1

This Issue

Volume 5, Issue 1 January 2013

Growth of the Game P 2

PGA Golf Day P 3

Employment P 4

Assistant’s Corner P 5

Rules Corner P 5

Apprentice Corner P 6

Fitness P 7

Upcoming Events & Info P 8

Schoalrship P 9

Member Updates P 10

I believe the cool down in the weather was welcomed by many PGA Pro-

fessionals in the Gateway. I have spoken with more than a few of our

members and I am excited to hear about the plans and offerings being

added or updated at each facility. With that, I strongly encourage our

members to look at the upcoming educational offerings. The Player

Development event held at Meadowbrook on February 5th will be an

awesome opportunity to take away practical implementations for the

2013 season. This event will cover everything player development and provide a great

overview on how to leverage the PGA to attract, track, and retain golfers.

As mentioned in the last newsletter, we will be kicking off our 2013 PGA Golf Marathon

campaign. For those of you who participated last year, you know the impact. For those

who may not have participated, please consider joining us. We all benefit greatly from this

effort. Mike Suhre has put together a nice piece in this month’s newsletter – please take the

time to read his article and call him if you need any encouragement.

I want to thank all of the members and apprentices who took the time to fill out our section

survey. Your feedback helped guide the discussion at the annual board planning session.

The board planning session was all about you. We continue to look for ways to provide

meaningful education, elevate the PGA brand in the community, conduct professional

events, and grow the game of golf. The board and staff carried a consistent theme of mak-

ing sure that every effort circles back to you the member. Please do not hesitate to contact a

member of the staff if you have ideas on ways that we can better serve you. I look forward

to the continuation and development of the plans and opportunities that lie ahead for the

Gateway PGA in 2013.

Thank you for all of the support you have given the staff at the Gateway PGA and Founda-

tion in 2012. I would also like to thank you for continuing to serve and grow the game. I

ask that you consider making a new year’s resolution that 2013 will be a year in which you

engage your stakeholders on ways that you can grow your business. The Gateway PGA,

Foundation, and the PGA of America have tremendous resources to help you. Please reach

out as I think you may be surprised at what opportunities await a PGA Professional who is

committed to becoming better.

All the best

Section Officers

Joe Schwent, PGA President

Nathan Charnes, PGA Vice-President

Benjiman Kent, PGA Secretary

Gateway PGA Staff

Josh Riley, PGA Executive Director

Steve Finn, PGA Assistant Executive Director

Alex Anderson Director or Junior Golf

Ali Jean Wells, PGA Growth of the Game and

Program Director

Lindsay Riley Foundation Admin Assistant

Susan Bender Membership

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GROWTH OF THE GAME

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas filled with family, fun, and relaxation.

Looking ahead at what 2013 has in store for the Foundation and Growth of the Game, I am ea-

ger to get started! As we gear up for a year abundant with exciting opportunities for Profes-

sionals, juniors, and golfers of all ages, let’s preview what you will see in the next 12 months:

Golf 2.0 Education – Extremely valuable for all professionals in piloting your unique golf

operation.

Pros In Schools Program – Introducing golf to thousands of kids who could be your future customers or mem-

bers. A great opportunity to put your instruction hat back on, learn from some of the area’s best teachers, and

supplement your income.

Junior Development Tour (Mini and Novice 9 Divisions) – Expanding instruction and play opportunities for

juniors age 5-12 with an emphasis on PGA Professional involvement.

Growth of the Game Committee – Four Play Golf America events offered free to the public: Junior Play Golf

Day, Women’s Golf Day, Family Golf Night, and Patriot Golf Day.

2013 Senior PGA Championship – Numerous events, fundraisers, and opportunities for PGA Professionals to

volunteer through the Foundation.

PGA REACH – Growth of the St. Louis-wide outreach leveraged off the 2013 and 2018 Championships with

increased opportunities for PGA Professionals and the golfing community.

AND MORE TO COME!

Do not forget to register for the Golf 2.0 Education Seminar on Tuesday, February 5th. Important topics valuable

for professionals in every facet of the golf industry include: Player Development; Tracking, Reporting and Show-

ing Value to your Stakeholders; Know Your Customer; and Resources. Tim Marks, PGA Employment Consult-

ant, will host the seminar along with numerous GPGA Professionals. Join us!

