President's Report

Winter Planning

It’s hard to believe the golf season is right around the corner.  I hope all of you have had the opportunity to recharge your batteries and prepare for the upcoming year.  Planning for the season is crucial to success.  Part of my off-season planning is reviewing chapter and section tournament schedules.  It is my goal to play in 10 pro-am events with club members and three section majors. Have you set your tournament calendar yet?

PGA Show and Section Sponsors

Unfortunately, I had to pass on attending the PGA show this year due to family obligations.  Nevertheless, I enjoy watching the Golf Channel’s coverage of the show.  It’s nice to see small Northwest brands highlighted.  Companies like Seamus, Jones Golf and True Linkswear are doing their best to make golf cool.  Our section is very lucky as many of the top vendors are also section sponsors.  When purchasing items for your club this season, please consider looking at our section sponsors first.  This will go a long way in future partnerships.

 Around the Corner

If you have yet to register for your 2020 PGA Junior League season you should do so soon.  Captain registration is live.  If you have any questions, please reach out to Branden Thompson, our section’s PGA JL Manager, at bthompson@pga.com.  The PNWPGA had more players than any other section.  Let’s see if we can build on that achievement in 2020.

The Sweet 16 Education Program is set for February 16-18^th.  Andy Mackimmie has a great lineup of guest speakers and industry leaders.  Sign up today!  Lifelong education is crucial to professional success.  All five of our chapters are committed to a robust education schedule.  I urge each of you to take advantage of what is offered.

One of my favorite events of the year is the PNW Pro-Assistant Championship.  This years’ event takes place at Tualatin Country Club on March 23-24.  Entries are now open.  This is a great opportunity to bond with your staff before the busy season shifts into full gear.

The Special Awards Ceremony will take place on Sunday night prior to the tournament.  This is a very special night where we get to acknowledge the best and brightest in our section.  If you’ve never been to a Section Special Awards Ceremony, I encourage you to attend, you won’t be disappointed.

Words of Wisdom

In closing, I would like to pass on to each of you something that was passed on to me when I was an assistant professional at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Oregon.  We have two jobs as golf professionals.  A PGA Professional not only has to be an exceptional employee and leader, but also an exceptional PGA member or associate.  While we get to leave our jobs at the end of each day, we never stop being a PGA professional.

As always, if there is anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sean Fredrickson
Head PGA Professional – Oswego Lake Country Club
PNW PGA President

45th PNW Hawai'i Pro-Am

by Molly Cooper, PGA Certified Professional - Director of Tournament & Member Programs

PGA Professionals from the Pacific Northwest spent 8 days in the tropical paradise at Mauna Lani, playing golf and enjoying all the island has to offer.  Perfect weather, light winds, great food and generous bartenders were the norm. Our host for the week was the Mauna Lani Resort, where we enjoyed golf at the South & North Courses.

 Congratulations to PGA Professional Darren Black and his team from Rainier G&CC with amateurs Carol and John Zukerman, Steve Daley and Lou Lanthier. Their best two of three round total of 257 points won them the championship title in the 45th edition of the Pacific Northwest Hawaii Pro-Am.  Darren posted 83 points to win individual professional honors by two points over Jason Aichele of Meadow Springs CC.

Round 1 opened at the beautiful and challengingly windy South Course at Mauna Lani. With an amazing finishing stretch, including many holes right on the water, PGA Professional Darren Black’s team won the first day team competition in the best 3 of 5 stableford game. Black also capitalized with a 6-under par 66 for 42 points.

Round 2 moved to the North Course at Mauna Lani Resort. With no wind and perfect conditions, the players lit up the scoreboard. PGA Master Professional Norm Blandel and his team of Al Taylor, Mike Naumes, Monte Mendenhall, and Mark Eberle took team honors at 129 points. Jason Aichele lead the professional field at 40 points, just one shot better than Mike Gove’s 41 points.

