shoot from the hip. The other piece of advice I would give is to make an effort to network.

What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?

Act with integrity. Also, get exposed to and learn from as many different facilities and structures as possible by putting yourself in a networkable environment.

What is your proudest moment as a golf professional?

Straight off the bat, my proudest moment was the day I passed my PAT and then earned my Class A status followed by the first time I was able to be considered a Head Professional. Along the same line, receiving my Certified Status and now working toward my Master Status have been very rewarding.

Tell us something about yourself that others may not know.

Most people might not know that I was a professional photographer in my first career. Over the past few years as a ski instructor, I have been able to compete in Europe on the Beaver Creek Men’s Demonstration Ski Team.

Probably the best advice I ever received was to make sure that your thoughts are logical. Decisions based

October 2018

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Colorado PGA News O’Dell - continued from page 15

Wearner - continued from page 17

like they are walking into your living room. Knowing and interacting with our members provides those personal touches that keep them and their guests coming back. Building a sense of community is a very important aspect of being in the private business. And to do all of this, I have the best team I could possibly have. They are all Rock Stars. I am always in awe when I sit back and watch what they are capable of doing.

What is your proudest moment as a golf professional?

Share some of your “Best Practices.”

One of the best practices that we use and that I really like is that we coincide our golf programing with our buying plan. Like many, we have extended our tournament programing outside golf’s traditional four or five months, which allows us to develop a buying plan that encompasses four different seasons. As a result, our buying plan helps to influence how these events are run and our events coincide with how we buy. We are very cognizant of our calendar when we purchase items.

Our willingness to bring in special orders and go the extra mile for our members and our guests has positively impacted our numbers. We have worked really hard the last two years to embrace this concept and not be afraid of the extra work load this creates.

For us, the benefits of customer loyalty have definitely out-weighed the extra hours.

Tell us something about yourself that others may not know.

My beautiful wife and I are having our first child, Graham this October!

Hanson - continued from page 23 We believe this leads to member loyalty in our golf shops resulting in increased sales.

Our operation is a bit unique in that we have a membership base in addition to having a huge resort business. Since our company owns hotels in Vail and Beaver Creek, they are able to promote visitation to the area to stay in the resorts while offering an opportunity to play really high-end golf courses at a reasonable rate. Servicing our resort guests by creating a member for the day drives a lot of revenue in our shops.

Each season we do many trunk shows allowing guests to see and purchase merchandise at a discount before it arrives in the warm weather climates.

I get an immense number of letters from students and parents just thanking me for my time or being a part of their golf journey. The fact that they took the time to send something to me is touching and heartwarming.

Also, our student’s accomplishments truly speak to the level of teaching we provide. We currently have 35 students who have made it to National USGA events and 14 individual high school state champions. We are extremely proud of the successes our students achieve and are so honored to be given the opportunity to be along for the ride.

Tell us something about yourself that others may not know.

I enjoy a lot of educational pod-casts and a lot of Jimmy Buffett Music.

Carlson - continued from page 19 work hard to provide exceptional experiences in our golf shop by playing music, piping in seasonal smells through scent marketing machines and the use of candles, which are also for sale and...a BIG hit! I continually encourage and coach my team to come up with visually exciting displays and use unique props that showcase our merchandise about every 10-12 feet throughout the golf shop. Each display needs to evoke an emotional experience that guests can interact with and be merchandised to be touched, picked up or gripped. Displays tell a story in our golf shop and give a ‘vibe’ of who we are and why we are a unique shopping experience. We also buy products with value in mind, offering a good/better/best option for just about everything we sell.

Share some of your “Best Practices.”

Involve the team. Assistant Professionals need to be involved at all levels of the merchandising operation.

They must have “buy in” on every decision and believe that the products being offered are the best. Spend time with them, coach them and teach them. This allows the staff to have great conversations with our guests and empowers them to share how the products you offer in your Golf Shop benefit your guests.

Also, build great relationships with your vendors, they are significant to your success. Building these relationships assures that you are both working together to provide great products and services at your facility.

Tell us something about yourself that others may not know.

Dave Lopez, PGA, Trent Wearner, PGA, and myself all met and grew up working together at Hyland Hills.

