2020 Final Quarter

FORECAST

Carl Alexander, PGA Golf Club of Purchase What a year! This will be a season to remember and I certainly hope one that we can build on for our futures. There were so many challenges thrown at us from the very start, but I am proud of how the Met PGA Professionals stepped up at their clubs and adapted to provide safe and memorable playing experiences.

My term as President has come to a close and as I look back I remember that 2019 could not have started off much better. With 18 months of preparation under our belt the PGA Championship was upon us and arriving at Bethpage.

The Met PGA Staff worked flawlessly, our member hospitality tent was perfect, and our professionals showed up to watch, volunteer, and compete. We grew our brand nationwide and we continue to grow from that experience.

Then, 2020 could not have started much worse. With a global pandemic spreading and so many unknowns, New York shut down and we slammed our clubs back in the trunks. Within days, I was getting calls and emails from many of our professionals. Some were pleading for us to get golf back open so they could return to their jobs, sell their merchandise, get golfers back out, and continue to grow the game. Others were pleading for us to help stop them from being forced to work as “essential workers” under a role change into “security” and ranger positions. The country was being told to stay at home but golf seemed like a safe activity if played differently and with new protocols in place.

Jeff Voorheis and I were on the phone everyday and working with the MGA, GCSAA, CCM, and other allied associations to come up with sensible solutions for all. We worked with State government officials and helped launch “Back to Golf” with Best Practices. What we saw was a very different golf season and a remarkable amount of positive outcomes. Golfers came out in record numbers and enjoyed limited services and appreciated a more simple game that revolved around family time, exercise, and peace of mind. Golf grew beyond our wildest expectations and I’m proud that the Met PGA Professionals were prepared and ready.

We all experienced record rounds played, record lessons, and incredible growth in the game. It cannot be overstated how lucky we were and are as golf professionals. We all have family and friends whose businesses suffered significantly as stay at home orders shut them down. We grew the game and our brands as families and friends reconnected with the game we all love. I hope each of you take the time this winter to reflect back on the successes you had and the opportunities we all have on the horizon.

Golf is in a good place. We are growing the game and our influence even during a pandemic. Golf may look different, but we can adapt like we did this year and find new ways to welcome new golfers, strengthen our profession and feel better about what we provide society through golf.

I am grateful to the clubs and professionals who hosted our tournaments this year and allowed us to compete.

The fact that we were able to run as many events as we did is a testament to the hard work of our staff and dedication of our professionals.

I’d like to thank the Board and the Executive committee for all their dedication, direction and friendship during the past two years. Together we’ve made progress and have set up the Section to continue developing into the future.

It is bittersweet to step down and turn the reigns over to fellow professional Chris Kenney. Having worked with Chris now on the Board for many years, I am confident in his leadership and his passion for the Section and I

am excited to see where he can take us all. The sky is the limit for us if we all pull together and focus on our mission and our goals.

I also want to thank the staff and membership at Purchase for allowing me the time and proving the support to serve our Association. As many of you know, its impossible to be successful without a great team of professionals and the support of family and friends. Take my advice, spend some time building your team and creating allies and you will be ready for anything.

I hope everyone has a happy and healthy off-season. These are challenging times and you must take care of yourself first so you can take care of others next. Spend time this off-season working on your mental and physical health. Challenges will come and go and you need to be prepared to adapt and find solutions.

I look forward to seeing everyone in the near future. Thank you.

Carl Alexander

Chris Kenney, PGA The Patterson Club The Metropolitan Section is excited to announce our new President, Chris Kenney, Head Professional at the Patterson Club. Kenney will be replacing outgoing President Carl Alexander of the Golf Club of Purchase.

Metropolitan Section Executive Director, Jeff Voorheis, shared his appreciation for the two years Alexander dedicated to the section: “It is not possible to say enough about our outgoing President, Carl Alexander. Carl has been a leader of the Metropolitan PGA Section for many years. Despite the completion of his term as President, we hope to keep Carl very involved into the future.

Carl’s leadership was consistent throughout the fun celebration that was the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black and with his steady guidance through the unprecedented and difficult year that was 2020. On behalf of our officers, our Board, section members and staff, we cannot express the gratitude we have for his commitment and dedication to the section for the past two years.”

The Section is looking forward to have Chris Kenney, former Treasurer, in the driver’s seat for the next two years.

