The SUMMIT - Fall Issue

2022 Colorado PGA

Steven Bartkowski

CEO/Executive Director 303 996 1593

Holly Champion, PGA Education & Membership Director 303-996-1591

Justin Limon, PGA Operations & Membership Director 303-996-1588

Scott Minta

Tournament Director 303-996-1590

Erinn Lopez

Business Development & Special Events Director 303-996-1594

Annie O'Donnell

Finance Specialist 303-996-1595

Davyon Collins

PGA WORKS FELLOW 303-996-1592

Christian Lovallo

Marketing, Communications & Digital Content Coordinator 303-996-1589

Samantha Crawford Junior Golf Director 303-996-1597

PGA REACH Colorado

Golf In Schools By the

President's Message

The end of the 2022 golf season has come to a close for some already, with many others to follow soon. Far too often we spend more time in reflections and review, however, I would suggest we take far more time to set the course of what is to come. I can only suspect that each of our properties has once again seen remarkable activity from golf, player development, merchandise operations, F&B – you name it, we should all be eating it up (every pun intended). It would be all too easy to simply reap the rewards without putting into place the very programs needed to continue this amazing run. Like any business, if you don’t prepare for the future hurdles or slump, you will be certain to struggle greatly when they occur. Luck favors the prepared.

For example, our recently crowned COPGA Section Champion Micah Rudosky, PGA not only prepared and trained for excellent shots buts also for those that strayed a bit – not often, but it happens. The same may be said for the COPGA as it could be argued we strayed a bit but like Rudosky - we recovered nicely to achieve success. The changes made at our CEO/ED level with Steve Bartkowski have opened doors, engaged and created opportunities and partnerships previously unimaginable. Tournament purses have increased nicely with far more expected in 2023 and beyond – so too are records for the REACH Invitational combined with the Schomp BMW Cup and others allowing for the highest net revenue ever achieved for our Foundation. Likewise, if you have interacted with our Section staff, you will see, hear and feel the difference in each of them.

There is so much more to be done to continue the COPGA future successes which are designed specifically to assist with your future successes. The questions are, 1) Are you preparing yourself and 2) Are you preparing your property for what is to come? After all, we each determine our continued success by the steps we take now to ensure the future of golf at our properties and in the Colorado Section. Each of these achievements prepares our Section for acceleration into the future, so buckle up!

Personally, I want to extend my congratulations to our 2022 COPGA Award Winners (and those nominated) as well as to each of my fellow PGA Professionals and those aspiring to be. YOU are what make the Colorado PGA. It has been an honor to serve you alongside with my fellow Officers, Board of Directors, Trustees, Partners, Sponsors and our amazing staff – here’s to the future of the Colorado PGA!

Jim Hajek, PGA

jhajek@cityofgolden.net

P (303) 277-8752

C (303) 746-7416

Staying True to Our Mission & Vision

It is amazing to think that September is coming to a close and October is just around the corner. I am excited to be able to get together with many PGA Professionals, special guests, and partners at our Fall Membership Meeting on October 10th followed the next day by the Annual Teaching and Coaching Summit. A big thank you to our PGA Professional host site staff at Heritage Eagle Bend GC for their gracious hospitality.

I believe good things come to those that work hard, but also it comes to those that spend time focusing on what you can control in your life and business. Wasting time on things that are out of your control, or don’t benefit the majority long term, is only going to slow down your progress and hinder your success.

Anyone who has viewed the PGA Badge ad knows about the many hats PGA Professionals wear throughout their careers. Many of the positions in the golf business have a lot of moving parts and spending your time and energy on what you can control is so very important. That is the same for our leadership and team in the office at the Section level. My goal is to continue to keep us focused on being the best possible Section for our PGA Members and community by being the very best at what we can control and what we do well.

Some of those specific areas that we can control on a Section level is creating a culture that excites us to come to work everyday, gathering tangible information about employment to raise the standard of living for our PGA Professionals, enhancing the experiences and purses for our tournament players, adapting our governance models to the standards of the world today, providing relevant education and professional development opportunities, collaborating with our allied associations to ensure the golf industry continues to trend upwards, and creating a sustainable junior golf and player development model that focuses on our PGA Members on both the front and back end. I look forward to sharing the progress we continue to make on many of these areas this October when we all gather together.

CEO Message

Returning and new partners have been excited to engage and re-engage in their support of Colorado PGA Members. Please continue to be on the lookout for many of our valued partners at our events, through our digital communication, and on our social media.They are looking to invest heavily in our PGA Members and Section, so I urge you to support these companies and sales representatives that are supporting us. A full list of our Section Partners can be found here. Foundation Partners can be found here.

Thank you to all Colorado PGA Members, friends, and partners of the Section that have made the last 6 months so welcoming for me. It is an honor to sit in this seat and I look forward to seeing what the future holds.

Respectfully,

Steven Bartkowski

CEO/Executive Director

Colorado PGA sbartkowski@pgahq.com

P (303) 996-1593

Pictured: Team TaylorMade, Micah Rudosky & Steven Bartkowski following 3 days of play at the Section Championship.

District 9 Director's Message

Well, we have officially made it to Labor Day and the unofficial end of Summer. I know Colorado, like Utah will still have many beautiful Fall days but hopefully life will slow down a little bit after another busy Summer. The game continues to thrive as rounds and revenue are at all time highs in most of our District.

Last month I had the opportunity to attend the grand opening of our new Home in Frisco, Texas. Being able to watch the construction in Frisco has been a highlight of my board tenure. I have no doubt that Frisco will be the modern hub of golf in the United States. With a state-of-the-art headquarters and education center, as well as world class golf courses, Frisco will be a destination for not only our members and associates but golfers around the world. If you haven’t had the chance to watch the YouTube video of our new building, I would encourage you to do so.

The first week of November will be the annual meeting of our association. While it is an election year, this year appears to be different than most with only one official candidate still on the ballot. Tony Martinez and Dan Pasternak both have chosen to withdraw from the campaign leaving Nathan Charnes the lone remaining candidate. I was fortunate to serve with Nathan for two years in the boardroom and I have full confidence in his abilities as an officer of the PGA of America.

