Serving with Understated Effectiveness By Kurt Kragthorpe

Transcription

1 The Official Publication of the Utah Section PGA Holiday Edition 2014 Serving with Understated Effectiveness By Kurt Kragthorpe Utah s GAU meets with Gov. Herbert as he proclaims Golf Month in Utah. Colby Cowan kept the same job this past summer, but he s occupying a new office. The site is St. George s Southgate Golf Course, that s both symbolic and significant to Cowan, who declared himself back in the golf world as a result of that move. He never left, actually. It s just that reporting to work at a golf facility reminds Cowan that he s still in the game. That involvement occasionally became obscured when he worked in the city office building. Regardless of his headquarters location, though, there s no underestimating Cowan s impact in St. George and beyond. As the city s director of golf, he s a non-traditional winner of the Utah Section PGA s Professional of the Year Award. He shares something of a bond with Henry White, a physical therapist and teacher who received the 2013 award, considering he s not operating a golf facility. Yet in a sense, Cowan is in charge of a 72-hole venue, even if it is spread over four courses, several miles apart. Cowan is simply applying everything he learned in nearly 20 years of working at golf courses in southern Utah and administering St. George city s golf program. St. George City re-established the director of golf position in April 2012 and hired Cowan, then the head pro at Sand Hollow Resort. His other stops included The Ledges and Coral Canyon as head pro and Bloomington Country Club and his hometown Cedar Ridge GC as an assistant pro. In those roles, he earned the section s Horton Smith Award in 2004 and the Merchandiser of the Year (Public Courses) Award in In his current position, he earned the Bill Strasbaugh Award for club relations in Dave Terry, whose association with Cowan goes back to their time together in St. George, describes him as a great representative of the PGA of America, amid everything the organization is trying to accomplish. St. George s Junior Association of Golfers (JAG) program is highly successful, even amid the demanding conditions of the summer in St. George. The climate and competition also require St. George s city courses to develop some clever promotions, all designed to encourage family involvement in the game. Cowan is a family man himself, raising three daughters with his wife, Kristin. He s well-rounded, adept at dealing with people and a problem-solver, Terry said. Cowan has demonstrated those traits as the section s president and a key member of the newly formed Golf Alliance for Utah, promoting the game as a vital industry in the state. Cowan has enjoyed contributing to the GAU s One voice approach to advancing golf in Utah, and he also found the job of section president to be very rewarding. Among the board s biggest tasks this year was staging the Siegfried & Jensen Utah Open at Riverside Country Club in Provo after a successful seven-year run at Oakridge CC, and the event was well received as always. The recipient of the Professional of the Year Award can trace his golf roots to accompanying his father, Randy, at Cedar Ridge GC in Cedar City, carrying a cut-down 3-wood. So retired pro John Evans is obviously among the pros who greatly influenced him, along with Scott Brandt and Reed McArthur. Jared Barnes, another Cedar City product, has grown up with Cowan in the profession and encouraged him to serve in the section. Cowan is one of those understated, efficient people who deserve to be recognized. Anyone who plays golf with him or works on a project with him can only come away impressed with his steady demeanor, interest in others and determination to get things done. Kurt Kragthorpe is a sportswriter for the Salt Lake Tribune and frequent contributor to the Utah Section PGA Newsletter. Colby Cowan, Outgoing Section President and Utah PGA Professional of the Year. In This Issue 5 Year in Review 9 President s Message 13 Unplayable Lie

