CEO's Report

Get Ready

Frank Talarico

American writer Paul Theroux once explained that “Winter is a season of recovery and preparation.”  It feels as though there is a lot of preparation to be made for the coming year and our coming season.  At the Section, we have already made some critical moves to ensure that our capacity to serve the member and grow the game is better than ever.

In December, the Section announced the creation of a new position, Manager of Tournament Operations.  As first announced in my column last month, Tanner Montgomery, PGA has been selected for this new role.  In concert with this hire, the Section in partnership with the Inland Empire, Central Washington, and Western Montana Chapters, has redefined the Executive Director position that will now serve those three chapters.  We are very excited to recruit for a position that so comprehensively will support the members in these areas, putting the attention entirely on the chapters needs and opportunities.  The posting for this position closes February 24, 2021.

Planning for the Spring Meeting of your Board of Directors is already underway. In advance of this virtual meeting, I encourage interested members to review and submit both the Yamaha Player Development Grants and the Junior Funds’ Youth Player Development Grants. A total of $24,000 is available to help support your local programs. Our thanks to Mr. Ben Foreman of Yamaha for his continued support. Additionally, the Junior Fund grants are made possible by the support of all of you who contributed to the 1% Club and PNW PGA Junior Fund. Applications for both are due no later than March 15, 2021.

2021 Yamaha Player Development Grants & Youth Player Development Grants

While the Special Awards portion of our Pro-Assistant tournament regrettably has been postponed due to Covid-19 safety protocols, we encourage you to enter the tournament when entries become available shortly.  A reminder, in 2021 all tournament entries will be done online.  This improves the Section staff’s ability to efficiently and effectively administer what is arguably the largest and best tournament program in the country.  The Special Awards celebration will now take place in conjunction with the PNW PGA Professional Championship, hosted this year at Arrowhead GC.  More details will soon follow.

To assure the financial health of our Section, the PNW PGA coordinates some of the more attractive destination Pro-Ams in the United States.  As you know, the Hawaii event in January, 2021 had to be cancelled due to travel restrictions.  Nonetheless, we are proud to report that we have a record field of forty-two teams for the Vegas Pro Am.  Our thanks to those who are playing in that field, and, particularly, to our very generous title sponsor, Mr. Grant Holcomb.  Staff has been aggressively seeking out additional destination Pro-Am opportunities.  I am excited to encourage you to look for details in the coming weeks about two, new destination Pro-Ams to be announced in Arizona and Mexico.

Lastly, the Section is already executing new strategies to leverage the recent increase in golf participation.  We encourage you to consistently consider ways that you and your facilities will make this “spike” a trend and not simply a short-lived phenomenon.  Your Section is not only seeking to understand what lies behind the new numbers of golfers, we are working to share what we see with your respective chapters so that all aspects of your membership are positively impacted.  For example, according to the National Golf Foundation, the flood of new faces was a compilation of demographics, perhaps, no one might have expected including Youth (+ 630,000 nationally), Beginners (+ 570,000), Women (+ 450,000), and Non-Caucasians (+ 320,000). 

What will make our continued success easier to ensure is, first, recognizing that there is an “incongruence between our current customers and those who want in.” Demand for golf is higher than ever, skews remarkably younger, more female, more diverse and more average in income, as compared to the golfers many of us may serve today.  The best advice is, quite simply, to be ready.  If 2020 did nothing else, it taught us that there a simply some things in life that we cannot prepare for, though with the increase in golf across our industry, we must set our strategies to capture and retain this growth.

Should you ever have any questions, never hesitate to contact me.

Frank Talarico, CEO
ftalarico@pgahq.com

Renew (or Establish) Your WHS GHIN

As many of you are aware, last year we transitioned to the World Handicap System.  In 2021 we will utilize WHS GHIN numbers again for our Section and Chapter tournament schedules. 

If you paid for a 2020 handicap through the Section, it expired on December 31, 2020. You will need to either activate your existing GHIN number at your club or purchase your handicap for 2021 through us.

Except for members of the Western Montana Chapter (who need to purchase through the Montana State Golf Association or their club), you may renew or establish a new GHIN through the Section. The annual fee is $10. 

If you are registering for a brand new GHIN #, we will establish your handicap and send you your GHIN #. 

Renew or Establish a GHIN Through the Section

Many of you have GHIN numbers through your club. If you did not send it to us last year, please send it to us via the link provided below or just email it to me at mcooper@pgahq.com and we will add it into our master roster.

If you already have a WHS handicap at your facility, we just need your GHIN #. We’ll add it to the master roster and it will prepopulate when you register for an event.

Provide Your GHIN Maintained Through Your Club

A Few Important Details

The Section and Chapters will still post all scores from PGA events. The new process will provide for professionals to post all additional scores in accordance with WHS requirements.

Professionals will not be required to maintain a handicap to be eligible to compete in Section and Chapter events. Please see the FAQ’s regarding the specifics relevant by chapter for those without a WHS handicap.

What if a professional chooses not to maintain a WHS handicap?

The Section and each chapter will maintain a process similar to 2020 in regard to using handicaps in our competitions.

