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F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 2 NEWSLETTER

Regional Club Fitter of the Year O LE N B A L I AVA

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UPCOMING DEADLINES

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L ETTER

FROM THE

E XECUTIVE D IRECTOR

Dear Nebraska PGA Members and Apprentices, As we are all aware, our beloved game has faced its share of challenges the past few years leaving many of us to wonder what is the future of our industry? Rounds have been steadily declining since 2007 and we have seen the number of golfers go from 29.1 million to now just over 26.1 million today. In fact, this past year we witnessed 5 million new golfers to the game but lost 6 million. Ultimately, I believe we have two choices; we can either continue doing things the way we have always done them or evolve and become part of the solution. Many of you may be thinking, I have spent multiple seasons doing more with less and our staffs are becoming so depleted that it’s becoming hard doing what we have always done. To this thought, you may have a point and I am not going to pretend that I know your situation or have all the answers. However, what if, you begin to approach each day like your first day you started your job at your current facility? Do you remember that day? The excitement you had…you could probably hardly sleep the night before. What if you took a few minutes out of your day to simply give a compliment to each of your staff members? I think sometimes we lose perspective and forget that we make a living at a game, a game we love and are

truly passionate about deep down inside. Now more than ever, it’s personal. It will take dedicated men and women, such as yourselves, to turn the tide on the decline in our industry. With that said, we are less than a week away from the Spring Meeting and some of the best ideas and solutions for how to make our game better. Immediately following lunch, we have allocated the afternoon education seminar for a break-out session. Our hope is that by having talented individuals such as yourselves on hand we can share our best practices that ultimately you can take back to your facilities to help you elevate yourself and bring new golfers to the game. I truly believe we will look back at this Spring Meeting 10 years from now as a turning point in our Section’s history. Now is the time, it’s personal, so let’s show our owners and operators why we are the experts in the game and business of golf. Respectfully,

David Honnens, PGA Executive Director Nebraska PGA

MY STORY Starting on March 7, with the PGALinks News e-letter, we will launch a new feature called "My Story." The idea is quite simple, and I believe it will help create even more of a "community" feeling among members for PGALinks.com. I would like to ask the Nebraska PGA members to provide about 250 words of copy about who they are outside of work and what their various interests/passions/pursuits are. I encourage your to send me 250 words or so about your cool-off course activities that will help add to the fun and camaraderie of "My Story." It's simply another example of PGA Professionals sharing their stories with one another, and helping make The PGA of America the great association it is. Thanks. Kelly Elbin Director of Communications and Publications The PGA of America (561) 624-8445 kelbin@pgahq.com Nebraska Section PGA | 8700 Executive Woods Dr., Ste 100 | Lincoln, NE 68512 | Ph: (402) 489-7760 | Fx: (402) 489-1785 | www.nebraskapga.com

T OURNAMENT N EWS 2012 Las Vegas Classic

ebraska PGA would like to announce that Cleveland Golf/Srixon will be the proud sponsor of the 2012 Las Vegas Classic. This will be Cleveland Golf/Srixon's second consecutive year sponsoring this event. Nebraska PGA appreciates the support from our Cleveland Golf/Srixon Sales Representative, Tad Leistico. This year 17 teams will participate in the 2012 Cleveland Golf/Srixon Las Vegas Classic which will take place March 12-14 at Anthem Country Club, Dragon Ridge Country Club and Las Vegas National. All participants will be staying at the Rio All Suites and Casino. Please click on the logos to visit the web site of each manufacturer.

2012 Nebraska PGA Cup Series Championship The 2012 PGA Cup Series Championship Points Race Presented by Vinne Krikac State Farm starts NOW! In 2012 there will be a lot more opportunities to earn points by participating in not just Nebraska PGA events but by getting involved in PGA of America programs as well. Many of you are already ahead of the game by earning 10 POINTS for completing your compensation survey. Don't miss out on an easy way to get off to a great start! For those of you that have yet to complete the compensation survey you still have a little bit of time. Not only will you receive 10 POINTS but you will receive 2 MSR credits. The 2012 PGA Compensation Survey is available at www.pgalinks.com. Your participation will help provide you and your fellow PGA Professionals with accurate compensation information when you need it for negotiations, job searches, and budgeting. It will also help the Employment Consultants who work with employers on your behalf in their efforts to upgrade compensation for all PGA positions. All individual responses are completely confidential, so please take a few minutes and complete the survey. Get yourself into the TOP 40!

