Category: PPGA
Philadelphia Assistants’ Organization Announces New Board Roles
- Co-Chairs: Ron Pine, PGA, Aronimink G.C.; and John Rogers, PGA
- Tournament Chair: Michael Congdon, PGA, Aronimink G.C.
- Education Chair: Steve Frederick, PGA, Overbrook G.C.
- Youth Golf / Charity / Finance Chair: Tony Shields, PGA, The ACE Club
- Communication / Mentorship Chair: Ashley Grier, PGA, Overbrook G.C.
The Philadelphia PGA Section, covering eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware, is one of 41 geographical managing entities of the PGA of America. This Section manages nearly 900 PGA Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region. Founded in 1921, the Section celebrates its centennial in 2021.
Contact: Matt Frey, PGA, Communications Director, Philadelphia PGA Section, mfrey@pgahq.com
Mike Mack and Bob Barnett Jr. Inducted into Philadelphia PGA Hall of Fame
Lower Gwynedd Township, Pa. (November 6, 2020) — The Philadelphia PGA Section and its Hall of Fame Committee has inducted PGA Members Mike Mack and Bob Barnett into its Hall of Fame as the class of 2020. Mack and Barnett are the 44th and 45th members of the Philadelphia PGA Hall of Fame.
Mike Mack, the longtime PGA Head Professional at Burlington Country Club in Westampton, N.J., turned professional in 1977 and was elected to PGA of America Membership in 1981. Prior to joining Burlington, he worked at West Chester (Pa.) Golf & Country Club, Kennett Square (Pa.) Golf & Country Club, and Brookside Country Club in Pottstown, Pa., where he worked for Pete Dever.
“I am honored to be mentioned in the same breath as legendary PGA Members like Dick Smith Sr., Pete Trenham, Jack Connelly, Ed Dougherty, Art Wall, and the like,” said Mack. “I am thankful to the Hall of Fame Committee, our Executive Director Geoffrey Surrette, and to those who nominated me, Bob Hennefer and Curtis Kirkpatrick. I’m very fortunate to be part of the best Section in the nation, the Philadelphia PGA.”
Mack has been Burlington’s PGA Head Professional for over 39 years, an increasingly uncommon feat in today’s world, and while his position includes many managerial responsibilities, he has always remained an impassioned coach and teacher. In an effort to improve his own practice as well as the club’s profile, he built one of the Section’s first indoor teaching studios, which still gets perennial use by his students and Burlington’s members.
Furthermore, Mack’s engagement within the community has improved the lives of many. He has been involved with the PGA HOPE Philadelphia program, the flagship military program of PGA REACH Philadelphia, the charitable foundation of the Philadelphia PGA Section, which introduces golf to veterans with disabilities to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being. Mack also works with the Buddy Club, Variety Club, and Golf for Life charities to help support local youth. Impressively, he was also the first to introduce the game of golf to the Special Olympics regionally, and has been honored for his work with Camden’s inner-city youth.
In addition to his duties at Burlington, Mack has been involved with the Section at the highest levels. He was first elected to the Section’s Board of Directors in 1989, and served as a Section officer in multiple roles, including Tournament Chair, 1994-95; Secretary, 1996-97; Vice President, 1998-99; and as the Section’s 33rd President, 2000-01.
Mack has always considered playing the game of golf to be an important aspect of being a PGA Professional, and as a result, created the Burlington Classic golf tournament in 1986, one of the longest-running events on the Section’s tournament calendar. The Burlington Classic has been played annually since its inception (with the exceptions of 2000 and 2005, when the club hosted the Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship, and 2020, when it was cancelled due to the global pandemic) and has become a favorite among many Philadelphia PGA Tournament Players Division members. The tournament awards the low PGA Professional and low pro-am team; Mack won the team event in 2007.
Mentoring is also a passion of Mack’s, as he has helped usher many young PGA Associates to their PGA Membership and also served as a Dick Smith Cup Captain, an event created to celebrate 24 of the Section’s best PGA Assistant Professionals. He was also named the 1999 Philadelphia PGA Golf Professional of the Year, the highest honor the Section can bestow on its members. Mack was nominated to the Hall of Fame by PGA Members Bob Hennefer and Curtis Kirkpatrick.
