april cover

bryan tunstill

Bryan Tunstill, PGA
(503) 285-8354

President's Report

As we spring into the golf season, the Pacific Northwest Section is set for a successful year. This is largely due to the efforts of many, not just a few.

Specifically, I speak of our Committee System. As I became President and in turn had to populate our Section Committees, I realized that we had a strong system in place already. However, as your Section Board reviewed the scope and charter of each Committee one by one, we realized that some of the language and ‘job descriptions’ of some of the Committees needed to be changed or updated. We worked through these, made the relevant changes, and then we established goals for each Committee for the year. We feel confident that our Committees will provide our Section with a wide viewpoint, across all of our Chapters, as we move forward.

I want to thank each member of our Section Committees for their hard work and efforts to make our Association better.   A list of the Committees and their goals for 2016 are listed below this article. If you have any questions or issues that you would like to see addressed by a respective Committee, please contact myself at bryan.tunstill@cecc.com or the Committee Chair. If you are interested in getting involved with a Committee, I encourage you to do so. The best way for now is at your local Chapter level. Contact your respective Chapter Presidents (OR – Sean Fredrickson; WW – Dan Harrington; IE – Kathy Gildersleeve-Jensen; WMT – Cameron Milton; CW – Clint Ables) to get involved.

Every professional that serves on a Committee, whether Chapter, Section or National, does so as a privilege of his and her peers. We are all here to serve in the best interest of you, the member of the PNWPGA.

View Committee Goals for 2016

 

 
Culture Committees

jeff ellison

Jeff Ellison, PGA

CEO's Report

Thank you to everyone who completed the PGA Compensation Survey.   You helped provide valuable information to assist yourself and your fellow PGA Professionals understand and enhance their compensation situation. This is a valuable tool for Carol Pence when she works with you or a facility to elevate compensation to appropriate levels. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Carol to elevate your personal situation.   Whether it’s telling your story to your current employer or looking forward to another position, she is just an email or phone call away:   cpence@pgahq.com or 510-706-1583.

On Sunday, April 3, Augusta National Golf Club will host the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals. Two young ladies who came through the Northwest will be competing on the hallowed grounds.   Jayla Kucy of Camrose, Alberta who qualified via the OGA Course last season will compete for the second year in a row and Malia Schroeder of Arlington, WA, who qualified through Lake Padden GC will also represent us. Tune in to Golf Channel to follow the finals.  Drive, Chip and Putt is a great free program for juniors of all abilities, please promote participation in one of our ten local qualifiers to juniors at your facility.   Our schedule is posted at http://www.pnwpga.com/junior-golf/drive-chip-and-putt-local-qualifying/ along with a list of facilities offering Drive Chip and Putt Clinics.

The Muckleshoot Casino Washington Open Invitational is scheduled for May 16-18 at Meridian Valley Country Club in Kent, Washington. PGA General Manager Greg Manley is looking forward to being your host for the season’s first major.   There is still room for another pro-am team if you have four amateurs who would enjoy great golf, good food, a trip to the Muckleshoot Casino and the chance to support the Folds of Honor!   Click here for details.  With a full field, we are looking at a total purse of $85,000…. maybe you should play!

Entries are now out for the Oregon Open Invitational, which returns to Brasada Canyons GC, site of the 2009 championship.   Zach Swoffer, PGA Director of Golf and his team will roll out the red carpet for your stay.   VERY special rates are available for tournament participants at Brasada that will provide you with all the amenities offered at this world class resort.   Click here for details.

Finally, the committees will soon be reviewing applications for the Yamaha Player Development Grants and the Youth Player Development Grants.   We received over $34,000 in requests for our $24,000 in available funds.   It looks like the Committee has a little work to do!   Thanks for applying!

You have a great team in both the Section and Chapter offices.   Please reach out to these dedicated folks to assist you in taking advantage of our programs, understanding our program offerings or simply understanding PGA membership processes.   They are all here to help YOU.

Jeff Ellison, PGA
CEO, Pacific Northwest Section PGA

 

 
 
 

new sponsors

We have two new sponsors this year!   David Nelson of Hole-In-One, USA has come on board to support Section professionals.   In addition to their support of the Section they are offering special programs for you. Their new Give Me 5 Promotion can really help your bottom line. Visit Hole-In-One, USA at www.hiousa.com for more information.

