Category: Featured

Remembering Dick Smith Sr., PGA

As you may be aware, Dick Smith Sr., PGA, passed away earlier this week, and his family has released the details for his services. Smith’s viewing will be held at Our Lady of Peace Parrish (32 Carrol Ave., Williamstown, NJ 08094) on Wednesday, March 15 at 9:15 – 11:15 a.m. with mass beginning at 12:00 p.m. Bell-Hennessy Funeral Home will be handling all arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, the Smith family is asking for donations to be made in his name to PGA REACH Philadelphia. You may donate by clicking here, and selecting “I would like to dedicate this donation,” to input “Dick Smith Sr.”

To read the Section’s original remembrance for Mr. Smith, please see below.

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Dick Smith Sr., the 27th PGA of America president and 22nd Philadelphia PGA Section president; he was 80. Dick is survived by his wife Adrienne, brother and fellow PGA Member Tom, son and fellow PGA Member Section Past President Dick Jr., daughter Stephanie, daughter-in-law Michelle, and grandchildren Alexandria, Marissa, Zak, also a PGA Associate. The Section will share service information when it becomes available.

Smith was born in Ohio, and grew up in Baltimore, Md. He attended Loyola College and turned professional in 1962. That year, he came to the Philadelphia PGA Section as an assistant to George Griffin Jr. at Green Valley Country Club. From there, Smith joined Ken Gibson in New Jersey where he helped run the Golf Farm, Indian Spring Golf Course, and Wedgwood Country Club. In the early 1970s, he was the pro-manager of the Hi-Point Golf Club, and in 1975, he went back to Wedgwood in a partnership that leased the course. Smith moved over to the Woodcrest Country Club in 1981 as the PGA head professional, where he stayed for twelve years.

Smith has one of the most outstanding Philadelphia PGA Section tournament records in history. He won three Philadelphia PGA Professional Championships in succession, ultimately winning the championship five times. Smith played in five PGA Championships and a U.S. Open. He qualified for the PGA Professional Championship 15 times, Senior PGA Championship twice, U.S. Senior Open twice, and the Senior PGA Professional Championship three times. In 1970, he won the Philadelphia Open.

After several years of serving on the Section’s tournament committee, Smith was elected to the office of first vice president at the Section’s 1974 Fall Membership Meeting, where he was also elected tournament chair. This was his first political step in what would take him to the highest office in the PGA of America. After three years as the Section’s first vice president, Smith was elected president. He served the Section as its 22nd president for three years, from 1978 to 1980. In late 1983, the Section sent Smith to the PGA of America for a three-year term as its District 2 director. At the 1986 PGA Annual Meeting, Smith was elected to national office for a two-year term as secretary. Following his term, he served as the vice president from 1989-1990, and president from 1991-1992.

After leaving national office, he also left Woodcrest to be the PGA director of golf at Galloway National Golf Club, which was still under construction. Two years later, he purchased the Williamstown Golf Center, which he operated for seven years. During this time, Smith set up a partnership that leased New York State’s Bethpage State Park Golf Course shop for five years, including in 2002, when the facility’s Black Course hosted the U.S. Open. During his time on Long Island, he was a dual member of both the Metropolitan and Philadelphia PGA Sections.

Smith returned to the Philadelphia PGA Section full-time as the PGA director of golf at two new golf courses in New Jersey. Later, Smith and the Section created the Dick Smith Cup Matches, which were contested each year between the assistant professionals from the Central Counties Chapter and the assistant professionals from the rest of the Section. In 2005, he was hired as the PGA general manager at Woodcrest Country Club, where his son Dick Smith Jr. had succeeded him as PGA Professional and was now in his 13th year.

Smith was the Philadelphia PGA Section’s Golf Professional of the Year in 1980, and was an original inductee into the Section’s Hall of Fame in 1992. Smith was inducted into the PGA of America’s PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame in 2005.