The class of 2020’s second inductee, Robert Thompson “Bob” Barnett Jr., has been inducted posthumously. Barrett turned professional in 1914 to work as an assistant professional at Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia prior to serving in France for the U.S. Army in World War I. When he returned to the United States, he earned his PGA Membership in 1917 while working as the PGA Professional at Pocono Manor (Pa.) Golf Club. Barnett became the PGA Professional at the now defunct Tredyffrin Country Club in Paoli, Pa., in 1920, where they hosted the Main Line Open beginning in 1921, a golf tournament that attracted the nation’s top players. Barnett and Tredyffrin also hosted the first-ever Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship.
When the Philadelphia PGA Section was formally established on December 2, 1921, Barnett was unanimously selected by his peers to become the Section’s first president, a role he held for two years. Barnett was just 25 years old at the time.
In March 1923, Barnett resigned from Tredyffrin after accepting the PGA Professional position at the Chevy Chase (Md.) Club, and thus his position as Section president. Barnett went on to help found the Middle Atlantic PGA Section in 1925, and a year later became its second president. During his near 20-year stint at Chevy Chase, he also served as PGA Head Professional at Indian Creek Country Club in Miami, Fla., where he trained two young PGA Professionals, who ultimately became PGA leaders in their own right: Max Elbin, who served as PGA of America President, 1966-68; and Bill Strausbaugh, who became the namesake of PGA’s mentorship award. Nineteen-forty-seven U.S. Open champion Lew Worsham also worked for Barnett at both Chevy Chase and Indian Creek.
“We take great pride in welcoming Mike and Bob to our Hall of Fame,” said Philadelphia PGA Section Executive Director Geoffrey Surrette, PGA. “Our Section would not be where it is today without Barnett’s early leadership and Mack’s ongoing dedication to the game and fellow PGA Professionals. We proudly inscribe their names into our Section’s rich and storied history.”
About the Philadelphia PGA Section
The Philadelphia PGA Section, covering eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware, is one of 41 geographical managing entities of the PGA of America. This Section manages nearly 900 PGA Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.
Contact: Matt Frey, PGA, Communications Director, mfrey@pgahq.com
PGA REACH Philadelphia’s Inaugural Pro-Am Championship Raises Over $50,000
Lower Gwynedd Township, Pa. (October 30, 2020) — On Wednesday, October 28, PGA REACH Philadelphia, the Philadelphia PGA Section’s 501(c)(3) foundation, raised over $50,000 from its inaugural Pro-Am Championship at Rolling Green Golf Club in Springfield, Pa., which featured a sold-out field of 144 players.
PGA REACH Philadelphia launched the new annual event to help support our Youth, Military, and Diversity programming, and to spread the word about our mission to positively impact lives though the game of golf.
“We are so thrilled that our first Pro-Am Championship event was such a big success, the support and interest shown by our partners and the players marks an exciting milestone for our foundation and it’s future,” said PGA REACH Philadelphia Director Leila Mackie, PGA. “With 2020 being a challenging year for all, it’s a good feeling to know we are making a real impact in the lives of individuals and families within our community.”
The 2020 PGA REACH Philadelphia Pro-Am Championship’s Premier Partner is the Union League of Philadelphia. Its Presenting Partners are Henkels & McCoy and American Floors Inc., and is supported by Corkcicle, Doc Murphy, Levelwear, Trinity Flavors, and William E. Howe & Co.
“No one has been unaffected by the ongoing global pandemic this year, our foundation included,” said Philadelphia PGA Section Executive Director Geoffrey Surrette, PGA. “To host such a strong event like this will not only help PGA REACH Philadelphia and its mission, but also our Section’s PGA Members as they prepare to offer programming to serve youth golfers, veterans, and diverse populations leading into 2021.”
PGA REACH Philadelphia offers several programs to support local youth, veterans, and diverse golfers, including PGA Jr. League, Golf in Schools, PGA HOPE Philadelphia (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), the Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour Diversity Scholarship, and Diversity Scholars Mentor Program.
