Met PGA E-Magazine Second Quarter 2019

MAGAZINE OFF TO A ‘MAJOR’ START

Second Edition Highlights 52nd PGA PRO CHAMPIONSHIP 101st PGA CHAMPIONSHIP 80th SR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP SECTION TOURNAMENTS NY STATE OPEN PREVIEW MET PGA FOUNDATION

2019 SECOND QUARTER

Introduction Congratulations to the entire membership of the Metropolitan PGA for a hugely successful week during the 101st PGA Championship. We should all take great pride in our efforts to showcase our Section, Bethpage State Park, and Long Island as hosts of this historic event. Our leaders made a commitment to represent the Section at the very highest level and the membership responded with tremendous efforts in doing whatever was necessary to help ensure the week was a success.

Although our section responsibilities were a very small piece of the overall production, you treated them like the most important jobs of the Championship. Whether it was answering the bell at 5 am or closing each day at 8 pm, participating in and supporting the PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup, welcoming professionals from other sections to the PGA Member Club, or attending the tournament as a proud member of the host Section, you deserve kudos and from the Section as well as the PGA of America.

A special thanks is due to Carl Alexander and Jack Druga. Carl’s commitment to his roles as Section President and cochair of the Section PGA Championship Committee was impressive and he expertly represented the Met PGA. In addition to his regularly busy schedule, Carl travelled back and forth to Bethpage spending a portion of almost every day on-site beginning the week prior to the championship.

He was a great leader at a very critical time for our Section.

Jack Druga also co-chaired the Section Committee and brought a wealth of major championship experience, most recently having run the 2018 US Open at Shinnecock Hills. Jack’s proficiency with practice range operations provided seamless guidance and leadership to organizing our efforts as a Section. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the efforts of these individuals.

We hope everyone enjoyed their PGA Championship experience and has some special memories or takeaways.

The staff takes immense pride and enjoyment from being a part of your association, representing and serving you to the best of our abilities, and for PGA week the opportunity to do so at a major championship was extra special and a lot of fun.

While this issue of our magazine will highlight the 101st PGA Championship, please don’t miss the many successes of the Met PGA and its professionals featured inside.

Thanks again and all the best for a great summer!

FROM THE PRESIDENT Carl Alexander, PGA The Golf Club of Purchase

To all Met PGA Section Members and Associates We are all in full swing at work by now and hopefully enjoying the growth and new energy in the game. Not only is Tiger back and Brooks establishing himself as a star, but members of the Met Section continue to represent us and their clubs in impressive ways. The Section staff is into their summer schedule and you would be amazed at how much productivity comes out of an office of eight people.

Pro Ams, outings, clinics, and tournaments are on everyone’s schedules every week, but I encourage you to set some time aside to practice and play. Just one more pro-am, tournament, or round with members could go a long way in your career.

I was hired for my first Head Professional position after playing in a pro-am and making a contact and an impression that helped in my interview. You don’t have to win tournaments to be the rockstar golf professional at your club. It can come from a quick tip offered on the range, to one shot you hit that they talk about for the year. #weplay is gaining momentum and we encourage you to post some fun photos when you are out on the course to help encourage others to get out and play.

The PGA Championship was a huge success on many levels and all members should be proud of how the Section staff and Section volunteers welcomed the golf world to Bethpage. With over 100 volunteers under our watch, the event ran flawlessly and the PGA, Bethpage, and the players were all impressed and grateful.

Carl Alexander, PGA President Theron Harvey, PGA Secretary Stuart Waack, PGA Treasurer Chris Kenney, PGA 1st Vice President James Ondo, PGA 2nd Vice President Board of Directors Bill Bresnan, PGA Jack Druga, PGA Andrew Gruss, PGA Rich Jones, PGA Jim Lusk, PGA Gary Murphy, PGA Shaun Powers, PGA Peter Procops, PGA Alex Smith, PGA David Young, PGA

Brian Crowell, PGA Honorary President

Tom Henderson, PGA District Director

Jeff Voorheis Executive Director

With five Met PGA members playing in the event we were well represented.

Congratulations to Alex Beach, Danny Balin, Jason Caron, Rob Labritz, and Brian Mackey for all making it to the PGA and continuing the Met Section’s history of great playing. What a gutsy performance by Rob to shoot 69 on Friday to make the cut and then follow it up with a solid weekend and another Sunday afternoon on the 18th green with the low PGA Professional honors. With the upcoming New York State Open at Bethpage I am sure many of you will be out practicing in hopes of winning on the Black Course that just hosted a major championship.

Other highlights from Met Section Members include: Mark Brown taking low PGA Professional honors at the Senior PGA Championship, Scott Ford, and James Ondo winning the MasterCard Long Island and Westchester PGA Championships, and Frank Bensel overtaking Greg Bisconti in a playoff to win the Westchester Open for a second time.

Our PGA Junior League is up and running with well over 120 teams participating each week. The Met PGA Junior Tour has just started and continues to grow and provide important competitive playing opportunities for juniors that are developing their talents. Make sure to encourage your junior players to sign up and get involved.

PGA HOPE is going strong and we hope you sign up to help support this lifechanging veterans’ program. Thank you to all who have embraced this grow the game initiative and have dedicated your time to helping juniors.

Please remember to sign up for “The Augie” Met PGA Championship Pro Am at Sleepy Hollow CC and all of our Lincoln Pro Am Series Events. These are great ways to showcase the Section and spend quality time on the course with your members.

Thank you for the opportunity to help our Section continue to adapt and prepare for an exciting future in golf and within our communities. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to any of your Board Members if you have suggestions or would like to get involved.

Sincerely,

Contents PAGE

TOPIC/SECTION

5-6

52nd PGA Professional Championship

7-10

101st PGA Championship

11

80th Sr PGA Championship

12

2nd Sr Women’s U.S. Open

13-14

Tournament Recap

15

TaylorMade Pro-Assistant

16

What’s in Your Bag?