PGA Member Service Requirement Policy Effective June 16, 2012 Credit requirements will consist of two categories: (a) 54 Total Credits, (b) 36 of which must be from PGA Meeting/Education and/or Golf 2.0/Player Development. (a) Total Credits (54): A total of 54 credits must be earned, with at least 36 credits earned from the required category (PGA Meeting/PGA Education/Golf 2.0/Player Development), while the other means of obtaining credits toward the total requirement remain per the prior program. All credits for any category must be earned via activities that allow for automated crediting through PGA systems to streamline the administration of the Professional Development Program. (b) PGA Meeting/Education: The credit category for Meetings and PGA-delivered education (Chapter, Section, National) are now combined and all will be awarded one (1) credit per hour of participation. Other education provided by sources outside of The PGA will apply to the Total. This means that any gathering of members organized by a Section/Chapter or National, whether for governance, education, or both will be treated the same way. Therefore, a Section meeting that had three hours of business meeting and two hours of education that would have been credited six Meeting credits and two Education credits in the previous cycle will now be worth 5 Meeting/Education credits in the current proposal. (b) Golf 2.0/Player Development: The credits for Golf 2.0/Player Development will be earned via reporting actual creation, activation and engagement of golfers into the programming that supports Golf 2.0 Initiatives and/or education and training on the strategic plan, its initiatives, and related program

administration. Thus both green grass and non-green grass or executive level PGA members can meet the requirement by becoming knowledgeable about Golf 2.0, its strategic initiatives, and its programs. Effective Date: June 16, 2012â€“June 15, 2015 Rules and Regulations for the Member Service Requirement (MSR), as defined by the Membership Committee: 1.One credit per hour of service or participation as defined by the chart below. 2.A Section may require that all Section and Chapter activities be approved in advance. 3.Based on previously approved activities, established guidelines and Section recommendations, the National Office will approve the credits to be awarded for a certain activity. The Board of Control will determine the number of credits in all disputes and the Board of Directors reserves the right to make modifications to the requirements. 4.A participant may receive compensation for an activity. 5.Fifty-four (54) credits are required for a three-year cycle; at least 36 from PGA Meeting/PGA Education/Golf 2.0/Player Development. Click here to download a printable version and a list of activities or visit www.pgalinks.com.

Effective June 16, 2012

Player Development Playbook The Player Development Playbook is the first tool developed to help PGA and LPGA Professionals personally activate Golf 2.0 at their facilities. This resource provides action-steps to make our game more fun and welcoming to new golfers.

A VAILABLE N OW !

PGA Members Must Complete the Entire Survey By: MARCH 16, 2012 To Earn Up to (2) Member Service Requirement Hours. ** A maximum of five MSR credits can be earned in one cycle year for completing National and/or Section Surveys and PerformanceTrak data input.** Many of you have asked how Get Golf Ready is quantifiable and how this program can enhance your facility. The Get Golf Ready Annual Report can serve as a fantastic tool to show your owner/operators why you should implement Get Golf Ready at your facility. To print out the annual report, click here. Click on the image above to view the power point version. Nebraska Section PGA | 8700 Executive Woods Dr., Ste 100 | Lincoln, NE 68512 | Ph: (402) 489-7760 | Fx: (402) 489-1785 | www.nebraskapga.com

EMPLOYMENT I Need 15 Minutes of Your Time!! I realize asking for time is a tough ask but I am doing it! Why? It really is quite simple. It is a win-win proposal. Reading this article will take about one minute so time is “awasting”! PLEASE go to pgalinks.com and fill out the PGA Compensation Survey. There are many things you are asked to do and I know it feels like you get “hit” on to do “one more thing” a lot. This document is something that I utilize on many, many occasions when working with an employer. It provides me with data that 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. The printed out document in PDF format 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 still make a difference in your overall package. Your deadline is March 16, 2012! Why are you waiting? As the famous comedian, Larry the Cable Guy says; GIT-R-DONE!!