The other item that we are looking forward to at the annual meeting is the roll out of the deferred compensation plan. This is a retirement system put in place for our membership like a 401K program. After many meetings with the IRS our association was final given approval to offer this benefit to members. At the annual meeting in Scottsdale the plan is to unveil to the membership the process for earning points which will translate to dollars in a retirement account. The hope is that members can enroll during the 1st quarter of 2023 with a start date in the second quarter of the year.

Please know that I am available should any of you wish to discuss any issues in our association. I feel my job as District Director is to represent the Colorado Section and our district in the board room. I look forward to being with you all at your fall meeting next month. Thanks for all you do to continue to grow this great game.

Jared Barnes, PGA District 9 Director PGA of America Head Professional Cedar Ridge Golf Course

jbarnes@pga.com

Tournament Updates

RUDOSKY SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE

Thornton, Colorado, September 21, 2022

In true Colorado fashion, weather for day three of the 2022 Colorado PGA Professional Championship was nothing short of interesting. With a 30 degree drop in temperatures on the range this morning, and intermittent rain throughout the round, a 2022 Champion was crowned: Mr. Micah Rudosky, PGA of Conquistador Golf Course!

I've ever been." It's evident his longer tee shots certainly paid off. The other pay off? The purse. "I can't believe to see the money we played for this week, and what Club Car, and all of our Championship partners have done to help. They stepped up big for us, and 'wow' is truly the only thing that came to my mind."

Rudosky's final round consisted of four birdies and only one bogey, allowing him a comfortable stroll down 18 and ultimately a 3-shot victory. He will head back to Cortez, Colorado with the $12,000 winners check and the Ralph "RIP" Arnold Memorial Trophy given out to the Section Champion each year.

Multiple players qualified for the 2023 PGA Professional Championship for the second year in a row, including, Rudosky, Ben Lanting, PGA Assistant Professional at Bear Creek Golf Club, Chris Hyten, PGA Assistant Professional at Castle Pines Golf Club, Doug Rohrbaugh, PGA Instructor at River Valley Ranch Golf Course, Matt Schalk, PGA Director of Golf at Colorado National Golf Club, and Geoff Keffer, PGA Assistant Professional at Lakewood Country Club.

Rohrbaugh stated, "I have only missed one PGA Professional Championship since 2007." Playing at the level needed to qualify for the National Club Pro for 15 years running is a significant accomplishment. Rohrbaugh showed that strong play again this week with rounds of 7072-71 for a tied-for-fourth finish at 3-under-par.

Firing rounds of 69-70-69, for an 8-under-par total, Rudosky's win today marks the third of his career. "10 years ago, this course (Todd Creek Golf Club) ate me upto be able to come out here this week and put together three great rounds was great!" said Rudosky on his victory. "To be apart of the small group of players who have won 3 or more times, is special. It feels really good." Having taken home his first Colorado PGA Championship title back in 2001, "Ha, I mean, why is it that it's taken 20 years to figure it out? I'm hitting longer off the tee than

Qualifying along with Rohrbaugh was Bobby Quarantino, PGA Head Professional at West Woods Golf Club. Quarantino qualified for the first time since 2015 and only the second time ever. "I had just played in another event at Old Baldy, which was a nice little warm up for it and I had a little better feel for what I was doing." Quarantino stated. He definitely had a good feel for his game this week as rounds of 75-70-71 led to an even par finish and a tie for the 9th. Quarantino secured the final qualifying spot after a two hole playoff with Bill Hancock, PGA Assistant Professional at Meadow Hills Golf Course.

The

Section

Qualifying for the first time in 11 years was Jason Witczak, PGA Instructor at The Club at Pradera. Witczak mentioned, "The strongest thing working today, (and all week), was my mind, my mind was different than it has been in years past." Witczak posted rounds of 74-70-71 for a 1-under-par total and an eighth place finish.

Another player who qualified for the first time was Grant Jackson, PGA Assistant Professional at Saddle Rock Golf Course. Jackson said, "I drove it pretty well and a lot of times it left me with a wedge in my hands." Jackson took advantage of all the wedges into the greens, carding 11 birdies for the week and posting rounds of 71-70-72 for a 3-under-par total and a tie for fourth.

The field was competing for a total of nine qualifying spots into the 2023 PGA Professional Championship set to take place April 30 - May 3, 2023 in Santa Ana Pueblo,

Doug Rohrbaugh, PGA | River Valley Ranch Golf Course

Matt Schalk, PGA | Colorado National Golf Club

Grant Jackson, PGA | Saddle Rock Golf Course

Geoff Keffer, PGA | Lakewood Country Club

Jason Witczak, PGA | The Club at Pradera

Bobby Quaratino, PGA | West Woods Golf Club

Alternatives,

Bill Hancock, PGA | Meadow Hills Golf Course

Ben Honaman, PGA | Lakewood Country Club

Dan O'Shaughnessy, PGA | Springhill Golf Course

Jeramy Curry, PGA | The Links Golf Course

Bryan Winkel, PGA | Colorado National Golf Club

Those nine will also be joined by one other Colorado PGA professional who was previously exempt, Sherry Andonian, PGA of Valley Country Club.

GOLF PROFESSIONALS MAKE

LIFE LONG GOLFERS

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THE COLORADO PGA IS REVAMPING THE JUNIOR GOLF SCENE ACROSS THE STATE IN 2023, SCAN THE QR CODE BELOW:

Colorado PGA Welcomes Christian Lovallo

The Colorado Section of the PGA of America brings a new face to the staff as Christian Lovallo joins the section as the new Marketing, Communications and Digital Content Coordinator. Christian will be tasked with helping to tell the story of the 850 Colorado PGA Members and the golf and community programming they conduct through the states of Colorado, Wyoming, and South Dakota.

Director of the Colorado PGA.

