Volume 5, Issue 1 January 2013

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Volume 5, Issue 1 January 2013 Growth of the Game P 2 This Issue I believe the cool down in the weather was welcomed by many PGA Professionals in the Gateway.

1 Volume 5, Issue 1 January 2013 Growth of the Game P 2 This Issue I believe the cool down in the weather was welcomed by many PGA Professionals in the Gateway. I have spoken with more than a few of our members and I am excited to hear about the plans and offerings being added or updated at each facility. With that, I strongly encourage our members to look at the upcoming educational offerings. The Player Development event held at Meadowbrook on February 5th will be an awesome opportunity to take away practical implementations for the 2013 season. This event will cover everything player development and provide a great overview on how to leverage the PGA to attract, track, and retain golfers. As mentioned in the last newsletter, we will be kicking off our 2013 PGA Golf Marathon campaign. For those of you who participated last year, you know the impact. For those who may not have participated, please consider joining us. We all benefit greatly from this effort. Mike Suhre has put together a nice piece in this month s newsletter please take the time to read his article and call him if you need any encouragement. I want to thank all of the members and apprentices who took the time to fill out our section survey. Your feedback helped guide the discussion at the annual board planning session. The board planning session was all about you. We continue to look for ways to provide meaningful education, elevate the PGA brand in the community, conduct professional events, and grow the game of golf. The board and staff carried a consistent theme of making sure that every effort circles back to you the member. Please do not hesitate to contact a member of the staff if you have ideas on ways that we can better serve you. I look forward to the continuation and development of the plans and opportunities that lie ahead for the Gateway PGA in Thank you for all of the support you have given the staff at the Gateway PGA and Foundation in I would also like to thank you for continuing to serve and grow the game. I ask that you consider making a new year s resolution that 2013 will be a year in which you engage your stakeholders on ways that you can grow your business. The Gateway PGA, Foundation, and the PGA of America have tremendous resources to help you. Please reach out as I think you may be surprised at what opportunities await a PGA Professional who is committed to becoming better. All the best PGA Golf Day P 3 Employment P 4 Assistant s Corner P 5 Rules Corner P 5 Apprentice Corner P 6 Fitness P 7 Upcoming Events & Info P 8 Schoalrship P 9 Member Updates P 10 Section Officers Joe Schwent, PGA President Nathan Charnes, PGA Vice-President Benjiman Kent, PGA Secretary Gateway PGA Staff Josh Riley, PGA Executive Director Steve Finn, PGA Assistant Executive Director Alex Anderson Director or Junior Golf Ali Jean Wells, PGA Growth of the Game and Program Director Lindsay Riley Foundation Admin Assistant Susan Bender Membership 1

GROWTH OF THE GAME Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great Christmas filled with family, fun, and relaxation.

As we gear up for a year abundant with exciting opportunities for Professionals, juniors, and golfers of all ages, let s preview what you will see in the next 12 months: Golf 2.

Pros In Schools Program Introducing golf to thousands of kids who could be your future customers or members.

2 GROWTH OF THE GAME Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great Christmas filled with family, fun, and relaxation. Looking ahead at what 2013 has in store for the Foundation and Growth of the Game, I am eager to get started! As we gear up for a year abundant with exciting opportunities for Professionals, juniors, and golfers of all ages, let s preview what you will see in the next 12 months: Golf 2.0 Education Extremely valuable for all professionals in piloting your unique golf operation. Pros In Schools Program Introducing golf to thousands of kids who could be your future customers or members. A great opportunity to put your instruction hat back on, learn from some of the area s best teachers, and supplement your income. Junior Development Tour (Mini and Novice 9 Divisions) Expanding instruction and play opportunities for juniors age 5-12 with an emphasis on PGA Professional involvement. Growth of the Game Committee Four Play Golf America events offered free to the public: Junior Play Golf Day, Women s Golf Day, Family Golf Night, and Patriot Golf Day Senior PGA Championship Numerous events, fundraisers, and opportunities for PGA Professionals to volunteer through the Foundation. PGA REACH Growth of the St. Louis-wide outreach leveraged off the 2013 and 2018 Championships with increased opportunities for PGA Professionals and the golfing community. AND MORE TO COME! Do not forget to register for the Golf 2.0 Education Seminar on Tuesday, February 5 th. Important topics valuable for professionals in every facet of the golf industry include: Player Development; Tracking, Reporting and Showing Value to your Stakeholders; Know Your Customer; and Resources. Tim Marks, PGA Employment Consultant, will host the seminar along with numerous GPGA Professionals. Join us! Last, but certainly not least, while planning your junior golf offerings this year, remember that the Foundation has equipment available for rent. Everything from SNAG equipment to Birdieball golf to Golfzilla (and more!) is available, but make your reservations as soon as possible first come first served! Please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or the desire to participate in any of the above opportunities. Enjoy the cold weather while it lasts, or enjoy the warm weather in Florida for those heading south to the PGA Merchandise Show! Ali Wells, PGA Director of Foundation Programs 2

PGA GOLF DAY 2013 Dear Fellow Professionals, Happy New Year and thanks for your support of PGA Golf Day 2012.