2 Assistant of the Year Balancing His Game and Profession By Kurt Kragthorpe Utah Section PGA Assistant of the Year, Chris Moody. Stories about Chris Moody s performance as a golfer usually start with the fact that working on his game is secondary to his job as a full-time assistant professional. In the case of his latest Utah Section PGA award, that angle is automatic. Moody is the 2014 Assistant of the Year, validating how he manages to focus on every aspect of the profession at Riverside Country Club in Provo. The twist in this case is that Moody s playing ability makes his fellow pros even more impressed with him, because they know what he s doing most of the time. Moody received several nominations for the award, including an endorsement from Wasatch Mountain State Park pro Chris Stover. Moody has done so much to deserve this award. He is able to balance working in the shop at Riverside and playing the game at a high level, Stover said. The way I look at it, as a golf professional you have multiple hats to wear, Moody said. I ve got a great head golf professional and mentor teaching me everything about the business. Indeed, Robert McArthur is a big part of this story. Craig Norman (1992) and Kent McComb (1996) each won this award while working as McArthur s assistant at Riverside, and Moody joined the staff in 2003 when McComb became the head pro at Bountiful Ridge Golf Course. Moody is practically a lifetime fixture at Riverside, having grown up as part of an avid golf family in Provo. That s part of what makes coming to work enjoyable for him. Obviously, this is my home, he said. Like a lot of golf pros, Moody went through one of those phases when he thought he was finished with the game, after pursuing a playing career in South America and other places. So he used his marketing degree from Utah State in an advertising campaign, but was not feeling rewarded. That s about the time when McComb moved to Bountiful. McArthur called Moody, who had worked in the golf shop in the summers, and said, You re first on my list. And here he is, nearly 12 years later. Moody remains one of the section s best golfers, as the 2013 Player of the Year, and he considers tournament competition as a way of supplementing his income and part of his responsibility to his family, which includes his wife, Tiffany, and two children. That requires some dedication. Moody usually arrives at the course early and works until about 2 p.m. behind the counter, then attends to other duties. You can stay all day and not get everything done, he said. And then he ll shift his focus to his game, practicing and playing. He s learned to manage his practice time better, getting more out of those sessions. That helps explain how he can continue to play so well. That level of talent was on display during the 2014 Siegfried & Jensen Utah Open, and so was the bond between Moody and Riverside members. Moody shot to tie for 11th place overall and attracted a nice gallery in the final round when he played with ex-byu golfers Clay Ogden and Dean Wilson, a PGA Tour winner and former Riverside employee. That culminated a memorable week for everyone associated with Riverside, as the club staged eight pro-am events over four days. It was fun, it was exciting, Moody said. The members were really supportive of it, which was cool to me. It was really gratifying for me. The feeling undoubtedly is shared by the members. Moody is adept at serving the club s clientele. That s just my personality, he said. I want to please people. I really think of them before I think of myself. I take pride in putting smiles on people s faces, especially at the country club. Kurt Kragthorpe is a sportswriter for the Salt Lake Tribune and frequent contributor to the Utah Section PGA Newsletter. 2 Utah Section PGA Holiday Edition 2014

3 Bill Howard Award Developing and Preserving the Game of Golf By Kurt Kragthorpe Dave Terry tees off at the Utah Golf Month celebration under the watchful eye of Gov. Gary Herbert. Dave Terry is not sure he deserves to receive the Utah Section PGA s Bill Howard Award as the Golf Citizen of the Year in 2014, and he s even more convinced that winning it once in his lifetime was sufficient reward. The counter argument is that as much as the late sportscaster Bill Howard himself loved golf and promoted the game, this award probably could be named in honor of Terry. It would be difficult to find anyone in Utah who s more committed to developing and preserving golf opportunities in the state. Sure, that s part of his job description as Salt Lake City s golf program director, and it is in Terry s self-interest to create a healthy perception of golf s value. But that doesn t fully account for his level of devotion to the game; exceeded only by his family relationships and the challenges of maintain his health. Having grown up at Cove View Golf Course in Richfield, Terry loves golf and believes in its significance to the state, both in economic terms and in quality of life. My passion is totally to build this game, he said. He s continually looking beyond his own turf in Salt Lake City to make an impact throughout Utah. He is a driving force in the Golf Alliance for Utah, with a mission of promoting golf to government officials and the public. Dave has been a champion for golf in the state of Utah, said Wasatch Mountain State Park pro Chris Stover. Anyone who has witnessed his work with the GAU would attest to that. I don t know if I ve ever met anyone more passionate with telling golf s story than Dave, said Colby Cowan, who now holds one of Terry s former positions as St. George s golf director. His influence is far-reaching. Terry earned the Bill Howard Award while working in St. George in 2003 and also was honored for his service to the game with the Utah Golf Association s Gold Club Award in He s facing major challenges these days as the Salt Lake City Council considers major changes to the golf program. The issues are complicated, but the bottom line is that Terry is dedicated to doing everything he can to preserve playing opportunities at the city s seven facilities. He s continually searching for creative solutions. It s got to be a whole new ballgame, he said, in a message that could apply to the work of PGA professionals in Utah and beyond. We ve got to do things differently than we have in the past. Hopefully, we can solve some financial issues that golf has, not just in my direct realm. In that way, the GAU has created some awareness of golf s impact in Utah, thanks to an economic study that favorably compared golf to the skiing industry in the state, among other conclusions. In turn, the GAU hopes to help Terry s cause by making a strong case to the City Council for keeping its courses open and viable. Terry is particularly determined to keep the entry-level courses available to new golfers, and help them enjoy the game. He once figured that working in golf would mean being in the pro shop, interacting with golfers, more so that being in what describes as the back office, managing a citywide program. That s where the game has taken him, nearly 25 years after he went to work for the section in staging the Provo stop on what is now known as the Web.com Tour. Terry went from there to St. George for a successful eight-year run, then moved to Salt Lake City and took on all the issues of competition for golfers along the Wasatch Front, weather problems that affected the budget and long-deferred maintenance projects. It s a daunting job, but Terry will keep working to grow the game in a state he loves. The title of Golf Citizen won t completely define him, but it s a good start. Kurt Kragthorpe is a sportswriter for the Salt Lake Tribune and a frequent contributor to the Utah Section PGA Newsletter. 3 Utah Section PGA Holiday Edition 2014

