PGA ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR NOMINATION

PGA ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR NOMINATION Name of Nominee: Brandon Bemis Member Number: 27349362 Facility Name: Sand Point Country Club Facility Address: 8333 55 th Ave. NE Seattle, WA 98115 Facility Phone Number: (206)523-4994 Nominee E-mail Address: Brandon@sandpointcc.com Nomination submitted by: Craig Hunter The nomination form should be typewritten. 1. Please describe the nominee s overall performance as an Assistant Golf Professional. Brandon Bemis is an outstanding Assistant Golf Professional for Sand Point Country Club. He has been with the club for approximately 4 years. Managing the expectations, egos, and needs of country club members is something that requires a combination of courtesy, professionalism, and firmness. Brandon has that unique ability to command respect from a very diverse group of members while at the same time being understanding and sympathetic to issues that arise. He is also an outstanding instructor and truly cares about the improvement of those he coaches. He teaches over 250 lessons a year and promotes the game of golf to both beginners and single digit handicappers. Regardless of who he is teaching, he exudes a calmness and positive manner which is beneficial when trying new things. Brandon will stay with the client until he/she has grasped the concept of what they are trying to accomplish. 1

Brandon also possesses tremendous people skills. He has the innate ability to know what someone needs before they have to ask for it, and he will follow through to make sure that it gets done. He is always patient and professional with everyone he encounters, whether they are an easy going or a high maintenance member or guest. He works well with the other members of the Pro Shop staff and he is very well respected by the Sand Point membership. Brandon has organized annual trips for the members to Coeur d Alene Idaho where he has organized the entire event; golf courses, tee times, accommodation s and dining. Through experiences like that, running our member/guest invitationals and playing in Pro-member tournaments, Brandon has learned the line of friendship when it comes to members, and respects his position within our organization. 2. Please briefly describe the nominee s service to the local Chapter, Section and to the Association. Currently Brandon is working for possibly the most successful private country club in Washington State with regards to; annual rounds, revenue and lifestyle. Sand Point Country Club has been thriving in this down economy. While working 50 60 hour weeks since the start of the season, Brandon has been able to study for USGA rules exams and attending seminars to help become an better professional for our club, chapter, section and association. He has been promoting Tee it Forward to the club and has created new permanent tee locations for juniors and families. Brandon has been involved in networking opportunities between local private clubs and public. Through his networking he has been developing relationships for Sand Point CC with out-of-area clubs like Hayden Lake CC, Willamette Valley CC, and Spokane CC. He has devoted time for meetings with Bill Moses and all the heads of our chapter caddy programs. The Sweet 16 is a seminar that he attends yearly, and looks at that as an opportunity to help grow closer with Professionals from different chapters. Brandon is eager to be more involved, his next step is to join a committee. 3. Please briefly describe the nominee s leadership ability. In every business and industry everyone is looking for the leaders who can help them with the organizations mission. In Brandon, you get all of the qualities we always look for in hiring and promoting someone. He is always part of the solution, and never part of the problem. He sees things that need to be done, and does them. Brandon has the "guts" to make the tough 2

decisions that come up both on the course and around the club when it comes to handling member questions and problems. He's a good leader of his fellow Assistant Professionals in that he helps them with many of the demands that come from our membership in a way that promotes the goodwill around our golf course. His teaching techniques are sought after by our membership, and many members attribute their golfing success to his tutoring. He helps people play within their range of capabilities. He treats each golfer according to their level of experience and expectations. Brandon has a large presence which commands respect when he walks into a room, but puts everyone at ease with his smile and pleasing personality. Leading by example is Brandon in a nutshell. 4. Please briefly describe how the nominee inspires fellow Assistant Golf Professionals. Through his instruction and determination to better himself as a PGA Professional, Brandon has motivated fellow assistants to pass their PAT s and enroll with the PGA as an apprentice. Brandon passed both his level 2 and 3 in less than a year, and has set the expectations for the rest of our professional staff. He takes it as a personal responsibility to ensure that the assistants and employees that he works with succeed in their endeavors. By helping them with their games, their business or interpersonal skills, and arranging time for them to work on these important issues. He gets them more involved in junior clinics and pushes them to look at this position as more than just a job. 5. Please briefly describe the nominee s participation in Section and Chapter Programs. Brandon has helped raise money for Camp Korey through donations from his club members. 6. Please briefly describe how the nominee participates in Section and Chapter Activities. Sand Point CC requires a lot of Brandon s time, because of that he has only been able to participate in the Washington Open and soon will play in the Professional Club Championship. Brandon attends the Northwest PGA show 3