Dick’s dedication to the PGA of America, Philadelphia PGA Section, and the game of golf was impressive:

  • PGA of America president, 1991-1992
  • PGA of America Hall of Fame member, 2005
  • Philadelphia PGA Section president, 1978-1980
  • Philadelphia PGA Section Hall of Fame member, 1992
  • Philadelphia PGA Golf Professional of the Year, 1980
  • Philadelphia PGA Section first vice president, 1975-1977
  • Philadelphia PGA Section Playing Legend, 1992
  • Philadelphia PGA Section Player of the Year, 1971-1974, 1983
  • Philadelphia PGA Professional Champion, 1974, 1977, 1981-1982
  • Philadelphia PGA Section F. Edward DeBaufre Trophy for scoring average, 1971-1974, 1982-1983
  • Annual host of Philadelphia Assistant PGA Professional Championship
  • Namesake of the Philadelphia PGA Dick Smith Cup Matches

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

Philadelphia PGA Section Announces Bud Jennings PGA Golf Management Scholarship

Bud Jennings is the namesake of the new PGM scholarship for Philadelphia PGA AssociatesLower Gwynedd Township, Pa. (February 22, 2023) — The Philadelphia PGA Section is excited to announce the creation of the Bud Jennings PGA Golf Management Scholarship – a first of its kind for the Section. The scholarship was developed by the Jennings family to honor Bud Jennings, a lifelong golfer and longtime Chester Valley Golf Club member. Given Bud’s love for the game of golf, and his willingness to give back and help others, the Jennings family says that this award is the perfect way to remember his legacy.

The scholarship will be awarded annually to both one male and one female Philadelphia PGA Associate aspiring to be elected to PGA Membership. Scholarship recipients will possess the skills, drive, and character it takes to become a first-class PGA Member.

“On behalf of our officers, board of directors, and membership, the Philadelphia PGA Section thanks the Jennings family for helping to build the next generation of PGA Members who will help grow the game of golf,” said Section Executive Director Geoff Surrette, PGA. “Providing support for these PGA Associates will help ensure they serve the community in ways Bud Jennings would be proud of.”

“Golf is an honorable sport, and that’s why my dad was so at home on the course; he loved the camaraderie and intricacies of the game. Every day, every shot was different,” said Chris Jennings.

“He just loved being on the golf course,” said Martina Jennings. “I have so many wonderful memories of him there, with me, his kids or grandkids, or any of the many cherished friends he made on the course over the years. He would be honored to know that his love of the game is living on in this scholarship.”

The official scholarship applications will launch on phillypga.com following the Section’s 2023 Spring Membership Meeting, scheduled for Monday, March 27 at DuPont Country Club in Wilmington, Del.

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

Philadelphia PGA Section Announces New Invitational Golf Tournament: The Hutch

Lower Gwynedd Township, Pa. (February 28, 2023) — The Philadelphia PGA Section is excited to announce the creation of a new invitational golf tournament: The Hutch. The event will be hosted by Section partners Scott and Karen Hutchinson, and is scheduled to take place on Thursday, July 13 at Berkshire Country Club in Reading, Pa.

The Hutch will be a limited field event with the Hutchinsons extending invitations to 24 PGA Professionals. Participating PGA Professionals will team with one amateur golfer of their choice in the Better Ball format to compete for a purse of at least $10,000.

“Our Philadelphia PGA Professionals are grateful to Scott and Karen Hutchinson for their past generosity, and now have something to be even more excited about,” said Section Executive Director Geoffrey Surrette, PGA. “Not every PGA Section is as fortunate as we are to have the support of the Hutchinsons, and we are proud to expand our relationship with them, ultimately providing another opportunity to our members.”

The Hutchinsons have been longtime supporters of the Philadelphia PGA Section and PGA REACH Philadelphia, and also support the Philadelphia Players Championship at Lookaway Golf Club. The Hutch was established by the Hutchinsons to provide an additional playing and compensation opportunity to PGA Professionals who prioritize competitive golf while also successfully balancing their careers and partner relationships.