For the Section events, just like in 2020, plus players and no handicap players will be a 0 in the team game and use their handicap (including plus) in the individual game.  The only adjustment here is that professionals who chose not to maintain a handicap will not be eligible for any individual net purse. For the Section, the individual net purses are a very minor part of any particular competition.

Contact Molly Cooper with questions:

mcooper@pgahq.com
360-870-7004

PGA Jr. League

Branden Thompson, PGA - Regional League Manager

Golf season is drawing near (as I see the first snowflakes of the year fall outside my window). Here are some items of note. 

Captain Registration

It’s not too late, but urgency is appreciated.

2021 Captain Registration

League Framework

The preliminary league framework was sent out to all captains that had registered by February 11th. If you didn’t receive that email, it’s because you didn’t register.  Don’t worry, you aren’t going to be left out.  Just jump on the Captain Registration ASAP. 

PGA Jr. League 17u

There are two huge reasons to jump on the 17u train this year. 

  1. We will have a formal Championship Season, crowning a Section Champion and sending a team to the Regional Championships. 
  2. There are tons of kids in this age range looking for something to do and golf is a great option. Many are new or lapsed, so PGA Jr League is a great way to keep them in the game.

PGA Family Cup

Visit www.pgafamilycup.com to learn more about the most engaging event you can add to your calendar.  Get the entire family playing together and having fun.  It’s the best way to get the “non-golfers” hooked on playing. 

www.pgafamilycup.com

PGA.Coach

Remember the old television PSA, “The More You Know”?  The point was to keep learning new things.  At the very least PGA.coach is worth completing just for the knowledge.  There are other benefits as well:

  1. App access to help with creating practice plans and taking notes
  2. Consumer facing Coach Profiles, helping market you as the expert in your region
  3. Lead generation, sending potational new students your way
Log on to PGA.coach

One-on-one Assistance

Want to  discuss PGA Jr. League, Family Cup, or just bounce some ideas around? The following link will take you to my Calendly page where you can choose a time that works for you, and eliminate the need to email back and forth. 

Click Here to schedule

Have a great season,

Regards,

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

Building Blocks of Your Career Series

Monte Koch, PGA of America Employment Consultant

Part 6: The Law of Receptivity

“Be like a sponge when it comes to each new experience. If you want to be able to express it well, you must first be able to absorb it well.” ‒ Jim Rohn

The Go-GiverIn the highly regarded book, The Go-Giver, author Bob Burg shared the “Five Laws of Stratospheric Success.” The next two building blocks in this series are derived from this book.

Per The Go-Giver, the “Law of Receptivity” law states, “The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.” In reality, this law or principle gives you and me permission to receive. That sounds easy, but it is not. Why? Probably because many of us have a deeply rooted belief that tells us, “giving is good and receiving is less good.”

This paradigm or worldview can be restrictive and cause us difficulty in our life and career. I have found myself expanding the concept in significant ways that are rooted not in “being a giver” but being willing and able to receive what others offer to us. Many of these concepts are broken down below and can be related to a sponge. If the sponge is too full, it has no more room to receive.

As you read through the list below, consider your ability to receive them at this point in your career, as well as consider what might be keeping you from being able to receive them. How’s your receptivity with the following:

Spend some time considering the items above. In what areas are you strong and have capacity for receiving? If you have several, good for you. I’m betting all of us have at least one area that we could improve in. If that is true, maybe we can ask what is holding us back from gaining the strength and capacity to receive it. I believe there are some common threads for the areas where we might consistently struggle to “receive well”. These might include:

 “Invest your time in worthy projects; invest your thoughts toward a worthy purpose; invest your talents toward a worthy occupation; invest your affection toward a worthy recipient; and finally, reserve your greatest respect for yourself, for it is that image … what you perceive yourself to be … that determines the quality of life.” ‒ Jim Rohn

Building on top of the “Always Interviewing” principle (which I covered in last month's article) the "Law of Receptivity" is a great area to work on in your career, today and every single day. When we authentically display growth in each of the areas noted above, it shows that we are more self-aware and more capable of self-regulation. Those who observe might be a future employer or similar, so it’s worth the effort.

Like the game of golf, our professional life is best played with authenticity, integrity, some courage and with an intentional commitment to making today count. Let’s start being intentional about how we receive and I’ll bet we’ll naturally get better and more effective at giving too.

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 12 pm, 2/15/21 or were slated to close before 2/15/21. Positions listed here are not guaranteed to be available. Visit jobs.pga.org to see the most current listings.

