Metropolitan PGA Newsletter October 1, 2014 Ted Bishop and Randy Smith Headline Met PGA Fall Meeting, Special METROPOLITAN PGA th Awards Presentation & Fall Forum at Bethpage State Park on Oct. 29 OFFICERS Heath Wassem , Fenway GC Our upcoming Fall Meeting & Fall Forum will be at Bethpage State Park on Wednesday, President Oct. 29th. PGA President Ted Bishop will be an honored guest as he returns to the spot where he made the historic announcement one year ago of the PGA’s plan to come to Brian Crowell, GlenArbor GC Bethpage Black for the 2019 PGA and 2024 Ryder Cup. The Fall Meeting enables the Secretary members to celebrate the 2014 season and review the activities of the Section and help Carl Alexander, GC of Purchase set the course for the coming year with the election of officers and the Nominating Treasurer Committee. In addition we will honor several of our 2014 Metropolitan PGA Special Stuart Waack, Silvermine GC Awards winners at the close of the Fall Meeting including the following: Jeff Warne, The First Vice President Bridge (Teacher of the Year); Michael Shank, North Shore CC (Horton Smith Award); David Jones, Silver Spring CC John Kennedy, Westchester CC (Bill Strausbaugh Award); Nick Maselli, Old Oaks CC Second Vice President (Youth Player Development Award); Max Galloway, Mohansic (Player Development Award); Greg Bisconti, Saint Andrew’s GC (Patriot Award) and Merchandisers of the Year BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chris Kenney, The Patterson Club (Private Club) and Darren Stanek, Harbor Links Shawn Baker, Greens at Half Hollow (Public Course). Michael Breed, Michael Breed Golf Academy Mike Diffley, Pelham CC The Fall Forum will feature Randy Smith of Northern Texas who has the distinct Dave Fusco, Patriot Hills GC background of working with many outstanding players (Justin Leonard, Gary Woodland, Robert Gick, Sand Point GC Harrison Frazer, Colt Knost, John Rollins, Ryan Palmer and Martin Flores) as well as Jamie Kilmer, Wheatley Hills GC being a club and teaching professional to his members at Royal Oaks. Rob Labritz, GlenArbor Club Our proposed slate has been mailed and posted (click here) and the names of candidates Cory Muller, CC of Darien for the 2014-2015 Nominating Committee will be voted upon at the Fall Meeting. Sean Quinlivan, Piping Rock Club Michael Shank, North Shore CC Met PGA Golf Night with the NY Islanders at Nassau Coliseum on Oct. 16th NOMINATING COMMITTEE Chris Case, Mount Kisco CC We are excited that one of our next efforts in the Player Development arena to promote Joe Felder, Griff Harris GC golf will take place at the Nassau Coliseum on Oct. 16th when we once again set up a teaching net and encourage non-golfers and golfers alike to come in for a free 10 minute Bobby Heins, Old Oaks CC lesson. A golf theme will run throughout the night’s activities as the Islanders face the Tom Henderson, Round Hill Club San Jose Sharks. In addition to the teaching net, several of our Junior Golfers will be part Ben Hoffhine, Wykagyl CC of the celebration and discounted tickets are available for our professionals, juniors and Greg Hurd, North Hempstead CC golfers throughout the Met PGA. Click here to see these special game offers or for more Jim Smoot, Huntington CC information and to purchase tickets, visit: www.newyorkislanders.com/golfnight If you are available to teach lessons we will need volunteers between 6pm-9pm please email Staff Members Charlie if interested at [email protected]. Charles Robson, Executive Director Kelli Clayton, Membership Director National Car Rental Sponsorship Significantly Elevates Voight and Mallon Jeff Voorheis, Tournament Director Pro-Am Championships at Sunningdale and Southampton Dan Frankel, Tournament Administrator Dan Kiley, Tournament Administrator A bonus purse of $5,000.00 will be added to these team events Tony Murrell, Controller for those registered to join the Emerald Club (at no cost). The Emily Powers, Communications Administrator men’s club champions or top male amateurs will have their chance with their facility’s professional at Sunningdale on Oct. 2nd where the National www.met.pga.com Car Rental Whitey Voight Met PGA Pro-Am Championship will be conducted or at Southampton Golf Club on Wednesday, Oct. 22nd for the National Car Rental Jack Mal- lon Pro-Am Championship. Registration for any of these events is online. METROPOLITAN SECTION NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 1, 2014 ~ PAGE 2 Gene Borek Squire Cup Teams Square Off at Country Club of Fairfield Our congratulations to the assistant professionals who have been selected for the 2014 Gene Borek Squire Cup team. They will compete against a team of their head professional counterparts at Country Club of Fairfield on Tuesday, Oct. 7th. These matches honor the memory of Gene Borek and his legacy as a leader, player and the ultimate professional. The matches are sponsored by Cutter & Buck and Paul McManus. The Assistants Team will be comprised of the following: Andrew Bostrom (Quaker Ridge GC), Jason Caron (Siwanoy), Pete Catanzaro (Scarsdale), Joe DiDomenico (Pelham CC), Dennis Dungee (Mount Kisco CC), Brian Giordano (Old Oaks CC), Mario Guerra (Sunningdale Club), Kyle Higgins (Inwood CC), Brian Hussey (Fairview), Tyler Jaramillo (Seawane Club), Ben Polland (Deepdale GC) and Tim Puetz (Huntington CC). The head professional team includes: Carl Alexander (GC of Purchase), Jack Druga (Shinnecock Hills), Ben Hoffhine (Wykagyl CC), David Jones (Silver Spring), Rod Loesch (Connecticut GC), Rick Meskell (Meadow Brook), Cory Muller (CC of Darien), James Ondo (Apawamis), Dave Renzulli (CC of Fairfield), Michael Shank (North Shore CC), Stuart Waack (Silvermine) and Heath Wassem (Fenway GC). Both teams should be very proud of their selection and accomplishments and having the opportunity to celebrate the assistants and the legacy of Gene Borek at one of the most special clubs in our Section will make this a memorable day for everyone. Lincoln Met PGA Pro-Lady Championships Set for Patterson & Rockville Links The close of our tournament season is always marked by the Pro-Lady championships on the October schedule. This year’s Lincoln sponsored events include two great venues – Patterson Club in Fairfield, CT on Monday, Oct. 6th and Rockville Links Club in Rockville Centre on Long Island on Thursday, Oct. 23rd. Both of these shotgun events are modified Pinehurst events that pair our professionals with their women’s champion or top lady amateur from the club. The Bridge, Cherry Valley, Garden City Golf Club, Hempstead, Hudson National, Rolling Hills St. Andrews Golf Club, Seawane and Westchester Country Club Among our Charitable Leaders We will have a more complete report at the Fall Meeting but wanted to offer our sincere appreciation to the above clubs for their incredible support of Junior Golf and/or Patriot Golf Day. These eight clubs are responsible for over a quarter of a million dol- lars in funds raised to support the two charities that the Met PGA has identified as ours. We expect that several other clubs will also be reporting additional success stories and will try to have a complete accounting by the end of this month on our current standings for contributions to Met PGA Junior Golf and Folds of Honor. Treiber Memorial Wraps up Player of the Year Race - 2015 Match Play Exemptions Are Still Up for Grabs Wheatley Hills Golf Club plays host to our annual conclusion to the Met PGA Player of the Year race and for the coveted Treiber trophies and the title in this stableford event. Grant Sturgeon, behind three wins (Met Open, National Car rental Met PGA Assis- tants and MasterCard Westchester PGA) has locked up the Section title while Craig Thomas has an impressive lead in the seniors standings. Professionals are also reminded that the point standings are used for the Match Play exemptions for 2015. Qualifying for players (both in the regular and in the senior divisions) who are not exempt for this Tournament of Champions will be on Tuesday, Oct. 14th and the championship runs on the 15th – 17th with a cut after each round. PGA Senior Professional Championship Moves to PGA Golf Club in November We will have a very strong contingent of players traveling to Port St. Lucie and the Ryder & Wanamaker Courses at PGA Golf Club on Nov. 13th -16th for the PGA Senior Professional Championship. In addition to our Met PGA Senior Champion Craig Thomas of Metropolis, and Tom Joyce of Glen Oaks (exempt) our other qualifiers were Charlie Bolling, Bill Van Orman (Meadow Brook), David Young (Sleepy Hollow), Bobby Heins (Old Oaks), Mike Diffley (Pelham), Mark Mielke (Mill River), Shawn Baker (Greens at Half Hollow) and our 1st alternate, Darrell Kestner (Deepdale). Atlantic City Pro-Am Field is Nearly Filled We have a full field but can still take a couple more teams for our Atlantic City Pro-Am event on Oct. 19th - 21st at Atlantic City Country Club and Hidden Creek while the hotel and gaming competition will be at The Water Club at the Borgata. METROPOLITAN SECTION NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 1, 2014 ~ PAGE 3 Assistants Association Prepares for Officers Elections at Fall Meeting on Oct. 27th at Tamarack The Assistants Association puts a wrap on their season with the closing Assistant-Assistant tournament and their Fall Meeting at Tamarack Country Club on Monday, Oct. 27th. The Fall Meeting includes an election of the Assistants Association officers and the presentation of the Gil McNally (most improved player) Award and Stroke Average Award. Please check the Assistants Asso- ciation page for more details on the election and the team event. Two Spots Available for 2014 Met PGA Pinehurst Pro-Am We still have two openings for Pinehurst for those who want to experience the incredible site of the 2014 US Open and US Women’s Open.