Volume 3, Issue 4
April 2015
Midwest Section PGA member and/or apprentice:
A recent study of PGA Professionals indicated that 80% of Head Golf
Professionals and more than 93% of Directors of Golf and General
Managers cited financial management as a top job priority.
Through the PGA Annual Operations Study, you have access to the
industry’s best source for market specific operating and financial data. In
order for this resource to continue to be of value, we are asking you to click
on the link below and take part in the 2015 PGA Annual Operations Survey.
To assist you in this process, you will be directed to a sample worksheet to
help you save time.
New this year. In an effort to further streamline the survey process, you
will only answer questions pertaining to the operational areas you indicate
that you manage and/or have access to key operating data.
The Demo Memo
P1
President’s Letter
P2
AAA May Par 3 Social
P3
Vice President’s Letter
P4
Secretary Letter
P4
Drive, Chip, & Putt
P6
Notes from the Districts
P7
Pete Reyburn Memorial
P8
Membership Notes
P9
Tournaments
P 10
Random Rules
P 12
Member Updates & Birthdays
P 13
In recognition of your participation, you may earn up to 2 MSR credits by
completing this survey on or before June 10, 2015. You will also be
provided with detailed results from the survey including the ability to
benchmark your facility’s performance against your market and access a
variety of customer reports to support you in the budgeting process and
discussions with your employer.
Click here to start this year's survey and provide your facility's fiscal/
calendar year 2014 results.
My best,
Bradford C. Demo
Midwest Section PGA
Goal
Rank #1 out of 41
Section Biz Site
Midwest Section PGA | 1960 Copper Oaks Circle | Blue Springs, MO 64015 | 816.229.6565 | www.midwest.pga.com | [email protected]
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PRESIDENT’S LETTER
What an incredible Masters week! It was not only a great tournament with multiple story lines but it started off with
some of the most enjoyable golf I’ve watched on TV; the National Drive, Chip and Putt Championship.
We had three local competitors from the Midwest Section make the finals and I would like to congratulate Julia
Misemer of Overland Park, Grant Herrenbruck of Salina and Chance Rinkol of Leawood for their outstanding play.
Julia was 4th place overall and winner of the Drive competition with a 227 yard drive in the 10-11 year old group,
Grant was 6th overall and 2nd in the Drive competition in the 14-15 year old group and Chance finished 5th overall in
the 7-9 year old group. Congratulations to each of you!
I was so proud to see the broadcast coverage that was given to these kids by the Golf Channel and couldn’t believe
how many of my patrons stopped to watch the event, even on an extremely busy Sunday. It really was exciting to
see these kids compete on the ultimate stage and I can’t wait to watch next year! Hopefully, I will make my first
trek to Augusta and watch it in person.
Locally, we had our first Teaching and Coaching Summit/Merchandise Show/Spring Meeting in early March and I
once again would like to thank Brenndan Cooper and Andy Fisher for setting up our guest speakers, I thought the
program was outstanding. Thanks to our Section Staff for keeping things organized and thanks to Prairie Band
Casino and Randy Towner for their hospitality.
The Board of Directors will be reviewing the surveys from the event and will work to make adjustments
accordingly. Don’t forget, the end of the MSR cycle is coming to a close, make sure you check your status.
Jay Kennedy, PGA
President
Midwest Section PGA | 1960 Copper Oaks Circle | Blue Springs, MO 64015 | 816.229.6565 | www.midwest.pga.com | [email protected]
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Midwest Section PGA | 1960 Copper Oaks Circle | Blue Springs, MO 64015 | 816.229.6565 | www.midwest.pga.com | [email protected]
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VICE PRESIDENT LETTER
With the MSR cycle coming to a fast close and many members of our Section struggling to reach the required
credits to stay out of Class F, I thought this might be a good time to share this link with you: www.pga.org/
education. At PGA.org you can watch videos and then fill out an assessment to earn MSR credits.
If you are not sure what the requirements are or how to catch up on your needed credits, please click here. We hope
that if you are behind you will make an effort to get caught up to help keep our Section strong and keep yourself in
good standing.
Chad Myers
Midwest Section PGA
Vice President
SECRETARY LETTER
Finally a nice spring season! With all the great weather we have had it’s been a whirlwind month. It seems like
there are more people out at the course so let’s hope the trend continues.
Kids will be out of school before we know it, so at Minor Park we are working on getting a Junior League Golf team
together. Our first task is recruiting and we are reaching out to the local community to boost the effort.
For now our marketing/communication strategies are very LOCAL:

Neighborhood schools (especially those with SNAG in place)