Last, but certainly not least, while planning your junior golf offerings this year, remember that the Foundation has

equipment available for rent. Everything from SNAG equipment to Birdieball golf to Golfzilla (and more!) is

available, but make your reservations as soon as possible… first come first served!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or the desire to participate in any of the above oppor-

tunities.

Enjoy the cold weather while it lasts, or enjoy the warm weather in Florida for those heading south to the PGA

Merchandise Show!

Ali Wells, PGA

Director of Foundation Programs

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PGA GOLF DAY 2013

Dear Fellow Professionals,

Happy New Year and thanks for your support of PGA Golf Day 2012. I am excited about some

new changes to the 2013 Golf Day Marathon effort - I will explain those as clearly as possible

in this letter. Kevin Corn and I would like to thank you for all you did last year. It seems silly

that you raised the money and he and I received the Presidents Plaque award! The basic

concept will be the same but we are making changes to the pro incentives, percentages of

money to charities and other categories, and the charities we are raising money for.

First, we are going to host a Pro-am at Annbriar GC on October 7th, 2013 for those pros who qualify based on the

amount of money they raise. Pros qualifying will be able to bring 3 donors free of charge. We have gone this route

because we cannot expect Ozzie Smith to support this as he did last year. To rely on Ozzie Smith to play 100 holes

each year and attend a banquet is selfish on our part. If he volunteers, no one will stand in his way, but this concept

will give us a platform to achieve success whether he participates or not.

As far as incentives, those raising $1000-$1999 individually will receive a $50.00 check. Those raising $2000-

$2999 will get in the pro-am with three guests, get $125.00 appearance fee, and play for a pro purse (Max $5,000).

Those raising $3,000+ will get the pro-am benefits plus an additional $125.00 check. We changed these incentives

to give more back to charities and reduce guilt from the pros raising large amounts. Some have not even cashed

their incentive checks from last year because they feel they shouldn't (I cashed mine).

We chose Ranken Jordan, Hospice of Southern Illinois, and the Gateway PGA Foundation to be the three charities

we will raise money for each year. Outstate Missouri and Northern Illinois will rotate who they raise money for and

get a percentage based on need of their local charities. This was suggested by pros in those respective areas. Pros

from these areas will be able to choose new charities each year, allowing more charities to be reached and more in-

centive to participate each year.

Lastly, I would again like to thank you for participating in 2012. Someone will be calling in the near future to ask

you to sign up for 2013. Here is your warning…..if I call, my number is 618-593-4231. I am pretty good at guilting

people into things so if you cave in easy and you don't want to participate, don't pick up the phone. On the other

hand, I will keep calling until you pick up.

You all did fantastic in 2012. Our image as PGA Professionals, our standing in the community, the charities we

raised money for, and our ability to work together for a common goal were all spotlighted by PGA Golf Day. In

2013, I want to add 20 more pros to the cause and raise $150,000. The website will be back-up and running very

soon. We will send out another email when it is ready. The best way to finish a task is to start so be ready to regis-

ter and blow 2012 out of the water.

Mike Suhre

PGA Professional

Oak Brook Golf Club

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EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

STOP…What You’re Doing and Complete the PGA

Compensation Survey!

The PGA of America requests your participation in helping to ensure that one of our Associa-

tion's most powerful employment tools remains effective for you and your fellow PGA Profes-

sionals. Please click here to complete the 2013 PGA Golf Professional Compensation Survey.

PGA members who complete the survey by March 15, 2013, can receive up to two (2) Member

Service Requirement (MSR) credits. Your participation is the key to ensuring that your Sec-

tion's compensation information is valid and meaningful.

As your PGA Employment Consultant, I use information from the Survey almost daily

when I am working with employers who use CareerLinks and for PGA members seeking

compensation and benefit information that can help in evaluating and hopefully upgrading

their current compensation package. Your support of this important PGA initiative is greatly appreciated. Last year

the Gateway Section ranked 37th of the 41 sections in participation in this survey, with 56.1% of members complet-

ing the survey. The survey information is completely confidential and is vital at times to your fellow PGA Mem-

bers! DO IT TODAY!

Also, Employment Services will soon be using your new CareerLinks ProFile information for job searches. Your

old information will be replaced by the new, so if you have not completed the new ProFile you will not receive Ca-

reerLinks job notifications. Please make sure you complete the new survey as soon as possible! YOU DO NOT

WANT TO MISS OUT ON AN OPPORTUNITY!

Click Here to update your CareerLinks ProFile.

