The Middle Atlantic Professional
Newsletter Date: July 2015
The e-newsletter of the Middle Atlantic PGA Inside This Issue:
With Professional events, junior events, Drive Chip & Putt, and other fun golf clinics… the golf President’s Perspective: Managing the Business Side of season for MAPGA facilities is in full swing. We here at the MAPGA Section Office hope Section Direction: Busy everyone has had a very active season so far, Summer Continues for Section Staff and continued success into the fall! Eyes on Employment: Focused on Customers Player Development Discussion: Defining Player Chapter Chat Important Upcoming Dates: August 13-16 PGA Championship – Whistling Straits August 17-19 MAPGA Professional Champ – Congressional CC August 31 – Sept 1 Sr. Champ, Qtr Cent. Champ, Sr PC – Homestead Resort September 7 Labor Day – Office Closed September 8 Central Chap Fall Mtg & Pro Ast - GC at Lansdowne September 14 Northern Chap Fall Mtg & ProAst – Oake Creek GC September 14 Southern Chap Fall Mtg & ProPro – Richmond CC September 17 Senior Open of Virginia – CC of Virginia (Westhampton) September 21 Head Pro & Teaching Pro Champ. – Washington G&CC
President’s Perspective: Managing the Business Side of Operations MAPGA Members & Apprentices,
In this ever evolving industry, the PGA Professional is not only expected to play the game well, but also to manage the business side of the operation. Your future promotions, job opportunities and compensation will be directly related to how well you can accomplish goals and guidelines set forth by a Board of Directors or CEO of your club. Everyone that is currently part of or just entering into the PGA organization can play the game at a high level. I believe you need to set yourself apart from the average PGA Professional to get that promotion or bonus you want and deserve. Modern day leaders of industry, whether it be the Head Golf Professional of a club or CEO of a major corporation, need to have
some basic knowledge of marketing, leadership and finance. There are a number of ways to increase your knowledge base in any of these areas. Additional schooling is always a way to stay ahead of the game and gives you the insight to be able to ask the right questions to accomplish your goals. Remember, you do not have to be an expert in all fields but as a leader you must be able to ask enough questions to be confident in the results to make an accurate decision. Additionally, ask to sit in on Board meetings, committee meetings, financial meetings and Department Head meetings to gain experience in the areas that you are not completely proficient in. This also gives you some additional benefits. It gives you, as a professional, exposure to the business members of your club and the opportunity to understand how the “outside world” business mind works. The additional
knowledge that you gain will be invaluable in your current profession or any direction you decide to pursue in the future.
Remember, as a leader, before you make any decision regarding your business, ask yourself one question – “Is the decision I am going to make GOOD FOR THE BUSINESS?” You want your first decision thoughts to be made with your head and not your heart. It doesn’t mean that this is the decision you have to go with but at least you have thoroughly thought through that decision. (Cont. on page 2…)
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President’s Perspective cont. Finally, with Labor Day just a little over a month away, so is Patriot Golf Day. Your Section’s Board and officers thank each of you that have registered your club, course or facility to support Patriot Golf Day and The Folds of Honor Foundation. If you haven’t registered, there’s still time! Our Section is about the middle of the pack among the 41 Sections in having Middle Atlantic PGA professionals register their facilities to support the men and women serving our country through Patriot Golf Day. Our Section has always set the standard so let’s raise the bar in 2015! If I can ever be of assistance, I’m always available by email at jmrbgcc@aol.comor by phone 703-759-2640. Enjoy the rest of your summer!