We have also partnered with Birdies2Eagles to offer you special rates on promotional materials, custom tee markers and the like. Click here to take a look at their special offerings and discounted pricing for you!

 
 
 
 

kpmg

The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is just three months away. We are recruiting PGA Members and Apprentices to fill our 158 volunteer shifts. Most of these are the highly prized practice area duties. You'll be able to watch the best LPGA players in the world prepare for a major championship. It should be an exciting week. Volunteers who work at least two shifts will receive their uniform - shirt and outwear from Polo and a Section hat. Lunch and free parking are included. To volunteer, click here for the schedule of available shifts; then call Angela Hinzpeter in the Section office to sign up (800-688-4653).

 
 
Culture Committees

Candidates for Secretary

fredrickson

 

Sean Fredrickson, PGA
Last week, I was reminded why I chose to become a golf professional.

Tualatin CC hosted the 2016 Section Spring Meeting, the Awards Reception,  and the Pro-Assistant Championship. Over the course of three days, our collective energy and passion for the game of golf was inspiring. One of the truly remarkable things about our industry is that we can all learn, grow, and help each other–no matter which club we’re at, how well we play the game, or where we’re at in our professional careers. We all have different strengths and different weaknesses, but one thing is clear: we are better, together.

I was asked to tell you about myself and my motivation to run for Secretary of our Section. For me, it’s simple. It’s about relationships–with my staff, my fellow professionals, and the members I serve. It’s about waking up every morning and knowing that I have the best job in the world and am one of 1200 hard- working individuals dedicated to promoting the game of golf. It’s about being mentored, and mentoring others. But most of all, it’s about making each of us better, together. As your Secretary, I make the following pledge to each of you:

  1. I will work to create better programs to develop better professionals.
  2. I will strengthen the bond between us, whether your home is Helena, Bellingham, or Bandon.
  3. I will ensure that our Section and our Chapters are prepared for the future; that our programs improve, remain relevant, and provide opportunities for ALL members and apprentices.
  4. And finally, I will encourage each of you to play, to teach, and to promote the game. If we all focus on these three core principles, the game of golf will be in good hands for years to come.

Many of you know me; many do not. Those who do can attest that I am dedicated to our profession.   To those of you who don’t know me, I look forward to connecting with you over the next few months.
Trying to get to know someone in 600 words or less is not easy. So for fun, here is a list of things that make me, me.

  1. I love soccer. Go Timbers.
  2. I’ve seen over 50 Dave Matthews Band concerts.
  3. I am always on the go, I find it hard to sit still.
  4. I am a Ping staff member.
  5. If I won the lottery, I wouldn’t quit my job.
  6. If I could buy a second home it would be in Kona, Hawaii.
  7. I married up, way up.
  8. I work on my golf game every day.
  9. I’ve eaten more Hi-Chews than any of you.
  10. My favorite movie is Gladiator, by far.

I love my family, I love my job, and I love being a golf professional. I teach the game, I play the game. When I am not at home re-charging my batteries after a long day at work, I promote the game.

I became an apprentice in 1996. I became a member of the PGA in 2002. I earned my first Head Professional position in 2003. I’ve served as a committee member, committee chair, and board member on both a Chapter and Section level. My experience as the President of the Oregon Chapter over the past 18 months has prepared me to lead our Section. I am qualified to be your Section Secretary and will work to make us all better, together.

Sean Fredrickson
Head PGA Golf Professional
Tualatin Country Club
503.476.7668 cell
503.692.4620 shop
OPGA President/PNWPGA Director

harrington

 

Dan Harrington, PGA
Happy April!
My name is Dan Harrington and I am a candidate for Secretary of the Pacific Northwest Section PGA.

I am beginning my 22nd season as a golf professional and 17th as a PGA member. My golf life started as a summer golf and pool junkie at Link Hills Country Club in Greeneville, Tennessee. This led to my participation on both junior and high school golf teams in Austin, Texas. I was fortunate to play on a team that qualified for the 1985 Texas State Golf Championships. After graduating in Austin, I moved to Washington and began attending Western Washington University in the winter of 1987, playing my first cold and wet golf season of my life for Ron Hass, PGA. After a few more years playing for Western under Dean Russell, PGA, I got a coat and tie job at Farmers Life Insurance as an underwriter. Four years later, I returned to my original and true passion by taking a job as the non-member head professional at Taylor Creek Golf Course in Maple Valley. Additional experiences as assistant at Fairwood G&CC and Meridian Valley CC led to my hire as the head professional at Meadow Park Golf Course. Since turning professional, I have served on several Chapter and Section committees, played in hundreds of pro-member and professional events, and have been a community leader at each stop in my career.