For the final round, the group returned to the South Course at Mauna Lani with another day of 80 degrees and light winds.  The team led by PGA Professional Brandon Mohl of Rainier G&CC with amateurs Rory Wakefield, Charlie Jones, Tony Hatfield and Hans Birkholz came out on top with 131 points. Darren Black came out on top once again with 41 points.

It was a fantastic week with lots of special memories, fantastic job, great company and amazing sunrises and sunsets. We hope you join us next year in the 46^th edition of this event. Date and location will be posted soon!

Get Ready for the PNW Pro-Assistant Championship

Please join us for the Spring General Meeting and the PNW Pro-Assistant Championship at Tualatin CC on March 23-24. Head PGA Professional Brad Ebberson will host the popular team event this year and invites you to join us for both the tournament and our meeting, which will immediately follow our first round at 7:00 pm. You are all invited to attend. Dress attire for the meeting is golf attire.

We expect a great purse and prizes again this year thanks to returning sponsors Sally Schmitz of Bushnell, Bryan Dickson of Cutter & Buck and Sterling Cut Glass, and Riley Goodman of Strideline! We are also happy to welcome back sponsors Matt Pollitt with PTE Golf, David Nelson and Andrew Workman of Hole-in-One USA and Gordon Schenk of ProTag.

We are excited to play Tualatin CC, which was originally developed by famous golf course architect H. Chandler Egan in 1912. The parkland style golf course has some of the fastest greens, tightest fairways and best-manicured facilities in the Northwest. A respected course, Tualatin Country Club has had the opportunity to host many competitive events including the Oregon Amateur, PNW PGA Shootout, PNW PGA Assistant Championship, and several local US Open qualifiers.  

The Pacific Northwest Pro-Assistant Championship began in 1992 with a seven-hole sudden-death match between the Progress Downs team of Jerry Minor/Ralph West and the Royal Oaks team of Steve Bowen/Michael Wilkerson, with the Progress Downs team being victorious. Last year, the team of Bryce Fisher and John Cassidy from Arrowhead GC won the championship during a playoff on the first extra hole.

Enter online or get the PDF entry form

While you're in town, why not join us for the PNW PGA Special Awards Ceremony on March 22?

Employment Opportunities

Monte Koch, PGA of America Employment Consultant

These are primarily “PGA Professional” only positions posted on the PGA Career Services Job Board: https://jobs.pga.org

Internship, non-PGA positions, strictly retail and “franchise” ownership positions will not be listed here.Please visit jobs.pga.org to see these types of opportunities.

Listed in order of “most recent first” – note: These are listed as of 8 am, Jan 31, 2020 (visit PGA.org Job Board for “up to the minute listings):

TEACHING & COACHING GOLF PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS

Internship, non-PGA positions, strictly retail and “franchise” ownership positions will not be listed here, please visit jobs.pga.org to see these types of opportunities.

PNW PGA Special Awards Ceremony

Please join us in celebrating the 2019 PNW PGA Special Award Winners on Sunday, March 22 at Tualatin CC. The reception begins at 4:30 and the ceremony begins at 5:30. All PGA Members and Associates and their friends and families are invited to attend, enjoy no-host cocktails and celebrate the accomplishments of your fellow members!

2020 Player Development Grants

Two separate Player Development Grant Programs are available to support Pacific Northwest Section professionals - one for adult programs and one for junior programs. Our goal is to provide as many grants as possible, with a maximum of $1,000 per grant. We will focus on enhancing your programs rather than fully funding them. Applications for both programs are due no later than March 13, 2020

2020 Tournament Schedule

Holk's Highlights: Kevin Story

Kevin Story, PGA of Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond, OR was named the 2019 Assistant Golf Professional of the Year. Kevin is a true leader at his facility. Beyond his duties at the resort’s three courses and two golf shops, he has been the driving force in the development of PGA Jr. League at Eagle Crest over the last five years, adding a U-17 team in 2019. He also introduced golf in his local middle school, is active in the Oregon Chapter Player Development Committee, and is currently mentoring two Associates in their PGM studies.

