October 1, 2020

President's Report

Looking at the early morning temperatures here in Central Oregon, it’s clear we are into the fall season. Most golf courses are beginning to “punch,” and rounds will start to slow down. It has been a crazy year for sure. This is an excellent time to begin thinking of what you will do during the slower months. If I can make a suggestion, it’s a great time to work on Education. While lifelong learning should be our goal, it doesn’t hurt that Member Service Requirements (MSR's) often come with our learning. Don’t let the end of the cycle catch you unprepared. Check out the Section education schedule at: https://www.pnwpga.com/member-services/education.

So what should you work on? Well, Leadership is never a bad place to start. There are hundreds of definitions of Leadership. We can all state characteristics of Leadership, good and bad. But I think having a clear, usable definition allows you to have a filter for all of your actions and decisions. Looking at information from Simon Sinek, Ken Blanchard, and others is an excellent place to start. I keep a note on my desk that has my definition of Leadership. I look at it daily, and ask myself, am I leading enough? Another valuable asset is Monte Koch, our Career Consultant. Monte has a wealth of knowledge in subjects like Leadership and Career Development. He is here to help us. Please put him to work for you. Lastly, look for new opportunities to learn.

The applications for the next PGA LEAD Cohort just opened. Here is the link: https://news.pga.org/members/pga-lead-accepting-applications. If you are interested in Chapter, Section, and National volunteer leadership, PGA LEAD can help you start. We have had six Cohorts in PGA LEAD since it began in 2016; approximately sixty members have completed or are close to finishing the program. Of those sixty members, we have one Section President, two Section Vice Presidents (who will become Presidents in October), six members who serve on Section Boards, and 15 LEAD members who are on PGA National Committees. If you are a member in good standing, I encourage you to click on the link for more information and the application. Our Section has had more members participate in the LEAD program than any other Section. Let’s keep it going; apply now. The deadline for submissions is November 13, 2020.

Let’s congratulate our winner of the PNW PGA Professional Championship recently held at Canyon River Golf Club. Corey Prugh of Community Colleges of Spokane won the Section Championship in a four-hole playoff against Brady Sharp of Wine Valley GC and Bo Baker of The Creek at Qualchan. Prugh previously won this event in 2019 and 2016.

In addition to Prugh, Sharp, and Baker, Tim Feenstra of Broadmoor GC, Russell Grove of North Idaho College, Colin Inglis of Shadow Hills CC, and Derek Berg of PNW Golf Academy will be representing us in the 2021 PGA Professional Championship presented by Club Car and OMEGA, held at PGA Golf Club (Wanamaker & Ryder Courses) in Port St Lucie on April 25-28, 2021.

Please participate in your Chapter meeting and get ready for our virtual show and meeting later this month.

Stay safe,

Howie Pruitt, PGA
Director, Golf Operations, Aspen Lakes GC
President, Pacific Northwest Section
Cell: 541-390-7875
howie@aspenlakes.com

Prugh Wins PNW PGA Professional Championship presented by Club Car and OMEGA for Third Time!

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

PGA Professional Corey Prugh of Community Colleges of Spokane won the Pacific Northwest PGA Professional Championship presented by Club Car and OMEGA in a four-hole playoff against Brady Sharp of Wine Valley GC and Bo Baker of The Creek of Qualchan. Prugh’s win earned him the $8,000 first place check and successfully defended his title from last year.

“It feels great, very satisfying. I have loved each time I’ve been able to win the PNW PGA Professional Championship…,” said Prugh, who previously won this event in 2019 and 2016. “To be honest, I still think the first time meant the most but I enjoyed this one the most. I had the most fun from travel, to pairings, the ice baths Gordo had me taking and everything about the week I just enjoyed.”

Our Section Professionals played for over $75,000 purse with half the field getting paid. The PNW PGA Professional Championship presented by Club Car and OMEGA also served as a qualifier.

In addition to Prugh, Sharp and Baker, Tim Feenstra of Broadmoor GC, Russell Grove of North Idaho College, Colin Inglis of Shadow Hills CC and Derek Berg of PNW Golf Academy will be representing us next in the 2021 PGA Professional Championship presented by Club Car and OMEGA, held at PGA Golf Club (Wanamaker & Ryder Courses) in Port St Lucie on April 25-28, 2021.

Additionally, the low 20 scores at the 2021 PGA Professional Championship presented by Club Car and OMEGA will earn a place in the 103rd PGA Championship at Kiawah Island Golf Resort – Ocean Course in Kiawah Island, South Carolina on May 20-23, 2021.

When asked about his thoughts going into the playoff against Sharp and Baker, Prugh responded, “The playoff was fun. I know both Brady and Bo pretty well so it was great to get out and compete. To be honest, after the first hole I just continued to try and keep it simple. We were going to play 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9 and I knew 2-7 were hard holes and pars would be good, which they were.”

Prugh also commented that “Advancing to nationals is really the number one goal of the week. Representing the PNW is awesome and I look forward to getting a chance to make it to another PGA Championship.”