17

POLO Head Professional Championship

18

Met PGA Women’s Championship

19-20

MasterCard Match Play

21 23-24

Met Professional Championship New York State Open

25-26

Assistant’s Corner

27-28

Morell Studios Member Milestones Foundation Updates

29-34 3

|| 2nd Quarter 2019 || www.met.pga.com

UPCOMING SCHEDULE Met Professional Championship

June 25-27

The Tuxedo Club / Paramount CC

Lincoln Women’s Met Open

July 1-2

Green Brook CC

Lenox/NFP New York State Open

July 16-18

Bethpage State Park GC | Black Course

Pro-Junior

July 24

Lake Isle CC

Lincoln Pro Am at Huntington

July 29

Huntington CC

MasterCard Senior Match Play

August 6-8

GC of Purchase

Met PGA Pro-President

August 13

Hudson National GC

ALEX BEACH, 52ND PGA PROFESSIONAL CHAMPION

by Bob Denney | PGA of America Article courtesy of PGA of America

Champions can point to a pivotal moment that clear a path to victory. Alex Beach paved his way from the left rough on the 15th hole – the No. 1-ranked toughest hole at Belfair’s West Course Wednesday afternoon. It is destined to be video footage that Beach will never grow tired of playing.

Nursing a one-stroke lead and facing a 171-yard approach from the left rough over trees to a tucked pin position on the 474-yard, par-4, Beach decided his caddie clubbed him right. He launched a higharching 8-iron to within four feet of the flagstick.

The 29-year-old PGA Assistant Professional at Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York, then rolled the birdie putt home, and cruised from there to capture the 52nd PGA Professional Championship presented by Cadillac, Club Car and OMEGA. Beach posted a closing 3-under-par 69 for a 72-hole total of 10-under-par

277 and a two-stroke victory over Danny Balin, the PGA Head Professional at Fresh Meadow Country Club in Lake Success, New York, who finished with a 71. Beach pocketed $55,000 from a $650,000 purse in the largest all-professional national championship. He also joined 2013 Champion Rod Perry as the only left-handers to win the title.

It was a day the Metropolitan PGA Section Members shined in the national spotlight. There was the Beach and Balin match –and the rest of the field never making a threat for the Walter Hagen Cup. Beach offset a three-putt bogey at No. 5, by stringing three consecutive birdies from Holes 6-8 and added birdies at 13 and the momentous 15th hole.

Balin had four birdies, and grabbed a temporary one-stroke margin at No. 7. But, Beach went on his birdie run to give him a cushion. Balin’s chances wilted with three straight bogeys – from Nos. 9 through 11, the latter a one-foot par putt that spun off the hole at 11.

FIVE MET PGA PROFESSIONALS QUALIFY The Met Section is extremely proud of our five Club Professionals for playing well against the best players in the world, and look forward to keeping up with their accomplishments through the remainder of the season.

DANNY BALIN, Fresh Meadow CC 6th PGA Championship Appearance

Danny won the 2018 Met PGA Professional Championship to get him into the 52nd PGA Professional Championship where he went head to head with Alex Beach for the title taking second place in the Championship. His performance in the PGA Professional Championship earned him a spot on the 29th PGA Cup Team alongside Beach and Caron this September in Austin, TX.

ALEX BEACH, Westchester CC 1st PGA Championship Appearance

After qualifying a few years ago and facing a serious medicial emergency, Alex came back strong winning the 52nd PGA Professional Championship to play the Black Course. Alex will be playing with Balin, Caron, and seven other PGA Professionals against Britain & Ireland in September.

JASON CARON, Mill River Club 1st PGA Championship Appearance

Starting the Met PGA season off with a win at the POLO Head Professional Championship at Burning Tree Country Club, Jason was confident going into PGA Championship week. In his first PGA Championship appearance, he fired even par in round one.

Jason will join Balin and Beach on the PGA Cup Team in September.

ROB LABRITZ, GlenArbor GC 6th PGA Championship Appearance

Labritz, the Low PGA Professional in the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, shot 69 on Friday to make the cut on the number (+4) along with PGA professionals Marty Jertson (+1) and Ryan Vermeer(+4). Rob was steady on the weekend and his 72 in windy conditions on Sunday earned him his second Low PGA Professional honor and a spot next to Brooks Koepka on the 18th green.

BRIAN MACKEY, Hollow Brook GC 1st PGA Championship Appearance

Brian played two solid rounds, missing the cut by just three shots. He carded three birdies on Bethpage Black’s back nine during Friday’s round, one of them coming on the 18th that drew a roar from the large gallery including family and friends.Following the PGA Championship, Brian placed 2nd in the Westchester Mastercard Match Play Championship. www.met.pga.com || 2nd Quarter 2019 || 6

PGA CHAMPIONSHIP A note from Charlie Robson, 2019 PGA Championship Chairman: Being part of the New York golf community has a number of benefits.

This area has the greatest accumulation of top golf courses, top playing amateurs and members who appreciate and uphold the traditions and history of golf. It is also generally agreed that the Met Section boasts the very best golf professionals in the country with a wealth of programs in tournaments, education, member services and foundation offerings that are the envy of every other Section. One other benefit is the presence of major championships and high profile events that gravitate to New York City and the heartbeat of the world.

But this May there was a very real difference when the PGA Championship came to Bethpage Black. This was your championship - the major that is conducted by and represents the 29,000 members of the PGA. Long before there was a PGA Tour or even a Masters Championship, the PGA was born in New York City and celebrated its newly formed Association with championships at Siwanoy, Engineers, Pelham, Inwood, Fresh Meadow and Salisbury (now Eisenhower Park). After those early years the PGA returned to the now defunct Pomonok in 1939 and then enjoyed the magic of 1997 when Davis Love won under the rainbow over Winged Foot. So for many of our members they had never experienced a PGA Championship while the tour and USGA were frequent visitors to our Section.