CONTENTS 1-2 3 5-6 7 8 9-10 11 12 13-16

MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD MEETING 2021 BOARD 2020 SPECIAL AWARDS MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS PROS RICH JONES PGA OF AMERICA POLO HEAD PRO AND WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP WOMEN’S MATCH PLAY MET PGA/PRO CHAMPIONSHIPS

17 18 19-20 21-22 23 24 25 27 28 29-30

SUMMIT GOLF BRANDS FARLEY CUP HOFFHINE MEMORIAL PRO-AM GENE BOREK SQUIRE CUP ASSISTANT OF THE YEAR NCR ASSISTANT CHAMPIONSHIP ASSISTANTS TOUR RESULTS FOUNDATION JUNIOR TOUR AWARDS CEREMONY JUNIOR ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT PGA JR LEAGUE Q&A’S

Meet the 2021 Met PGA Board OFFICERS

Chris Kenney

Andrew Gruss

Theron Harvey

James Ondo

President

Secretary

Treasurer

1 Vice President

patterson

greenwich

hudson national

apawamis

Rich Jones 2nd Vice President

st

pine ridge

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jack Druga

John Guyton

Cory Muller

Shaun Powers

shinnecock hills

cc of darien

rockville links

Chris Marinaro

Nick Maselli

John Schmoll

Stuart Waack

trump westchester

fairview

ASSISTANTS’ PRESIDENT

burning tree

old oaks

silvermine

NEW TO THE BOARD

Carl Alexander HONORARY PRESIDENT

purchase

John Hobbins greenside golf

Jim McCann spook rock

John Pillar

DISTRICT DIRECTOR

woodloch springs

www.met.pga.com || 4th Quarter 2020 ||

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2020 SPECIAL AWARDS

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Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating our 2020 Special Award Recipients. Please feel free to watch the Special Award Videos individually below by clicking on the individual awards.

You can rewatch the full Virtual Awards Ceremony HERE.

www.met.pga.com || 4th Quarter 2020 ||

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MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP PARTICIPANTS

DANNY BALIN

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ALEX BEACH

JASON CARON

FRESH MEADOW

WESTCHESTER

MILL RIVER

•102ND PGA •U.S. OPEN

•102ND PGA

•102ND PGA

ELLEN CERESKO

SAM MORRELL

ROB LABRITZ

SLEEPY HOLLOW

SOUTHAMPTON

GLENARBOR CLUB

•KPMG PGA

•KPMG PGA

•102ND PGA

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HEAD PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP After some hard work from club owner Jared Brecher, PGA Head Professional, Alex Smith, Superintendent, Brian Benedict, the 2020 POLO Head Professional Championship was played at The Seawane Club in Hewlett Harbor, NY. The 36-hole event was filled with some of the most decorated head professionals in the area.

Round one was dominated by Jason Caron of Mill River Club who was in the midst of his best season as a Met Section professional. Caron fired a 65 7 under to jump out to the early lead, including seven birdies on the front nine for an astonishing 29. This stellar play earned Caron a spot in the final group with Matt Doybns of Meadow Brook Club, and Kevin Ausserlechner of Mount Kisco. The stacked leaderboard had numerous players lurking close behind the first-round leader.

Similar to round one, the front nine played a big role in deciding the outcome of the championship. Rob Labritz, of GlenArbor Golf Club made his charge during the final round carding a 31, 5 under, birding four straight holes on the opening nine. Labritz’s play during the final round was strong enough to get him into a play-off with first round leader Caron.

After halving the first two playoff holes with pars, Labritz defeated Caron with a birdie to hoist the William A. Mitchell trophy for the fourth time. With the combined partnership of POLO Ralph Lauren and the spectacular host club Seawane, we were able to provide a memorable championship while adhearding to the state and local guidlines to keep everyone safe.

Met PGA Women’s Championship The Met PGA Women’s Championship is played concurrently with the Head Pro Championship. The field was filled with the top women players the Met Section has to offer. The crowded leaderboard had four players within two shots as round one ended, setting up an exciting finish during the final 18 holes.

Wendy Modic of Fenway Golf Club came from one shot back to defeat first round leaders Loretta Giovannettone of Woodway Country Club and CJ Reeves of Century Country Club. Modic shot two consistent rounds of 75 to top the leader board and claim the Met PGA Women’s Championship title for the first time.

The Met PGA is thrilled about how this championship has grown and is looking forward to the future as more women professionals join the section.

POLO HEAD PRO RESULTS

WOMEN’S RESULTS

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TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP The Bridge and Gardiners Bay Country Club played host to one of our most highly anticipated events of the season, the Team Championship.

Typically, our fall expo takes place in conjunction with this championship and all our partners and sponsors display their lines and enjoy an afternoon at the Bridge with the section professionals.

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the expo was put on hold until 2021.

Head Professionals, Jeff Warne and his staff at The Bridge and Leigh Notley and his staff at Gardiners Bay, welcomed our section professionals for the two day championship. Even amid a pandemic, these two clubs provided a safe great championship on their immaculate courses.

Jason Caron of Mill River Club and Sean Farren managed to eagle the final hole at The Bridge to defeat the team of Alex Beach of Westchester Country Club and Ben Polland of Deepdale Golf Club by one stroke and claim the 2020 Met PGA Team Championship title.

Dave Fusco of Patriot Hills made a hole-in-one at The Bridge, allowing himself and Mike Laudien of Rotella to top the Senior leaderboard after round one. Laudien and Fusco were able to hold onto there lead in round two, topping the leaderboard to win the Senior Division! The team of John Schmoll of Burning Tree and Peter Procops of Lawrence Yacht and CC claimed second shooting 8-under for the tournament.