Bruce Lubach, PGA, is The PGA of America Employment Consultant for the Iowa, Midwest, Minnesota and Nebraska Sections. blubach@pgahq.com | (402) 261-3604.

UPCOMING DEADLINES PGA Scholarship Applications must be submitted online at http://apps.pgalinks.com/scholarship/ by 5:00 p.m. ET on March 15, 2012.

Registration deadline March 1, 2012. Spring Meeting - Register Spring Education - Register

PGA Members Must Complete the Entire Survey By March 16, 2012 to Earn Up to (2) Member Service Requirement Hours.

Tony Pesavento, Tim McAndrew and Carly Froehlich named PING Regional Club Fitter of the Year PHOENIX (January 26, 2012) – Tony Pesavento, Tim McAndrew and Carly Froehlich at Omaha Country Club have been honored as a 2011 PING Regional Club Fitter of the Year, PING announced today. The company, which pioneered custom fitting nearly 40 years ago, recognized Pesavento, McAndrew and Froehlich for their commitment to helping golfers of all abilities improve their games through custom fitting. “Golfers know PING for our leadership in custom fitting, and we are held to a higher standard, so we’re grateful for experts like Tony, Tim and Carly who demonstrate every day how properly fit equipment leads to lower scores and more fun on the golf course,” said John A. Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO. “Tony, Tim and Carly are consummate professionals who combine excellent communication skills with technical expertise, and are tireless advocates for PING’s fitting philosophy. For all these reasons, they are very deserving of this recognition.” Nominating Tony Pesavento, Tim McAndrew and Carly Froehlich at Omaha Country Club for the honor was Shannon Johnson, PING Field Representative for the region. ### PING designs, manufactures and markets a complete line of golf equipment including metal woods, irons, putters, and golf bags. The family-owned company was founded in 1959 in the garage of the late Karsten Solheim, a mechanical engineer with an extensive background in the aerospace and computer industries. His frustration with his putting inspired him to design his own putter, which created a “pinging” sound when striking a golf ball. This sound was the source of the name now synonymous with innovation, quality and service throughout the world of golf. Solheim and his company are credited with numerous innovations that became industry standards, including perimeter weighting, custom fitting and the use of investment casting in the manufacturing of golf clubs. His insistence on adhering to strict engineering principles and tight manufacturing tolerances raised the level of product performance and quality throughout the golf club industry. Solheim is the only person to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame as a golf club manufacturer. Today, the Phoenix-based company is under the direction of Solheim’s youngest son, John A. Solheim. PING game-improvement products can be found in more than 70 countries. For more information, visit pinggolf.com. ### For additional information, contact Pete Samuels at 602-687-5487. PING is a registered trademark of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation.

What others are saying... The Battle for the Soul of the Game Golf May Face Two Options: Change the Game Radically and Grow, or Remain a Niche Sport http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052970203646004577213533058811256-lMyQjAxMTAyMDEwMTExNDEyWj.html?mod=wsj_share_email_bot