Neighborhood Churches

Neighborhood YMCA

Local Community Centers

In addition we will go through area youth organizations and social media:

Boys & Girls Club

Big Brothers Big Sisters

Facebook posts
Please contact me if you are interested in knowing more about PGA JLG as we work to grow from the SNAG–in–
School programs. I do know a few of you have already reached out and I will get you updated by the end of April. I
look forward to updating you with our progress for the May newsletter!
Thanks all,
Julie
[email protected]
P.S. Thank you to Mr. Towner for his post last month, I have been out for 9 holes three times this week! It makes a
big difference when the 13-hour days are broken up with a few holes of golf.
Midwest Section PGA | 1960 Copper Oaks Circle | Blue Springs, MO 64015 | 816.229.6565 | www.midwest.pga.com | [email protected]
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Midwest Section PGA | 1960 Copper Oaks Circle | Blue Springs, MO 64015 | 816.229.6565 | www.midwest.pga.com | [email protected]
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Midwest Section PGA | 1960 Copper Oaks Circle | Blue Springs, MO 64015 | 816.229.6565 | www.midwest.pga.com | [email protected]
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NOTES FROM THE DISTRICTS
KCMO District Members,
I hope everyone's season is off to a great start! What an
incredible run of weather with the perfect amount of precipitation
worked in. I've enjoyed the opportunity to speak with most of you
personally over the last few months; for those of you I missed,
please do not be afraid to reach out if there is anything you need.
Please place the KCMO District Cup on your radar, it's August 24th
at Oakwood and we are really looking for a nice turnout for the
District. I would also like to extend a personal invitation to all our
Section members to join in the fun on May 11th here at Cardinal Hill
for our Pro-Pro Event. We shotgun at noon with Chicken Gumbo
following the round! May 18th also marks the Footprints-iNFairways Pro Am, pairing PGA Professionals, GCSAA member and
two others in a fun day of golf benefitting the Midwest Section
PGA Foundation.
I have had several District Members reach out to me regarding
localized PGA Junior League competitions. If you plan on having a
team please consider getting in touch, it looks like we will have some
teams available for interclub style PGA Junior League Golf
competitions in June and July!
Have a great month!
Brian Flax, PGA
KCMO District Director
KCK District Members:
How about this great spring weather. I’m sure all of your facilities
are really ramping up for a great year. We are certainly seeing a
lot of enthusiasm from our membership, which makes me feel we
are in for a great golf season. Hope everyone is experiencing the
same enthusiasm at your facilities!
As I mentioned in the previous newsletter, I am in the planning
stages of our next meeting of which I think everyone will enjoy
this new exciting venue. Once I am able to get the date locked
down, I will send all of our KCK District members an email.
As many of you know the Tournament season is in full swing and
Tyler Dunn and the Tournament Committee have worked very hard
to arrange a long list of great golf events for all of our professionals this season. Please get out and support our MPGA Section
Events. Come out and enjoy the camaraderie with our fellow professionals.
Also, Chris Happ and his AAA (Assistant-Apprentice Association)
committee have planned a great event for all you. On Thursday,
May 14th at 2:00 p.m. the committee will be hosting the May Golf
Social at the Fred Arbanas Golf Club – Par 3 Course. This will be a
blind draw event with a skins game and some post-game food and
beverages. For all you Assistants and Apprentices, I urge you to
join the AAA and get involved. This event is open to all members
and apprentices.
For those of you who still may need MSR points, there are still a
lot of opportunities for you prior to the end of our MSR cycle on
June 15, 2015. Please check out the education opportunities on
the MPGA website and PGA.org.
Lastly, please let me know if there is anything I can do for you in
regard to any MPGA business. You can reach me by email at [email protected] or phone at 913.362.6204.
Flint Hills District
The Prairie Cup at Firekeeper GC was a great success, with 26
Hope to see everyone on the Links very soon!
Mike Ricket
teams from 5 different sections it provided a great opportunity to
meet peers from other clubs and exchange ideas. It was fun to
start the season off with a scramble and then move to the best ball
after a little of the rust was off. Mark your calendars for this
event next year!! It will grow as word spreads. Looking to play more
golf this year and have your members happy about it? Do what our
Hall of Fame member Stan Thirsk did and post a sign-up sheet with
20 dates on it and let any threesome sign up as a team / charge
them a fee that will be redeemable in gift certificates for the winners of the season long event. Use handicaps, give yourself some
shots if you need them and play two best balls of the group. Members and guest want to play with you and you will sell more clubs and
re-grip more clubs that you thought possible. Make more friends,
make more money and play more golf. Welcome to spring my nose is
dripping.
Randy Towner, PGA
Flint Hills District Director
Midwest Section PGA | 1960 Copper Oaks Circle | Blue Springs, MO 64015 | 816.229.6565 | www.midwest.pga.com | [email protected]
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Midwest Section PGA | 1960 Copper Oaks Circle | Blue Springs, MO 64015 | 816.229.6565 | www.midwest.pga.com | [email protected]
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MEMBERSHIP NOTES
Seasonal Assistant Golf
Professional
Manhattan Country Club
Contact: Blake Graham
Assistant Golf Professional
Trails West Golf Course at Fort
Leavenworth
Contact: Keith Stilwell
[email protected]
[email protected]
Seasonal Assistant Professional
Assistant Golf Professional
Deer Creek Golf Club
Contact: Adam Trainor
Cypress Ridge Golf Course
[email protected]
[email protected]
Assistant Golf Professional
Outside Services Manager
Falcon Ridge Golf Club
Sycamore Ridge Golf Course
Contact: Steve Specht
Contact: Ben Perry
[email protected]
[email protected]
Golf Professional
The National Golf Club of KC
Contact: Nicholas Ingram
[email protected]
Contact: Penny Hickman
ONLINE EDUCATION
If you are in need of “required” MSRs, you can
complete the online education via PGA.org.
1. Go to www.pga.org
2. Login
3. Go to Education
4. Search course library
5. Watch the video at your convenience
6. Take the assessment
Seasonal Events Coordinator/
Golf Shop Assistant
Hidden Pines Country Club
Contact: Richard Myers
660-747-5515
[email protected]
Midwest Section PGA | 1960 Copper Oaks Circle | Blue Springs, MO 64015 | 816.229.6565 | www.midwest.pga.com | [email protected]
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Tournament Committee Notes
Upcoming Tournaments
April 20
Pro Pro @ Eagles Landing GC
Sponsored by: Bruce Hollowell with Antigua
April 27
Stableford @ Oakwood CC (individual stroke play)
Sponsored by: Nate Wright with Callaway Golf & PGA Tour
May 4
1st Two Rounds of the Match Play Championship @ Shawnee
Golf & CC
Sponsored by: OMEGA
May 11
Pro Pro @ Cardinal Hills GC
Sponsored by: PGA Tour
May 18
Footprints iN Fairways Pro Am @ Ironhorse GC
(1 Pro, 1 GCSAA & 2 Others or Form a Team of 4)Sponsored
by: John Deere, National Car Rental, TaylorMade, adidas,
McCarthy Auto Group
REMINDER FOR APPRENTICES
All apprentice professionals who wish to play in section golf tournaments
must be registered members of the AAA. The opportunity to play in section
tournaments is a privilege, not a right! Register through
www.midwest.pga.com.
Tournament Registration
Tournament Results
Ozarks District Cup
The Tournament Committee has implemented
a $20 late fee to all entries for Section
tournaments that are made after the deadline.
Please make sure to register prior to the
deadline to save yourself the late fee.
Congratulations to Chris Mabry of Lake
Quivira Country Club on winning the Ozarks
District Cup with a 72. This event was hosted
by LedgeStone Country Club on April 13th.
Midwest Section PGA | 1960 Copper Oaks Circle | Blue Springs, MO 64015 | 816.229.6565 | www.midwest.pga.com | [email protected]
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Midwest Section PGA | 1960 Copper Oaks Circle | Blue Springs, MO 64015 | 816.229.6565 | www.midwest.pga.com | [email protected]
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RANDOM RULES
It’s the Rainy Season!
That you may touch any grass, bush, tree or other
growing thing during a practice swing, or on the backGolf is an “outdoor” game, so the Rules must deal
swing of your club when making a stroke at a ball in a
with the elements of Mother Nature. Golf played durhazard. Note to Rule 13-4.
ing or after a spell of rain can be a challenge (and fun
with the right attitude!). With an assist from Rules of __________