After receiving a BA in Political Science and minoring in Technical Writing from James Madison University, Christian decided to shift areas of study and found a passion for communications and creating multi-media digital content. While in school, Christian was first exposed to golf through caddying and immediately knew he wanted to make a career out of the sport.

Christian has interned as a P.J. Junior Boatwright with the Washington State Golf Association and the Pacific Northwest Golf Association and more recently come’s to Colorado following a communications position with the South Florida PGA Section.

"I think golf is the greatest sport in the world and ever since I've found my place within golf, I've aimed to always grow the game and make it something anyone and everyone can benefit from. The Colorado PGA is a place I know I can continue to accomplish this."

“We are excited to bring Christian on to the team. Christian comes highly recommended and brings a level of passion and excitement for his role, the game of golf, and the PGA Professionals. I am confident that we will see a continued enhancement of communication both internally and externally through all mediums such as email, social media and video content, said Steven Bartkowski,” CEO/Executive

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Learn why top courses across Colorado are moving to FLAGD Golf

Augusta National Bound

By

Colorado is on quite a roll with the Drive, Chip & Putt competition this year.

Five-plus months after a record four Coloradans competed in the DCP National Finals at Augusta National on the eve of the Masters — and Sophia Capua of Aurora won the chipping portion of the national title for her age group — two more in-staters qualified on Sunday for the 2023 National Finals.

Jacob Eagan of Castle Rock (boys 7-9 division) and Brady Shaw of Pueblo (boys 10-11) punched their tickets to the nationally televised competition by winning overall regional titles on Sunday at Castle Pines Golf Club. They become the 11th and 12th different Coloradans to qualify for the DCP National Finals, which were first held in 2014. Previously competing in the event at Augusta National were Caitlyn Chin twice (2016 and ’19), Luke Trujillo (2016), Arielle Keating (2016), Kaden Ford (2018), Chunya Boonta (2019), Grady Ortiz (2019), Capua (2022), Matai Naqica (2022), Anthony Chen (2022) and Judd Nikkel (2022).

“That means a lot. It’s amazing,” Eagan said of joining the list of DCP National Finalists from Colorado.

“It feels awesome,” Shaw added.

In all, eight age/gender division winners who competed at Castle Pines will be headed for the National Finals, set for Aug. 2 at Augusta National Golf Club, which the following week will host the Masters. At ANGC, 80 golfers in all will compete in driving and chipping in the practice area, then the putting on the 18th green of the famed course.

At Castle Pines, Shaw was the only overall regional champion of a division to also win all three of the individual disciplines. Not surprisingly that led to him posting the largest victory margin of the day, 32 points. The next-largest was

Augusta National Bound Continued

Eagan in boys 7-9, 29 points.

“I had a lot of confidence going into this,” the 11-year-old Shaw said. “I’m just so excited” to have qualified.

JShaw estimates he’s attempted to qualify for the Drive, Chip & Putt four times, but before Sunday he had never made it past the sub-regionals, the second of the four stages of the event.

But, “My game has been getting a lot better,” he said.

That showed with his overall tally of 159 points, a personal best in the DCP. In the competition, points are aggregated for the three events, in which each competitor hits three balls per discipline. Shaw was most proud of his last drive, which traveled 237 yards down the first hole at Castle Pines.

“My head was really good,” Shaw said. “My mental side was really. good.”

As for Eagan, few players in Sunday’s competition had a shorter trip to the regional site as he lives about 10 minutes away, on the Plum Creek golf course. In fact, his dad said a person could literally see their house from where the qualifying was taking place near the driving range at Castle Pines.

“It’s very fun (to compete in regionals) close to home,” Jacob said. “There’s not a lot of traveling, so that’s good.”

But whether he had a trip of 10 or 1,000 miles, it would have been worth it to earn a spot at the National Finals. Not only did Eagan claim the overall title in his division, but he was tops in both chipping and putting.

“I’m feeling so excited,” said the 9-year-old, who noted that he’s been playing golf since about the time he learned to walk. “It’s just amazing. (Augusta National) is such a special place. Driving down Magnolia Lane has been the biggest dream so far in my life. It’s so cool to finally accomplish it.”

This puts the cap on a summer season in which Eagan finished sixth in his age group at the prestigious IMG Academy Junior World Championships, and placed second among Americans.

In addition to the overall and individual event championships earned by Shaw and Eagan, other Coloradans who landed individual event titles on Sunday were Madelyn Dickerson of Aurora (driving and chipping in girls 7-9), Jameson Ross of Castle Rock (driving in boys 7-9), Jace Lane of Parker (driving in boys 12-13) and Landry Frost of Colorado Springs (chipping in girls 12-13).

This year, Castle Pines is serving as one of 10 DCP regional qualifying sites around the country. The former home of the PGA Tour’s International (1986-2006) and the future site of the 2024 BMW Championship, Castle Pines finds itself in very good company among prestigious clubs hosting regionals. Also on that list are Pebble Beach Golf Links, Medinah Country Club, Desert Mountain, Qual Hollow, TPC Boston, Oak Hill, Scioto, The Bears Club and Champions Golf Club.

Augusta National Bound

Colorado, which didn’t host its first DCP regional qualifier until 2019, when Colorado Golf Club broke the ice, had Castle Pines do the honors for the first time. A barbecue for the players and their families was held on Saturday night, then about 30 Castle Pines members were among the volunteers for Sunday’s competition.

“Castle Pines Golf Club is honored to host this event and our membership is thrilled,” said George Solich, the chairman and president of CPGC. “Our club is all about the game of golf and the history of the game of golf. We care about it deeply and we want to be part of something very special that Augusta National and the PGA of America and the USGA have come together and collaborated on. And I think the kids and their parents are really having a great time here.”

Colorado, which didn’t host its first DCP regional qualifier until 2019, when Colorado Golf Club broke the ice, had Castle Pines do the honors for the first time. A barbecue for the players and their families was held on Saturday night, then about 30 Castle Pines members were among the volunteers for Sunday’s

“Castle Pines Golf Club is honored to host this event and our membership is thrilled,” said the chairman and president of CPGC. “Our club is all about the game of golf and the history of the game of golf. We care about it deeply and we want to be part of something very special that Augusta National and the PGA of America and the USGA have come together and collaborated on. And I think the kids and their parents are really having a great time here.”