Even on a brisk, and at times damp, autumn day, Rolling Green G.C.’s incredible William Flynn layout received rave reviews from the players. The host club’s own Assistant Professional Jordan Abel led his team of amateur partners, Mike Sousa, Brian Hulse, and Bernie Sousa, to a five-stroke victory. Dean Kandle, St. Davids G.C., and his team, Mark Rhodes, Robert Aiken, and Ken Jones, finished in second place at 16-under-par in the one best of four net event. Three teams tied for third at 14-under-par. To view the full 2020 PGA REACH Philadelphia Pro-Am Championship leaderboard, clic
PGA REACH Philadelphia is already planning next year’s pro-am, which will likely be held in the summer (2020’s event was rescheduled as a result of the pandemic).
PGA REACH Philadelphia, the Philadelphia PGA Section, and its PGA Professionals, thank our partners, Boards of Directors, Rolling Green G.C., its membership, management, and staff, as well as our PGA HOPE Philadelphia volunteers, as the event would not have been possible without their support.
To view photos from the inaugural PGA REACH Philadelphia Pro-Am Championship, click here.
About PGA REACH Philadelphia
PGA REACH Philadelphia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2018 as the charitable arm of the Philadelphia PGA Section, one of the 41 Sections within the PGA of America. PGA REACH Philadelphia is committed to serving our communities and growing the game of golf through our three pillars: Youth, Military, and Diversity.
For more information on PGA REACH Philadelphia and its mission to positively impact lives through golf, visit PGAREACHPhiladelphia.com
About the Philadelphia PGA Section
The Philadelphia PGA Section, covering eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware, is one of 41 geographical managing entities of the PGA of America. This Section manages nearly 900 PGA Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.
Contact: Matt Frey, PGA, Communications Director, mfrey@pgahq.com
FDS Winter Tour Releases 2020-21 Schedule
ALL EVENTS ARE 10:15 SHOTGUN START
Date Site Phone number Format
Nov. 2 Yardley 215-493-4531 2 man modified better ball
Nov. 9 LuLu 215-884-5108 2 man better ball
Nov. 16 Odessa National 302-464-1007 Individual
Nov. 23 North Hills 215-576-9875 MB 4 Man Wacky Pins
Dec. 30 Raven’s Claw 610-495-4710 2 man DR chapman
Dec. 7 Cedarbrook 215-643-3560 2 man better ball
Dec. 14 Talamore 215-646-8900 2 man scramble
Dec. 21 North Hills 215-576-9875 Individual
Dec. 28 Bucks Club 215-343-0350 2 man DR chapman
Jan. 4 Paxon Hollow 610-353-0220 Individual
Jan. 11 North Hills 215-576-9875 2 man better ball
Jan. 18 Odessa National 302-464-1007 Individual
Jan. 25 Indian Spring 856-983-0222 2 man scramble
Feb. 1 Bucks Club 215-343-0350 Individual stableford
Feb. 8 Kimberton 610-933-8836 2 man DR chapman
Feb. 15 LuLu 215-884-5108 2 man scramble
Feb. 22 Bensalem 215-956-9727 Individual
Mar. 1 Hershey’s Mill 610-692-6592 2 modified better ball
Mar. 8 Indian Spring 856-983-0222 Individual
Mar. 15 Laurel Creek 856-778-1342 4 man/2 better ball of 4
Mar. 22 Cedarbrook 215-643-3560 Championship
2020 – 2021 FDS WINTER TOUR
ELIGIBILITY Both professionals and amateurs are welcome. There is an open and amateur division. The amateur division will compete for net prizes. Amateurs are welcome to participate in both divisions. However they must pay separate entries, but only one walk/ride fee. Amateurs will receive gift certificates at the HOST club.
SIGNING UP MANDATORY – You may either email Jamie Shaffer at shaffer004@aol.com or text
EACH WEEK me at 215-915-3809.
STARTING TIMES All events will be 10:15 shotgun starts. PLEASE let me know you are playing, SO THE HOST FACILITY CAN BE APPROPRIATELY PREPARED! ALSO, be ON TIME or WE WILL START WITHOUT YOU.
FEES CASH ONLY – no checks will be accepted.
REGISTRATION $70.00 – must be paid at the first event you play.
ENTRY FEE OPEN DIVISION $50.00 Individual – $100.00 Team – $5.00 per person of entry will go into a skins pool. In the event there are no skins, the skin money will go into that day’s purse. Walk/ride fee of $20.00 at each event.