My wife of 21 years Tricia and I have two fantastic children, Ryan 9 (Mr. Baseball) and Rachel 6 (my future golfing meal ticket). I am honored to have served the 400+ golf professionals of the WWC-PGA as President for the past year and a half. I am equally proud of the Chapter Board and the numerous golf professionals working hard to provide learning and playing opportunities for kids in our golf communities.

My motivation in running for the Secretary position is threefold:

I am a Listener more than a Talker, which allows me to be a better communicator. Because our Section stretches more or less from Brookings, Oregon to Fairbanks, Alaska and Ocean Shores, Washington to Billings, Montana I believe that communication is essential to our Section functioning effectively and successfully. As your Secretary, I will be available to listen and absorb your suggestions and ideas first, then communicate a written plan to put some of these into action over my time in office.

Continuing to be a leader and innovator of our local, regional, and national Player Development programs. In late-2012, I was at the forefront in bringing the PGA Junior League Golf to the Section when I created the four-team “South Sound” league in Tacoma. Further strengthening this program, in concert with Get Golf Ready, Golf In-Schools, and Military rehabilitative instruction curriculums are at the core of my leadership focus.

I have a well-rounded job and life experience set. In my lifetime I have worked at private, public, municipal, and upscale daily fee facilities. This knowledge and experience set is beneficial because it allows me to be your advocate in the Section boardroom, no matter what type of facility you hang your hat at. I have also spent time working with allied associations and fellow professional organizations to further enhance our position in the golfing community.

I look forward to providing more communication in the ForeWord Press and hope to get a chance to meet and speak with you at your Chapter meetings this fall. If you have any questions, I can always be reached by email: undrpar1@yahoo.com or by cell 253-249-1001.

Respectfully,
Dan Harrington, PGA

Culture Committees
 

Get Ready for the Oregon Open Invitational!

oregon open graphic

Team entries are now available for the Oregon Open Invitational at Brasada Canyons on June 14-16th.  Entries close Wednesday, May 25, so hurry and get your team entry in now before this popular event fills!

  • Brasada Canyons - 6,893 yards, Par 72
  • Full field will be 48 teams of four players
  • Competition: 54-hole individual competition, beginning Tuesday, June 14, with tee times from 7:30 am - 2:30 pm off the first and tenth tees.  Additionally, there is a 36 hole (best 2 of 4 net) team competition and pro-am four-ball.  The second round will be followed by a cut and repairing of the top 70 players and ties. 

Get the Team Entry Form

 
wa open

Muckleshoot Casino Washington Open Invitational

Kent, WA – Meridian Valley CC
Pro-Am: May 14-15
Championship: May 16-18, 2016

Details
 
 
 
pnw junior

PNW Junior PGA Championship

Dupont, WA – The Home Course
June 4-5, 2016

Details

 
 
Culture Committees
 

Lucky 13th Holcomb-In-One Las Vegas Pro-Am

pro-am

L to R: Ryan Young, Joel Micka, Jacob Wassall, Cameron Whittle, Elliott Kunugi

By Molly Cooper, PGA
Director of Tournament and Member Programs

Thank you to all 24 teams (120 participants) who participated in the 13th Holcomb-In-One Las Vegas Pro-Am at Desert Pines GC, Chimera GC and favorite Anthem CC.  All players enjoyed a week of fantastic weather – mid to high 70’s!

Congratulations to PGA Professional Ryan Young’s team from Chambers Bay GC with amateurs Joel Micka, Cameron Whittle, Elliott Kunugi and Jacob Wassall!  They took home the Sterling Cut Glass trophies and title of the 13th Holcomb-In-One Las Vegas Pro-Am Champions, after winning by five points over the defending champions from Prairie Falls GC, led by Billy Bomar, PGA, with amateurs Mike Bergt, Larry Buss, Dave Faulk and JW Horsley.