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Tournament News

Reidy Takes Home Rip Arnold Section Championship Trophy 2018 Section Championship a Championship of Firsts

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he newly opened TPC Colorado played host to the 2018 Colorado PGA Professional Championship on September 10-12 with one of the largest field of players in recent memory. The meticulous course lived up to its TPC status by presenting the players with long yardages, tough bunkers and difficult greens. However, the Colorado PGA Professionals were up for the challenge and it was a nail biter to the end.

The Section Championship was a tournament of firsts beginning with the crowning of a first-time champion – PGA Assistant Professional Patrick Reidy, Inverness Golf Club.

“I win a Pro-Am here and there,” began Reidy, “but to win this championship is crazy. This is hands down, other than playing golf at CU, the greatest thing that has ever happened to me in my golfing career. This is great and totally unexpected!”

As Reidy relayed his experiences over the three-day championship, he acknowledged that the stars were

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aligned with him. For a guy who normally hits the ball well, he admitted that he was also able to sink a few putts along the way. Having solid first and second rounds, Reidy’s game-plan going into day three was simply to have fun, stay focused and make one shot at a time.

In the final round, Reidy was paired with the current leader, which allowed him to focus on where he stood in relation to him. Scoring a triple-bogey 8 on the 13th hole could have been impactful but Reidy was able to recover and hit great shots the rest of the way in to post 1-under par on the last five holes with a birdie on 18. His final score of 1-over par 217 earned him the title of 2018 Colorado PGA Professional Champion.

When asked about what the turning point in his round might have been, Reidy replied, “I don’t think you can point to any single spot. I would say this result was more about desire. I had nothing to lose so I said let’s just do it.”

Colorado PGA Pro Peaks Digital Magazine

Tournament News

With tears in his eyes, Reidy thanked the Colorado Section for the experience while showing appreciation for previous champions like John Ogden, PGA, Head Professional at Cherry Hills, and Doug Rohrbaugh, PGA, Instructor at Ironbridge, for inspiring him.

The four-way tie for second place is an indicator that the Section Championship was a tight race to the end. Sherry Andonian, PGA, Instructor at Valley; Dustin Miller, PGA, Director of Instruction at Black Bear; Rohrbaugh; and Remington Post, PGA, Head Professional at Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks all finished at 3-over par.

Rounding out the eight-qualifying spots for the 2019 PGA Professional Championship at Belfair in Bluffton, Pat Reidy watches as his birdie putt at the 54th hole finds the bottom of the cup. Reidy S.C., on April 28-May 1, 2019, were claimed a two-stroke victory over three other PGA Professionals in the event held at TPC Eric Bradley, PGA, Head Professional Colorado. at Black Bear; Caine Fitzgerald, PGA, Assistant Professional at Meadow Hills; and Alexandra Braga, PGA, Assistant Professional at Denver Country Club. All finished the tournament with a 221 five-over par.

As was indicated, this year’s Colorado PGA Professional Championship was a year of firsts that all deserve mention. This is the first time that…

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two Colorado Women PGA Professionals qualified for the National Championship – Andonian and Braga.

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a female Colorado PGA Professional led the field after Round 1 – Braga.

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the low round of the tournament was shot by a female Colorado PGA Professional – Andonian.

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OUR MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP was played at TPC Colorado.

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we had the golf course architect of the course we were playing, Art Schaupeter, caddy for his PGA Professional brother Eric Schaupeter, Instructor at Highlands Ranch Golf Course.

With all of the firsts comes a potential last as well. It is quite possible that this was the last Championship where our beloved Rules Official Rich Langston will officiate. The Colorado Section would like to thank him for his almost 30-years of service and wish him luck in all his future endeavors.

To see all the scores from the 2018 Colorado PGA Professional Championship, as well as the qualifiers and alternates, click here.

Colorado PGA Professional Championship TPC Colorado | September 10-12, 2018 Qualifiers: 8 Alternates: 5 Qualifiers 1 Patrick Reidy | Inverness GC | 71-72-74--217 | +1 | $8,500.00 T2 Sherry Andonian | Valley | 78-68-73--219 | +3 | $3,025.00 T2 Dustin Miller | Black Bear | 71-73-75--219 | +3 | $3,025.00 T2 Doug Rohrbaugh | AndersonOrd Apparel | 75-70-74--219 | +3 | $3,025.00 T2 Remington Post | Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks | 70-69-80--219 | +3 | $3,025.00 T6 Eric Bradley | Black Bear | 72-74-75--221 | +5 | $1,966.67 T6 Caine Fitzgerald | Meadow Hills | 72-74-75--221 | +5 | $1,966.67 T6 Alexandra Braga | Denver CC | 69-75-77--221 | +5 | $1,966.67