DCP is sponsored by the Masters, the USGA and the PGA of America. In Colorado, the Colorado PGA conducts the event with the help of numerous volunteers and courses/clubs. The competition is limited to players 7-15.

Here are the age/gender division regional champions from Castle Pines, where 96 kids competed on Sunday:

ADVANCE FROM CASTLE PINES GC TO 2023 DCP NATIONAL FINALS AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL GC (Points: Drive-Chip-Putt—Total)

Boys 14-15 — Sander Ohe, Edina, Minn. 69-45-65–179

Girls 14-15 — Saydie Wagner, Alpine, Utah 68-55-31–154

Boys 12-13 — Charlie Haney, Manhattan, Kan. 63-36-55—154

Girls 12-13 — Reese Barry, Medina, Minn. 43-40-50—133

Boys 10-11 — Brady Shaw, Pueblo 49-55-55—159

Girls 10-11 — Natalie Martin, Park Rapids, Minn. 43-35-36—114

Boys 7-9 — Jacob Eagan, Castle Rock 39-60-45—144

Girls 7-9 — Anna Midyett, Bennington, Neb. 30-530-41—121

Junior League Recap

PGA Jr. League Post Season has come to a close in Colorado. In August, the Colorado PGA hosted PGA Jr. League qualifiers and the Section Championship. Any 13U team was welcome to try to qualify for the Championship by competing in one of 3 qualifiers hosted at Spring Valley Golf Club, Pinery Country Club, and Collindale Golf Course. The top four 13U teams and all 17U teams advanced to the Section Championship hosted on August 21, 2022, at the Pinery Country Club.

Jason Witczak’s 13U EJGA Bombs and 17U EJGA Bombs claimed the 13U and 17U Section Championship Titles. They earned their spots to represent the Colorado PGA at the Region 10 Championship at Firewheel Golf Park in Garland, TX.

Also representing the Colorado PGA at the Regional Championship was Kelli McKandless’s KMG18 @ SV 17U Team. The KMG18 @ SV 17U Team qualified for the Semi-Finals of the 17U Championship.

Congratulations to all PGA Jr. League participants for a great season. Thank you to all our PGA Professionals who hosted a team, as we had 3,013 PGA Jr. League participants this 2022 season.

That's a Wrap on 2022 Junior League!

DID YOU KNOW that PGA HOPE will serve 7,500 Veterans in 2022 and 30,000 per year by 2026? Help us change the lives of Veterans across the U.S.

PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), a national PGA REACH (501-c-3) program, is on a mission to change the lives of Veterans through the game of golf to enhance their physical, mental, social, and emotional well being

With every drive, chip, and putt, Veterans across generations are using the game to build camaraderie and to apply golf to life's biggest challenges.

On average, it costs $200 to graduate a Veteran through PGA HOPE, which includes eight weeks of instruction by a PGA Professional, all golf course and range access fees, adaptive equipment, and more Most of all: the invaluable life skills our Veterans will experience through the game of golf.

Together, with your support, we can impact the lives of our nation's heroes. Commit to giving with a purpose by donating to the PGA National Day of HOPE campaign (Oct. 11 - Nov. 11). BE THE DIFFERENCE.

PGA HOPE aspires to create a physically and emotionally healthier Veteran community by shaping lives, changing lives, and possibly saving lives through the game of golf.

Reviews, Relationships, & Roadmaps

“It’s performance review day. Last year my performance review started with Michael asking me what my hopes and dreams were and ended with him telling me he could bench press 190 pounds. So I don’t really know what to expect.”

-Pam Beasley | The Office

I love The Office, and I love Michael Scott. His heart of gold outshines his human resources failures, but that doesn’t make the situation any easier for Pam during a critical human capital function. Pam’s quote sums up the challenges and angst that many of us feel when it comes to performance reviews. The unknown begets distress, and Pam’s comments may very well reflect the anxiety on both sides of the review table. Let’s break down her comments:

“It’s performance review day. Last year….” It’s likely that we’re talking about annual reviews, and it suggests that this is the one time each year that the topic of performance is discussed, as opposed to a continuous culture of communication, trust, relationship building, and development.

“...started with…asking me about my hopes and dreams and ended with him telling me he could bench press 190 pounds.” While the previous discussion started down a positive path, it deviated along the way and lost sight of the focus of the discussion. When there is no plan, it’s easy to get off track.

“So I don’t really know what to expect.” I had a mentor once tell me that if you didn’t know what to expect going into a review, then it was as much your fault as it was the fault of the person doing the review. Lack of communication goes both ways.

That feeling of “I don’t really know what to expect” is often a source of stress and discomfort that can lead to people reverting to the comfortable but useless practice of just going through the motions during what could be a very productive and positive conversation about development and performance. In its worst manifestation, it can lead to complete avoidance of the uncomfortable situation as a whole. The number of clients I work with who report not having consistent feedback and reviews with or from their team or leadership is disheartening.

So let’s consider some of the sources of the angst that surrounds these delicate conversations and consider how you can work to solve them further upstream

Relationships - When we’re discussing performance and development, we’re talking about an important part of people’s work personas. In order to have constructive conversations around delicate topics, there has to be trust between the parties. Do both parties believe the other side has their best interests at heart? A relationship without trust is no relationship at all.

Roadmap - A much wiser man than I once said, “If you aim at nothing, you hit it every time.” Is there a plan to follow in these discussions? Do both sides understand and agree with where the roadmap of development should lead? Are there milestones and agreed-upon expectations by which they can assess success? Without a roadmap, you’ll never know if you’re headed in the right direction.

PGA Regional Director's Message

Repetition - Is this a one-off event? Or is there consistent communication between parties and a culture of continuous improvement? How about checkins along the roadmap that allows for smaller corrections before large adjustments are necessary at an annual review? Lack of scheduled, consistent, and timely feedback often leads to one or both sides being surprised come review time.

