Nebraska Section PGA January 2012 Newsletter

J A N U A RY NEWSLETTER 2012

Results of Resolutions at 95th PGA Annual Meeting

PGA National Award Winners Nebraska Section PGA | 8700 Executive Woods Dr., Ste 100 | Lincoln, NE 68512 | Ph: (402) 489-7760 | Fx: (402) 489-1785 | www.nebraskapga.com

L ETTER

FROM THE

E XECUTIVE D IRECTOR

Dear Members and Apprentices, Recently your Officers and I returned from our Association’s largest governance event, the 95th PGA Annual Meeting with the theme being Golf 2.0: Friends, Family and Fun. This meeting focused on the changing trends in our society and identified ways that PGA Professionals can be part of the solution.

A few days following this meeting in a special series titled, “Golf Answers Urgent Call” GolfWeek highlights our industries decline, challenges and even questions Golf 2.0 goal of increasing the U.S. golfer population to 40 million by 2020. In fact, Jim Koppenhaver, an industry consultant, is quoted in the article by saying, “The likelihood of their army (referring to PGA personnel) being able to carry out the mission that they say needs to be done… I think the odds of that happening are very low.” This quote is bulletin board material and something that could be skewed as questioning our abilities as the experts in the game and business of golf. The quote could be warranted considering our industry peaked at over 30 million players in 2005 to our recent decline of just over 26 million players. There are numerous factors that we could attribute to this decline

but ultimately “it’s personal” and time for our industry to embrace Golf 2.0. If you have not already, please take a few moments and go to www.golf20.net and explore the three core strategies, nine consumer groups and 12 strategic initiatives aimed at growing participation now and into the future. In addition to the supportive materials available at this website, your Section Player Development/Publicity Committee will be supplying you with numerous tools to help you succeed at implementing Golf 2.0 initiatives in the coming weeks and months to come.

Lastly, the PGA Compensation Survey is now available and utilized by our PGA Employment Consultants when working with employers. Please take a few minutes to complete this very important survey on www.pgalinks.com .

Regards,

David Honnens, PGA Executive Director

2011 PGA of America National Award Winners PGA Golf Professional of the Year Chip Essig, PGA

President's Plaque Brian Bain, PGA

PGA Teacher of the Year Mike Malaska, PGA

Resort Facilities Merchandiser of the Year Hill Herrick, PGA

Horton Smith Award John Rogers, PGA

Private Facilities Merchandiser of the Year Jeff Kiddie, PGA

Bill Strausbaugh Award Bob Dolan, PGA

Public Facilities Merchandiser of the Year Susan Roll, PGA

PGA Junior Golf Leader Rick Grayson, PGA

PGA First Lady of Golf Mary Bea Porter-King

Nebraska Section PGA | 8700 Executive Woods Dr., Ste 100 | Lincoln, NE 68512 | Ph: (402) 489-7760 | Fx: (402) 489-1785 | www.nebraskapga.com

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Results of Resolutions at 95th PGA Annual Meeting Delegates debated three Resolutions put before them at the 95th PGA Annual Meeting in Orlando, on January 24, 2012. One Resolution passed, one Resolution passed as amended, and the other Resolution failed.

Resolution 1, proposed by the Connecticut PGA Section, would have allowed college/university golf coaches to be eligible for registration into the PGA Professional Golf Management Program and earn credits with or without a PGA member supervisor.

This Resolution failed.

Resolution 2, proposed by the Southern Ohio Section, passed as amended. The amended Resolution removes the one Section transfer per fiscal year restriction for all member classifications.

Finally, the passage of Resolution 3 that the Northern California PGA Section proposed, allows members the ability to remain affiliated with the Association in name only, to "wear the crest" until they are deceased, provided they qualify for Life Member "Century" status based on the following qualifications: •Member must have 25 years as a PGA member and a minimum of 75 years old (100=Century) •Member cannot be working in any capacity eligible to retain an "Active" status •One-time transfer only -- Member or power of attorney to sign agreement as such •Limit the amount of dues: National $25; Life Insurance, $26; Section, $25 (Maximum, per the Bylaws)

The 95th PGA Annual Meeting (Jan. 23, 2012) was the stage for a comprehensive panel discussion on Golf 2.0 featuring PGA of America Officers, CEO Joe Steranka and Golf 2.0 Senior Director Darrell Crall. Click Here to View.

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 is designed to provide detailed direction and action-steps in the quest to make our game more fun and welcoming to millions of new golfers through structured Player Development.