Hopefully the move to May, the terrific coverage, four great days of weather, almost universal praise for the organizational logistics and most importantly the crowning of a great champion on an outstanding course was a source of pride for every Met Section member. And if that wasn’t enough anyone who attended had to be impressed with the turnout and commitment of the Met PGA professionals, the 9 days of dawn to dusk presence and organization of the Met PGA staff, the incredible welcome and astute decision to set-up the Member tent on the 1st fairway, the inclusion of five Section members representing 25% of the club professional field qualifying at Belfair and then finally watching Rob Labritz sharing the 18th green with Brooks Koepka. Not only should every Met Section professional be proud of your organization but appreciative for the leadership of your Board and especially the staff that represented you at the highest level imaginable.

It was an exhausting but exhilarating week. Bethpage felt like home, especially since it was the Met PGA that reintroduced the country’s finest municipal course to tournament golf when it became the annual host to the State Open in 1996. Now you can rest until 2024 when the eyes of the world will again be on Bethpage for the Ryder Cup. Until then, enjoy the glow and join me in recognizing everyone involved who helped make the 101st PGA Championship a week to remember for the entire Section.

(From left to right: John Lindert, Jim Richarson, Suzy Whaley, Rob Labritz, Paul Levy, Seth Waugh)

ROB LABRITZ: LOW PGA PROFESSIONAL

by Bob Denney | PGA of America

Article & photos courtesy of PGA of America

“You have to be patient out here. That’s all you must do. If you can hit it in the fairway, you have an opportunity to get Rob Labritz has a special relationship with Bethpage Black it on the green and close.”

Course. It can be traced back to 1997, when he first competed on the renowned A.W. Tillinghast layout on Long Island.

Labritz, Vermeer, the PGA Director of Instruction at Happy Hollow Club in Omaha; and Jertson, the Vice President of He’s had his share of special moments on the Black, winning Fitting and Performance for PING, were among 20 PGA three New York State Opens over the years. On Sunday, Club Professionals competing at Bethpage Black. They Labritz completed his 73rd competitive round on the course earned a berth by finishing as the low 20 scorers in the he holds dear by earning Low PGA Club Professional honors 52nd PGA Professional Championship, April 28 - May 1, at in the 2019 PGA Championship.

Belfair in Bluffton, South Carolina.

The 47-year-old PGA Director of Golf at GlenArbor Golf Club in Bedford Hills, New York, posted a 2-over-par 72 for a 72hole total of 290. It was his second Low Club Professional award in the Championship, and first since 2010 when he tied for 68th at Whistling Straits.

Labritz finished five strokes ahead of 2018 PGA Professional Champion Ryan Vermeer of Omaha, Nebraska, who had a 79 and 295 total. Marty Jertson of Phoenix, Arizona, the remaining member of the PGA Club Professional trio to compete on the weekend, finished with a 79-299.

“I refer to Bethpage Black as ‘she,’” said Labritz. “She’s a hard test. If you are nice to her and take care of her, she will treat you nicely. If you are not so nice and hit it off line, and you swear at her or get mad at her, she’s going to beat you up.

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|| 2nd Quarter 2019 || www.met.pga.com

It was the first PGA Championship weekend for Vermeer and Jertson. Vermeer, the reigning PGA Professional Player of the Year, was making third consecutive PGA appearance.

“I had a lot to play for today – the Low Club Pro being on the line,” said Vermeer. “To be playing in a major championship on a Sunday and knowing that I am going to be a part of something special when they hand out the Wanamaker Trophy. To be playing in a major championship on a Sunday has been a lifelong dream.”

Vermeer was surprised on the first tee Sunday when his boss PGA General Manager Dave Schneider of Happy Hollow Club – greeted him and then announced his name before his tee shot. Schneider is the District 8 Director on the PGA Board of Directors.

Vermeer is the first Nebraska PGA Member to make a cut in a PGA Championship, a feat that adds to his milestones in winning the national championship last year and the PGA Professional Player of the Year Award.

“To have done something that nobody else in the Nebraska (PGA) Section has done is pretty cool,” said Vermeer, “and it’s something that I can hang my hat on.

“It’s important for the PGA Club Professionals to be a part of this tournament, and it’s even more important when we play well. It shows we deserve the spots and it’s very cool to be one of those guys.”

Vermeer, Labritz and Jertson represented the largest PGA Club Professional contingent to make the weekend in the Championship since the PGA of America limited the Championship exemptions to 20 players in 2006. The last time three or more PGA Club Professionals played the final 36 holes was in 2005 when four players advanced. But that was when the PGA allowed 35 exemptions into the field.

“When this site was announced a few year ago, my caddie said to me that we have to be there,” said Labritz. “My wife (Kerry) said ‘You want to play there, you won three State Opens there.’ This winter I would travel to Florida and practice and would wrap around coaching and playing. That was a big sacrifice. I didn’t see my family much this winter. I had to make sure that my game was sharp enough to compete.”

Jertson is more than a talented player. He’s also the The responsibilities of a club professional, particularly a PGA country’s foremost playing club engineer. He designed a Director of Golf, were something that Labritz kept in balance. driver – the PING 410 – and got the results he needed. He He credited the support of GlenArbor Golf Club. has been an inventor for more than 125 patents.

“My club is very easy with me. They know how important “It’s a lot of fun playing all four days,” said Jertson. “It’s my playing good golf is. They know that it helps my teaching first time ever. My lifelong dream was to get my game in ability,” he said. “They know that it helps me as a person. I’m shape to make the cut in a major. I pulled it off with my ball fulfilled when I play good golf. They support me 100 percent.” striking and putting, which were good the first two rounds.

This has absolutely been a dream week.”

