The
SUMMIT
The SUMMIT is the official digital magazine of the Colorado PGA - October 2019
What’s Inside True Temper Project X Series Title Goes to Rudosky Doubles Golf Debuts at Fall Membership Meeting Special Award Features The Golden Rule Drives Assistant Professional of the Year Rush Hedrick, Stilwell and Thayer Claim Merchandiser of the Year Honors Mease, Wearner Earned Player Development Awards
The Official Magazine of the Colorado PGA The SUMMIT is produced by the Colorado PGA
Colorado PGA Officers
West Chapter Officers
Jim Hajek, PGA Vice-President | 2019-2020 Fossil Trace Golf Club
Brett Gagnon, PGA Vice-President | 2019-2020 Red Sky Golf Club
Ben Welsh, PGA President | 2019-2020 Frost Creek Club
Cathy Matthews-Kane, PGA Secretary | 2019-2020 Country Club of Colorado Ty Thompson, PGA President | 2019-2020 Crosshairs Consulting
Board of Directors
Mark Bacheldor, PGA | 2020-2022 UCCS PGA Golf Management Program Jeff Boyer, PGA | 2019-2020 Eagle Ranch Golf Course Bob Doyle, PGA Past District 9 Director Life Member Kyle Heyen, PGA Past District 9 Director Hiwan Golf Club Charles ‘Vic’ Kline, PGA Past District 9 Director Ed Marzec, PGA | 2019-2021 Red Sky Golf Club Jim Miller, PGA | 2018-2020 Sonnenalp Golf Club Josh Miller, PGA | 2019-2021 GOLFTEC Dennis Murray, PGA | 2018-2020 Valley Country Club Mike O’Donnell, PGA | 2018-2020 Fort Carson CJ Perry, PGA | 2020-2022 West Woods Golf Course Keith Stilwell, PGA | 2020-2022 Cheyenne Shadows Golf Course Dave Troyer, PGA | 2019-2021 CommonGround Golf Course
Independent Directors Theo Gregory Spencer Zinn
Dr. Stephen Davis Cheyenne Mountain Dental Group
Jeff Boyer, PGA President | 2019-2020 Eagle Ranch Golf Course
Brad Dombaugh CEO - PSA Worldwide Corp. Maj. Gen. Barbara Faulkenberry, USAF, Retired Corporate Director: Callon Petroleum; USA Truck
Luke Brosterhous Secretary | 2019-2020 Catamount Ranch and Club Ed Marzec, PGA Honorary President | 2019-2020 Red Sky Golf Club
West Chapter Board of Directors
Walter Glover EVP/COO - United States Olympic Endowment Theo Gregory Senior Vice President - El Pomar Foundation Tom Gunnerson Vice President of Investments, Wells Fargo Advisors
Tom Apple, PGA | 2019-2021 Country Club of the Rockies Jacques Deyoe, PGA | 2017-2019 Maroon Creek Club Alice Plain, PGA | 2018 - 2020 Vail Golf Club
Dominic Karaba President - Specialty Lending and Business Banking - UMB Bill Keller Lieutenant Colonel USAF, Retired
Kenny Thayer, PGA | 2019-2021 Beavercreek Golf Club
Bob Lally Navy Captain, Retired
Steve VanDyke, PGA | 2018-2020 River Valley Ranch GC
George Lee VP - Ameriprise Financial Services
Colorado PGA REACH Trustees
Adam McDiarmid Regional Manager - Business Banking - UMB
John Andrew Brigadier General USAF - Retired
Scott McGraw VP of Employee Benefits Cherry Creek Insurance Group
Spencer Zinn Chairman
Dan Bennett Investor/Partner, Southwest Greens Management
Honorable Sue Payton President - SCI Aerospace Inc.
John Bond VP Sales & Marketing, Golf Division of Garb
LTG Ed Soriano, US Army (Ret) Director, Bus. Dev. Global Land Forces - Northrop Grumman Corporation
Anne Broholm CEO | AHEAD Tom Bauerle Owner - Colorado Golf and Turf Dr. Phil Brown President/Founder, Six Points Consulting
Mike Talaga Credit Analyst Janus Henderson Investors
Staff
Executive Director/CEO Eddie Ainsworth, PGA eainsworth@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1593 C (719) 761-6125 Assistant ED/COO Patrick Salva psalva@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1597 C (303) 246-1007 Tournament Director Justin Limon, PGA jlimon@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1588 C (720) 390-1160 Player Development Director Holly Champion, PGA hchampion@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1591 C (217) 232-1790 Junior Golf Manager Scott Minta sminta@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1590 C (630) 532-3230 Finance Specialist Annie O’Donnell adonnell@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1595 Marketing and Communications Coordinator Judy Malone jmalone@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1594
Field Staff
Career Consultant Keith Soriano, PGA ksoriano@pgahq.com C (720) 841-1006 PGA Junior League Regional Manager Anthony Vitale, PGA avitale@pgahq.com C (561) 267-1208
Bill Vogeney Chief Revenue Officer Ent Credit Union
Colorado PGA
6630 Bear Dance Drive | Larkspur, CO 80118 P | (303) 681-0742 www.coloradopga.com
The SUMMIT is distributed free to members and affiliates of the Colorado PGA eleven times per year. The articles and other information contained within this publication are informational and do not necessarily represent the view or opinions of the Colorado PGA. The Colorado PGA assumes no responsibility or liability for claims made for or by any product in this publication whether reported or advertised. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the Colorado PGA is prohibited.
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What’s Inside
President’s Report 4 We’ve Got a Lot to Be Proud of As the Season Winds Down Executive Director’s Report 6 Mentor. Looking for One? Do You Have What it Takes? District Director Report/PGA of America News 8 PGA of America Annual Meeting Right Around the Corner Career Development News 10 Who is the Right Mentor for Me? Colorado PGA News 12 Fall Meeting Provides Vision Towards the Future 15 Colorado Golf Industry Summit Recap Special Awards Feature 18 Assistant Professional of the Year - Derek Rush, PGA 20 Private Merchandiser of the Year - Andrew Hedrick, PGA 24 Resort Merchandiser of the Year - Kenny Thayer, PGA 26 Public Merchandiser of the Year - Keith Stilwell, PGA 28 Player Development Award - Kirk Mease, PGA 31 Youth Player Development Award - Trent Wearner, PGA Membership News 34 Membership Report & Quarter Century Feature Tournament News 36 Colorado Cup Recap Junior Golf News 42 3-For-3 44 Boys State High School Golf Recap 47 Pattern Developing
August 2019
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President’s Message
We’ve Got a Lot to Be Proud of As the Season Winds Down
As we bring another great season of golf to a close, it is time to celebrate our successes and recognize the Award winning performances of many of our Colorado Section PGA Members. Although the game of golf is what brought most of us to our profession, many have found success through their individual passion within the industry. It is our individual talents and collective hard work that makes the PGA Professional the Gold Standard within the game of golf. Playing the game at a high level is one the most defining characteristics of the PGA Professional. I want to congratulate our Players of the Year on their hard work and success this season. Secondly, a congratulations to all who participated in our many events, testing your skills, playing with fellow PGA Professionals and entertaining your members. Last and certainly not least is a HUGE Thank you to all of our sponsors and partners who allow us to play for the purses that we enjoy. As they say, “the golf professional wears many hats” and that could not be more true as we celebrate all of our Colorado PGA Award winners this year. From Player Development to Merchandising, Leadership and Lifetime Achievement, each award winner has displayed the skills necessary to earn special recognition. I am truly inspired by these individuals and proud to celebrate the Colorado PGA! All the Best.
Ben Welsh, PGA President Colorado PGA Head Professional Frost Creek bwelsh@pga.com P | (970) 328-2326 C | (970) 688-0115
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Ben Welsh, PGA Head Golf Professional President, Colorado PGA Section 970-328-2326 (Shop) 970-688-0115 (Cell)
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October 2019
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Executive Director’s Message
Mentor. Looking for One? Do You Have What it Takes? “If I have seen farther than others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” - Isaac Newton
During our most recent Membership Survey, I read the following comment: “We lack mentorship.” It has been in the forefront of my thoughts for several weeks now. We always seem to discuss this subject, but are we collectively really trying to do something about it? Today, it seems the focus is more and more on ourselves, than it is on other people. It is my belief that leadership should always be about others. If you’ve gotten to know anything about me over the years, you probably know that I’m a big fan of John Maxwell. His leadership books have been a great resource for my own personal growth over the years. In his new book, Leadershift: The 11 Essential Changes Every Leader Must Embrace, he talks about Ladder Climbing to Ladder Holding. He believes there are four stages. Ladder Climbing – “How high can I go?” Ladder Holding – “How high will others go with a little help?” Ladder Extending – “How high will others go with a lot of help?” Ladder Building – “Can I help them build their own ladder?” In just the Chapter on Ladder Climbing to Ladder Holding, there is a tremendous amount of useful information to help us all grow and develop as leaders. What truly caught my eye in this chapter was the focus on mentorship. Both being mentored and mentoring someone. Before you begin to consider mentoring someone, you should ask the following questions about anyone you are considering helping: Is this person hungry to learn? What is this person’s capacity? Are this person’s values compatible with mine? Is this individual a leader?
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Tim Elmore, the founder and president of Growing Leaders, says what a successful mentor gives to the person being mentored are: handles, laboratories, road maps, roots and wings. Handles: Good mentors distill truths from complexity and divide the information into bite-sized principles that others can apply. All good mentors can put life lessons into a nutshell that is transferable. Are you willing to do the homework necessary to do that? Laboratories: Good mentors provide a safe place where learners can practice the principles they’re learning. Are you willing to create such a safe work environment where people you’re developing can take risks? Road Maps: Good mentors give learners direction for life and provide roadmaps of options for how to proceed to their destination. Are you willing to follow through with a good game plan for the people you mentor?
Eddie Ainsworth, PGA CEO/Executive Director Colorado PGA eainsworth@pgahq.com
Roots: Good mentors provide learners with a solid relational foundation. Giving stability and security makes it possible for other people to grow and flourish. Are you willing to extend love and acceptance to the people you mentor, and hang in there with them when they face difficulties? Wings: Good mentors help people to see new horizons and fly to places beyond where they imagined they could go. This is true empowerment. Are you willing to celebrate when people you mentor fly higher or farther than you have? And then there is the Whys: One of the most important things you can do for potential leaders is to help them see the big picture continued on page 9
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Troy Parish FlagD Golf | Founder & CEO (760) 250-1110 tparish@flagdgolf.com www.flagdgolf.com Instagram: @flagdgolf
Introduction to PGA Colorado Section: The Colorado PGA and FLAGD Golf are pleased to announce an exciting new partnership/sponsorship agreement for 2019/2020. "We are thrilled about the opportunity to support the Colorado PGA, and actively start sharing our solution with its members" said Troy Parish, Founder & CEO of FLAGD Golf. "Being a University of Colorado Alumni, and spending quite a bit of time traveling across the State, we know there are a ton of great facilities throughout Colorado that could benefit from our solution
Our simple, yet unique, GPS Distance Measuring Solution for golf course practice facilities seems to resonate with members and guests looking for an accurate and reliable way to get the most out of their warm-up and practice sessions. The solution is simple to deploy and manage for golf course staff (one touch each day) and is even easier to use as a player. The FlagD units act as a digital sign and display GPS distances to the target locations on the range. The devices our weatherproof, extremely durable, and require very little support from your staff to maintain. They integrate with your current club aesthetics and can be customized to match your own course logo and colors. https://online.flippingbook.com/view/325346/ We are excited to introduce the product to the PGA Colorado Section and eager to begin sharing our solution with courses across the state. Please contact us to schedule a time to discuss your unique requirements. Thank you!