annually and plays as a sponsor Professional when needed. Also he goes above and beyond when trying to earn his MSR credits; he will sign up for any learning opportunity that comes, Brandon has traveled hundreds of miles to be involved. Name of Nominee: Sara Berlin Member Number: 27440099 Facility Name: Tacoma Country & Golf Club Facility Address: 13204 Country Club Dr. SW Lakewood, WA_ Facility Phone Number: 253-588-0404 Nominee E-mail Address: sarabpga@me.com Nomination submitted by: Sara Berlin The nomination form should be typewritten. 1. Please describe the nominee s overall performance as an Assistant Golf Professional. Sara goes above and beyond the typical duties of an Assistant Golf Professional. She would go out of her way sacrificing her time and effort to ensure members and guests satisfaction. She is involved with all aspects of the golfshop operation and does her best to balance it all - from merchandising, accounting, juniors, get golf ready, tournaments (both member and outside events). She makes the job of those around her easier and enjoys teaching any and all players. 2. Please briefly describe the nominee s service to the local Chapter, Section and to the Association. Sara has been a member of the WWC Board for the past year and does her best to find time to compete in Pro Am s and some section events. 4

She has participated in the past 2 PPC s and volunteers her time to help set up for the Washington Open. 3. Please briefly describe the nominee s leadership ability. She enjoys working with the back room staff to teach them about the industry and what they can contribute to the membership. She schedules all employees and manages the golf calendar for the membership. She communicates with all areas of the Country Club from the Food and Beverage, Management, and Superintendent. 4. Please briefly describe how the nominee inspires fellow Assistant Golf Professionals. Sara provides a level of service that inspires others to provide members with the greatest possible service. She does her best to balance all activities including Pro Am s, Section events and Education seminars and meetings. 5. Please briefly describe the nominees participation in Section and Chapter Programs. Sara attempts to do everything she can to participate in most Chapter Programs and Section events. She is willing to attend any and all meetings, education seminars and of course the Fall PGA show. 6. Please briefly describe how the nominee participates in Section and Chapter Activities. Sara is a board member for the Western Washington Chapter and plays in a few pro am s, the Pro/Junior and a couple of Section events. Name: Kyle Miller Member Number: 27462525 5

Golf Club: Tam O Shanter G&CC Address: 1313 183 rd Ave. NE Bellevue, WA 98008 Telephone: (425) 746-1578 E-Mail: pro@tamoshanter.net Affiliation: PNWPGA A-8 (Assistant Professional) 1. Please describe the nominee s overall performance as an Assistant Golf Professional. I have really enjoyed my experience working at my Club and getting to know the membership and the ongoings of the community, but for the 2012 season I have taken on added responsibilities as the Chairperson for both the Assistants Committee and the Orientation Committee. By taking on those positions, I have been invited to serve the WWCPGA as a non-voting Board Member and got to attend meetings over the past year or so. The experience is one I have really come to appreciate. I now have a better and deeper understanding of how our Chapter operates. I try to involve myself in the PGA in as many ways as possible. I helped teach lessons at Camp Korey the past coupel summers, I always make sure to get at least 30 different members out to Pro-Ams every year, I participate in all large Chapter and Section golf tournaments and meetings, 2. Please briefly describe the nominee s service to the local Chapter, Section and to the Association. I have served as a member of the Western Washington Chapter Assistants Committee going on five or six years this fall. I am the Assistants Committee Chairperson for the 2011-2012 Winter Seasons. As a committee, we ran a very successful Winter Tour season and had an awesome 2012 Assistants Championship at Sahalee in February. I believe as a committee over the past few seasons we have evolved the Winter Assistant s Tour into a collection of fun event for golf professionals to gather together and meet new people and keep the competitive edge alive through the cold wet months. 3. Please briefly describe the nominee s leadership ability. I am the 2012 Assistants Committee Chair as well as the one and only member of the 2012 Assistants Committee. I have really enjoyed my time serving as a non-voting Board Member and representative of the Western Washington Chapter of the PGA. I hope to be a leader not only through the ways I speak and teach, but in the ways I act. My leadership abilities have been developed through my time working at my club as well as the time I have spent around others in our industry. I was fortunate enough to win the Western Washington Chapter Junior Golf Leader for 2009. Being nominated for the award was one of the coolest feelings ever, only being topped by winning the award. I accept the opportunity of taking charge of a situation when no one else wants to. I try to make it a goal of mine to take on and accept responsibility in areas I an not experienced, to better myself in the future. 4. Please briefly describe how the nominee inspires fellow Assistant Golf Professionals. I have my Class A Membership status and I am, and always have been, in good standing with the PGA for almost four years now. I worked my butt off to get through my three levels of PGA Professional Golf Management Program right after graduating from Western Washington University with a degree in Business Management. I did not play collegiate golf, so a couple years away from the game were enough for me to realize how much a really do love the game. I was offered the job here at Tam O Shanter just before graduating from Western Washington University and knew that if I wanted to make a living working at a golf 6