Remuneration - (that’s fancy for compensation, but you see what I did there…) - Often, annual reviews set the framework for discussions around compensation. Do both sides understand the market value of the services being provided? Do both sides understand the financial position

of the company? Can either side tie performance to metrics that impact the bottom line? Without research and data, everybody is guessing and opinions are often colored by perspectives that are not based on fact.

I hope to help create an enviornment where team development and culture are at the center of the ecosystem and success radiates outward from there. If I can help you set the framework for a review process that leads to better relationships, higher retention, and a more productive human capital resource, I’d be happy to sit down with you and your team.

Keith Soriano, PGA, MBA

PGA Regional Director, Mountain & Midwest Region PGA of America ksoriano@pgahq com

REACH Invitational

$100,000 Raised!

The annual Colorado PGA REACH Invitational was held on Wednesday, July 27th at Bear Dance Golf Club to raise critical funds to support youth, military and diverse programming and initiatives run by PGA Professionals across the Colorado PGA Section.

New to the fundraiser in 2022 was a pre-tournament party on the evening of July 26th at Colorado Golf Club that included keynote speaker Gary McCord and the presentation of a mortgage free home to decorated United States Air Force veteran Kevin Wallace. This is the 9th mortgage free home that PGA REACH Colorado has joined forces with Military Warriors Support Foundation to provide. In addition to the home, PGA REACH Colorado also partnered with All Things Turf to present a synthetic turf putting green to Chris Hardesty, a former United States Army Specialist and Purple Heart recipient who was presented his mortgage-free home in 2017.

Winning the invitational golf event was the team of Stephen Davis, Brian Boudreau, Bret Robinson, and James Yoo who shot a team total of 24-under par. The field included over 100 players with PGA Professionals, PGA REACH Colorado Trustees, amateur golfers and corporate partners.

Thanks to the support of all these groups, PGA REACH Colorado was able to raise over $100,000 to support future mission driven programming that supports youth, military and diverse programming across Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota.

Schomp BMW Cup

$25,000 Raised!

The annual Schomp BMW Cup, hosted by AvidGolfer, was held earlier last month at The Club at Ravenna! The players enjoyed the Pairings Party Sunday night at Eddie V's steakhouse complete with live and silent auctions benefitting PGA REACH Colorado. The following day, after a rain delay, the tournament and dinner was held. PGA REACH Colorado is pleased to share $25,000 was raised for Foundation programing!

PGA REACH Colorado Scholarships

TYLER MEYERS

Devon Puleo, PGA

KEGAN SANCHEZ

TIMBER SHEHEE

PGA REACH Colorado is once again proud to be able to support Colorado

PGA Member children and grandchildren in their academic endeavors Best of luck to all our 2022 PGA REACH h l h h future

TANNER AUSEC

Tim Ausec, PGA

EMMA BRYANT University of Denver Matt Bryant, PGA

JENNIFER GILLOTTI Concordia University Jeff Gillotti, PGA

KENNEDY JOHNSON University of North Alabama Chris Johnson, PGA

University of Colorado Boulder Randy Meyers, PGA

ASHLI NORTHERN Northern Arizona University Mike Northern, PGA

KELLEN O'DONNELL University of Colorado Colorado Springs Michael O'Donnell, PGA

AUDREY POIROT Pacific Lutheran University Chad Poirot, PGA

JACKSON PULEO Colorado State University

CALLIE RAFFERTY University of Wyoming

Jeff Rafferty, PGA

University of California Los Angeles

Ken Sanchez, PGA

University of Northern Colorado

Terra & Tray Shehee, PGA

PGA REACH Colorado Scholarships

DILLON STEWART

Oklahoma State University

Scott Stewart, PGA

LILLY WALLACE

Georgia Institute of Technology

Glenn Wallace, PGA

ABBY ZULKOSKI

Colorado State University

Rich Zulkoski, PGA

Colorado State University

Rudy Zupetz, PGA

RUDOLPH ZUPETZ

2022 Colorado PGA/Colorado Open Foundation

Golf in Schools Report

2022 Spring Impact:

11 schools participated

7 PGA Professional instructors

9 facilities hosted program field trips

1,702 kids reported participation from K 12

525 kids reported attending a field trip

30% transition rate to the golf course

2022 Fall Report:

8 schools approved for participation

5 PGA Professional instructors

6 facilities requested to hosted programs

1,407 potential kids to participate from K 12

627 potential kids to attend a field trip

44% potential transition rate to the golf course

Spring Golf in Schools applications will be sent out in middle of October

Demographics:

51% Male; 49% Female

37 2% participate in free and reduced lunch programs

48% From Diverse Backgrounds

African American 4.5%

Asian American 3 2%

Caucasian 51 9%

Hispanic 34.5%

Multi racial 5%

Native 6%

Pacific Islander 0.3%

New Members & Associates

NewMembersandAssociates

TheColoradoPGAwelcomesandcongratulatesnewmembersandassociatestotheSectionandtothePGAof America!Forsome,thisisthefirsttimetheyhavejoinedourSection,whileothersmightbereturning

Members

Connor Burke | A-8 | Red Sky Golf Club

Jackie Cunningham | A-8 | Lakewood Country Club

John Jenkins | A-11 | UCCS

Jason Lee | A-9 | GOLFTEC Headquarters

Austin Miller | A-8 | Coal Creek Golf Course

Associates

Bryan Anderson | B-15 | PGA Superstore - Westminster

Paul DeSandro | B-8 | King's Deer Golf Club

Michael Elrod | B-8 | Plum Creek Golf Club

Ryan Gager | B-9 | GOLFTEC Headquarters

Hunter Johnson | B-8 | The Broadlands

Jeff Jones | B-8 | Hillcrest Golf Club

Glen - Michael Mihavetz | B-8 | Castle Pines Golf Club

Zach Miller | B-8 | Walnut Creek Golf Preserve

Mitch Murray | B-8 | Maroon Creek Club

Ryan Pearson | B-8 | Meridian Golf Club

Steve Russell | B-24 | The Broadlands

Joe Sachs | B-8 | Lakewood Country Club

Scott Sasser | B-1 | Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks

Charles Stary | B-6 | Optimum Golf

Lucas Webster | B-8 | Legacy Ridge Golf Course

WelcometothefollowingmembersandassociateswhohaverecentlytransferredintotheSection

JaredWold|A

BrettDotson|A

GregDillon|LM|MidwestSection

DonHurter|A

EllieSick|A

GaryMohler|RSV|GatewaySection

CalebVigil|B

BryanMarshall|A

JamesRockelman|A

AnthonyCavallo|PhiladelphiaSection

PatrickFeindt|A

JamesBoyd|A

TrevorMartinet|B

RaySowers|A

HannahBerman|B

Obituaries

Ourdeepestsympathiestothefamilieswho experiencedarecentloss.