Troy Parish
October 2019
GPS Distance Measuring Solution for Golf Course Practice Facilities. FlagD Golf Clients: The Grand Del Mar, CA Sea Island Resort, GA Bonita Bay CC, FL Manele GC, Lanai-HI Trinity Forest GC, TX Maroon Creek Club, CO Pinehurst Resort, NC Makena GBC, Maui-HI Birmingham CC, AL Sunriver Resort, OR Salt Lake CC, UT Augusta CC, GA Belmont CC, MA Butler National, IL Kinloch GC, VA Annandale GC, MS Pelican Hill Resort, CA The Club at Olde Stone, KY
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PGA of America News
PGA of America Annual Meeting Right Around the Corner Governance and Member Assistant Program Update I would like to start off by congratulating Colorado PGA Golf Professional Don Hurter for his fine play in the PGA Senior National Championship held recently at the Omni Barton Creek Resort in Austin, Texas. Don made both cuts and finished tied for 61st. Annual Meeting As we move forward, we look towards the Annual Meeting in early November in West Palm Beach, Florida. We have some important business of the Association to take care of, including addressing two resolutions that will be proposed to the delegation. • Resolution 1 is proposed by the PGA Board of Directors and pertains to the removal of the Citizenship/ Residency/Work Status clause from the Bylaws. The Board feels that we will become a stronger and more inclusive Association by removing the Membership restriction on those who do not have status as a citizen, resident or temporary resident of the United States. This will, in turn, build the network and global prestige of the PGA of America Member. It should be noted that since 1990, non-US Citizens have been allowed to be elected to membership with 283 Members currently being non-US Citizens and multiple national award winners having been elected to membership as non-citizens. • Resolution 2 is proposed by the Southern Texas, Northern Texas and Sun Country Sections. It pertains to eligibility for the Life Member-Active Classification. This resolution proposes that as a requirement to transfer to the Life Member-Active Classification, all otherwise eligible members must have completed the entrance level of PGA Education. For more information on these two resolutions, and to read the resolutions in their entirety, go to https:// resources.pga.org/my-membership/governance/103rd-pga-annual-meeting/. Governance Update During our meeting on October 9, 2019, the Board of Directors revised three Board Policies:
Ron Rawls, PGA District 9 Director PGA of America Head Professional Crane Creek CC
• Certified and Master Professional Logo - PGA Certified and Master Professionals who have attained that status by December 31, 2019, will be allowed to continue to use the appropriate PGA Certified and PGA Master Professional logos with the “stars” at their discretion. The PGA will continue to sell this logo in the PGA Member Shop and allow approved vendors to produce soft goods with these logos for those eligible to purchase. While PGA Certified and Master Professionals who have earned that status by December 31, 2019, will continue to have the ability to use the logo with the stars, the Association will move forward promoting the value of earning PGA Master Professional and PGA Certified Professional status using the logos without the stars. As shared with the Delegation in April of 2019, the Board of Directors determined that for the remainder of 2019, PGA Members can choose whether they use the logo with the Member or Professional rocker. During the 2019 Annual Meeting, input and feedback will be sought from the Delegates on the direction that the Association will take moving forward regarding the logo featuring the Member/Professional rocker. • Reduced MSR for Members in the Reserve Classification - At the recommendation of the PGA Membership Committee, the Board has determined that the MSR requirement for Reserve Members will be 50 percent of the requirement for Active Members. The reasons for leaving eligible employment range from events qualifying under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), maternity leave, paternity leave, the responsibilities of raising a family, caring for an elderly parent, or gaining employment in another industry. This will
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Colorado PGA REACH News make retaining PGA Membership more attainable, and in a more Member-friendly manner for Members in the Reserve classification. • Allowance for Preferred Lies during a PAT - Brought forward by District 10, and reviewed and recommended by the PGA Membership Committee, the Board has removed the prohibition on preferred lies during the Playing Ability Test. Due to weather conditions, as many as 15 percent of the scheduled PATs may be cancelled in one year. It is anticipated that 75 percent of cancelled PATs would have been able to be conducted with the allowance of preferred lies. The PAT is governed by the PGA Bylaws and Naismith Consent Decree, and neither prohibit the usage of preferred lies. The prohibition of preferred lies policy has been in place since January 1, 1995. The PGA Championship Department has developed the criteria in which the PAT Examiner may invoke. Member Assistane Program The SupportLinc Member Assistance Program (MAP) is a company-sponsored resource that helps you deal with life’s challenges and the demands that come with balancing home and work. SupportLinc provides Members and Associates with confidential, professional counseling for a wide array of personal and work-related concerns, including short-term
counseling, legal and financial consultation, dependent care referrals and technology-based resources to assist in every aspect of life. A $5 line item charge is included in the FY2018/2019 annual dues invoices. You can call SupportLinc toll-free at 866-4PGAMAP (474-2627). You will be immediately connected to a licensed SupportLinc counselor who can provide you with assistance. SupportLinc is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you are logged into PGA.org, you can access the Member Assistance Program website directly through the Benefits & Tools area. Login information is not required. You can also access services through pgamap.com. You will need to enter “pga” as the login name. The password is linc123. As we head into the “off season,” I want to reiterate that I am here to serve you, the Members and Associates of the PGA of America. If there is anything I can do or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me, ron@cranecreekcc.com. At your service, Ron Rawls, PGA District 9 Director PGA of America Head Professional Crane Creek CC
continued from page 6 by teaching them the whys. This gives them context. It reveals to them the thinking and reasons behind your decisions. It teaches them decision-making. If you want learners to follow directions, you only need to provide the what. If you want them to lead others and give directions, they must also have the why. Are you willing to take the time and trouble to give them the why behind every what? I’ve learned a lot over the years by sitting at the feet of giants, many great men who were exceptional leaders. At the time, I probably didn’t even realize that they were mentoring me. If you are looking for a mentor, or if you are looking to mentor someone else, congratulations. Instead of staying the course, you can change your trajectory and position yourself for new and exciting achievements. If this is you, I would highly recommend “Leadershift”. Thanks for the opportunity to serve.
All the Best. Very Respectfully, Eddie Ainsworth, PGA Executive Director/CEO Colorado PGA 6630 Bear Dance Drive Larkspur, CO 80118 eainsworth@pgahq.com P (303) 996-1593 C (719) 761-6125
October 2019
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Career Services Update
Who is the Right Mentor for Me? W
e hear a lot about the importance of having a mentor or mentors in our industry. Some of us have been fortunate enough to have worked for someone or with someone we consider to be a mentor. But, what made them valuable to us?
Many times, we have looked to someone and wanted them to be a mentor because of their reputation or stature in the golf business—maybe they were a top merchandiser, or an accomplished teacher, or just seem to have had all the right jobs in the industry. Certainly, from a knowledge standpoint, there is much to be learned from those individuals who have seen great success, and we all should take advantage of that when given the opportunity. The acclaimed late American poet Maya Angelou described a great mentor in a very different way. “In order to be a mentor, and an effective one, one must care. You must care. You don’t have to know how many square miles are in Idaho, you don’t need to know what the chemical makeup of a molecule is, or of blood or water. Know what you know and care about the person, care about what you know and care about the person you’re sharing with.” There is a recurring theme in what she says here. In fact, she uses a single word five times in her description of a mentor. The word is care. I would argue the best mentor you can seek out in golf is someone who has shown a genuine interest in you as a person and your future as a golf professional. To take it a step further, I would encourage you to look for someone who shares your value system. What values shape your decision-making from a career standpoint? Keith Soriano, PGA, is a PGA Career Services Consultant serving the Colorado and Utah Sections. He can be reached at (720) 841-1006 or ksoriano@ pgahq.com.
Assessing your values is one of the first steps in your career planning process, should you opt to spend time with your PGA Career Consultant. Click here to schedule a time to meet with me and we can discuss your values and goals, so I can best help you along this journey. I am on the journey with you, so I will reach out to you once you have completed it to see if we can schedule a convenient time to talk further. The goal is not only for you to find the best mentor, but also to begin mapping out your career goals and a strategy to accomplish them. Ready to get started? Let’s do this.
Keith Soriano, PGA PGA Career Consultant Colorado & Utah Sections of the PGA ksoriano@pgahq.com 720.841.1006 keithsoriano.com
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Colorado PGA News
Fall Meeting Provides Vision Towards the Future S
erve the Member ~ Grow the Game. That was the thread woven throughout the agenda of the 2019 Colorado Fall Membership Meeting on Monday, October 14, 2019, at Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club.
President Ben Welsh, PGA, stressed that if the Board of Directors concentrates its efforts on serving the Colorado PGA Members, then the Members will be more able to grow the game. A surprising result extrapolated from the Membership Survey revealed the answer to the question, “Our Mission Statement is to Serve the Member and Grow the Game. Where on the spectrum below should we allocate our time and resources?,” to be that 52 percent of the respondents want to Serve the Member and 48 percent want to Grow the Game. Moving forward, the Board will use this information as it plans for the future of the Section. Extrapolated from the short Q & A Session with Section PGA Legends Dow Finsterwald and Vic Kline, there were three clear insights. 1. The first was to make a living loving what you do. This one directive can impact every aspect of your career and your associations with those around you. 2. Get involved. The real way to know and understand what the PGA of America does for you is to be a part of the process. This goes for Section work, as well as for National opportunities. 3. Finally, find yourself a mentor. “We, as individuals, need advice from someone else. There is always someone who knows more than you do about something. Ask them.” Noble Chalfant Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Alan Abrams, PGA, Golf Operations Manager and Head Professional at Indian Tree Golf Course; and Bob Doyle, PGA, Life Member. Bobby Quaratino, PGA, Head Professional at West Woods Golf Club, was presented the Charles “Vic” Kline Award. During the Membership and Employment Panel discussion, John Easterbrook, PGA, Chief Membership Officer of the PGA of America, shared with attendees the many educational opportunities Headquarters has developed and rolled-out over the last 3-years. They include the three career paths to live-long learning that all incorporate relevant and current information. The Certification Program has been updated and looks like a master’s program. And, Career Consultants have been hired and trained to assist with employee needs. He also communicated that health insurance and retirement plans are being reviewed to roll-out to
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sections. Keith Soriano, PGA, Colorado and Utah Sections Career Consultant, reiterated that education makes a difference for both the employee and the employer. Employees need relevant education to sell themselves for their next job and employers need employees with updated skill sets. At the Section level, Ben Welsh, PGA, Colorado President, helped attendees see all the progress that has been done in Colorado for its Members. More tournaments have been scheduled with more prize money; additional educational sessions and programs have been built into the off-season; and youth development programs have been supported to give young people a chance to build a love of the game. PGA Master Professional, Bill Hughes, PGA, Chief Operation Officer at Country Club of the Rockies, encouraged employers to support their employees desire for career development. He believes one of the roles of an employer is to invest in the future of their employees and to hold them accountable to their career plans. He even went so far as to recommend career development be a demand of employment at your facility. From his own experience, Hughes revealed that his completion of the Master Professional Program was a dividing factor to give him a step-up. After the meeting, 91 Professionals took to the course to play in the inaugural Doubles Golf Tournament Doubles Golf, created by Bob Longmire and Jack Nicklaus. David Fischer, PGA and Seth Terpstra, PGA, both instructors at GOLFTEC-DTC partnered together to win the event with a 14-under-par 58. Coming in second place just a stroke behind was Ryan Wroblewski, PGA and Jack Allen, PGA, Assistant Professionals at Cherry Hills Country Club.
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PGA of America News
ExecuSearch Powered by the PGA of America Launches for the Golf Industry PGA
Master Professional Michael Leemhuis to serve as Senior Consultant for the PGA’s new executive placement service … The PGA has launched ExecuSearch powered by the PGA of America, a premium executive placement service for the golf industry. The service will enable clubs and businesses to identify and place top candidates for key executive leadership positions, and utilize the expertise of the PGA of America’s Career Services department to align their business for success. The goal of PGA ExecuSearch is to create lifelong partnerships with employers and support their needs to grow in today’s golf economy. The executive placement service will connect employers with the most talented and qualified candidates from across the golf industry through the PGA’s proprietary database. Golf industry employers will also benefit from specialized industry knowledge, trends, data and best practices offered by the PGA Career Services team. PGA Master Professional Michael Leemhuis, M.A. ED., CCM, CCE, Owner of Leemhuis Consult LLC, in Jupiter, Florida, has been engaged as a Senior Consultant for ExecuSearch, serving as the point person in the search process. He will partner with the PGA’s Career Services team, which is comprised of 19 Career Consultants strategically located nationwide. “The PGA of America is delighted to unveil ExecuSearch to enable golf clubs to enjoy a customized, premium executive placement service,” said PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh. “PGA ExecuSearch will serve as an invaluable resource for clubs and candidates. It is exciting that Michael Leemhuis, a highly respected PGA and CMAA Member, will personally guide this program, in conjunction with our PGA Career Services team, as we work directly with top clubs and their boards in steering highly
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important executive hiring decisions.”
“This will be amazing for our PGA Members,” said PGA of America Chief Membership Officer John Easterbrook, PGA. “To have a person with Michael Leemhuis’ pedigree, focused on the higher profile industry positions, will absolutely benefit industry employers and professionals, as well as provide enhanced expertise to the team. I could not be more excited to add this new service to our Career Services Department.” PGA Career Services offers a toolbox of invaluable resources to meet the hiring requirements demanded by employers today, while better serving employers, PGA Members and individuals seeking to gain employment within the golf industry. “I am extremely excited to work closely with the PGA Career Consultants to bring the best executive talent solution to the golf industry,” said Leemhuis. PGA ExecuSearch will work with the employer to: •
Create a market analysis and candidate specifications • Job description • Targeted search strategy • Initial candidate list • Present candidates and manage progress • Conduct background checks and behavioral analysis • Offer and negotiate • Onboard and integrate • Conduct follow-up and support • Engage with and retain the client All placements come with a minimum of a one-year guarantee Continued on page 17
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Colorado PGA News
Colorado Golf Industry Summit Updated Colorado golf Environmental & Economic Impact Study in the works; 2020 the ‘Year of the Woman’ in Colorado golf; Colorado will be a pilot state for ’Doubles Golf’ By Gary Baines – 10/22/2019 The Colorado Golf Industry Summit — like its predecessor, the G4 Summit — attempts to be a forward-looking event regarding issues facing golf. And so it was for Tuesday’s Summit at Pinehurst Country Club in south Denver. But this edition not only featured informational presentations of various sorts — how the game of golf is trending, potential issues coming before state lawmakers that may affect golf, key topics regarding the business side of golf, etc. — but some newsworthy tidbits.
Tuesday’s Colorado Golf Industry Summit drew about 130 people to Pinehurst Country Club. (Photo by Gary Baines)
Here are a few that came out of the Summit, which drew about 130 people to Pinehurst:
“It will be a valid, third-party study that we can hang our hat on.”
— Environmental & Economic Impact Study: It was back in 2002 that a drought prompted leaders in the Colorado golf industry to commission a report entitled “An Independent Study of the Economic Impact and Environment Aspects of Golf In Colorado”. That proved a very useful fact-based document over the years, but it’s now dated, so the plan is to publish a 2020 Environmental & Economic Impact Study that will be ready in time for the annual Colorado Golf Day at the State Capitol in April.
The work collecting that data will be done by the National Golf Foundation — which contracted with the World Golf Foundation and its “We Are Golf” initiative — and a company called Radius Sports Group. The plan is for surveys to be distributed by the end of November and collected by the end of 2019.