What an exciting finish to this year's Section Championship and fun watching it all unfold on Golf Genius with live scoring! The Hudson Cup and Senior Hudson Cup Teams were also announced after the Championship. Visit https://2020pnwpointslists.golfgenius.com to see which of your friends earned a spot on these coveted teams, which will represent the PNW PGA against the top 10 amateurs on October 22-23 at Meadow Springs CC.

Special thanks go to PGA Head Professional Ed Bezanson and the staff at Canyon River GC. We also had some amazing Presenting Sponsors with Club Car and Omega, along with Supporting Sponsors Titleist/Footjoy, Nike and TaylorMade, Golf Channel and the PGA Tour.

Final Results

Points Lists

View Full Points Lists

OMEGA Player of the Year

1. Brady Sharp - 485
2. Corey Prugh - 285
3. Colin Inglis - 275

Assistant Player of the Year

1. Shane Prante - 520
2. Brady Sharp - 467.5
3. Colin Inglis - 465

OMEGA Senior Player of the Year

1. Jeff Coston - 300
2. Tom Sovay - 215
3. Tony Robydek - 205

Hudson Cup - FINAL

1. Brady Sharp - 366.25
2. Corey Prugh - 320
3. Darren Black - 262.5
Colin Inglis - 262.5

Senior Hudson Cup - FINAL

1. Jeff Coston - 677.5
2. Tony Robydek - 487.5
3. Tom Sovay - 477.5

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Virtual Merchandise Show: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Fall Education – “Working with Vets” with Chris Runyan: 2:00-3:30 PM

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Virtual Annual Meeting: 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Fall Education – How to Grow Your Online Presence with Keith Bennett: 2:00-3:00
Virtual Merchandise Show: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

To virtually participate in our annual meeting, education sessions and exhibit hall, you will need to register.

Senior Oregon Open Invitational

Pendleton, OR – Wildhorse & The GC at Birch Creek
October 20-21, 2020

Holk's Highlights: Senior PGA Professional Qualifiers

Wayne Clark - Walter E. Hall Memorial GC
"Since playing in the Senior Division, qualifying for the National Sr PPC is always at the top of my yearly goals. The dreams of playing the game for a living have been long gone but the desire to compete and qualify for this event makes me feel good about the sacrifices that have been made."

Jeff Marsh - Vancouver, WA
"It's a great event and a chance to see old friends, since I used to live in Florida."

Todd O’Neal - Riverside G&CC
"Our national championship has always been a silent goal from year to year and it's a blessing to be able to make this a reality. With bad knees, shoulders, and a few other things going on I know my chances will get slimmer and slimmer so making this a reality one more time is a true blessing!"

Tony Robydek - Meadow Park GC
"Given the opportunity to play a national tournament and representing the Pacific Northwest PGA Section in this event is an honor that I hope everyone someday gets a chance to experience. Also it’s a really great feeling knowing that I might be the youngest player in the field, that hasn’t happened in a very long time."

Steve Stull - Richland, WA
I am excited about going to the Senior Professional Championship. The tournament has meant a lot to me over the years and at 69 years young I may not get many more chances to enjoy being among the best players in the country."

Congratulations, gentlemen, and good luck!

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.

Note: these are listed as of 7 AM, October 1, 2020. Positions listed here are not guaranteed to be available. Visit jobs.pga.org to see the most current listings.

Assistant Golf Professional Positions (Full-time, not Internships)

Job Title	Facility	PGA Contact
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Lake Spanaway GC, Puyallup, WA	Brian Petoletti, B1

Teaching and Coaching Positions

Job Title	Facility
DIRECTOR OF INSTRUCTION	TOPGOLF - Hillsboro
CERTIFIED PERSONAL COACH	GOLFTEC – Bellevue

Management Positions

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

Job Title	Facility
GENERAL MANAGER	Broken Top Club, Bend, OR
HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Bend GC, Bend, OR
HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Meadow Lark CC, Great Falls, MT
HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Tacoma Country & Golf Club, Lakewood, WA
HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL	Washington National Golf Club, Auburn, WA
FLEET CAR SALES REP	Western WA Rep for Pacific Golf & Turf, Portland, OR

It's Time to Say Goodbye to Your Careerlinks Profile

CareerLinks is Phasing Out Soon! Take Just a Few Minutes and Update Your Job Preferences Today

If you want to see current job opportunities, you need to update your Job Preferences on PGA.org. Unlike the old CL profile, this just takes 2-3 mins (not 20+).

By updating your "Job Preferences" on pga.org, you'll start to see open positions similar to your preferences listed on your PGA.org dashboard (see picture below).

We are asking PGA Members and Associates to make these updates by clicking here, even if you aren't an active job seeker.

Dues Reminder

As you know, the PGA modified the timing of dues payments in 2020 to help you manage your dues according to your financial situation. The new deadline of October 31, 2020 is coming up. If you have not already done so, please pay your dues by this date to avoid suspension.

Log in to your PGA.org account to pay your dues or print an invoice. You may even create a proxy account for your employer to pay by credit card. Thank you!