LewLepore|LM|age89

Quarter Century Club

Celebrating 25 Years of Service as a PGA Member

Congratulations to the following for their 25 years of service!

Bryce Bervig, PGA

Life Member

Barry Milstead, PGA

Director of Golf| Valley Country Club

Michael O'Donnell, PGA

Golf Executive | Cheyenne Shadows GC @ Fort Carson

Chad Poirot, PGA

Golf Executive | TPC Colorado

Douglas C. Rikkers, PGA

Director of Instructor| Red Hawk Ridge Golf Club

Ray Sowers, PGA

Assistant Professional | Catamount Ranch & Club

Kevin Vena, PGA

Director of Golf| Pinehurst Country Club

Brett Walton, PGA

Life Member

Join us for the COPGA's annual Teaching and Coaching Summit!

Hear from guest speaker Dr. Rick Jensen, a world renowned performance coach, plus your PGA Player Engagement Consultant, Mike Aldrich, PGA Additional guest speakers include our partners, Mizuno Golf and PURE Grips.

7:30AM

8:00AM

&

Dr. Rick Jensen

1:00PM Mike Aldrich, PGA 2:00PM

3:00PM

Josh Knipp, Mizuno

Eric McCrery, PURE Grips

4:00PM

Remarks

Coaching vs. Teaching - The better business model

Let’s define coaching as a planned and committed relationship between the coach and athlete to assist with longterm development to maximize improvement, and teaching as providing individual lessons, it is clear that coaching has huge advantages from a learning perspective.

But how can coaching improve your income, use your time judiciously, and increase your value to your employer?

We will explore the chief advantages of coaching from a business perspective and help you develop a clear path for you to leverage coaching in 2023 at the 2022 Teaching and Coaching Summit on Tuesday, October 11th.

Mike Aldrich, PGA Certified Professional in Player Development has over 30 years of experience in the golf and hospitality industry. During the great recession of 2006–2008, as a General Manager, he grew revenue by a 47.8%. Most recently, he grew instruction revenue at a club in rural Tennessee from $8,000 to $104,000 in four years, while keeping his average annual hours below 1500 (30 hours per week).

Mike Aldrich, PGA Certified Professional

Player Engagement Consultant PGA of America maldrich@pgahq.com

Player of the Year Point Lists

Dow Finsterwald Colorado PGA Rolex Player of the Year

1 2

Player

Ben Lanting

Geoff Keffer

Jason Witczak

Grant Jackson

Doug Rohrbaugh

Caine Fitzgerald

Matt Schalk

Micah Rudosky

Robert Grall

Visanu Tongwarin

Barry Milstead

Sherry Andonian

Jeramy Curry

Devon Pilkington

Christopher Hyten

Dan Sniffin

Mike Weingartner

Facility

Bear Creek Golf Club Bear Lakewood Country Club

The Club at Pradera Saddle Rock Golf Course

Golf at River Valley Ranch

Meadow Hills Golf Course

Colorado National Golf Club Conquistador Golf Course Colorado National Golf Club

Legacy Ridge Golf Course

Valley Country Club

Valley Country Club The Links Golf Course

Todd Creek Golf Club Castle Pines Golf Club Omni Interlocken Golf Club Walnut Creek Golf Preserve

The top 17 Players will earn an exemption into the CoBank Colorado Open in 2022.

Colorado PGA Women's Player of the Year

1 2 3 4

Player

Sherry Andonian

Katie Milstead

Alexandra Braga

Stefanie Ferguson

Rylie Tanoura

Jackie Cunningham Meghan Hunter

Facility

Valley Country Club

Valley Country Club Denver Country Club

Experience Golf

The Fox Hill Club Lakewood Country Club Fort Collins Country Club

Senior Colorado PGA Rolex Player of the Year

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Player

Doug Rohrbaugh

Micah Rudosky

Matt Schalk

Ron Vlosich

Barry Milstead

Bill Hancock

Rick Cole

Chris Johnson

Bill Hancock

Brian Gott

Facility

Golf At River Valley Ranch Conquistador Golf Course

Colorado National Golf Club Life Member

Valley Country Club Meadow Hills Golf Course Life Member

Valley Country Club Country Club at Woodmoor Gott Golf

Colorado PGA Associate Player of the Year

1 2 3 4 5 6

Player

Andrew Connell

Blake Kuzava

Camille Enright

Brandon Wood

Behrod Keshtavar

Justin Carlock

Brian Larson

Jackie Cunningham

Dan Augustine

Josh Dunahoe

POY Points 7,138.96 6,352.20 5,077.50 4,993.58 4,287.93 4,223.00 3,591.50 3,320.00 3,308.88 2,987.46 2,641.71 2,627.09 2,504.83 2,487.37 2,402.00 2,362.57 2,318.58

Facility

The Ridge at Castle Pines North Bear Creek Golf Club

The Club at Ravenna Saddle Rock Golf Course Todd Creek Golf Club

RainDance National Golf Course Cherry Creek Country Club Lakewood Country Club The Club at Ravenna Steamboat Golf Club

POY Points 3,727.09 1,199.47 710.50 450.00 274.00 250.00 184.00

POY Points 6,992.93 6,364.00 5,371.50 5,109.49 4,958.71 4,591.50 3,355.73 3,340.37 3,185.67 3,097.66

POY Points 4,359.78 2,174.48 2,087.50 1,659.46 1,454.40 944.50 894.00 893.00 805.50 727.50

With partly cloudy blue skies and temperatures in the mid 70’s, Vail, Colo. created a stunning backdrop for the 2022 Colorado PGA Women’s Championship. The Championship, open to female PGA and LPGA members and associates, was hosted at Vail Golf Club on August 8th and 9th.