course, I had to get my act in gear. The PGA-PGM Program was tough work, but with the appropriate level of dedication, I was able to complete it in well under three years. My determination, commitment, and work ethic are a few of the qualities I would hope to share with and use to inspire fellow Assistant Golf Professionals. Working and acting using those three traits have helped get me to where I am today. 5. Please briefly describe how the nominee participation in Section and Chapter Programs. I served the Western Washington Chapter of the PGA by volunteering my time as the Committee Chair for both the Assistants Committee and the Orientation Committee. I provided Orientation Seminars (as required by the WWC PGA for all new Apprentices) for over 20 new pupils since taking over this past winter. Name of Nominee: Samuel Smith Member Number: 27329996 Facility Name: _Indian Summer Golf and Country Club Facility Address: _5900 Troon Lane SE, Olympia, WA 98501 Facility Phone Number: (360) 459-3772 Nominee E-mail Address: sams@indiansummergolf.com Nomination submitted by: Steven Borror Head Professional The nomination form should be typewritten. 1. Please describe the nominee s overall performance as an Assistant Golf Professional. Sam Smith attained his PGA Certification in May of 2012. It was a long and arduous journey for Sam to achieve this landmark in his professional career. Sam has been an assistant professional within the OKI Golf Corp. for nine years some of it in good standing and some of it in suspended status due to his educational standing. Since coming on board with Indian Summer in 2010, I have seen a rededication and commitment in Sam rarely witnessed by assistant professionals in this business. In my opinion, this past year is undoubtedly Sam s best year as an assistant golf professional and one of the best that I have witnessed in 10-years as a head golf professional. Realizing his position within the PGA and his limited future with OKI Golf if things stayed the same, I observed Sam make a committed effort to rapidly excel in his PGM educational endeavors as he had been doing in his work responsibilities at Indian Summer for the past two years. Sam was promoted to Indian Summer in the June of 2010 during a head professional transition. He took on the duties and responsibilities of the head professional 7

and led an operation that had been left with many holes and business miscues. Sam immediately faced an inventory nightmare that took months to figure out and even longer to correct. His business acumen and salesmanship allowed Indian Summer to shed extinct inventory while still maintaining a reasonable profit. Since Sam took over the inventory controls, inventory shrinkage has never exceeded 1% of the inventory value. Monthly sales have increased steadily by 5-50% each month over the past two years. Sam has demonstrated a consistent and fair approach in all his Club responsibilities. In my personal experience, very rarely have I felt that I could be away from the golf operation and not have even a slight drop in performance, service, sales and/or hospitality. Sam s professionalism and leadership provide me this insurance as he has provided his personal pursuit of excellence while adopting and supporting my personal goals and objectives for the golf operation. Over the past two seasons, I have been blessed to have Sam as my assistant as I hope he has learned as much from me as I have from him. He is a great addition to the PGA of America and I hope a head professional in his own right very soon. 2. Please briefly describe the nominee s service to the local Chapter, Section and to the Association. Since being at Indian Summer, Sam has provided internal support to the Chapter office in support of our local annual Pro-AM. Additionally, Sam was instrumental in coordinating and implementing the support systems as Indian Summer hosted the PNWPGA Senior Championship in April 2012. 3. Please briefly describe the nominee s leadership ability. Sam has consistently demonstrated his leadership abilities since my arrival in October 2010. After successfully managing the head professional transition, Sam has embraced and provided expert guidance in the direction of the golf operation making us a better team at Indian Summer. Sam s overall knowledge of the OKI Golf systems obliges him to provide expert advice and guidance to other assistant and head professionals under the OKI Golf umbrella. Regularly, Sam is called upon to fix or guide other OKI Golf facilities through POS and inventory transactions. Sam consistently carries himself as a professional in all dealings with members, tournament coordinators, guests, fellow staff and the OKI Golf management team. He is knowledgeable about golf product and trends; he conveys structure and authority in the golf shop; he is creative and encouraging with our golfer development programs. Sam s greatest leadership quality, however, is that the operation does not miss a step when my USGA responsibilities or other activities take me away from the Club for brief or extended periods. 4. Please briefly describe how the nominee inspires fellow Assistant Golf Professionals. As stated earlier, Sam has been with the same company for over eight years. His knowledge and experience with internal business systems and protocol have made him the go to person when other golf professionals need assistance. Sam is very active within the company lending his experience and passions to others. Recently, his accomplishment of PGM Level s II and III within a 7-month window garnered a lot of recognition and awareness from other assistants as well as management. Sam is the most recent PGA Member from within OKI Golf and now provides mentorship to other assistants at ten different OKI Golf 8

properties. His commitment to learning and developing his craft has been documented and used as examples within the OKI Golf management umbrella. 5. Please briefly describe the nominee s participation in Section and Chapter Programs. Following his educational accomplishments and gaining his PGA membership, Sam has immediately become active in Chapter and Section events including Pro-AMs, educational opportunities such as the NIKE Mentoring Conference, and USGA Handicap seminars to aid his Club s Handicap Committee. I believe Sam will continue his pursuit of full membership privileges and responsibilities by becoming more involved in Chapter and Section endeavors. 6. Please briefly describe how the nominee participates in Section and Chapter Activities. With his membership privileges, Sam immediately has begun participating and representing Indian Summer in local chapter and section tournaments. He has attended several chapter and sectional educational opportunities as well. 9