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GOLF TEACHING PRO® Magazine
 UNITED
STATES GOLF MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
Having trained and certified golf teaching professionals for twenty
years, as a natural progression the USGTF will now provide for the
training and certification of club professionals, club managers and
golf resort managers.
The United States Golf Managers Association, a division of the USGTF,
will act as the official certifying body in this endeavor. The
six-day courses will be held monthly at Club Med Resort in Port
Saint Lucie, Florida. Club Med is an international resort with
onsite accommodations, meeting rooms, banquet venues, a championship
course and a great practice facility.
According to USGTF president Geoff Bryant, “We anticipate
participants from all over the world will attend these courses. They
are unique in that they will provide a much-needed service that
presently does not exist. Certainly, there are traditional four- to
six-year ‘apprenticeship’ programs and two- to four-year college
programs that offer degrees in management, but nothing of the
intensity taught by current specialists in the field that we will be
providing. Combined with continuing education through up- to-date
articles in our membership publication and instructional DVD’s, club
professionals and golf resort managers will be able to remain
current in all aspects of the industry.”
 USGTF
MEMBER PROMOTES TOURS TO IRELAND
USGTFMember Greg O’Kane is offering members of the CGTF, USGTF, and
any members of the World Golf Teachers Federations an opportunity to
make extra money by directing all parties interested in the most
memorable golf vacation to Ireland ever to Greg’s new website,
www.IrelandIrelandIreland.com.
Greg has called Ireland his home for close to 30 years, and has been
teaching hundreds of students the art of swinging a golf club in
Ireland since 2000. Over the years, Greg has developed close
relationships with hoteliers, golf club operators, and pub owners in
Ireland. He has successfully run his own business in Ireland and has
worked as a consultant to the hospitality industry there, as well.
No company on earth can put together a better, more enjoyable and
more affordable golf package to Ireland than Greg. He has
testimonials from many satisfied customers to back that claim up, as
well, which can be viewed at the website. For more information, just
visit the website.
Greg is offering all golf professionals a commission-based fee for
referrals. If a group you referred books through Greg’s website,
just have that group mention your name, affiliation, and membership
number. When the booking has been confirmed, payment will be sent to
you, either by check, or, if you have a PayPal account, it will be
lodged directly into that account.
Also, the possibility for you to go to Ireland with all expenses
paid exists. Some groups will want an experienced golf professional
with extensive knowledge of the country to come along, as well – and
to be honest, Greg can’t go on all of them.
If you are interested in that possibility, please e-mail
gregokane@hotmail.com.
WGTF MEMBER
PHOTO CARDS NOW AVAILABLE
All WGTF Level III and IV members can now obtain a WGTF
certification card, which also will
contain the member’s photograph. These cards are recognized
worldwide. To obtain your card, please simply contact the USGTF
National Office at (888) 346-3290 or (772) 335-3216 between 9 am – 5
pm EDT Monday through Friday, or e-mail at
info@usgtf.com.
EDGE SPORTS SITES
Interested in creation and development of your own sport website?
Edge Sports Sites is offering all USGTF members 2 months of free
monthly fees. Edge Sports Sites provides low cost, professional
websites specifically designed for athletes and instructors. You can
view and order your website at
www.EdgeSportsSites.com. Then simply email
edge@edgesportsites.com
and notify them of your new page and that you are a USGTF Member.
You may also contact them directly by phone at 480-784-6880. A
personal sports website provides an excellent marketing tool to
build credibility and enable potential and current clients to learn
more about you.
 CAJUN
CLASSIC TO BE HELD MAY 18-19
USGTF member Gerald Bouquet is hosting the Cajun Classic at The
Wetlands Golf Course in Lafayette, Louisiana, May 18-19, 2009. As
part of Louisiana’s Audubon Trail of golf courses, The Wetlands has
played host to the LPGA’s Duramed Futures Tour, and hosts qualifying
for the Nationwide Tour’s Louisiana Open.
Further information
regarding signing up, entry fees, and format will be included in a
future USGTF Monthly Newsletter, and also on our member website,
www.usgtfmembers.com.
COLE LEADS
KEYSTONE TO NATIONALS
USGTFMaster Teaching Professional Don Cole coached his Keystone
College golf team to victory recently in the North Eastern Athletic
Conference tournament in Penn Yan, New York. The Giants earned a
spot in the NCAA Division III National Championship, which was held
in Braselton, Georgia.
Keystone’s victory was its fourth consecutive conference title, but
this is the first time that the Giants will play in the Division III
championship. With a two-day total of 620, Keystone finished 48
strokes ahead of second-place Penn State-Harrisburg.
