Category: National News

PGA of America Board Votes to Rename the Horton Smith Award

July 2, 2020Comments Off on PGA of America Board Votes to Rename the Horton Smith AwardNational News, PPGA

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (July 2, 2020) — The PGA of America Board of Directors has voted to rename the Horton Smith Award effective immediately.  It will be replaced with the new PGA Professional Development Award, honoring a PGA Member for outstanding contributions to professional education.

The PGA Board of Directors announced renaming the Horton Smith Award, which had been presented annually since 1965, based upon review of its namesake. Horton Smith, a two-time Masters Champion who served as PGA President from 1952-54, was a defender of the “Caucasian-only” membership clause, which was regrettably included in the PGA Bylaws from 1934-61.

The PGA Professional Development Award retains the previous criteria that showcases individuals who have demonstrated achievements in professional education.

“In renaming the Horton Smith Award, the PGA of America is taking ownership of a failed chapter in our history that resulted in excluding many from achieving their dreams of earning the coveted PGA Member badge and advancing the game of golf,” said PGA President Suzy Whaley. “We need to do all we can to ensure the PGA of America is defined by inclusion. Part of our mission to grow the game is about welcoming all and bringing diversity to the sport. With the new PGA Professional Development Award, we will recognize effective inclusion efforts and honor those across our 41 PGA Sections who continue to promote and improve our educational programs. We look forward to doing more of both as we move forward.”

The first PGA Professional Development Award will be presented Oct. 27-30, during the PGA’s 104th Annual Meeting in Hartford, Connecticut.

About the PGA of America
The PGA of America is one of the world’s largest sports organizations, composed of nearly 29,000 PGA Professionals who daily work to grow interest and inclusion in the game of golf. For more information about the PGA of America, visit PGA.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact:
Michael Abramowitz  PGA of America  561/389-4647  mabramowitz@pgahq.com

2020 PGA Jr. League Championship and Postseason Canceled; Local Leagues Can Still be Played throughout the Year

May 5, 2020Comments Off on 2020 PGA Jr. League Championship and Postseason Canceled; Local Leagues Can Still be Played throughout the YearLocal News, National News, PPGA

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (May 4, 2020) – PGA Jr. League is committed to maximizing local playing opportunities in 2020 that adhere to national, state and local social distancing standards.

PGA Jr. League local leagues will provide a path for kids to engage in youth sports under the leadership of PGA and LPGA coaches, in alignment with Opening Up America Again Guidelines and ongoing plans to reopen the game of golf in a phased approach. By combining summer and fall leagues, local leagues can maximize flexibility with schedules and structures by supporting play during the rest of the calendar year. PGA Jr. League is targeting June 1 as the earliest date to allow local leagues to resume activities, provided that the resumption of activities shall only be allowed in localities that are in Phase II of the Guidelines, based on state and local health authorities.

PGA Jr. League’s commitment to player and coach safety necessitates the elimination of national and regional tournaments that require air travel. Accordingly, PGA Foundation, Inc. d/b/a PGA REACH announced today that the 2020 PGA Jr. League Championship and Postseason have been canceled due to ongoing concerns surrounding COVID-19. The PGA Jr. League Championship and Postseason were planned for 12 regional sites around the country, with the Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club, in Scottsdale, Arizona, Oct. 8-11.

“The health and wellness of the players, their families, volunteers and our staff is our highest priority,” said PGA President Suzy Whaley. “We know the cancellation of the PGA Jr. League Championship and Postseason on the national and regional level may be disappointing to the players who dreamed of playing in these special junior golf events, but the decision was made in the very best interest of everyone involved. PGA Jr. League has grown so impressively the last few years. It plays an important role in our efforts to help golf evolve with younger and more diverse players. As our local leagues open for play, while adhering to proper social distancing protocols, we look forward to offering opportunities to participate in PGA Jr. League this year.”

PGA REACH also provides scholarships to families in need to assist with the cost of participating in PGA Jr. League local leagues.

For more information, visit pgajrleague.com.