“Partnering with the Philadelphia PGA Section for the past decade has provided many playing opportunities outside of Lookaway Golf Club. The Hutch was created as a way to thank the PGA Professionals at those facilities,” said Scott Hutchinson “I want to also thank the Philadelphia PGA Section staff and Berkshire Country Club for making this event possible.”

Invitations for PGA Professionals will be distributed on March 1 via email.

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

PGA of America Introduces Member Deferred Compensation Program

For many years the PGA of America has searched for a way to develop some kind of retirement plan for members. As we all know, there are tax rules that prevent the Association from directly giving money to members. But the basic principle is that we can reasonably compensate a member for performing services that advance our exempt purpose; specifically for growing the game of golf. Therefore, the PGA of America created a plan whereby members that participate in programs that meet specified performance objectives can earn a contribution towards a deferred compensation fund.

The aim is that over the years these investments will grow and provide a supplemental income for the member upon reaching the age of 65. Because of the power of compounding over time, clearly younger members will benefit most from the program, but everyone can participate.

In addition to all our programs and other benefits this is now a very real and accessible vehicle to accumulate wealth towards a more comfortable retirement.  We further hope that this can serve as a truly significant lure and recruiting tool to attract new talent to our great and growing industry.

Get Started

Benefits include:

  • Tax-deferred growth
  • Ability to choose your investment allocation from a wide variety of funds
  • Supplement your future retirement income
  • Contributions come directly from the PGA

Points System: Members earn points towards the Plan after the completion of certain specified performance objectives/activities.

You must earn a minimum of 200 points in a given program year to be eligible to receive a contribution

  • If a member does not reach that threshold, such points will be forfeited
  • Additionally, points cannot be rolled over to future program years
  • Reporting Points
    • Members can submit and keep track of their points online or through the Deferred Compensation App
    • Multi-pronged reporting model includes self-attestation, the attestation of another PGA Member, and to the extent available, the use of other readily available data sources.
  • A list of eligible activities and their assigned point value can be found below. Note: Partial credit for some activities is available as well depending on the level of involvement

To view the Deferred Compensation program’s points descriptions, click here. Review the Deferred Compensation program’s eligible activities by career path by clicking here.

About the PGA of America

The PGA of America is one of the world’s largest sports organizations, composed of nearly 28,000 PGA Professionals who work daily 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 TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

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

Philadelphia PGA Members Jeff Kiddie and John Carpineta Honored in PGA of America’s 2023 Award Class

Frisco, Texas and Orlando, Fla. (Jan. 25, 2023) – PGA Golf Professional of the Year Jeff Kiddie, PGA; and PGA Patriot Award recipient John Carpineta, PGA; headline the Class of 2023 PGA of America National Awards honorees.

All 13 award recipients were announced at the 2023 PGA Show last week in Orlando, Florida.

“It is exciting for a PGA Section to have one of its members win one of the PGA of America’s national awards, so having two high-caliber PGA Members honored in the same class is incredibly humbling,” said Philadelphia PGA Section Executive Director Geoffrey Surrette, PGA.

Kiddie is the Section’s first-ever national PGA Golf Professional of the Year, while Carpineta, known affectionately as “Johnny C,” is the Section’s first national PGA Patriot Award recipient.

“Both Jeff and Johnny have helped grow the game at their facilities, at the Section level, and nationally, and are truly model PGA Professionals,” Surrette continued. “Our entire Section is proud of what they have accomplished, and are thrilled to celebrate with them this year.”

Jeff Kiddie, PGA, Head Golf Professional at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, is the recipient of the 2023 PGA Golf Professional of the Year Award. This is the highest annual honor given to a PGA of America Professional, awarded for leadership, strong moral character and a substantial record of service to the Association and the game of golf.