“It’s long overdue that we update it,” CGA executive Ed Mate said after Tuesday’s Summit. “We can’t advocate if we don’t have good data. There’s so much misinformation out there, so it’s important to have the facts. The facts show — we know this — that golf is a very environmentally prudent industry that contributes significant dollars to the state’s economy and provides a ton of employment opportunity. On an environmental level, golf courses serves as these filters for carbon emission or carbon offsets. It’s very easy — in today’s world more than ever — to sort of use sound bites to paint people with broad strokes and say golf is an elitist sport, which is not true. But the data has to be current.
October 2019
The new impact study could be particularly valuable as Colorado Golf Coalition lobbyist Jennifer Cassell converses with lawmakers at the state capitol regarding the benefits of the golf industry. “If Jennifer Cassell, who has done a phenomenal job for us as a lobbyist, is working with real current data as opposed to 20-year-old data, (lawmakers) will have a tendency to listen more,” Colorado PGA executive director Eddie Ainsworth noted. “It’s a big chunk of money — a big investment — but we need to do it. And going forward, it will be updated more regularly.” Cassell likewise sees plenty of value in an updated study, noting “If we are not at the table, we are the menu.”
continued on next page
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Colorado PGA News continued from previous page — 2020 the Year of the Woman in Golf: With the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado — a joint effort of the CGA and the Colorado PGA — serving as host organization for the 2020 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship that will be held at Eisenhower Golf Club at the Air Force Academy in July, the Colorado Golf Coalition has designated 2020 the “Year of the Woman” in Colorado golf. Given that it’s a female championship and that some major related events are female-oriented — such as the Women’s Leadership Summit — Ainsworth thought it’s a good way to build on the event’s foundation. “It’s really to highlight the industry and the women in it,” Ainsworth said. “And when you look at Colorado, we have some pretty phenomenal women. That’s kind of how that came about.”
Joe Beditz, CEO of the National Golf Foundation, provided an update on Welcome2Golf, a pilot program in Denver.
Said Mate: “The national championship we’re hosting is only going to affect a small number, but the ripple effect is what we’re really hoping to capture — how that plays out in our industry as a whole.” — Doubles Golf: “Doubles Golf”, a trademarked rebranding of the two-player scramble format, will soon become a recognized and formalized competition on a state and national level, and the Colorado PGA will be one of five or six PGA of America Sections that will pilot the program in 2020, according to Ainsworth. Local, state and national championships are on the agenda. “Jack Nicklaus is involved and he’s excited about it,” Ainsworth said. “I’m big on state ownership. That’s why I’m excited about it. We’re going to own it here in Colorado. It’s definitely going to be led by the Colorado PGA, but we want everybody to participate and figure out a way that this moves the needle for everybody. “We’re working hard to get (the groundwork) done in the next 30 days.” Mate likes the concept in large part because it’s a variation of what he’s played with his wife, Eva.
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“I personally think it’s the best idea I’ve heard of as a way to grow golf in all my years in golf,” Mate said. “And I say that because I’ve seen it. It’s just an awesome format. … When you get Jack Nicklaus’ name on something, you want to seize that opportunity.” — Update on Welcome2Golf: Starting this year, the Welcome2Golf initiative has used Denver as a pilot city for an effort get interested non-golfers into the game through a concerted marketing “activation campaign”. Thirteen golf facilities in the Denver metro area were involved as Welcome2Golf “welcome centers” in 2019. Over the course of June and July, Welcome2Golf marketing created an estimated 8.3 million impressions over various media and outreach platforms in the Denver market. “We think that it got people to the golf courses,” said Joe Beditz, CEO of the National Golf Foundation, which is behind the Welcome2Golf initiative. “… We did exit interviews with all the operators at the Welcome2Golf centers. They said ‘we felt it produced more business. Our classes were full. We didn’t cancel any classes.’ They said you’ve brought a lot of attention
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Colorado PGA News to us. There’s more of a welcoming culture at our facilities (and) we’re more sensitive to people who come here who have never played before. And of course we had an indirect impact that we can’t continued on following page contined from previous page measure. When we advertised in the whole market, people didn’t just go to the 13 local centers. There’s another 60-plus facilities in the market, and I’m sure some of the people ended up at those facilities, saying, ‘I’m interested in playing golf.’” Earlier this year, Beiditz said he was hoping to “activate” somewhere between 5,000 and 7,000 latent golfers in the Denver market in 2019. The next step in the Welcome2Golf pilot program in Denver will be to see the effect on a course-by-course basis, devoting marketing efforts to a much smaller area around specific facilities. — Colorado Golf Coalition Happenings: Leading organizations in the golf industry in Colorado — including the CGA, Colorado PGA, Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and the Mile High Chapter of the Club Management Association of America — have long teamed up for the betterment of golf in Colorado. These days, that takes the form of the Colorado Golf Coalition organizing and funding the Golf Industry Summit and the Golf Day at the Capitol, retaining a lobbyist (Cassell) who works on behalf of the Golf Coalition at the state capitol, and putting the wheels in motion for a new Environmental & Economic Impact Study in Colorado. Though the Colorado Golf Coalition is an informal organization at present, Ainsworth would like to formalize the entity, which has invested almost $100,000 into the aforementioned causes in 2019. And adding the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame to the Coalition fold is an idea that’s being considered as well. As for the Colorado Golf Industry Summit, the plan is to hold the event annually for the foreseeable future.
contined from page 14 Leemhuis is a Certified Club Manager (CCM) and Certified Chief Executive (CCE) through the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA). His extensive leadership and sports management experience includes roles as: CMAA President (2009); President of the Ocean Reef Club; CEO of Congressional Country Club; GM/Director of Golf at the PGA TOUR; General Manager, Sport and Recreation at Sun City Resort; Tournament Director of the Nedbank Million Dollar Golf Challenge and Managing Director of Sports International. He guided Congressional Country Club to the No. 1 spot for the Platinum Clubs of America and into the Top 100 of Platinum Clubs in the World. A PGA Master Professional of both the PGA of South Africa and PGA of America, Leemhuis was awarded the 2011 CMAA Club Manager of the Year Award. This year, he was part of the inaugural CMAA Fellows class, for his dedication and commitment to the club industry. Leemhuis Consult was established in 2019, to provide leadership and support to the golf and hospitality industries. Leemhuis Consulting’s impressive client list includes ClubCorp, one of the nation’s largest golf operators and the Briland Club in the Bahamas. Strategic planning, leadership training and assessment, as well as Executive Search services, are the key service components offered by Leemhuis Consult. For more information, contact: Scott Kmiec at (561) 630-1760 or Michael Leemhuis at (240) 876-7819.
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Special Awards Feature
Living by The Golden Rule is Key to Assistant Professional of the Year Derek Rush, PGA T
reating others how you want to be treated is just the tip of the value-system held by Derek Rush, PGA, Assistant Professional at Cherry Hills Country Club and 2019 Colorado PGA Assistant Professional of the Year. Helping people and always treating all people with the same level of respect are other important beliefs by which Rush lives his life. “I feel very fortunate to be receiving this award,” comments Rush. “The list of past recipients is very impressive, and I am very happy to be a part of this list.” Although Rush didn’t really come from a golfing family, his grandparents got him and his older brother involved in the game. At 5-year old, he began swinging a club. Moving from Denver to Vail when he was 12, Rush’s competitive attention was focused more on football, track, basketball and skiing … basically, everything except golf. One of Rush’s first jobs was working at Eagle Vail Golf Club during high school when Ben Welsh, PGA, was the Head Professional there. Rush still remembers when Welsh would take time out of his day to show him some of the basics of the business. “I remember thinking that Ben was such a young guy and he had such an awesome job,” says Rush. “I was just a 16-year old kid who didn’t yet know I wanted to be in the golf business, but Ben took the time to work with me. I remember him showing me how to re-grip clubs. It was a small gesture, a small thing but it had a huge impact on me. In fact, today, I teach people to re-grip clubs the same way he taught me back then.” When heading off to college, Rush chose the PGA Golf Management Program at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. After college, he worked a couple seasons at The Club at Cordillera and Cherry Hills Country Club and spent a couple years at Denver Country Club before returning to Cherry Hills in 2016. Initially, Rush thought he would tailor his career toward teaching; however, once in the business and the influences of John Ogden, PGA, Head Professional
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at Cherry Hills, he aspires to move into a Head Professional or Director of Golf position. “This realization evolved since I got into the golf business,” admits Rush. “John (Ogden) has shown me what it is like to run an operation and to be a more well-rounded individual. He definitely knows the ins-and-outs of every element of the business and that is where I would like to be one day.” Rush has a real connection with everyone he teaches, he enjoys watching his students get better and work on their swing. This season alone, he taught 500 lessons ranging from golfers who are 4-years old to 91-years young. Young or old, it is his goal to treat each of them the way he would want to be treated and to always respect each of them equally. “The world is a small place, and, down the road, you never know what connections will resurface,” says Rush. “I have an opportunity to be around a wide range of extremely influential people at Cherry Hills – from doctors and professional athletes to business men and retired professionals. Yet, I really try to focus on treating everyone the same and showing those I work with the importance of treating all of them with the same respect.” The Colorado PGA Assistant Golf Professional of the Year is awarded to a PGA member or Apprentice for
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Special Awards Feature overall performance including leadership, service and promotion of the game of golf. What does it mean to you to receive the Assistant Professional of the Year Award? I looked at the list of past recipients of this award and, the way I see it, it’s a pretty good list of people to be a part of. It is nice to see that my hard work has been recognized my peers; It’s nice to be recognized. For me, it’s important to put your head down and get after it and make an impact, not only with the people you work with but with the members you server and your PGA peers, as well. What are the qualities you possess that you believe supported your receiving this award? I see myself as a well pretty pounded person. Having worked at many different positions within the golf business since I was 14, I don’t mind getting my hands dirty. I’ll move carts, clean clubs, give lessons, do fittings, work retail and get back there and wrap some gifts. Afterall, it’s what the job of an assistant really is. I also try to instill this work ethic into the guys and gals I work with. I lead by example and am a believer in the idea of no job to small; no task too big. For myself, I really try to make sure I do everything the best I can and try to be well-rounded. At this stage of my career, I think it is important to be good at a lot of different things rather than one specific characteristic. What are two tools you use in your profession that help with your success? I see a couple different ways to answer this question. An actual tool that is a great resource for the Membership here at Cherry Hills is the Launch Monitor. It is an effective tool to use during lessons and to assist with the sale of clubs. From a different angle, a tool I have here are the resources available to me. Clayton Cole, PGA, a Colorado Golf Hall of Famer, and John Ogden, PGA, Head Professional at Cherry Hills, are just a couple great people that I can talk to and meet with to ask what they did, what they didn’t do and what they wish they would have done differently in a situation. These are two very different things, but I learn from both and they both help to make my job easier. As it relates to golf, what is the best piece of advice you have received and what advice would you give to others? I had a handful of lessons when I was five or six years old and I remember working with Stewart Koch, PGA. It was cool to recently see him again after 25 years as he had left the section for a while and is now back in Colorado working at Colorado National Golf Club. His
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advice to me back then was practice with a purpose. At 5-years old, I questioned what that really meant so he said to take 10 balls and try to get all 10 up and down. Literally, to this day, I still do that. And, for my students today, I tell them exactly the same thing. I would also say have a good attitude. This relates to being on the course as well as to life in general. Getting upset has never, never made the result different. I tell kids that it’s okay to reflect on a bad shot and to ask what they could have done better but that is does no good to sulk and let the past shot affect the next one. What is your proudest moment as a golf professional? My proudest moment was getting the job here at Cherry Hills in 2012. Positions at Cherry Hills are not posted; John (Ogden) relies on his peers and word of mouth to get the right people here. At that time, I was at Cordillera and one of our members inquired about my future plans. A friend of hers from Cherry Hills had told him that there was going to be some movement with their Assistants and that there might be an opening. So, I literally cold called and asked if there was a way that I could set up an interview for any future jobs that might come about. Six months later, I got the job as an Assistant at Cherry Hills. That member at Cordillera saw that I worked hard and that an Assistant position at Cherry Hills would be valuable to further my career. And that brings me full-circle to why it is always important to treat all people with the same level of respect. You never know who it is that is going to give you your next opportunity. Share something about yourself that others may not know. I didn’t really play competitive golf; I was more interested in other sports like football, basketball and track. Most people are surprised when I tell them I only played a handful of tournaments in high school, because you don’t usually get into the business if you didn’t play golf competitively.
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Special Awards Feature
Colorado Native Hedrick Receives 2019 Colorado PGA Private Merchandiser of the Year Honors
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olorado born and raised, Andrew Hedrick, PGA, Head Professional at the Country Club at Castle Pines, is the recipient of the 2019 Colorado Private Merchandiser of the Year Award. “I am truly grateful to my staff here at the Country Club at Castle Pines for all the hard work they do to make our club the success it is,” begins Hedrick. “I also want to thank all those in the business who have mentored and inspired me along the way. I have learned so much from so many and they have all helped me accomplish what I have and helped me to win this award.” As a product of a multi-generational golfing family where both dad and grandpa played the game, Hedrick grew up on the course. Most days were spent interacting with the membership at the course and honing his own golfing skills. “I was that kid at the course that wouldn’t leave anyone alone,” jokes Hedrick. “I looked up to some of the great golfers in our section like PGA Professionals Mike Zaremba, Dave Lewis, Dave Dame, Gary Woodside and Prim Ivan. These influencers in my life drove me to not only work to improve my game as a junior golfer but to consider a career in the golf industry. They were very significant in my life and I credit them for setting me on the path I am on today.” In fact, Zaremba is credited for building Hedrick’s first set of clubs when he was just 4-years-old; and
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Lewis was both Hedrick’s boss at Desert Hawk and his college golf coach at CSU Pueblo. Red Sky was Hedrick’s first real job in the golf business working for PGA Professionals Jeff Hanson and Chris Lai. He considers this a rare and unique opportunity for a job like this to be a college graduates first position in the golf business. While working on his PGA credentials, the 23-year old Hedrick worked in the golf industry in the summer months and as a ski instructor in the winter month.