“This will be an experience that these young men will never forget,”
stated Cole. “We have a terrific group of kids who are quality
golfers and fine individuals. This program has experienced a
successful run over the past few years and now these
student-athletes will be rewarded for their dedication and
commitment.”
From left to right: Kyle Kilmer
(freshman), Mike McConkey (senior), Donald Cole, Spencer Lunger
(sophomore),
Steve Osterhout (junior) Sean Misstishin (sophmore). Note: Sean
scored a hole in one on practice round at nationals.
 HI 5
PRO TOUR
The Hi 5 Pro Tour will begin its 2009 season January 13 at La Sella
Golf Resort in Denia, Spain. There will be 10 events this winter,
along with a new cooperation with the Nordic League. With this joint
venture, they will be the first pro tours to offer a full tournament
season at the developmental level of professional golf in Europe.
These events will be counting towards the 2009 European Challenge
Tour ranking system of the Nordic League. For more information,
please visit the website
www.hi5protour.com.
 HENRY
WINS CENTRAL REGION CHAMPIONSHIP
Charlie Henry, a 13-year USGTF member from Caseville, Michigan, won
the first Central Region Championship over Ken Burk of Commerce
Township, Michigan. Henry fired a 2-over-par 73 over the 6,175-yard
Bay Valley Golf Club layout, while Burk shot a very respectable 74.
Burk, who was paired with Henry, took an early lead with an even-par
front nine while Henry was three shots behind.
“Kenny had a few bad breaks on the back side,” said Henry, “and I
made a few birdies.” Both players were tied going into the final
hole, but Henry holed a 15-foot birdie putt to win the championship.
Burk, who earned his USGTF certification in 2004 at Stonebridge GC
in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was in a certification class where Henry
served as a USGTF Examiner with Bob Wyatt.
Jim Helmke, also a longtime USGTF member, finished third with an 80.
Other participants were Jack Black, Westland, MI; Andrew Carrigan,
Saline, MI; Phil Lawrence, Brighton, MI; George Paul, Belleville,
MI; Mark Widman, Marine City, MI; and Brian Zipse, Tinley Park, IL.
Next year, a Chicago area event is being planned in hopes of drawing
more entries from the vast Central Region, which covers Illinois,
Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska,
Kansas, North Dakota and South Dakota. Anyone interested in playing
or helping with the 2009 planning should please contact the Central
Region director at clh3@avci.net
or the USGTF national office.
 MEET
SUZY JOHNSON
The USGTF National Office is usually bustling with activity, and it
takes someone with energy and a great attitude to keep up with the
goings-on. One such person who fits that bill is Membership
Services’ Suzy Johnson.
A self-described “tom girl,” Suzy was born just up the road from the
office in Fort Pierce, Florida. When she’s not working, she likes to
partake in fishing, camping, off-road vehicles, and NASCAR, where
her favorite driver is Matt Kenseth. Most guys would appreciate that
shopping is not on that list.
Speaking of guys, she’s still with her high school sweetheart of 22
years, Rick, and they have 20-year-old twin boys, whom they’re
currently trying to put through fire fighter school. Prior to coming
to work for the USGTF and America’s Favorite Golf Schools (AFGS) in
2000, Suzy worked as a secretary for GBS Lures and also a Florida
citrus company. When business at the Florida citrus company slowed
down, she started looking for other work and found her way to the
USGTF. As to her personal life before her USGTF days, she says she
“spent most of my younger years just being a mom with baseball and
basketball games, camping and riding on off-road vehicles with my
kids and just enjoying life.”
Working for the USGTF for the past 9 years, seems to agree with her.
“I could search the entire world over and never find better people
to work for or with than the people at the USGTF office,” said Suzy.
“I enjoy the friendly faces I see each day, along with my everyday
responsibilities.”
A typical day at the office finds Suzy dealing with customer
service, answering phones and e-mails, taking reservations, writing
up bills, completing contracts with hotels and golf courses,
scheduling of golf instructors to teach AFGS classes, record
keeping, and general office duties.
Suzy is a very valuable member of the USGTF and AFGS staffs, and she
helps to make overall office operation run smoothly and efficiently.
Hopefully she’ll be a part of the USGTF family for many years to
come.
 MICHIGAN
KEEPS KELLY CUP
Golf teachers from Michigan successfully defended the Kelly Cup
against their counterparts from Ontario by a score of 16-14.
Michigan held a 6-4 advantage going into day two, which was split
10-10, giving Michigan the Cup.
