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Omaha Inner-City Schools Recognized The “CUES” Program of Omaha that supports three of North Omaha’s inner-city schools – Sacred Heart, All Saints and Holy Name were recognized at the E-Z-GO Facilities Championship. Since 2017, the Nebraska PGA Foundation has been actively involved in supporting these schools through our “Golf N Schools” program. The check for $2,500.00 will support the “blended learning” initiative at these schools and continue our pursuit of helping transform lives through the game of golf. Pictured left to right: Paulette Theisen, Asst. Principal at Sacred Heart, Mike Jensen, Principal Sacred Heart, David Honnens, PGA, CEO NE PGA, Father David, Bob Danenhauer, PGA REACH Nebraska and Tony Pesavento, PGA, Director of Golf Omaha Country Club. Nebraska Section PGA | 610 J Street., Ste 10 | Lincoln, NE 68508 | Ph: (402) 489-7760 | Fax: (402) 489-1785 | www.nebraskapga.com
Officers President Nathan Kalin, PGA Fremont Golf Club nathan.kalin@fremontgolfclub.org Vice President Gil Russell, PGA Norfolk Country Club gilrussell@norfolkcountryclub.biz Secretary
Dawn Neujahr, PGA Champions Run dneujahr@championsomaha.com Honorary President Tony Pesavento, PGA Omaha Country Club tpesavento@pga.com
Staff Executive Director David Honnens, PGA dhonnens@pgahq.com Tournament Director Sean O’Neill, PGA soneill@pgahq.com Director of Nebraska Junior Golf/ Player Development Seth Scollard, PGA sscollard@pgahq.com Operations Manager Renee Tyson rtyson@pgahq.com Development Officer Bob Danenhauer bdanenhauer@pgahq.com Junior Golf Coordinator Cassie Trumbley ctrumbley@pgahq.com
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EVENT
6/4/18 6/8/18 6/12/18 6/18/18 6/25/18 7/2/18 7/9/18
Johnny Goodman GC Yankee Hill CC ArborLinks Oak Hills Bent Tree Wilderness Ridge GC Hillcrest CC
Johnny Goodman 36y Hole Pro-3 AM Nebraska Cup Matches Neb Qualifier—Pinnacle Bank Champ #thxpgapro Pro-Am Harris Yamaha Golf Cars Pro-Am Golf Fore the Troops National Car Rental NEB PGA Asst Champ
7/9-10/18 7/16/18 7/23/18 7/30-31/18
Hillcrest CC Bent Tree & Wilderness Ridge GC ArborLinks ArborLinks
NE PGA Senior Professional Championship Web.com Tour Monday Qualifier HCIS Pro-3 AM Nebraska PGA Professional Championship
8/6/18 8/13/18 8/20/18 9/4/18 9/8-9/18 9/14-16/18 9/18/18 9/24/18 10/1/18 10/8/18 10/15/18 10/22/18
Quail Run Yankee Hill CC Champions Run Oak Hills Green Valley GC Elks Country Club The Players Club Wild Horse GC Quarry Oaks Happy Hollow Club The Pines CC The Players Club
Quail Run Pro/Pro Harris Yamaha Golf Cars/Mizuno Pro-3 AM Nebraska Section PGA Foundation Pro-AM Mizuno Pro/Assistant Championship TaylorMade 36 Hole Pro-3 AM Wells Fargo Nebraska Open Club Car Pro/Pro/Pro All Star Pro Golf Team Championship Nebraska PGA Cup Series Championship Nebraska PGA Pro-Am Championship Nebraska Section PGA Legends of Golf Club Car 27 Hole Pro-3 AM
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Dear Nebraska Section PGA Members and PGA Associates, We are pleased to announce a few hires to help us in our continued pursuit of serving you and our industry at a high level. Sylvia Eaves will be working as the Marketing and Communications this summer. As an Advertising/Public Relations and Broadcast Production double major with concentrations in English, Music Technology, and Agricultural Leadership Education Communication, Sylvia sees and knows not only how content is created, but also how that content affects other people. With a background in sports with her current internship with HuskerVision, the world of athletic communications isn’t new to her despite the fact that the world of golf is. Eaves is enthusiastic to help strategize and create a calendar of content for our social content and help share the Section and Junior Golf’s stories across the Nebraska PGA. Brett Renner will serve as our Digital Sports Media Intern this summer. Renner recently completed his junior year at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and is pursuing a degree in Sports Broadcasting and minor in Business and English. Renner will be capturing video and photographs at Nebraska Junior Golf events and producing a new weekly video each Friday that will recap the week in golf for Nebraska Junior Golf. Renner is a huge Creighton BlueJays fan and enjoys following Husker Football. It’s safe to say, Renner is a “Jaysker”! We are thrilled to have Eaves and Renner join our team and help jumpstart our media presence. I am pleased to introduce Harrison Agena and Kurt Karcher from the University of Nebraska PGA Golf Management Program who will serve as the Assistant Junior Golf Coordinators. Agena will graduate in August from the UNL-PGM Program and also with a minor in Hospitality, Restaurant and Tourism Management and an emphasis in Business. Harrison previously has interned at the Country Club of Lincoln and Wilderness Ridge Golf Course where he spent the majority of his time developing the skills of young golfers participating in junior golf programs. As a youth, Agena played the Nebraska Junior Golf Tour and understands the impact that these programs have on sharing the passion of golf with the youth of Nebraska. Upon completing this internship, Karcher will graduate in August from the UNL-PGM Program and also with a minor in business administration. Karcher has completed prior internships at Lochland Country Club in Hastings, Nebraska, Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Traditions Club in Bryan, Texas. Karcher’s other passion in life is hunting and simply being in the outdoors. Agena and Karcher will be instrumental overseeing Nebraska Junior Golf events assisting with TEAM Golf, NJGT, Drive Chip and Putt qualifying events, PGA Junior Section Championships, and other Section events. Our latest addition to the team and assisting with the Nebraska Section PGA administrative team is Grant Tyson. Tyson will serve as an Administrative Assistant and work diligently on helping ensure we are meeting the day to day needs of the Section and Nebraska Junior Golf. Tyson will be a sophomore at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and is majoring in Sports Media and Communications. Tyson has extensive experience in helping the People’s City Mission and is a crazy Husker fan! Please help me in welcoming these outstanding young professionals when you see them at a 4 Nebraska Junior Golf event or Section event this summer.
Register HERE
Register HERE
Registration Begins 6/6 5
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From the Field: May Member Update Jeff "JD" Drimel, PGA/PGA Career Consultant
Dear District 8 PGA Members, June is almost here and everyone seems to be very busy…which is a good thing! Once courses open, programs kick into gear, leagues have their start, and golfers seem to come “out of the woodwork!” Typically, I referred to Mid-May through MidSeptember as “The 100 days of GOLF!” If we worked hard during these important days of our regions golf season, we could make a lasting impact on our consumers and facilities.
With that said, what are you doing to make the most of these 100 Days? Are you… *Introducing New and Exciting ideas or programs? *Improving your existing offerings? *Being the LEADER in the golf space at your facility? *Mentoring someone who is interested in the business? *Improving yourself utilizing our educational programs or reading self-help and leadership materials? *Completing your MSR? *Volunteering for your Section or getting involved to help make it even better? *Hitting golf balls and playing GOLF? *Making sure to have a work/life balance? I hope you all have a fun, successful and rewarding 100 days and beyond! JD Drimel - PGA Career Consultant, Serving the Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska Sections. 561-386 -7715 Cell Jdrimel@pgahq.com 9
2017 Teacher of the Year-Chad Lydiatt, PGA I have been playing or working in the golf industry my entire life. I started when I was young kid at Kearney Country Club and followed my grandpa around the golf course. After high school graduation I play golf at the University of Iowa. I started teaching golf during the summers in Iowa. I worked at the Brooks County Club as a teacher under PGA Professional JD Turner. He taught me the basic fundamentals of the golf swing. Once my wife, Elizabeth, and I got married we temporarily settled down in Lincoln. Jim White was just starting Wilderness Ridge Golf Club and offered me my first full time teaching position. Jim was a great example of a PGA professional and what it entailed. Mike Schuchart started teaching out there as well. We had lots of insightful conversations regarding the golf swing and my teaching knowledge really grew. Working at Wilderness Ridge was a perfect time for me to learn and share information with two geniuses of the game. After that I was a teacher for ESPN Golf Schools and learned more about teaching to groups and doing all day golf schools. I was offered the head golf pro position at Kearney Country Club in 2007. Elizabeth and I both grew up at KCC and were excited to return home. The KCC board was looking for a golf professional to grow junior golf and this is when my junior programs really excelled. The board was very supportive of me teaching and I gave many lessons during the years we were at KCC. After Kearney Country Club, I became the Director of Golf at Awarii Dunes Golf Club. It was a redesign of a current 9 hole course south of Kearney. I had wanted to build a golf academy since I saw one at Northwestern University in college. With the help of UNK the golf academy became a reality in 2010. We have built one of the top-notch facilities in the Midwest that I am very proud to be a part of. I appreciate all of those that nominated or voted for me for the Section Teacher of the Year. The award has been a goal of mine and I am very humbled to have achieved it. I have devoted much of my life to golf and growing the game and appreciate the recognition more than you will ever know! Chad Lydiatt, PGA Head Professional Awarii Dunes Golf Course “The reason the pro tells you to keep your head down is so you can't see him laughing.� ~Phyllis Diller 10
MSR Deadline June 15, 2018!
FY2018/2019 ANNUAL DUES All Members and Associates have been notified of their 2018/2019 annual dues obligation either by Email or a hard copy printed invoice; for those individuals who do not have an email address. The due date is June 30, 2018. Reminders will be sent periodically via email, the weekly PGA Newsletter and Announcements on PGA.org. Reminder – this year’s invoice includes a $5 line item charge for the Member Assistance Program (MAP) for Members and Associates. Click here to learn more about the program and to refer callers to for some initial information and some FAQ’s regarding the benefit which becomes effective July 1, 2018.
REMINDER: Complimentary Access - U.S. Open as a courtesy extended by the USGA. Class A PGA Members, Life Members and Master Professional Members. No spouse or family members (PGA Members only; this offer is not extended to Associates). Must show membership card and Photo I.D. each day. Go to Will Call to pick up daily ticket. Ticket Information: (800) 698-0661 and usopen.com
Complete the Facilities Operation Scorecard Today! We are reaching out to you to ask for your support by participating in the PGA Facility Operations Scorecard (formerly known as the Annual Operations Survey). Sporting a new, streamlined design, the scorecard is geared towards making data more efficient and relevant to each PGA Professional filling out the scorecard, where questions are more aligned with revenue and expense topics that are important to you and your facility, Additionally, data from this scorecard is used to support state and national economic impact studies which are vital in telling the story about golf's impact on the economy. It is critical for our industry and golf facility operators to share information that will help prove our impact and protect our future. The highest-ranked PGA Professional at their facility will have an opportunity to earn up to three (3) MSR credits by completing the scorecard with valid, usable data and submitting no later than June 4, 2018. As a reminder, the information provided will be kept strictly confidential 11
2019 Registration is now Open for Drive, Chip & Putt
REGISTER HERE Local Qualifiers: Sunday, June 10th, 2018 - Oak Hills Country Club (Omaha) Subregional: Monday, August 6th, 2018 at Fred Arbanas GC- Kansas City, MO Regional: Saturday, September 29th, 2018 at Bellerive Country Club- St. Louis, MO
Friday, July 13th, 2018 - Riverside Golf Club (Grand Island) Subregional: Saturday, August 25th, 2018 at Murphy Creek Golf Course- Aurora, CO Regional: Saturday, September 29th, 2018 at Bellerive Country Club- St. Louis, MO
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Dear PGA Members, In January, we communicated to you about the change in plan administrator to the Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company (“VALIC”) for the Golf Retirement Plus Program (GRP). This was authorized by the PGA Board of Directors, after a thorough evaluation was done by PGA Headquarters of the program’s current and potentially new plan administrators.
As a reminder, VALIC was chosen because its institutional variable annuity program will significantly enhance your Member benefits. In addition, VALIC’s historical average plan returns have outperformed the incumbent over both the last 3-year and 5- year periods. Among the benefits Golf Retirement Plus Plan participants will receive as part of this new plan: *State-of-the-art financial education, tools and calculators *Access to a broad array of investment options, along with continued access to a fixed return account option *A dedicated advisor- team, as well as easy access to in-person consultations with financial advisors *A robust website for use in monitoring and managing your retirement savings *Cost savings in your new plans, with a reduction in the overall administrative fees The timeline for the official transition from Mercer Consumer to VALIC. June 13th – Last day for participants to request withdrawals, deposits and/or transfers on your current GRP account June 23rd – All your funds are transferred, and accounts will be fully active with VALIC As we get closer to the transition date, PGA Headquarters will provide specific details to you regarding VALIC contact information that is relative to your account moving forward. In the interim, please continue to work with Mercer Consumer and its Golf Retirement Plus Specialists for your individual account information. You can contact them at 877- RET-PLUS.
Please keep in mind the transition timeline above for any account activity needs you may have prior to June 13th, as you will not have access to your accounts between June 13th and June 23rd. PGA Headquarters and VALIC are excited to provide you with an improved Golf Retirement Plus program, and we look forward to helping you prepare for your retirement. Sincerely, Rhona Aime Chief Financial Officer
John Easterbrook Jr. Chief Membership Officer
800.474.2776 or Membership@pgahq.com 16
PGA of America and Whirlpool Corporation Reveal New Scholarship Program to Pay Tribute to Jack and Barbara Nicklaus BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN, (May 25, 2018) – On Friday at the 2018 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, golf’s greatest champion and acclaimed course designer Jack Nicklaus and his wife Barbara returned to Harbor Shores, host site of the Championship, to help announce an exciting new college scholarship program being created in their honor. On the eve of their visit to Southwest Michigan’s golf mecca, the PGA of America and Whirlpool Corporation proudly honored the commitment and legacy of golf’s greatest icon through the creation of the Jack and Barbara Nicklaus KitchenAid Senior PGA Champions for Change Scholarship Program. The Jack and Barbara Nicklaus KitchenAid Senior PGA Champions for Change Scholarship Program is designed to inspire recipients to create their own golden opportunities through education. It embodies the values that Jack Nicklaus has stood for his entire life: Winning with integrity and giving back to others. “Thanks to Jack’s artful restoration of the waterfront and wetlands, as well as he and Barbara’s dedication to improving the lives and futures of area children, Harbor Shores will be a positive contributor to the local community for decades to come,” said Jeff Fettig, chairman of the board of Whirlpool Corporation. “The Nicklaus family has made an incredible impact on the Benton Harbor area, and we are thrilled to create this scholarship in Jack and Barbara Nicklaus’ name.” “Jack and Barbara Nicklaus are among a select few in the world of sports whose lives are predicated on giving back to others,” said PGA of America President Paul K. Levy. “The PGA of America is extremely excited to partner with Whirlpool Corporation and golf’s premier couple to help fulfill the dreams of young leaders of tomorrow from Benton Harbor. We believe the Jack and Barbara Nicklaus KitchenAid Senior PGA Champions for Change Scholarship Program will be the catalyst for building a legacy by which we all may be proud.” An annual scholarship of $25,000 will be granted each year through 2024 to one member of the Benton Harbor community who has graduated with an Associate’s Degree from the Lake Michigan Community College “Start to Finish Program” and seeks to continue his/her college education. Recipients may use the new scholarship to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree or to further advance a technical degree. “Barbara and I are honored to have our name on a scholarship that benefits kids from the Benton Harbor area,” said Jack Nicklaus. “It's a little different scholarship in that you go through a junior college first before you get there, so you know that the kids that are going to get it are very studious kids that would like to receive a higher education. We’re looking forward to doing that and we thank [PGA of America and Whirlpool] for the honor.” The scholarship announcement was made at a news conference during the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores on Friday, May 25. It included comments from Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, Jeff Fettig and PGA of America President Paul Levy. 17
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EMPLOYEE Jeff Porter, PGA Ryan Vermeer, PGA Zachary Gleysteen, PGA Josh Enholm Austin Miller, PGA
Name
CLASS A-11 A-14 A-8 B-8 A-8
CURRENT FACILITY The First Tee of Omaha Happy Hollow Club The Prairie Club Champions Run Omaha Country Club
PREVIOUS FACILITY ArborLinks Golf Course Tiburon Golf Club UNL PGA Golf Management Champions Run Desert Forest Golf Club
PREV CLASS A-4 A-6 ST ST A-8
Birth Date
Peter Hagen, PGA
6/2
John Bierbower
6/3
Nicholas Shanahan, PGA
6/3
Doug Schultz, PGA
6/4
Chris Wiemers, PGA
6/4
Ryan Bloomberg, PGA
6/6
Justin Onken, PGA
6/8
David Durham, PGA
6/9
Greg Johannesen, PGA
6/10
Jonathan Casey, PGA
6/11
James Rolls, PGA
6/19
Jeffrey Perdew, PGA
6/23
Jonathan Moore, PGA
6/24
Ronald Cash, PGA
6/25
James Weaver, PGA
6/25
Mark Christensen, PGA
6/26
Jeff Porter, PGA
6/27
Daniel Zadalis, PGA
6/27
James Kinney, PGA
6/30
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