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Special Awards Feature Hedrick spent a winter at Mission Hills Country Club in California before accepting the position at Sanctuary where he would spend the next five years. Working with Rudy Zupetz and Gail and Dave Liniger at Sanctuary taught him how to wisely manage his time and gave him a working knowledge of many of the specific tasks of running a facility. “I believe that the time I spent at Sanctuary is a direct correlation to some of the successes I am having now, especially in the area of merchandising,” comments Hedrick. “With the smaller staff at Sanctuary, I was given staffing and golf operations responsibilities, as well as being held accountable for event management and merchandising. It was a huge learning curve and a bit of a crash course but being there really helped to put me on a fast track in the golf industry.” But Hedrick always had an aspiration of becoming a Head Professional at a club like the Country Club at Castle Pines. In 2016, that dream came true when he was offered the Head Professional position at Castle Pines where he continues to enjoy the challenges and rewards of being in the golf business. Hedrick is married to Monica, his wife of seven years. They have two beautiful children, Elin (5) and Emmi (4). The Private Merchandiser of the Year Award recognizes a Colorado PGA Member who has demonstrated superior skills as a merchandiser in the promotion of golf at a private facility. What does it mean to you to receive this award? First, I would say Thank You! Thank you to Ben Welsh, PGA, Colorado PGA President, and Thank You to all of you who reached out to me with your kind and thoughtful words. It is a bit unfortunate that my name is on the award because I feel like it is such a group effort, a team endeavor. In particular, my merchandiser, Sonny Scheer, PGA, and I spend time daily talking about anything and everything pertaining to merchandising. It’s an important component of the business that, given the appropriate time and attention, can be very beneficial for the club and the operation. I also want to thank our customer base, our members and our club for all the support they give us. It takes time for a merchandising plan to evolve and materializes and we are now reaping the benefits of all the conversations and hard work from the last few years. Thank you to everyone for this honor! What is your merchandising strategy? For us, it’s three-fold: product mix, communication and service. Members join a club because they are looking for a unique and different experience. As a private club,
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we are always looking for that clothing manufacturer who is doing something new and different. Over the last two years, we have had to change our product mix and our vendors, eliminating some vendors that sell at the big-box retailers. It’s hard to justify and stock product at our markups when they can purchase the same item at a local retailer. Going back to our merchandising strategy, it’s important to know who our customers are and what products best fits that demographic. When a new collection arrives in the shop, we increase our communication and marketing efforts and bring awareness to those members who have shown an interest in those particular products. This gives us the opportunity to put a personal touch on our communications, as well as increase the level of service we offer to our members. Showing them that they are on our mind spurs them to take action. What are the qualities you possess that you believe supported your receiving this award? I think I am resolute. Day-in and day-out, I try to make sure I do the small things right – things like having the proper amount and mix of inventory. I find it pays dividends down the road to spend the appropriate amount of time looking at the details and paying attending to the smallest of them. I project myself as a leader. I am a believer in the notion that the way you project yourself is how you are perceived. It’s a leader’s role to keep everyone calm and focused on the end goal when human nature would have us react differently. My disposition helps in this regard as I am typically very composed, not too hot or too cold. Finally, I see parallels between playing the game and working in the business. To be a good player, you have to put in the time and the practice. The same goes for the business. To be successful in the job, you have to
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Special Awards Feature put in the time, pay attention to what’s going on and keep your wits about you. I try to do these things each day. What are two tools you use in your profession that help with your success? At a minimum, you must have a plan and understand your end goal. Many of us go about this in a reverse order where we know what our year-end goal is in terms of sales or inventory level and then we back into. It enables us to understand what we can buy and what we can’t. We manage our business by having a buying plan and being diligent about sticking to that plan. Understanding what’s happening in our shop each day is important. I do this through a spreadsheet that I’ve created where I track not only our guests and cart fees but I’m also paying attention to our daily merchandise sales and daily special-order sales to understand how they fit into our weekly, monthly and annual sales plan. This helps us to see how sales are trending. If they are trending downward, we can offer a sale or adjust incoming orders. As it relates to golf, what is the best piece of advice you have received and what advice would you give to others? I think, for me, these two pieces of advice are one and the same. When you choose to get into the golf business, it is truly a profession and, as a Golf Professional, you are responsible for the business. Treat it like a business, present yourself as a professional and keep in mind that you are not only representing yourself, but the club, the membership at the club, your fellow peers within the business and the PGA of America. This is true day-in and day-out, working in the office or out on the course. What is your proudest moment as a golf professional? Personally, my proudest moment is when I was given the opportunity to serve as the Head Professional here at The Country Club at Castle Pines. I have always aspired to serve at a club like this one.
to our success in the shop and, ultimately, to this moment in getting this award. I am proud of the group collectively. Share something about yourself that others may not know. I’ve been playing the game for 30 years and I’ve never had a hole in one. Something non-golf related … I can’t wait for pheasant season to open. I have two dogs that I go hunting with and there’s nothing better than walking through a wide-open field simply engaged in hunting pheasant. I am able to be in the moment, enjoying the outdoors.
On the playing side, I have, thankfully, had the chance to qualify and play in some nice events, like the National Assistant’s Championship for three year and the TaylorMade Pebble Beach Invitational. To top it off, I got to have my dad as my amateur partner at Pebble Beach. Who wouldn’t want to play Peddle Beach with their dad? If there’s one person that has kept me motivated and been that voice of encouragement both personally and professionally, it would absolutely be my dad. Another proud moment for me is when I get to watch my team during golf merchandise shows spend the time and attention to select products that contribute
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Special Awards Feature
Thayer’s Positive, Half-Full Attitude Earned Him the Resort Merchandiser of the Year Award C
ontinually changing and finding new ways to be successful is the mantra of Kenny Thayer, PGA, Director of Golf at Beaver Creek Golf Club and 2019 Colorado Resort Merchandiser of the Year. “Thank you for selecting me as the winner of the Resort Merchandiser Award. I feel very fortunate to be where I am today,” begins Thayer. “I love what I do and where I do it. I love the opportunities I have here. It’s pretty special to see and understand the ways I can affect the lives of the people who work for me.” Thayer played golf with his dad as a kid and played on the high school team for a couple years in Colorado before moving to Mammoth Lakes, California. After college, he returned to Mammoth Lakes as a ski instructor, which, in turn, took him to Aspen to teach skiing. Doing the golf-ski thing, he caddied at Maroon Creek in the summer where he once again picked-up his clubs after a six-to-seven year hiatus. It was during his first real golf job at River Valley Ranch Golf Course in Carbondale Colorado that he got hooked on being in the golf industry year-round. And what better place to do that then by taking a job in Hawaii on the island of Maui at the Kapalua Plantation Course. After spending 6-years working at Kapalua, he realized skiing was still in his blood and he wanted skiing to be an option for his then 6-month old daughter. In 2007, Thayer accepted an Assistant Professional position at Beaver Creek Golf Club. He moved into the Head Professional role a year later and in 2015, accepted the year-round position of Director of Golf. Since becoming the Director of Golf, Thayer has made it his challenge to keep things fresh at the course. From upgrading the level of merchandise in the golf shop and tailoring a new menu to meet the feel of the operation to constructing new bridges and reshaping holes on the golf course, Thayer strives to always keep
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things new. What’s next … adding a ping pong table, a putting green and corn-hole, to name just a few. “Coming up with fun, new ideas and not keeping with what we did last year is always a goal,” admits Thayer. “My team and I are motived to try to top our accomplishments from the previous year and keep the environment here at Beaver Creek fresh and exciting.” Thayer is married to his wife, Sony, and they are the proud parents of two daughters, age 10 and 12. The Resort Merchandiser of the Year Award recognizes a Colorado PGA member who has demonstrated superior skills as merchandisers in the promotion of golf at a resort facility. Beaver Creek is an 8-time winner. What does it mean to you to receive this award? This means a ton to me for the simple fact that I’ve been blowing-up everything that we used to do here. It’s really rewarding that my staff and I are being recognized for what we are doing, not for what was done in the past. I would remiss if I didn’t recognize and thank my merchandiser, Jordan Prochaska. She’s a Rock Star and without her this would not have happened. Merchandising is something new for Jordan, as well, but she has an incredible work ethic and really want to and does a great job. We also have a lot of fun together creating a positive buzz around the shop. One of the things we first did when I became responsible for merchandising was to identify who our clients are. Knowing we have a very high-end clientele, we adjusted our inventory to match their wants and needs by carrying higher value products. We also know that 90 percent of our members and guests are skiers as well as golfers, so we capitalized on Beaver Creek and the world class ski resort that we have in our back yard by tying the theme of much of our golf supplies
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Special Awards Feature back to skiing. We have ball markers and head covers with skiers on them and signs in the shop that read, “I survived the Double Black Tees.” We have moved away from the more classic golf attire and now stock only print shirts and tighter fitting pants. I’m now wearing Peter Millar jeans, print shirts and FootJoy loafers. They say that “duplication is the best form of flattery.” Since everything I wear is sold in our shop, our members are now dressing in these newer styles, as well, and having a lot of fun with it. What is your merchandising strategy? Ultimately, we listen to our customer and to our customer’s needs and then work to personalize their experiences to meet those needs. One thing we are not and never want to be is a cookie-cutter shop; we don’t want to be that shop that does what everyone else is doing. Our calling card is to be unique and different. We are continually changing and thinking outside the box. I am a firm believer in change; just because something worked last year doesn’t mean that we will do it again this year. Our goal is to find something new, creative and fun to keep the momentum going. We spend the off-season coming up with new and fun things to make the golf shop better. This year was great … what can we do next year to keep it interesting? How this philosophy plays itself out in the shop is that when we hear a member or customer ask for something we don’t carry, we will make every attempt to bring the item into the shop. Because of this strategy, we now carry turtlenecks, swim trunks and flip flops. What are the qualities you possess that you believe supported your receiving this award? Two things: I’m not afraid to try new things and I’m pretty good at thinking outside the box. We had people say that if we bring in a $50 hat, no one will buy them. We went against the grain and found just the opposite to be true – we can’t keep the hat on the shelves. My advice to merchandisers is, “If you feel strongly about something, go for it and see what happens. Don’t be afraid to fail.” Personally, I wasn’t a merchandising expert when I took this position and I have been learning as I go. Merchandising was something that I wasn’t sure was going to be one of the favorite parts of my job but it has turned into just that. What are two tools you use in your profession that help with your success?
and myself, make it a point to be on the floor talking with and asking questions of our guests. The relationships we have with both our members and our resort guests sells merchandise. We also create a fun environment. When people come into a shop that has good energy like I think we have created here, I think it helps sales. As it relates to golf, what is the best piece of advice you have received and what advice would you give to others? I had a previous boss tell me that if you work hard and do the right thing, everything else will take care of itself and I think that has worked for me. I don’t think I was the most qualified guy for the job when I started here and I don’t think I had anything special but what I do have is a good personality, a positive attitude and I put my head down, work hard and always try to do the right thing. The advice I would give to someone else is to enjoy what you are doing. I’ve always been that guy who sees the glass as half-full rather than half-empty. If you enjoy what you are doing, a lot of things are going to take care of themselves. After all, we are in the golf business! Having fun while remaining professional is key. What is your proudest moment as a golf professional? This may not pertain to being the resort merchandiser of the year but my proudest moment came this year when my 10-year old daughter decided she wanted to learn to play golf and hang-out with me at the golf shop. She’s playing with members and guests without me and they are sharing with me how she conducted herself and the conversations they had. I think these interactions are probably just as much or more beneficial for her than even learning to play the game. She is coming in to work with me at 6:00 a.m. and spending time out on the practice range. She is showing an interest in golf like she has never shown in the past. It’s so neat! She just wants to hang out with me in my environment. Share something about yourself that others may not know. I never thought that retail would be a favorite part of what I do. I honestly thought it would be a bit tedious but now that I’m doing it, when I come into the golf shop, I’m proud of what we have done and continually what to make it better.
For us, this ties back into our merchandising philosophy of getting to know our customers and our members. My entire staff, including my merchandiser
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Special Awards Feature
Colorado PGA Public Merchandiser of the Year, Stilwell, Believes Customer Education is the Key to Increased Sales G
olf courses on a military installation attract a diverse group of customers. From active-duty soldiers to senior military leadership and veterans alike, the course is a gathering place for many. Knowing this and being able to provide something for everyone is one of the reasons that Keith Stilwell, the PGA General Manager at Cheyenne Shadows Golf Course at Fort Carson, has been named the 2019 Colorado PGA Public Merchandiser of the Year. “It’s an honor to be recognized with the Public Merchandiser of the Year Award,” says Stilwell. “The true key to our merchandising program is the team. Without the great service that my team provides, we wouldn’t be able to have the success we’ve had, nor would we be accepting this award.”