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Tournament News

Rohrbaugh, Andonian and Lanting Claim Player of the Year Honors

Rohrbaugh Becomes First to Claim Dow Finsterwald and Senior Player of the Year Honors in the Same Year Doug Rohrbaugh hits the first shot of the 2018 US Senior Open at The Broadmoor (East Course) in Colorado Springs, Colo. on Thursday, June 28, 2018. (Copyright USGA/Chris Keane)

I

n early 2018, Doug Rohrbaugh made it a goal this year to win the Dow Finsterwald OMEGA Player of the Year and the OMEGA Senior Play of the Year Awards. He did just that as the Basalt, Colo.

Professional claimed both honors following the 2018 West Chapter Championship.

“I had never won the regular Player of the Year before,” Rohrbaugh noted. “I feel like it was the only thing missing from my Colorado PGA playing resume. I came close a few times but could never play enough events to keep up in the points. After getting off to a good start this year, I told my wife that I had to go for it!” He followed that up by stating “nothing is more gratifying than achieving your goals in anything you do in life.”

Rohrbaugh’s year included not one but two Senior Majors as he competed in the Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores Golf Club in Michigan and in the 2018 US Senior Open at The Broadmoor.

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“A few years back when the Broadmoor was announced to host the US Senior Open, I immediately made it a goal to qualify for it,” noted Rohrbaugh.

“Nothing could be much better than playing a tour major in your back yard so to actually make it in was amazing. On top of that, to also have my good friend Chris Johnson make it was icing on the cake. We got to experience it together.”

If competing in a major championship in his own backyard wasn’t enough, Rohrbaugh had a special guest join him as he hit the opening tee-shot at the championship on Thursday morning. “When I saw that I would be the first tee shot to start the Open, I got goose bumps. But the biggest moment was when I was standing on the tee and I see my father (81 years old) sitting right next to the tee marker. I got very emotional and had to go sit next to him and gather myself. (I’ve) never had that happen to me before; it was priceless.”

Colorado PGA Pro Peaks Digital Magazine

Tournament News

Rohrbaugh, who took a position teaching at the Snowmass Club and serving as a Sales Rep for AndersonOrd Apparel, was able to compete in Section events more this year than ever before. “I put over 20,000 miles on the car since April,” he said of the distance he had to travel. “I’m not sure if I will do it again.”

Known as one of the most consistent golfers in the state, Rohrbaugh relied on those skills throughout the year, rarely recording a bad round. “I just relied on overall consistency,” Doug noted. “For the most part, I never got into big trouble this year. (I) shot even-par or a couple under a lot with few good low rounds. Twenty-two of twentynine rounds were at even-par or better.”

Rohrbaugh distanced himself from the rest of the members in the Section by finishing in a tie for first at six individual events in 2018; a Stroke Play event at Boulder Country Club, the Blackstone Country Club Pro Am, the Lakewood Country Club Pro Am, the Pro-Lady at Red Rocks Country Club, the Eisenhower Golf Club Pro Am and the season-long Match Play Championship. Additionally, he partnered with John Lynch to win the Myran Craig Pro-Pro Championship at Colorado Golf Club. He capped off the year by finishing tied for second place at the Colorado PGA Professional Championship at TPC Colorado after posting rounds of 75-70-74—219.

Not only did Rohrbaugh claim the Dow Finsterwald OMEGA Player of the Year, he also ran away with the OMEGA Senior Player of the Year title. In addition to the other events previously noted, he claimed top honors at the US Senior Open Sectional Qualifier and tied for tenth at the CoBank Colorado Senior Open. He also posted a T5 finish in the Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship at Black Bear Golf Club.

“It is certainly a big honor to win both,” noted Rohrbaugh. “Whenever you are the first to do something it usually means it was very difficult; this was no exception. I have been asked many times why I have played so well since turning 50. I really cannot give a good answer to that. The obvious might be experience/maturity. The only thing I can say is I thought of turning 50 as my fountain of youth rather than “you’re over the hill”.”

Andonian Captures First-Ever Colorado PGA Women’s Player of the Year Honors

S

herry Andonian has only been a member of the Colorado PGA for seven years. During that time, however, she has accomplished more on the golf course than any female professional before her. Andonian capped off the season with her second victory in three years at the Colorado PGA West Chapter Championship and with it, claimed the Colorado PGA Women’s Player of the Year.

