2021 Professional of the Year Steve Watt, PGA

2021 Iowa PGA IPGA Golf Professional of the Year

Steve Watt, PGA

Steve Watt of Glen Oaks Country Club has been named the 2021 Iowa PGA Golf Professional of the Year. The Golf Professional of the Year Award is the highest honor paid to an Iowa PGA Golf Professional. The honoree is chosen based on leadership abilities that stand above the rest, contributions made to their facility’s success, and excelling as an overall golf professional at the Iowa PGA Section level.

Watt began his career as a Golf Professional at Hillcrest Country Club in Long Grove, IL as an Assistant Professional 2000 to 2001. Watt later learned many retail skills at Quality Golf/Golfzilla in Coralville, Iowa from 2003 to 2006. He then worked as an Assistant Professional and 1st Assistant Golf Professional at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona from 2006 to 2012. Watt become a Class A PGA Member in the PGA of America in September of 2008. He then moved onto Phoenix Country Club as Head Golf Professional from 2013 to 2014. In 2015 Watt was hired as the Director of Golf at the Glen Oaks Country Club in West Des Moines, Iowa where he continues to serve the membership in that capacity.

Along with the Glen Oaks Investment Group, CEO Jeff Strahl and Golf Course Superintendent Chris Coen, they led a course renovation beginning in 2015 that was completed in 2017 for membership play. Watt continues to lead his Professional Staff team as they administer high-level membership tournaments, instruction, programming and Professional Shop merchandising.

“Steve is always working towards the next level to enhance his career specifically through the PGA. He has excellent skills when it comes to merchandising and he received the Merchandiser of The Year award at Glen Oaks Country Club. His business planning and organizing skills are outstanding,” said PGA Professional Darin Justice in his nomination of Watt for this award.

With Watt’s leadership in the golf operations, they have hosted many Iowa Golf Association (IGA) and Iowa PGA Section events. Along with the IGA they hosted the USGA Mid-Am Qualifier (2019), US Open Qualifier (2018) and 4-Ball Qualifier (2015). This includes Drive, Chip & Putt (DCP) sub-Regionals (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021) and along with the PGA Jr League Regional Championship in 2019. They have hosted the Iowa PGA Section Championship as well as the Iowa PGA Foundation Pro-Am (2015, 2019, 2020 and 2021).

Jim Sinclair, in his letter of recommendation stated, “Steve is also extremely organized. The golf tournaments at our club have great pre-event communication, start on time, keep up the pace of play, and finish with fun-filled roundups in the clubhouse while the scores and prizes are tabulated and awarded. Steve has had his team running like a well-oiled machine at EVERY tournament I have participated in throughout his tenure at Glen Oaks.” Watt has served on the Iowa PGA Section Board since 2017. He is currently the Iowa PGA Section Secretary and will move into the Vice President role in October of 2021. He has been the co-Chair of the Education Committee since 2017. As Secretary, Watt, is the Chair of the Membership and Governance Committee.

When asked on what this means to win this award Watt responded with, “To receive the call from JR (Awards Chair) the other day was an extremely humbling and proud moment all at the same time. It is an absolutely incredible feeling to be able to be recognized in this capacity as the Golf Professional of the Year for 2021. To spend the time and to work so hard in and around the game I love so much is what I want to do and all I could ever imagine doing for a career, and to recognized by my peers and fellow Professionals is just so incredibly special to me. This is the ultimate highlight in my career and I am so thankful for the opportunity Glen Oaks Country Club has provided me with. I am truly honored and proud! Thank you.”