Day two was a roller-coaster ride for both sides. Team Ontario got
out of the gate quickly and won the first three morning matches in
individual match play, taking an early lead. Michigan rallied in the
middle matches, but then lost three matches. Going into the back
nine in the stableford matches, it was all square, but Michigan won
six out of the next seven matches to secure the victory.
Without electronic scoring and national media coverage, the players
in the last few groups only knew the totals were close. Under that
assumption, the players in the final group on the final hole
witnessed a “Bagger Vance” moment, when Michigan’s Jack Black called
a penalty on himself when his ball moved after addressing it. (And,
unlike in the movie, he correctly replaced the ball before
continuing, but then again in the 1920’s you didn’t have to replace
the ball.)
His opponent, Ontario’s Pete Willems, who had previously found his
tee shot barely out of bounds, proceeded to knock his fourth shot
near the green on the par-5 finishing hole, chipped within five
feet, made the putt for a Stableford point, and won the match…and
possibly the Kelly Cup. Kudos to Pete for hanging in there and kudos
to Jack for honorably playing this game built on honor.
 Top
point-getters for the Kelly Cup were Ken Burk and Tom Chiles, four
points; Dave Belling, Carl Abel, and George Paul, three points.
Black won only one point against Ontario’s best players, but in the
end he won the biggest point of all.
The Michigan team
included captain Mark Widman, Dennis Niemiec, Jim Helmke, Charlie
Henry, Jack Deming, Rob Ruley, Burk, Chiles, and Black. Team Ontario
was captained by Ron Christner. Other Ontario team members were
Belling, Willems, Abel, Dennis Babcock, Paul Kelly, Daryl Sinden,
Gilles Charbonneau, Jim Jenkinson, and Kristian Kasemetes.
Barbara Kelly, Thomas Kelly’s widow, and her sons Thomas Jr. and
Edward hosted a dinner at her home on Sunday following the first
round. At the dinner, Barbara presented a $500 check from the Thomas
Kelly Memorial Golf Fund to Niemiec, who runs the “Gateway To Golf”
golf program for area juniors. The memorial fund consists of
monies collected from Michigan/Ontario Golf Teachers Tour member
donations. Replica cups will be awarded each year to the most
deserving boy and girl in the junior program from the memorial fund
and anonymous member donations.
Barbara, along with other Kelly family members, presented the Kelly
Cup to captain Widman after the final matches were completed and
tabulated.
The 2009 Kelly Cup will again be held in mid-September at Gateway
GC, the home course of the Kellys. The teams will be captained by
Michigan’s Paul and Ontario’s Willems. The squads can be up to 20
players per side. Contestants must play in at least one regular
season Michigan/Ontario Golf Teachers Tour event held during the
year. The tour, in its 10th season, draws teaching professionals
from the upper Midwest and Canada. For more information, please
contact Charlie Henry, Michigan tour director, by e-mail at
clh3@avci.net.
SMILE!
Recent participants at the USGTF Level IV Master Teaching
Professional certification courses.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA
From left to right:
Joseph Lee, Craig Benjamin, Kenny Choi, Greg Strathe, Ken Nilrat,
Jim Demetrios, Gary Fain, Todd Surdez, Dave Shaver, Bob Wilson, Don
Reynolds, Hakgyu Kim, Dave Feffiera, Marc Johnson, Darran Stanners,
Greg Wood & David Vaught
PORT ST. LUCIE,
FLORIDA
From left to right:
Bob Wyatt, Jr., Christopher Adams, Alfredo Arevalo, Roberto
Vallarino, Barney Beard, Daniel Hong, Walter Leskiff, Carlos
DeBarros, Mark Parker & Steve Williams
USGTF
NORTHEAST REGIONAL TEAM CHALLENGE
JUNE 26 & 27, 2009
TOWN & COUNTRY GOLF LINKS
WOODSTOWN, NEW JERSEY
WWW.TCGOLFLINKS.COM
• TOURNAMENT ENTRY: $195 per person includes 18 Holes Sat. & Sun.
w/Cart
• Daily Format and Overall Winners
• Closest to the Pin Prizes both days
• Networking Dinner on Sat. Night
• Special Tournament Gift
Register as a Team or Individual
For more information please contact Craig Wolfe at (856) 769-8333 or
(877) TC-Links, or email
cwolfe@tcgolflinks.com.
Town & Country Golf Links is a 4- Star rated golf course and is a
regular site for USGTF Certification Classes.
Back to Main Articles
Copyright © 2011 United States Golf Teachers Federation, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this article in any kind is strictly prohibited.
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