Andonian had a year of firsts that led to her earning the title. “There were a lot of ‘firsts’ this year - being the medalist and playing in the Inaugural US Senior Women’s Open, being one of the first women to qualify for the PGA National Championship, and hopefully, being the first woman to qualify and play in the Senior PGA National Championship,” noted Andonian’s year was highlighted by competing in the inaugural U.S. Senior Andonian. “Now this award, they all make this Women’s Open at Chicago Golf Club. year very special!”

Andonian competed in twenty events during the year highlighted by her victory in Carbondale, Colo. She also posted a third-place finish in the Colorado PGA Women’s Championship and tied for second in her first event of the year at the Valley Country Club Pro Am. All of that pales in comparison though to the inaugural US Senior Women’s Open at Chicago Golf Club. Andonian posted rounds of 80-81 – 161 to miss the cut but the experience was well worth it.

“The U.S. Senior Women’s Open is a big event for me. My dad played in many USGA Championships and I am

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excited to follow in his footsteps,” she noted before the championship. “I grew up caddying for him in some of his events, pulling his cart when it was bigger than I was and now I had the opportunity to play in a USGA Championship myself.”

In reflecting on the year, Andondian noted that “playing in the inaugural US Senior Women’s Open at Chicago Golf Club (was the biggest highlight), and having my kids and brother there with me made it even better.”

This wasn’t Sherry’s first USGA national championship. She previously competed as an amateur in two USGA Championships. In 1983 and 1986, she was the medalist in qualifying for the USGA Women’s Public Links Championship and also competed in the 1983 and 1986 Women’s Amateur.

Andonian doesn’t take winning the award lightly. “The Colorado PGA is very important to me, so it means a great deal,” she noted after hearing that she had earned the award. “I have been in the Colorado PGA for seven years, and I hope to inspire more women to play in our events.”

Lanting Claims Associate Player of the Year

B

en Lanting, Associate Professional from Bear Creek Golf Club in Lakewood, Colo., has earned the 2018 Colorado PGA Associate Professional of the Year Award. “It is a tremendous honor for me to have won this award.

There are so many great Associate players in this section and to achieve this goal that I set for myself at the beginning of the year is a blessing from God,” Lanting said.

The highlight of the year for Lanting came at Saddle Rock Golf Course in Aurora, Colo., when he claimed the championship in the National Car Rental Colorado Assistant Professional Championship. In that event, Lanting began the final round three-strokes behind four-time champion Caine Fitzgerald of Meadow Hills Golf Course. He got off to a hot start by birdieing the first hole and made the turn tied for the lead.

Ben Lanting, Associate Professional from Bear Creek Golf Club, claimed the title at the National Car Rental Colorado Assistant Professional Championship.

He ran into some speed bumps on the closing nine as he bogeyed the downhill par-3 16th hole. He righted the ship with a two-putt birdie at the par-5 17th. Lanting had to battle not only Fitzgerald but also his nerves on the final hole.

“Eighteen is a tough hole and it was tough to feel my hands there to be honest with you,” he noted following the awards ceremony. “I hit my tee shot right down the middle and was between clubs but decided to take the smaller club in the moment and hit it hard. I hit it to about a foot and was able to have a stress free putt to end the day.”

It was at the Assistant Professional Championship that Lanting recalls his best memory of the year. “I was a few shots back of the lead and was talking to Kirk Rider (the Head Professional at Bear Creek Golf Club) on the phone about what I needed to do to finish top-four to get to the (National Car Rental Assistant Professional Championship) in Florida. Kirk paused and said, “Top 4?! Go win this thing!” That shifted my focus to be a little more aggressive and it was a huge blessing to be able to win that tournament the next day.”

In additional to the Assistant Professional Championship, Lanting tied for victories at the Greeley Country Club and Fort Collins Country Club Pro Ams. Throughout the season, Lanting relied on a steady game tee-to-green.

“I think the strongest part of my game this year was hitting greens in regulation,” he noted. “I don’t typically make a ton of birdies, but I don’t make a ton of bogeys either and that consistency from tee to green was a key for me.”

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the pursuit of getting better this year,” noted Lanting upon learning he had won the award. “Carving out time to play and practice before and after work has been both challenging and fun because I love this game so much.”

