The Professional: Junior Golf Edition

Middle Atlantic PGA

Vol. II - Issue II

The Professional Junior Golf Edition

In This Issue...

Billy Hurley III Senior PGA Champ.

TopGolf Tourney The Professional

Denny McCarthy Slice Types President’s Letter Page 1

zzz

FROM THE PRESIDENT

MATTHEW SCHULZE, PGA SECTION PRESIDENT

-2017-

Junior Golf Edition Spring has arrived in full force and hopefully everyone is ready for a fantastic season of golf in the Middle Atlantic.

For our second edition of the MAPGA Professional presented by Celtic Golf in 2017, we are focusing on junior golf. The MAPGA has been very involved in the next generation of golfers and 2017 will be no different. I would like to congratulate Jaron Leasure, Catherine Qiu, Ian Walters, and Matt Moloney for representing the MAPGA at this year’s Drive, Chip, and Putt Finals on Sunday April 2nd at Augusta National. Hopefully you were able to watch some of the coverage and encourage your juniors to sign up to qualify this summer for the 2018 Finals.

Here at Kingsmill, we enthusiastically hosted our 2nd Kingsmill Championship Junior Invitational in April. Congratulations to Teddy Zisner (E) and Caroline Curtis (+1) for winning the overall boys and girls titles, respectively. They are fine young players and we hope to see Caroline out here at our LPGA event in future years!

Please take some time to review information about this year’s MAPGA Junior Tour and Mini Mulligans Tour placed inside this e-magazine. Our Mini Mulligans tour has expanded to Richmond and includes more events for new golfers trying to get involved in the sport.

We are also excited to announce a few new invitational events in conjunction with some Tour Players. First on the schedule, we have a new partnership with PGA TOUR member and former US Naval Academy golfer Billy Hurley. He will play host to the Billy Hurley II Junior Championship at the US Naval Academy GC on July 31-Aug 1. There will be a few ways to qualify for the event.

Next, also a new partnership, is with former MAPGA Junior Golfer and current Web.com Tour Player Denny McCarthy. In early September (9-10), we will be hosting the inaugural Denny McCarthy Invitational at Argyle Country Club. As we look to expand our invitational tournaments, our goal continues to be getting more juniors playing in more MAPGA events!

I would like to thank all of our PGA Professionals for helping grow the game and supporting these MAPGA Junior Golf initiatives. If you are interested in helping grow these initiatives or have other ideas, please do not hesitate to reach out to myself, the Board, or the staff.

Layout & Design Ethan Brady Contributing Writers Bob Heintz,Thomas Hutton, Mark Russo, Matthew Schulze

The Professional

And lastly, please make sure to come out and support the Senior PGA Championship at Trump National DC over Memorial Day weekend. With five of our very own playing in the tournament along with volunteers on the practice facility and a Pro-Am the day after the tournament, the MAPGA has a lot to be proud of!

Please make sure to visit MAPGA.com for the latest junior golf information and all MAPGA news and enjoy this edition of the MAPGA Professional presented by Celtic Golf.

Matthew Schulze, PGA

Page 2

The Professional

Page 3

zzz

Skylar Sload, 17, tees off on the first hole of the 2017 Kingsmill Championship Junior Invitational The Professional

Page 4

Caroline Curtis (center) & Naomi Mitchell (left) finished 1st and 2nd at the Kingsmill Jr. Invitational.

The Professional

Teddy Zisner (1eft) & Everett Whitten Jr. (right), joined by MAPGA Pres.

Matthew Schulze, finished 1st & 2nd.

Page 5

zzz

mapgajrgolf The Professional

Page 6

NEWS. EVENTS. FEATURES.

+

The Professional

Page 7

ATLANTIC LE D

A PG

MI D

zzz

The MAPGA Junior Golf Program is expanding in 2017. With the recent hire of PGA Apprentice Will Martindale, the MAPGA is happily adding to the number of programs it is running for the upcoming year. In 2017, we are excited to announce two new invitational tournaments, a Parent/Child tournament, and an increase in the number of Junior Tour and Mini Mulligan tournaments.

Billy Hurley III Junior Championship – July 31-Aug. 1 The MAPGA has partnered with PGA Tour Player Billy Hurley III in the Inaugural Billy Hurley III Junior Championship at the U.S. Naval Academy Golf Course July 31-Aug. 1. This event will feature some of the Middle Atlantic’s best junior golfers in a competitive invitational format with three separate open qualifiers for juniors.

Billy Hurley III is the PGA Tour’s 2016 Quicken Loans National Champion and grew up in Leesburg,Va. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2004 and then went on to serve in the Navy for five years. During those 5 years he was a Surface Warfare Officer on a destroyer in the Persian Gulf protecting Iraqi oil platforms.

After finishing, he turned his focus back to golf and continues to play on Tour today.

Denny McCarthy Invitational – September 9–10 The MAPGA also has partnered with Denny McCarthy in the Inaugural Denny McCarthy Invitational. McCarthy (a MAPGA Junior Tour Alum) is currently playing on the Web.com Tour. One of the most decorated golfers from Maryland, McCarthy and the Middle Atlantic PGA are excited about the new partnership. Although McCarthy has a vigorous schedule in 2017, we have selected a date that works with his schedule to also attend the event.

Parent/Child Classic @ TopGolf Loudoun – June 4 The MAPGA is proud to introduce the Parent/Child Classic at TopGolf Loudoun on Sunday, June 4 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. This event is designed to be a fun and interactive way for families to enjoy the game of golf. TopGolf is an excellent way for golfers of all ages and skill to compete on the same level as well as spending some quality time with the family. The teams will be able to enjoy 30 minutes practice time, three games (Top Golf, Top Chip, and Top Pressure) complimentary brunch, and prizes!

Expansion of Other Programs The MAPGA Junior Tour is celebrating it’s 20th year and is proud to expand the number of one day tournaments in the summer from 29 to 32 in 2017. This tour is designed to introduce kids 10-18 to tournament golf.

In 2016, the MAPGA created a series of events in the Virginia Beach and Williamsburg area called “Southern Swing.” With the help of PGA Professional Dan Shea, we are bringing it back in 2017. This year we will have four 9-hole events in the July/August timeframe for kids 6-18. Along with these events, we will also be hosting a twoday event at Cahoon Plantation in late July.

Two years ago, the MAPGA introduced the Mini Mulligan program designed for kids 6-9 years of age playing up to six holes. In 2017, the MAPGA will increase the number of tournaments from 10-15, including four events in Richmond and a season-ending championship at Chantilly National G & CC. Last year the MAPGA partnered with the Peggy Kirk Bell Junior Tour (All girls tour) and started a fall series including six one day tournaments. This year, the two organizations will increase the number of events to 10, starting May 13 and ending October 1-2.

The Professional

Page 8

MINI

MULLIGANS JUNIOR TOUR AGES 6-9

J U N E

J U L Y

A U G U S T

22

COUNTRY CLUB OF VIRGINIA | RICHMOND, VA.

27

NEEDWOOD GOLF CLUB | DERWOOD, MD.

23

POOLESVILLE GOLF CLUB | POOLESVILLE, MD.

28

FIRST TEE OF CHESTERFIELD | CHESTERFIELD, VA.

BRAMBLETON GOLF CLUB | ASHBURN, VA.

27

SPRINGFIELD COUNTRY CLUB | SPRINGFIELD, VA.

12

CROFTON COUNTRY CLUB | CROFTON, MD.

28

CLIFTON PARK GOLF COURSE | BALTIMORE, MD.

19

ROCK CREEK PARK | WASHINGTON, D.C.

31

INDEPENDENCE GOLF CLUB | MIDLOTHIAN, VA.

25

MEDAL OF HONOR GOLF CLUB | QUANTICO, VA.

3

THE FEDERAL CLUB | GLEN ALLEN, VA.

9

ARMY-NAVY COUNTRY CLUB | FAIRFAX, VA.

4

ROLLING ROAD GOLF CLUB | CATONSVILLE, MD.

15

CHANTILLY NATIONAL | CHANTILLY, VA.

8

U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY | ANNAPOLIS, MD.

6

REGISTER AT MAPGA.COM

The Professional

Page 9

zzz

2017 MAPGA J Junior Tour June 19

Suburban Club

July 20

PB Dye Golf Club

June 22

Northwest Golf Club

July 20

Forest Greens Golf Club

June 23

Laytonsville Golf Club

July 24

Elkridge Club

June 26

Hidden Creek Country Club

July 24

Winchester Country Club

June 27

1757 Golf Club

July 25

Shenandoah Valley Golf Club

July 5

Univ. of Maryland Golf Club

July 26

Univ. of Maryland Golf Club

July 7

Sparrows Point Country Club

July 27

Springfield Golf & Country Club

July 10

Chantilly National Golf Club

July 28

Clifton Park

July 10

Crofton Country Club

July 31

Glenn Dale Golf Club

July 11

Andrews Air Force Base

Aug. 1

Raspberry Falls G&CC

July 13

The Bay Club

Aug. 2

U.S. Naval Academy Golf Club

July 14

Ocean City Golf & Yacht Club

Aug. 7

Montgomery Country Club

July 17

Reston Golf Club

Aug. 7

Piedmont Country Club

July 18

Turf Valley Golf Club

Aug. 8

Montclair Country Club

July 18

Augustine Golf Club

Aug. 10-11

MAPGA Jr.Tour Champ.

