President's Report

I would like to start off this month’s article by once again congratulating Pat Fitzsimons and Dan Hill. Both of these gentlemen were inducted in to the PNW Section PGA Hall of Fame last week. These gentlemen are heroes in our Section and I have personally looked up to both of them for many years. Next time you see them, please give them a congratulations on an outstanding career and a job well done.

Here we go – spring is here and the 4-5 month grind is on. Please remember why we all got started in this wonderful game and take time to play in at least one of our Section Majors. First up is the Muckleshoot Casino Washington Open Invitational, May 20th - 22nd at beautiful Meridian Valley CC. Sign up today!

Please welcome back the Northwest Open Pro-Am benefiting Folds of Honor. It takes place August 17th and 18th at Wine Valley. The entry form is available here. Contact Chris Manley at Chris@exclusiveeventmgmt.com for more information on the Pro-Am and or how to donate to the Folds of Honor Auction.

Lastly, enjoy the spring! We are fortunate to live in a unbelievabe part of this great country and get to travel across this great Section to see so many wonderful golf courses. Remember to support your Chapter and Section by playing in at least one more event than you did last year. As always, I’m here to answer any questions you may have.

“Serve the members and grow the game” is what your Section Board tries to do every day!

See everyone at The Washington Open! Let’s Go!

Gregory C. Morris, PGA
President, PNWPGA
Head Golf Professional, Iron Horse GC

Tips on Learning the New Rules of Golf

Tip #5: Local Rule G-9

Welcome back to our monthly Rules article to help guide you to a successful 2019 season and beyond! Today we are going to learn about the recent addition of a Local Rule that “could” affect you (if your facility adopts this Local Rule G-9, or if the tournament you are playing has this local rule in effect). This is a question I expect many PGA Professionals will get from their membership as the USGA and the R&A announced recently in April a new Local Rule G-9, which allows for replacement of a club that is broken or significantly damaged during the round, except in cases of abuse.

Under this Local Rule (if adopted), a club is "broken or significantly damaged" if it meets the following conditions:

• the shaft breaks into pieces, splinters or is bent (but not when the shaft is only dented)
• the club face impact area is visibly deformed (but not when the club face is only scratched)
• the clubhead is visibly and significantly deformed
• the clubhead is detached or loose from the shaft, or
• the grip is loose

However, a player is not allowed to replace his/her club solely because there is a crack in the club face or clubhead.

Keep in mind that a player’s club needs to start the round conforming and that if the club did not start conforming under the Rules of Golf, then not only may you not use the club during the round, you also may not replace it during the round as it was not fit for play prior to the round.

At the PNW Senior Players’ Championship two weeks ago, we had a ruling from a gentleman who on the third hole pulled out his hybrid to use and noticed that the club shaft was snapped in the grip area. Though we had adopted the local rule on our PNW Section PGA Hard Card, the player was not allowed to replace his hybrid as he had not broken the club during the round (he had not used it on hole #1 or hole #2) and therefore the club had not broken during normal course of play.  It did not matter that the player had started the round unaware that his club was broken.  The player was not able to replace the club (nor use it for the remainder of the round).

You will see in every PNW Section PGA event in 2019, the Local Rule G-9 included on our Section Hard Card.  The Washington State Golf Association, Pacific Northwest Golf Association and the Oregon Golf Association have also added the local rule to their Hard Cards as well. 

It is fantastic to be part of a strong and united golf community that works together and tries to be consistent in Rules of Golf execution.

Download the PNW PGA Supplemental Rules of Play (Hard Card)

To continue learning more about the new Rules of Golf, go to www.usga.org.

I know I say this every month, but please download the new Rules of Golf App on your phone.  I cannot stress how convenient it is and how easy it is to use. The search engine on the app is amazing!  You just type in what you are looking for and you immediately have the answer at your fingertips.

I’ll end this article by pointing out one other item: please keep up-to-date and review the USGA notifications. The USGA and R&A have made some clarifications to the Rules of Golf, or some Local Rules after they released the new Rules of Golf book on January 1, 2019. These changes are important and are being improved to benefit us and our enjoyment of the game as well as executing and understanding the rules more clearly.  Learn them, understand them.

Feel free to ask me if you have any questions!