Labritz said that he has more than a special place in his heart for Bethpage Black. He said that he wants to be a part of the Labritz said that he can look back upon the support he landscape. received from his family, friends and club members. There were an estimated 50 members of his “entourage” that “When my time has come, I will have my ashes spread on wore t-shirts with “Rob’s Mob” inscribed on the back. And, Bethpage Black,” said Labritz. “This place is that special to there was the journey over the past two years that Labritz me.” committed himself in preparation for this week.

www.met.pga.com || 2nd Quarter 2019 ||

10

MARK BROWN SHARES LOW PGA PROFESSIONAL HONORS

by Bob Denney | PGA of America

but his short game is spot on,” said Remmes. “If I had his short game, I would be out here competing.”

Mark Brown had a career putting performance at Oak Hill Country Club Sunday, while Bob Sowards walked the East Course gauntlet and escaped with a memorable par save on the 18th hole. The combination of performances assured that they would share Low Club Professional honors and carry home crystal bowls to close the 80th KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.

There was no short circuit in Brown’s putting. He needed only 25 putts and registered 12 one-putt greens.

Article & photos courtesy of PGA of America

Brown, the PGA Head Professional at Tam O’Shanter Golf Club in Glen Head, New York, posted a 1-overpar 71. Sowards, the PGA Director of Instruction at Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club in Powell, Ohio, finished with a hard-earned 74. They shared 21st place at 9-over-par 289 and earned $32,571.42 apiece in the most historic and prestigious event in senior golf.

Brown and Sowards also headed after finishing in the same spot on the scoreboard with the likes of past major champions Colin Montgomerie, Lee Janzen, Paul Lawrie and Vijay Singh. On this Sunday, Brown and Sowards held their own on a rugged golf course where only three players finished under par.

It was Brown’s third appearance in the Championship, and the 52-year-old from Oyster Bay, New York, had a longtime friend, Frank Remmes, as caddie to steady him. Remmes, 60, is an Atlanta-based former golf professional turned owner of a brokerage consulting firm. He had given Brown his first golf lesson when the future PGA Club Professional was a teenager in Quincy, Massachusetts.

“It was probably one of the best putting rounds I had in my life,” said Brown. “Everything I looked at went in.

It was amazing. I hit it like a 15-handicapper. And I just kept making putts after putts and squeezed a couple birdies in when I got lucky. And it was just amazing. It really was.”

Brown trailed Sowards by three strokes to open the final round in the Low Club Professional chase. He birdied Holes Nos. 5, 10 and 14, offsetting bogeys on Nos. 8 and 16, and a double bogey at 15 when he missed the green left and had his problems.

“I was just trying to hit a little cut 8-iron in there, and I started too far left and it kind of rode the wind,” said Brown. “So, I was trying to either hit in the left front bunker or the left side of the green. I tried to chip an 8, and all week we’re having not too many chips. They’ve been full swings pretty much. If I had to do that over, I’d like to try that.”

Brown closed with a bogey at 16, and two successive pars.

“It felt great seeing the balls go in today,” he said.

That golf lesson ended quickly, Brown recalled. “He said that I didn’t have a good grip on the club. Things improved after that.”

Remmes had caddied for Brown in two PGA Championships and this week in Rochester.

“Mark gets a lot of attention about his long game,

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|| 2nd Quarter 2019 || www.met.pga.com

SENIOR WOMEN’S U.S. OPEN The woman professionals in the Metropolitan area have been leaders in the section and certainly among the best in the country in the promotion of woman’s golf. Our Women’s Met Open, Women’s PGA Championship, and Woman Player of the Year lists read as a who’s who of woman PGA & LPGA members.

Here are the six women who represented the Met Section:

Marge Jones, PGA/LPGA I Chelsea Piers GC “I have played in 5 opens, but it has been a really long time since I’ve played in a major like this one, so it was really exciting. The golf course was in great shape, but it was an extremely challenging Donald Ross course, but that was part of the fun. As far as how the tournament was run, the people there, how we were treated, it was really something special. It was so much fun being with all of the other Met Women.”

Kammy Maxfeldt, PGA I Birchwood CC “It was a great experience playing with all of those great players again. It was an honor to have the event at Pine Needles and in honor of Peggy Kirk Bell who was just inducted into the Hall of Fame. I have known her family for years and being reunited with them was special. Hanging out with all of the other Met Section Players, watching each other’s swing and helping each other with our putting strokes was really great.”

CJ Reeves, PGA I Century CC “I got to play with friends from around the country and the Met Section, so it was really fun. The golf course was extremely challenging compared to the year before. All of the women who blazed trails for women in the golf industry were in attendance, so it was an awesome experience. It was great to be there with the other Met Section women. We have such a strong group of females in the Met Section, both as professionals and as players.”

Jean Bartholomew, LPGA I Engineers CC “It is always fun to play in an Open, they treat you really well and it’s such a big event. All of the Hall of Famers were there which was really fun to be a part of. Next year will be in Connecticut which will be great and very close to home. We have some great players in the Met Section and it’s always fun when we play against each other. The course was definitely a test of patience, but it’s always fun to play in a major.”

Kelley Brooke, LPGA I Bethpage State Park

“Competing in a US Open is always an incredible experience, I enjoyed every minute of my time there, there is nothing more special than being a part of a Major. Having 6 Met Section women in the Open made it that much more special. My favorite part of the week was the first tee shot, being announced, and that feeling of magic that you are at a US Open, and that you made it.”

Alicia Dibos, LPGA I Winged Foot GC “Pine Needles was beautiful, but the toughest challenge I have ever faced.

It was great to have the other Met Section women there. I am thankful that the USGA has made a Senior event and was grateful that we were all able to play in it. The dinner that the USGA hosted was wonderful, that is where I got to spend my time with the other women in the Section. It was wonderful camaraderie, we all support each other. I was happy to have made the cut and play through the weekend.”