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Colorado PGA Pro Peaks Digital Magazine

Tournament News

Dow Finsterwald Colorado PGA OMEGA Player of the Year 1 | Doug Rohrbaugh | AndersonOrd | 8354.57 2 | Eric Bradley | Black Bear GC | 6463.51 3 | Caine Fitzgerald | Meadow Hills GC | 6283.01 4 | Geoff Keffer | Greater Golfer DC | 5596.17 5 | Rick Cole | Eaton Country Club | 5208.03 6 | Sherry Andonian | Valley Country Club | 4111.97 7 | Mike Northern | Life Member | 3849.67 8 | Chris Johnson | Life Member | 3679.16 9 | Blake Sharamitaro | Riverdale GC| 3253.47 10 | Patrick Reidy | Inverness Hotel & GC | 3221.7 11 | Scott Sommers | Saddleback Golf Club | 3089.4 12 | Jason Witczak | The Club at Pradera | 2774.2 13 | Peter Norwood | MetaGolf LC | 2547.71 14 | Kirk Trowbridge | MetaGolf LC | 2172.17

15 | Remington Post | Raven GC at Three Peaks | 2133.17 16 | Ron Vlosich | Life Member | 2122.75 17 | Jeff Carter | Riverdale Golf Courses | 2117.92 18 | Kyle Voska | The Links Golf Course | 2071.83 19 | Alexandra Braga | Denver CC | 2043.23 20 | Doug Wherry | Jake’s Academy | 1968.57 21 | Barry Milstead | Valley Country Club | 1943 22 | Ari Papadopoulos | Red Sky GC | 1900 23 | Michael Weingartner | Thorncreek GC| 1893 24 | Visanu Tongwarin | Legacy Ridge GC | 1809.87 25 | Tray Shehee | Ute Creek GC | 1773.13 26 | Bobby Quaratino | West Woods GC | 1720.5 27 | Ben Honaman | Lakewood CC | 1676.67 Note: The top-27 finishes qualify for the 2019 CoBank Colorado Open.

Colorado PGA OMEGA Women’s Player of the Year 1 | Sherry Andonian | Valley Country Club | 1924.3 2 | Alexandra Braga | Denver Country Club | 1106.9 3 | Tara Morris | Country Club at Castle Pines | 900.5 4 | Terra Shehee | Boulder Country Club | 529 5 | Liz McCabe | Red Sky Golf Club | 466 6 | Katie Milstead | Trent Wearner Golf Academy | 360 7 | Stepfanie Ferguson | CommonGround Golf Course | 300 8 | Maggie Hartman | First Tee of Pikes Peak | 258 9 | Holly Champion | Colorado PGA | 250 10 | Meghan Hunter | Fort Collins Country Club | 213

Senior Colorado PGA OMEGA Player of the Year 1 | Doug Rohrbaugh | Ironbridge Golf Club | 12157.07 2 | Rick Cole | Eaton Country Club | 7591.53 3 | Chris Johnson | Life Member | 6879.16 4 | Mike Northern | Life Member | 5412.17 5 | Sherry Andonian | Valley Country Club | 4539.97 6 | Patrick Reidy | Inverness Hotel & Golf Club | 4326.7 7 | Scott Sommers | Saddleback Golf Club | 3762.4 8 | Michael Zaremba | Desert Hawk at Pueblo West | 3542.5 9 | Doug Wherry | Jake’s Academy | 3536.57 10 | Barry Milstead | Valley Country Club | 3467.71

Colorado PGA Associate Player of the Year 1 | Ben Lanting | Bear Creek Golf Club | 5454.53 2 | Bryan Hackenberg | Todd Creek Golf Club | 5164.54 3 | Audie Dean | Littleton Golf & Tennis Club | 3904.21 4 | Patrick Grady | University of Colorado | 2645.2 5 | Tim Richardson | Todd Creek Golf Club | 2094.04 6 | Jeramy Curry | The Links Golf Course | 2020.33 7 | Andrew Hebert | Indian Peaks Golf Course | 2005.33 8 | Rich Lash | Greater Golfer Development Center | 1958.67 9 | Robert Cooley | Black Bear Golf Club | 1481 10 | Tyler Winslow | Lake Valley Golf Club | 1255

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Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado News

Terrific Trio

Chin qualifies for her 2nd Drive, Chip & Putt Nationals; fellow Coloradans Boonta, Ortiz also earn trips to Augusta National by winning Regionals

by Gary Baines - 9/30/2018

A

record-tying three Colorado junior golfers qualified on Saturday for the 2019 Drive, Chip & Putt National Championship, which will be held April 7 at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia on the eve of the Masters.

