Lower Gwynedd Township, Pa. (December 23, 2020) — The Philadelphia PGA Section has announced its 2020 award winners, highlighted by PGA Golf Professional of the Year Dean Kandle, the PGA Head Professional at St. Davids Golf Club, in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Over 100 award nominations were received for the 2020 Awards Class, of which the Philadelphia PGA Awards Committee chose 11 winners for 2020, including:

Dean Kandle, PGA, the PGA Head Professional at St. Davids Golf Club in Wayne, Pennsylvania, is the recipient of the 2020 Philadelphia PGA Golf Professional of the Year Award. This is the highest annual honor given to a Philadelphia PGA Professional, awarded for qualities of leadership, strong moral character and a substantial record of service to the Philadelphia PGA Section and the game of golf.

A PGA Member since 2006, Kandle has spent the last 10 years as PGA Head Professional at St. Davids Golf Club, a club with a rich history of its own, having been founded in 1897 and boasting a Donald Ross-designed golf course. Kandle is the true embodiment of a rounded PGA Professional, mastering operations, coaching and player development, merchandising, and service at the facility. Since taking over the golf operation, Kandle has increased the number of golf rounds played at St. Davids by 56 percent, boosted the club’s golf car rental and golf shop sales, and increased member satisfaction.

Observers need not look further than his response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which provided opportunities at the facility level to respond to the crisis and show the worth of PGA Professionals to their employers and those they work with. Kandle was able to mobilize his staff to cater to the St. Davids membership, even while the stay at home orders were in place. With communication and engagement on the forefront, Kandle and his staff filmed videos at home to provide not only updates, but golf swing tips, drills, and fun challenges to keep members engaged during quarantine. Furthermore, he worked with the club’s board of directors to create a COVID-19 Action Committee to help responsibly reopen the golf operation successfully.  Kandle also worked to institute a staff relief fund to provide cash bonuses to furloughed employees and caddies, which he says will remain one of the most memorable experiences of his career.

In addition to his work at St. Davids, Kandle has also devoted time to serve the Philadelphia PGA Section. Kandle currently serves as District 6 Director after being elected in 2019, and is also a member of the Section’s Education (2011-13, 2018-present) and Awards (2019-present) committees. During his time on the Education Committee, he has helped organize many events concerning management, customer service, productivity, and more.

Kandle has also made time to support PGA REACH Philadelphia, the Section’s 501(c)(3) foundation, by creating the annual charity hockey game played between the Philadelphia and New Jersey PGA Sections, this year played at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, prior to a Flyers game, after organizing a partnership between the NHL team and foundation.

His support of fellow PGA Professionals does not end with his own staff or Section involvement, which is why Kandle also received the 2020 Philadelphia PGA Professional Development Award, repeating his 2019 distinction. This honor goes to a PGA Member who displays commendable contributions to the education of PGA Professionals. In his position at St. Davids, Kandle has been instrumental in furthering the careers of his fellow staff members, many who have gone on to assume leadership positions throughout the industry. In 2017, Kandle created a website known as “Golf Professional Growth” to provide content focused on generating awareness on how the modern PGA Professional can better manage their time, lead their people and improve their personal lives. Kandle hosts a regular podcast, “Getting Better Now,” virtual networking and education events, and has contributed to industry publications such as PGA Magazine.

Kandle won the Section’s Bill Strausbaugh Award for mentoring in 2018.

Andy Miller, PGA, the PGA Director of Instruction at LedgeRock Golf Club in Mohnton, Pennsylvania, is the recipient of the 2020 Philadelphia PGA Teacher & Coach of the Year Award for his “outstanding services as a golf teacher, innovator and coach.” Miller, a PGA Member since 2005, is no stranger to Philadelphia PGA awards, having received the Section’s Youth Player Development Award thrice (2013, 2018, and 2019).

Perhaps what most identifies Miller as a leader is his willingness to introduce and test new, fun, and innovative coaching and player development programs and their ability to motivate golfers to practice and play more, thus creating value for the facility. He has implemented programs such as Golf Experiences for Her, Mental Performance Clinics, High School Golf Boot Camps, Women’s Meet Up events, the utilization of a player development mobile app, a Winter Elite Program, Golf and Skills Schools, and much more.

As the COVID-19 coronavirus temporarily shuttered businesses across the country, including golf facilities, Miller saw a unique opportunity to engage with his students and LedgeRock members. He created an “At Home with Andy” video series which featured 42 intallments posted on social media. What made these short videos unique was not always the golf tips, but rather Miller’s sense of humor and creativity. During his time in quarantine at home, Miller filmed segments that included distinctive situations and props, including fire pits, homeschooling, homemade teaching and training aids, landscaping, treadmills, and more.