3 PGA GOLF DAY 2013 Dear Fellow Professionals, Happy New Year and thanks for your support of PGA Golf Day I am excited about some new changes to the 2013 Golf Day Marathon effort - I will explain those as clearly as possible in this letter. Kevin Corn and I would like to thank you for all you did last year. It seems silly that you raised the money and he and I received the Presidents Plaque award! The basic concept will be the same but we are making changes to the pro incentives, percentages of money to charities and other categories, and the charities we are raising money for. First, we are going to host a Pro-am at Annbriar GC on October 7th, 2013 for those pros who qualify based on the amount of money they raise. Pros qualifying will be able to bring 3 donors free of charge. We have gone this route because we cannot expect Ozzie Smith to support this as he did last year. To rely on Ozzie Smith to play 100 holes each year and attend a banquet is selfish on our part. If he volunteers, no one will stand in his way, but this concept will give us a platform to achieve success whether he participates or not. As far as incentives, those raising $1000-$1999 individually will receive a $50.00 check. Those raising $2000- $2999 will get in the pro-am with three guests, get $ appearance fee, and play for a pro purse (Max $5,000). Those raising $3,000+ will get the pro-am benefits plus an additional $ check. We changed these incentives to give more back to charities and reduce guilt from the pros raising large amounts. Some have not even cashed their incentive checks from last year because they feel they shouldn't (I cashed mine). We chose Ranken Jordan, Hospice of Southern Illinois, and the Gateway PGA Foundation to be the three charities we will raise money for each year. Outstate Missouri and Northern Illinois will rotate who they raise money for and get a percentage based on need of their local charities. This was suggested by pros in those respective areas. Pros from these areas will be able to choose new charities each year, allowing more charities to be reached and more incentive to participate each year. Lastly, I would again like to thank you for participating in Someone will be calling in the near future to ask you to sign up for Here is your warning..if I call, my number is I am pretty good at guilting people into things so if you cave in easy and you don't want to participate, don't pick up the phone. On the other hand, I will keep calling until you pick up. You all did fantastic in Our image as PGA Professionals, our standing in the community, the charities we raised money for, and our ability to work together for a common goal were all spotlighted by PGA Golf Day. In 2013, I want to add 20 more pros to the cause and raise $150,000. The website will be back-up and running very soon. We will send out another when it is ready. The best way to finish a task is to start so be ready to register and blow 2012 out of the water. Mike Suhre PGA Professional Oak Brook Golf Club 3

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES STOP What You re Doing and Complete the PGA Compensation Survey!

Please click here to complete the 2013 PGA Golf Professional Compensation Survey.

Your participation is the key to ensuring that your Section's compensation information is valid and meaningful.

that can help in evaluating and hopefully upgrading their current compensation package. Your support of this important PGA initiative is greatly appreciated.

The survey information is completely confidential and is vital at times to your fellow PGA Members! DO IT TODAY!

4 EMPLOYMENT SERVICES STOP What You re Doing and Complete the PGA Compensation Survey! The PGA of America requests your participation in helping to ensure that one of our Association's most powerful employment tools remains effective for you and your fellow PGA Professionals. Please click here to complete the 2013 PGA Golf Professional Compensation Survey. PGA members who complete the survey by March 15, 2013, can receive up to two (2) Member Service Requirement (MSR) credits. Your participation is the key to ensuring that your Section's compensation information is valid and meaningful. As your PGA Employment Consultant, I use information from the Survey almost daily when I am working with employers who use CareerLinks and for PGA members seeking compensation and benefit information that can help in evaluating and hopefully upgrading their current compensation package. Your support of this important PGA initiative is greatly appreciated. Last year the Gateway Section ranked 37th of the 41 sections in participation in this survey, with 56.1% of members completing the survey. The survey information is completely confidential and is vital at times to your fellow PGA Members! DO IT TODAY! Also, Employment Services will soon be using your new CareerLinks ProFile information for job searches. Your old information will be replaced by the new, so if you have not completed the new ProFile you will not receive CareerLinks job notifications. Please make sure you complete the new survey as soon as possible! YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS OUT ON AN OPPORTUNITY! Click Here to update your CareerLinks ProFile. Please contact me if you have any questions or if you need any help with employment or career planning! Tim Marks, PGA Employment Consultant office tmarks@pgahq.com Women are a powerful consumer group that makes and influences purchase decisions - they also have great interest in the game of golf. Available digitally, the "Connecting With Her" Playbook is a tactical resource to help engage this valuable consumer group. 4

Assistants Corner We would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year. This month your committee is meeting to put together the details for the Pro-Am and Assistants Championship.