Stilwell is proud to be a life-long Coloradoan having been born and raised in Northern Colorado. Being the only golfer in his family, had it not been for a few of his accomplished junior-golfer friends who dragged him to the course, his direction in life may have taken a different turn. But, like many in the business, once 10-year old Stilwell was introduced to the sport, he fell in love with it, and, as they say, the rest is history! “Because I was the only golfer in my family, my parents weren’t heavily involved but they did everything they could to keep me on the golf course,” recollects Stilwell. “We didn’t come from a whole lot, but they made some great sacrifices to keep me involved in golf and I will always be grateful to them for that. I probably haven’t said thank you to them nearly enough.” Stilwell attended the PGA Golf Management Program at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. His second internship was at Cheyenne Shadows, which led to him accepting his first post-graduation position there. He then spent a couple years in Fort Leavenworth, Kan., before returning to Cheyenne Shadows as General Manager in April of 2015. To date, all of Stilwell’s time as a PGA Member has been serving at military instillations and he feels that
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Cheyenne Shadows is a great place for him to be. From the beginning, he knew he wanted to be more involved in the business of golf, like golf operations. With that path, merchandising led to a healthy part of what he does every day. “We have a very diverse golfing population, with players ranging from first-time golfer to very experienced life-long players,” notes Stilwell. “Army golf provides a unique opportunity to introduce soldiers to the game and our goal is to do it right.” One of the things that has set Stilwell and Cheyenne Shadows apart in recent years was the building of an indoor/outdoor fitting center. The club has been able to provide custom fitting to its customers, which has helped increase their hard-goods sales significantly over the last two years. Their merchandising operation is not without challenges. Like many facilities, Cheyenne Shadows competes with big box stores and online retailers. Stilwell and his team have taken this head on by focusing on building relationships with their customers. Through these relationships they have been able to build trust, which in turn has led to an increase in sales revenue of over $50,000 between 2017 and 2018.
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Special Awards Feature The Public Merchandiser of the Year Award recognizes a Colorado PGA Member who has demonstrated superior skills as a merchandiser in the promotion of golf at a public facility. What does it mean to you to receive this award? Honestly, it’s pretty exciting! There are so many great public golf operations and public Golf Professionals in Colorado that just being in the same conversation with them is an honor. I definitely look at this as a team award and we really do have a great team here at Cheyenne Shadows. Jon Husby, PGA, played a big part in building our program to where it is today and, when he left to pursue a position at the UCCS PGA Golf Management Program, Mike Roby has done a great job of stepping-in to continue that effort. We have put in a lot of hard work to make sure we are setting the standard for public golf in Southern Colorado so, to say the least, it’s nice to be recognized and it shows that we are on the right track. What is your merchandising strategy? Simply put, quality education. We run the full gamut of skill levels when it comes to our golfers here at Cheyenne Shadows, ranging from a young soldier walking onto a golf course for the very first time to a scratch player that is qualifying for the All-Army team or looking to transition out of the Army and play professional golf. To best serve this diverse population, we keep a little bit of everything in our shop covering multiple price points. As their game and their passion for it progresses, our one-stop-shop approach provides us the inventory needed to graduate them to higher quality equipment. This is where our overall merchandising philosophy of educating our soldiers and building relationships with them gives them the confidence that we have their best interest in mind. In addition, we are fortunate that we are not required to run at the same margin levels as some of our competitors. We run leaner, which gives us the ability to make sure our price points are competitive for the soldier. What are the qualities you possess that you believe supported your receiving this award? I would say the biggest qualities that both the team and I possess are the ability to connect with our customer and to share our passion for the game. These things have built us to where we are today. What are two tools you use in your profession that help with your success? My answer to this is two-fold: physical tools and emotional tools. Technology is the physical tool that we use. In order to keep up with golf in 2019, we utilize two industry-
October 2019
leading systems: TrackMan Launch Monitor and Sam PuttLab. They assure we are offering a first rate fitting experience and give us the opportunity to practice our philosophy of educating our customers. And, since the majority of our sales come from clubs, these tools are extremely important. Secondly, I look to fellow PGA Professionals and my mentors in the industry as a tool I use to succeed. I think, as golf professionals, it’s pretty important that we don’t put ourselves out on an island but rather acknowledge there are others doing this with us. If we get hung up on something, using those mentors and fellow PGA Professionals as a resource is really key. Although I may not have mentors in the formal sense, I certainly thank the following people who have helped to guide me throughout my career: from the Cheyenne Shadows team, Master Professional Mike O’Donnell, PGA, Director of Family, Moral, Welfare and Recreation, and Master Professional Frank Jacobson, PGA; Jim Hajek, PGA, Head Professional at Fossil Trace; and Leighton Smith, PGA, Director of Instruction at Leighton Smith Golf. As it relates to golf, what is the best piece of advice you have received and what advice would you give to others? The best piece of advice I received is to not be afraid to make mistakes and, if you do make a mistake, make sure it is in the customer’s favor. That’s been a key thought in nearly everything I’ve done in my career and throughout our operation. The advice I’d give to other golf professionals … Don’t lose your passion for the game. Keep playing. We all got into the business because we love golf and hopefully, still do. We certainly are better golf professionals when that love for the game is still alive. What is your proudest moment as a golf professional? I still remember the feeling on my first day as a Head Professional/General Manager walking into Trails West Golf Course in Kansas knowing that for the next however many years, I was going to have the ability to shape the climate and the future of that facility. To this point, that has been my proudest moment. Share something about yourself that others may not know. I am an adrenalin junkie. Although I’m really mild mannered most of the time, risk-taking and adrenalin is definitely in my DNA. I grew up riding and racing motor-cross and still own several dirt and sport bikes. Honestly, I hope this characteristic is reflective in golf operations, showing that we are willing to take those risks.
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Special Awards Feature
Helping Others is Central to Mease, 2019 Colorado PGA Player Development Award Winner P
GA Professional Kirk Mease, PGA, Head Professional at Wellshire Golf Course, is the recipient of the 2019 Colorado Player Development Award. “It is very humbling to receive this award,” says Mease. “I thoroughly enjoy everything the golf industry and the game of golf have to offer. Being able to make a difference in the lives of others through this great game is what it is all about.” Mease grew up the youngest of five boys. While his brothers all played tennis, according to Mease, he defected to play golf, finding it more enjoyable than tennis. When he was just 10 years old, he and his brother would take their allowance and go to the course to play 9-holes for just $3. He cut his teeth on the game at the Twilight Golf Course at the intersection of Quebec and Leetsdale in Denver. His first golf-course job was at Park Hill Golf Course where he worked while attending college and, from there, he spent the next three years at Legacy Ridge Golf Course. He was elected into Membership on April 1, 1997, and by the beginning of 1998, he had earned his first Head Professional position at Willis Case Golf Course. From there, Heritage at Westmoor (now Walnut Creek Golf Preserve) recruited Mease to assist with the opening of that course. In 2000, he came to Wellshire Golf Course. Wellshire had originally been a country club until the Depression of the 1930’s. At that time, Wellshire and Cherry Hills both existed, however, that was more than the community could bear. In 1936, the City and County of Denver purchased the course and clubhouse (which still stands to this day) for $60,000 and it has been a public facility ever since. The City of Denver also took over the golf shop concession that was held for many years by the Hart Family. “Playing golf at Wellshire was a part of my childhood,” remembers Mease, “so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to accept a position here. I have been fortunate to be in and around Wellshire for close to 40 years.”
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Helping others is central to all that Mease holds dear. In fact, he endures his own personal challenges that have limited his time on the golf course. He experienced his first symptom of Neuro-sarcoidosis in 2000, a condition that, for him, affects his spine and brain at various times. This condition is likely a contributor to what drives Mease. He is not a quitter. When asked about his condition, he comments, “This is my new normal. With a positive mindset and the strong support of family and friends, I will continue to take life one shot at a time.” This award recognizes a PGA Member who has made extraordinary contributions and achievements in conducting and/or supporting Play Golf America initiatives. What does it mean to you to receive the Player Development Award? Receiving this award gives me an assurance that people are noticing what we are doing here at Wellshire. As with everyone in the golf industry, we are all very busy, but the entire staff here is committed to working with our HOPE Program and with the military in the Denver area. The HOPE Program is enjoyable to all, especially to us, the instructors. We all feel intense gratitude when we are able to help a veteran come out of a dark place and use golf as a tool to help them get through life. Our HOPE Fall Session has 30 participants – an all-time high for our program. We have been fortunate to have a number of noteworthy things come from our HOPE Program. We introduced Vietnam helicopter pilot, Jim Bishop, to
The SUMMIT
Special Awards Feature Anthony Netto, founder and chairman of the Standup and Play Foundation. This foundation provides stand-up and play golf carts to individuals who qualify. Six-months after that introduction, we were unloading a new, $25,000 stand-up and play cart at Wellshire for Jim. Although the cart was donated specifically to Jim, he houses it here at the facility so that it is available to others who might need it. Craig Hospital also has a stand-up and play cart that they keep at Wellshire enabling them to incorporate golf into their patient’s programming. A recent opportunity provided to a member of our HOPE program is the inaugural PGA HOPE National Golf and Wellness Week in Washington, D.C. next season. Joseph Robinson has been invited to participate in this program taking place at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. Our staff also works with the certified therapeutic recreational program at the VA Hospital where we instruct veterans who have varying abilities. In addition, we work with the City of Denver’s Parks and Rec Special Needs Program. In the middle of the summer, assist with Special Olympics. These experiences are very humbling and remind us all that being a PGA Professional is all about helping others enjoy the game. Here at Wellshire, we now have three stand-up and play units and two solo riders. Because of this inventory, we are reaching out to this demographic to say that golf is possible. In fact, just last week, a lady mentioned to me that “If it wasn’t for this program (golf), I still wouldn’t have left my house.” A sufferer of PTSD, she had been home-bound for nearly 10 years. It makes a big different to be able to help someone like that, just one person at a time. What are the qualities you possess that you believe supported your receiving this award? I think it’s the passion I have to help people, as well as my passion for the game of golf. It’s nice to be recognized for one’s accomplishments but getting or not getting this award doesn’t change what I will do today, tomorrow, next week or next year. Once you start a HOPE Program you can never get enough. We are all professionals in the game of golf so at whatever level I can share with someone else the joy, happiness, recreational aspect or the laughter you get from the game of golf, I will do it at any time, for any one!
October 2019
What are two tools you use in your profession that help with your success? I’m an event planner of sorts. I find it rewarding to put the HOPE Program together – to pull together the resources, the individuals, the instructors and the equipment to make a program successful. My fellow golf professionals are another tool I utilize. I don’t think it is necessary to reinvent the wheel every time we start a new program, so I reach out to other professionals at other facilities to learn what has worked for them, how they fund their activities and look at their schedule of events. I believe it is necessary to keep things fresh so using these other professionals as resources has been valuable to our own program. As it relates to golf, what is the best piece of advice you have received and what advice would you give to others? I started back in the 1987 at Park Hill Golf Course when Kevin Fonk was the Head Golf Professional there and, basically, my mentor. I told him I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a career and he said, “Why don’t you become a golf professional? You’d do a great job.” One of the best pieces of advice he gave me had to do with my attitude and how I carry myself on the golf course. He had noticed that I had a bit of a temper and that I expected a lot out of my game. His advice to me was to get to know myself well enough to understand that I’m going to make mistakes. It’s not about the mistakes you make but how you recover from those mistakes that determines who you are and your way forward. I think this advice plays well with anything in life. We are all experimenting and at the end of the day, some things work while other may not, but, the important thing is how we recover. continued on page 32
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Special Awards Feature
Youth Player Development Award Winner Trent Wearner Thanks Those Before Him T
he 2019 Colorado Youth Player Development Award is being presented to Trent Wearner, PGA, Owner and Director of Instructor at Trent Wearner Golf Academy. He looks at every hour of every day as being uniquely different and doesn’t know how anything he chose to do could be better than what he is doing. “I certainly have those before me to thank for the level of success I have achieved,” shares Wearner. “None of this happens without the great people I have had the good fortune to work with during my 23 years of coaching nor does it happen without the students who have chosen to share their journey with me.” Wearner, a Colorado native, has been working in the world of golf since the age of 16 when his mom encouraged him to get a job. Part of high school and all through college he worked at Hyland Hills in Westminster first tending to the driving range and then moved into the golf shop. His first summer out of college, a friend recruited him to work as an Assistant Professional in Illinois where he was in charge of the junior golf program. “It was truly a blessing in disguise that I was given the responsibility of the junior golf program that first summer,” remembers Wearner. “Frankly, it set everything in motion for me and my career. Although I love working with golfers of all ages and skill levels, junior instruction is at the heart of what I do.” Returning to Colorado from Illinois, the first order of business for Wearner was to figure out how to coach on a full-time basis. He was introduced to Keith Lyford, PGA, a top 100 Golf Magazine Teacher, who ran a golf school in New England in the summer and his own school in Scottsdale in the winter. For three years, Wearner traveled between the two locations and would have continued had he and his wife not desired to get back to Colorado. He considers himself lucky to have found a place with Mike McGetrick, PGA, teaching at his facility at Meridian Golf Club. After three years, McGetrick moved on to do other things in the golf world and Wearner decided to stay put at Meridian to
October 2019
continue the golf school. That was 20 years ago. “I was busy teaching from the start at Meridian because of Mike,” comments Wearner. “I was fortunate to be on the receiving end of his reputation. Slowly but surely, I built my own clientele and eventually a business with a staff. I have been very privileged and humbled to be a part of the careers of so many great golfers at every level in their development of the game.” What does it mean to you to receive the 2019 Colorado Section Youth Player Development Award? Each time I have had the honor of receiving a Section Award, it came as an unsolicited nomination from a Section Member at various facilities around the state. I am just as honored about that fact as I am to receive this or any Section Award. The Youth Player Development Award means a ton to me because I spend so much of my time with juniors. My time outside of the academy is spent following juniors’ scores online, sending consoling and encouraging texts to juniors and also celebrating their successes with them. I’ve worked with over 100 juniors who play or went on to play college golf and, to have witnessed their growth, maturing and improvement is something I’m very grateful for. I am extremely fortunate and honored that people drive a very long way to come to the academy. Keeping that in mind keeps me grounded and always improving as a coach. When someone drives three hours one way from a neighboring state
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Special Awards Feature or corner of Colorado to take a golf lesson, I have to be humbled and always at my best. What do you believe are the qualities you possess that support your nomination for this award? One word … connection. As a coach, you have to have phenomenal connection skills. You must match the personality in front of you and, if you do that well, you will have endless numbers of students knocking on your door. But when it comes down to it, it’s really all about our students – nothing happens without them and their hard work. Our focus is around the accomplishments of our students as they are at the core of everything we do. For my part, it is imperative to build an environment that encourages hard work while being fun and entertaining. What are two tools you use in your profession that help with your success? It seems weird to say but the golf course is my best tool. You can spend hours with a student indoors or on the lesson tee but when you take them to the course, and they do something completely different, you have to question the environment in which we all coach. The second thing would be any piece of technology that helps us measure the student’s improvements. Nowadays that comes in the form of launch-monitor data for many of our students.
