March 1, 2022

President's Report

I imagine you are all gearing up for the upcoming season. Here in Central Oregon, we are still dealing with cold and snow.

Spring is an exciting time for our Section. Not only are we celebrating our Centennial, but we are also about to celebrate the best and the brightest professionals in our Section with our special awards presentation. Also, this is an election year for our Chapters and Section. Later this year, you will all get a chance to help set the direction for our Section as you elect our new Section Secretary in the fall. We have two exceptional candidates, John Grothe and Chas Holmes. Soon, you will start to see articles in Foreword Press from each candidate. The first article will introduce them to you, and they will share why they are running for Section Secretary.

After their introductory articles, the candidates will be asked to answer questions from some of our Past Presidents on topics ranging from leadership to their vision for the Section. As we get later into the process, each of the candidates will visit Chapter meetings for presentations and question-and-answer sessions where you can ask the candidates questions. In those meetings, you will then vote for the candidate you think will best lead the PNWPGA going forward. Going through this was a real learning process for me. The questions from the members many times were tough, and I learned a lot about the challenges you face every day. I have told the candidates that while the process is long and demanding, they will be amazed at how much they learn about themselves and our Section. However, you have a huge role to play in this process. Please read what the candidates write, email them, or call them to dig deeper into their positions. Show up at the Chapter meetings for the presentations and Q & A. Then vote!

We have the most remarkable Section in the PGA of America. We have had a hundred years of outstanding success, and I am convinced that we will continue to lead the way forward in the PGA. But that future success will be driven by having the right leadership in place. Picking Section leadership is your job.

Lastly, many thanks to Chas and John for running.

Being part of our governance is challenging and time-consuming. If you are a member of a committee, PGA LEAD, a Board member, or an Officer, thank you for all you do!

On a personal note, I will be stepping out of my role as President during the month of March. I will be recovering from a medical procedure. Chris Nowlen will step in as your Acting President in my absence. I plan on resuming my duties in April.

As always, please stay safe, reach out and contact someone you have not seen or talked to in a while.

Thanks for all that you do for the game of golf,

Howie Pruitt, PGA
Director, Golf Operations, Aspen Lakes GC
President, Pacific Northwest Section
howie@aspenlakes.com

Section Founded This Week in 1922

The Section was founded in the first week of March, 1922 and now manages nearly 1,200 PGA Members and Associates who are employed at over 340 golf facilities in Washington, Oregon, northern Idaho, western Montana and Alaska.

The first president of the Pacific Northwest PGA was Robert Johnstone, who served until 1929. In the twenties, there was no better-known golfer in the Pacific Northwest than Johnstone.

The news clipping here is from Sunday, March 12, 1922 in the News Tribune (Tacoma), which changed its name that August to the Tacoma News Tribune. It reads:

“The Pacific Northwest Professional Golfers Association came into real being last week when, at a meeting of a dozen professionals of the Northwest district, a permanent organization was effected and plans outlined for their first annual championship tournament. Forty-two professional golfers of the Pacific Northwest were enrolled at the meeting. Robert Johnstone, dean of the professional body of the Pacific Coast—he hasn’t left the Coast since coming from North Berwick, Scotland, 22 years ago—was elected first president of the association. His assistant at the Seattle Golf [Club], Fred Henwood, was elected secretary treasurer.

“Although such details as a bylaws and constitution are yet to be perfected, the P.N.P.G.A. is not letting such matters hold it back from preparing for their first championship, nor are they satisfied to let the membership of 42 on the charter roll stand at that figure. They are going to comb the entire district embraced in the scheme of the Pacific Northwest Golf Association for members of their craft to affiliate with them.

“The detail of annual dues, for carrying on the affairs of the association and looking after occasional professionals who may be in need of temporary relief, has been arranged. Eventually the association will affiliate with the parent body of the country, the Professional Golfers Association of [America].

“In the meantime President Johnstone is drafting a letter which will be submitted to the tournament and revision committees having in charge the annual P.N.G.A. championships at Victoria, B.C., June 5-10.”

The 1922 Pacific Northwest Open Championship (now called the Northwest Open Invitational) took place at Royal Colwood GC in Victoria, B.C., and our first Section champion was David Black. Royal Colwood GC was also the site of the PNGA Championships later that summer.

Learn more about Robert Johnstone, our first president.

Register Now for Patriot Golf Day

For the second consecutive year, Patriot Golf Days will be held over Memorial Day weekend (May 27-30) as a way to further honor our nation’s heroes.