From about 1990 to the mid-2000s, the golf industry boomed, overbuilt and overpromised. Now it's paying the price. By a couple of different reckonings, the game is losing one million golfers a year, net. The promise of the boom was that golf, always a cultural litmus but in numbers never much more than a niche, could break out and become a sport for the masses. The ramped-up industry still hopes it can. If that's to happen, however, the game at its core may have to change, or at least accommodate some tradition-defying alternatives. The deep question golf is asking itself these days is wherein lies its soul: with the ancient game itself, played as it has been for hundreds of years, or with the modern industry that has grown up around it? Two million U.S. jobs are now tied to golf, according to an industry lobbying consortium called We Are Golf, and those businesses are desperate to reverse their losses and expand. Golf's leadership is responding to the situation with more urgency than ever. At golf's big annual merchandise show in Orlando, Fla., last month, I sat through several state-of-theindustry hand-wringing sessions. Nobody in golf is complacent. The PGA of America is pushing a new, all-points initiative called Golf 2.0, whose goal is to make the game "more relevant" to lapsed golfers and others, especially women and minorities, it has identified as underserved. At last weekend's annual meeting of the U.S. Golf Association in Houston, the incoming president, Glen Nager, sounded downright radical (by USGA standards) in urging golf to make itself more accessible. From all this verbiage, one phrase from Nager's speech stood out for me as best representing the predicament for golf's traditionalists. At the end of a list of worthy goals—making golf more enjoyable to play, more affordable and more welcoming—he added that this must be done "without fundamentally changing the game itself." The game itself, of course, is different than the business practices that support the game, many of which (like poor customer tracking and feckless rangers) are indeed hidebound and need to be revamped. But Nager also stressed that the USGA's top priority is to protect golf's core values—to preserve, as he put it, "the true spirit of the game as embodied in its ancient and honorable traditions." But it's unclear if that spirit is still viable for an industry that hopes to expand its customer base, as per the Golf 2.0 vision, to 40 million players by 2020 from 26 million players now? Never mind gaining those customers, especially young ones, in an ever more time-squeezed, electronically addicted culture. Until perhaps 25 years ago, golf more or less contentedly filled its niche. Those who aspired to become golfers basically knew what they were getting in for and accepted the game's demands. "When I was learning to love this game, it was never seen as too hard, or too time-consuming to play, or too expensive, or too frustrating," said Susie Meyers, 51, who later

played on the LPGA Tour and now teaches golf in Arizona. The course she played on with her family and friends was short and simple, but in her memories it was heaven. In the intervening years, the character and challenges of the game changed, Meyers said. "Whose idea was it to make courses so difficult it takes 5½ hours to play?" she asks. "Whose idea was it to say there's a perfect swing and if you come to me I'll show you what's wrong with it and fix it? Whose idea was it that you have to find the perfect club and the perfect ball and play on perfect grass?" There are many interrelated factors behind golf's transformation, but the housing bubble that caused so many troubles elsewhere played a lead role. It drove demand for thousands of new high-end courses to anchor developments, ratcheting up standards everywhere. The PGA Tour, fueled by big TV contracts and Tiger Woods, became much richer than it had been and more glamorous. Equipment makers poured millions into research and came up with high-price, technologically advanced clubs. Golfers always want the latest thing. The thrust of the Golf 2.0 initiative is customer service—to give customers more of what they want, or would want if it were actually available: set-aside times and places for families and beginners to play, more leagues and competitions, more accessible instruction, friendlier staff. An allied initiative, begun last summer and co-sponsored (unusually) by the USGA and the PGA, is Tee It Forward, which encourages golfers to play from tees that make courses shorter and more fun. Most of these solutions, and others like them, are an attempt to return golf to simpler, less fancified times—the way Susie Meyers remembers the game. Could these measures possibly be enough to give the golf industry the growth it desires? Maybe, given enough time and the rewiring of expectations in golfers' brains. But for those who don't think so, more extreme ideas have appeal. Among them: promulgating alternate sets of rules for players with less patience and fewer skills; legalizing clubs and balls that make the game easier; doubling the size of the hole. John Solheim, the chief executive of club maker Ping, recently floated the notion of adding two new types of balls: one that flies much farther for thrill seekers and short hitters, and a ball that is shorter for courses that are also short. These are the kind of ideas that terrify traditionalists, even if they might introduce more people to the game. They like to think of golf as a single church, with one set of rules and beliefs for all. The analogy may be a stretch, but Christianity faced similar renegade elements in the 16th century, resulting in the Protestant Reformation. That was extremely messy, but in the end, if yielding more net Christians was the goal, all those new, competing denominations had a positive effect. The battle for golf's soul may just be getting under way. —Email John Paul at golfjournal@wsj.com.