"We were just going down for a good time, but after realizing what a dynamic team we had, we just had to make sure we made our tee times!" Young said of his team's win.

Congratulations to Jason Aichele of Meadow Springs CC for winning the overall professional division by two points over Mark Gardner of The Creek at Qualchan.  Low amateur gross stableford honors went to Cameron Whittle of Moses Lake CC, who won by three points over Bjorn Bjorke of McCormick Woods GC.  Amateur John Mazzuca of Fircrest GC won low honors in the amateur net field in the stableford competition by two points over Glen Graham and Larry Beroth, also from Fircrest GC.

Grant Holcomb sponsored this event, along with John Anderson of Antigua/Slazenger, Ed Kowachek of Sun Mountain Sports, John Bond of Imperial Headwear, Scott Williams and John Riley of VooDoo Performance Towels, Dennis Parks of AM&E and Jon Sjostrom of Range Servant, making it our best year yet.  Each participant in the event received two Antigua pieces – a golf shirt and pull over, a Sun Mountain rain bag cover, a VooDoo Performance Towel and a hat from Imperial Headwear.  Thanks also to Jason Gregory of CaddyX for sponsoring the event for the second year.

For those of you that have yet to experience the Holcomb-In-One Las Vegas Pro-Am, it’s a great one and Grant is "ALL IN" for next year, so start working on your team and join us in 2017! But you don't have to take our word for it. In the words of Ryan Young: "Saying you'll be there for 5 days is a little crazy, but there's nothing like living a life of Entourage for a week."

Final Results

Culture Committees
 

Rainier G&CC Duo Wins Pro-Assistant Championship

pro-assistant

L to R: Host PGA Professional Sean Fredrickson, Darren Black, Bushnell Sponsor Sally Schmitz and Uriel Jimenez

By Molly Cooper, PGA
Director of Tournament and Member Programs

The Rainier G&CC team consisting of Head PGA Professional Darren Black and Assistant Professional Uriel Jimenez won the Pro-Assistant Championship by one stroke. The duo fired rounds of 67-65-132, 10 under par in the four-ball competition. The two-day event was held March 21-22 at Tualatin CC in Tualatin, Oregon.

Going into the final round, Head PGA Professional John Kawasoe and PGA Assistant Professional David Lebeck of Astoria G&CC were tied for the lead. The co-leaders were none other than the 2012 champions of this event – Head PGA Professional Brent Murray and PGA Assistant Professional Scott Erdmann. Both teams had fired first round scores of 65, 6-under par. With many strong teams within shots of the leaders, it was still anyone’s game for the team championship.

On the morning of the final day, Brent Murray showed up solo as Scott Erdmann had emergency gallbladder surgery the night prior.  Despite hopes of making history by winning the championship playing by himself, Murray could not hold the lead. The team from Rainier G&CC with Black and Jimenez came from two strokes behind and won the event by one stroke.  Along the way to their second round score of 65, they posted four birdies and an eagle. 

Three teams finished in a tie for second place, including the host team from Tualatin CC. The team from Astoria G&CC with Kawasoe and Lebeck also finished second, along with the team from Broadmoor GC.

The lone skin of the event went to Dan Hill and Tim Feenstra of Broadmoor GC, for an eagle on #11 the final day.

“It was very special for me to be able to represent Rainier Golf and Country Club. Winning was a bonus, there were a lot of great teams in the field and we feel fortunate to have come out on top,” Jiminez reflected after their win. He had been working at Rainier G&CC since last April and just experienced his first winter in the Pacific Northwest.

“It always feels special to enter the winner's circle!” added Black, who won the Muckleshoot Casino Washington Open Invitational last year. “I am happy to add our names to this wonderful trophy and be a part of history for the event.”

Asked how they felt going into the final round against such stiff competition, Jiminez replied they were mainly focused on having a good time in the tournament. “Playing with two great friends made it a lot easier.” Going into the final round, the team kept their cool, with their strategy simply to “just take it one hole at a time and see where they fall.” 

For their victory, Black and Jiminez earned $2,750 and the title of 2016 PNW Pro-Assistant Champions. In addition to their first place check, Sally Schmitz gave both men a Bushnell new rangefinder of their choice. All participants also received a Cutter & Buck shirt from Brian Dickson and bag tag from Pro Tag.

Our thanks to Sally Schmitz of Bushnell, Bryan Dickson of Cutter & Buck,  Troy Flateau of NW Golf Consulting, Matt Pollitt of PTE Golf, Gordon Schenk of Pro Tag and David Nelson of Hole-In-One Insurance for their support.  A special thanks to host PGA Professional Sean Fredrickson and his staff – especially to superintendent Randy Shults and his crew for a fantastic golf course.

Final Results

 
brent zepp

Holk's Highlights

Nominated by: Tyler Sweet

 

Brent Zepp, PGA

  • Facility: Chambers Bay GC
  • Hometown: Born and raised in Puyallup, WA; currently Tumwater, WA
  • PGA Member Since: 2004

At age 12, Brent Zepp told his grandmother that he was going to be a golf professional. At age 14, he started working at Meridian Greens in Puyallup, WA. By age 16, he was working in the golf shop.

 “I knew at this time my career path was in golf,” said Zepp. Many PGA professionals inspired him early on, including: Travis Cox, Rusty Fancher, Kevin Myers, Warren Orr, Michael Phillipart, Ron Hagen, Ron Coleman and Jeff Brinegar.

Zepp graduated from the San Diego Golf Academy. He began his career is 1998 at Meriwood GC in Lacey, WA.

Read More!

Brought to you by:

antigua
 
 
 
carol pence

Career Services
Carol Pence, PGA
(510) 706-1583
CPence@pgahq.com

Preparing for Your Next Opportunity

Each of us have career goals. It is prudent to utilize this coming season to gain the education, skills and experience necessary for those goals. As qualifications are stronger and more demanding for a position, the more important it is to do this planning process. There are no shortcuts or ways around this because there is no cover letter, resume or recommendation letter that will make up for a lack of experience, skills, or training for a particular career opportunity.

The PGA does a marvelous job providing our members a variety of tools and resources to be successful in this profession, however it is up to each of us to make sure we are qualified in every way possible to meet the career goals we set for ourselves. It might be summed up like this: success can be defined as what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Are you preparing properly for your next opportunity?

Read more

scg

 
 
Culture Committees
 

Members on the Move

Michelle Parish
Tournament & Membership Assistant

Employment Changes

  • Nicholas M Atkin (B-8) - from Golf Universe to Canyon Lakes GC
  • Andrew Binney (B-8) - from Double Arrow Golf Resort to Canyon River GC
  • Greg Carter (A-8) - from Unaffilated to Esmeralda GC
  • Tad Davis (A-14) - from High Cedars GC to The Home Course
  • Richard C. Denholm (A-8) - from Unaffilated to Salish Cliffs GC
  • Michael J. Deprez (A-21) - from Twin Lakes Village GC to StoneRidge GC
  • Bradley M Elzie (B-8) - from Wine Valley GC to Salish Cliffs GC
  • Rebecca L. Henderson (A-14) - from Unaffilated to Settlers Bay GC
  • Travis W Huskisson (B-8) - from Esmeralda GC to Kalispel G&CC
  • Mark C. Keating (A-8) - from Pumpkin Ridge - Witch Hollow to Reserve Vineyards & GC
  • Casey T Keyser (B-6) - from Unaffilated to Northern Pines GC
  • Adam J Long (B-8) - from The Wilderness Club to Whitefish Lake GC
  • Cody D. Middleton (B-8) - from Unaffilated to Aspen Lakes GC
  • Matthew A. Montecucco (B-8) - from Unaffilated to Lake Spanaway GC
  • Stuart Smart (A-14) - from Redtail GC to La Grande CC
  • Scot Solomonson (A-4) - from Oakbrook GC to High Cedars GC
  • Gene Edstrom (A-8) - from unaffiliated to Hamilton GC

wildhorse

 
 

Classification Changes

  • Jason Basile (Heron Lakes GC) - from B-8 to B-1
  • David M. Fern (Downriver GC) - from A-8 to A-6
  • Amy M. Pendergast (Sunriver Resort - Meadows) - from A-1 to A-24
  • Scott M. Swanson (Yakima Country Club) - from A-8 to A-1
  • Kathy Wake (Jackson Park GC) - from A-8 to A-1
  • Ryan Y. Young (Chambers Bay) - from A-8 to A-14