July 19

Musket Ridge Golf Club

The Professional

Page 10

Junior Events

REGISTER

Two-Day Tournaments May 20-21

Cherry Blossom Classic

Univ. of Maryland Golf Course

June 29-30

Middle Atlantic Jr. PGA Champ.

U.S. Naval Academy Golf Club

July 31-Aug. 1

Billy Hurley III Junior Championship

U.S. Naval Academy Golf Club

Aug. 19-20

2017 Capital Cup

Old South Country Club

Sept. 9-10

Denny McCarthy Invitational

Argyle Country Club

Drive, Chip & Putt June 3

Talbot Country Club

Easton, Md.

June 8

Farmington Country Club

Charlottesville,Va.

June 11

Bayville Country Club

Virginia Beach,Va.

June 13

Manor Country Club

Rockville, Md.

June 15

Evergreen Country Club

Haymarket,Va.

June 21

Fox Hollow Golf Center

Timonium, Md.

June 28

Lakeview Golf Club

Harrisonburg,Va.

June 30

Virginia Golf Center

Clifton,Va.

July 7

Little Bennett Golf Club

Clarksburg, Md.

July 26

Univ. of Maryland Golf Club

College Park, Md.

The Professional

Page 11

zzz

Billy Hurley III and the MAPGA Foundation are excited to announce a new junior golf tournament, the Billy Hurley III Junior Championship. This two-day, 36-hole event will take place on July 31-Aug. 1 at the U.S. Naval Academy Golf Course.

“I am both honored and excited to partner with the MAPGA to host this junior championship,” said Hurley, winner of the PGA Tour’s 2016 Quicken Loans National. “I want to give back to the game of golf and partnering with the local PGA Section will make this event a big success.”

The Championship will feature junior golfers ages 12-18 with one boys division and one girls division.

(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) Multiple exemptions into this tournament are listed below, but a unique aspect of the event is there will be 10 special military exemptions from military golf courses within the MAPGA region. For players who do not receive an invitation, the MAPGA will be running two open qualifiers prior to the Championship on May 20-21 and July 11.

Military families hold a special place in Hurley’s life as he served 5 years active duty as a Surface Warfare Officer which included time on a destroyer in Persian Gulf protecting Iraqi oil platforms.

Hurley is also the only veteran on the PGA Tour.

“We could not be more excited to run this event in partnership with Billy Hurley III,” said Matthew Schulze, President of the Middle Atlantic PGA. “Our goal continues to be running quality junior golf tournaments in our area and having the support of a PGA Tour winner is something that will make this event extremely special.”

After round one on July 31, Hurley will be on site to interact with the players and run a free clinic. This clinic will be open to any junior that plays in the event and see Hurley up close hitting golf balls.

More information will follow on a specific time for this clinic.

The Professional

Page 12

The Professional

Page 13

Photo via TopGolf

zzz

Parent/Child Classic 3 GAMES - BRUNCH - PRIZES TopGolf Loudoun | June 4 - 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

The Professional

Page 14

The Denny McCarthy Invitational September 9-10, 2017 Argyle Country Club | Silver Spring, Md.

Tournament Info.

The Professional

Page 15

zzz

TH

MAP

5

The Professional

Page 16

HE

PGA

5 The Professional

Page 17

zzz

The MAPGA will be repre KitchenAid Senior PGA Ch local Professionals and l

MAPGA: What is your teaching philosophy?

JE: My teaching philosophy encompasses a holistic approach that focuses on improvement of performance by addressing such factors such as a physical assessment, a skills assessment, mental approach, and course management. I believe that a player should swing according to their body type rather than fighting natural tendencies.

Jim Estes Olney Golf Park Olney, Md.

MAPGA: Tell Championship you expecting TL: This is my Major. I’m ex lot of activity

MAPGA: Tell us about the SMGA. JE: My childhood friend Jamie Winslow and I cofounded the Salute Military Golf Association in late 2006. We both saw first-hand the positive force the game of golf could play in the recovery process for our nation’s wounded veterans. SMGA began with the purpose of creating a therapeutic outlet for post-9/11 veterans undergoing prolonged medical treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland.

Tim Lewis The Pines GC Newport News,Va.

MAPGA: Wh challenges at T TL: From wh complexes ar get at the ho our ball strik winning scor the weather will be aroun

MAPGA:What does it mean to you to play in the Senior PGA Champ in your home Section?

RS: First, it’s an incredible privilege to play in a Major.

The thought of playing in a Major in your home section is as good as it gets. To be able to play in front of family, friends and members will be very comforting and a first for me.

Rick Schuller Stonehenge GC Richmond,Va.

MAPGA: Tell us about your previous Senior PGA Championship experiences.