Among those three who won their Regional Qualifying competition at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis was Caitlyn Chin of Greenwood Village, who became the first Coloradan to qualify twice for the DCP Nationals.

Chin competed in the Girls 7-9 division at Augusta National in 2016, and now she’s in the 10-11 group.

Chin won that 10-11 division Saturday in St. Louis by accumulating 115 points for an 18-point victory over fellow Coloradan Taylor Hale of Eagle.

ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 29: Drive, Chip and Putt Championship overall medal winners for Girls 10-11 (LEFT TO RIGHT) 2nd place Taylor Hale, 1st place Caitlyn Chin and 3rd place Morgan Krall pose at Bellerive Country Club on September 29, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)

Also advancing to the DCP Finals at Augusta National on Saturday were Chunya Boonta of Centennial, who prevailed by one point in the Girls 12-13 group with a 131 total, and Grady Ortiz of Colorado Springs, who won in the Boys 7-9 group with a 104 tally.

In order to qualify for Nationals, a golfer has to win -- out of 12 players -- in his/her gender/age division at Regionals. There are eight divisions in each DCP event.

Each of Saturday’s champions previously advanced through Local and Sub-Regional qualifying events.

When Chin qualified for Nationals previously, in 2016, she was one of a three-player Colorado contingent that year also, along with Luke Trujillo and Arielle Keating, both of Colorado Springs. Trujillo and Keating each finished sixth at Nationals that Year, while Chin was 10th.

nationally-televised DCP Finals has been Kaden Ford of Colorado Springs, who placed sixth in the Boys 14-15 competion on April 1.

In DCP events, contestants score points in each discipline -- driving, chipping and putting -- which are added together for a cumulative total.

In addition to the three Coloradans who won their divisions at Regionals in St. Louis on Saturday, four from the Centennial State were runners-up, coming up just short of advancing: Miles Kuhl of Boulder (Boys 10-11), Maxwell Lange of Golden (Boys 14-15), Hale (Girls 10-11) and Grace Ha of Greenwood Village (Girls 14-15).

In all, 40 boys and 40 girls will compete in the Nationals of the DCP, which is sponsored by the Masters, the USGA and the PGA of America. The competition is limited to players 7-15.

The only other Coloradan who has competed in the

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Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado News

ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 29: Drive, Chip and Putt Championship overall medal winners for Girls 12-13 (LEFT TO RIGHT) 2nd place Ali Perry, 1st place Chunya Boonta and 3rd place Michaela Headlee pose at Bellerive Country Club on September 29, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri.

(Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images for the DC&P Championship)

Here are the results for the Coloradans at the Drive Chip & Putt Regional Qualifying in St. Louis on Saturday: Score: Drive-Chip-Putt=Total

Boys 7-9

1. Grady Ortiz, Colorado Springs 30-23-51--104 7. Ryan Fenton, Colorado Springs 28-26-17--71 10. Benjamin Pederson, Arvada 28-30-8--66

Boys 10-11

2. Miles Kuhl, Boulder 24-45-55--124 3. Jake Dost, Parker 45-45-32--122 6. Gregory White, Centennial 16-40-50--106

Boys 12-13

5. Reese Knox, Peyton 19-32-55--106 6. Matai Naqica, Centennial 52-20-27--99 9. Carter Surofchek, Colorado Springs 18-32-40--90

Girls 7-9

3. Jadie Wilson, Denver 14-26-27--67 4. Amalei Lagrimas, Castle Rock 13-21-31--65 4. Annabel Roy, Denver 11-41-13--65 7. Adrielle Miller, Highlands Ranch 14-30-12--56

Girls 10-11

1. Caitlyn Chin, Greenwood Village 34-26-55--115 2. Taylor Hale, Eagle 23-45-29--97 4. Addison Hines, Arvada 36-37-12--85 12. Emmalee Johnson, Denver 2-25-7--34

Girls 12-13

1. Chunya Boonta, Centennial 36-45-50--131 11. Madeline Bante, Denver 19-40-27--86

Girls 14-15

2. Grace Ha, Greenwood Village 51-26-22--99 5. Elle Higgins, Centennial 32-26-32--90 6. Sofia Choi, Littleton 17-35-36--88

Boys 14-15

2. Maxwell Lange, Golden 62-45-55--162 4. Matthew Wilkinson, Centennial 70-40-36--146 6. Ben Harding, Longmont 46-40-50--136 12. Jackson Rottschafer, Centennial 0-55-32--87

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Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado News

Sweep For Kent Denver Golfers Hillary, Klutznick rally to claim titles in JGAC Tour Championship

by Gary Baines

I

t was a big day for Charlotte Hillary of Englewood.