Hometown: Prineville, Oregon

PGA Professional Since: Class A Member Since January 2018

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

The game itself was the inspiring factor. I have played since I was 8 years old and it has always been a passion. Being able to coach someone to improve at this game truly puts a smile on my face. Working with junior golfers is extremely gratifying as well. I was taught at a young age and always had peers and mentors helping along the way. Those individuals inspired me to give back to the game, and helping juniors enjoy and learn this game helps to the future of Golf as a lifetime sport.  What better profession to be involved in selling Fun, creating relationships, and enjoying the GAME!

You have been the driving force in developing PGA Jr. League Golf at Eagle Crest. Do you have any tips for those looking to adopt or grow PGA JLG at their facility?

No reason to not be involved in PGA JLG. It only takes 6-8 juniors to create a team. We are the stewards of the game and junior golfers will continue to promote or beloved game for a lifetime.

Do you have any advice for PGA Professionals wanting to introduce golf to their local school system?

Get in front of the people that are the influencers in the school district Coaches, AD’s PE teachers etc.  Our successes took time to get off the ground but Keep banging the drum. Parents are ready to involve their children in something that is structured and fun.

Do you have any other player development programs or ideas that you would like to share with PNW PGA members?

Look into Operation 36!  We have been an Operation 36 network facility for the last 3 years. It has changed the way our Members and homeowners approach golf and has truly been a game changer.  We will be looking at adding additional Adult Bootcamp Classes, Snag Golf, among other offerings in 2020.

Congratulations, Kevin Story!

Pros on the Move

by Robin Lindsey, Tournament & Membership Coordinator

Employment Changes

• Collin A. Strobeck (B-6) - from Nile GC to GOLFTEC - Bellevue
• Rick E. Fehr, PGA (A-14) - from Willows Run GC to Aldarra GC
• Craig A. Crandall, PGA (A-8) - from GOLFTEC - Cascade Station to Rock Creek CC
• McKay D. Flanagan (B-6) - from Lewis River GC to GOLFTEC - Cascade Station
• Michael J. Montgomery, PGA (A-1) - from Sahalee CC to Glendale CC
• Don G Rasmussen, PGA (A-6) - from Encinitas Ranch GC to GOLFTEC - Spokane
• Tyler J. Carlson (B-8) - from Green Meadow CC to Portland GC
• Andrew Grove (B-8) - from Langdon Farms GC to Willamette Valley CC

Class Changes

• Stanley D. Witko, PGA (Riverside G&CC) - from A-8 to A-1
• Justin J. Gravatt, PGA (The Home Course) - from A-4 to A-13

New Associates

• Samuel T. Johnson (B-8) - Skagit G&CC

Newly Elected Members

• Colin V. Inglis, PGA (A-8) - Emerald Valley GC
• Gretchen A. Keller, PGA (A-8) - Sahalee CC
• Benjamin A. Talbot, PGA (A-6) - Chambers Bay

Transfers INTO the Section

• Lars A. Wallin III, PGA (RSV) to Great Falls, MT from Connecticut Section
• Adam P. Markman, PGA (A-1) to Interbay Golf Center from Southwest Section

Transfers OUT of the Section

• A.W. Wells, PGA - from Riverside G&CC to Iowa Section
• Andrew J Farrell - from Rock Creek Cattle Co. to W. New York Section
• Vic M. Martin, PGA - from Life Member to S. California Section
• Christopher W. Burke, PGA - from Pumpkin Ridge - Witch Hollow to S. Texas Section

New Quarter Century Members

• Jeff A. Gove, PGA

Newly Half Century Members

• Chuck Conley, PGA

Deceased Members

• Jim Seeley, PGA: 5/30/1942 - 1/12/2020 (read obituary)

The SECURE Act Affects Your Retirement Plans

Blake Parrish, CFP®

Many in the retirement community, including us at B P Financial, are celebrating the passage of the SECURE ACT, marking the biggest step in the last decade toward improving the future of retirement security for Americans.  Expect your current employer retirement plan to begin sending you notices of their amended plan documents and disclosures.  Here are the key takeaways.

"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."