RS: I have had the pleasure of playing in and making the cut in the last two Sr PGA’s. Both experiences were fantastic!! Both were nerve racking but exciting! The most gratifying feeling was the respect and acceptance that was shown to me by the stars of the champions tour.

FULL INTERVIEW

The Professional

Page 18

esented by five, Section Professionals at the 2017 hampionship. Below you can learn more about these link to their full Q&A sessions on MAPGA.com.

MAPGA: What are you expecting your first Senior PGA Championship to be like?

BM: I expect the tournament to be more than anything I have played in. At the same time, I expect it to be just like every other tournament.

l us about your previous Senior PGA p experiences. If this is your first, what are g it to be like? y first tour event, let alone being a Sr. xpecting a big circus, lots of people with a y all on TV.

hat do you think will be some of the Trump National DC? hat I hear it sounds like the green re pretty severe. Need to be able to ole from the proper angle. Which means king better be solid. I think last year the re was around 18-19 under par. Without being a factor, I think the winning score nd 12-14 under par.

Brendan McGrath Hidden Creek CC Reston,Va.

MAPGA: Why did you decide to become a PGA Member?

What does the MAPGA mean to you?

BM: I had a real job. Loved most of it. I didn’t love computers, I loved golf. After playing golf for a couple years I decided to go into the business. I thought the best future path was to get the membership, similar to a college diploma. It isn’t the answer, but it rarely hurts. The MAPGA is the only section I have ever been associated with. I have been a member for 22.5 years. We have wonderful members and a staff that I think the world of.

FULL INTERVIEW

FULL INTERVIEW

MAPGA: What does it mean to you to play in the Sr. PGA Champ in your home Section?

RT: To play in a Major Championship is a dream come true. To have the event in your own section is beyond any dream. It’s going to be amazing to play in front of family and members of Burning Tree Club.

Ricky Touma Burning Tree Club Bethesda, Md.

MAPGA: When qualifying last year, was there any added pressure knowing that the event was in the Middle Atlantic Section?

RT: There was a lot of added pressure for me. I have been lucky enough to play in 2 US Senior Opens and because my mother was sick, my father couldn’t travel to watch. So, I felt this was a chance for them to be able to come out.

FULL INTERVIEW

The Professional

Page 19

zzz

Identifying Slice Types With Mark Russo, PGA

The dreaded slice is something that plagues so many of the golfers we see on the lesson tee on a daily basis. It’s really incredible how common this ball flight issue is for so many of them, and how difficult it is for them to find a real solution. As an instructor, you can have a huge impact on the amount of fun a student has on the golf course if you can simply find a way to turn that slice into a draw. That solution really begins with finding what “type” of slicer they are so that you can then begin to cure the underlying fault.

In my opinion, there are two types of slicers: “face” slicers and “sequence” slicers. The face slicer is someone who, at the top of their swing, has a tremendous amount of “cup” in their left wrist (for right handed golfers), and the face of the club points almost 90 degrees to the right as you look at their swing from down the line. These golfers absolutely are swinging the club over the top and slicing the ball in response to a very open club face, as this is the only way for them to get the club face pointed somewhere left of the target line at impact.

As an instructor, you must get the club face more closed in their swing and get it closed as early as possible, even in the takeaway. If you can get them to feel the club face pointed at the ground early in the downswing, more at the sky at the top, and then looking away from them in the early downswing, you will see incredible changes in their club path through impact and their ball flight. Look at Dustin Johnson’s club face movements as a great example to show them. Don’t be afraid to exaggerate it to get results!

The other type of slicer is the sequence slicer. This golfer has a club face at the top that looks good and is not too open, but their kinematic sequence on the downswing is out of order, and the upper body goes first, throwing the club outside and across the ball. They can hit big pulls, hard slices, or strike the ball heavily on the toe of the club. The sequence slicer needs to feel the lower body move first with some pressure into the left foot, then the hips, with the club coming down last into the ball. A good image for this golfer is to feel like they are standing on a clock face, with the ball sitting on the ground between the 10 and the 2, but when they hit the ball the club needs to approach from the 3 and out to the 10, creating an in to out path. This works great for visual learners. If your student learns through feel, have them try loading up into their right heel in the backswing, and moving their pressure into the left toe through impact. Moving their pressure in this manner can create an amazing change in the club path and get rid of that awful slice and maybe even create a few draws.

One final note on slicing – if you aren’t checking where the student is hitting the ball on the face you should do that first before changing anything else. It may surprise you how easy it can be to fix a slice if it’s simply a ball being hit on the toe or the heel of the club!

The Professional

Page 20

The Professional

Page 21

zzz

The Professional

Page 22

The Professional

Page 23

zzz

If you are interested in contributing to The Professional, contact Ethan Brady at ebrady@pgahq.com

The Professional

Page 24