4 Presidential Service Award Decades of Friendship While Serving the Game By Kurt Kragthorpe 2014 Utah Section PGA Award Winners Professional of the Year Colby Cowan, St. George City Golf Sherm Hatfield Sherm Hatfield estimates that he played only five rounds of golf in 2014, but not many amateur golfers spent more time at courses than he did. Only one person might come close: Garey Chadwick. The two longtime friends are the co-recipients of the Utah Section PGA s Presidential Service Award for commitment to the game in serving as rules officials. The best part of their shared honor is that it enables each of them to talk more about the other than about himself. Hatfield on Chadwick: Gary is one heck of a dedicated man. He has spent so much time promoting golf at all levels that it s incomprehensible to Joe Q. Public. Chadwick on Hatfield: The thing about him is he s so caring and concerned. He s just such a friend. He s a hard-working guy when it comes to rules. Hatfield and Chadwick are both former winners of the Utah Golf Association s Gold Club Award for service to the game, honoring its history and tradition, and the Presidential Service Award gives them further recognition from the section s professionals. We don t do it to get accolades, Hatfield said, but that attitude is exactly why they deserve to be honored. PGA professionals obviously have great appreciation for everything that goes into staging a tournament, and the rules officials are a big part of the operation. They re on site long before anyone tees off and go home only after the last competitors have finished the round, or at Garey Chadwick least gone through their hole stations. Sherm and Garey always make our Utah Section PGA events run a little better, and they always do it so willingly, said Sunbrook GC pro Reed McArthur. Hatfield, of West Valley City, and Chadwick, of Bountiful, have known one another for about 30 years, since they initially served together on the UGA s board of directors. Nobody will ever match Chadwick s 12 consecutive years on the board, now that members are limited to three three-year terms. He was the UGA s president in ; Hatfield filled that role in Those dates are important, illustrating how these two just keep giving back to the game. If they seem to keep running into one another on the golf course, it s because they re both always out there, working tournaments. I ve just loved it, said Chadwick, who initially was exposed to the game as a caddie at the Ogden Golf and Country Club as a youngster. He s a former high school basketball referee and baseball umpire, so working as a rules official comes naturally to him. We have an enjoyable time, Hatfield said. Attitude is a big thing, and he s very fun-loving and very knowledgeable. Kurt Kragthorpe is a sportswriter for the Salt Lake Tribune and frequent contributor to the Utah Section PGA Newsletter. Assistant of the Year Chris Moody, Riverside Country Club Teacher of the Year Jon Paupore, Red Ledges Golf Club Junior Golf Leader Jeremy Green, Nibley Merchandiser (Public) Kent McComb, Bountiful Ridge Merchandiser (Private) Bobby Trunzo, Park Meadows Country Club Horton Smith Robert McArthur, Riverside Country Club Bill Strausbaugh Chris Stover, Wasatch Mountain State Park Bill Howard David Terry, Salt Lake City Golf Superintendent (Private) Troy VanDenBerghe, Willow Creek Country Club Superintendent (Public) Matt Isbell, Stonebridge John Wallace Jon Unger, Callaway Player Development Jon Schneiter, Schneiter s Bluff Gentleman Jeff Jeff Green, Stansbury Presidential Service Garey Chadwick, UGA Rules Sherm Hatfield, UGA Rules 4 Utah Section PGA Holiday Edition 2014

5 Utah Section PGA Championships Year in Review 5 Utah Section PGA Holiday Edition 2014

6 Year in Review Utah Section PGA Events 6 Utah Section PGA Holiday Edition 2014

7 Junior Golf Connection Events Year in Review 7 Utah Section PGA Holiday Edition 2014

8 Year in Review High School State Championships Utah State 4A Girls Champions, Provo High School Boys 3A Medalist, Mitchell Schow Girls 5A Medalist, Madi Rooker Boys 4A Medalist, Kai Ruiz Boys 5A Medalist, Marshall Harris 8 Utah Section PGA Holiday Edition 2014

