CEO's Report

Jeff Ellison, PGA

Your Board of Directors met on Friday morning to address the impact of the rapidly changing situation with the Coronavirus and the unknown nature of what the immediate future will be in relation to the spread and impact of this disease. These are uncertain times and your Board is committed to making decisions in the best interest of the membership.

We have been monitoring the very fluid situation, receiving insight from National, reading everything we can from the CDC and local health districts.   Your Board has three guiding principles as they tackle this problem:

1. Concern for the health of our professionals, their staff, their members and all their families.
2. Not conducting events and activities that might contribute to the virus spreading through our events and meetings.
3. Being a responsible member of the community and participating in the effort to curb the spread of the virus through thoughtful social distancing decisions.

In an effort to act in accordance with these principles the Board approved the postponement of all Section and Chapter events, meetings and education on an indefinite basis.   The Board has scheduled a rolling set of video meetings to regularly review the situation and will communicate with you via email following each meeting.   Our process will be to stay informed and current with analysis and recommendations from the experts and re-open our events as soon as it is safe and responsible to do so. Please keep your email current on pga.org!

The Section and Chapters will be refunding any entry fees for events scheduled through the end of March and be looking forward to any other event payments and refund those when we confirm they will not be played.   You can be confident that if you enter a future event and that event is not played, you’ll receive a full refund.

Your Section and Chapter staff will be here to guide you through this process. We have been preparing to work remotely and some of us are already in that mode. Regardless, you can expect the same great service you’ve come to expect.

On the National scene, we were on a conference call this morning with senior staff about their response and you can expect to interact with National as normal. Also, please look for an email from National later today regarding MSR’s and consideration of the 2021 deadline.

As with any Section or Chapter question please feel free to reach out to Sean, myself or your chapter leadership with questions.   We are in this together and golf will come out the other side recognized as a great healthy activity to spur the recovery.

Sean Fredrickson, PGA 
President

Jeff Ellison, PGA
CEO

District 14 Director's Report

Doug Doxsie, PGA

We are certainly going through some unprecedented times right now with the current health crisis. PGA headquarters is monitoring the situation daily and is acting with an abundance of caution. Staff travel, the Super Regional meeting, and some other national activities have been postponed. At this time, Sections are encouraged to work with local and state authorities for guidance on their activities. Obviously, this is all very fluid and can change daily. I hope everyone is staying healthy and being diligent about their activities.

Here are just a few things going on right now with the Association that might be of interest to you.

The PGA Frisco project continues to evolve and everything that is happening is exciting. The golf courses and practice facilities are well under construction. The PGA Frisco Omni Resort is scheduled to break ground in late March. Architecture designs are being finalized for the new PGA of America headquarters and it won’t be long until that construction is underway. There are a variety of resources available to PGA members and associates to view the progress including going onto PGA.org. This is an exciting time for the PGA of America and I am confident that our new “home” will be an amazing presence for our Association that will make us all proud.

I hope you noticed the USGA/R&A Distance Insights Report and the survey that was sent to all PGA Members asking their viewpoints on this study. This is an important topic and the PGA is actively engaged in these conversations to represent our Association on this matter.

At our last Board Meeting in early March, the annual working budget was approved. This is a massive and detailed task but one interesting fact to me is the fiscal year 2020 budget will total $19.8 million dollars of support for the PGA Sections. We are also working on a 15% bonus pool concept for ADP funding for sections that will be implemented in 2021. The assets of the PGA (including but not limited to the PGA Championship, Ryder Cup, television and sponsorships) allow the association to allocate money back to the sections for critical support and programming for our PGA Members and Associates.

Finally, the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park is just a couple of months away. Our new partnership with ESPN/CBS for the broadcast will feature more than 175 hours of programming. New digital platforms to interact with the Championship like ESPN+ and “Greenzone Channel” will also be new to the event. I encourage you to watch for information and promotions about the expanded offerings of coverage to showcase our championship.

As always, I am happy to hear from you, please reach out with any questions, thoughts or concerns.

Doug Doxsie, PGA
Seattle Golf Club
PGA District 14 Director
425-681-8889
doxpga@msn.com

Career Services Technology Update

Monte Koch, PGA of America Employment Consultant

I’d like to share a video with you on how we’re updating our technology at PGA Career Services so we can better enhance yourcareer. As of January 1, all jobs are now posted on the PGA Job Board and CareerLinks will soon be phased out. Watch the video below for a short but detailed presentation on how to use the new and improved PGA Job Board.

