I hope February 1st finds you well. We are a month into 2023, and a month away from golf season. Well, in MT that may be a bit presumptuous, especially since I am sitting here writing this with a heavy head cold watching it snow! For other parts of the Section, the weather will be changing soon, and I hope you are all excited for a great 2023 golf season.
I am fired up for the season after attending the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando this past week. This year, I was fortunate to take my Head Pro, Connor Sproull, Director of Instruction, David Owens, and Controller, Mike Dunn. The chance to share the experience with a couple of guys that haven’t attended before was rewarding. Mike and Dave were taken back by the size of the event. It is something like 19 miles if you walk the entire show floor and demo day event. The inspiration for me is the new technology, new clubs, and apparel for the season. Two things happen when I attend the show. First, it corrects my poor sleep schedule from the fall and winter. I am now ready to rise at 5:30am for the foreseeable future, whether that is good or bad. Second, I am ready to see the golf course full, start player development programs, host member events, and play golf.
At the PGA Show, I attended my first Junior Player Development Committee meeting. There were a lot of great minds in the room with super ideas. There is great opportunity for junior golf riding the wave of the success of PGA Junior League. I am pleased to see our Section’s PGA JAM program in the discussion as well. If you have an ideas or suggestions for me, please send me an email. I would like to hear it.
Frank sent me an email at the conclusion of his ED Meeting prior to the start of the Show to let me know that the PNW Section posted the most growth in PGA HOPE for 2023 of any other of the forty-one sections. This growth was seen in two critical areas: number of PGA Hope sites (from 5 to 13, or 77%) and number of veterans served (29 to 200 veterans, or 590%). That is awesome! We are truly a leader amongst the 41 Sections. We have grown from 5 sites to 13. I love this program, and I hope you will get involved in teaching and changing lives for veterans. Last month I received a random email with pictures of a dormant golf course in Northern California. It turns out that one of my Vets from our program last fall returned to a golf course he worked at in college to play. Chuck had never played golf, until our class. He now plays often, and though he would say he hasn’t improved, the fact that he can play nine holes and enjoy himself says otherwise.
As your wrapping up preparations for the 2023 golf season, I hope you will join me to do one thing that is new and one thing to improve. I have said it before, that you all elected me and gave me this opportunity to write an article each month. I want to help inspire and grow our business. My team of pros at MCC are working on PGA.Coach, as I have mentioned. That is something new. We are also improving our service practices through strategic planning as a manager group at my facility. I know that Frank and the Section staff are doing the same things to rejuvenate and improve. Take this time and opportunity to do the same. On a side note, and for yourself, make sure to enroll in the PGA’s new Deferred Compensation program. It is easy to sign up and get more information at pga.org. It is a simple way to add to your retirement by doing what we do best for the game.
Best wishes for a relaxing February and successful planning for the 2023 golf season,
Chris M. Nowlen, PGA
President, Pacific Northwest PGA