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Women’s Match play During a year full of cancellations and rescheduling, the Met PGA was able to conduct our year long Women’s Match Play Championship. This amazing event took place over the last three months of the season with some of the top players in the section competing against each other. Once registration closed, the seeds were determined by player of the year points.

Early in the event we had a rematch of last year’s finals with Jessica Dickson of Innis Arden defeating Wendy Modic of Fenway 4&2 at the famed Shinniecock Hills Golf Club. Other players to advance into the semi-finals were, Marjorie Jones of Chelsea Piers, Loretta Giovannettone of Woodway, and CJ Reeves of Century.

After two hard fought semi-finals matches, the finals were finally set. The defending champion Jessica Dickson was set to face off against Loretta Giovannettone on the South course of Westchester Country Club.

The championship match took place on a cold rainy day in October, where our two worthy finalist carried their own bags and battled to see who would be crowned the 2020 Match Play Champion. The first two holes were halved with pars, followed by Dickson winning 4 of the next 5 holes and close out the front 9 with a 4-up lead. Giovannettone continued to fight winning the 10th hole, But Dickson closed out the match on hole number 14.

Congratulations to Jessica on a fantastic season and a very well-played event.

FINAL MATCH PLAY RESULTS www.met.pga.com || 4th Quarter 2020 ||

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by Mark Herrmann

“I absolutely pounded one over the bunker, I only had about 65 yards to the pin. That was Normally, Jason Caron’s approach that some adrenaline right there.” landed inches from the flagstick on the first playoff hole would have qualified as the shot He made another birdie to Howey’s par of the year. Then again, what is normal these for a memorable finish to an extraordinary days? At the 2020 Met PGA Championship, tournament in an unprecedented year. In it was not even the shot of the week or the fact, Caron clinched Player of the Year honors day or even that hole. and won two trophies that day. Because of a condensed schedule during the pandemic, Just after Caron of Mill River Club tapped in the Met PGA tournament doubled as the his short birdie putt and before Matt Dobyns Met Professional Championship. of Meadow Brook made par, Reid Howey of Manhattan Woods took a good whack at a That meant that numerous players went 55-foot birdie try from the apron. The ball home feeling like winners, having earned caught the slope, kept going and fell into the their tickets to the 2021 PGA Professionals hole on its final roll, extending the playoff.

Championship. In fact, the whole field and the entire Met Section felt relieved and “He hit an unbelievable shot, to be honest, rewarded after the 54-hole event at Century to get it to the green,” Caron said of Howey, and Glen Arbor Country Club. It was a recalling Sept. 16 at Century Country Club. reflection on the dedication and generosity “When his putt went in, I said to myself, of both host clubs. And it was a sign that the `You know what? Maybe it’s destiny that he pros, their home clubs and the golf industry wins because he had a great final round. had made it through the most challenging And when you make a putt like that, it’s like, months anyone could remember.

Really?’ I had just hit one of the best shots of the week to get it close.”

“It was definitely special. It was a strange year for everybody. All of us were just trying to do the best we could with the information we were given,” said Howey, who tied Caron and Dobyns at par for three rounds and made the putt heard ‘round the section.

Twitter: @markpherrmann

Caron got in his cart—no caddies because of Covid-19 restrictions—and on his way to the second playoff hole, he told himself, “You’re playing great, now let’s finish this thing off.” After Howey hit an iron off the tee on No. 1 (the playoff began on 18 and then went to the first), Caron pulled out a driver.

“Just getting in a playoff with those two guys was an accomplishment in itself,” Howey said. “I felt like I had played myself out of the tournament with my tee shot. Basically, you’re just throwing a shot in the dark. For that ball to go in the hole was kind of crazy.

It was an out-of-body experience, really.

It’s hard to describe. Basically, the range of emotions was all over the map.” www.met.pga.com || 4th Quarter 2020 ||

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Caron’s name was all over winner’s checks this season.

He won the Long Island Open and the Met PGA Team title (with Sean Farren).

“For me to be playing that well, I have no idea what it was,” said the man who has participated in the past two PGA Championships, at Bethpage and Harding Park. I didn’t practice any more than usual, I don’t think I played any more. It’s just that when I did play, I played well. I think that when I got in position I was ready for it and I was willing to make the adjustments to win the tournament instead of saying, `I just want to play well.’”

Everyone everywhere had to make adjustments in 2020. For golf pros, it meant getting up to speed on Covid protocols, and being ready for being amazingly busy. “We have a doctor at my club who helps us make decisions,” Caron said. “All the doctors told us that outside is the best place you could be. That was good for golf and all the Met Section clubs.”

The Met PGA Championship was a reprieve from hectic schedules.

Howey said, “I always look at my time on the golf course as kind of an escape. This year it was even more so. It was just four-and-a-half hours where you could go out and shut off your phone and think about something positive instead of worrying about so many different variables going on in the world.”