TOURNAME

LONG ISLAND PRO-ASSISTANT HEAD PRO WESTCHESTER PRO-ASSISTANT WOMEN’S PG

ENT RECAP

CHAMPIONSHIP GA CHAMPIONSHIP

LONG ISLAND PGA WESTCHESTER PGA

PRO-ASSISTANT CHAMPIONSHIPS The Met Section is thankful for its longstanding sponsorship with TaylorMade Golf. The true partnership that has grown between the Section and TaylorMade is one of great camaraderie. We share a common goal: to serve our Met Section Professionals and give back to the game of golf in any way that we can, all while promoting each other’s efforts in the process.

“Having the opportunity to sponsor and support a section like the Met Section is an honor and a lot of fun. The Met Section sets a high standard and it is really exciting to be a part of that. Thank you to the Met Section and Met Section Professionals for the support. All of the pros are extremely supportive and it feels great to be a part of such an exciting atmosphere.”

- Joseph Colaizzo, Met Section TaylorMade Rep The Section uses #WePlay as a way to show just how important it is to come together as a Section, and the same goes for our partnership with TaylorMade. We appreciate all of the support from TaylorMade and are thankful for our PGA Professionals who assist in making this partnership so strong.

LONG ISLAND

Jason & Liz Caron, Mill River Club and Matt Dobyns & Bill Van Orman, Meadow Brook Club finished with a 66 to tie for the 2019 Long Island TaylorMade Pro -Assistant Championship!

WESTCHESTER

TJ Paulino and Mario Guerra, Quaker Ridge Golf Club finished with a 64(-7) to win the 2019 Westchester TaylorMade Pro-Assistant Championship!

This is Evolve Golf’s second year Partnering with us for the TaylorMade Pro-Assistant Tournament. Evolve supplies the Met Section with Tees for every event, and has provided us with several tee/parting gifts throughout our partnership. We only see it growing from here!

WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG?

M ARIO G UERRA QUAKER RIDGE GOLF CLUB

3 Wood: TaylorMade M3 15 degree Shaft - Graphite Design Tour IZ7S MG: “Once I find a 3 Wood I like I don’t like to change it so this one will be in the bag for a while!”

Driver: TaylorMade M5 10.5 degree Shaft - Graphic Design Tour IZ 6S MG: “Amazing feeling and looking driver and I was able to pick a little distance compared to the previous model.”

Ball: TaylorMade TP5X

Hybrid: TaylorMade M3 19 degree Shaft - KBS Prototype Hybrid S90 MG: “I love this hybrid because it never goes left!”

Irons: TaylorMade P790 – 4-7 TaylorMade P750 – 8-P Shaft –Nippon Modus 120S MG: “The P790 longer irons give me a lot of distance and the P750s are very solid and accurate, plus they are beautiful.”

MY FAVORITE CLUB: PUTTER

“The club inspires confidence, feels good and makes a lot of putts!”

Ball Marker: Georgia State Quarters MG: “These remind me of our little girl who we named Georgia”

Wedges: TaylorMade MG Wedges 49 degree, 53 degree, 60 degree Putter: TaylorMade Soto with Breakthrough TECH Graphite Shaft MG: “Barney Adams installed a cool shaft on this putter which claims to have scientific evidence to make more putts. I am buying what he is selling!”

Miscellaneous: Quaker Ridge GC or Met Section Evolve Tees!

“TJ and I were so excited to win the Pro-Assistants Championship! This is always my favorite tournament of the year because I get to play with all my assistants, and we have so much fun!

TJ Paulino played so well, and I was able to help on a couple of holes! Winning was a bonus!”

-Mario Guerra, Head Professional, Quaker Ridge GC

BURNING TR

HOSTS TWO MET PG POLO HEAD PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POLO/Ralph Lauren is the sponsor of the annual Met PGA Head Professional Championship. This year, past champion Todd Wingerter and Burning Tree Country Club played host. Fresh off qualifying for the 101st PGA Championship, Mill River Club head pro Jason Caron and Rob Labritz of GlenArbor GC separated themselves from the field. The two traded birdies on the final day with Caron edging Labritz by one shot to claim the William A. Mitchell trophy for the first time.

In the senior division, it was Mike Meehan of Old Westbury G&CC besting the following group of players by two strokes: Ron McDougal (Golf & Body), Jim Farrell (Hamlet G&CC), Mike Gilmore (Winged Foot GC), and Chris Toulson (Sunningdale CC).

FINAL RESULTS MIKE MEEHAN OLD WESTBURY G&CC SR HEAD PRO CHAMPION

JASON CARON MILL RIVER CLUB HEAD PRO CHAMPION

SENIOR RESULTS

REE COUNTRY CLUB

GA CHAMPIONSHIPS

WOMEN’S MET PGA CHAMPIONSHIP The Met PGA Women’s Championship was played alongside the Head Pro Championship at Burning Tree Country Club.

Woodway CC’s Loretta Giovannettone distanced herself from the field to take the title. In the senior division, it was CJ Reeves of Century CC hosting the Senior Met PGA Women’s Championship trophy.

The event, formerly known as the Met PGA Women’s Stroke Play, was restructured to better represent its status among our other subset member championships for Met PGA professionals. The purse is for this event has been supported by Michael Hebron for many years and is also boosted by the PGA Tour Section event sponsorship.

FINAL RESULTS WOMEN’S SENIOR RESULTS

long island & wes LONG ISLAND PGA Head Professional Patrick McCarthy welcomed the Long Island qualifiers to Huntington Crescent Club for the matches beginning on Tuesday, May 28th and Long Island GCSA Past President Peter Cash had the golf course in impeccable condition for the championship. The matches were ultra-competitive with several, including the final, going extra holes. One semifinal featured a rematch of a 2017 quarterfinal match between coworkers Mark Brown and Josh Rackley of Tam O’Shanter Club.