“We strongly encourage our Membership and their facilities to support Patriot Golf Days this Memorial Day weekend,” said PGA President Jim Richerson. “This is such a worthy cause and partnership, and it is an extension of the incredibly important work PGA HOPE and the Folds of Honor do year round to support our Veterans and their families.”

Holk's Highlights: Ryan Cutter, PGA

This month we profile Ryan Cutter, PGA, who was awarded the 2021 PNW PGA Deacon Palmer Award for outstanding performance in the face of a personal challenge. “I have played golf since the age of three. Golf has given me so much to overcome my bilateral amputation at birth that I wanted to give back to the game what the game has instilled in me,” said Ryan. An accomplished player, he is also an ADM certified PGA Coach and deeply involved with junior golf. He also was recognized as the 2021 WMCPGA Assistant Golf Professional of the Year and the 2021 WMCPGA Youth Player Development Award Winner.

Facility: Green Meadow CC

Hometown: Helena, MT

PGA Member Since: 2019

Can you tell us a little bit about your junior programs?

Junior development is my main objective as a golf professional as that is where the future of the game lies. Our biggest junior program here at Green Meadow is our PGA Jr. League, with 82 participants, that runs from the beginning of June to the end of August. In addition to the Jr. League, I run a junior boot camp, junior camp, and winter junior group lessons on the simulator. In all of my junior programs, I aim for the kids to enjoy their time on the golf course as much as possible. If these juniors have fun playing golf, they will enjoy this game for the rest of their lives.

Who were your mentors in golf?

I was very lucky to have an amazing group of golf professionals to call my mentors. From a very young age Tim Fraley, PGA was my golf instructor. He ran an amazing junior camp that has influenced me to run so many different junior programs. Since I have worked in the industry, Travis Moore; PGA, Jim Robinson, PGA; Derek Mazzoni, PGA; Nate LeBlanc, PGA; Andrew Silvestri, PGA; Chad Carlson, PGA; and Tod Fitterer, PGA have all been an amazing influence on myself as a PGA Professional. Those mentioned are just the ones I have formally worked with/for. There are several others I have not worked with that have also had a major impact on my perspective on work and in life.

Can you tell us about your experience with the 2021 PNW PGA 100-Hole Marathon?

I played 108 holes of golf with Chad Carlson and Tod Fitterer in April of 2021. It was amazing to see how the three of us could play six rounds of golf in about seven hours, while our membership played during their regular tee times. It speaks levels to our membership here at Green Meadow that they let us play through and cheered us on as we did. I chose the Hunthausen Junior Golf Foundation and raised $5,475. This charity means a lot to me as Ray Hunthausen was a previous golf professional here at Green Meadow and passed away in 2010 at just 47 years old. His wife Tori started the Hunthausen Junior Golf Foundation and they award scholarships to local juniors, provide junior golf programs with funding, and are the driving force for junior golf here in Helena, MT. Although the 108 holes were quite difficult for me as a bilateral amputee, the satisfaction of donating that much to the Hunthausen Junior Golf Foundation was more than worth it!

In participating in local Pro-Am and Chapter tournaments, I have gotten to know many other Assistant Golf Professionals throughout the Chapter. I want these other golf professionals to see me and know that if I can become a PGA Professional with my physical limitations, they can do anything they set their minds to as well. I look to inspire people at all levels, not just fellow professionals.

Upcoming Events

PNW PGA Special Awards Ceremony

March 20 @ Inglewood Golf Club

RSVP ONLINE

MSR Opportunities

Stay Involved Webinar: How to Conduct a Conflict Well

March 3 @ 2:00 PM
presented by Monte Koch, PGA
This webinar will be held via Google Meet
Receive 1 PGA Required MSR or 1/2 AMP Education Credit for attending

PNW PGA Spring Meeting

March 21 @ 7:00 PM
Join us at Inglewood Golf Club in Kenmore, WA
Following the first round of the PNW PGA Pro-Assistant Championship
Worth 2 PGA Required MSR's for Members/AMP Meeting credit for Associates

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

PNWPGA JOB BOARD NOTICE

We Are All Feeling the Crunch of Inflation - Be Proactive About Keeping up Your Compensation!

PLEASE click the link below to access and complete your compensation profile (you will need to login to http://PGA.org).

Don't hesitate to call or email me if you have any questions or difficulty in completing your profile. Thank you for your contribution to this important tool used to impact compensation for you and your peers!

https://account.pga.org/compensation-profile

Regards, Monte