CLICK HERE TO SEE FINAL RESULTS 15

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Along with Caron, Howey and Dobyns, the Met PGA contingent at the 2021 PGA Professional championship will include qualifiers Del Ponchock of Hudson National, John DiPilato of Old Oaks, Frank Bensel of Century, Anthony Casalino of Scarsdale GC, Peter Kampmann of Manhattan Woods, Anthony Aruta of North Shore, Matt Belizze of Hudson Hills, Mike Meehan of Old Westbury, Greg Bisconti of Saint Andrews and Ben Polland of Deepdale.

Also going to Port St. Lucie will be these exempt players: Alex Beach of Westchester CC, Darrell Kestner of Deepdale, Ron McDougal of Golf & Body, Danny Balin of Fresh Meadow, Rob Labritz of GlenArbor, Dylan Newman of Brae Burn and Peter Ballo of Silvermine.

2020 FARLEY CUP

LONG ISLAND

WESTCHESTER

Anthony Aruta Danny Balin Jason Caron Matt Dobyns Jim Farrell Scott Ford Mike Meehan Mike Midgette Ben Polland Sean Quinlivan Matt Sita Caleb Wilson

Pete Ballo Alex Beach Matt Belizze Frank Bensel Greg Bisconti Anthony Casalino John DiPilato Reid Howey Rob Labritz Del Ponchock Tim Puetz Craig Thomas

North Shore Fresh Meadow Mill River Meadow Brook Hamlet Glen Oaks Old Westbury North Hempstead Deepdale Piping Rock Old Westbury Meadow Brook

Silvermine Westchester Hudson Hills Century Saint Andrews Scarsdale Old Oaks Manhattan Woods GlenArbor Hudson National Siwanoy Metropolis

The seasons highly anticipated Farley Cup and Squire Cup events wrapped up our 2020 season. Head Professional Matt Dobyns and his team at the Meadow Brook Club played host to the Farley Cup, a head-to-head competition between the top ranked Long Island Professionals and the top ranked Westchester Professionals.

Summit Golf Brands added to the fun of the day, keeping our professionals looking sharp on the course in their Zero Restriction and Fairway & Greene gear. In the end, it was Team Long Island that took home the win 7 to 5.

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Hoffhine memorial pro-am The Met PGA is extremely grateful to be apart of the Hoffhine Memorial Pro-Am an event that has been played at Westchester CC for decades. The newly formatted stableford event was the closing event of the 2020 season and was stacked with some of the areas strongest professionals and amateurs including the met sections four representatives from the 2020 PGA Championship at Harding Park. Professionals would not only be competing as a team with their amateur, but they were playing for their own prize in the separate professional event.

Strong golfers weren’t the only highlight to this remarkable event, the competition was being held on one of the most famous courses the Met Section has to offer Westchester (West).

The excitement surrounding the event was very prevalent as the field was filled very quickly.

Our participants didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to play such a special course even though it was played during the final week of October.

The Pro-Am contest was extremely close and was decided by two points. The stellar play from the Saint Andrew’s Club, Greg Bisconti and Louis Amira took home the championship with a combine score of 74 points. The champions waited until after seven pm to receive their trophy and infamous bottle of wine donated Ghost Cellars in the dark. Bisconti who grew up playing his junior golf at Westchester CC also tied for 1st place with the 2020 Player of the Year Jason Caron with 40 points.

FINAL PRO AM RESULTS

2020 GENE BOREK SQUIRE CUP HEAD PROFESSIONALS In the spirit of honoring outstanding Assistant Professionals, a competition is held against a team of Head Professionals in the Metropolitan PGA. The format pits two-man teams in singles and better ball play. Aggregate scores for the two man teams determine the winning team. By selecting these exceptional Assistants, we honor them and at the same time promote the values, history, and traditions that make our Section unique.

CARL ALEXANDER DANNY BALIN JASON CARON MIKE DIFFLEY ROB FARRELL THERON HARVEY CHRIS KENNEY DARRELL KESTNER ROB LABRITZ NELSON LONG CHRIS MARINARO JAMES ONDO

The Metropolitan PGA Squire Cup Team is comprised of twelve Head and Assistant Professionals in the Met Section. They will compete in a modified Ryder Cup format. Applicants are chosen in one of three categories.

These categories are Leadership, Overall Professional Performance, and Playing Ability.

This year’s Gene Borek Squire Cup was hosted by Theron Harvey and his staff at Hudson National Golf Club.

After a day of great competition between both teams, the Head Professionals took home the victory for the second year in a row!

THERON HARVEY HUDSON NATIONAL Q: What did it mean to you and the Club to host the 2020 Squire Cup? A: It was a perfect way to end the golf season with a major event like the Squire Cup. It was our pleasure to have top Professionals and Assistants competing in a fun yet competitive environment. Our staff put on a great party at our Teaching Center (Hudson House), pictures and breakfast on the cliff terrace the following day, golf, and an amazing reception on our terrace all in a safe socially distanced environment. It was a life completing moment to compete and share information with the next generation of superstars in the golf business!

CHRIS KENNEY PATTERSON Q: Summarize your Squire Cup Experience?