AMATEUR DIVISION $50.00 Individual – $100.00 Team – $5.00 per person of entry will go into an optional skins pool. Walk/ride fee of $20.00 at each event.
HANDICAPS Amateurs will play with their USGA COURSE HANDICAPS – MAX HCP OF 16
If you do not have a handicap, one will be assigned to you.
BIRDIE RACE OPEN DIVISION PLAYERS ONLY The birdie race will pay a minimum of three places for the total number of birdies made for the year. Players will get credit for their own birdies in individual and better ball events. Players are responsible for notifying scorers of their birdie total at each event. No card – No birdies. Eagles and aces count as two birdies.
CONDUCT Clubs hosting the FDS Winter Tour have been very generous and hospitable to host us. It is in our collective best interest to return this consideration with respect to the club, the golf course, and the members and staff. Your sportsmanlike behavior will ensure our continued welcome at these clubs.
CHAMPIONSHIP To be eligible for the championship, you MUST have PAID entries in over 50% of the events that are played. You may prepay an entry (and not play) on or before the date of that particular event, and it will count toward your total for the championship.
RULES OF PLAY “Winter Rules” – lift, clean and place within one club length, no closer to the hole, everywhere. The ball must remain in the same condition – i.e. rough stays in rough, fairway stays in fairway, ball in the water stays in the water (you can go no closer to the hole in more shallow water, but it must stay in the water)
INFORMATION Call or text Jamie Shaffer at 215-915-3809 or email at shaffer004@aol.com, if you have any questions. The first person to email me the correct answer to the following question will receive a free entry. As a junior golfer, when something unfortunate happened on the golf course, FDS legend Dave Roberts had a predilection to a certain curse word. What was that word he delivered with a pubescent whine?
You get one guess only.
Philadelphia PGA Member John Pillar Sworn in as PGA of America District 2 Director
Lower Gwynedd Township, Pa. (October 29, 2020) — Philadelphia PGA Member John Pillar was sworn in as the PGA of America’s District 2 Director today during the Association’s Annual Meeting, which was held virtually for the first time ever due to the ongoing global pandemic.
Pillar, the PGA Director of Golf at the Country Club of Woodloch Springs in Hawley, Pa., was nominated to the PGA’s Board of Directors by the Philadelphia PGA Section, which along with the Metropolitan and New Jersey Sections, comprise the Association’s District 2. Pillar will serve a three-year term on the national board.
“Being elected by my PGA Member peers not just here from the Philadelphia PGA Section, but from the Metropolitan and New Jersey Sections too is a humbling accomplishment,” said Pillar. “Representing these three great Sections is an immense task, but I am confident I will be able to continue the unique unity we have built amongst each other over the past 10 years.”
In addition to his full-time duties at the C.C. of Woodloch Springs, Pillar also served the Philadelphia PGA Section in multiple roles, chief among them President (2014-2015) following his stints as Vice President (2012-2013), Secretary (2010-2011), and Director of Tournaments (2007-2009).
“My goal for my term is to ensure the voices of our three Sections are relayed at the national level,” continued Pillar. “I am very proud and humbled to represent my fellow PGA Professionals.”
Through his work in Hawley, volunteer work with the Section, and his work with veterans, Pillar has also been recognized by his peers, being named the Philadelphia PGA’s Golf Professional of Year in 2007, the highest honor the Section can bestow on one of its PGA Members; and Merchandiser of the Year – Resort Category in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2014; in addition to winning the Section’s Patriot Award in 2019.
While Pillar has excelled on the business side of the golf industry, he has also competed at the highest levels, winning the 2009 Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship, the 2019 and 2020 Philadelphia Senior PGA Professional Championships and the 2014 Pennsylvania Open. He has also competed in a U.S. Open and two U.S. Senior Open Championships.
The Philadelphia PGA Section, its board, and PGA Professionals wish John the best in his new role.
About the Philadelphia PGA Section
The Philadelphia PGA Section, covering eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware, is one of 41 geographical managing entities of the PGA of America. This Section manages nearly 900 PGA Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.