It was a big week for Jackson Klutznick of Denver.

And it was a big year for Dillon Stewart of Fort Collins and Lauren Lehigh of Loveland.

On a day the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado wrapped up its fourth and final major of the season and celebrated the year with an awards banquet, the four aforementioned Coloradans were among the biggest winners.

In a sweep for golfers from Kent Denver School, Hillary and Klutznick (pictured) earned the girls and boys titles, respectively, at the JGAC Tour Championship that concluded on Sunday at Denver Country Club.

And Stewart and Lehigh landed the boys and girls JGAC Player of the Year awards for 2018, respectively.

For the Tour Championship winners, both accomplished something very notable on Sunday. Hillary won the

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Colorado PGA Pro Peaks Digital Magazine

Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado News event for the second time in three years, and that’s despite not being in the field in 2017. And Klutznick claimed a big title for the second time in a week as he captured the 3A boys state high school individual championship on Tuesday at Boulder Country Club. In addition, Sunday’s victory came at Klutznick’s home course, Denver Country Club.

And the fact that both Hillary and Klutznick attend Kent Denver -- Klutznick is a senior and Hillary a junior -- made the accompishments ever more satisfying.

Hillary, who earlier this year made the match play round of 32 at the California Women’s Amateur Championship, rallied from a threeJackson Klutznick celebrates his victory after putting out on the 18th hole stroke deficit going into Sunday to overtake during the final round of the JGAC Tour Championship at Denver Country first-round leader Caroline Jordaan of Lakewood. Club.

The 16-year-old Hillary shot an even-par 71 in round 2 to check in with a winning total of 3-over 145.

Hillary made three birdies on a cold Sunday, with two of them on the back nine coming from a mere 18 inches from the cup.

Jordaan, who plans to play her college golf at the University of Denver, finished second at 147. After going 5 over par in her first eight holes on Sunday, she parred her final 10 holes of the tournament to post a final-round 76. It was Jordaan’s second runnerup finish in a JGAC major this year.

Sofia Choi of Littleton took third place among the girls at 151 after a 76 of her own on Sunday.

Like Hillary, Klutznick rallied for the boys title. His 1-over-par 72 on Sunday left him at even-par 142 overall, good for a one-stroke victory over his Kent Denver teammate Jeffrey Zhou, a 15-yearold from Greenwood Village who closed with a 71.

Klutznick carded three birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey on Sunday.

Bo Wardynski of Parker finished third at 144 after a 72 on Sunday.

Charlotte Hillary putts out under the watchful eye of her fellow competitors during the final round of the JGAC Tour Championship at Denver Country Club.

First-round leader Jacob Mason of Westminster was in good shape to earn the victory through 13 holes of Sunday’s round, but he played his final five holes in 6 over par. That led to a 77 and a share of sixth place at 146.

The JGAC Players of the Year were all but set in stone prior to the Tour Championship. Stewart, who won the 5A state high school title on Tuesday, skipped the Tour Championship because he’s competing in the prestigious Ping Invitational in Stillwater, Okla. Meanwhile, Lehigh placed sixth Sunday at Denver Country Club.

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Presidents Club | $20,000 and above

Colorado Chevy Dealers Colorado Golf and Turf Tom Bauerle

PGA Tour National Car Rental

Platinum | $10,000 Colorado AvidGolfer Allen Walters

OMEGA

Platinum | $7,500

Under Armour Nancy Huppert

Gold | $5,000

Denver Golf Expo Mark Cramer

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Breckenridge Distillery Mike Horan

Masek Golf Cars Jason Masek

Colorado PGA Pro Peaks Digital Magazine

Silver | $2,500 Adidas/Ashworth Mike Bryant

GolfStatus Jason Meininger, PGA

AHEAD Zach Ledvina

GOLFTEC

PTE Golf Matt Pollitt Maui Jim Sunglasses Kevin Neff

Sterling Cut Glass

Sun Mountain Kevin Neff

Bronze | $1,000

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