A: Fantastic and educational! You can’t leave this event without feeling excited about the

Metropolitan PGA and the game of golf. The opportunity to spend time with such talented professionals that are in different stages of their careers provides great insight and plenty of opportunities to learn. The competition was fun and it was great to be paired with Bobby Farrell as well as play with Carly Peters and T.J. Paulino. While we talked about things that ranged from work life balance to advancing your career, something I shared with them was to find what you are most passionate about in the business and learn from and spend time with the best in that area. Finding mentors is so important to your personal and professional growth.

ASSISTANT PROFESSIONALS CARLY PETERS QUAKER RIDGE Q: What did it mean to receive a call from Carl

PETER BALLO PETER BASSO ALEX BEACH JOE CONDOMITTI CIAN CURLEY JOHN DIPILATO BRANDON HOLDEN MICHAEL MIDGETTE T.J. PAULINO CARLY PETERS JOHN SCHMOLL CALEB WILSON

Alexander that you were selected for the 2020 Team?

A: You would have thought I won the lottery when I received a call from Carl! It is an honor to be selected for this team, as there are so many strong and accomplished assistants in the Metropolitan Section. This year I had worked really hard to diversify my roles in leadership, playing ability, and education. Mario Guerra, Head Professional at Quaker Ridge, inspired me thoughout the 2020 season to always keep learning which helped me grow as a professional.

Q: What did it mean to play with the Met PGA’s incoming President?

A: I learned so much from playing with Chris Kenney and certaintly picked his brain about his journey with

getting involved in the PGA. It was a pleasure to get advice from him and hear about his recent accomplishments, goals, and endavors for the Section. Chris is a wonderful professional and we are in great hands with him as our next leader.

JOE CONDOMITTI TUXEDO Q: What was your first Squire Cup experience like?

A: It was an experience ill never forget. It was my very first one and I encourage every

Assistant in our section to apply in the future. It was an honor to compete with some of the best Assistant Golf Professionals in the MET section vs. some of the most respected Head Golf Professionals in the MET section. Being able to socialize and network with everyone was the highlight of the event for me. The evening prior to golf, where we had dinner on their brand new practice facility was special and an awesome way to begin the event. When it came down to business we somehow let the Head Professionals beat us. But when you get to play a Ryder Cup style match vs. some legends in our business at Hudson National Golf Club, it’s always going to be a great time!

Q: What did it mean to you to play with the John Schmoll and the Host, Theron Harvey?

A: John Schmoll was my first boss in the business. I was 14 years old and he gave me a chance to work for

him at Otterkill Country Club picking the driving range and cleaning carts. John is a big reason why I decided to enter the PGM program at Coastal Carolina and decide to become a PGA Professional. So to be able to share my first Squire Cup with my first mentor who opened many doors for me, was an experience I’ll never forget.

No one knows Hudson National better than Theron and it was really cool to hear about the history of the club as we played. I am a golf course architecture geek, so to be able to walk with him and have him show me all of the changes they’ve made since they’ve opened was really cool. Thanks for a great day and for hosting us at such a tremendous venue, Theron!

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ASSISTANT of the year

JOHN DIPILATO OLD OAKS COUNTRY CLUB The Metropolitan PGA Assistant Professional of the Year Award is bestowed annually on rising professionals in our Section. All of the following criteria are taken into consideration in the selection process: Playing Ability, Leadership, Involvement in a Section Committee, Involvement in an Assistants Committee, Participation in Section professional events, Participation in Section Pro-Am events, Participation in Assistants Tour events, Participation in Foundation Fund-Raisers, Participation in any special community or charitable activities, Attendance at Section and Assistants Meetings, and Attendance at Section and Assistants Educational Programs.

We are thrilled to announce John DiPilato of Old Oaks as the 2020 Assistant Professional of the Year Award recipient. This year, John once again served on the Assistants Board as Treasurer. John led by example conducting multiple fundraisers despite the challenges of 2020, raising over $20,000 for the Met PGA Foundation. At work, John gave over 700 hours of instruction, including bringing over 20 new golfers.

Despite the unprecedented activity at the club, John qualified for both the 2020 Assistant PGA Professional Championship and the 2021 PGA Professional Championship.

Congratulations to John on this well deserved honor.

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The Assistant’s Tour had a very successful season. In all, we played 10 events.

Four of our events were held concurrently with New York State Open Qualifying.

Congratulations to all the winners in 2020 who were awarded Met PGA Assistant’s Tour flags. Thank you to all the courses that hosted us throughout the year.

Met PGA Assistant’s were also hard at work fundraising led by our 2020 Assistant of the Year, John DiPilato, who along with Mike Midgette conducted a 118 hole golf marathon raising over $6,000 for the Met PGA Foundation.

The Assistant Education offerings in 2020 were held via Zoom and had record turnouts. A big thank you to the Assistant’s Board Members for all of their hard work during this past season and a special thank you to Kevin Rodine for his dedication to our Association.

Thank you to all the Met PGA Assistants for helping to grow the game every day.

John Schmoll, President

PRESIDENT

JOHN SCHMOLL Burning Tree

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ASSISTANTS CORNER The annual National Rental Car Assistants Championship took place at a familiar site Bethpage State Park’s Red Course. A field full of strong players section wide competed in a 36-hole competition for a chance to not only win the local event, but a spot in the National Assistants PGA Professional Championship in Port St. Lucie.