As it relates to golf, what is the best piece of advice you have received and what advice would you give to others? The best advice I received and the advice I would give to others are: Don’t just work on a student’s swing, there is so much more to the game, and Do what you say you’re going to do and more. What is your proudest moment as a golf professional? I get an immense number of letters from students and parents just thanking me for my time or being a part of their golf journey. The fact that they took the time to send something to me is touching and heartwarming. Also, our student’s accomplishments truly speak to the level of teaching we provide. I currently have 37 students who have made it to National USGA events and 15 individual high school state champions. We are extremely proud of the successes our students achieve and are so honored to be given the opportunity to be along for the ride. Share something about yourself that others may not know. I enjoy untangling (aka, fishing) with our boys, road trips with our family and time on the water in our canoe.
(continued from page 29) This’s the same piece of advice I would give to others. It’s not always about the game or the score but about how you handle your mistakes and how you recover. Most importantly, enjoy your time with friends, family and new acquaintances so at the end of the round you can really enjoy your time. What is your proudest moment as a golf professional? Two words – Jamie Ketchum. Some of you may remember the horrific crash on I-25 in May of 2017 when a dump truck collided with the Ketchum’s SUV. Jamie had third and fourth degree burns over 95 percent of her body. Her legs and one arm were amputated, and she spent more than a year as a patient at the UCHealth Burn Center. I was asked to help Jamie find a way to get back into the game of golf. We met to determine our course of action and one-week later, we delivered to her a putter that could be attached to her forearm so she could swing it like a pendulum. This solution allowed Jamie, in an adaptive golf cart, to participate in the 10th Annual UCHealth Burn Center Golf Tournament at Arrowhead Golf Course. She would putt for teams on the 18th green and the teams could use her putt for their score. The first putt she made that day was an Eagle Putt. ‘Can’t’ isn’t in this amazing woman’s vocabulary. Jamie has a spirit that is undeniably the best spirit of anyone I have ever met. Because of her attitude, it wasn’t about the cards she was dealt but about how she dealt with the cards. She is an absolute joy to be around and her positive outlook makes me speechless. To be just a small part of her amazing journey is very rewarding. Share something about yourself that others may not know. Back in 1985, I had a hole-in-one on No. 11 at Wellshire using my 5 iron. Then in 1988, I had a hole-in-one on the same hole hitting with my pitching wedge. It just goes to show what practicing can do for your golf game over a 3-year period.
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The SUMMIT
2019
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October 2019
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Membership News
Membership News An update on our Colorado PGA Members By the Numbers Members - 732 | Associates - 103 Total - 835 Male Members - 697 | Female Members - 38 11th out of 41 Sections 114 – Management positions (MP, A-4, A-9, A-11, A-13) 316 – Club Professionals (A-1, A-2, A-7, A-8) 114 – Instructors (A-6, A-10, A-12, A-14) 22 – Expanded Career Paths (A-15 thru A-24) 123 – Life Members (LM, LMM, LMA, LMMA) 37 – Other Categories (A-3, A-5, HM, IN, F, RM)
New Members
The Colorado PGA welcomes new members and associates to our Section on a regular basis. For some, this is the first time they have joined our Section while others may be returning. Please join us in welcoming them! Michael B. Maves, PGA | A-8 | The River Course At Keystone Tyler S. Winslow, PGA | A-8 | Lake Valley Golf Club Tanner J. Crisofulli, PGA | A-8 | Sonnenalp Golf Club
New Associates
The Colorado PGA welcomes our newly registered associates. Associates in the PGA of America are responsible for upholding the mission of the PGA, to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. Chase N. Luckett | B-8 | King’s Deer Golf Club Tyler J. Lowry | B-8 | Cheyenne Shadows Golf Course at Fort Carson
Happy Birthday! October 1 Jacob G. O'Dell, PGA Bryce Bervig, PGA October 3 David A. Brown, PGA Jordan S. Londer, PGA October 4 Kayla M. O'Keefe William J. Bernhardt, PGA October 5 Scott R. Ough, PGA Peter D. Hymes, PGA Jonathan Arnold, PGA Derek J. Rush, PGA
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October 6 Brad A. Thorberg, PGA October 7 Melissa A Isnetto Sam G. Broome, PGA October 9 David W. Heinly, PGA Phil Gerster, PGA
October 14 Caine L Fitzgerald, PGA Jeff C. Hanson, PGA Rick Graves, PGA Stewart G. Koch, PGA October 15 Michael E. Northern, PGA Sherry Andonian, PGA
October 12 Jaime M. MacDonald, PGA
October 16 Chad J. Miller, PGA
October 13 Zachary L. Lambeck, PGA Rynk M. Strothers, PGA
October 17 Narudol P. Yoadjarust, PGA Geoffrey J. Strasser, PGA
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Membership News October 18 Matthew B. Kloppenburg, PGA October 20 Nick B. Welch, PGA Alexander P. Calleja, PGA October 22 Michael P. Jurca, PGA Daniel J. Lee, PGA Christopher A. Johnson, PGA October 23 Stephen J. Arendt, PGA Jacqueline M. Cunningham J R Hamblet, PGA October 24 James R. Owens, PGA October 25 Steven Bruening, PGA Gregory Bryan, PGA Gregg C. Jones, PGA Tara G. Morris, PGA October 26 Dominic D. Principato, PGA Jay A. Ewing, PGA Eugene Miranda, PGA October 27 Craig S. Vollmar, PGA Bryan R. Marshall Grant Wittenwyler, PGA October 28 Donald A. Fox, PGA October 29 Stan Sayers, PGA Patrick M. Tait, PGA Benjamin D. Pilon, PGA October 30 Kevin C. Montano, PGA Gary R Washington, PGA Ross W. McLean, PGA Judy Begin-Sloan, PGA October 31 Jeremy Beck, PGA Frank J. Jacobson, PGA Kala A Rusk November 1 Orrin M. Googins, PGA Bryson W. Hotchkiss, PGA
October 2019
November 2 Kenneth A Sanchez, PGA Ron Vlosich, PGA November 3 Meghan P. Hunter, PGA Gabriel B. Dirksen Timothy R Radomicki Josh W. Troyer, PGA Joe Glasser, PGA November 4 Michael A. Fletcher Stephen M. VanDyke, PGA Bruce A Johnston, PGA November 5 Jordan M LeBlanc November 6 Joseph P. Carlton, PGA Alice M. Plain, PGA Robbins H Manley, PGA Thomas E. Young, PGA James W. MacDougall II, PGA PJ Irwin, PGA November 7 Ed J. Kujalowicz, PGA John T. Hamer, PGA November 9 William C. Hancock, PGA David R. Duval, PGA Trent J Wearner, PGA Ryan C. Williams, PGA November 10 Kimberly N. Bean, PGA November 11 Anthony J Principato, PGA November 12 Todd B. Laxson, PGA Luke O. Skattum, PGA Joseph Limes, PGA Winston A. Howe III, PGA November 14 Tommy S. Wiles
November 18 Sawyer W. Lynn, PGA Chris G. Bowry, PGA Michael D Mendelson, PGA November 19 Samuel H. Chapman, PGA Nathan H. Mead, PGA Charles J. Perry, PGA November 20 David R. DiMartino, PGA Christopher J Wilson November 21 Kenneth M. Kettler, PGA November 22 Paul D. Ransom, PGA Gregory D. Gortsema, PGA November 23 Randal L. Bregar, PGA November 24 Douglas W. Poland, PGA John P. Hanrahan, PGA November 25 Ryan D. Husted Thomas R Gibbs, PGA November 26 Mike G. Swan, PGA Tyler A. Finn, PGA November 27 Robert L. Quaratino Jr., PGA Rudolph T. Zupetz, PGA Austin T. Logan, PGA Mark N. Bacheldor, PGA Dustin A. Lecy Kevin S. Bolles, PGA November 29 Mark C. Miller, PGA November 30 Brandon J Bucci
November 15 Brett Winder, PGA Kevin E. Cohrs, PGA David Dame, PGA November 16 Lew Lepore, PGA
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Tournament News
Turning the Tables CGA amateurs rally in singles to take Colorado Cup back from Colorado PGA professionals, winning matches 23-17 at The Broadmoor By Gary Baines – 10/16/2019 There were many people in Wednesday’s Colorado Cup field who have fond memories of competing in prominent events at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. For instance: There were Colorado PGA professionals Doug Rohrbaugh and Chris Johnson, who qualified for — and competed in — the 2018 U.S. Senior Open at the East Course. There was CGA amateur Colin Prater, a longtime Colorado Springs resident who grew up calling The Broadmoor his home course.
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And there were CGA amateurs Jon Lindstrom and Richard Bradsby, who have won The Broadmoor Invitation four-ball title twice each in recent years. And two years ago, there were the Colorado PGA pros, who routed the CGA amateurs 26-14 in the Colorado Cup with The Broadmoor hosting. On Wednesday at the resort’s West Course, the amateurs representing the CGA were the ones who cherished a memorable outcome. Two years after absorbing that 12-point loss, the CGA rallied in a big way in the late-afternoon singles to post a 23-17 victory in the biennial matches where some bragging rights are at stake. The amateurs trailed 10.5-9.5 after the first two
The SUMMIT
Tournament News sessions — a nine-hole four-ball and nine-hole foursomes — but won the nine-hole singles session 13.5-6.5 to come out on top.
everyone knew the singles was going to be make or break. It was cool. I really enjoyed it. I thought our team played pretty well. Obviously, there’s a lot of really good amateurs. I knew a few of the senior guys from being a club pro, and I know how good they are.” This year marked the resumption of the Colorado Cup competition after it took last year off, with organizers deciding it would become a biennial event after being held every year from 1971 through 2017. And this was the second time the Colorado Cup rosters have not included any college players — a mainstay for the amateurs in previous years — because the event was moving from summer to during the college season.
Two-time U.S. Amateur qualifier Colin Prater, competing on his home course, went 3-0 in his matches on Wednesday. “It’s awesome, said Prater, the 2016 CGA Amateur champion who has qualified for two U.S. Amateurs. “I love winning. I hate losing and I love winning. I’m super competitive, but I haven’t been playing a whole lot of golf. So it’s a great team win at the home track. I get to enjoy it with some friends. It’s an awesome feeling.” In fact, Prater took a day off from his teaching job at Colorado Springs’ Doherty High School to compete on Wednesday.
Erin Houtsma, center, shares a laugh with fellow amateur Kristine Franklin as Kristine’s husband Brent watches the action on Wednesday.
“This was my first day technically gone with students (in class),” said the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs graduate. “I was a little tentative, but I got a good sub. I hope (the students) got some work done today. We’ll find out in the morning whether they did or not.”
“This event is so awesome,” reinstated amateur Erin Houtsma, the 2005 CoBank Colorado Women’s Open champion, said after competing for the first time. “I’ve never played in anything like this — a Ryder Cup/ Solheim format. I can honestly say that never in a competitive setting have I played in alternate shot before. My partner (Kristine Franklin) and I played better in alternate shot than we did in four-ball.
As usual at The Broadmoor, the wildlife joined in the fun on Wednesday.
“I feel lucky to be part of it. I think it’s so neat to have the best amateur golfers in Colorado playing together.”
Prater was one of three players out of the field of 20 amateurs and 20 pros who won all three of their nine-hole matches on Wednesday, joining fellow amateur Dylan Wonnacott and professional Michael Weingartner, who, like Wonnacott, was playing in the Colorado Cup for the first time.
After the Colorado PGA won both women’s four-ball matches 1 up, the CGA female amateurs went 5-1 the rest of the way, with Houtsma, Franklin and Tiffany Maurycy chalking up 2-1 individual records for the day, and Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton going 1-2.
Things went down to the wire in the overall competition as 11 of the 20 singles matches were settled on the final hole — three being tied, seven ending up 1 up, and one finishing 2 up. “It was great,” Weingartner said of the atmosphere in general. “We had a lot of energy and it was a lot of fun. After the first two (sessions) seeing how close it was,
October 2019
Amateurs Jon Lindstrom, right, and Richard Bradsby are no strongers to success at The Broadmoor, having won The Broadmoor Invitation four-ball title twice each. Joining Prater and Wonnacott with 2-0-1 individual records for the winning CGA squad on Wednesday were Lindstrom and Bradsby, two Lakewood Country
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Tournament News Club members who teamed up in four-ball and foursomes, and Ryan Burke. As noted, Wonnacott was competing in the Colorado Cup for the first time, and while it was fun to win, he would have enjoyed playing whatever the outcome. “I think we played well and had a lot of fun,” he said. “Win or lose, it was still going to be a blast either way. It was so much fun. I had a great time.” Meanwhile, going 2-0-1 for the pros on Wednesday were Mike Northern, Barry Milstead and Rick Cole. Then, defying the odds, you had four players tie all three of their matches — amateurs Thomas Roos and Brian Woody, and pros Mike Zaremba and Scott Sommers.