Job Title Facility
1st ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL The Home Course, Dupont, WA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL GC at Redmond Ridge, Redmond, WA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL/TEACHING Meadow Lakes GC, Prineville, OR
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL Seattle GC, Seattle, WA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL Sahalee CC, Sammamish, WA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL Black Rock Creek GC, Sunnyside, WA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL Yakima CC, Yakima, WA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL Washington National GC, Auburn, WA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL Canterwood G&CC, Gig Harbor, WA
ASSISTANT PROGRAM DIRECTOR First Tee of Greater Seattle, Seattle, WA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL Iron Horse GC, Whitefish, MT
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL Tetherow GC, Bend, OR
ENTRY LEVEL ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL Linden G&CC, Puyallup, WA
ASST PROFESSIONAL/ENTRY LEVEL STAFF Arrowhead GC, Mulino, OR
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL The Club at Rock Creek, Coeur d’Alene, ID
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL Rock Creek Cattle Co, Deer Lodge, MT
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL - CLUBFITTER REDTAIL GC, Beaverton, OR
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL Wenatchee G&CC, Wenatchee, WA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL Tumble Creek Club @ Suncadia, Cle Elum, WA
ASSISTANT GOLF PROFESSIONAL Twin Lakes Village GC, Rathdrum, ID

TEACHING & COACHING GOLF PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS

Job Title Facility
CERTIFIED PERSONAL COACH GOLFTEC - Southcenter, Tukwila, WA
CERTIFIED PERSONAL COACH GOLFTEC - Lynnwood, Lynwood, WA
CERTIFIED PERSONAL COACH GOLFTEC - Bellevue, Bellevue, WA
CERTIFIED PERSONAL COACH GOLFTEC - Tualatin, Tualatin, OR
JR GOLF DIRECTOR & FULL TIME INSTRUCTOR REDTAIL GC, Beaverton, OR
FULL-TIME TEACHING PROFESSIONAL REDTAIL GC, Beaverton, OR
DIRECTOR OF INSTRUCTION Twin Lakes Village GC, Rathdrum, ID

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
HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL Mill Creek CC, Mill Creek, WA
GENERAL MANAGER Gamble Sands, Brewster, WA
DIRECTOR OF GOLF Stock Farm Club, Hamilton, MT
DIRECTOR OF GOLF REDTAIL GC, Beaverton, OR

It’s Time To Update Your Job Preferences

CareerLinks is now a thing of the past! 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, even if you aren't an active job seeker:

Click here to get started

 

Northwest Open Pro-Am

Benefiting Folds of Honor

Preceding the Northwest Open Invitational, the Northwest Open Pro-Am will pair four amateurs with a PGA professional to enjoy two days of golf with carts at Wine Valley Golf Club. On Saturday evening, the cocktail party, dinner and auction will raise important funds for Folds of Honor. The popular PGA Shootout takes place on Saturday night as well. Players will receive tee gifts, two rounds of golf with carts, two hosted meals, on-course beverages, and compete for a nice prize fund.

More information

Bring a Sponsor Team

Sponsoring creates opportunities for corporate networking and product exposure. This exclusive event will feature great music and dining, all while entertaining your colleagues, clients, and friends at the beautiful Wine Valley Golf Club.

Click here for sponsorship opportunities

Wine Tasting Tour

Join us for the wine tasting tour on Saturday, August 14. Enjoy snacks in the limo as we visit three wineries with wine tastings. Convenient pickup and drop-off at the Courtyard Marriott. The Wine Tasting Tour will be hosted for any guest who has a player on a Hole Sponsor team or higher. Non-Sponsor individuals are welcome to join the Wine Tasting Tour for $100.00 per person. Limited space available, and tour seat is secured with payment.

Folds of Honor

Folds of Honor is a 501 (C)(3) nonprofit charitable organization providing assistance to the spouses and children of those killed or disabled in military service to America. We can honor those who fought for our freedom by serving the families they leave behind.

Donating to the Folds of Honor Auction

The auction will take place on Saturday night after the dinner and PGA Shootout. The main incentive of our partnering donors is a direct awareness to our attendees and business owners, all while raising funds for Folds of Honor. 

Click here for the donation form

Registering Your Team

Please contact Chris Manley with questions or to register your team:
Chris Manley, Tournament Director
Cell: 253-569-0199 Office: 253-561-7073
Email: Chris@ExclusiveEventMgmt.com

Muckleshoot Casino Washington Open Pro-Am

Request for Raffle & Auction Donations

The PNW PGA is requesting raffle and auction donations for the 2021 Muckleshoot Casino Washington Open Pro-Am. 100% of the proceeds go to Folds of Honor,a 501(C)(3) organization that supports the children and spouses of those killed or disabled in service to our country. Last year we raised over $50,000.00 ‒ with your help, we can raise even more in 2021 for this worthy cause. Popular items include rounds of golf, wine gift baskets and more. We are so grateful for the generous donations we have received so far!

Please send donations to:

Meridian Valley Country Club c/o Chris Manley
24830 136th Ave SE
Kent, WA 98042

If donating a gift certificate, please post-date them to May 22, 2021 or after if you would like to date them. You may email gift certificates to:

chris@meridianvalleycc.com

Please look through the following information and feel free to contact Chris with any questions: 

Muckleshoot Casino Washington Open Pro-Am

Donation request info packet

Upcoming Events

PNW PGA “Stay Involved” Education

G P S, Golfer Positioning System
Feb 16 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Presented by Bob Duncan

Driving Income to Your Wallet and Growth to Your Facility
Feb 17 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Presented by Will Robins

Becoming The Wolf: Success Strategies for Networking and More
Feb 24 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Presented by Monte Koch

Full Education Schedule

Check out the 2021 tournament schedule below!

2021 Tournament Schedule

february 15, 2021

Foreword Press

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