With 12 spots up for grabs, the event was off and running with two unbelieve first round scores posted.

Dylan Newman of Brae Burn fired a 63 including six birdies and one eagle and was the leader in the clubhouse. Mike Midgette of Hempstead was one off the pace with an impressive 64 of his own.

Setting up a showdown on the final 18 holes of play.

Both players continued their strong play during day two battling their way through the front nine, knowing they were firmly in position for one of the qualifying spots, now focused on winning this event over such a deep field of Assistant Professionals.

On the final few holes, Newman pulled away from te pack and walked up the 18th hole with a 3 shot lead. All he needed to do was to finish the 18th hole without a colossal mistake. He did just that with eight pars and a birdie on the final 9 holes to finish -10 for the two rounds to win the event.

The Met PGA would like to thank National Rental Car’s continued sponsorship for this event.

This is an event circled on all the assistants calendar each year and we could not run such a prestigious event without their contributions.

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CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE RECAP VIDEO

ASSISTANT TEAM CHAMPIONS

CHRIS GABRIELLE & ELLEN CERESKO SLEEPY HOLLOW COUNTRY CLUB

A S S I S T A N T S T O U R

Westchester Hills GC

Indian Hills CC

CIAN CURLEY

NICK BEDDOW/ CALEB WILSON

Mount Kisco CC

Metropolis CC

CASEY PYNE

DYLAN NEWMAN/ MARKO LLOYD

Rotella Memorial

Mill River Club

VC of Sands Point

PHILIP CARDWELL/ ALEX WILLEY

LUCAS CROMEENES/ CASEY PYNE

ERIC HARTSTEIN

Lawrence Y&CC

SEBASTIAN HUTMAN

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FOUNDATION As the year comes to a close, we would like to take the time to thank all of our PGA Professionals, Associates, and their clubs for being such big supporters of the Met Section PGA Foundation. The success of the Foundation is a direct reflection of the dedication of all of you to changing the lives of others through the game of golf. The Metropolitan Section PGA Foundation is YOUR Foundation and you should use it to tell of the good work you and your fellow Professionals are doing in our local community. If you are growing the game through your own initiatives under one of our pillars of Youth, Military, or Inclusion please share your stories with you so we can promote it for you!

The greatest highlight of 2020 was to be able to offer our Junior golfers safe competitive tournaments to provide a semblance of normalcy during these trying times. We also were able to offer our PGA HOPE Veterans several virtual activations throughout the year to keep their connection to golf and each other strong during these trying times. Together, we were able to find positives throughout the year and golf rallied to be the shining light for so many in an otherwise very dark and complicated time and we will be better for it in the future.

We look forward to a more normal 2021 where we can get back to having our Junior programs serve over 5,000 area junior golfers a year and our PGA HOPE Program graduating our 1,000th veteran. The continued growth of the Junior Tour, Junior League, and Drive, Chip & Putt is testament to our Professionals investing their time in growing the game at their clubs. Our PGA HOPE Program continues to flourish and serve as an amazing outlet for our nations veterans and our Professionals to connect to the game of golf that in its purest form is simply fun.

We hope that if you were not involved with our Foundation activities this year that you will add it to your resolutions for 2021. There are so many ways to engage with the Foundation and we hope to see you next year!

CHAIRMAN

Charlie Robson

BOARD

Brian Crowell, PGA Rich Jones, PGA Heath Wassem, PGA Ed Fitzmaurice Augie Hoerrner Dave Scialabba 25

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION GET INVOLVED IN 2021!

• Host a Junior Tour event • Host a fundraiser at your club • Participate in the 100 hole challenge • Play in the Augie Pro-Am • Donate a foursome • Host a junior golfer at your club through Fairways to Success • Encourage your junior golfers to participate in junior golf programs • Become a PGA Junior League Captain • Become a PSAL instructor

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• Mentor a junior golfer • Become certified PGA HOPE instructor Volunteer for PGA HOPE • Mentor a PGA HOPE veteran • Hire a veteran at your club through VETWORKS • Host a PGA HOPE play day • Create awareness and promote Foundation activities

THANK YOU FOR GIVING! LEGACY CLUB - $20,000 & UP Hudson National Golf Club Rolling Hills Country Club

Jordan Spieth Family Foundation Woodside Club

PRESIDENT’S CLUB - $15,000 & UP

FOUNDER’S CLUB - $10,000 & UP Rockville Links Golf Club

American Junior Golf Foundation

AMBASSADOR’S CLUB - $5,000 & UP Garden City Golf Club Meadow Brook Golf Club Osiris Golf Club

Saint Andrews Golf Club Sleepy Hollow Country Club Mike Midgette/John DiPilato

CHAMPION’S CLUB - $1,000 & UP Avidia Bank Bedford Golf & Tennis BlueGolf Connecticut Golf Club Country Club of Darien Glen Head Country Club

Golf Performance Center Junior Tour Bag Drive Patriot Hills Golf Club Silvermine Country Club Spook Rock Golf Course Willow Ridge Country Club

BLUE & GOLD CLUB - $500 & UP Joe Condomitti

Sunken Meadow Golf Course

FRIEND OF THE FOUNDATION - $100 & UP Thank you to the hundreds of people who supported us this year!