Pros Ron Vlosich, left, and Rick Cole hit tee shots over some grazing deer on Wednesday.
While playing in a setting like The Broadmoor is enough to put a smile on just about anyone’s face, Prater perhaps had the biggest one of them all, given that this was pretty much home turf for him during all of his formative years, and that he had a certain advantage in the Colorado Cup for that reason. “I’ve played endless rounds here,” he said after making seven birdies on Wednesday (including the three he and Wonnacott recorded in alternate shot). “The Broadmoor has always been tricky. It even causes some of the best players in Colorado problems. So it’s a huge advantage. I’ve seen everyone’s putt. I’ve seen that hole location 20 times. Every single shot that every guy hit today, I’ve hit it at least once.” Wednesday marked the record 14th time The Broadmoor has hosted the Colorado Cup Matches.
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Colorado Cup Matches At The Broadmoor’s West Course in Colorado Springs (P indicates pro; A indicates amateur) (An individual win is worth 1 point; a tie is worth 0.5) (OVERALL FINAL SCORE: CGA AMATEURS 23, COLORADO PGA PROFESSIONALS 17) 9-Hole Four-Ball (Colorado PGA 5.5, CGA 4.5) Richard Bradsby/Jon Lindstrom (A) def. Geoff Keffer/ Jason Witczak (P), 3 and 2 Colin Prater/Dylan Wonnacott (A) def. Eric Bradley/ Ben Honaman (P), 2 and 1 Peter Norwood/Michael Weingartner (P) def. Josh McLaughlin/Chris Thayer (A), 2 up Jeff Carter/Visanu Tongwarin (P) tie with Tyler Bishop/ Ryan Burke (A) John Hornbeck/Steve Ivan (A) def. Doug Rohrbaugh/ Chris Johnson (P), 2 up Mike Northern/Barry Milstead (P) tied with Keith Atkins/Guy Mertz (A) Ron Vlosich/Rick Cole (P) def. Gary Driber/Victor Minovich (A), 5 and 3 Mike Zaremba/Scott Sommers (P) tied with Thomas Roos/Brian Woody (A) Tara Morris/Kristyn Crippen (P) def. Kristine Franklin/ Erin Houtsma (A), 1 up Holly Champion/Liz McCabe (P) def. Kim Eaton/Tiffany Maurycy (A), 1 up
9-Hole Foursomes (CGA 5, Colorado PGA 5) Geoff Keffer/Jason Witczak (P) tied with Richard Bradsby/Jon Lindstrom (A) Colin Prater/Dylan Wonnacott (A) def. Eric Bradley/ Ben Honaman (P), 1 up Peter Norwood/Michael Weingartner (P) def. Josh McLaughlin/Chris Thayer (A), 1 up Tyler Bishop/Ryan Burke (A) def. Jeff Carter/Visanu Tongwarin (P), 3 and 1 Doug Rohrbaugh/Chris Johnson (P) def. John Hornbeck/Steve Ivan (A), 2 and 1 Mike Northern/Barry Milstead (P) def. Keith Atkins/Guy Mertz (A), 2 and 1 Ron Vlosich/Rick Cole (P) def. Gary Driber/Victor Minovich (A), 2 and 1 Mike Zaremba/Scott Sommers (P) tied with Thomas Roos/Brian Woody (A) Kristine Franklin/Erin Houtsma (A) def. Tara Morris/ Kristyn Crippen (P), 2 up Kim Eaton/Tiffany Maurycy (A) def. Holly Champion/ Liz McCabe (P), 2 and 1
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9-Hole Singles (CGA 13.5, Colorado PGA 6.5) Jon Lindstrom (A) def. Geoff Keffer (P), 4 and 2 Richard Bradsby (A) def. Ben Honaman (P), 1 up Eric Bradley (P) def. Chris Thayer (A), 2 up Dylan Wonnacott (A) def. Jason Witczak (P), 1 up Michael Weingartner (P) def. Tyler Bishop (A), 1 up Ryan Burke (A) def. Visanu Tongwarin (P), 4 and 3 Colin Prater (A) def. Peter Norwood (P), 4 and 3 Josh McLaughlin (A) def. Jeff Carter (P), 1 up John Hornbeck (A) def. Doug Rohrbaugh (P), 1 up Steve Ivan (A) def. Chris Johnson (P), 1 up Barry Milstead (P) def. Victor Minovich (A), 2 and 1 Mike Northern (P) def. Guy Mertz (A), 2 and 1 Gary Driber (A) def. Ron Vlosich (P), 2 and 1 Brian Woody (A) tied with Rick Cole (P) Thomas Roos (A) tied with Mike Zaremba (P) Keith Atkins (A) tied with Scott Sommers (P) Erin Houtsma (A) def. Tara Morris (P), 3 and 2 Kristine Franklin (A) def. Kristyn Crippen (P), 2 and 1 Tiffany Maurycy (A) def. Liz McCabe (P), 1 up Holly Champion (P) def. Kim Eaton (A), 2 and 1
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Tournament News
Dow Finsterwald Colorado PGA OMEGA Player of the Year 1 | Caine Fitzgerald | Meadow Hills Golf Course | 7808.15 2 | Doug Rohrbaugh | Snowmass Club, The | 5022.5 3 | Geoff Keffer | Lakewood Country Club | 4646.47 4 | Chris Johnson | The Country Club at Woodmoor | 3578.92 5 | Jason Witczak | The Club at Pradera | 3529.93 6 | Micah Rudosky | Conquistador Golf Course | 3526 7 | Ben Honaman | Lakewood Country Club | 3345.8 8 | Michael Weingartner | Thorncreek Golf Course | 3326.54 9 | Sherry Andonian | Valley Country Club | 3064.3 10 | Visanu Tongwarin | Legacy Ridge Golf Course | 2762.67 11 | Eric Bradley | Catamount Ranch and Club | 2642.7 12 | Ryan Bakken | Thorncreek Golf Course | 2628.47 13 | Ron Vlosich | Life Member | 2516.5 14 | Brian Gott | Gott Golf | 2152.78 15 | Remington Post | Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks | 2113.5 16 | Kirk Trowbridge | MetaGolf Learning Center | 2047.83 17 | Mark Avery | The Pinery Country Club | 1997.03 The Top-17 players will earn an exemption into the CoBank Colorado Open in the following year. The Colorado PGA Tournament Committee will choose who receive 10 additional exemptions into the championship annually.
Colorado PGA Women’s Player of the Year 1 | Sherry Andonian | Valley Country Club | 2718.3 2 | Alexandra Braga | Denver Country Club | 1062.5 3 | Rachel Cavalier | Boulder Country Club | 520 4 | Stefanie Ferguson | CommonGround Golf Course | 463 5 | Tara Morris | Country Club at Castle Pines | 375
Senior Colorado PGA OMEGA Player of the Year 1 | Doug Rohrbaugh | Snowmass Club, The | 7198.5 2 | Ron Vlosich | Life Member | 6931 3 | Chris Johnson | The Country Club at Woodmoor | 5861.92 4 | Sherry Andonian | Valley Country Club | 4347.3 5 | Rick Cole | Eaton Country Club | 4002.67 6 | Barry Milstead | Valley Country Club | 3524 7 | Michael Zaremba | Desert Hawk at Pueblo West | 3030 8 | Patrick Reidy | The Club at Inverness | 2827.17 9 | Mike Northern | Life Member | 2697.75 10 | Brian Gott | Gott Golf | 2634.45
Colorado PGA Associate Player of the Year 1 | Ben Lanting | Bear Creek Golf Club | 5,991.92 2 |Patrick Grady | University of Colorado | 2,755.17 3 |Seth Zacks | The Club at Ravenna | 1,664.50 4 | Cody Kent | The Club at Ravenna | 1,632.00 5 | Mark Franz | Saddle Rock Golf Course | 906.72 6 | Brian Baltzer | Loveland, The Olde Course at | 898.00 7 | Brandon Wood | Saddle Rock Golf Course | 843.00 8 | Tyler Winslow | Lake Valley Golf Club | 732.00 9 | Dan Augustine | The Club at Ravenna | 706.50 10 | Benjamin Pennymon | The Pinery Country Club | 660.00
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3-For-3
Junior Golf News
Hillary wins JGAC Tour Championship girls title for third time; Wyoming’s Paxton claims boys victory; Hillary, Stewart named Players of Year By Gary Baines – 10/13/2019 As if completing a personal trifecta in the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado’s Tour Championship weren’t enough for Charlotte Hillary on Sunday, the 17-year-old accomplished the feat at her home course, Cherry Hills Country Club. And, to take it yet another step, with the victory the Kent Denver senior earned the Girls Player of the Year award from the JGAC. That’s what you call finishing the Colorado golf season in style. Hillary won the JGAC Tour Championship each of the previous two times she played in the event — in 2016 at Cherry Hills and last year at Denver Country Club. And this time she left little suspense in claiming the title by 10 strokes. The JGAC schedule features four junior major championships, and though records aren’t complete for all of them, only four girls before Sunday had won one of the majors at least three times: Holley Morris (four Colorado Junior PGA Championships, in 1976, ’78, ’79 and ’80); Sally Hardwick (three Colorado Junior Match Plays, in 1953, ’55 and ’56); Shannon Johnson (three Colorado Junior Match Plays, in 1970, ’71 and ’72); and Jennifer McCormick (three Colorado Junior Amateurs, in 1991, ’92 and ’93). “That was one of my goals this year,” Hillary said of her personal three-peat in the Tour Championship. “I’m really happy to have done it. To have won it three years is not something a lot of people can say. “This is my last time playing in it, which is pretty sad, because next year I’ll be in college. But just to look back and have my name on the trophy three times is really special. I’m definitely excited about that.” Joining Hillary as a Tour Championship winner on Sunday was 14-year-old JGAC member Parker Paxton of Riverton, Wyo., who pulled away down the stretch to claim the boys championship by three over two-time 4A state high school champion Micah Stangebye of Montrose. “It feels pretty awesome” to win the Tour Champion-
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ship, said Paxton, an eighth grader at Riverton Middle School. “I’m very thankful Colorado let me into this event. And Cherry Hills was just an amazing golf course. It’s pretty special. I kind of fell in love with the course while I was out there. It’s perfectly manicured, awesome. It means a lot to win this one.” And while the Northwestern University-bound Hillary earned Girls Players of the Year honors from the JGAC, Dillon Stewart of Fort Collins landed the Boys POY for the second straight year after winning the first two majors of the year — the Colorado Junior PGA and the Colorado Junior Amateur. Stewart did not play in the JGAC Tour Championship this weekend as he’s a freshman on the Oklahoma State golf team. Charlotte Hillary earned Sunday’s title at her home course, Cherry Hills. Hillary, whose family has been members at Cherry Hills since 2003, birdied the last two holes — including a 25-footer on 18 — on Sunday to shoot a 3-over-par 75, giving her a winning total of 3-over 147. On day 2, she made three birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey. Kaylee Chen of Greenwood Village, the Colorado Junior Amateur champion and a U.S. Girls’ Junior qualifier this year, placed second on Sunday among the girls at 157 (78-79). Aubri Braecklein of Northglenn took third at 158 (79-79). On the boys side, Paxton and Gavin Hagstrom of Fort
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Junior Golf News Collins were neck and neck atop the leaderboard most of Sunday. Hagstrom, a senior at Fossil Ridge High School, was one ahead after a birdie on 11. But he bogeyed 12, and Paxton took the lead for good with a 12-foot birdie on No. 15. After both players bogeyed 16, Hagstrom fell back with a double-bogey 7 on No. 17 and Paxton closed with a birdie on 18. Parker Paxton landed the boys title Sunday at the age of 14. He’s an eighth-grader in Riverton, Wyo. Paxton ended up with a 1-under-par 71 on Sunday, giving him a winning total of 3-under 141 in his first days ever playing Cherry Hills. He carded four birdies — including a 60-footer on No. 8 — and three bogeys on Sunday. Five days after winning his second straight 4A individual title, Stangebye placed second at 144 after a pair of 72s. Hagstrom, who finished third in the 5A state high school meet on Tuesday, ended up third on Sunday at 145 after a second-round 77. “I beat some great players this weekend,” said Paxton, whose older brother Easton plays college golf for North Carolina State. “There were 10-15 players who could legitimately come here and win. To be the one who played the best and came away with the ‘W’ is pretty special. “This might be my biggest accomplishment yet. It’s definitely the biggest win and one of the strongest fields I’ve ever played in.” Hillary capped a big week with her Girls Player of the Year honors. Meanwhile, it’s been quite a week for Hillary. Besides winning the tournament on Sunday and earning JGAC Girls Player of the Year honors in front of family and friends — “the more the merrier for me at this point,” she said — earlier this week she was named the 2019 Girls Future Famer by the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame. And on the same day, she was notified she’s going to receive the prestigious AJGA Jerry Cole Sportsmanship Award later this fall in Florida, where she’ll give a speech for the occasion. In part, Hillary earned the sportsmanship honor for raising $40,000 — $20,000 for The First Tee and $20,000 more for AJGA ACE Grants. Hillary also was named First Tee Volunteer of the Year by the Colorado Open Golf Foundation board for the same reason. Likewise because of her fundraising for good causes, Hillary will get to play golf with Rickie Fowler in Florida prior to the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions, where Hillary will compete in late November in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
last month in Montana. Earlier this month, she teamed up with Hailey Schalk to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball for the second time. In addition, Hillary recorded one of the best individual finishes ever by a Coloradan in the Girls Junior Americas Cup by placing third. She was also second in the 3A girls state high school tournament, third in the CGA Women’s Stroke Play, third in the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior, and 29th in the Girls Junior PGA Championship. As for landing the Girls Player of the Year honor from the JGAC for the first time, Hillary said, “It’s something I’ve really been working hard for the last couple of years and I’m a senior so I’ll never have that opportunity again. It feels good to be up with my friends who have won it before, and to get recognition for my summer and fall (of good play) is really special.” Dillon Stewart, now an Oklahoma State golfer, earned the Boys Player of the Year award for the second straight year. As for Stewart, in 2019 he won the final two JGAC majors in which he competed — the Colorado Junior PGA by eight strokes and the Colorado Junior Amateur by four. The 2018 boys Junior America’s Cup individual champion also represented Colorado in the 2019 JAC. He also tied for qualifying medalist honors for the U.S. Junior Amateur for the second straight year and qualified for the national Boys Junior PGA Championship. And now, Stewart is playing college golf for the perennial powerhouse that is Oklahoma State. “I’m truly honored to accept this award again this year,” Stewart said in a video clip. “It means a lot, and that hard work does pay off. “The opportunity you have that the Junior Golf Alliance provides for you — these tournaments — is something that you’ll never forget. I think it’s the greatest thing I’ve ever done is play golf. It takes me places I never thought I would go.” For scores from the JGAC Tour Championship, click on the following: BOYS, GIRLS.