A PGA Member for 23 years, Kiddie has spent the past 15 years at Aronimink following a seven-year stint at Applebrook Golf Club in Malvern, Pennsylvania, where he served as PGA General Manager and Head Golf Professional. Kiddie  was the host PGA Professional during the 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Aronimink, which will also host the 2026 PGA Championship.

A longtime, dedicated leader in the Philadelphia PGA Section, Kiddie has held numerous positions including President, Vice President, Secretary, District Director, Director of Section Affairs and Member of the PGA of America Rules Committee, among others. In 2019, he was elected the 43rd President of the Philadelphia PGA; He served a two-year stint, followed by his current Honorary President role.

A decorated PGA Professional, Kiddie has received numerous awards and accolades, including being honored as the national 2011 PGA Merchandiser of the Year – Private Facilities. He also received the Philadelphia PGA Section’s 2021 Bill Strausbaugh Award; 2016 Horton Smith Award (now the PGA Professional Development Award); 2011 Philadelphia Section Golf Professional of the Year; and is a two-time recipient of the Philadelphia PGA Section Merchandiser of the Year Award – Private Facilities (2007, ‘10).

Since Kiddie became a PGA Head Professional in 2001, a total of 12 of his Assistant Professionals have advanced to become Head Professionals across the country. His passion for the Rules of Golf has led him to become an instructor for PGA and USGA Rules of Golf Workshops. Kiddie is a graduate of Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he competed on the golf team.

“This award is an incredible honor and it’s a pleasure to share it with my family and with everyone at Aronimink,” said Kiddie. “I’ve always said that I’ve been incredibly fortunate throughout my career to work with and for great PGA Professionals; there are so many PGA Professionals that I respect and admire who have not been recognized with this award and it kind or it makes it difficult to feel deserving. I only know that I’ll continue to work hard to try and live up to it.

“It has also been a great fortune to spend the last 23 years in the Philadelphia PGA Section. I consider our Section to be the finest in the country. The friendships I have made within our Section have positively impacted me personally and professionally. I’m also thankful to work at an incredible club like Aronimink, where I’m afforded the resources necessary to be successful. The club’s leadership encourages me to be involved in other aspects of our industry outside of Aronimink. Finally, and most importantly, I’m incredibly thankful to have a wife and children who have supported me in all my career aspirations.”

John Carpineta, PGA, a Philadelphia PGA Section Member and Assistant Golf Professional at Bensalem Township Country Club in Pennsylvania, is the recipient of the 2023 Patriot Award. The honor goes to a PGA Professional who personifies patriotism through the game of golf and demonstrates unwavering commitment and dedication to the men and women who have valiantly served and protected the United States of America.  An inspiration to many, Carpineta earned his PGA Membership at 63 years old. Today, at age 81, he remains a driving force in leading the growth of the PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) program in the Philadelphia Section. A U.S. Army Veteran, Carpineta is an advocate for golf programming to be used as a form of therapy for Veterans, and thanks to his efforts, more than 500 Veterans have been positively impacted. Additionally, Carpineta is a staunch supporter of Patriot Golf Day, hosting events annually to support the initiative. Carpineta has been the recipient of multiple awards at the Section level, including Golf Professional of the Year in 2019, the Patriot Award (2017, ‘18, ‘20) and the Player Development Award in 2015. Carpineta has also been instrumental in mentoring other PGA Professionals who have aspirations to be heavily involved in PGA HOPE programming. His commitment to service at the Section level includes being the Co-chair of PGA HOPE Bensalem since 2016, a member of the Player Development Committee since 2016, and an Education Committee member since 2011, among other Section and Chapter committees.

“I am incredibly honored to have received our PGA Patriot Award,” said Carpineta. “While my name is on the award, it should be shared with everyone who has been instrumental with PGA HOPE Philadelphia, including fellow PGA Members Rick Flagler, Gerry Davis, Dan Hoban, Adrienne Hogan, Leila Mackie, Judy Alverez, and many others.”