9 President s Message A New Season Brings New Leadership By Colby Cowan On May 5, 2014, Governor Herbert declared May as Golf Month in Utah which was a significant step in our elected officials recognizing the vital part that Utah golf plays. It s hard to believe that another golf season is in the books here in the Utah Section. It seems like just yesterday we were all playing in the Winter Classic and holding our annual meeting. While this year has flown by, it has been a very successful one for the Utah Section PGA. The highlight of the year for me has been the formation of the Golf Alliance for Utah (GAU). Through the GAU, golf is finally able to tell its story and the impact it has on our economy. On May 5, 2014, Governor Herbert declared May Golf Month in Utah and this was a significant step in our elected officials recognizing the vital part that golf is to our state. We are very fortunate to have strong allied associations that share our vision of growing golf and being recognized as leaders in the game and in Utah. It was also a thrill for our Section to be involved in the National Drive, Chip, and Putt competition. The Utah Section hosted four local qualifiers, one sub-regional, and the Western regional finals. All PGA professionals that hosted these events did a great job in showcasing their respective golf courses and showing the value a PGA professional brings to an event like this. It was great to be a part of the Regional event hosted at Promontory and to see the kids as they competed at such a high level. As we headed to the PGA Annual meeting in Indianapolis and elected a new national secretary, we also had a change to our Section leadership as well. With the new season Dustin Volk will begin his term as our Secretary, Ryan Kartchner will becomes our Vice-President and Chris Stover will begin his term as the Utah Section PGA President. I am grateful for these fine professionals and their desire to serve our membership. It has been a true pleasure for me to serve as your Section President. It only seems like yesterday that I began this journey as Secretary. My how time flies! I want you all to know how much I appreciate your support and words of encouragement through the years. My goal has been to always represent you, our Utah Section PGA members, in the best way possible. No decision is ever made without serious discussion on how it will affect you. Jared Barnes, Honorary President, taught me early on in my tenure that if the decision had a negative impact on one professional, than it was not the correct decision. I encourage you each to continue to be the best professional you can be by growing golf in your respective areas. Think outside the box. Give an extra lesson here or there. Get out and play with your members and guests. Work with your staff members to promote this game we all love. I know that I have learned much from golf and only hope I can give back to others. Berlin Long qualified to go to the National Drive, Chip and Putt finals in 2015 at Augusta National. 9 Utah Section PGA Holiday Edition 2014