The Playbook's Appendix will continue to expand, so check back often. The next update is scheduled for Feb. 10. Click Here to View.

USGA - Strong Proponent of Golf 2.0 A strong proponent of Golf 2.0, USGA Executive Director Mike Davis tells you why this dynamic strategic plan is in the best interest of all who have a stake in our game. Click Here to View.

Nebraska Section PGA | 8700 Executive Woods Dr., Ste 100 | Lincoln, NE 68512 | Ph: (402) 489-7760 | Fx: (402) 489-1785 | www.nebraskapga.com

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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

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EMPLOYMENT 2012!

I always liked the number # 12!

Maybe it was because I was a quarterback in football and the # 12 was a popular QB number. Bob Griese, Joe Willie Namath, Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach are some of the names who come to my mind and are somewhat from my era. But, in today’s world of NFL Football, the names of Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are the top of almost everyone’s list and they wear # 12. So, why the intro about past and present numbers and the # 12?

I like to reflect about the past. It gives me pause and largely brings a smile to my face. Perhaps I should have talked about the # 11. A few great QB’s from the past wore that number ( Bledsoe, White, Kapp, Van Brocklin), but for many of us reading this, the year 2011 cannot get out of here fast enough! Terrible weather kicked off the spring, unbearable stretches of hot weather in August, continuing downturns economically made for stagnant if not lower revenue and rounds being played. Let’s agreeit is time to move on! 2011 is history!!

Your plans for 2012 have to start out with an attitude of positivity! Please look at the beginning of 2012

with an optimistic viewpoint that things are going to get better. Last month in my article, I talked about being part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Obviously, no one reading this thinks they are part of the problem. However, what CHANGES are you making personally/professionally to be part of the solution? Here is the rub. If you are not changing anything; if you are accepting of the status quo and the way things are “always done”, YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM!! Granted, we cannot control Mother Nature and unforeseen circumstances are inevitable. But, if you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you always “got”!!

Golf 2.0 is about change! Golf 2.0 equals employment! It is time to step up and be part of the solution at your club/course and make a positive foray into a new way of doing things. Know your customer! The customer is the most important part of our core business! Give them a reason to come back!

The days of the “old” #12 are gone! Try to look at the new # 12 (2012) and beyond as a fresh, new start. We as PGA Professionals have got to be the leaders to get the business of golf back to being healthy! If not us- WHO? If not now- WHEN?

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

Greetings everyone!

Hopefully you are getting the chance to enjoy this unseasonably warm January.

It's that time of year to start mapping out your education for the coming year.

Below are a few MSR opportunities available to you.

responses are completely confidential, so please take a few minutes and complete the survey. PGA members who complete the survey prior to March 16, 2012 will receive 2 MSR credits (maximum 5 survey credits per MSR cycle.) To complete the survey Click Here.

1) Golf 2.0 Education online. You can earn up to 3 MSR credits for taking online training for free! Click Here to log into PGALinks online and get started.

3) Once again this year the NGA will present a two-day Rules of Golf Workshop.

To get more information and to register Click Here.

2)Make sure that you and all members of your PGA Professional staff complete the 2012 PGA Compensation Survey on PGALinks. All individual

Thank you for your attention to these opportunities.

Rick Reynoldson, PGA Education Chairman

Nebraska Section PGA | 8700 Executive Woods Dr., Ste 100 | Lincoln, NE 68512 | Ph: (402) 489-7760 | Fx: (402) 489-1785 | www.nebraskapga.com

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Did you know...

Golf Retirement Plus Sponsor Programs

$

More than 35 Golf Retirement Plus™ (GRP) Sponsor Programs are available to PGA Professionals. Of the programs below, nine of them allow your facility to choose whether to apply discounts to invoices or authorize the contribution of incentives to your GRP account. Click here for details.

Golf generates $3.5 billion per year for charitable causes through thousands of local fundraising events nationwide.

Making a Commitment to Summer Jobs Earlier this month, the WE ARE GOLF Coalition teamed up with Secretary Solis and the Department of Labor to launch Summer Jobs USA: Make the Commitment.

The initiative focuses on partnering with business leaders, elected officials and non-profits and challenging them to create and publicize job opportunities for low-income, youth. To date, the We Are Golf coalition has submitted 2,500 jobs at golf courses around the country to www.dol.gov/summerjobs but this is just the beginning and we would like to engage all of you.