RAY FORD’S 100 HOLE CHALLENGE Rolling Hills Country Club’s Head Professional Ray Ford and Member Gary Bernardini raised over $20,000 with the help of the membership for PGA HOPE and Folds of Honor Q. What inspired you to put together this Fundraiser?

A. It doesn't take much to get inspired and give back to our military

veterans with fundraising efforts through the game of golf. Rolling Hills has been a huge supporter of our military and our military veterans for the past 12 plus years starting with Folds of Honor Foundation and more recently the PGA Hope Program. Rolling Hills member, Gary Bernardini, whose father was an Air Force veteran approached me in January wanting to do a fundraiser for his foundation. We decided to combine our efforts to do something for PGA Hope at Rolling Hills. My goal each year is to do something for our military at Rolling Hills. It's great to now have a member like Gary that feels equally involved and inspired.

Q. What advice do you give to other Professionals who are interested in doing their own fundraiser?

A. It's important to be consistent each year with fundraising efforts

creating awareness. It's as simple as an email to the members and a sign on the first tee 4 - 6 weeks in advance informing them of a fundraising effort for military veterans providing the date of the fundraiser. In these times members want to give back especially to our military vetrans who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Start small and build it each year. I like the concept of "A Day of Hope" each golf season. Add it to the club calendar now for 2021.

In 2006, the first year Rolling Hills raised money, we started with a sign on the 1st tee and raised $2500. In 2009, we ran a Pro-Am and we raised a net $15,000. Two years later we raised $150,000.

Over the course of the last 12 years Rolling Hills has raised over a half million dollars for a military veterans.

Q. Can you explain how you ran your 100 Hole Challenge? What

platform did you use? How did you solicit donations from members?

A. The platform and website is already set up for our Golf Professionals. It's as simple as contacting Kelli Clayton of the Metropolitan PGA to set up the website. Gary and I reached out to Kelli and we had the website set up and a link for donations in less than a day. We sent out three emails over the course of a month and used Veterans Day in November to create even more awareness. Gary and I decided to use alternate shot format due to daylight in November.

Q. Do you think that being you ran your fundraiser along side a member of your club that your membership was more excited to get behind your joint efforts?

A. I do think it’s great to have a member or committee aware and involved in your efforts but not always

necessary. The members at the clubs want to support the Golf Professional. I was beyond fortunate to have Gary involved. He was a huge part of the initiative. It certainly made it more fun spending the day with a member like Gary. Having a member and committee involved, allows them to reach out to their network and contacts. In past years for me, it was as simple as the club president, general manager and golf chair being made aware of the fundraiser. There has never been any hesitation for approval.

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On behalf of the Metropolitan Section PGA Junior Tour we would like to thank you for working together with us to complete a very successful 2020 season. This year we have all faced many challenges that we never imagined were possible. We truly appreciate your patience, understanding, and support to help make this season possible.

For us, it was an honor and privilege to be able to host events and give a semblance of normalcy to our members during these trying times. There is nothing more important to us than the health and safety of our members and their families. We could not have asked for any better cooperation and because of you we were able to complete our season without interruption.

We are very excited to share with you our 2020 Virtual Junior Tour Awards Ceremony to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of our players this season. Please click below to view the Awards Ceremony hosted by our very own Director of Junior Golf, Dan Frankel.

Congratulations to all of our juniors for your achievements this season!

AWARD VIDEO

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Jonathan Gold PGA of America

Seems like yesterday as I walked nervously to the registration table for my 1st Metropolitan PGA Junior Tour event. Unfamiliar faces in new surroundings and competing without any support on the course is intimidating, to say the least. But, looking back it was times like this that ultimately shaped my life for the better. Unfamiliar faces became lifelong friends. The golf courses we played, now looking back, are once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and those at the registration table are still there making the impossible possible every summer for thousands of juniors. It’s funny to think that three years later I would decide to pursue a career in the golf industry by entering into Penn State’s Professional Golf Management Program and then ultimately attain a Class A PGA Membership.

Looking back I learned so many invaluable lessons while competing on the Met PGA Junior Tour. I learned how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable in new surroundings. How to have a meaningful conversation with someone on the course and truly listen. I learned how to act with honor and integrity and put others’ interests first. Although we were competing against each other, it is completely acceptable to wish for others to play well. Watching others at their best, ultimately brought out the best in me.

Over the years I am privileged to watch the junior tour grow as the values remain the same. These lessons that I learned without questions made me be a better person and hopefully the best version of myself. Over 20 years later, we still reminisce some of the shots we hit and our names on the scoreboard. Time might go by, but the memories certainly have not faded. Growing up at the Town of Oyster Bay Golf Course, PGA Professional’s Bob Possillico and Pat Morris told me that this is the greatest time of your life as a golfer, and without question they were right.