Molly Cooper, Certified PGA Professional
Director of Tournament & Member Programs
Pacific NW Section PGA

Pat O’Donnell, Tom Hale, Champion George Mack Jr. and host professional Chris Isaacson

Mack, Jr. Wins PNW Senior Players' Championship

By Molly Cooper, Certified PGA Professional
Director of Tournament and Member Programs

PGA Professional George Mack Jr. of Black Butte Ranch captured the PNW Senior Players’ Championship by one stroke after firing rounds of 69-72-141, 3-under par. Mack Jr. birdied the last hole to win by one stroke over PGA Professional Joe Carranza of Aldarra Golf Club.

Pat O'Donnell of Arrowhead Golf Club and Tom Hale of Tacoma C&GC took low amateur honors and were tied for third place with PGA Professional Mike DeLong of The Coeur d'Alene Resort and PGA Professional Billy Bomar of Prairie Falls Golf Club.

Winning the team Four-Ball competition was the team led by PGA Joe Carranza and amateur Tom Hale, who fired scores of 64-67-131, 13-under par. They won by three strokes over the team led by PGA Professional David Spalding of Rose City GC and amateur Terry Paresi.

“Winning a major was a goal I had for this season. To accomplish it in the first tournament of the season is amazing,” George said of exciting win.

Asked what the best part of his game was, George responded, “Wine Valley CC is a very difficult course… that tests every phase of the game. I do well playing for pars. I drive the ball straight, hit a lot of greens playing conservative approaches and lagged the ball to tap-ins almost every time.”

The PNW Senior Players’ Championship is a two-man team competition of one Pacific Northwest PGA Professional and one amateur playing a both an individual and a four-ball competition.

Wine Valley Golf Club has been rated "One of The Top Three Golf Courses to Play in Washington" by Golfweek. It has been awarded many other honors since opening in 2009. This stunning Dan Hixson design unfolds on a grand scale, playing over rolling hills in the shadow of the Blue Mountains. Wine Valley GC has broad fairways, dramatic bunkers, and bold, undulating putting surfaces.

The Northwest Open Invitational will once again return to Wine Valley GC this August 19-21. Look for the entry forms in June. Entry forms for the Northwest Open Pro-Am benefiting Folds of Honor are available here.

Thanks to PGA Professional Chris Isaacson and owner Jim Pliska, we are confirmed to return to the Senior Players’ Championship again next year on April 14-15, 2020. Seniors, plan on playing next year! Both Senior Player of the Year Points and Senior Hudson Cup Points were earned for top finishers.

OMEGA Senior Player of the Year Points

1. Mack Jr., George - Black Butte Ranch - 150

2. Carranza, Joe -  Aldarra Golf Club - 95

3. DeLong, Mike - Coeur d' Alene Resort GC - 87.5
    Bomar, Billy - Prairie Falls GC - 87.5

Senior Hudson Cup Points

1. Mack Jr., George - Black Butte Ranch - 175

2. Carranza, Joe - Aldarra Golf Club - 120

3. DeLong, Mike - Coeur d' Alene Resort GC - 112.5
    Bomar, Billy - Prairie Falls GC - 112.5

Oregon Open Invitational

Team entries are now available for the Oregon Open Invitational at Pronghorn on June 18-20.  Entries close on May 29, so hurry and get your team entry in before this popular event fills! Spencer Schaub, PGA and Jerrel Grow, PGA are excited to host this year’s four-person team event.

Play a Fun Tournament Format

Entry into the championship will be four-person teams comprised of two professionals and two amateurs.  You will need to make your own team.

Teams will play together for the first 36 holes. There are two team competitions over the first 36 holes – best 2 net of the 4, and each professional will play a net four-ball with one amateur. Handicaps at 80% will be used in the team games.

The championship is a 54-hole stroke play with professional and amateur purses. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 70 players and ties, repaired by score and the Oregon Open Invitational completed.

There is no maximum handicap for entry (18 max. in the competition), however, all players will play from the championship tees and there will be no individual net amateur.

Play Pronghorn

Pronghorn Resort opened the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course in 2004 with Jack Nicklaus sending the very first tee shot right down the middle. The Jack Nicklaus Signature Course provides a minimalist experience with an emphasis on the golf game itself, combining playability with smooth transitions and true putting surfaces.

The clubhouse and Tom Fazio Championship Course opened in 2007, creating the ultimate golf experience in Central Oregon. The masterful Tom Fazio designed course blends the complexity of championship golf with the inherent aesthetic of the natural terrain.