MAPGA Board of Directors OFFICERS President John Madden, PGA River Bend Golf & CC
John Madden, PGA Growing this great game President, Middle Atlantic PGA jmrbgcc@aol.com ; 703-759-2640
Vice President Matthew Schulze, PGA LPGA Kingsmill Championship Secretary J.P. Lunn, PGA Sabre Golf Honorary President John Malinowski, PGA Ocean Pines Golf & CC
DIRECTORS Mark Beran, PGA Butch Butler, PGA Brian Dix, PGA Peter Gardner, PGA Lynne Hunter, PGA John Lyberger, PGA Jeff Maynor, PGA Josh Tremblay, PGA Andy Weissinger, PGA
Great Turnout for First Annual Military Pro-Am The MAPGA was proud to organize the 1st annual Military Pro-Am Presented by Lockheed Martin
at the Courses of Andrews this week, and was able to raise over $30,000 for The Folds of Honor Foundation and the MAPGA Junior Golf Foundation. Aided by generous sponsors, we brought together 18 teams with each team consisting of 2 Active Duty military personnel, 1 MAPGA Professional, and 2 sponsors. Each team played a scramble format and had a wonderful day of camaraderie and fellowship, concluding with a dinner and guest speaker Samantha Novack describing the true power of the scholarship she was awarded through the Folds of Honor. The hope is to make this into an annual event and grow the event in every way in 2016. Special thanks to host PGA Professional Ron Johnston and GM Mike Thomas for their extraordinary support of this event
CENTRAL NORTHERN SOUTHERN
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Section Direction: Busy Summer Continues for Section Staff Your
Section Staff has been busy this summer, just returning from a week of State Opens, Junior Golf events practically every day as well as Drive, Chip & Putt local events (the last two locals are this week). I am continually impressed, as I hope you are too, with the dedication and diligence of our MAPGA staff.
are in the middle of the search WHAT’S NEXT? process for a replacement. We hope to have a new employee on -DCP qualifying moves to the subregional stage with the top board by August 15th or so. three children from each age group of the local qualifiers SHOUT OUTS advancing to either River Bend -Congrats to Billy Hoffman, PGA of Club (August 6) or Salisbury CC Westwood CC on a great month (August 12). The top two from of July. First, he defeated twoeach age group at those time defending champion Faber qualifiers, plus other subJamerson to win the MAPGA regionals in North Carolina, Match Play. Then, a week later, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, he was low professional (behind will advance to the Regional only three-time champion Denny (one of 10) at Congressional CC McCarthy, an amateur) at the on September 20. At Maryland Open at Columbia! Congressional, the top boy and Great playing, Billy . girl from each age group advance to Augusta National next April!!
I had a chance to drive up to -We have 180 members Philadelphia in late June to registered for the MAPGA watch a few rounds of the PGA Professional Championship at Professional National Congressional Country Club on Championship. Philly Cricket August 17-19. I hope you all Club is an impressive facility, and are looking forward to the allure The PGA runs this like a Tour of playing the famous Blue and event. Our 14 MAPGA Gold courses, and testing your Professionals represented us so mettle against your peers. well. It was great to see them in -Congrats to apprentice Steve Based on our numbers, 180 that element, with GolfChannel Jenkins of Stonehenge CC for his players earned us 12 spots into televising all four rounds. performance as low MAPGA pro the 2016 PNC (plus exempt Congrats to all of o ur at the Delta Dental State Open of past champions Wayne participants, and the process Virginia. He finished T-6th DeFrancesco & David starts all over again in August against a strong field of Hutsell). With the added money (see below). amateurs and mini-tour and PGA Tour sponsorship, our very early estimate is a purse of You may have heard that Stacey professionals at Ballyhack GC. $65,000. S m i t h , o u r D i r e c t o r o f -Special shout outs to Bob Dolan Operations, has decided to move and his staff at Columbia, and home to Michigan and leave the Joe Zaleski & Aaron Dooley and MAPGA. While we are sad she is their staff at Ballyhack, as both Very respectfully, leaving and will miss her very did a superb job in hosting each much, we are also happy for her State Open. I was fortunate to that she will be close to her be at each event, and both were Jon Guhl family. We wish Stacey nothing handled with class and were in Executive Director but the best in her new Michigan exceptional shape! home! With that being said, we
MAPGA Staff (540) 720-7420 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jon Guhl, ext. 125 DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS TBD TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR Jeremy Greiner, PGA, ext. 124 JUNIOR GOLF DIRECTOR Bob Heintz, ext. 128 PLAYER DEVELOPMENT Liz Cooper, PGA ext. 116 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR Kelly Lawson, ext. 126 COMMUNICATIONS Eric Southard, ext 101 TOURNAMENT INTERN Cassie Lowell, ext 115 JUNIOR GOLF INTERNS Claire Connolly Claire Castetter Michelle Goda
Recap from Maryland Open and Delta Dental State Open of Virginia Denny McCarthy, from Argyle Country Club, rode a second straight 3-under-par 67 to his third Maryland Open championship in six years, finishing with a 54-hole total of 204 at Columbia CC in Chevy Chase, July 15. Four MAPGA Professionals finished in the top 20, including Billy Hoffman, PGA of Westwood CC who continued his impressive season as he finished in second place, two shots behind McCarthy. Pleasant Hughes, PGA of Chevy Chase Club finished T8, Patrick Hinch from Mountain Branch Golf Club finished in 17th place, and Rick Schuller, PGA of Swaders Sports Park finished T18. Click HERE for full results.