Regards,

Monte Koch, PGA Certified Professional/Player Development | Career Consultant
PGA Career Services | PGA of America
Serving PGA professionals, employers in the Pacific NW & Rocky Mountain PGA Sections
Email: Mkoch@pgahq.com Cell: 206/335-5260

Career Planning and Coaching

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.

ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS (Full-time, not Internships)

Listed in order of most recent first. Note: these are listed as of 11 PM, Mar 12, 2020. Positions listed here are not guaranteed to be available. Visit jobs.pga.org to see the most current listings.

Job Title	Facility	PGA Contact (if applicable)
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Stone Creek GC, Oregon City, OR	Doug Suse, PGA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Tam O’Shanter GCC, Bellevue, WA	Bryan Tupper
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Overlake Golf & CC, Medina, WA	Adam Rogers, PGA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Agate Beach GC, Newport, OR	Terry Martin, PGA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Snohomish GC, Snohomish, WA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Canterwood GCC, Gig Harbor, WA	Jim Gillies, PGA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Tumble Creek Club, Cle Elum, WA	Adam Alldredge, PGA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Ocean Shores GC, Ocean Shores, WA	Greg Carter, PGA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Oswego Lake CC, Lake Oswego, OR	Sean Fredrickson, PGA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Riverside Golf & CC, Portland, OR	Stan Witko, PGA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Everett Golf & CC, Everett, WA	Brent Webber, PGA
1st ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	The Club at Rock Creek, Coeur d’Alene, ID	Gabriel Dorosh, PGA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Bandon Dunes GR, Bandon, OR	Steven Borror, PGA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Seattle Golf Club, Seattle, WA	Doug Doxsie, PGA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	The Oregon Golf Club, West Linn, OR	Bob Turnquist, PGA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Black Butte Ranch GC, Sisters, OR	Jeff Fought, PGA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Tetherow Golf Club, Bend, OR
1ST ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Circling Raven Golf Club, Worley, ID	Dave Christensen, PGA

TEACHING & COACHING GOLF PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS

Listed in order of most recent first. Note: these are listed as of 11 PM, Mar 12, 2020. Positions listed here are not guaranteed to be available. Visit jobs.pga.org to see the most current listings.

Job Title	Facility	PGA Contact (if applicable)
TEACHING PROFESSIONAL	Colwood GC, Portland, OR	Jake Bader, PGA
TEACHING PROFESSIONAL	Pacific NW Golf Centers, Redmond, WA	Tanner Clarke, PGA

MANAGEMENT POSITIONS (HP, DOG, GM or similar) 

Note: not all positions like these will be posted here; instead, postings will generally be at the request/approval of the employer.

Job Title	Facility	PGA Contact (if applicable)
HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Bear Mountain Ranch, Lake Chelan, WA	Parker Barth, PGA
GENERAL MANAGER	Overlake GCC, Medina, WA
HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Stoneridge GC, Blanchard, ID
GENERAL MANAGER	Sun Willows GC, Pasco, WA
HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Old Works GC, Anaconda, MT
GENERAL MANAGER	The Golf Club at Redmond Ridge, Redmond, WA

 

PGA Jr. League

Branden Thompson, PGA - Regional League Manager

Unprecedented.  I’m not sure how else to describe what is happening right now.  The events of the past few days are just now starting to sink in and who knows how they will unfold.  I encourage you to remain optimistic and prudent. 

The good thing is most of you don’t have registration deadlines and schedules that start until May or June.  Time is on your side.  The future will become clearer over the next few weeks.  Operate with the mindset that the PGA Jr. League season will go on as scheduled.  The actions I encourage you to take now are:

• Promote and fill your teams as planned. 
• Schedule games as if the season will begin as planned.
• As your registration deadlines near we will evaluate the current situation and work on alternate plans if needed.  
• If any consumer needs to be refunded, they can get a full refund as long as the team kits have not shipped.  We will need to coordinate around that to ensure no players that need refunds get their team kit shipped.  

Keep your head up and be well,

Branden Thompson, PGA
Regional League Manager
561-293-2585
bthompson@pgahq.com

Below is the most recent communication regarding COVID-19.

Dear PGA Jr. League Community,

With the increasing spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), we are monitoring the situation closely so we can best assist our  community. With safety being the first and most important value of our Three Flags, we always prioritize the well-being of everyone involved, including our players, families, Captains, Coaches, and facility staff.