PNW PGA Professional Championship presented by Cadillac, Club Car and OMEGA

Entries are now available for the PNW PGA Professional Championship presented by Cadillac, Club Car and OMEGA. This year’s championship will take place September 17-19 at Indian Summer G&CC. The entry deadline is September 4th at 11:59 PM. You may register for this event through PGA of America Membership Services online at www.pgatournaments.com or by phone: (800) 474-2776.

Your Section Championship & Qualifier for the National PGA Championship

 Eligibility

The PNW PGA Professional Championship presented by Cadillac, Club Car and OMEGA is only open to PGA Members who are employed and classified in one of the eligible membership classifications (see PDF) as of September 4 including LMA and LMMA. The PGA of America Headquarters records must reflect this status at time of entry and on the Section entry deadline.

Note: Grooves and Punch Mark Specifications
In making a stroke, the player must use clubs that conform to the groove and punch mark specifications in the Equipment Rules that took effect on 1 January 2010. Ping Eye 2 irons manufactured before 31 March 1990 with a groove spacing to groove width ratio of 2.3 to 1 are allowed for play under Rules of Golf, even when this Local Rule is in effect (See Model Local Rule G-2 in Committee Procedures).

Advancement

The top seven qualifiers will advance directly to the 2020 PGA Professional Championship presented by Cadillac, Club Car and OMEGA, held at Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas on April 26-29, 2020.

Additionally, the low 20 scores at the 2020 PGA Professional Championship presented by Cadillac, Club Car and OMEGA will earn a place in the 102nd PGA Championship at Harding Park Golf Club in San Francisco, CA, May 11-17, 2020.

Last year, seven professionals advanced to the 52^nd PGA Professional Championship recently held on April 28 - May 1 at Belfair West & East Courses in Bluffton, SC: Russell Grove, Gordon Corder, Scott Erdmann, Jeff Coston, Ryan Malby, Jason Aichele, Bob Rabbow and Brian Nosler.

The Return to Indian Summer G&CC

Known for its superb, year-round conditioning, Indian Summer Golf & Country Club is among the Northwest’s premier, private golf clubs. The Peter L. H. Thompson designed golf course is built to rigid, tournament-caliber specifications with magnificent, old-growth forest and an abundance of water features. Voted “Best of Web.com Tour” by players, Indian Summer G&CC previously hosted the PNW PGA Professional Championship in 2001.

Pro-Am benefiting
Folds of Honor

Northwest Open Pro-Am Benefiting Folds of Honor

Walla Walla, WA - Wine Valley GC

August 17-18, 2019

Holk's Highlights: Jim Hofmeister

This month we interview Jim Hofmeister, who was named the recipient of the 2018 Perry Williams Award for his service to the Section’s Rules of Golf Committee. Hofmeister, who also serves on the National PGA Rules Committee, is a frequent Rules Official for Section Championships.

Hometown: Liberty Lake, WA

PGA Member Since: 1973

Tell us a little bit about your career. Who or what inspired you to become a PGA Professional?

I grew up at Hayden Lake Country Club where my dad was the Head Professional for 19 years. After I graduated from college, I got a job as a safety engineer for an insurance company in Spokane, WA. I was transferred to Los Angeles and after 6 months my dad accepted the job at Avondale Golf & Tennis Club. He asked me to come and work with him. Being totally tired of LA, I accepted. We were there for 8 years. Then I got involved with Henry-Griffitts, Inc. where I worked for 28 years starting as an independent club fitter, developing the education program, heading up the R&D department, and ending up being President of the company for 8 years.

 How did you get into being a rules official?

Blame it on Jeff Ellison! I had done some rules officiating at a PGA Tour Regional Qualifier at West Delta (now Heron Lakes) and at the Fred Meyer Challenge (Peter’s Party) at Portland Golf Club. Then the PGA Championship was scheduled at Sahalee CC and Jeff told me we didn’t have any PNW members on the National Rules Committee and maybe I should apply. Long story short, I kept at it until they couldn’t turn me down anymore. A great story over a couple of beers, if anyone is interested!

 Can you tell us about a favorite time being a rules official?

I think working for the Section is most rewarding. Working for the National gave me a chance to see a lot of great golf courses over the last 20 years. Meeting and interacting with other Rules Committee members and the PGA staffs is very memorable. Some really good people.

Who is your favorite golfer?

I have three, actually. Fred Couples, Mark O’Meara, and Ben Crenshaw. All gentlemen to the core.

Thank you, Jim Hofmeister!