Through the first nine of the 36-hole tournament, Camille Enright of The Club at Ravenna sat atop the leaderboard, posting a 2-under 34, followed closely by Kelli McKandless, Spring Valley Golf Club, at 1-under. Day one concluded with Enright holding firm to her lead, carding four birdies on her way to a 1-under 71 for the day. McKandless settled one back at even par 72 after 18.

Following the day one round, players and caddies enjoyed a happy hour hosted at the Vail Golf Club restaurant, Grill at the Gore. The mountain scenery, food and drinks created for a fun evening of mingling with fellow golf professionals!

Day two brought a hard-fought battle for the leaderboard. Sherry Andonian, PGA, Valley Country Club,

who at in 3rd place after day one with a 75, came into day two with the attitude to make a run at Enright and that’s what she did; carding the low round of the day with a 2-under 70. Combined with her day one 75, Andonian finished 1-over for the tournament, taking home second place! Another competitor who made a run for leader was Samantha Crawford, Colorado PGA Junior Golf Director. Crawford’s 77-73–150 earned her a well-deserved third place!

Despite the strong efforts, no one was able to catch Enright’s lead! She may have stumbled on the front nine during day two, posting 3-over, and came back with vengeance on the back nine. Enright ended her day with 3-under for the final nine holes, carding an even-par 72 for the day. What a recovery! Enright’s dominant 71-72–143 1-under-par for the tournament resulted in her first Colorado PGA Women’s Championship win during her first Championship appearance!

A Dallas, Texas native and 2021 Denver University graduate, one of Enright’s goals she set for herself this season was to win this tournament: “It feels really

2022 Women's Championship

Continued

awesome! This was one of my goals for the year. Being brand new to the section, I wanted to come out and make a statement like ‘hey, I’m here to play’”. Her D1 collegiate golf career surely set her up for success during highly competitive tournaments, such as the Colorado PGA Women’s Championship. That was evident from her levelheaded attitude this week. Going into day two, her mindset helped her game, stating, “It felt really good to be the low round and shoot under par [on day one]. It wasn’t super easy out there; the greens are what really set it apart. I only hit 11 greens but putted and chipped really well. I figured if I led after day one, why can’t I do it again? I played within my game and didn’t get ahead of myself."

Thank you to the PGA Team at Vail Golf Club, Alice Plain, PGA, Director of Golf, and Nathan Mead, PGA, Head Golf Professional, for their support in hosting this outstanding tournament. As shared by Enright, “as a golf professional, you don’t always have the opportunity to play a lot, so it’s just super awesome to have the opportunity to play and enjoy being in the moment in the mountain scenery in Vail”. Additionally, thank you to our partner, Adidas, for gifting golf shoes to all the competitors!

2022 Assistant Championship Tournament

Four-Time Champion, Geoff Keffer, PGA, Adds a Fifth to His Record

Thorncreek Golf Course in Thornton, Colorado, played host to the 2022 National Car Rental Colorado PGA Assistant Professional Championship on August 15th and 16th. The top three finishers, and three alternates, in this two-day, 36-hole tournament qualified for the 46th National Car Rental PGA Assistant Professional Championship.

On day one of the two-day Championship, 2021 defending Champion Ben Lanting, PGA, Bear Creek Golf Club, continued his dominant play in Section tournaments. With six birdies, Lanting finished the day with a 2-under-par 70. Tied with Lanting was Andrew Connell, Ridge at Castle Pines North. Connell managed only two bogeys in a round with five birdies, earning him 2-under 70. Another notable round came from Camile Enright, The Club at Ravenna, who won the Colorado PGA Women’s Championship just last week at Vail Golf Club, finishing 1-over for the day. Rounding out the day was Robert Grall, Colorado National Golf Club, finishing the day atop the leaderboard. Grall carded an impressive 4-under 68!

Day two of the Assistant Professional Championship began with a dramatic start. With only two groups having the chance to tee off, a thunderstorm rolled in with heavy rain and lightning in the area. A stoppage of play was called, and we were under a delay for roughly two hours. Once the bulk of the storm passed, a modified shotgun with tee times for the four leading groups went off at 10:30 am, starting on hole 10.

In a very competitive and close round, the winner couldn’t be identified early in the day. Some impressive rounds came from Behrod Keshtavar, Justin Carlock, and Jeff Carter. From Meadow Hills GC, Carter carded a 68 for day two following his T7 day one finish. His two-day score of 143 landed him a playoff spot for the final alternate position along with Lanting and Christopher Hyten, Castle Pines GC. Lanting won the 3-way playoff to earn that final alternate position! Carlock, RainDance National, finished the tournament 2-under solo fifth, earning himself the second alternate spot. Following his day one 71, Keshtavar, Todd Creek GC, stayed competitive in round two. Finishing tied at 3-under with

2022 Assistant Championship Tournament

Continued

Grall, the two headed to a playoff to battle for the final qualifying spot. Keshtavar pulled ahead, claiming the third and final qualifying spot!