About PGA REACH
PGA Foundation, Inc. d/b/a PGA REACH is the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America. The mission of PGA REACH is to positively impact the lives of youth, military and diverse populations by enabling access to PGA Professionals, PGA Sections and the game of golf. For more information, visit PGAREACH.org, follow @PGAREACH on Twitter and find us on Facebook.

About the PGA of America
The PGA of America is one of the world’s largest sports organizations, with nearly 29,000 professionals who daily work to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. For more information about the PGA of America, visit PGA.org, follow @PGAofAmerica on Twitter and find us on Facebook.

Contact
Michael Abramowitz   PGA of America    (561) 389-4647     mabramowitz@pgahq.com

PGA of America Reschedules 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship for October

April 29, 2020Comments Off on PGA of America Reschedules 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship for OctoberLocal News, National News, PPGA
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA (April 29, 2020) – The PGA of America today announced that the 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship has been rescheduled for October 6-11 at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, provided it is safe and responsible to do so at that time.
The PGA of America will work closely with public health officials at the national, state and county levels through Championship Week. The health and safety of players, spectators, volunteers, rules officials and staff remain the top priority.
The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship was originally scheduled for June 23-28.
“In this unique and unsettling time, it became evident that finding new dates for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship was a prudent choice for the LPGA players, the local community, Aronimink membership and our staff,” said PGA of America President Suzy Whaley. “Throughout the process of making this decision, we appreciated the support we received from our friends at KPMG and the LPGA. Collectively, we remain resolute in our commitment to this Championship as well as helping future generations of women be more successful on and off the golf course.”
One of the LPGA’s five majors, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is a collaboration of the PGA of America, LPGA and KPMG, and focuses on the development, advancement and empowerment of women. The event is held in conjunction with the KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit, which will now be held on Wednesday, October 7.
Contact:
John Dever, PGA of America, jdever@pgahq.com

2020 PGA Championship Postponed

March 17, 2020Comments Off on 2020 PGA Championship PostponedNational News, PPGA

Event to be rescheduled for later this summer at TPC Harding Park

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA (March 17, 2020) – The PGA of America today announced that the 2020 PGA Championship, scheduled for TPC Harding Park in San Francisco from May 11-17, has been postponed.

“Throughout our evaluation process, we have been committed to following the guidance of public health authorities and given the coronavirus shelter-in-place order in effect in San Francisco, postponement is the best decision for all involved,” said PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh.

“This is a reflection of a thoughtful process,” Waugh added. “We are and have been working in concert with Commissioner Jay Monahan and our partners and friends at the PGA TOUR to find an alternative date that works for all. We are all very hopeful for a great outcome.

“We are also in dialogue with Mayor Breed and her team at the City of San Francisco and look forward to hopefully bringing the 2020 PGA Championship to TPC Harding Park at a date this summer when it is once again safe and responsible to do so.”

Media Contact:
John Dever, PGA of America, jdever@pgahq.com, 561-360-9138

PGA of America Postpones 2020 PGA Professional Championship

March 16, 2020Comments Off on PGA of America Postpones 2020 PGA Professional ChampionshipNational News, PPGA

If the PGA Championship is played as currently scheduled (May 11-17), the 20 PGA Club Professionals in the field would be based on the Top 20 eligible players listed in the final 2019 PGA Professional Player of the Year standings. Click here to view the list.

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA (March 16, 2020) – The PGA of America today announced the postponement of the 2020 PGA Professional Championship, which was to have been played April 26-29 at the Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas.

The decision to postpone was made following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) March 15 recommendation not to hold gatherings of 50 people or more for the next eight weeks.

The PGA is unable to reschedule the PPC at this time due to the rapidly-evolving COVID-19 public health threat. Further information on a new date will be shared as it becomes available.

While no decision has been made concerning the upcoming 2020 PGA Championship (May 11-17 at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco), PGA of America leadership remains in close coordination and communication with representatives from San Francisco and the state of California, evaluating plans on an ongoing basis with the health and well-being of all involved as the highest priority.