If your course or facility is hiring young people for part-time or summer jobs in 2011 please send an email to roberts.david@dol.gov with the following information: Organization: Business Name Location of Hiring: National, City, State Website: Contact Info: Email or phone number for those who want more information Industry/Sector: Healthcare/Service/Public, etc.

Golfers who walk 36 holes a week will burn around 2,900 calories per week.

Commitment: Number of jobs Brief Description of Activities: Describe the nature of the work Your facility will be featured on www.dol.gov/summerjobs and demonstrate the positive impact golf has on so many young people each summer. For more information, please contact Shannon Boozman at (561) 624-7671.

Nebraska Section PGA | 8700 Executive Woods Dr., Ste 100 | Lincoln, NE 68512 | Ph: (402) 489-7760 | Fx: (402) 489-1785 | www.nebraskapga.com

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Ryder Cup Junior Academy July 1-8, 2012 Overview and Fact Sheet

I

n response to recommendations from past United States Ryder Cup Team Captains, The PGA of America created the Ryder Cup Junior Academy. This initiative is designed to expand the outreach of the Ryder Cup and provide a select group of aspiring young players. The Academy is a unique, once-in-a lifetime experience. It celebrates the passion of the Ryder Cup, while inspiring participants to achieve greatness and to improve their lives through the game of golf. The primary emphasis of this program will focus on playing and competing in both stroke- and match-play formats.

The Ryder Cup Junior Academy is a seven-day program conducted at the PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance in Port St. Lucie, Fla. with an emphasis on shot making, scoring, swing mechanics, competitive course management, technology, equipment, fitness and physical assessments. A good deal of the program is based on the Ryder Cup and learning from its rich history.

Ryder Cup Captains, PGA Professional Instruction, Coaching and Mentoring

Attendees will have a once-in-a lifetime treat as a Past Ryder Cup Captain will have an active role with this Academy, working with all of the juniors to provide mentoring and coaching support. Considering there have been only 27 PGA Professionals invited to serve as Ryder Cup Captains, they offer an incredibly unique perspective and a wealth of knowledge to guide you to maximize your potential.

The Ryder Cup Junior Academy will also be led by the PGA Professional staff from the world renowned PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance. In addition, there will be a team of award-winning PGA Professionals from across the country to help deliver golf instruction and performance training to take their golf game to the next level.

Selection of Junior Golfer Participants

This initiative was designed to provide aspiring young players the opportunity to experience an elite playerdevelopment academy, targeting those who may not have the resources or means to attend. The 41 Sections of The PGA of America are called on to select one girl and one boy to participate in the Ryder Cup Junior Golf Academy. The selection criteria is based on academics, high desire to excel in competitive golf and character. To help maximize ethnic diversity, “At Large” invitations will be awarded to junior golfer participants in programs such as: The First Tee, NB3, Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation, and Boys & Girls Club of America.

Learning and Performance Curriculum Ryder Cup Captain Strategic Coaching  Ryder Cup Captain’s strategic approach to stroke

play, match play and practice rounds

 On-course mentoring during practice rounds  Shot shaping and short game specialty shots  Rules, history and lessons learned from the Ryder

Cup PGA Golf Performance Training and Analysis  The Five Step Training Program The Five-Step Corrective Training Program is an organized systematic method of measuring an individual’s current overall golf performance. The components of your golf training program will be comprised of five different categories: Technical, Equipment, Mental, Physical, and On Course Application. Each player will go through five different tests that would generate a total score or rating.

The results will then be analyzed by the PGA Professional instructors as well as the PGA Director of Fitness to determine a training program that will improve your golf and physical skills.  Physical evaluation The physical evaluation is a look into the most important piece of equipment involved in the golf swing—the body.

The evaluation determines strengths and weakness of your physical movement patterns and how these deficiencies will affect your golf swing. In most tests there is a direct correlation between movement patterns of the body and the golf swing faults.  SAM Putt Lab SAM Putt Lab is an analysis and training system based on accurate ultrasound measurements. It analyzes the 28 most important parameters of a putting stroke and displays the results in easy to understand graphic reports. Within seconds, the system gives you individual feedback on your putting strokes. The analysis reveals even the smallest details of your movements and allows you to develop improvements and training strategies.  TrackMan Trackman is a radar unit that measures both club delivery and the full trajectory of any golf shot, up to 400 yards.