New Apprentices

  • Wesley A Boone (B-8) - Overlake G&CC
  • Maurice P Cashman (B-8) - Lost Tracks GC
  • Liam A Kendregan (B-6) - The GC at Echo Falls
  • Julian J Rivera (B-8) - Trysting Tree GC
  • Bradley J Young (B-8) - OGA GC

Newly Elected Members

  • Ryan B. Oliver (A-8) - Eugene CC
  • Cody J. Vukovich (A-20) - Cutter & Buck

Transfers OUT of the Section

  • Kristen M Allard - from Seattle GC to Southwest Section
  • Lee Harlow - from N/A to S. California
  • David P. Melody - from N/A to New England

Transfers INTO the Section

  • Jorge Diaz (A-8) - from Sun Country to Chambers Bay
  • Don J. Kramer (A-13) - from Dixie to Moose Run GC
  • George W. Mann III (A-4) - from S. Florida to The Club at Rock Creek
  • Kathryn R. Simerly (A-8) - from Mid Atlantic to Canterwood G&CC
  • Harrison M Taylor (B-8) - from Southwest to Village Greens GC
 
 
Culture Committees
monte koch

Player Development
Monte Koch, PGA
Player Development Regional Manager
(206) 335-5260
Mkoch@pgahq.com

Winning With Augusta National as Your Partner in 2016

As Jordan Spieth prepares with his team, to defend his title at The 2016 Masters, I’d like to remind you of your chance to team up with Augusta National and the “Drive Chip & Putt” brands. That’s right. You can join others PGA professionals throughout our Section to create more value for yourself, your facility and your customers/members by offering a “Drive Chip & Putt” Prep Clinic & Experience in 2016.

The good news is you don’t have to start from scratch. We have significant resources for you/your team to lean on for planning, promotion and execution on this concept with kids and adults.

Before detailing the resources, let’s delve into the variations you can use with this concept to drive engagement, get an early start to your season and drive revenue.

Read more!

blake parrish

Financial Services
Blake Parrish
Senior VP, Portfolio Mgr.
(503) 619-7237
blake@bpfinancialassoc.com

What to do with Health Savings Accounts

It’s enticing – you’ve built up a nice balance in your health savings account (HSA).  Should you tap it for non-medical expenses? No!

The thing is, you contribute to an HSA—tied to a high-deductible health insurance plan—on a pre-tax basis. You don’t EVER pay income tax on the money you contribute and withdraw, including any earnings which grow tax-free—so long as you spend it on out-of-pocket medical expenses. That’s a no-brainer in the world of golf. If you take the money out and use it for anything non-medical, you get hit with federal and state income taxes. If you’re under 65, you’re dinged an additional 20% penalty. You report taxable distributions (and any penalty) on your tax return.

So what should you do with an old health savings account?

 
 
Culture Committees
 

Sponsors

Gold Level Sponsors
FP-gold-sponsor-NCR FP-gold-sponsor-wildhorse FP-gold-sponsor-rosauers
Holcomb-In-One Sponsors
holcomb in one sponsors
Silver Level Sponsors
FP-silver-sponsor-PACGolf FP-silver-sponsor-bridgestone FP-silver-sponsor-CB FP-silver-sponsor-bushnell FP-silver-sponsor-clubcar
FP-silver-sponsor-SCG FP-silver-sponsor-yamaha FP-partner-sponsor-ama FP-silver-sponsor-sundog FP-silver-sponsor-gregnorman
National Sponsors
FP-natl-sponsor-TMAg FP-natl-sponsor-nike FP-natl-sponsor-titleist-fj FP-natl-sponsor-mercedes FP-natl-sponsor-omega
FP-natl-sponsor-KitchenAid FP-natl-sponsor-PGANatlResort FP-natl-sponsor-PGATour FP-natl-sponsor-pepsi FP-natl-sponsor-janiking
Partner-Level Sponsors
FP-partner-sponsor-PTE FP-partner-sponsor-statefarm FP-partner-sponsor-GSC nw golf consulting FP-sponsor-golf-genius
FP-partner-sponsor-lorente FP-partner-sponsor-pelzer FP-partner-sponsor-haas-jordan club glove  
FP-partner-sponsor-HIOne FP-partner-sponsor-martin FP-partner-sponsor-b2e winners-ag