10 Membership Wightman Goes Old School, Bringing New Life to the Ranches By Kurt Kragthorpe Dealing with people always has come naturally for Tele Wightman, even in the real estate title business. Yet anyone who meets him would have trouble picturing him anywhere other than in a pro shop, greeting golfers. Like a lot of aspiring pro golfers who reach the harsh end of those pursuits, Wightman briefly convinced himself he could live without the game. He discovered he was wrong, and that realization changed everything for himself, a golf course and a community that now embraces it. Wightman s influence has revived The Ranches Golf Club, making it a fixture in the town of Eagle Mountain. The partnership seems built to last, with a PGA professional who s going a little old school by modeling his father s personality to establish himself in the business and in the community. Golf is all about customer service, Wightman said on an October morning, taking a break from behind the counter. He learned that while growing up in western Massachusetts as a son of Via Wightman, a beloved pro who recently retired and moved to Utah. Via s hallmark was getting to know the people who walked into the pro shop, making them feel wanted. That style is working at The Ranches, a formerly struggling facility that s now profitable and part of the fabric of Eagle Mountain, a town west of Utah Lake. Installed in the position five years ago by Vanguard Golf Management, Tele Wightman took over a course that was perceived as too remote, too difficult and too unfriendly. Actually, the venue is only about 30 minutes from anywhere in the Salt Lake Valley, but its greatest potential naturally stems from becoming a source of community involvement. That s happening. Working with city recreation officials, The Ranches attracted more than 80 youth to each of two camps this past summer, and the women s association keeps growing. Those were Wightman s primary targets, and he s doing everything he can to make the course family-friendly. Like any course, The Ranches relies on loyal players. Wightman is both giving back and trying to create bonds with young golfers by coaching Lehi High School s boys and girls golf teams and the Westlake High girls team, along with his father. The Ranches is difficult to walk, with long distances from greens to tees, especially on the front nine. But by installing junior tees in the middle of fairways, improving the course s conditioning and treating golfers well, the team of Wightman, superintendent Mike Hawkins and assistant superintendent/mechanic Joe Robinson has succeeded in attracting and keeping new players. Wightman, 36, seemingly was born to do this. But he first had to chase a playing career for as long as he could, then try something else before settling into this life. A former University of South Florida golfer, Wightman played the Canadian Tour and advanced to the second stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament, which is a major obstacle for many golfers. Frustrated, and out of money, he relocated to Utah, where his sisters Sarah and Juli had played golf for BYU, and became licensed as an escrow officer. After about a year in that business, he started missing golf again. Wightman helped former coach Sue Nyhus with the BYU women s golf program and volunteered at Thanksgiving Point, developing and demonstrating the skills that led Vanguard executive Mark Whetzel to appoint him as The Ranches head pro. Whetzel credits Wightman s clinics and other ways of engaging golfers for increasing The Ranches annual 18-hole rounds from 12,000 to 30,000. The way we like to operate our golf courses is we like to wrap our arms around the community, Whetzel said. People want to play there, because everybody knows Tele is their friend. The course also enjoys a strong relationship with PGA Tour rookie Tony Finau and his caddie, Marcus Burbank. Looking ahead, Wightman is excited about The Ranches further potential, amid Eagle Mountain s growth. Looking back, he was not sure he could make it work, during a make-or-break period, by his description. The losses were not sustainable. The challenge was put forth. Five years later, the course is making some money and, not coincidentally, the perception of it has changed for the better. Wightman was kind of on pins and needles that first year, said Bob Clements, a Ranches regular who Ranches Golf Course Head Professional, Tele Wightman. lives in Lehi. He s come a long way. He does an incredible amount of work out there, and he never makes it seem like it s beneath him. Tele s a really humble guy, very even-keeled. With his Samoan heritage,wightman s given name is Toatele. The shortened version rhymes with jelly. Wightman lives nearby with his wife, Erin and children Trey, 4, and Emma, 2. And now that the course is more stable, Wightman is committed to redeveloping a high-level golf game of his own. He shot in the first two rounds of the Siegfried & Jensen Utah Open at Riverside Country Club in Provo in August, eventually tying for 40th place. He then tied for second in the Utah Section PGA Championship, posting at Toana Vista Golf Course in September, qualifying for the 2015 PGA Professional National Championship and earning a seat on the Utah Section board of directors. So everything is trending positively for Wightman in the golf business, specifically in a job that makes him say, It d be tough to leave. Kurt Kragthorpe is a Salt Lake Tribune sportswriter and frequent contributor to the PGA Utah Section Newsletter. 10 Utah Section PGA Holiday Edition 2014

11 Eduction PGA MSR Information for Period Ending June 15, 2015 By Chris Newson I know many of you received an this fall as a reminder that June of 2015 will end the current MSR cycle. If you didn t receive an , good for you! That means you probably have already met all the requirements. You can go on to to find out where you currently stand with your MSR requirements. I thought it would be beneficial to make sure everyone is aware of the two different categories of MSR points and also give you an idea of what will be available over the next several months leading up to the June deadline. The total number of MSR points required for this cycle is points need to be earned in the PGA Required Category which includes: 1. PGA Meeting and Education (includes Section and National PGA Meetings and Education) 2. Any online Education through 3. Golf 2.0/Player Development, these tutorials and reporting procedures can be found on 18 points to be earned in the Other category includes many areas of service: 1. Volunteer at High School Golf, Junior programs, Clinics, Rules, etc. 2. Golf Coach (High School, College) in a capacity not considered the Member s primary employment. 3. Completing National or Section surveys. 4. Tournament Participation (certain PGA or Section tournaments meet this requirement) 5. Merchandise Show Attendee 6. Media Related Articles 7. Other non PGA Education example College course, CPR, non PGA conducted Education) Utah Section upcoming opportunities through June 15, 2015 (This is a tentative schedule and is subject to change) PGA Required Category February 11, 2015 Utah PGA Open Forum/Annual Meeting with Nike Classic St. George, UT. (4 hours) March 2015 (date TBA) Utah PGA Teaching/ Player Development Summit Salt Lake City, UT. (12 to 16 hours) still in planning process. April 20, 2015 Spring Meeting conducted with Spring Pro Pro (2 hours) Other education opportunities are being looked at as well PGA Other Category February Nike Classic tournament participation (2 hours) April 20, 2015 Spring Pro Pro tournament participation (2 hours) May 11-14, 2015 Utah State High School Girls Championships Volunteers (hours based on hours onsite) Dates TBD 2015 Drive, Chip & Putt volunteers (2 hours) Nationally, Other areas include January National PGA Merchandise Show and Education Seminars Online seminars Online Seminars: These online seminars are certainly the most convenient way to earn MSR Education points. PGA Members can receive one to two PGA Education MSR points by watching a video from the list provided and taking an assessment at the conclusion of the video. The videos can be found by going to the PGALinks homepage, clicking on Education, then Continuing Education, then Complimentary PGA Education MSR. Personally speaking, I watched a 60 minute video and a 90 minute video. At the conclusion of each video I took a 10 question quiz, passed (70% is required), and was rewarded with 2 MSR points each, four total. What a deal! Watching the 10 videos available could easily get you at least halfway or more to the total required Education MSR. I hope this helps you with your planning to meet your requirements. This has been an extended FOUR year cycle to meet these requirements, so make sure you don t procrastinate any longer. June 15th will be here before you know it! 11 Utah Section PGA Holiday Edition 2014