Lanto Griffin of Blacksburg, Virginia went wire-to-wire to claim the 2015 Delta Dental State Open of Virginia at Ballyhack Golf Club in Roanoke, VA. Griffin shot two-under par for his final round and finished at 12-under par overall. Three-time defending champion, Jay Woodson, finished tied for second place at -6 overall along with Evan Beck and Justin Young. Young finished low amateur. Steve Jenkins of Stonehenge Golf and Country Club shot a four-under par 68 in his final round to finish T6. To view the entire leaderboard, please click HERE.
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Eyes on Employment: Focused on Customers Visiting hundreds
of facilities over the past several years, I have gained an appreciation for the uniqueness of each one. Facilities in the same geographic area with similar fee structures often have very different cultures. One may have evolved to a magnet for low handicap players, the other may attract younger professionals with amenities geared to the entire Don Sweeting is an family. Others set a tone which Employment Consultant for the PGA attracts and nourishes a mature membership. Still others may be a of America. blend.
He can be contacted at One common challenge, regardless dsweeting@pgahq.com of the culture however, is the (704) 440-8025 necessity to attain “operational
EMPLOYMENT CHANGES Simplify your life and submit your employment changes electronically through the PGA's ONLINE CHANGE FORM at PGALinks. Electronic submission is fast and helps you avoid any applicable fines by reporting changes within ten days of your new status.
efficiencies” while delivering a “customer intimate” experience. In response to business realities most facilities have become more operationally efficient and have made great strides in forecasting revenues and controlling costs. They have done this through a variety of means including a greatly expanded use of technology. But, more than ever, golfers still appreciate, require and respond to the personal touch on which golf courses have built their reputation. No matter what technology systems have been put in place, or new efficiencies which reduce expenses, no matter how good the golf course,
or how enticing the merchandise, it can all be overshadowed by service that fails to meet customer expectations.
best for clubs. The first man, when asked what he was doing responded; “I’m making big rocks into little rocks.” When asked the same question, the second replied; “I’m helping build a cathedral.” This man felt his job was an important part of a larger goal and approached his duties with a sense of pride.
The lesson is particularly applicable to the club environment where ultimately, what the golfer wants is to feel at home and welcome. That A good meal without friendly service being a given, isn’t customer service is unlikely to receive glowing reviews. everyone’s job – no matter their job A round of golf played while grounds title? staff buzz around in maintenance vehicles is hardly the peaceful respite most envisioned when they scheduled their round. Likewise, a well merchandised golf shop or wellrun event means little if the staff has forgotten their role as ambassadors. Listening to board members, general managers, superintendents, golf professionals and golfers who constantly look to improve the experience at their club reveals a While the battle for efficiency is renewed emphasis on “high touch” never-ending, PGA professionals should not lose sight of new and customer intimate service. renewed ways to make their Of course, the term “team building” customers the focal point of their has been around so long it runs the efforts. risk of being a cliché. Perhaps the aphorism of the two men working in a medieval stone quarry sums it up
Apprentice Term Life Insurance Effective July 1, 2015, apprentices have Term Life insurance coverage.