2019 Champion Scott Ford of Glen Oaks met Matt Noel in the second round this year. Ford, who needed extra holes to beat Brown in the final, also bested Noel in the final when he won his first Long Island PGA Championship at Huntington Country Club in 2016.

SCOTT FORD GLEN OAKS CLUB

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19 HOLES

|| 2nd Quarter 2019 || www.met.pga.com

MARK BROWN TAM O’SHANTER CLUB

match play

stchester pga championships WESTCHESTER WESTCHESTER The Westchester PGA was hosted by Brian Giordano, PGA Head Professional at Westchester Hills Golf Club. His colleagues, General Manager Tyler Demarest, and Superintendent Aaron Crouse helped set the stage for our match play championship.

Former Westchester Hills assistant Matt Belizze, now head professional at Hudson Hills, was the story in the early rounds. Belizze knocked out a hot player in Westchester CC’s Paul Selvaggio before beating GlenArbor’s Rob Labritz. Past champion Greg Bisconti of Saint Andrew’s knocked PGA Professional Champion Alex Beach out of the bracket before falling to eventual winner James Ondo of Apawamis in the quarterfinal. The win is Ondo’s second major win in the section and his first Westchester PGA Championship title.

JAMES ONDO APAWAMIS CLUB

3&2

BRIAN MACKEY HOLLOW BROOK GC

www.met.pga.com || 2nd Quarter 2019 ||

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2019 Met Professional Championship The Metropolitan PGA Professional Championship is one of our more unique events. While the event stands alone as a major area event with a substantial purse, it also serves as qualifying for the PGA Professional Championship, the final step before earning a spot in the PGA Championship field.

Needless to say, the importance of our local event is great, both for the opportunity to grab a title and to secure one of the coveted spots in our National Championship. The list of past champions of the Metropolitan Professional Championship is packed with former players of the year including two-time defending champion Danny Balin of Fresh Meadow Country Club.

As the event has grown in importance and popularity over the years, we expanded to utilizing two golf courses and added a 36-hole cut and a third round. It’s not easy for HEAD PRO | TUXEDO CLUB clubs to give us multiple days in the busy summer months and we’re blessed to be headed to The Tuxedo Club and Paramount Club for the 2019 event. Chris Muldoon took over as the PGA head professional at Tuxedo after the retirement of the legendary Dave Carazo in 2010. The current golf course is actually the third golf course of the club, as the first became the Blair estate and the second was overtaken by the New York State Thruway, forcing the move of the course to the new location near the Eagle Valley section of Tuxedo. The course existing today was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. The golf course superintendent is Casey Klossner and the Club Manager is Randy St. John.

CHRIS MULDOON

JIM LUSK A.W. Tillinghast was at the height of his

creative genius and successful career when he was approached to design a new golf course for Mountain View Farm.

During the years 1920-1922, when he designed and built the course at Mountain View Farm, Tillinghast was producing other courses that today, are still considered among the best in the world including: San Francisco Golf Club, Brook Hollow, and Philadelphia Cricket Club. In 2009, under new ownership and a new name, Paramount Country Club underwent a restoration project led by Jim Urbina.

Since then, Paramount is annually recognized by Golf Week as one of the Best Classic Courses, winner of Golf Magazine’s Best US Private Renovation and included in the prestigious Confidential Guide by Tom Doak; this A.W. Tillinghast course presents perhaps his widest variety of challenging holes. Along with Golf Course Superintendent Matt Kerens, and General Manager Doug Graubard, PGA head Professional Jim Lusk is excited to welcome the Met PGA to Paramount.

HEAD PRO | PARAMOUNT CC

The field will be split in half for rounds one and two before the 36-hole cut reduces the field to 60 players plus ties for the final round. Both Tuxedo and Paramount will be played by half the field on each of the first two days, with Tuxedo hosting the third and final round.

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|| 2nd Quarter 2019 || www.met.pga.com

PACE OF PLAY FOR THE MET PGA Met PGA Partner, TagMarshal, is the leading GPS technology tracker for rounds of golf utilizing both golf carts and caddies. With over 7 Million rounds tracked, TagMarshal boasts an average 15-minute pace improvement. We are excited to annouce our new sales rep, Steve Boucini. You can reach him at sboucini@gmail.com

www.met.pga.com || 2nd Quarter 2019 ||

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New York State July 16th - 18th, 2019 From its early days as the Grossinger Open, a local tournament in the Catskills in 1976 and 1977, to its evolution into one of the richest and most prestigious regional championships in the United States, the New York State Open sponsored by Lenox Advisors and National Financial Partners has delivered thrilling finishes, milestones and above all else, an annual display of the best golf in New York State.

Now in its 41st year as the official State Open, the tournament has seen the likes of touring professionals such as George Burns, Bill Britton, P.J. Cowan, Tom McGinnis and Jim Thorpe involved in down-to-the-wire finishes. The Championship also helped launch the career of PGA Tour pro Joey Sindelar and boasts as its first champion Jim Albus, a wonderful success story on the PGA Senior Tour. In fact, Albus was instrumental in founding the State Open working with Mark and Mitchell Etess of Grossingers and the Metropolitan PGA Section to create the event back in 1976.

Whether showcasing stars of the PGA Tour, top Met area amateurs, or the exceptional caliber of New York club professionals, the New York State Open has established a proud heritage since its birth 36 years ago. This year marks the 23rd consecutive playing of the event on perhaps New York’s grandest stage and most challenging test of championship golf. In addition to the already impressive field of golfers for the State Open, there will be five players in the field who recently qualified for the 101st PGA Championship at Bethpage Black.