-50% Soft Good Margin Capability (Limited distribution/limited production products allows your operation to succeed with limited competition)

For the many of you that support Mizuno USA I would like to say a very sincere Thank You for your continued support!!! If we have not scheduled your 2012 Demo Day please let me know! For those of you who might not be handling Mizuno at this time: I would like formally reintroduce myself and Mizuno USA into your shop in 2012. Mizuno USA has experienced a meteoric rise in consumer demand via our Performance Fitting System featuring the New 2012 Interchangable Shaft Optimizer featuring Swing DNA, Gold-Medal Winning JPX and MP Series iron line-up, along with #1 Ranked Golfer in the World...Mr. Luke Donald. Please consider Mizuno for your 2012 hard good/soft good/glove needs. I would also like to extend my services for your 2012 Demo Events. Here are just a few reasons why Mizuno makes sense at your facility: -40% Hard Goods Margin Capability (All current models have been recognized as 2012 Golf Digest Gold Medal Winners......7 Models!)

-Green Grass Only Glove Program.....Worn By #1 PGA Tour Ranked Luke Donald (Limited distribution allows for 62% return on your investment!) -Custom Order……….2-Business Day Delivery (Best in the industry.....Order Monday....Play'em on Friday) -Exclusive PFS Fitting System Opportunity (Golf Digest called our system the Best Technology Story since 2003. ***2012 Tournament Opportunities Available*** I look forward to seeing everyone and would appreciate the opportunity to discuss business opportunities to achieve mutual sales goals with limited investment. Please feel free to contact me at any time. Best Regards, Jeremy Galbreth Territory Manager Mobile 402-321-8630

2011 NEBRASKA PGA AWARD WINNERS Golf Professional of the Year

Tom Hearn, PGA PGA Tour, Lincoln

Teacher of the Year

James Kinney, PGA GolfTEC, Omaha

Horton Smith-Education

Dr. Terry Riordan, PGA Lincoln

Bill Strausbaugh-Club Relations

David Honnens, PGA Nebraska PGA, Lincoln

Nebraska PGA Junior Golf Leader

Chris Thomson, PGA Wilderness Ridge Golf Club, Lincoln

Merchandiser of the Year-Public

Rick Reynoldson, PGA Crooked Creek Golf Club, Lincoln

Merchandiser of the Year-Private

Dawn Neujahr, PGA Champions Run, Omaha

Facility of the Year

Wilderness Ridge Golf Club Lincoln

Sales Representative of the Year

Todd Petersen Callaway Golf Company

Assistant Professional of the Year

Maureen Farrell, PGA Wilderness Ridge Golf Club, Lincoln

2011 NEBRASKA PGA PLAYERS OF THE YEAR Nebraska PGA Player of the Year

Shane Zywiec, PGA, Highlands Golf Course, Lincoln

Nebraska PGA Senior Player of the Year

Jim White, PGA MP West Nine and Learning Center, Lincoln

Apprentice Professional Player of the Year

Ryan Vermeer, Oak Hills Country Club, Omaha

All of the winners will be recognized at the Nebraska PGA Spring Meeting on Monday, March 5, 2012 at Hillcrest Country Club, Lincoln, NE. Nebraska Section PGA | 8700 Executive Woods Dr., Ste 100 | Lincoln, NE 68512 | Ph: (402) 489-7760 | Fx: (402) 489-1785 | www.nebraskapga.com

M EMBERS O N T HE M OVE *Updates between 2/1/2012 - 2/29/2012 NEW REGISTERED APPRENTICES Name Derek Benson Maxwell Hadenfeldt Alex Shives

Facility

Class

Elected

Schuyler Golf Club

B-1

2/13/2012

Scotts Bluff Country Club

B-8

2/9/2012

Eagle Hills Golf Course

B-8

2/23/2012

CLASS CHANGES Name Bob McCormack, PGA

Former Class A-1

New Class Effective Date LM

1/31/2012

EMPLOYMENT CHANGES Name

Former Facility

Class

Mark Baumann, PGA

Simply Golf

A-6

Bob McCormack, PGA

Warren Swigart Muni Golf Course

A-1

Champions Run

A-1

Douglas Thies

STAFF David Honnens, PGA Executive Director dhonnens@pgahq.com Thomas Harmon, PGA Tournament Director tharmon@pgahq.com Renee Tyson Administrative Assistant rtyson@pgahq.com