12 Golf Alliance for Utah What Time do the Cows come Home? By Scott Whittaker Both of my parents were raised as farmers and during my early years, much was made of the great values that a farm life could bring to an individual. Throughout my youth the qualities of hard work, provident living and an early to bed, early to rise mentality were always exampled to me as way to conduct my life. I had the opportunity on several different occasions to explore the farm life first hand by work on the family farm in southern Idaho with my uncles, aunts, and cousins. During those hands-on experiences the idea that a job, a chore, or activity must be accomplished before the cows came home represented that farmers and their animals were tied to not only the land but the traditional cycle of sunrise and sunset. So fifty years later why would I be writing about cows being gathered in from meadow each evening before dark? It really isn t a senility issue on my part. It is my way of warning you of some rather provincial thinking that is making the rounds at the state legislature. Some of you may already be aware that there is a bill being promoted on Utah s Capitol Hill to do away with daylight savings time. The bill sponsors prelaunched a promotional campaign for its passage earlier this year and they are continuing to soften-up the legislators and public prior to January s formal session. It is estimated that Utah golf facilities revenues could be negatively impacted up to 20% (or more) if daylight savings time was rescinded. Some smaller facilities might lose even more of their potential customer base without an after work opportunity for golf or through the negative impact on game growing programs that are often geared to the after-work crowd. We are all aware that our golf facilities cannot endure a 20% decrease in business of any kind. I personally struggle with the idea that in one of the biggest outdoor recreation states in the country an agricultural lobby and some unconfirmed school safety concerns could dictate to the state s economic future in this matter! Cows do not follow the dictates of the clock, only people do. Within current politics there is a movement to privatize everything in sight. Unfortunately the previously prized role that golf held within the recreational community is no longer supported by local and state governments. Some of our most treasured and traditional facilities are coming under unfair review and attack for the very attributes and community benefits that they have provided over the generations of time. What can we do as the keepers of the game and the number one benefactors of golf to offset these misconceptions? First, make sure that your golf facility is a member of the Golf Alliance for Utah and that your 2015 dues are paid in full. The GAU represents the golf industry s best interests, across the board, where there was no representation before! Secondly, know who your city, county, and state representatives are and develop a positive relationship with them. The issue of daylight savings time is the perfect venue to start this relationship. Call or them and remind them how many people and how many dollars are at stake over this perceived benign legislation. The issue is much more complex than simply losing an hour of daylight. I want to announce that as promised, the GAU has the golf industry s back. The GAU has contracted with long time USGA committee member and attorney Michael Bailey and his firm to lobby the state legislature on issues that affect Utah s golf industry. Their first assignment is to lobby against the proposed daylight savings time legislation. Also one of their upcoming roles will be to lobby for tax equity for private and privately owned public golf facilities. The Golf Alliance for Utah has been very active this past year working on your behalf. It is time that you and your facilities joined the GAU movement and let your united voices be heard in supporting golf in Utah. Scott Whittaker is the executive director of the Utah Section PGA and a frequent contributor to the Section Newsletter. 12 Utah Section PGA Holiday Edition 2014