Send us an e-mail or give us a call because we want to provide you the best possible experience we can each and every year. We always have a need for more ideas and more volunteers for your committee.

5 Assistants Corner We would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year. This month your committee is meeting to put together the details for the Pro-Am and Assistants Championship. As we start to prepare for 2013 feel free to send let us know what you would like to see done for the Pro-Am and/or Championship. Send us an or give us a call because we want to provide you the best possible experience we can each and every year. We always have a need for more ideas and more volunteers for your committee. If anyone would like to volunteer please let one the members know. Feel free to contact any one of your committee members with any questions or concerns you might have. Your 2013 Assistant Committee Members are: Michael Leotta, PGA Chairman Brandon Coffey, PGA Vice-Chairman George Schrage, Secretary Gideon Smith, PGA Board Liaison Ty Zimmerman, PGA Past-Chairman Andrew Jury RJ Villafuerte, PGA Illini Country Club Forest Hills Country Club Quincy Country Club Quincy Country Club Westwood Country Club Winghaven Country Club Meadowbrook Country Club RULES CORNER Happy New Year to all my Gateway PGA Friends. It has been a pleasure to serve at both the section and national level. I want to tell you about the journey that led to my assignment to the PGA Rules of Golf Committee. In 1992 the PGA Championship was held at Bellerive Country Club. Volunteers from the section performed a host of duties. During the practice rounds I was assigned to the driving range and practice area. For the four days of the tournament I was an "observer". You can find the definition of an "observer" in the Rules of Golf. Basically I assisted a referee but was not authorized to make rulings. On Saturday and Sunday I worked the 17th hole with guest official, Tom Meeks, from the USGA. Inspired by the experience I attended a PGA/USGA Rules of Golf Workshop five months later. Tom was an instructor along with PGA member Robert O. Smith. I did well on the exam and Tom Meeks put me in touch with Tom O'Toole. Mr. O'Toole gave me the opportunity to officiate at numerous USGA qualifiers held in St. Louis. The confidence he placed in me allowed the building of a resume that led to my appointment to the PGA Rules of Golf Committee in I would be remiss if I did not add that former Gateway PGA Professional and former PGA Rules of Golf Committee member Jerry Tucker was also instrumental in helping chart the path to my ultimate goal. Since 1997 I have been fortunate to serve as a rules official at twelve PGA Championships. In addition I worked at the 2004 Masters and the 2005 Tournament Players Championship. The highlight of this journey was this year's Ryder Cup. I was selected to be one of the referees at Medinah. I share this experience for a single reason. This year our section will host the Senior PGA Championship at Bellerive. I know there will be many opportunities to serve our association in many ways. Please volunteer in some capacity. You may not share my passion for rules but if your passion is teaching sign up to help at the practice facilities. You will learn so much in that short time. There will be many other opportunities to be involved. I sincerely believe taking advantage of this opportunity will enhance your career as it has mine. Do not miss this chance to find a new passion in this many faceted business we all love. In could change your life. 5

6 Education Corner The month of January is filled with a surplus of educational opportunities for members and apprentices alike. January will kick off our 3 part Education series presented by David Kohlberg and Callaway Golf. David will be taking the time to discuss topics specific to the industry such as Demo Day techniques and How to become a Rock Star in the Golf Industry! These seminars will be perfect for our Assistants and Pro Shop workers to be sure that they are representing the Head Pro s and Director of Golf appropriately! We thank David in advance for all of his work to make these seminars a success! I want to highlight two main upcoming events: the first is the Private Club Town Hall meeting at Persimmon Woods. This seminar will be held on Jan 16 th. This meeting will be hosted by Ben Kent and will be discussing topics specific to the Private Club industry. The next event I want to highlight is our Golf 2.0 seminar at Meadowbrook on Feb 5 th. This is your last opportunity to update yourself on all of the Golf 2.0 offerings for Tim Marks will be in town discussing some of these matters along with a panel of speakers from the Gateway PGA. Please take time out of your schedule and put this seminar on your calendar..you do not want to miss it! Below are the upcoming events in Jan. Assistants Business Seminar January 14, 2013 Assistants Business Seminar Gateway PGA Office 10:00 am 12:00 pm Donuts, muffins, juice & coffee will be provided! Private Club Town Hall Meeting January 16, 2013 Private Club Town Hall Meeting Persimmon Woods Golf Club 9:00 11:30 $10.00 Donuts, muffins, juice & coffee will be provided! Teachers Teaching Teachers Seminar Moderator: Todd Meyer and Barbara Blanchar Cost: No Charge Date/Time: Friday, January 18 th, 8:50am 11:00am (8:50-9:35am observe pros in school program, 9:35-11:00am discussion off-site) Topics: Pros in Schools Program, Ideas for Junior Golf, Open Discussion Location: Immaculate Conception of Dardenne, 7701 Highway N, O Fallon, MO 6