Pros on the Move

by Robin Lindsey, Tournament & Membership Coordinator

Employment Changes

• Emily K. Anderson, PGA (A-8) - from Black Butte Ranch GC - Big Meadow to Bend GC
• Keith W. Bennett, PGA (A-6) - from Glen Acres G&CC to The GC at Newcastle
• Kevin Coombs, PGA (A-1) - from Riverside GC to Orchard Hills CC
• Richard C. Denholm, PGA (A-8) - from Salish Cliffs GC to Olympia C&GC
• Jeffrey J. Evans, PGA (A-6) - from Unaffiliated to Mint Valley GC
• Edward Fisher, PGA (A-14) - from Rogue Valley CC to Southern Oregon Golf Academy
• Sean K. Fredrickson, PGA (A-1) - from Tualatin CC to Oswego Lake CC
• Mitchell A. Girard, PGA (A-6) - from Olympia C&GC to GOLFTEC - Bellevue
• Gordy Graybeal, PGA (A-1) - from Auburn GC to Jefferson Park GC
• Benjamin R. Halter, PGA (A-8) - from Glendale CC to Sahalee CC
• Trent C. Henning, PGA (A-13) - from Indian Summer Golf & CC to Riverside GC
• Nathan J. Miller, PGA (A-1) - from Green Meadow CC to Leavenworth GC
• Mark W. Nelson, PGA (A-8) - from SKYiGOLF to Hayden Lake CC
• Adam M. Slemp, PGA (A-1) - from Interbay Golf Center to Jackson Park GC  

Classification Changes

• Joshua D. Olson, PGA (Chewelah G&CC) - from A-8 to A-1
• Michael R. Parker (Tri-Mountain GC) - from B-8 to B-6  

New Associates

• Roger G. Hults (B-8) - Stone Ridge GC
• Connor G. Miele (B-8) - Sand Point CC
• David L. Patterson (B-8) - Eagle Crest Golf Resort
• Chris M. Raska (B-8) - Rock Creek Cattle Company
• Nic A. Sherman (B-1) Pine Ridge GC  

Newly Elected Members

• John D. Sommerville, PGA A-8 Inglewood GC  

Transfers INTO the Section

• Dennis Foster, PGA (LM) to Entiat, WA from Southern California Section
• Stephen Fry, PGA (A-1) to Grangeville Country Club from Southwest Section
• Noah A. Horstman, PGA (A-14) to S. Oregon Golf Academy from Northern Ohio Section
• Steven R. Olson (B-8) to Stock Farm Club from Southern California Section
• Todd A. O'Neal, PGA (A-1) to Lewis River Golf Course from Northern California Section
• Devin G Solar (B-8) to RedTail Golf Center from Southwest Section
• Zach S. Woods (B-6) to Northwest Golf Academy from Northern Texas Section

Transfers OUT of the Section

• Lee R. Kanzler, PGA - from Rockford Park District to Illinois Section
• David W. Peake - from Greenwood Hills CC to Wisconsin Section
• Kathryn R. Simerly, PGA - from Broad Run to Middle Atlantic Section  

New Half Century Members

•  Keith D. Sanden, PGA

Deceased Members

• Wayne (Jonesy) Jones, PGA - obituary

What Does It Take to Have a $1 Million 401(k)?

Blake Parrish, CFP®

There are far more important things in life than making a putt or missing a putt or winning a championship or losing a championship.” – Bernhard Langer

Let’s say your goal is to save a million dollars by the time you retire. For many people, that sounds like a task too daunting. What are you picturing right now? If you are imagining squirreling away money for decades and holding it in cash (which has returned 0.4% after inflation over the past 90 years), you would need to sock away a lot of money to get to a million. And along the way, your budget could be really tight.

Change your mental picture.

Instead, invest in your 401(k) (or another retirement savings account like a Roth) with the goal of having a million dollars in 30 to 40 years. Although it may sound like it’s just semantics, it’s actually much easier–especially if you start saving early–to let your investments do as much heavy lifting as possible.

What Does It Take?

You can contribute up to $19,000 to a 401(k) in 2019 and the Roth is now allowing $6,000 (plus another thousand if you’re over age 50). But the good news is that you don’t have to save anywhere near that much per year if your goal is to have a million dollars at retirement age (65), provided you start early. The earlier you start investing, the longer your investment will compound (your money will grow exponentially). You can do the math yourself if you have a financial calculator, but in case you don’t (or you don’t have it handy), here’s an example of a 25 year-old who has not yet begun saving...

"Certified Financial Planner Boardof Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements."