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Local Qualifiers Saturday, June 13, 2015

Hillcrest Country Club (Lincoln)

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Eagle Hills Golf Club (Papillion)

Friday, July 10, 2015

Riverside Golf Club (Grand Island)

For a complete list of qualifiers nationwide, visit drivechipandputt.com.

The Nebraska Section PGA is happy to again support the 2nd Annual Nebraska Golf Show, March 14-15 at the CenturyLink Center. A hit in its debut year in 2014, the Nebraska Golf Show drew nearly 5,000 golfers. This show is a great opportunity to take a few swings with some name-brand clubs and equipment, fun skills contests with unbelievable prizes; free lessons from top pros; a fully-stocked 19th Hole lounge; plus special areas for kids, golf fitness and other exciting activities, itâ€™s an event no golfer will want to miss! In addition, show attendees will receive a goody bag including three free rounds of golf, golf balls, subscriptions to Golf Digest and Global Golf Post and more! For a complete list of hours, ticket prices, exhibitors and activities visit www.nebraskagolfshow.com. Nebraska Section PGA | 610 J Street., Ste 10 | Lincoln, NE 68508 | Ph: (402) 489-7760 | Fx: (402) 489-1785 | www.nebraskapga.com

EMPLOYMENT CORNER A SIMPLE REQUEST! I realize asking for time is a tough ask but I am doing it! Why? It really is quite simple. For those of you who have completed the PGA Compensation Survey-THANK YOU! You can stop reading. For those of you who have not- read on! PLEASE go to pgalinks.com (or pga.org), log in using your username and password and fill out the PGA Compensation Survey. Over the last couple of months, I have assisted many members and employers requesting compensation figures. I utilize this survey on many, many occasions when working with an employer. It provides me with data which in many instances can potentially enhance a job financially. Does it always work? No. But the more PGA Members/Apprentices I get to participate, the more valid the information becomes. Perhaps you have no plans to leave your position and are not looking to move to a new job. Nonetheless, by participating in filling out this survey you receive up to 2 MSR credits; you are helping your fellow PGA Professional by adding your data to the pool of people who fill this Compensation Survey out and you are assisting me when working with an employer. You also can assist yourself when negotiating your own raise by using this tool. You have the ability to print out a document in PDF to show your employer and this is a very professional looking document. Spend some time looking at it and as always, feel free to give me a call to discuss. Another valuable component of the Compensation Survey is the Benefits part of the Survey. Everyone knows that the economic times we live in are making it difficult to receive pay raises. It is also difficult to keep a benefit package at a level it once was at in many instances. However, the more data I can get to prove to facilities that health insurance (perhaps even if a stipend is provided), PGA dues, education allowance, meals, cell phone expense, retirement contribution, etc. are being provided, I can potentially make a difference in your overall package. Your deadline is March 23, 2015! I hope I can count on you! Bruce Lubach, PGA, is the PGA of America Employment Consultant for the Colorado, Iowa, Midwest, Minnesota and Nebraska Sections. He can be reached at: blubach@pgahq.com or (402) 261-3604.

As the “Experts in the Game and Business of Golf” the power of education is the single most important way to help enhance and transform our industry. Many of today’s thriving industries outside of the golf industry have alluded to the fact that there is a strong correlation between the economic viability of an industry and its education attained by those who work in it. The current MSR cycle is roughly 4 months away from coming to a close and it is a priority of the Section to provide meaningful educational opportunities for you to meet these requirements. To review your current MSR status, please go to www.pgalinks.com and login. Under “your membership data” will be your current credits earned and what is still required. To receive MSR’s for your Player Development Program, please complete the “MSR Report Form” and submit it to Nebraska Section Player Development Coordinator, Joe Canny, PGA at jcanny@pgahq.com or by fax 402-489-1785.

WHAT:

NEW Online Education - Golf 2.0

WHAT:

INFO:

Click Here for Log In

DEADLINE: March 23, 2015

MSRs:

Up to 11 MSRs - Toward PGA Required

INFO:

Click Here for Log In

MSRs:

2 MSR Credits - Toward PGA Required

2015 Compensation Survey

WHAT:

NGA Rules of Golf Workshop

WHERE:

Champions Run

WHAT:

2015 Spring Meeting

WHEN:

WHERE:

Country Club of Lincoln

INFO:

March 7-8, 2015 9:00 am - 4:00 pm To Register Contact Gary Austin at: austin1090@cox.net

WHEN:

March 23, 2015

COST:

$80 if you need a Rules book/$70 if you do not need Rules book

MSRs:

4 MSR Credits - Toward PGA Required

MSRs:

7 MSR Credits each day - Toward TOTAL MSR Category WHAT:

Nebraska Section PGA Teaching & Coaching Summit

WHERE:

UNL PGM Simulator Lab

WHAT:

Maximizing Your Resources

WHERE:

Nebraska Section PGA Office

WHEN:

March 17, 2015 9:30 am - 1:00 pm

WHEN:

March 24, 2015

INFO:

Click Here to Register

MSRs:

6 MSR Credits - Toward PGA Required

COST:

$15.00 Lunch Included

MSRs:

3 MSR Credits - Toward PGA Required

WHAT:

Update PGA.org Profile

MSRs:

1 MSR Credit - Toward TOTAL MSR Category

101 Biochemistry Hall, Lincoln, NE

Measure Twice, Cut Once This month we are going to focus on the importance of analyzing your golf programs and local market. This analysis will help you identify the factors that will affect your Player Development Programming in both a good way and a bad way. By understanding these factors it will help you: 

Identify positive and negative aspects of current Player Development Programming



Educate your employers on the market you are working in to develop new golfers and customers



Create realistic goals for success in future Player Development Programming



Identify target customer groups, companies, community organizations and current golfers who will buy what you are selling

There are two groups of factors that you must analyze. These are Internal vs External factors where internal covers all items in your control at your facility and external factors include all things outside your control in your local market such as local economy, demographics and market conditions. Both are equally important in determining the future success of your Player Development Programs. Internal Factors: 

Process for developing and conducting



Facility Staff



Marketing

Player Development Programs 

Current customers



Current programs 





Resources and budget

Facility atmosphere

Type, Participation & Results



Budget



PGA Teaching Staff

With internal factors a great place to start to analyze these figures is with your traditional SWOT Analysis. In SWOT Analysis you will look at four different areas of your Player Development efforts which includes strengths (S), weaknesses (W), opportunities (O) and threats (T). For me it helps to place these items on a grid where I can visually see all on one chart. External Factors: 

Demographics 

Average income and unemployment



Average age range and schools



Ethnic and gender figures



Latent Demand 

Find latent demand at your club HERE



Opportunities for community-based marketing and



relationships 

Major businesses and employers in area



Community clubs, local corporations and social groups





Current relationships



Recreational clubs and organizations



Senior, ladies and youth groups



Schools and higher learning institutions

Competitive landscape 

Other golf facilities and their programs



PGA PerformanceTrak/Annual Operations

Section Player Development Initiatives 

TEAM GOLF



Nebraska Junior Golf Tour



Neighborhood Golf



YMCA PGA Sports Academy



Golf N Schools



Boys & Girls Club Sports Academy



Alternatives to golf

Survey 

Compare and benchmark

You can find these figures using PGA.org; local, community, state and federal agencies; Department of Commerce; Department of Labor and Chambers of Commerce. Taking the time to analyze internal and external factors affecting your Player Development Programming will help you be successful in your efforts, give employers realistic expectations and ultimately help your employment. For any assistance with your Player Development Programs and further information on the resources available to you for analysis, please contact Player Development Coordinator for the Nebraska PGA, Joe Canny at jcanny@pgahq.com.

CLUB FITTING Club-fitting has always been part of the process for us at Sioux City Country Club and it’s an important part of being a PGA Professional. Technology has certainly become a big part of fitting, and we incorporate it into some of our fittings. However, I believe strongly in seeing ball flight, and we do all of our fitting outdoors on the range. I trust my eyes and the feedback of seeing ball flight, though I understand that golfers like to see the technology in use. That’s why I schedule fitting days and demo days with our reps that bring in launch monitors and doppler software because it’s not something we use every day, that gives these special events an added excitement for our members. At a private club, you see a lot of repeat business. I’ve been dealing with a lot of the same members for 20-plus years, and the success we’ve had in fitting lends us credibility as PGA Professionals. It helps us build long-term relationships based on trust and expertise. Fitting and teaching are also great ways to integrate new members into the club. We’ve added more than 200 new members in the last 2 years, and helping them with a lesson or a fitting is a great way to spend time with them and show them my expertise as a PGA Professional. Without club-fitting, our business would not be near what it is today. A lot of places sell golf equipment, but we set ourselves apart by fitting and making sure that each golfer has what’s right for them. We guarantee every fit: If it’s not right, we’ll make it right. Fitting is a very important service that helps set us apart as PGA Professionals. Mitch Merrill, PGA Master Professional Sioux City Country Club

See if you can identify the issues and make the correct rulings for members of The Eagles in the following stroke play scenarios which incorporate some of their song and album titles (in italics): 1. On the 1st hole, a blinding Tequila Sunrise causes Glenn Frey to shank his drive, and he shouts at the ball, “Please Come Home for Christmas.” The ball ricochets off a nearby tree and whistles past the group, coming to rest in casual water about 30 yards behind the teeing ground. Instead of taking relief from the casual water, Frey deems the ball unplayable and plays his next stroke from the teeing ground, i.e., a point closer to the hole than where his ball came to rest. 2. At the 1st putting green, Don Henley remarks, “I Can’t Tell You Why, but someone has just accidentally made spike marks on my line of putt. He asks, “Who is the New Kid in Town?” No one confesses to the breach of etiquette and, to Henley, it seems that everyone is looking at him with Lyin’ Eyes. Somehow, Henley determines that Joe Walsh is the culprit and asks him, “How Long have you been wearing Those Shoes?” Joe Walsh sarcastically replies, “I’ve given you the Best of My Love. Look, those spike marks are Already Gone.” 3. On the 3rd hole, Timothy Schmit finds his ball plugged in the face of a greenside bunker. He remarks, “One of These Nights” I’m gonna learn how to get out of a bunker. Bernie Leadon tells him, “Get Over It! You have to Take It Easy and maintain a Peaceful Easy Feeling when playing a shot out of a bunker. 4. Later, Glenn Frey exclaims, “I’m gonna Take It to the Limit” just before launching a massive drive. Unfortunately, his ball hooks towards the Hotel California property bordering the golf course. Acting like a Desperado, Frey frantically searches for his ball in an area of tall grass adjacent to the hotel. After a while, Don Felder sighs, “Wasted Time.” 5. After leaving the 16th green, the group decides to cross the nearby Seven Bridges Road, and saunters into The Sad Café for an extended lunch. After being served cowboy steaks cooked to perfection by a Witchy Woman, Glenn Frey remarks, “This is Life in the Fast Lane!” After finishing dessert, Randy Meisner comments, “I Can’t Tell You Why, but I don’t think we should have left the course.” Answers: 1. Frey may play from the teeing ground incurring a one-stroke penalty. Even though Frey may take relief without penalty from the casual water per Rule 25-1 [Abnormal Ground Conditions], Rule 28 [Ball Unplayable] states, “The player may deem his ball unplayable at any place on the course, except when the ball is in a water hazard.” One of the options available to Frey in Rule 28 is to proceed under the stroke and distance provision of Rule 27-1. 2. Rule 16-1c [Putting Green - Repair of Hole Plugs, Ball Marks and Other Damage] does not authorize the repairing of spike marks on a putting green. However, Decision 16-1a/13 [Line of Putt Damaged Accidentally by Opponent, Fellow-Competitor or Their Caddies] points out that the player is entitled to the lie and line of putt he had when his ball came to rest, and the line of putt may be restored by anyone. Thus, it is permissible for Walsh to tamp down his spike marks without penalty. 3. Leadon incurs a two-stroke penalty for breaching Rule 8-1 [Advice] by giving advice to Schmit. By Definition, “advice” is any counsel or suggestion that could influence a player in the method of making a stroke. 4. According to Rule 27-1c [Ball Not Found Within Five Minutes], a ball is lost if it has not been found or identified by the player within five minutes after the player, his side or his or their caddies have begun to search for it. 5. The Eagles are disqualified for discontinuing play without authorization by the Committee. Rule 6-8 [Discontinuance of Play; Resumption of Play] states, “If the player discontinues play without specific permission from the Committee, he must report to the Committee as soon as practicable. If he does so and the Committee considers his reason satisfactory, there is no penalty. Otherwise, the player is disqualified. Decision 6-8a/2.5 [Discontinuing Play for Refreshment] points out that the Committee may not permit players to discontinue play for refreshment for an extended period, e.g., more than five minutes, during a stipulated round.

The PGA Financial Assistance Fund Scholarship Program was established in 1986 to provide college ST. LOUIS - National Car Rental and the PGA scholarships for graduating high school seniors and college students who are the children or of America today of a PGA member. Since its inception, announced the renewal grandchildren this program has awarded some $5.7 million to 2,808 of their partnership at the 2015 PGA Merchandise students. The PGA Financial Assistance Show, extending National’s designation as an Scholarship application is available on Official Partner and the Official Rental Car of the PGALinks.com with a submission deadline of Monday, March 16, 2015. PGA of America. The five-year agreement features National serving as the Official Rental Car of the PGA Championship and Senior PGA Championship Graduating high school seniors and college students who are the children or grandchildren of PGA presented by KitchenAid; an Official Partner of the members are encouraged to apply. Click here to view 2016 and 2018 Ryder Cups; Title Sponsor of the more information. National Car Rental PGA Assistant Championship and Founding Partner of the KPMG Women’s PGA Scholarship Resources: Championship. Click here to continue reading. Click here to view Scholarship Search Tips Click here to view Additional Scholarship Suggestions

Online registration for a 2015 PGA/USGA Rules of Golf Workshop is now open. You PGA Professionals are able to go to PGA.org (or can register via phone. click here) and take the 2015 PGA Golf More information Professional Compensation Survey, which seeks data from 2014. The survey will be live through March 23rd to earn MSR credit, provided the maximum MSR requirement has not been met. All active PGA Professionals (except A-3s) are asked to participate in this confidential survey. The annual PGA Compensation Survey is the industry standard for providing invaluable data on golf professional compensation levels. PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – PGA Golf Club  Provides key information to ensure PGA in Port St. Lucie placed all three of its premier coursProfessionals are employed at the correct es on Golf Digest's 2015 "Top Public Courses in compensation level Florida" list. The prestigious ranking of the Top 75  • Better understand your compensation courses in the Sunshine State, entitled "75 & Sunny," compared to other PGA Professionals is derived from reviews by the Golf Digest Course  • Helps you know current compensation levels Ranking Panel. and employee benefits Designed by namesake Pete Dye, the Dye Course  • Determines which factors (region, facility type, was ranked 19th, while the two Tom Fazio layouts, etc.) are most likely to affect earnings the Wanamaker Course and Ryder Course, were No. Results from previous years are available online now 32 and tied for 34th, respectively. on PGA.org. Click here to continue reading.

ARE YOU ON TRACK? MSR Cycle Ends 06/15/2015

See Where You Stand:

Kyle Schellpeper Ron Block, PGA Patrick Johnson, PGA Bradley Neunaber, PGA Karrie Van Ravenswaay, PGA Jason Meininger, PGA Adam Bradfield, PGA Trevor Chesnut, PGA Nathan Kalin, PGA Zach Wetovick, PGA John Paul Wachter

3/1 3/8 3/8 3/8 3/8 3/9 3/10 3/12 3/13 3/13 3/16

Tom Weekes, PGA Kevin Boehler, PGA Christopher Jacobson, PGA Scott Weihe, PGA Anthony Baranowski, PGA Jesse Brodersen, PGA Denis M. Vontz, PGA Juan Elizondo Timothy M. Whalen, PGA Charlie Borner, PGA Christopher R. Cover, PGA

3/16 3/17 3/18 3/19 3/23 3/23 3/25 3/27 3/27 3/28 3/29

STAFF David Honnens, PGA Executive Director dhonnens@pgahq.com

Sean Oâ€™Neill, PGA Tournament Director soneill@pgahq.com

Joe Canny, PGA Junior Golf Director/ Player Development Coordinator jcanny@pgahq.com

Renee Tyson Operations Manager rtyson@pgahq.com