We recognize this is a quickly evolving situation, and we will adapt swiftly if necessary. At this time, we are not suspending games or leagues at the national level, but we advise all leagues to follow the guidelines set by the:

• World Health Organization
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Your state’s public health department and other county and/or local authorities including area school districts and government agencies.

Click here for a listing of state public health departments

If you are actively playing in your PGA Jr. League season right now, we encourage you to follow the best practices as outlined by the CDC. General guidelines from the CDC include washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (if soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer); avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands; and avoid close contact with people who are sick. We would also encourage you to limit close, physical contact with others, including sharing equipment and shaking hands.

Click here to learn more about the CDC recommendations

If your league decides to postpone your season, there are now more opportunities than ever to participate in the program with the spring/summer season running through July and the fall season running through November. We ask Captains to work in partnership with your Regional League Manager if you are contemplating a postponement. 

If your season doesn’t begin until late spring or summer, we encourage you to closely follow the guidelines of local, county, and/or national authorities as your start date approaches. Player registrations are fully refundable up until the team kits are shipped, and we will not ship team kits to any league that chooses to postpone or cancel their season. Therefore, please know that you can continue preparing for your season with confidence that PGA Jr. League HQ will practice care (the second of our Three Flags), compassion, and social responsibility with all situations.

If you ever have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us at PGAJrLeague@pgahq.com. Thank you to all involved with PGA Jr. League for working together in partnership to prioritize the well-being of our community.

Resources:

Prevention and treatment from CDC
FAQ from CDC
Cleaning and disinfection recommendations from the CDC
Advice for the public from World Health Organization
Q&A on COVID-19 from World Health Organization
COVID-19 Information from MedStar
COVID-19 Fact Sheet from MedStar

Muckleshoot Casino Washington Open Invitational

online entry

pdf entry form

Meridian Valley CC Director of Golf Greg Manley invites you back to MVCC for the Muckleshoot Casino Washington Open Invitational. The pro-am benefiting Folds of Honor will take place on May 16-17 followed by the championship on May 18-20.

Returning this year, there will be a cut after 36 holes! The field will be cut to the low 65 professionals and ties plus amateurs with scores in that range following the second round (See tournament regulations).

Play for Honor

“What this event does for Folds of Honor and the local community is something that we should all be proud of, and proud to support. In addition to the impact on our community, being able to play in front of friends and family on a challenging golf course is something I don’t experience very often.” – Shane Prante, PGA, 2019 Champion

The Muckleshoot Casino Washington Open Pro-Am benefits Fold of Honor. Folds of Honor is a 501 (C)(3) charitable foundation supporting scholarships and assistance to the spouses and children of those killed or disabled in military service to America. Check out this video about the Pro-Am, produced for the PGA Centennial Section Spotlight about our Section! For more information, please visit: https://www.foldsofhonor.org

Play with the Best

You won’t want to miss this exciting tournament at one of our Section’s most prestigious golf courses. This event draws 168 of the best professional and amateur players in the Northwest. Last year, PGA Professional Shane Prante of The Home Course won by five strokes over PGA Professional Scott Erdmann of Oswego Lake CC, 2018 Champion PGA Professional Ryan Benzel of Sahalee CC and PGA Professional Connor Robbins of North Shore GC.  Low amateur honors went to Mason Koch of George Fox University who finished in a tie for 11th place. Each year we see fantastic play!

View past champions

Play Meridian Valley CC

Meridian Valley CC is championship golf at its most beautiful. This exceptional 18-hole layout was designed by Ted Robinson, one of the nation’s leading golf course architects, who chose the site based on the stunning views the surrounding area provided. MVCC opened in 1967 with 9 holes ready for play. The second nine holes and clubhouse opened in 1968. Over the years, MVCC has grown into one of the Northwest’s most respected golf courses. MVCC hosted the Washington Open Invitational in 1972, 1976, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2009 and 2013–2019. They also hosted the SAFECO Classic from 1982-1999.

Play at Muckleshoot Casino

While you’re in town, check out our title sponsor! Muckleshoot Casino offers over 3,100 video gaming machines with the greatest variety of game themes under one roof. It also offers a variety of table games including $1 Blackjack and 25¢ Roulette, as well as the largest non-smoking Poker Room in the State! The Casino also has 8 tasty restaurant choices to satisfy your cravings, 6 different bars, and a variety of special guest entertainers at no cost. If that isn’t enough, make sure you hit up the HUGE BINGO HALL located just across from the Casino.