13 From the Unplayable Lie Focus on the Birdies! By Scott Whittaker Few games in life are as rewarding or as challenging as the game of golf! We can often get discouraged by a string of bogies or even worse a double bogie or two. Sometimes this feeling of discouragement lingers until we score our next good birdie. As Utah Section PGA Golf Professionals the winter season is a great time for reflection on the many birdies of the past season. The Utah Section PGA and the office have had a string of great birdies this year. I know that despite some real-life challenges that the Utah Section Staff have faced this year, we still think that we scored a lot of great birdies this season that have kept the Section under-par for the year! Please enjoy what we feel are some well played shots this season. The Utah Section PGA enjoyed a season of great relationships with its allied golf partners. Despite a slow growing economy and a decreasing national golf economy a majority of our Section facilities were able to maintain their economic positions. The Utah Section and its allied partners were able elevate the public awareness of the golf industry through the Governor s Day Proclamation and successfully lobbying on behalf of golf. Our Section benefited from great leaders who kept our Section strong and vibrant. Our Section boasts one of the highest section per-capita participation rates for growth of the game activities and tournaments within the PGA. Our Section Members played for a new record amount of tournament purses. The Utah Section touched more youth than ever before through grassroots club programs, Junior Golf Connection programs, the new Utah Section Team Golf leagues and the national Drive, Chip and Putt competition. Perhaps the number one birdie benefit that PGA Professionals enjoy season after season is club privileges. Courtesy or guest golf is a major enticement to new people entering the golf profession and allows us to maximize our potential as golf professionals and players of the game. We cannot afford to, in anyway, compromise the benefit of complimentary golf as PGA Members! Every couple of years we review the etiquette that surrounds guest play within the Utah Section. Based on numerous incidents and/or complaints on the Section level, I think it is time to once again review the basic do s and don ts associated with maintaining PGA Member golf privileges. Playing in golf events and especially playing as a guest at another golf facility is a PRIVILEDGE and not a RIGHT of MEMBERSHIP! Golf facilities are under no obligation to let you play and they certainly do not have to give you free golf, range use, or carts! It is the obligation of Supervising Golf Professionals, Head Golf Professionals, or Directors of Golf to review the etiquette, policies and procedures of Guest Golf with Assistant or Apprentice Professionals. They should always monitor and be aware of their apprentice s compliance with the rules of guest round etiquette. It is also the Directing Golf Professionals responsibility to both inform and monitor any additional golf staff as to the etiquettes involved with playing other golf facilities. PGA Members should always call ahead to the host course professional prior to any guest round. Always thank the host professional after a guest round. In addition you could include a thank you note or . All PGA Members should be prepared and even offer to pay for their round of golf. Again playing at another facility is a privilege and each facility can set their guest policies or fees. Apprentice or Assistant Golf professionals should ask their Head Golf Professional to call ahead for them at any guest facility. These playing privileges are for the most part extended to PGA Members and not non-member staff. Never assume that it is okay to bring friends or non-pga Staff with you to a golf facility or ask that they be allowed to play for free. This can only be done where there is a strong relationship between facilities or there is a set policy for guest fees that allows for it. Never over-use guest privileges! There is an expectation of reciprocation when playing as a guest. If you are not in a position to fulfill any reciprocation then limit your visit to one-time or very infrequent visits. If you are playing as a guest at any facility more than some club members or more than one-three times a season maybe you should look to become a member and pay traditional rates. Always be aware of the host clubs dress and etiquette policies. If there is any question regarding a host course s policies then please revert to PGA Dress and Etiquette Policies. These require appropriate golf attire including long pants and collar shirt for male Professionals and appropriate length shorts/dresses/skirts and tops for female professionals. Never overindulge with alcoholic beverages or food while a guest or tournament participant. Never allow yourselves to play slow or otherwise offend the host facilities members. All golf facilities should have a written policy regarding guest play at your facility with a section about playing other facilities. Make sure all of your employees are aware of it in order to save you from any embarrassing situations. One of the highest rated Member Privileges in the PGA is the privilege of attending the Masters each year. There have been several times when bad actions by PGA Members have put this privilege in jeopardy of being rescinded. In a similar vein our office has received several phone calls over the past two seasons about Section PGA Members or apprentices abusing guest playing privileges. Please do not act in an unprofessional manner when playing in a tournament or as a guest at a host club. Serious violations of a host clubs policy are also a violation of the PGA Code of Ethics and can cause you to be suspended or fined. The greatest fear is that misbehavior of a few will cost the entire profession their guest privileges. I hope this little reminder about golf privileges helps us to appreciate the birdies we enjoy in the golf profession. Be sure to reflect on your personal season s scorecard and rejoice in the birdies you scored. Scott Whittaker is the executive director of the Utah Section PGA and a frequent contributor to the Section Newsletter. 13 Utah Section PGA Holiday Edition 2014