Connell and Geoff Keffer, Lakewood CC, stayed neck and neck for most of the tournament. Keffer’s round one landed him T2 with Connell after 18, both carding 2under 70’s. Playing similarly to day one, Connell carded five birdies and only two bogeys in search of the Championship title. The two stayed tied at 6-under for most of the round. It wasn’t until the last few holes that Keffer pulled ahead; Connell finished with a 3-under 69, 139 two-day total. Paired with Keffer’s day-one 1-under, his remarkable day-two 5-under 67 earned him his fifth Colorado PGA Assistant Professional Championship title! Reflecting on his fifth Championship win, the current record, Keffer jokes, “Just means I’m old! I’ve been in the same job for a long time. Ben [Lanting] was making a run at my record, so I had to put that a little further out”. Keffer also shared that his putting and “taking care of the par fives' ' made all the difference today; “yesterday, I didn’t make a single putt. So seeing a couple go in early

Thank you to the PGA Team at Thorncreek GC, including Head Professional Ryan Bakken, PGA, superintendent Doug Fisher, and their staff. We thank our national presenting partner, National Car Rental, and our supporting partners, the PGA Tour, John Deere, and Srixon/Cleveland/XXIO, for their support and continued partnership with this Championship.

The Top-4 qualifiers from this championship qualified for the 46th National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship, set to be played on November 17th-20th in PGA Golf Club (Wanamaker Course) in Port St. Lucie,

Qualifiers, in order:

Geoff Keffer, Lakewood CC: 71-67–138

Andrew Connell, Ridge at Castle Pines North: 70-69–

Behrod Keshtavar, Todd Creek GC: 71-70–141

Alternates, in order:

Robert Grall, Colorado National GC: 68-73–141

Justin Carlock, RainDance National Golf Resort: 7270–142

Ben Lanting, Bear Creek GC: 70-73–143

Schalk Claims First Senior Title in his First-Ever Appearance 2022 Senior Championship

What a difference a day makes; excellent scoring conditions during day one turned to warm and windy during round two. The Club at Flying Horse’s North Course set the backdrop for today’s second and final round of the Colorado Senior PGA Professional Championship. This brand new facility, opening in 2020, proved to be an exciting challenge for the final round as fast and firm conditions led to only five players breaking par, compared to nine on day one and only eight players finishing under-par for the two days, all of which earned qualifier spots.

Two of the three players shooting the lowest day one scores of 66 remained competitive during the second round. Those two players were Micah Rudosky, PGA, Conquistador Golf Course, and Doug Rohrbaugh, PGA, Golf at River Valley Ranch, and the third, Doug Montgomery, PGA, Gott Golf, who finished the Championship in the second alternate position. While Matt Schalk, PGA, Colorado National Golf Club, started the day one back after his day one 67 and stayed within touching distance of the lead all day.

Coming into the par five 18th hole, Rudosky needed a birdie to tie Schalk’s clubhouse lead, after Schalk birdied the final hole to post 6-under, while Rohrbaugh came to the final hole even par on the day and needing a par to stay at 6-under and join the playoff. Rohrbaugh’s tee shot went into the right rough, resulting in him choosing to hit a provisional. After locating his original ball deep in the rough and unable to take relief, Rohrbaugh needed three more shots to reach the green, leaving himself a 12 foot putt for par. Rohrbaugh missed the par putt to fall out of first place, ending his round at a 1 over par 73 and a two day total of 139 and a solo third place finish. Rudosky’s 2nd shot into the par 5 landed on the fringe of the green, leaving him with a 25-foot putt to win the championship. His eagle effort looked good the entire way before liping out and finishing four feet away. He calmly stroked home the birdie putt to force the playoff with Schalk.

The playoff began on the exciting drivable par 4 17th hole, measuring 312 yards. “I hit it right of the green in regulation and made par,” Schalk stated, “So I committed

2022 Assistant Championship

Continued

to a better line off the tee wanting to knock it on the green.”

Knock it on the green he did, hitting one of his best shots of the day to 4 feet for a potential eagle. Rudosky’s tee shot landed in the right greenside bunker, which he splashed out to 5 feet and sunk the birdie putt, setting the stage for Schalk to win the championship with his eagle. The pressure didn’t affect him as he sunk his left to right eagle putt and claimed victory!

Walking off the green with a huge smile on his face Schalk shared he’s finished runner-up about five times in the Colorado PGA Professional Championship, where he lost in playoffs during several of those, so clearly relieved to finally host the trophy after a Section Major Championship.

“To play in my first Senior Section Championship and get the W, I’m super happy,” Schalk stated, “I didn’t get off to a good start but settled in after my eagle on 10 and felt much better, but 3-putted 15, fortunately was able to birdie 18 to stay in it and force a playoff”. When asked how he felt heading into the playoff, Schalk suggested that he remained calm and collected, commenting, “you know, I wasn’t too stressed for this one. I talked to my daughter before I went out there and she’s a good player and she said, ‘dad, you better win this one’”

Thank you to the PGA Team at The Club at Flying Horse, General Manager Glenn Wallace, PGA, Director of Golf Jacob O’Dell, PGA and 1st Assistant’s Justin Vaughn and Mack Borowicz, PGA. A thank you to our national presenting partner, Cadillac, supporting partner Golf Channel and the PGA Tour for their support and continued partnership of this Championship.

The Top-8 qualifiers from this championship qualified for the 2022 Senior PGA Professional Championship, set to be played on October 13-16, 2022, at Twin Warriors & Santa Ana Golf Clubs in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico. Congratulations to the following eight qualifiers and five alternates, in order.

Qualifiers, in order:

1. Matt Schalk, Colorado National GC - 67-71–138 *

2. Micah Rudosky, Conquistador GC - 66-72–138

3. Doug Rohrbaugh, River Valley Ranch - 66-73–139

4. Grant Jackson, Saddle Rock GC - 68-72–140

T5. Michael Zaremba, Desert Hawk at Pueblo West - 7270–142

T5. Perry Holmes, Colorado National GC - 69-73–142

T7. Mark Avery, The Ranch CC - 74-69–143

T7. Chris Johnson, CC at Woodmoor - 72-71–143

* Won in Playoff

Alternates, in order:

9. David Arbuckle, Life Member - 68-77–145

10. Doug Montgomery, Gott Golf - 66-80–146

T11. Dan O’Shaughnessy, Springhill GC - 72-75–147

T11. Brian Gott, Gott Golf - 75-72–147

T11. Ron Vlosich, Life Member - 71-76–147

you to

Supporting

PGA REACH Colorado