Please contact me if you have any questions or if you need any help with employment or career planning!

Tim Marks, PGA

Employment Consultant

815.630.5196 – office

tmarks@pgahq.com

Women are a powerful consumer group that makes and

influences purchase decisions - they also have great

interest in the game of golf. Available digitally, the

"Connecting With Her" Playbook is a tactical resource

to help engage this valuable consumer group.

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Assistants Corner We would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year. This month your committee is meet-

ing to put together the details for the Pro-Am and Assistants Championship.

As we start to prepare for 2013 feel free to send let us know what you would like to see done

for the Pro-Am and/or Championship. Send us an e-mail or give us a call because we want to

provide you the best possible experience we can each and every year.

We always have a need for more ideas and more volunteers for your committee. If anyone

would like to volunteer please let one the members know.

Feel free to contact any one of your

committee members with any questions or

concerns you might have. Your 2013

Assistant Committee Members are:

Illini Country Club

Forest Hills Country Club

Quincy Country Club

Quincy Country Club

Westwood Country Club

Winghaven Country Club

Meadowbrook Country Club

Michael Leotta, PGA Chairman

Brandon Coffey, PGA Vice-Chairman

George Schrage, Secretary

Gideon Smith, PGA Board Liaison

Ty Zimmerman, PGA Past-Chairman

Andrew Jury

RJ Villafuerte, PGA

RULES CORNER

Happy New Year to all my Gateway PGA Friends. It has been

a pleasure to serve at both the section and national level. I

want to tell you about the journey that led to my assignment to

the PGA Rules of Golf Committee.

In 1992 the PGA Championship was held at Bellerive Country

Club. Volunteers from the section performed a host of duties.

During the practice rounds I was assigned to the driving range

and practice area. For the four days of the tournament I was an

"observer". You can find the definition of an "observer" in the

Rules of Golf. Basically I assisted a referee but was not au-

thorized to make rulings.

On Saturday and Sunday I worked the 17th hole with guest

official, Tom Meeks, from the USGA. Inspired by the experi-

ence I attended a PGA/USGA Rules of Golf Workshop five

months later. Tom was an instructor along with PGA member

Robert O. Smith. I did well on the exam and Tom Meeks put

me in touch with Tom O'Toole.

Mr. O'Toole gave me the opportunity to officiate at numerous

USGA qualifiers held in St. Louis. The confidence he placed

in me allowed the building of a resume that led to my appoint-

ment to the PGA Rules of Golf Committee in 1997. I would

be remiss if I did not add that former Gateway PGA Profes-

sional and former PGA Rules of Golf Committee member Jer-

ry Tucker was also instrumental in helping chart the path to

my ultimate goal.

Since 1997 I have been fortunate to

serve as a rules official at twelve PGA

Championships. In addition I worked at

the 2004 Masters and the 2005 Tourna-

ment Players Championship. The high-

light of this journey was this year's Ry-

der Cup. I was selected to be one of

the referees at Medinah.

I share this experience for a single

reason. This year our section will host the Senior PGA Cham-

pionship at Bellerive. I know there will be many opportunities

to serve our association in many ways. Please volunteer in

some capacity. You may not share my passion for rules but if

your passion is teaching sign up to help at the practice facili-

ties. You will learn so much in that short time. There will be

many other opportunities to be involved.

I sincerely believe taking advantage of this opportunity will

enhance your career as it has mine. Do not miss this chance to

find a new passion in this many faceted business we all love.

In could change your life.

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Education Corner

The month of January is filled with

a surplus of educational opportuni-

ties for members and apprentices

alike. January will kick off our 3

part Education series presented by

David Kohlberg and Callaway Golf.

David will be taking the time to

discuss topics specific to the in-

dustry such as Demo Day tech-

niques and How to become a Rock Star in the Golf In-

dustry! These seminars will be perfect for our Assistants

and Pro Shop workers to be sure that they are represent-

ing the Head Pro’s and Director of Golf appropriately!

We thank David in advance for all of his work to make

these seminars a success!

I want to highlight two main upcoming events: the first is

the Private Club Town Hall meeting at Persimmon

Woods. This seminar will be held on Jan 16th. This meet-

ing will be hosted by Ben Kent and will be discussing

topics specific to the Private Club industry. The next

event I want to highlight is our Golf 2.0 seminar at

Meadowbrook on Feb 5th. This is your last opportunity

to update yourself on all of the Golf 2.0 offerings for

2013. Tim Marks will be in town discussing some of

these matters along with a panel of speakers from the

Gateway PGA. Please take time out of your schedule and

put this seminar on your calendar..You do not want to

miss it!