Advice to Juniors

As we get ready for the 2021 Junior Tour season, my advice is to be excited about everything that the Junior Tour encompasses. These conversations you have walking down the fairways, the friendships you will make, and how you either knowingly or unknowingly are becoming a better golfer and more importantly a better person.

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Q:

Q&A’s with RICH JONES

As the National Player Development award winner, what is the importance of Jr. League on a local level?

Pine Ridge

A:

PGA Jr. League on the local level is extremely important. Junior Golf overall has become much more competitive today, and most juniors forget how to just have fun. They transition into tournament play very early in their golf journey and may never really learn how to have fun with the game.

PGA Jr. League removes the competitive expectation and enables juniors to have fun, hang out with old friends and meet new ones. The environment is a fun, safe, relaxed, and welcoming atmosphere for juniors of all ages and golf-skill abilities and encourages inclusivity. In my experience, I find that my Jones Golf Academy (JGA) juniors who also participate in PGA Jr. League often perform better during competitive tournament play.

They learn to relax and enjoy the game and can transition this into those competitive tournaments. Jr. League participation also has the added benefit of helping juniors improve their communication skills and building their overall confidence. It provides juniors an opportunity to enjoy the sport without having to worry about an overall finish, while still getting safe, fun, and effective play in with friends.

Q: What were some takeaways from the 2020 season and how can and will we implement these new strategies in 2021?

A:

This year has been a truly challenging year for most people. Families have had to deal with a multitude of challenges including a global pandemic amongst a host of other things. PGA Jr. League was also affected.

The pandemic impacted the prime registration period and start of the Jr. Leagues, and many were cancelled altogether.

However, we did have some key takeaways from this challenging year, one of which was the development of healthy and responsible back-to-golf safety guidelines that helped prioritize everyone’s safety. PGA Jr. League’s Three Flags (Safety, Care and Organization) guide the Jr. League experience. Therefore, safety amidst the pandemic was and remains a top priority. The back-to-golf safety guidelines were implemented to ensure all participants, their families and staff remained safe. They included reduced participant enrollment, social distancing, and the use of masks and sanitizers. The structure of our local leagues also shifted from interleague travel teams to in-house teams for the 2020 season.

For 2021, the PGA and Met PGA will continue to implement safe and healthy strategies to ensure our juniors and PGA Professionals remain safe, as well as continue to offer both in-house and travel team league options moving forward.

Q: What can we look forward to in Jr. League in 2021?

A: We have a lot to look forward to in 2021. PGA Jr. League hopes to offer more in-house leagues in addition

to the traditional travel leagues offered previously, while maintaining the fun and flexible practice philosophy always offered.

There are also plans to include team size and event variations as well as alternative structures to our existing format that will enable families to also join and partake in the fun. The Family Cup series, for example, will enable families with 2+ adults and 2+ juniors to play as two pairs in a scramble format. This will be a great opportunity for families and their juniors to enjoy golf together as a unit, making memories on the course.

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Q:

What would you say to the Fellow PGA Professional who was on the fence about getting involved with Jr. League?

A:

It’s a win-win for everyone involved. We already know and appreciate how golf can be the bridge that brings people together. Given the divisiveness in our country today, the inclusiveness that can be achieved thru golf is needed now more than ever. But in addition to that, there are other benefits to PGA Professionals and their establishments as well.

PGA Jr. League allows flexibility in the structure and format of how programs are delivered. The PGA pro has autonomy in how to best operate the league for their specific establishment because what may work well at one facility, may not necessarily work well for another. For example, the Par-3 format or the 9-hole setup work well for a pro who needs to ensure juniors have adequate golf course access without reducing or limiting that access to the general clientele. The Captain format for instruction and oversight also allows the PGA pro to have flexibility over how staff and resources are utilized to deliver the league programs.

Q: What would you say to the Junior Golfer who was on the fence about getting involved with Jr. League?

A: For junior golfers, or even parents who are undecided about whether to join, I would first ask them to share with me their perception of PGA Jr. League. There is often a misconception that Jr. League participants are only new or inexperienced golfers, while others believe Jr. Leaguers are only highly skilled or experienced players, neither of which are solely true. The beauty of Jr. League is that it includes a wide variety of players, ages, and abilities, and that every junior can find their place within the league.

PGA Jr. League provides an opportunity to meet new golfers and make new friends. A good golfer not only learns from their own unique golf experiences, but also from others’ experiences as well. The program provides that opportunity to play and learn from other players and have fun doing so.

PGAJr. League also helps to build confidence, camaraderie, and will help to develop team building and sportsmanship skills, all critical in collaboration and in life. Most of us perceive golf as an individual sport, but through the programs team format, juniors learn to play in a team environment that teaches players how to navigate the course as a team, playing towards a common goal; a concept central to playing golf at the high school or collegiate levels. It also allows juniors to develop leadership skills, when they are helping, coaching, or mentoring their fellow teammates along.

CAPTAIN REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! CLICK HERE TO GET INVOLVED IN 2021

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