Metropolitan PGA Newsletter May 1, 2015 New Web Sites & On-Line Directory METROPOLITAN PGA Hopefully everyone has already visited the new Met PGA web site and you are starting OFFICERS to feel comfortable navigating around the site. It will be less stagnant and hopefully will Heath Wassem , Fenway GC have all the information you need accessible and convenient. We have also gotten President compliments about the new on On-Line Directory and realize that it may take some time Brian Crowell, GlenArbor GC for everyone to feel comfortable with this resource but the advantage of up to date and Secretary more complete information will serve our members Carl Alexander, GC of Purchase well. The Office Max option for a printed version is Treasurer also now available and it can be shipped to you within a week. The Juniors are also launching a new Stuart Waack, Silvermine GC website today so be sure to navigate the three First Vice President Click the logos on the top of any page to websites from the top navigation buttons and take a Michael Shank, North Shore CC navigate between websites look! Second Vice President Brad Worthington KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Volunteers Needed Honorary President We have accepted a major role as the host Section for the KPMG BOARD OF DIRECTORS Women’s PGA Championship. While the needs for volunteers and Michael Breed, Michael Breed Golf Academy assistance are significant, this also provides us with a chance to Mike Diffley, Pelham CC promote the Section, get involved with growing the game and be a Dave Fusco, Patriot Hills GC part of a women’s major. The fact that KPMG has also joined our Ben Hoffhine, Wykagyl CC sponsorship family with dollars directed to our women Chris Kenney, Patterson Club professionals and our growth of the game initiatives adds to the value for the Met PGA. Jamie Kilmer, Wheatley Hills GC Click here to volunteer to be able to be on the practice tee with the greats of the LPGA. Rob Labritz, GlenArbor Club Additional needs include a Saturday, June 6th event at Eisenhower Park; a Sunday, June 7th day of golf at Rye Playland; A June 9th clinic at KPMG Headquarters; a teaching net at Adam McDaid, Friars Head the New York Liberty game also on June 9th and our two teaching stations at the Mets Cory Muller, CC of Darien Game at Citi Field, also on June 9th and finally a Bryant Park lunch-time clinic in Sean Quinlivan, Piping Rock Club Manhattan on June 10th. In addition to our practice area responsibilities at Westchester NOMINATING COMMITTEE Country Club, there will also be teaching areas for the fans throughout the week and a Chris Case, Mount Kisco CC special clinic on Saturday afternoon at the practice range. We need your help and hope Joe Felder, Griff Harris GC you will find the time to be part of this special week of golf. Bobby Heins, Old Oaks CC Tom Henderson, Round Hill Club 2015 Met PGA Special Awards Selections Announced Greg Hurd, North Hempstead CC The Metropolitan PGA’s Special Awards Committee is pleased to announce the follow- James Ondo, Apawamis Club ing award recipients for 2015. We will be honoring all but the Professional of the Year Jim Smoot, Huntington CC at our Fall Meeting and Forum. The Professional of the Year will be part of the Spring Staff Members Forum ceremonies. Our Additional Nominations have been finalists for the National Charles Robson, Executive Director Awards previously and have been resubmitted by our Committee. We congratulate all of the following: Kelli Clayton, Director of Operations Jeff Voorheis, Tournament Director Professional of the Year Nelson Long, Century CC Dan Frankel, Junior Golf Director Horton Smith Award Chris Kenney, Patterson Club Dan Kiley, Assistant Tournament Director Bill Strausbaugh Award George Lewis, LM Master Professional Paul Giordano, Communications Manager Youth Player Development Award Peter Procops, Lawrence Yacht & CC Tony Murrell, Controller Teacher of the Year John Hobbins, Greenside Golf Academy Player Development Award Dave Stevenson, Lake Isle Patriot Award Ray Ford, Rolling Hills CC Deacon Palmer Award William A. Mitchell, deceased Merchandiser of the Year (Private) Dean Johnson, Leewood GC Merchandiser of the Year (Public) Michael Laudien, Philip J. Rotella GC Additional Nominations include: Tom Henderson, Round Hill and Darrell Kestner, Deepdale GC for the Professional of the Year and Stuart Waack, Silvermine GC for the Youth Player Development Award. METROPOLITAN SECTION NEWSLETTER MAY 1, 2015 ~ PAGE 2 May 26th & 27th are Dates for the POLO Golf Met PGA Head Pro Championship Presented by Club Car at North Shore Country Club The 2015 POLO Golf Met PGA Head Pro Championship presented by Club Car promises