The annual premium of $34 was included with the annual dues for fiscal year July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016. The insured's benefit is based upon age at the time of death: Under Age 35 = $15,000 and Age 35 and over = $10,000. One of the requirements of having a life insurance policy is to designate primary and/or contingent beneficiary (ies). It is extremely important that the beneficiary designation (s) be provided in a timely manner.
Please CLICK HERE now to access the electronic form. The beneficiary (ies) designated on this form will remain in effect until such time as you notify the PGA of America, in writing, of any changes. Feel free to contact the Membership Services Department at (800) 474-2776 with any questions.
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Player Development Discussion: Defining Player Development Player Development is a term that has become popular in the past few years.
Way back when I became a PGA Member (in the last millennium), we used to go to a county park and run a one-day Clubs for Kids program for about 500 youth. We would entertain a great group of kids, give them a cut-down club, provide about 2-3 minutes of instruction, and then send them to the food tent for a hotdog and an ice cream. Certainly this event created some new junior golfers and increased the engagement of some existing golfers, but I’d imagine that for the majority of the attendees, it was just an entertaining afternoon for the kids without any obvious next step. This was considered “Player Development” at the time.
In recent years, player development became synonymous with creating new adult golfers through Get Golf Ready. Certainly this has created some new golfers and brought a whole new understanding of the barriers that keep people learning the skills from actually becoming avid golfers. It revealed the flaw in teaching only the skills of golf; by Mike Aldrich, PGA is adding the elements of etiquette, rules and culture into the instruction, we added important subjects. By knowing the Player how to make a tee time, to arrive at the course 30 minutes before your tee time, and how to care for the course, Development Regional Manager for many of the potentially embarrassing moments for a first time golfer were eliminated. More importantly, by providing multiple on-course experiences, the golf course loses some of its intimidating mystique. D.C., MD, & VA. He can be contacted In the past two years, we have seen the popularity of PGA Junior League Golf explode in the Middle Atlantic PGA. We at (703) 728-9033 finally have a model that is similar to other recreational youth sports. On every Little League Team there is a skilled, maldrich@pgahq.com. athletic All-Star Pitcher as well as a kid who is happy chasing butterflies in right field. (Cont. on Page 7….)
The Middle Atlantic Professional—July 2015 2014 Professional—November
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Player Development Discussion Cont. With PGA Junior League Golf, not only is there room for both types of player, but the amount of mentoring that occurs between older, better golfers and the younger, less-skilled is unprecedented in youth sports. These are examples of “products” within player development and each can have an amazing impact on rounds and revenue at your facility. In simple terms, player development is providing a suite of instructional and playing opportunities to meet the needs of many different types of golfers. Someone who is interested in trying golf for the first time needs a different type of lesson than a ten handicap who has played the game for twenty years. Also, they both want opportunities to play the game on the course, but there may be little similarity between how the two visualize this. The new golfer may want to play with the PGA Professional so they can feel safe on the course, while the experienced golfer may want a $5 Nassau. See the attached chart for some ideas that your fellow PGA professionals have offered for all four categories of players. At each level of the chart both the engagement and the play products are different and designed for the student’s ability level. When the student participates in programming that is designed for their ability level they are more likely to continue their journey learning the game. Think about picking up a new sport or activity. Would you be more willing to continue learning and participating if the instruction were geared to your ability or to someone who is more advanced than you? You can chose to take four simple steps to close the gap between what you currently offer and what your golfers actually want.
If you would like to discuss how this can be implemented at your facility, please contact Mike Aldrich, PGA 703-728-9033 maldrich@pgahq.com or Liz Cooper, PGA/LPGA 540-720-7420 lcooper@pgahq.com
Inaugural Player Development Grant Awarded to Eight MAPGA Members The
Player Development Committee met and determined the recipients of the inaugural Player Development grant funding to help grow their business and programs while developing golfers and growing the game. This year was the first time MAPGA professionals had the opportunity to apply for Player Development Grant Funds. The Committee reviewed the eighteen applications that were submitted and granted a total of $15,000. Congratulations to the following Player Development Grant Recipients: Gary Haught, PGA; Carl Filipowicz, PGA; Michael Dreyer, PGA; Alan Smith, PGA; Glenn Payne, PGA; Troy Thorne, PGA; Dan Stepnicka, PGA; and Janet Phillips, PGA
PGA’s Program Manager supported by Active Networks is your one-stop marketing source for successful player development programs. SIGN UP TODAY!!