If golf is on your mind, you re probably resolving to eat better, exercise more and condition properly for golf season.

7 Brought To You by Optimal Lifestyles, Inc. Better Habits for Better Performance Congratulations, you ve made it through the holidays! Reentry into everyday life in the New Year often means choosing to make changes in our habits. If golf is on your mind, you re probably resolving to eat better, exercise more and condition properly for golf season. You can start by thinking of golf as a fitness activity and eating as a performance tool. Your body is your golf machine. When your body is running well, you play well. Nutritionist Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, author of How to Feed Yourself & Your Family Better: Decoding the Dietary Guidelines for Your Real Life, says that a poor diet can lead to poor form on the golf course lack of energy being a primary culprit and can lead to injuries. As we talk about fueling for performance, where do we start? It takes time management and good planning to fuel well and responsibly. Nutrition Tips: The best energy booster is breakfast. If you are playing a round of golf, definitely start with a full tank. It improves overall quality of diet, prevents the need for sugar fixes, and enhances performance. Be sure to consume adequate carbohydrates and proteins. Carbs fuel muscles and protein builds them. On a daily basis, eat whole grains (wheat, rice, oats and corn); fruits (oranges, grapefruit, melons, bananas, strawberries and kiwi); vegetables (broccoli, spinach, carrots, peppers, tomatoes and squash); lean protein; low fat dairy/calcium rich foods; and a little bit of healthy fat. Take in enough fluids to prevent dehydration. Drink before you get thirsty. In addition to starting with a good breakfast, it helps to fuel during the active part of the day. John Whyte, M.D., author of AARP New American Diet, suggests we eat smaller meals, more often. Bring two small snacks, like a piece of fruit or a cup of low-fat dairy, to work everyday. Incorporate heart-healthy nuts and olive oil into your meals. Tips to Improve Energy: Eat before you get hungry. Don t let yourself get too hungry because you are more likely to get careless about what you eat and treat yourself for having a hectic day rather than fueling for performance. Divide your food into four meals a day because most bodies get hungry about every four hours. If you don t fuel well you end up with an inadequate diet and fatigue. Easy exercise practice: count your steps aim to walk 10,000 steps per day. In general, fuel and energize your body on a regular schedule. If you need a food coach, find a sports nutritionist in your area. If you need a fitness coach, contact Barb with Optimal Lifestyles, Inc. at barb@optimallifestylesinc.com Optimal Lifestyles, Inc is a health and fitness consulting company and fitness education sponsor for the Gateway PGA. Optimal Lifestyles, Inc. provides personal training, golf fitness and yoga for golfers. The information provided by Optimal Lifestyles is for educational purposes and should not replace care or advice of a physician. Please check with a physician if you are starting an exercise program or suspect you are ill. 7

2013 Gateway PNC The 2013 Gateway PGA PNC will be held at Persimmon Woods GC on July 22-23rd. We are happy to return to such a great venue for this event.

8 2013 Gateway PNC The 2013 Gateway PGA PNC will be held at Persimmon Woods GC on July 22-23rd. We are happy to return to such a great venue for this event. Registrations again will be through PGA Links and be announced at a later date Tournament Committee We are happy to announce that Scott Brauer will be the new Tournament Committee Chairperson. Brett Moomey will be assisting Scott through the transition period. Anyone who is interested in serving on the Tournament Committee should contact Steve at the Section Office. Mike Brengard will continue to serve as the Senior Chairperson, but we are looking for interested Seniors to participate on the Committee, particularly those years old. Interested parties should also contact Steve at the Section Office. 8

9 PGA Financial Assistance Scholarship Beginning November 15th the PGA Financial Assistance Scholarship will be available online. PGA Financial Assistance Fund Scholarship Program Fact Sheet Graduating high school seniors and college students who are the children or grandchildren of PGA members are invited to apply online at the home page (before you log in) of PGALinks.com to be considered for financial support for college through the PGA Financial Assistance Fund Scholarship Program. The scholarship program is an academic based scholarship program that takes into account the following depending on the class level of the student: High School Graduating Senior High School Cumulative Grade Point Average must be at least 3.4 (60% of the scholarship weighting scale). This number is to be an unweighted GPA based on a 4.0 scale. ACT and/or SAT test scores (30% of the scholarship weighting scale) Extracurricular activities in high school such as sports, clubs, student government, community service, part time employment, etc. (10% of the scholarship weighting scale). Current College Student (has not reached their senior year in college) College Cumulative Grade Point Average must be at least 3.4 (60% of the scholarship weighting scale) Most recently completed college semester or quarter GPA (30% of the scholarship weighting scale) Extracurricular activities in college such as sports, clubs, student government, community service, part time employment, etc. (10% of the scholarship weighting scale) The amount and number of scholarships is determined by the availability of funds, and may vary from year to year based on these factors and IRS guidelines. In 2012 eight $5,000 scholarships were awarded and 126 $2,000 scholarships were awarded out of 848 applications. Scholarships are awarded at the discretion of the PGA Scholarship Committee. The scholarship is for accredited Universities or Colleges in the United States only. The application process is live online ( between November 15, 2012 and March 15, 2013 and students are asked to wait until they are in possession of their most current grade report (first semester) or transcript before applying. The applicant must enter the students Social Security number and the PGA affiliated parent or grandparents PGA ID number to gain access to the application. After submitting the online application, the applicant must have postmarked by March 15,2013 to the below address a sealed official school grade transcript that shows their GPA information and ACT/SAT test scores (if a high school applicant) to: PGA Financial Assistance Fund Scholarship ProgramAttention: Linda Bennington Grant and Scholarship Specialist 100 Avenue of the Champions Palm Beach Gardens, Florida ; or lbenning@pgahq.com PGA members can check out the Scholarship Search Tips for additional listed websites to help you with your scholarship search by visiting the homepage of PGALinks.com/Personal Benefits/PGA Scholarship Program. CLICK HERE for the additional search tips. CLICK HERE for college preparation websites and other scholarship assistance information. 9

Name Employer Class Andrew Huelsing, PGA GolfTEC - Des Peres A-6 Name Employer Class Barrett A.

Monitor Panasonic Video Camera Portable Table I am asking $2000 but will discuss reasonable offers. The system hasn't been set up a half dozen times. Thank you!

Phillips, PGA 1/6 Gary Fee, PGA 1/10 George E Schrage IV 1/10 Mark A. Leroux 1/11 Joshua T. Riley, PGA 1/13 Terry Houser, PGA 1/14 Andrew Joung-Su Kim 1/16 Jeffrey P.

10 Name Employer Class Andrew Huelsing, PGA GolfTEC - Des Peres A-6 Name Employer Class Barrett A. Martens, PGA Persimmon Woods GC A-8 Name Employer Class Curtis Goss III Mystic Oak GC B-8 Ryan Buckley The Falls B-8 JVC Bullet Video System (New in 2008) 17" Hi-Brite Monitor Panasonic Video Camera Portable Table I am asking $2000 but will discuss reasonable offers. The system hasn't been set up a half dozen times. Thank you! John Utley johnutley99@yahoo.com January Birthdays Stanley Shaver, PGA 1/1 Michael C Becker 1/2 Shane J. Blankenship, PGA 1/5 Randy J. Phillips, PGA 1/6 Gary Fee, PGA 1/10 George E Schrage IV 1/10 Mark A. Leroux 1/11 Joshua T. Riley, PGA 1/13 Terry Houser, PGA 1/14 Andrew Joung-Su Kim 1/16 Jeffrey P. Escott, PGA 1/17 Steve T. Remspecher II, PGA 1/17 Garry E. Lee, PGA 1/18 Dale Schofield, PGA 1/21 Brian T. Boles, PGA 1/22 Kyle A. Jenkins 1/22 Andrew M Jury 1/22 Gideon H. Smith, PGA 1/24 Mark Lewis, PGA 1/26 David J Cantrell, PGA 1/28 Lukas M. Guthrie, PGA 1/31 10

Sincerely, Jeff Mietus PGA. Official Publication of the Western New York Section PGA. Letter from Jeff Mietus, Western New York PGA President

Sincerely, Jeff Mietus PGA. Official Publication of the Western New York Section PGA. Letter from Jeff Mietus, Western New York PGA President Official Publication of the Western New York Section PGA Letter from Jeff Mietus, Western New York PGA President Ladies and Gentlemen of the Western New York PGA: The Section office is starting to get