Our Section staffers, Geoff Surrette, PGA, Courtney Curcio, and Matt Frey, PGA, have helped our Bensalem chapter thrive and taken lessons learned here to eight of our other PGA HOPE Philadelphia chapters.”

“I would be remiss if not to thank those who helped with and supported my nomination: Jack Connelly, Dick Smith Sr., Tom Carpus, Jeff Kiddie, Jeff Hoerger, Jim Bogan, Bill Fox, and Kelly Newhouse. Having a Section full of supportive PGA Professionals has helped our military veterans far and wide.”

2023 PGA of America National Awards Recipients

  • PGA Golf Professional of the Year
    Jeff Kiddie, PGA – Aronimink Golf Club – Newtown Square, Pa.
  • PGA Patriot Award
    John Carpineta, PGA – Bensalem Township Country Club – Bensalem, Pa.
  • PGA Teacher & Coach of the Year
    Kevin Weeks, PGA – Cog Hill Golf & Country Club – Lemont, Ill.
  • PGA Golf Executive of the Year
    Bernie Friedrich, PGA – Boyne Resorts – Petoskey, Mich.
  • Bill Strausbaugh Award
    Jack Druga, PGA – Life Member – Metropolitan PGA Section – Southampton, N.Y.
  • PGA Professional Development Award
    Nick Papadakes, PGA – Onwentsia Club – Lake Forest, Ill.
  • Deacon Palmer Award
    Jamie Nieto, PGA – The Preserve at Oak Meadows – Addison, Ill.
  • PGA Player Development Award
    Josh Tremblay, PGA – Springfield Golf & Country Club – Springfield, Va.
  • PGA Youth Player Development Award
    Susie Redman, PGA – The Woodlands Country Club – The Woodlands, Texas
  • Herb Graffis Award
    Southern Texas PGA Section
  • PGA Merchandiser of the Year – Resort Category
    Grace Hurley, PGA – Ponte Vedra Inn & Club – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
  • PGA Merchandiser of the Year – Private Category
    Katie Wiedmar, PGA – Winged Foot Golf Club – Mamaroneck, N.Y.
  • PGA Merchandiser of the Year – Public Category
    Ian Ziska, PGA – American Dunes Golf Club – Grand Haven, Mich.

For full bios of all 13 PGA of America National Awards recipients for 2023, click here.

The formal National Awards ceremony is scheduled for this November during the 2023 PGA Annual Meeting in Frisco, Texas. The Herb Graffis Award will be presented during the Annual Meeting content that week as well.

About PGA of America
The PGA of America is one of the world’s largest sports organizations, composed of nearly 28,000 PGA Professionals who work daily 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.

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

Watch the Make Golf Your Thing Segments on NBC Sports Philadelphia’s “Inside Golf”

This year, “Inside Golf,” the weekly local golf show that airs on NBC Sports Philadelphia, partnered with the Philadelphia PGA Section and Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board to produce golf instruction segments as part of the Make Golf Your Thing initiative, a collaborative effort across the golf industry to ensure the future of golf is open to everyone.

PGA Member Meg Donohue of Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington, Pa., provided free golf lessons to two beginners, Megan from Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board, and Marisa from WMMR, introducing them to the game of golf, teaching them how to swing the club, play the game, and appreciate everything the sport has to offer. The Section also provided both Megan and Marisa with full sets of Cobra Golf clubs with Sun Mountain golf bags to get them started on their journey in golf.

To watch each segment, click here. To learn more about Make Golf Your Thing, click here.

Learn About the Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour’s FUNdamental Tour

The Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour’s FUNdamental Tour is now open to all age divisions so that at no matter what age, people can grow with their golf game. This new tour is aimed at beginner golfers who are not quite at the level to compete on our junior tour and offers shorter yardages and the opportunity to have a caddie. The goal is to provide the tools necessary to aid our beginner golfers with the improvement of their games and the building of their confidence. The emphasis is on having fun and encouraging our golfers to grow their love for the game.

To learn more about the Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour’s FUNdamental Tour, click here.