TrackMan Pro is a staple on the professional tours, with leading club fitters, manufacturers, retailers, universities and instructors. The PGA, R&A and USGA all choose TrackMan for their swing and ball flight analysis, as does broadcast TV to improve coverage. TrackMan Pro is the first of its kind to map the entire flight of the golf ball from impact to landing, displaying 3-D trajectory in real time.

At the same time, the solution provides a complete statistical analysis of the club delivery, launch and ball flight, Continued on next page

Nebraska Section PGA | 8700 Executive Woods Dr., Ste 100 | Lincoln, NE 68512 | Ph: (402) 489-7760 | Fx: (402) 489-1785 | www.nebraskapga.com

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presented to you in an easy to understand, ready to print, save or email report.  PAR / LinxTracker LinxTracker is a golf performance assessment that tests a golfer on a variety of golf skills and assigns each golfer a Performance Analysis Record (PAR) based on their score for each skill assessment to help identify each player’s strengths and weaknesses.

PGA Professional Coaching and Instruction  Instruction based on the PGA of America’s TEMPO

(Technical, Equipment, Mental, Physical and OnCourse elements)  Fitness and Nutrition Sessions  PGA of America Team Match Play Rules Briefing Competition  18-Hole Stroke Play Championship  Two rounds of Team Match Play (Singles and Four-

ball)

 Skills Challenges

While attending The Ryder Cup Junior Academy the participants will be exposed to the rich history and tradition of the Ryder Cup and The PGA of America at our PGA of America Museum of Golf. In addition, many programs will be hosted at the PGA Education Center where participants will receive exposure to careers in golf and opportunities to become a PGA Member.

Pete Dye

 PGA Short Course offers six holes 35-to-60 yards in

length for your enjoyment Wanamaker Course Designed by Tom Fazio, the first golf course is named in honor of Rodman Wanamaker, who in 1916 inspired the birth of The PGA of America. A classic Florida layout, Fazio's Wanamaker Course is set against a backdrop of wetlands, palm trees and palmettos, and is considered one of Florida’s most beautiful courses.

Ryder Course Designed by Tom Fazio, the Ryder Course is named in honor of Samuel Ryder, the namesake and founder of the Ryder Cup, the pre-eminent event in golf. With its rolling hills, majestic pine trees and challenging water hazards, the Ryder Course has a distinctive Carolina feel. With various hole locations, you could play this course every day and discover a different layout.

Dye Course Designed by Pete Dye, emphasizing the native surroundings and Dye's uninhibited style for creative design, the Dye Course features pine straw roughs, vast coquina waste bunkers and grass-based bunkers.

A links-style course that weaves by the 100-acre "Big Mamu" Wetlands, the Dye Course offers pure Florida surroundings, with hints of design from the older British Isles’ courses for flavor.

PGA Museum of Golf

Facilities at PGA Village The Ryder Cup Golf Academy will be hosted at the following PGA Village properties in Port St. Lucie, Florida: PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance

A 35-acre practice park is a one-of-a-kind facility that enables golfers to focus on each aspect of your game: Technology, Equipment, Mental, Physical Fitness and On -Course play. The facility includes:      

More than 100 full-swing practice stations 9 bunkers that simulate play from around the world Pitching and chipping practice areas 7,000-square-foot USGA putting greens 3-hole teaching course Scientific golf fitness evaluation for maximum performance  World-class technology for swing analysis, club fitting and game improvement: TrackMan Shot Performance, LinxTracker / PGA PAR System

The founders, traditions, Championships and award winners of The PGA are presented as never before throughout this 8,300-square-foot golf museum, where you can marvel at the legendary stories, artifacts and memorabilia from the PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship and PGA Grand Slam of Golf.

Take a stroll down golf's great history lane and witness:  The four major Championship trophies of golf on display  Donald Ross' workbench, circa 1900  Five-time PGA Champion Walter Hagen's hickoryshaft driver  The oldest-known written mention of golf from the 16th Century  The PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame The PGA Museum of Golf is a dynamic resource center for golf historians as well as beginners and also serves as a highly functional conference facility. The PGA Museum of Golf is the home of the Probst Library, which contains more than 6,000 hard-cover books, and more than 3,000 handbooks and yearbooks.

PGA Education Center

PGA Golf Club

Owned and operated by The PGA of America, PGA Golf Club is ranked among the "75 Best Golf Resorts" by Golf Digest, PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Fla.  54 holes of Championship Golf by Tom Fazio and

PGA Education Center serves as the education headquarters for the 27,000 PGA Members and apprentices across the country. This 23,650-square-foot facility, with more than 11,000 square feet of classroom space, hosts numerous PGA Education and Membership programs year round.