to be another outstanding event. Polo’s involvement as title sponsor will help showcase our head professionals at a great event as well as providing product to all the competitors. We also appreciate the continued involvement from our great friends at Club Car. North Shore Country Club should be an ideal venue for this event that includes a regular division and a senior division for those head professionals who wish to compete in the 50 and over group. In addition, we will be offering a Life Member Championship on day one of the Head Pro Championship at North Shore. Anyone classified as Life Member is eligible to play in this one day event that includes lunch and a special gift from Polo Golf. Met PGA Unveils Long Drive Event at Empire City Casino A very unique venue will be the site of a new and fun-filled event as we invite the area’s longest hitters, professional and amateur, to compete for the title and the prize money of this brand new Met PGA competition. There will be plenty on the line, besides bragging rights, but our goal is also to build an evening of fun around the finals of the competition in front of spectators, family and friends at Empire City Casino this summer. We are working on the final details and dates and hope to announce our plans soon. We project a June Qualifying round and the finals will take place on a racing night in August with our Empire City Casino Met PGA Seniors Champion also being honored that evening. Lincoln/Club Car Met PGA Pro-Presidents Long Island Event at Muttontown on June 4th /Century Hosts Westchester Teams on June 23rd Two of the most important events on our schedule are the Lincoln/Club Car sponsored Pro-President Championships, presented by WeatherBug. These are important days to spend with your President or some other key officer and we do our best to make sure it is a comfortable setting for everyone. The Pro-President events are open to PGA Mem- ber head professionals and their Club President or delegates. The Long Island contin- gent will play at Muttontown Club on Thursday, June 4th while Westchester, CT and Upstate professionals will tee it up at Century on Tuesday, June 23rd. We are so appre- ciative to have two great golf courses making a first class presentation as they do for so many of our Met PGA events. We encourage professionals to arrange their own pairing or if they do not have a pairing, we will arrange one for you. Lenox Advisors NY State Open Entry is Online The Lenox Advisors New York State Open Championship entry is online and entries are now being accepted. Players are reminded that filing an entry acknowledges acceptance of the rules and regu- lations and that eligibility for all players is in accordance with the championship rules. Please note the entry dead- line of May 22nd and make sure the qualifying site selected will avoid any possible conflicts. Qualifyings in our Sec- tion will be Colonial Springs (June 3rd), Osiris CC (June 22nd), Mount Kisco CC (June 24th) and Lawrence Village Yacht & CC (June 29th). The Championship proper is at The Black Course at Bethpage on July 14th – 16th. REMINDER: MSR CYCLE ENDS 6/15/2015 CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF WAYS TO EARN YOUR MISSING CREDITS METROPOLITAN SECTION NEWSLETTER MAY 1, 2015 ~ PAGE 3 The Race Continues - May Offers Three Lincoln Pro-Am Sites Our Lincoln Pro-Ams are an important part of our tournament schedule and we are hoping that with the Race for the Lease and some great venues, our fields will continue to grow. Not only do these events provide professionals with an opportunity to play on a number of terrific area courses, but it is also a great networking tool for assistants and all our professionals. The Pro-Ams also provide Lincoln with the exposure they seek in addition to their major sponsorship of our events (Met PGA, Women’s Met Open plus our Pro-Presidents and Pro-Ams). We are excited to have three great sites on the schedule for May and hope our professionals from throughout the Section will take advantage of these opportunities. The schedule includes Whippoorwill on Monday, May 4th, Bonnie Briar CC on Monday, May 11th and Knollwood on Tuesday, May 19th. Lincoln has also added a wonderful charitable component to our 2015 events. Check out the “Race for the Lease” standings on the web site look for some other new wrinkles as we move into the Pro-Am season. Winning combined gross and net winners will be competing for a berth in the season ending Mohegan Sun Tournament of Champions on Oct. 7th. Met PGA Returns to Pinehurst on Nov. 1st – 4th National Car Rental Joins as Title Sponsor and Rental Car Provider We are getting ready to accept entries for the 2015 Met PGA Pro-Am at Pinehurst.