This month we interviewed Casey Moen, Tournament Director of the Western Montana Chapter PGA.
Hometown: Missoula, MT
PGA Professional Since: Elected Membership August of 2012
Tell us a little bit about your career. Who or what inspired you to be a PGA Professional?
I grew up around fantastic junior programs around the Missoula area. You could play all day long for next to nothing so it was a great way occupy the long summer days. I played nearly every sport as a kid but there was just something about golf. As high school neared I began to focus mainly on golf. At 14 I started to work at King Ranch Golf Course in Frenchtown, MT. Many hours were spent hitting balls, picking them, sitting on a mower, and behind the pro shop counter. I knew very early on I wanted to make golf a career. I think it was just the perfect mix of business with sports that really caught my attention along with a knack for being a people person. I caught wind of New Mexico State Universities PGM program from a friend in the area that I grew up playing junior golf with. I was sold. The PGM program took across the county to many amazing golf facilities and left me with life long friends and acquaintances. I learned exactly the professional I did and did not want to be and constantly remind myself of that.
You are originally from Missoula. What brought you back?
It was an easy decision to move back to Montana. My wife grew up in Great Falls and played golf for the University of Montana. Go Griz. And my father in law has been a PGA Professional at Meadowlark Country Club in Great Falls for over 30 years. And of course my parents still reside in the Missoula area. We knew what we wanted to do and where we wanted to be long term and when the opportunity presented itself to return to Montana and be closer to family, we couldn’t have acted fast enough! There is something special about this place. People come to visit and never leave, and when you live in another state people ask why you ever left. That was a huge sign for us to be Montanan’s again. I am very fortunate to be heavily involved with the golf professionals and the chapter that I grew up under as well.
Favorite golfer?
It may sound cliché, but you when grow up watching Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan play competitive athletics it is hard to even think of other names. These two individuals shaped their respective sports in many ways and are much of the reason I put so much time into athletics as a kid.
Favorite sports team, pro or college?
Green Bay Packers