Contact: Matt Frey, PGA, Communications Director, mfrey@pgahq.com
Trevor Bensel Wins 2020 Philadelphia PGA Match Play Championship
Paoli, Pa. (October 21, 2020) — As the last PGA Professional standing from a field of 59, Trevor Bensel, Overbrook G.C., won the 2020 Philadelphia PGA Match Play Championship at Waynesborough C.C., his second Section victory of the year (Delaware Valley Open) and second Match Play title (2017).
No. 3 seed Bensel won the championship match definitively, 6 and 5, over defending champion and No. 1 seed Zac Oakley, following his semi-final match, in which he defeated (31) Nicholas Iacono, Chester Valley C.C, 2 and 1.
“I saved my best golf for the championship match, which is what I needed to do,” said Bensel. “It was nice to make a few putts against a great opponent in Zac [Oakley]. Thank you to Waynesborough C.C., its members and staff for hosting us for three days and to Overbrook G.C. for allowing me to play. I would also like to thank J.R. Delich, my coach and mentor, for all his help and patience with me.”
Bensel was seemingly in control of his game all week; in the six-round championship, his smallest margin of victory was 2 and 1 (semi-final), with his other wins amounting to 6 and 4; 6 and 5; 6 and 5; and 4 and 3.
Oakley reached the championship match with rather decisive victories of his own, as his smallest margin was 3 and 2. To reach the final match, Oakley beat (4) Andrew Turner, French Creek G.C., 4 and 2.
To view the full 2020 Philadelphia PGA Match Play Championship leaderboard, click here.
The 2020 Philadelphia PGA Match Play Championship, an OMEGA Player of the Year event, is supported by OMEGA and the PGA Tour. The Philadelphia PGA Section and its PGA Professionals thank Waynesborough C.C., its membership, management, and staff, as well as our partners, as the event would not have been possible without their support.
About the Philadelphia PGA Section
The Philadelphia PGA Section, covering eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware, is one of 41 geographical managing entities of the PGA of America. This Section manages nearly 900 PGA Members and Associates who are employed at over 590 golf facilities in our region.
Contact: Matt Frey, PGA, Communications Director, mfrey@pgahq.com
PGA Merchandise Show Shifts to All-Virtual Format for 2021
PGA Golf Exhibitions, in partnership with the PGA of America, announced today the shift to an all-virtual format for the 2021 PGA Merchandise Show, to be held January 26-29, 2021. Prioritizing the health and well-being of the global golf community during the ongoing pandemic, the decision was made with guidance and feedback from exhibitors, attendees, PGA Professionals, the PGA of America, key industry associations, vendor partners and additional event stakeholders.
“We are thankful to the PGA of America, exhibiting companies, attendees, PGA Professionals and industry partners for their strong support and guidance that has allowed us to develop this exciting reimagination of the 2021 PGA Merchandise Show,” said PGA Golf Exhibitions Event Vice President Marc Simon.
“This year’s virtual PGA Show will offer unparalleled online engagement, connecting our industry to drive business and grow the game. Technology has brought us together in amazing new ways during the pandemic, and we plan to capitalize on these innovative solutions to make the PGA Show even better moving forward. Recognizing the increased interest in the game and potential growth in 2021 and beyond, we are excited to return to Orlando in 2022 to combine the best of technology advancements with the invaluable experience of face-to-face connections. Together, we are evolving and have the opportunity to emerge stronger and better connected than ever before.”
PGA Professionals, golf retailers, industry leaders and manufacturers from around the globe will be able to attend the show from the safety of their homes, facilities or offices, and actively reconnect with the industry to drive substantial business results. The easy-to-use platform will become available for appointment scheduling in mid-December, with full content provided live during PGA Show Week, January 26-29, 2021, and available on-demand for an extended period of time after the Show concludes. The exhibitor marketplace will remain open on an ongoing basis to help exhibiting companies and buyers drive commerce throughout 2021. Complimentary industry attendee registration details will be announced shortly.
About the PGA Merchandise Show
The PGA Merchandise Show, organized by Reed Exhibitions in partnership with the PGA of America, traditionally welcomes some 1,000 golf companies and brands and nearly 40,000 industry professionals from around the world to the industry’s annual global summit for the business of golf. Prioritizing the health and well-being of the global golf community during the ongoing pandemic, the 68th edition of the PGA Merchandise Show will shift to an all-virtual format, Jan. 26-29, 2021. For additional event details, please visit PGAShow.com, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.