In this year’s field are defending champion Andrew Svoboda, 2012 and 2013 New York State Open champion Danny Balin of Fresh Meadow CC, 2015 Met PGA Player of the Year Matt Dobyns of Meadow Brook, three time NYS Open Champion and two-time low PGA Professional at the PGA Championship Rob Labritz of GlenArbor, 2019 PGA Professional Champion Alex Beach of Westchester CC, 2019 Met PGA Head Professional Champion Jason Caron of Mill River, and 2019 PGA Championship contestant Brian Mackey of Hollow Brook Club.

Defending champion Andrew Svoboda, also the 2007 NYS Open Champion, comes into this year’s championship having successfully defended his Long Island Open Championship title. Labritz, Balin, Beach, Caron, and Mackey all played Bethpage Black in May under major championship conditions having qualified for the 101st PGA. With a $100,000 purse thanks to our sponsors Lenox Advisors and National Financial Partners, the State Open will be another showcase of the very best of the State of New York culminating with one player from the elite field being presented with the Mark Grossinger Etess Trophy on the 1st tee of the famed Black Course on Thursday, July 18th.

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ASSISTANT PROSCORNER ASSISTANT Assitants Tour Results Assistant Tour Results ALEX WILEY

CALEB WILSON

MEADOW BROOK CLUB

MEADOW BROOK CLUB

Alex finished even par to take home the win at Connecticut GC in the first Assistant Tour event of the season!

Caleb finished 3 under par to take home the win at Indian Hills CC.

William A. Mitchell Scholarship The William A. Mitchell Metropolitan PGA Financial Assistance Program was formed in honor of this wonderful 30-year member of the PGA. The financial assistance is made available to assist golf professionals early in their careers with the expenses of PGA schooling. William A. Mitchell was a staunch advocate of the PGA, for he was PGA educated, PGA trained and he achieved the promise of the PGA. Applications must be returned to the Metropolitan PGA by July 24, 2019.

Click HERE for more information.

Gene Borek Squire Cup In the spirit of honoring outstanding Assistant Professionals, a competition is held against a team of outstanding 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.

The Metropolitan PGA Squire Cup Team is comprised of twelve outstanding 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. All members are encouraged to apply.

APPLY NOW!

MET ASSISTANT CHAMPIONSHIP SEPTEMBER 3RD - 4TH Bethpage State Park | Red Course DEADLINE TO REGISTER: AUGUST 21st

Assistant Raffle The Assistants Championship boasts a purse exceeding $50,000 thanks to a large raffle where club members, family, and friends purchase tickets to help fund the assistant’s entry fee of $150, $300, or $450. The variable entry fees create a tiered purse, where players are eligible to win a percentage of the prize money that corresponds with the entry fee they elected to post. Most players opt to maximize their chance to win, submitting the entry fee of $450 (or more) thanks to the raffle tickets they were able to sell.

The raffle prizes are donated by our Met PGA Partners and consist of all types of golf items like: clubs, bags, balls, hats, shoes, shirts, shorts, etc. This longstanding tradition of great support for our assistants by club members and sponsors is part of what makes the Met PGA special.

If you are an assistant planning on playing in the National Car Rental Met Assistant Championship, we reccomend getting involved! Please contact Kevin Rodine to get your Assistant Raffle Ticket Books!

www.met.pga.com || 2nd Quarter 2019 ||

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MEMBER MILESTONES We are excited to announce the continuation of the Morell Studios Met PGA Milestone Program. This program was created by Morrell Studios to highlight the accomplishments of our newest members as well as pay tribute to our more tenured PGA Professionals reaching Quarter and Half Century status.

Each year at our Spring and Fall Meetings, will be presenting Met PGA Milestone Awards to those professionals who have either earned their PGA Membership, Quarter Century, or Half Century status since our previous gathering.

NEW MEMBERS Peter C. Ballo, PGA Carina M. Capobianco, PGA Connor P. Costello, PGA Christopher J. Gabriele, PGA Conor P. Hannan, PGA Ty Klippenstein, PGA Nicholas R. Langelotti, PGA

Q UA RT E R C E N T U RY Thomas R. Berry, PGA John Connelly, PGA David A. Buth, PGA Richard T. Stucklen, PGA

NEW MEMBER

H A L F C E N T U RY Robert W. Brzoska, PGA

Q UA RT E R C E N T U RY

H A L F C E N T U RY

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FOUNDATIO Met PGA Foundation Update What a year it’s been, and we are just getting started! This spring was a very busy season for the Metropolitan PGA Section Foundation, thanks to all the Professionals who have been supporting our efforts by volunteering, hosting, and running programming. The enthusiasm of our PGA Professionals and the impact they are making in the community through the game of golf shows each day.

PGA REACH PRO-AM

(Tyler Jaramillo / Seawane Low Gross Winner)

The PGA Championship brought with it many opportunities to highlight the Foundation and that was kicked off at the PGA REACH Pro-Am on April 29th at Bethpage Black.

The event was a sellout, featuring 27 teams led by PGA Professionals, who came out to test their skills on the championship conditions of Bethpage Black. The Pro-Am was an amazing opportunity for us to tell our story and celebrate our foundation and section.

2019 SECRETARY’S CUP On Monday of PGA Championship week, the Met Section welcomed 13 teams of PGA HOPE veterans to play in the PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup at Bethpage State Park. The PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup is a 9-hole scramble match amongst PGA HOPE Programs from around the Country. While it is a competition, the goal is to provide a once in a lifetime event for these 60 Veterans and the PGA Professionals who are working to change Veterans’ lives. We welcomed teams from the following PGA Sections: Carolinas, Gateway, Philadelphia, Western New York, Northern Cal, New Jersey. This was the first time in history that the event was held on site at a Championship and Bethpage State Park proved to be a gracious host.

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS!

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|| 1st Quarter 2019 || www.met.pga.com

ON UPCOMING PROGRAM DATES The Spring session of PGA HOPE started the last week of May at West Point GC, Mosholu GC, and Crab Meadow GC and we have over 90 new veterans getting ready to graduate on July 9th at Trump Ferry Point.