On the course in 2019, Hillary won her first AJGA title
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Junior Golf News
Boys State High School Golf Stangebye, Montrose pull off second straight sweep of 4A titles; Arapahoe sophomore Kates wins going away in 5A, while seniors lead Fairview to team crown; Pals prevails in playoff in 3A, helping Lutheran claim team championship By Gary Baines – 10/08/2019 The final strokes of the 2019 boys high school golf season went in the books on Tuesday afternoon, and a plethora of stellar storylines played out across Colorado at the state tournaments. To single out some of the most noteworthy: — With senior Micah Stangebye and his Montrose squad claiming the individual and team titles in Class 4A for the second straight year, Stangebye becomes just the third player in Colorado boys high school golf history to twice sweep those two championships during his career. The previous two were Denver South’s Ron Sevier (1953-54) and Kent Denver’s Ethan Freeman (2010-11). — Stangebye’s nine-stroke victory was certainly one of the largest margins in Colorado boys state high school history. It was even a shot more than when Wyndham Clark went 64-64 in 2011 and won by eight. — Montrose, competing in its hometown at The Bridges, likewise made the 4A team competition a lopsided affair, winning by 35 shots. — While two of Tuesday’s state champions — Stangebye (4A) and Lutheran’s Westin Pals (3A) — are seniors, unheralded sophomore Will Kates of Arapahoe (pictured at left in top photo) prevailed in 5A — and by six strokes. Kates won after not even making Arapahoe’s state tournament team a year ago.
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— While the 4A and 5A tournaments turned out to be runaways in the individual competition, 3A went to a sudden-death playoff, with Pals defeating heralded Prospect Ridge senior Walker Franklin. — Speaking of seniors, the Fairview squad that won the 5A team title was make up of nothing but golfers in the 2020 graduating class — William Chadwick, Brett Reamon, Ryder Heuston and Ewan Albright. The Knights earned their first state championship in boys golf since 2007, and they did it despite counting a quintuple-bogey 10 on the fourth hole on Tuesday.
“I wasn’t even in the top 10 of my team last year,” Kates said. “To come out this year and to win it feels pretty great.”
Heuston, who has bounced back from spending 36 days in the hospital after breaking three vertebrae and suffering a traumatic brain injury in a December ski accident, shot a 6-over-par 76 on Tuesday despite that 10. And given that Fairview only won the team title by three, him keeping it together was a big part of the reason why the Knights earned the state championship.
— Two of Tuesday’s individual winners closed with scores of 66 in the final round — Stangebye a 5-underpar round at The Bridges in 4A and Kates a 4-under total at Pinehurst Country Club in 5A. Kates’ 66 was the lowest score by four strokes over the two days at Pinehurst.
“It shows a tremendous amount of resilience and a lot of character” on Heuston’s part, said Fairview coach John Zerwin, a former University of Colorado golfer. “He wouldn’t have been able to do it last year. The maturity and everything he got out of that accident has given him a lot. It’s pretty neat to see.”
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Junior Golf News Said Heuston: “Walking off that (fourth) green, I didn’t know what to expect. Three holes later, I really mentally put it together and said ‘I still have a team score I need to fight for.’ I did my best to grind it out, and I hit some really good shots and started making some putts.” Fairview put three players in the top eight individually, with Chadwick (72-72) placing third, Reamon (71-75) seventh and Heuston (71-76) eighth. “I don’t think winning individually would make me much happier than I am right now,” Heuston said. “Being here with the team and taking home a win is unbelievable. My coach walked up on the 18th hole after I hit my approach shot and he gave me a big high-five and said, ‘Let’s go win a state championship.’ He’s been with me every step of the way and it’s amazing to finally give him a title.” It’s Fairview’s fourth state championship in boys golf overall. “It’s awesome” to finish on top, Zerwin said. “It’s a special group of kids. They’re four buddies and four friends. To see them play for each other and finish it off there at the end is really neat.” Here’s a little more on how each of the state tournaments shook out: — 5A AT PINEHURST COUNTRY CLUB IN DENVER: Arapahoe’s Kates, who started Tuesday one out of the lead, put on a putting display to win going away. The sophomore one-putted seven consecutive holes — Nos. 10 through 16 — to leave his competitors in the dust. During that stretch, he drained six putts in the 4- to 12-foot range — three for birdie, two for par and one for bogey. “Once they start rolling, it keeps going,” Kates said of his success on the greens. “Putting is pretty rhythmbased, so once you get in a groove it’s a lot easier.” Beyond that, the way he handled adversity on the 11th hole was a key. There, she shanked his second shot, narrowly missing going out of bounds. But he hit his third shot — via flop — over a small tree to a green sloping significantly away from him, and managed to get his ball within 12 feet of the cup. And then, of course, he sank the putt for an improbable par. “That was a big turning point for me,” he said. Three consecutive birdies starting on No. 14 gave Kates an ever-bigger margin. And after a routine par on No. 18, he had just the second individual high school victory of his young career. “It’s pretty crazy,” he said. “I saw a lot of improvement this summer, and I guess that all came together these
October 2019
last two days.” Arapahoe coach Harry Buckner was left trying to explain Kates’ success at Pinehurst. “He’s never gone that low (before), but what happened today is he made putts,” Buckner said. “And on this course if you make putts you’re going to do well. And that’s what he did; he knocked in five or six 10-footers. He saved at least three pars with great chips and putts, and he made five birdies with great putts. That’s how you score and win. It was awesome.” Highlands Ranch senior Tarek Salem finished a distant second in 5A, at 3-over-par 143. “You can’t be mad when he shoots a 66,” Salem said. “It’s not like I missed a putt on the last hole (to lose). He played really well and I played really well so I can’t complain too much.” Chadwick shared third place individually at 144 with Ryan Liao of Lakewood and Gavin Hagstrom of Fossil Ridge. In the team standings, Fairview finished at 17-over-par 437, three better than Arapahoe. Fossil Ridge, the 2018 champion, placed third at 441. — 4A AT THE BRIDGES IN MONTROSE: A year after winning the 4A individual state title by five, Stangebye was even more dominant on Tuesday in his high school golf finale in his hometown. As a senior, Stangebye went 67-66 for a 9-under-par 133 total and made just one bogey in two rounds. One Tuesday, he chalked up six birdies and one bogey. Three of his birdies came consecutively, starting on hole 8. “Obviously it was an advantage being able to play this course every day this summer,” Stangebye told CHSAANow.com on Tuesday. “You know where you can miss it and where you can’t. You know how the putts break and overall I probably hit the ball better than I have any tournament this year starting on the first hole and all the way to the 18th green.” Adding to the fun was Montrose winning its third consecutive 4A team title — and fourth all-time. Unlike last year, when the Indians prevailed by six, this victory was lopsided. They finished at 5-over-par 431, 35 strokes ahead of Pueblo West. Ponderosa was third at 468. Individually, tying for second, nine back of Stangebye, were Kaden Ford of Discovery Canyon and Hunter Swanson of Northfield. They matched 72s on Tuesday. Swanson finished sixth in the 4A ranks last year. Gregory Lewis of Lewis-Palmer, who also posted a 72, checked in fourth at 144.
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Junior Golf News — 3A AT EISENHOWER GOLF CLUB’S BLUE COURSE AT AIR FORCE ACADEMY: In contrast to the large margin of victories individually in Class 5A and 4A, the 3A competition went overtime. And in OT, Pals took down one of the top junior players in the state, Franklin, who finished fifth out of 209 golfers in the prestigious IMG Academy Junior World Championships over the summer.
CLASS 4A AT THE BRIDGES IN MONTROSE Team 1. Montrose 217-214–431 2. Pueblo West 231-235–466 3. Ponderosa 239-229–468 4. Frederick 239-233—472 T5. Cheyenne Mountain 244-229–473 T5. Mullen 238-235–473
Pals rallied from five strokes back with 14 holes left thanks to a 2-under-par 70 and a 74 from Franklin, who three-putted the final hole of regulation and made bogey to force a playoff. On the first extra hole, Pals prevailed with a par.
Individual 1. Micah Stangebye, Montrose 67-66–133 T2. Hunter Swanson, Northridge 70-72–142 T2. Kaden Ford, Discovery Canyon 70-72–142 4. Gregory Lewis, Lewis-Palmer 72-72–144 5. Ethan Aubert, Palisade 76-69–145 6. Gabe Marmon, Cheyenne Mountain 73-73–146 T7. Ryan Lords, Montrose 73-74–147 T7. Lance Phillips, Palmer Ridge 76-71–147 9. Noah Wagner, Pueblo West 76-72–148 10. Jake Chesler, Frederick 76-74–150
“It was pretty windy, so I knew I wouldn’t have to go crazy low,” Pals told CHSAANow.com. “I didn’t get off to the greatest start. … I just said, ‘This is my last golf tournament, let’s go out there and see what we can do.’” Jacob Mason of Holy Family finished a distant third behind Pals and Franklin, at 7-over-par 151. Lutheran earned the 3A team title — its first ever — despite having just three competitors in the field — one fewer than most other teams. Lutheran checked in with a 34-over-par total of 466. Holy Family finished second at 471 and Colorado Academy third at 478. Here are the top team and individual finishers in each class: CLASS 5A AT PINEHURST COUNTRY CLUB IN DENVER Team 1. Fairview 214-223—437 2. Arapahoe 226-214—440 3. Fossil Ridge 218-223–441 4. Highlands Ranch 224-227–451 5. Regis Jesuit 230-225–455 Individual 1. Will Kates, Arapahoe 71-66–137 2. Tarek Salem, Highlands Ranch 71-72–143 T3. Gavin Hagstrom, Fossil Ridge 70-74–144 T3. Ryan Liao, Lakewood 72-72–144 T3. William Chadwick, Fairview 72-72–144 6. Grant Alqatami, Boulder 73-72–145 7. Brett Reamon, Fairview 71-75–146 T8. Ryder Heuston, Fairview 71-76–147 T8. Owen Cornmesser, Fossil Ridge 72-75–147 10. Matthew Wilkinson, Arapahoe 77-71–148
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CLASS 3A AT EISENHOWER GOLF CLUB’S BLUE COURSE Team 1. Lutheran 232-234–466 2. Holy Family 235-236–471 3. Colorado Academy 242-236–478 4. Aspen 232-247–479 5. Kent Denver 237-243–480 Individual T1. (won playoff) Westin Pals, Lutheran 74-70–144 T1. (lost playoff) Walker Franklin, Prospect Ridge 70-74–144 3. Jacob Mason, Holy Family 78-73–151 T4. Nic Pevny, Aspen 72-80–152 T4. Jeffrey Zhou, Kent Denver 74-78–152 T4. Tayleb Schaefer, Sterling 75-77–152 T7. Jack Pevny, Aspen 74-79–153 T7. Max Noffsinger, Frontier Academy 77-76–153 T7. Jacobo Arango, Kent Denver 79-74–153 T7. Peter Stinar, St. Mary’s 77-76–153
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Junior Golf News
Pattern Developing ‘Team Europe’ makes it 4-0 in Junior Ryder Cup in JGAC era
By Gary Baines – 10/13/2019
T
he designations of “Team USA” and “Team Europe” in the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado’s annual Junior Ryder Cup are a pretty random take-off of the real Ryder Cup. Playing for one team or another is largely haphazard. Still, there’s been an odd trend developing in the event, which draws some of the state’s best 13-and-under golfers. Ever since the JGAC came into being in 2016, Team Europe has won the Junior Ryder Cup every time. The fourth consecutive victory by the “Europeans” in the JGAC era came on Sunday when they rallied to prevail 18-14 at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora. Team Europe dominated Sunday’s 18-hole singles matches 10.55.5, making the difference after trailing by one entering the final day. Europe had won Saturday’s nine-hole four-ball session 4.5-3.5, with the USA prevailing 5-3 in Saturday’s nine-hole foursomes. Going 3-0 in their three matches over the weekend were Europe’s Ellie Barry and Noah Richmond and the USA’s Taylor Wilson. Also going undefeated, with 2-0-1 records, were the USA’s Austin Barry and Brynn Balliet. Joining Barry and Richmond on the winning Team Europe were Alena Kasanicky, Gavin Amella, Addison Hines, Tyler Long, Charlie Tucker, Logan Hale, Will Balliet, Spencer Schlagel, Talen Turnbaugh, Ross Miller, Adrielle Miller, Brayden Destefano, Jadie Wilson and Collen Todd.
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