Miller is also eager to share his extensive knowledge of the golf swing with his peers, serving as the Philadelphia PGA Teaching Committee Chair, which has helped organize events and webinars for the Section’s PGA Professionals. He is also a regular contributor to PGA Magazine’s PGA Professionals’ Best Practice Email Series.

Anthony Malizia, PGA, the PGA Head Professional at Bidermann Golf Club in Wilmington, Delaware, and PGA Member since 2009, is the recipient of the 2020 Philadelphia PGA Bill Strausbaugh Award. This award recognizes a PGA Professional who demonstrates exceptional character, integrity and leadership, by way of teaching and mentoring other PGA Professionals. Malizia takes the responsibility of helping his PGA Assistant Professionals and other PGA Professionals achieve their maximum potential very seriously, as the importance of mentorship was instilled by his father, the legendary PGA Member Bob Ford while working at Florida’s Seminole Golf Club, and Tom Gilbert at Gulph Mills Golf Club. After accepting his current position, he created a Professional Development Program that consists of three key areas of responsibility: Golf Shop Management, Tournament Operations, and Outside Golf Services. The program helps educate and provide his PGA Professional staff with critical growth and experience and allows him to work closely with each PGA Assistant Professional, while establishing professional and operational goals, and providing a sense of ownership, responsibility, trust, and confidence. Malizia is also actively involved with the Section’s governance, serving as the District 2 Director and also serving on multiple committees. He also serves as a PGA Professional Consultant for the Delaware State Golf Association, and volunteered  his time to work the 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club.

John Carpineta, PGA, a PGA Professional at Bensalem Township Country Club in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, is the recipient of the 2020 Philadelphia PGA Patriot Award. This honor bestows special recognition on a PGA Professional who personifies patriotism through the game of golf and demonstrates an unwavering commitment and dedication to the men and women who have valiantly served and protected our country. Carpineta, the Section’s 2019 PGA Golf Professional of the Year, previously received this honor in 2017 and 2018, is a military veteran himself and earned his PGA Membership in 2003. Along with serving on the Section’s Player Development and PGA REACH Philadelphia Committees, Carpineta co-chairs the PGA HOPE Philadelphia (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) program, along with the Wounded Warriors Project and Philly VA Amputee Swing endeavor. Due to the ongoing global pandemic, PGA HOPE clinics were not held in 2020, but that did not keep Carpineta from helping support veterans in the Section. In replacement of group clinics, he worked to create golf events where veterans were able to responsibly play nine holes of golf via tee times at PGA HOPE Philadelphia Chapters. Furthermore, Carpineta worked with his facility to create a special reserved area for Purple Heart and amputee veterans, ensuring that they always have a place to practice their games.

Abby Mann, PGA, a PGA Assistant Professional at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, is the 2020 Philadelphia PGA Player Development Award recipient. This honor bestows special recognition to a PGA Member who has displayed extraordinary and exemplary contributions and achievements in the area of player development. By winning this award, Mann, a PGA Member since 2016, has completed her first season in the Philadelphia PGA Section in impressive fashion. She hit the ground running after joining the Aronimink staff in February and the club’s reopening following the COVID-19 shutdowns in the spring, by launching robust women’s player development programs called Saturday Scoring Schools and Performance Clinics. Mann ensured the programs were administered in a responsible fashion and participants adhered to class limits and social distancing guidelines. The sessions were such a hit with Aronimink’s women members that they were expanded to accommodate more participants and to decrease the number on the waitlist. Furthermore, Mann created a Golf 101 clinic for women new to the game, ensuring that the new golfers became aware of the game’s Rules and etiquette, and swing principles, all while helping remove any anxiety her students may have had while on the course. Mann’s programming does not end with her women members, as she has ongoing corporate coaching events and youth clinics with The First Tee of Philadelphia. Mann has also implemented a rigorous tracking tool to help report her students’ impact on the facility, which includes increases in rounds played, food & beverage spend, and so on.

David Zimmaro, PGA, a PGA Assistant Professional at Overbrook Golf Club in Villanova, Pennsylvania, is the recipient of the 2020 Philadelphia PGA Youth Player Development Award, given annually to a PGA Golf Professional who has made extraordinary and exemplary contributions and achievements in the area of youth player development. Zimmaro, a PGA Member since 2012, spent the first seven years of his career working exclusively with youth golfers at The First Tee of Philadelphia before joining Overbrook Golf Club in 2016 as Director of Youth Golf. Under his tutelage, the Overbrook PGA Jr. League team has been undefeated for two straight seasons, winning the division each time, has had several students participate in the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship qualifiers, and has gifted Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour memberships to deserving golfers through their Affiliate Program. Additionally, Zimmaro has been volunteering to assist the Middle Atlantic Blind Golf Association, the Widener Memorial School, LaSalle Academy, and the Department of Justice’s Students for Juvenile Justice program to teach their students the game of golf. Zimmaro also worked hard to create a “pod system” to allow for responsible and socially distanced learning for Overbrook’s youth golf clinics in 2020. The system worked so well that the club saw 105 youth golfers participate over the summer and 66 in the autumn.

