2019 Spring Meeting Marks End of a Long Off-Season for the Philadelphia PGA
Lafayette Hill, Pa. – In a sure sign that the new golf season is upon us, more than 270 Philadelphia PGA Professionals gathered at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club for the Section’s annual Spring Meeting on Monday, April 8. The meeting is a chance for all professionals to shake off the dust from a long off-season as well as reconnect old colleagues as they get their 2019 season’s underway.
With a full year under his belt, Section President John Rogers was ready to lead his fellow PGA Professionals through the day’s agenda. As always, the Spring Meeting is a chance for the officers of the Philadelphia PGA to update the membership at large on Section operations as well as highlighting the events of the upcoming season.
In addition to the addresses from Section officers, the meeting was also highlighted by presentations from Philadelphia PGA partners SCNS Foods, Signature Golf, SKYiGOLF, and TCM Bank who spoke about the Philadelphia PGA’s new credit card program. A guest speaker from Morgan Stanley, Prashantha Challa, spoke to the attendees about the dangers of Cyber Security and how everyone needs to take precautions to keep their information secure. As well as District 2 Director Tom Henderson, PGA who spoke on the various PGA of America initiatives as well as updated the attendees on the programs affecting each Section.
Throughout the Spring Meeting, the most recent Philadelphia PGA special award winners were recognized in front of their peers. The special award winners had previously been honored at a special awards dinner held at the Manor House at Commonwealth National on March 10.
After the meeting more than 170 Professionals turned their attention to the Section’s opening event, the Spring Pro-Pro Scramble. Played as a two-man scramble, the tournament was held at both Whitemarsh Valley Country Club and The ACE Club.
At host facility Whitemarsh Valley Country Club it was the team of Joe Kogelman (GolfTEC – Moorestown) and Trevor Bensel (Overbrook Golf Club) who came out victorious. The pair carded a team score of 10-under par (62) and finished one shot ahead of five teams in the season’s opening event.
At The ACE Club the formidable duo of Dave Quinn (Laurel Creek Country Club) and Stu Ingraham (M Golf Range) combined to post a team score of 12-under par (60) finishing one shot ahead of a pair of teams at 11-under par (61). The first of the teams to reach that number was Pat Butkus (Tavistock Country Club) and Jeff Herb (Waynesborough Country Club) who were quickly joined by Michael Shank (Wilmington Country Club) and Bob Lennon (Wilmington Country Club).
At Bluestone Country Club, the teams of Anthony Napoletano (GolfTEC – King of Prussia) and Eric McNamee (Golf Galaxy) and Rick Gibney (Colonial Country Club) and Steve Swartz (Out Door Country Club) finished tied for first with score of 10-under par (61). Five teams finished one shot back in a tie for third with scores of 9-under par (62).
The Section’s Philadelphia Assistants’ Organization (PAO) will hold their Spring Meeting on Monday, April 15 at Whitford Country Club (Exton, Pa.).
For more information on the Philadelphia PGA – philadelphia.pga.com.