14 Tournaments Davis Park and GolfTEC Crowned Champions By Aaron Goodman GolfTEC s Alden Peterson and Ben Knighton accept adidas division champions trophies from TaylorMade s Henry Lange and Phil Deimling. Davis Park Professionals Brad Stone and Zach Johnson won the Pro-Assistant crown. For the second year in a row a record number of Utah golf professionals teamed up with their Assistants to compete in the Utah Section PGA Pro-Assistant Championship presented by TaylorMade Adidas Ashworth Golf. A total of 60 teams and 104 players made this the largest Pro-Assistant field ever! This event has long been a part of the Utah PGA schedule and its primary purpose is to cultivate the relationship between Head and Assistant golf professionals. The 2-Man Best Ball competition consisted of two rounds and both were played at spectacular courses! Players enjoyed the warmth that St. George, Utah had to offer in Round 1 at SunRiver Golf Club following a riveting education meeting and breakfast put on by TaylorMade. Bret Wahl, Vice President of irons/putters research and development for Taylor- Made, outlined club performance breakthroughs and fitting strategies. Round 2 was played at Sunbrook Golf Course (Pointe/Woodbridge) where Brad Stone and assistant Zach Johnson from Davis Park Golf Course shot a score of 64 to go along with their opening round of 62 to win the Pro-Assistants Championship. In the Adidas Division Ben Knighton and Alden Peterson from GolfTEC won with a total. Congratulations to the winners and thank you to Phil Deimling and Bret Wahl of TaylorMade and Jeff Smith of Adidas Ashworth for making this an outstanding tournament. A combination of fantastic weather, great golf courses and terrific sponsors made for one of the best Pro-Assistant events ever. This has always been a favorite among Utah Section PGA golf professionals so mark your calendars now for next December. 14 Utah Section PGA Holiday Edition 2014

15 Tournaments 2015 Utah Section PGA Tentative Events Schedule Feb 10-12, Nike Winter Classic Green Spring, Sand Hollow, Bloomington Tue, Feb 10, Utah Section Open Forum and Annual Meeting Courtyard by Marriott, St. George, UT Wed, Feb 11, Utah Section PGA Awards Banquet Courtyard by Marriott, St. George, UT Mon, Apr 20, Utah Section Spring Pro-Pro Oakridge CC, Farmington, UT Mon, Apr 20, Spring Membership Meeting Oakridge CC, Farmington, UT May-September Four-Ball Championship Season Long May 18-20, Match Play Championship Hubbard Golf Course, HAFB, Layton, UT June-September Senior Match Play Championship Season Long Jun 15-16, Utah Section PGA Junior Championship Qualifying Soldier Hollow GC, Midway, UT Mon, Jun 29, Highland Classic TBD Mon, Jul 20, PGA Pro-Junior Wasatch State Park GC, Midway, UT Mon, Jul 27, Web.com Tour Utah Championship Open Qualifying Oakridge CC, Farmington, UT Mon, Aug 3, Utah Section Assistant Championship Pro-Am Dinaland GC, Vernal, UT Tue, Aug 4-5, Utah Section Assistant Championship Dinaland GC, Roosevelt, UT Wed, Aug 12, Governors Cup TBD Mon, Aug 17, Siegfried & Jensen Utah Open Qualifying Soldier Hollow GC Gold, Midway, UT Aug 17-20, Siegfried & Jensen Utah Open Pro-Ams Riverside CC, Provo, UT Aug 21-23, Siegfried & Jensen Utah Open Championship Riverside CC, Provo, UT Mon, Sep 14, Utah Section PGA Fall Member Meeting Rainbow Hotel Convention Center Sep 15-16, Section Championship/PGA PNC Toana Vista GC, Wendover, NV Sep 28-29, Utah Section PGA Merchandise Show Southtowne Expo Center Mon, Nov 30, Utah Section PGA Pro-Assistants Championship TBD Tue, Dec 1, Utah Section PGA Pro-Assistants Championship TBD Mark Owen 15 Utah Section PGA Holiday Edition 2014

16 Section Office 580 West 3300 South Salt Lake City, Utah Phone Fax Section Officers Colby Cowan President Chris Stover Vice President Ryan Kartchner Secretary Todd Mullen Director Tracy Zobell Director Scott Draper Director Larry Olson Independent Director Chris Moody Section Champion Jared Barnes Honorary President Section Staff Scott Whittaker Executive Director Devin Dehlin Foundations & Operations Scott Bringhurst Marketing Director Annie Fisher Programs Director Aaron Goodman Tournaments Administrator Gina Petersen Office Manager Publishing Partner We would like to thank our sponsors for their continued support of the Utah Section PGA s programs and tournaments. Please take the opportunity to support the sponsors that support you. Randy Dodson President Garrit Johnson Art Director Mike Stansfield Marketing Director West 3300 South Salt Lake City, Utah 84115