We are excited to announce that we will be launching a new program of PGA HOPE this Summer at Rolling Hills CC to begin serving veterans of Fairfield County, CT. We will need help getting this program off the ground, so we are once again calling PGA instructors to get involved.

Bronx:

Mosholu GC

West Point:

West Point GC

Wednesdays: Rain Date: Time: Graduation:

August 28, September 4, 11, 25, October 2 Sept. 18, October 9 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM Thursday, October 17th at Woodside Club

Thursdays: Rain Date: Time: Graduation:

August 29, September 5, 12, 26 October 3 September 19, October 10 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM Thursday, October 17th at Woodside Club

Long Island: Woodside Club Wednesdays: Rain Date: Time: Graduation:

August 28, September 4, 18, 25, October 3 October 10 3PM-5PM Thursday, October 17th at Woodside Club

Connecticut: Rolling Hills CC Wednesdays: Rain Date: Time: Graduation:

July 17, 23, 30, August 6, 13, 27 TBD 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM Tuesday, August 27th at Rolling Hills CC

HOST A ‘DAY OF HOPE’ If you are unable to volunteer to teach at our programs, why not welcome some of our PGA HOPE veterans to your course for ‘A Day of HOPE.’ Thank you to Sharon McQuillan at Pleasantville CC for welcoming 27 of our HOPE veterans on June 6th for a day to escape on the golf course. our Goal with the day of HOPE is that our Met PGA Golf Courses will pick a day to give our veterans access to play, whether that be with their members or just themselves. This gives the veterans a change of scenery from the League Days that we host throughout the season.

If you are interested in hosting a group of veterans at your course, please CLICK HERE for more info.

www.met.pga.com || 2nd Quarter 2019 ||

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JUNIOR TOUR A message from the Met PGA Junior Tour: On behalf of the Metropolitan Section PGA Foundation, it is our pleasure to welcome you to the 2019 golf season. The PGA Junior Tour kicked off the season last weekend! If you have any juniors ages 7-18 years of age that are interested in the playing in the best junior tournaments in the area, please have them visit our website at www.metpgajuniorgolf.com to learn more about becoming a member for the 2019 season and follow the results.

The Junior Tour is a perfect compliment to your junior development program at your club and provides your juniors the platform to take their game to the next step through competitive golf. Whether you are just beginning your journey in competitive golf or are competing at the highest levels nationally, we are proud to run world class junior golf tournaments for those of all levels and abilities between the ages of 7-18. The Junior Tour is divided into three main categories with our 9 Hole Tour, Player’s Tour (18-Hole Tournaments), and Future Series (36- Hole Tournaments).

Please view the tournament schedule to see all our upcoming events.

We still need a few sites for the Met PGA Junior Tour this summer. If you have two hours of time that you can donate to Junior Golf, please reach out to Daniel Frankel at dfrankel@ pgahq.com We look forward to seeing you on the links this summer!

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|| 2nd Quarter 2019 || www.met.pga.com

JUNIOR TOUR SCHEDULE

WELCOME 2019 INTERNS!

We welcome our new team of over 20 interns that will be gaining tournament operations experience as they assist us with running junior tournaments, Section events, and Drive, Chip, and Putt Qualifiers. If you see one of our new interns out on the course, please give them a warm Met PGA welcome.

Metropolitan PGA Pro-Junior

Lake Isle CC | Wednesday, July 24th 2019

The Pro-Junior joins together two of our most important missions: bringing together PGA Professionals and junior golfers in one of the most fun-filled events of the season! Find three juniors at your club and bring them along for a day full of snacks, laughs, and memories that last a lifetime. Lake Isle CC has been the proud host of this event for over a decade, under the leadership of Dave Stevenson, PGA, who is thrilled to have us back for the 2019 season. Come hungry, leave happy!

www.met.pga.com || 2nd Quarter 2019 ||

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DRIVE, CHIP, AND PUTT Congratulations to Sophia Li of Fresh Meadows, NY, who won the 2019 National Drive Chip & Putt Girls 10-11 Division at Augusta National!

If your juniors are not signed up already for Drive, Chip, and Putt, they should be! Spots are still available in our local qualifiers, so please encourage your juniors to sign up at www.drivechipandputt.com

QUALIFIER

DATE DATE

LOCATION LOCATION

Local Local Local Local Local Local Sub-Regional

Monday, July 1, 2019 Monday, July 8, 2019 Thursday, July 11, 2019 Monday, July 15, 2019 Thursday, July 18, 2019 Monday, July 22, 2019 Thursday, August 15, 2019

The Stanwich Club The Apawamis Club Harbor Links GC Knollwood CC Colonial Springs GC Sunken Meadow Pk GC Bethpage State Pk GC

JUNIOR LEAGUE The popularity of this program is through the roof here in the Met section with over 130 teams and 1,800 junior golfers participating. The season is in full swing right now and will culminate in August with our Met Section Championship and our All-Star Championship.

PGA JUNIOR FALL REC LEAGUE We are excited to announce the addition of the PGA Junior Fall Rec League! Fall Rec is just as it sounds, it is completely recreational in nature. There are no All-Star teams, there is no postseason or Championship. It is simply a fun way to keep your players active in golf for a few more months! The Fall season is a great way to keep the team spirit going, as well as another great opportunity for you to generate some extra revenue!

If you are interested in hosting a Fall Rec PGA Junior League Team, please contact Kaitlin Sabbagh at ksabbagh@pgahq.com

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2019 PARTNERS AND SPONSORS AWARDS

ESSENTIALS

GOLF CARTS

TRAVEL/ACADEMIES

HARD GOODS

SOFT GOODS

TECHNOLOGY

TOURNAMENT SPONSORS