Below are the upcoming events in Jan.

Teachers Teaching Teachers Seminar

Moderator: Todd Meyer and Barbara Blanchar

Cost: No Charge

Date/Time: Friday, January 18th, 8:50am – 11:00am

(8:50-9:35am observe “pros in school program”, 9:35-

11:00am discussion off-site)

Topics: Pros in Schools Program, Ideas for Junior Golf,

Open Discussion

Location: Immaculate Conception of Dardenne, 7701

Highway N, O’Fallon, MO

Assistants Business Seminar

January 14, 2013

Assistants Business Seminar

Gateway PGA Office

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Donuts, muffins, juice & coffee will be provided!

Private Club Town Hall Meeting

January 16, 2013

Private Club Town Hall Meeting

Persimmon Woods Golf Club

9:00 – 11:30 $10.00

Donuts, muffins, juice & coffee will be provided!

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Optimal Lifestyles, Inc is a health and fitness consulting company and fitness education sponsor for the Gateway PGA. Optimal Lifestyles, Inc. provides personal training, golf fitness and yoga for golfers. The information provided by Optimal Lifestyles is for educational purposes and should not replace care or advice of a physician. Please check with a physician if you are starting an exercise program or suspect you are ill.

Brought To You by Optimal Lifestyles, Inc.

Congratulations, you’ve made it through the hol-

idays! Reentry into everyday life in the New

Year often means choosing to make changes in

our habits. If golf is on your mind, you’re proba-

bly resolving to eat better, exercise more and

condition properly for golf season. You can start

by thinking of golf as a fitness activity and eat-

ing as a performance tool.

Your body is your golf machine. When your

body is running well, you play well. Nutritionist

Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, author of How to Feed

Yourself & Your Family Better: Decoding the

Dietary Guidelines for Your Real Life, says that

a poor diet can lead to poor form on the golf

course – lack of energy being a primary culprit –

and can lead to injuries.

As we talk about fueling for performance, where

do we start? It takes time management and good

planning to fuel well and responsibly.

Nutrition Tips:

The best energy booster is breakfast. If you

are playing a round of golf, definitely start

with a full tank. It improves overall quality

of diet, prevents the need for sugar fixes, and

enhances performance.

Be sure to consume adequate carbohydrates

and proteins. Carbs fuel muscles and protein

builds them.

On a daily basis, eat whole grains (wheat,

rice, oats and corn); fruits (oranges, grape-

fruit, melons, bananas, strawberries and ki-

wi); vegetables (broccoli, spinach, carrots,

peppers, tomatoes and squash); lean protein;

low fat dairy/calcium rich foods; and a little

bit of healthy fat.

Take in enough fluids to prevent dehydra-

tion. Drink before you get thirsty.

In addition to starting with a good breakfast, it

helps to fuel during the active part of the day.

John Whyte, M.D., author of AARP New Amer-

ican Diet, suggests we “eat smaller meals, more

often. Bring two small snacks, like a piece of

fruit or a cup of low-fat dairy, to work everyday.

Incorporate heart-healthy nuts and olive oil into

your meals.”

Tips to Improve Energy:

Eat before you get hungry. Don’t let yourself

get too hungry because you are more likely

to get careless about what you eat and treat

yourself for having a hectic day rather than

fueling for performance.

Divide your food into four meals a day be-

cause most bodies get hungry about every

four hours. If you don’t fuel well you end up

with an inadequate diet and fatigue.

Easy exercise practice: count your steps –

aim to walk 10,000 steps per day.

In general, fuel and energize your body on a reg-

ular schedule. If you need a food coach, find a

sports nutritionist in your area. If you need a fit-

ness coach, contact Barb with Optimal Life-

styles, Inc. at 314-984-0592.

Better Habits for Better Performance

Email: barb@optimallifestylesinc.com www.optimallifestylesinc.com

8

2013 Gateway PNC

The 2013 Gateway PGA PNC will be held at Persimmon Woods GC on July 22-23rd. We are happy to return

to such a great venue for this event. Registrations again will be through PGA Links and be

announced at a later date.

2013 Tournament Committee We are happy to announce that Scott Brauer will be the new Tournament Committee Chairperson. Brett Moomey

will be assisting Scott through the transition period. Anyone who is interested in serving on the Tournament

Committee should contact Steve at the Section Office.