Jameson Wallace, PGA, the PGA General Manager at Chambersburg (Pennsylvania) Country Club, is the recipient of the 2020 Philadelphia PGA Merchandiser of the Year Award – Private Category. The award recognizes PGA Professionals who have excelled in business and merchandising in the promotion of golf. Wallace, a PGA Member since 2008, joined the Chambersburg staff in 2009 as PGA Head Professional and entered into his current role in 2012. Even as a PGA General Manager, Wallace allocates 30 percent of his time on the retail sales floor with more dedicated to clubfitting, marketing and managing the operation, which is recognized as an Association of Golf Merchandisers Platinum Award winning golf shop. During the COVID-19 shutdowns, Wallace implemented “Merchandise Minute” videos to deploy on the club’s social media channels as a way to stay engaged with their members, which ultimately helped drive additional sales in the shop. Additionally, he and his team worked to expand online sales during the coronavirus crisis providing extra value to their customers while driving much-needed revenue for the facility. Wallace has also implemented an affordable youth golf equipment rental program which has attracted over 90 youth members.

Kevin Edwards, PGA, a PGA Member since 2000 and the PGA Director of Golf at Olde Homestead Golf Club in New Tripoli, Pennsylvania, is the recipient of the 2020 Philadelphia PGA Merchandiser of the Year Award – Public Category. The award recognizes PGA Professionals who have excelled in business and merchandising in the promotion of golf. Edwards recognizes the importance of the merchandise operation to the facility and manages the shop to provide fair pricing and exceptional customer service. Edwards prides himself on his relationships with sales representatives, which he says has greatly impacted the shop’s bottom line. By all accounts, he has managed to use his relatively small golf shop to the fullest advantage, growing sales and accounts seemingly each year. Edwards received this honor twice previously, in 2006 and 2008.

Ron Pine, PGA, a PGA Assistant Professional at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, is the recipient of the 2020 Philadelphia PGA Assistant Golf Professional of the Year Award. This award recognizes an individual who has displayed the qualities and attributes for what it takes to become an outstanding PGA Professional. He has worked at some of the Section’s most well-known facilities, including Trenton Country Club and Whitemarsh Valley Country Club prior to accepting his current role at Aronimink in 2019. Since being elected to PGA Membership in 2011, Pine has been involved with the Philadelphia Assistants Organization (PAO), which he now serves as Chair following stints as Chair for Tournaments, Finance / Charity, and Junior Golf. Pine recognizes that quality PGA Professionals must continually try to improve not only themselves, but their facilities, which he put into practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pine volunteered to assist Aronimink’s grounds staff to help maintain the course during the initial shutdowns, helping combat the understaffing issues that arose. When the club was permitted to reopen, he was able to get back to his traditional work, including his women’s 18-hole program chair role, merchandising, and coaching.

Kevin McClellan, the owner of KM Golf Sales and a sales representative for Cutter & Buck, Ahead USA, Heritage Creations USA, Dynamic Brands, and Tommy John, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, is the recipient of the 2020 Philadelphia PGA Salesperson of the Year Award. This award recognizes a sales representative who contributes to the Section and is involved with sponsoring Section events. They are also respected among their fellow Section clubs and have implemented new ideas to assist growing the game of golf. McClellan began his sales career 30 years ago and remains true to his original philosophy of to treat his partners’ businesses as his own. He acknowledges that communication is the key to any successful relationship and he ensures that he understands his partners’ goals in order to help them achieve them through his service and support. Additionally, McClellan has been a Philadelphia PGA partner each year since 1995, further contributing to the success of PGA Professionals in the Section.

Due to the ongoing global pandemic, the Philadelphia PGA Awards Committee has not yet scheduled a date for the 2020 awards to be formally presented.

The Philadelphia PGA Section thanks its media partner CCI Communications Inc. and its owner Ken Sellinger for its assistance in the promotion and marketing of the Section’s award program. For more information about CCI Communications Inc. and its programming, including “Inside Golf,” visit insidegolf.net.

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, Philadelphia PGA Section, mfrey@pgahq.com