Nebraska Section PGA | 8700 Executive Woods Dr., Ste 100 | Lincoln, NE 68512 | Ph: (402) 489-7760 | Fx: (402) 489-1785 | www.nebraskapga.com

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The PGA of America is pleased to announce that the PGA Financial Assistance Fund Scholarship Program will again be available online at www.PGALinks.com on the home page beginning November 15, 2011. Information about the scholarship program and a link to the application will be available on the Web site beginning that day. The application must be completed online. Available immediately at www.pgalinks.com are Scholarship Search Tips and links to additional Web sites that can help with your scholarship search.

Please read the application instructions carefully.

You will be asked to provide your Social Security number and the PGA member number of the PGAaffiliated parent or grandparent before you will be authorized to complete the application.

We ask that you wait until you receive your first semester transcript from your school before applying, so you are working off the most recent academic information in completing the application.

After submitting the application, you must send an “official” transcript from your school. High school

graduating seniors must ensure that the transcript shows their cumulative GPA and their SAT/ACT test scores. Current college students must ensure that their transcript shows their cumulative GPA and their most recently completed semester GPA. The transcript is to be sent to: Linda Bennington Grant and Scholarship Specialist PGA Foundation 100 Avenue of the Champions Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418 E-mail: lbenning@pgahq.com The online application deadline date and receipt of the transcript is March 15, 2012, 5:00 p.m. Recipients will be announced in May. If you have any questions concerning the application, please contact Linda Bennington at (561) 624-7612 or via e-mail at lbenning@pgahq.com.

We wish you much success with your academic endeavors, and the PGA looks forward to receiving and reviewing your application.

As a PGA Professional, you are entitled to a special subscription rate to FORTUNE Magazine. FORTUNE offers readers unmatched business analysis, deepdive journalism, and a wide range of business and economic views. With special issues including the Annual Investment Guide and Fortune 500, you will have access to current business trends from the global leader in business journalism.

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FORTUNE Nebraska Section PGA | 8700 Executive Woods Dr., Ste 100 | Lincoln, NE 68512 | Ph: (402) 489-7760 | Fx: (402) 489-1785 | www.nebraskapga.com

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The PGA Authentic product and program with our local representative, Mark Morrissey is a win/win situation for all of us and a program you can take advantage of.

PGA Authentic is our exclusive brand sold only to green grass golf shops and carries the PGA of America neck label. The benefits are pretty obvious:  PGA Retirement Plus 2% to 4%  PGA Section Royalty 2% for all sales within the

section  PGA Royalty. Direct royalty to The PGA of America  Exclusive to green grass distribution  PGA Authentic product identification Please contact Mark Morrissey if you have any questions about PGA Authentic programs at 402-968-5845 or at morrisseym59@aol.com.

To view the new catalog CLICK HERE

Multi-Course Membership Card This suggestion was contributed to The PGA of America's Best Practices library by a PGA Professional using the Best Practices survey on PGALinks.com.

Programs / Ideas to Increase Play Among Adult Golfers Multiple golf course membership. A summer membership with seven other courses which is reciprocal with eighteen other courses has increased overall adult play in this community. I find that golf courses compete too much and this membership assists all area golf courses as well as its members.

Americans describe themselves as "lapsed" golfers, and many aspire to play our game again.

Programs / Ideas to Retain Customers Customer service, an excellent quality course, and our frequent player program have helped us to retain our customers.

Programs / Ideas to Attract New Golfers We have a great summer sports camp that includes golf, tennis and swimming. A good junior membership program and many different summer leagues also attract new golfers to this facility.

Programs / Ideas to Increase Facility Revenues Focus on food and beverage sales and offer many different types of membership categories, including seasonal monthly memberships.

Nebraska Section PGA | 8700 Executive Woods Dr., Ste 100 | Lincoln, NE 68512 | Ph: (402) 489-7760 | Fx: (402) 489-1785 | www.nebraskapga.com

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Congratulations to our Members on the Move *Updates between 1/1/2012 - 1/31/2012

New Members Name

Facility

Class

Elected

Jonathan W. Casey, PGA

Wildwood Golf Course

A-1

1/13/2012

Wilderness Ridge Golf Club

A-8

1/13/2012

Tyler J. Muench, PGA

Class Changes Name

Facility

Former Class

New Class

Effective Date

Mike Cornell, PGA

Champions Run

A-6

A-14

1/1/2012

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

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