Mike Brengard will continue to serve as the Senior Chairperson, but we are looking for interested Seniors to

participate on the Committee, particularly those 50-59 years old. Interested parties should also contact Steve

at the Section Office.

9

PGA Financial Assistance Scholarship

Beginning November 15th the PGA Financial Assistance Scholarship will be available online.

PGA Financial Assistance Fund Scholarship Program Fact Sheet

Graduating high school seniors and college students who are the children or grandchildren of PGA members are invited to apply online at

the home page (before you log in) of PGALinks.com to be considered for financial support for college through the PGA Financial Assis-

tance Fund Scholarship Program.

The scholarship program is an academic based scholarship program that takes into account the following depending on the class level of

the student:

High School Graduating Senior

High School Cumulative Grade Point Average – must be at least 3.4 (60% of the scholarship weighting scale). This number is to be

an unweighted GPA based on a 4.0 scale.

ACT and/or SAT test scores (30% of the scholarship weighting scale)

Extracurricular activities in high school such as sports, clubs, student government, community service, part time employment, etc.

(10% of the scholarship weighting scale).

Current College Student (has not reached their senior year in college)

College Cumulative Grade Point Average – must be at least 3.4 (60% of the scholarship weighting scale)

Most recently completed college semester or quarter GPA (30% of the scholarship weighting scale)

Extracurricular activities in college such as sports, clubs, student government, community service, part time employment, etc. (10% of

the scholarship weighting scale)

The amount and number of scholarships is determined by the availability of funds, and may vary from year to year based on these factors

and IRS guidelines. In 2012 eight $5,000 scholarships were awarded and 126 $2,000 scholarships were awarded out of 848 applications.

Scholarships are awarded at the discretion of the PGA Scholarship Committee. The scholarship is for accredited Universities or Colleges

in the United States only.

The application process is live online (www.PGALinks.com) between November 15, 2012 and March 15, 2013 and students are asked to

wait until they are in possession of their most current grade report (first semester) or transcript before applying. The applicant must enter

the students Social Security number and the PGA affiliated parent or grandparents PGA ID number to gain access to the application.

After submitting the online application, the applicant must have postmarked by March 15,2013 to the below address a sealed official school

grade transcript that shows their GPA information and ACT/SAT test scores (if a high school applicant) to:

PGA Financial Assistance Fund Scholarship ProgramAttention: Linda Bennington

Grant and Scholarship Specialist

100 Avenue of the Champions

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418

888.532.6661; 561.624.7612 or e-mail: lbenning@pgahq.com

PGA members can check out the Scholarship Search Tips for additional listed websites to help you with your scholarship search by visiting

the homepage of PGALinks.com/Personal Benefits/PGA Scholarship Program.

CLICK HERE for the additional search tips.

CLICK HERE for college preparation websites and other scholarship assistance information.

10

January Birthdays Stanley Shaver, PGA 1/1

Michael C Becker 1/2

Shane J. Blankenship, PGA 1/5

Randy J. Phillips, PGA 1/6

Gary Fee, PGA 1/10

George E Schrage IV 1/10

Mark A. Leroux 1/11

Joshua T. Riley, PGA 1/13

Terry Houser, PGA 1/14

Andrew Joung-Su Kim 1/16

Jeffrey P. Escott, PGA 1/17

Steve T. Remspecher II, PGA 1/17

Garry E. Lee, PGA 1/18

Dale Schofield, PGA 1/21

Brian T. Boles, PGA 1/22

Kyle A. Jenkins 1/22

Andrew M Jury 1/22

Gideon H. Smith, PGA 1/24

Mark Lewis, PGA 1/26

David J Cantrell, PGA 1/28

Lukas M. Guthrie, PGA 1/31

JVC Bullet Video System (New in 2008)

17" Hi-Brite Monitor

Panasonic Video Camera

Portable Table

I am asking $2000 but will discuss reasona-

ble offers. The system hasn't been set up a

half dozen times.

Thank you!

John Utley

573-489-2268

johnutley99@yahoo.com

Name Employer Class

Barrett A. Martens, PGA Persimmon Woods GC A-8

Name Employer Class

Curtis Goss III Mystic Oak GC B-8

Ryan Buckley The Falls B-8

Name Employer Class

Andrew Huelsing, PGA GolfTEC - Des Peres A-6