The Middle Middle Atlantic Atlantic Professional—July Professional—November The 2015 2014
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Central Chapter Update by President Josh Tremblay, PGA The Central Chapter Fall Meeting & Pro-Assistant will be held on Tuesday, September 8th at Lansdowne Resort. We will be playing the RTJ Course at Lansdowne and this is the format where you can play with more than one assistant so be sure to save the date! This will also mark my last meeting as Central Chapter President as we will hold elections for the next two year slate. It has been an honor to represent the great professionals in this Chapter and to get to know professionals from all over our Section. I know that Lynne Hunter and Phil Bowers will keep the leadership going strong and I encourage professionals that are interested in getting involved to run for either a Regional Director position, Director-At-Large or Chapter Secretary. Serving the Section and the Association is a rewarding experience and I have learned so much from my fellow professionals under the leadership of Kevin Taylor, Dean Hurst, John Malinowski and John Madden. Our Section Staff does an amazing job of delivering and executing the vision that the Board sets forth and I want to continue to be involved with ensuring that our Section remains among the top in the nation. I have the support of my wife, my staff, the board and membership at Springfield Golf & Country Club to run for MAPGA Secretary this November. I am asking for your support and please know that I am here to listen to you and represent all of our best interests.
Northern Chapter Update by President Mark Beran, PGA Don’t forget to schedule and complete your matches for the Northern Chapter Match Play. Deadline to complete your match is the end of each month. Click HERE for more information including the bracket. Also, the Sunice Northern Chapter Fall Meeting and Pro-Assistant will be on September 14th at Oak Creek Club in Upper Marlboro, MD. Please click HERE for more information regarding the Northern Chapter Fall Meeting and Pro-Assistant.
Southern Chapter Update by Vice President/Secretary Peter Gardner, PGA Congratulations to Elliot Wilson, PGA Assistant Professional at Hermitage Country Club who was the low Southern Chapter Professional in the Delta Dental State Open of Virginia with his 217 total earning him a T14 finish. Also, a big congratulations to Aaron Dooley, PGA Head Professional at Ballyhack and his entire staff for being great hosts during State Open week! Southern Chapter East vs. West Challenge. This new event was on the calendar in June. It was cancelled due to lack of registrants. Some of the feedback we heard, was it was a bad time of year – everyone is too busy, or the overnight stay was too much time. So, we plan to reschedule the event in October as a one-day early afternoon shotgun. Hopefully this will spark some interest and we can all get together for some fellowship and golf. Please keep an eye out for the date. It is junior camp season at most of our clubs. Remember the Section Office has a number of inflatables such as Golfzilla available as well as SNAG golf and other resources to enhance your programs. They are available at no charge. Just get in touch with Liz Cooper, PGA at the Section Office to make arrangements. September is right around the corner (hard to believe!), and that means Fall Meeting time. Please mark September 14th on your calendar and get registered for the meeting and Pro-Pro at Richmond Country Club. This is an election year, so a great turnout is important. Also, if you are interested in running for office please contact Matthew Shulze, PGA of the Nominating Committee to get yourself on the slate! I hope you each have a great August and get a chance to get a few days off to something you want to do, and I look forward to seeing you at the Southern Chapter Fall Meeting September 14th at Richmond Country Club. All the best, Peter Gardner, PGA General Manager—Ashley Plantation Southern Chapter Vice President / Secretary
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MISSION:
The mission of the Middle Atlantic PGA is to promote growth in the game of golf, to provide ongoing education and professional development for our members, and to actively improve employment opportunities for PGA Professionals across the region.
VISION:
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