If the PGA Championship is played as currently scheduled, the 20 PGA Club Professionals in the field would be based on the Top 20 eligible players listed in the final 2019 PGA Professional Player of the Year standings.

Media Contact:

John Dever, PGA of America, jdever@pgahq.com, 561-360-9138

PGA of America Debuts New PGA.com to Enhance Connection Between PGA Professionals and Consumers

January 29, 2020Comments Off on PGA of America Debuts New PGA.com to Enhance Connection Between PGA Professionals and ConsumersNational News

Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. –  The PGA of America has launched a newly reimagined PGA.com to connect consumers with PGA Professionals. The redesigned site, which is now managed in-house by the PGA, focuses on the journey a golfer takes to begin or improve his or her game, no matter their skill level.

PGA.com and its affiliated championship sites will also continue to provide coverage of prominent events, such as the PGA Championship, Ryder Cup, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. However, an important emphasis of PGA.com will be on the opportunities enabled by enhancing the coach-consumer relationship.

“PGA.com is designed to bring to life the special relationship between PGA Professionals and consumers through coaching and other consumer-focused services, with a vision that ‘your best golf is ahead of you,’” said PGA Interactive General Manager Rob Smith. “There are so many ways in which a journey in golf can positively impact your life. Our job is to identify the best ways to connect with PGA Professionals across all aspects of the game, beginning with coaching.”

An important shift in the new PGA.com site will be speaking through the voice of the PGA Professional. On the site, PGA Professionals will be featured prominently and given the opportunity to provide exclusive content to engage consumers, including first-person feature articles, videos and advice to help golfers with various aspects of the game and the golf lifestyle.

In the second phase of the launch, scheduled for later this year, consumers will be able to easily search for PGA Professionals who have completed both their American Development Model for Golf (ADM) training available on PGA.Coach and a detailed PGA.com coach profile. ADM utilizes long-term athlete development and quality coaching concepts to promote sustained physical activity, athlete safety and age-appropriate growth. PGA.com is designed to help these coaches establish a relationship with new golfers and then build upon that connection, to give consumers the resources they need to achieve their goals.

“The PGA of America is committed to the future of coaching through the American Development Model for Golf,” said PGA President Suzy Whaley. “As we look to transition the industry from a transaction against a lesson to the lifetime value in a coaching relationship, PGA.com is being architected to facilitate the digital evolution of coaching.”

“The connection that consumers and coaches will be able to make through PGA.com is invaluable, as golf brings people together,” explains Trillium Rose, Chair of the PGA of America’s Coaching and Player Development Committee. “Our mission is to help golfers navigate their golf journey, so they can take it as far as they want to go. I strongly encourage PGA Members to complete their ADM training and their coach profiles, in order to create an affinity with golfers of all skill levels who wish to improve their game.”

In the Fall, the PGA is also scheduled to launch the first version of its B2B marketplace for PGA and LPGA Teaching Professionals. This marketplace will be the official platform to connect coaches with the best products, services and technology in the business.

“Every year, for a week in January, the golf industry gathers under the PGA brand in Orlando,” noted Jeff Price, Chief Commercial Officer for the PGA of America. “Going forward, our vision is to enhance connectivity between PGA Professionals and industry partners through a dynamic digital marketplace 365 days a year.”

PGA.com is currently vetting potential platform partners for activation within the PGA’s coach-consumer roadmap. This will include solutions that support coaches directly; solutions targeted primarily for consumers to help them start and engage more fully with the game; and other solutions designed to positively support coach-consumer engagement.

The PGA of America partnered with global experience agency Huge on the strategy, creative, and technical execution of the new PGA.com.

For platform inquiries, please contact Jon Colclasure, PGA of America Director of Platform Engagement, at jcolclasure@pgahq.com.

About the PGA of America
The PGA of America is one of the world’s largest sports organizations, with nearly 29,000 professionals who daily work to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. For more information about the PGA of America, visit PGA.org, follow @PGAofAmerica on Twitter and find us on Facebook.

Contact:
Michael Abramowitz   PGA of America   561/624-8458 mabramowitz@pgahq.com