Golf blogger Barry Rhodes, have some fun with the
Answer:
following:
After a heavy downpour Rex is having trouble finding
anywhere to tee his ball on the teeing ground. He
finds a rake in a nearby bunker and uses the back of it
to push water away from that part of the teeing ground
where he wants to take his stance. When he does
make his tee shot he drives his ball down the middle
of the fairway but it stops quickly in a large puddle.
On reaching his ball, he picks it up and drops it at the
nearest point where the lie of the ball and his stance
are clear of the puddle, not nearer the hole. However,
as he takes his stance he sees that water is still visible
around the soles of his shoes. He picks-up his ball
again and repeatedly steps sideways until he finds the
nearest point to where his ball originally lay in the
puddle where the water is not visible around his
shoes. He correctly drops his ball about two feet away
from this point and then plays a long iron shot just
short of the putting green. It is still raining and Rex
has his umbrella open. He hands it to his fellow competitor to hold while he takes his first putt, which
stops short of the hole. He removes the flagstick,
takes back his umbrella from his fellow competitor
and holds it open over his head with one hand, as he
grips his putter with the other to easily putt out. What
is Rex's score for the hole?
1 - Drive down the middle of the fairway.
Note: There is no penalty for removing water from the
teeing ground, (Rule 13-2).
2 - Long iron onto the putting green.
Note: Rex followed the correct procedure in taking
complete relief from the casual water. Had he played
his ball after dropping it for the first time, when there
was water visible around the soles of his shoes, he
would have incurred a penalty of two strokes in stroke
play or loss of hole in match play, for not taking complete relief.
3 - First putt.
4 - Putt into the hole.
Note: There is no penalty for Rex protecting himself
from the elements with an umbrella whilst making a
stroke (Decision 14-2/2).
Rex scores 4 for the hole.
If you have found this content interesting then why
not follow Barry’s blog on the Rules of Golf at
www.barryrhodes.com.
(The answer is below)
__________
19th Hole Titbit - Do You Know?
Midwest Section PGA | 1960 Copper Oaks Circle | Blue Springs, MO 64015 | 816.229.6565 | www.midwest.pga.com | [email protected]
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MEMBER UPDATES
Transfers INTO
Name
Employer
Class
Christopher R Bussell Kansas City Country Club B-8
Kenneth C Evans
Lake Shawnee Golf Course B-8
Benjamin T. Felts, PGA Milburn Country Club
A-8
Kyle J. Golos, PGA
The Deuce at the National A-8
Tim Mervosh, PGA
Milburn Country Club
A-13
Joel T. Monahan, PGA Impact Golf Group
A-6
Alex W. Pisano, PGA
Drumm Farm Golf Club
A-6
Anthony J. Trace, PGA Canyon Farms Golf Club A-6
Quarter Century
Name
Class
David Sprowell, PGA IN
Employment Changes
Name
Employer
Class
Ryan T. Burchett, PGA Tiffany Greens Golf Club
A-1
Christopher R Bussell
Kansas City Country Club
B-8
Kenneth C Evans
Lake Shawnee Golf Course
B-8
Benjamin T. Felts, PGA Milburn Country Club
A-8
Kyle J. Golos, PGA
The Deuce at the National
A-8
Morgan W Hough
Staley Farms Golf Club
B-8
Tim Mervosh, PGA
Milburn Country Club
A-13
Alex W. Pisano, PGA
Drumm Farm Golf Club
A-6
Anthony D. Roberts, PGA St Andrews Golf Course
A-1
Jason L. Rudolph, PGA Shoal Creek Golf Course
A-14
Patrick R. Shaw
Lake Shawnee Golf Course
B-8
Anthony J. Trace, PGA Canyon Farms Golf Club
A-6
Drew L. Van Scyoc, PGA Shadow Glen Golf Club
A-8
Sean C VanHoutan
The Atchison Golf Club at Bellevue B-1
Sharnae E. Winters, PGA Canyon Farms Golf Club
A-1
May Birthdays
Sean W Edwards
Adam S. Trainor, PGA
James Fournier, PGA
Rickie R Scott, PGA
Michael R. Letzig, PGA
Christopher J. Gomez
Mark J. Ophoven, PGA
Wendi S Brandt
Kyle A Easter
Travis D Marsh
Jay H. Kennedy, PGA
Blake J. Graham, PGA
Julie M. Roberts, PGA
Joseph Taylor, PGA
5/2
5/4
5/6
5/6
5/7
5/8
5/8
5/12
5/12
5/12
5/13
5/14
5/14
5/17
Robert Usher, PGA
Greg Dillon, PGA
Conan E. Dougherty, PGA
Gary A. McClure, PGA
Scott M. Mellen, PGA
Brad A Volker, PGA
Christopher A Medrow
David L. Shanks, PGA
Garrett R. Holt, PGA
R. Drue Johnson, PGA
Dustin J. Newman, PGA
Parker R. Janssen, PGA
Mark T. Cowee, PGA
5/17
5/19
5/20
5/22
5/23
5/23
5/24
5/25
5/26
5/27
5/27
5/28
5/29
Midwest Section PGA | 1960 Copper Oaks Circle | Blue Springs, MO 64015 | 816.229.6565 | www.midwest.pga.com | [email protected]
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