Highlands Highlights

An update from your Area Director, Brett Miller, PGA:

I first would like to thank all the Professionals and Associates who came to Cliffs Valley two weeks ago for the Area Meeting. Many thanks to Head Professional, Matt Pavia, PGA, and his staff for all their support to host this event, along with the rescheduled Golf Challenge. Congratulations to the Golf Challenge winners, Matt Pavia and Kris Kleinsasser who defeated Josh May and Parker Reeves in a chip off!

We do have an event coming up in June that I highly encourage anyone to sign up for!

Etowah Valley Charity Pro-Am
Wednesday, June 13
Etowah Valley Golf & Resort - Etowah, NC
Entry Fee: Professional $100, Amateur $100
Starting Time: 12:00pm Shotgun

Amenities include: Restaurant, Driving Range, Putting & Chipping Greens, Swimming Pool, Lodge Rooms (Special Tournament Price)

With any questions and to sign up, contact Host Professional, Rick Merrick, PGA 828-891-7022

Do you have a young lady coming into the game late in her High School Career but wants a college golf team experience?

      We have several golf professionals that are in the college coaching industry at different levels that can help your young female golfer carry on their careers at different levels, keeping them in the game, even if they don’t shoot in the 70’s or even 80’s.  Many smaller colleges offer great team experiences and travel with some offer athletic and non athletic scholarships. Contact Brett Miller, PGA and volunteer coach at Brevard College for more information. brett@mmagolf.com

PGA HOPE in the Highlands Area
a message from Lead Instructor, Brian Oliver, PGA

This is the second year for PGA HOPE ASHEVILLE and we are very much looking forward to this season.  Last year we averaged 22-24 veterans per class and it was a wonderful experience for the veterans along with the instructors.  We need clubs for the veterans, so anyone wanting to donate their clubs can reach me at my email address, boliver0301@pga.com, or call me at 828-230-2617.  

I have been receiving numerous calls and emails from veterans about the program and they are all looking forward to this season.  We have a very large veteran population in Asheville and with your help it will only get better. We will be meeting every Tuesday, May 22 - June 26, 3-5pm. If you have any questions you can either email me or call my cell. I appreciate your efforts!

Congratulations are in store for a few Professionals in the Area!

Jim Whitmore - General Manager at Connestee Falls CC
Luke Lovell - Head Professional at Kenmure CC
Will Bartram - Head Professional at Lake Toxaway

Please join me in congratulating Jim, Luke, Will, and any other Professionals with new accomplishments! If there are any other promotions or new jobs in this Area, please respond to this email and let me know.

Brett Miller - Area I Director
(828) 775-7765
brett@mmagolf.com

Carolinas PGA President Paige Cribb - Section Update

I hope your spring is off to a good start.  I look forward to providing you quarterly updates on section activity.  The Officers and I have a monthly phone call with Executive Director Jeff Abbot to stay informed between our face-to-face board meetings.  I wanted to share a few of the highlights from the first quarter.

Big Week was a “big” success.  We received wonderful feedback on the meeting, speakers and merchandise show.  All of the merchandise booths were sold out for the third consecutive year.  The new venue of Greensboro CC for the Club Car CPGA Awards Dinner was also well received.  Plans have already begun for 2019 Big Week!

The CPGA Global Golf Sales Area Meetings were well attended and recently concluded.  Congratulations to A.J. Sikula (Area IV), Jim Lohbauer (Area VI) and Marshall Stott (Area VIII) who were elected as Area Directors and immediately appointed to serve on the board.  Steven Hartwig (Area II) and Dan O’Boyle (Area X) were elected and will start in February 2019. 

I appointed our Committee Chairs shortly after Big Week.  The chairs have been working to finalize their committee members, and the directory will be posted to the section website by mid-May.  We are excited to add a new PGA REACH Committee to provide direction on youth player development, military/HOPE initiatives and diversity & inclusion.

Registration opens on May 15^th for the inaugural PGA REACH Harvick4Heroes Charity Pro-Am on Monday, October 1^st at Charlotte CC.  This is the main fundraiser for our PGA REACH Carolinas Foundation.  Teams are $5,000 (1 Pro-4 Ams) and all participants will receive a $500 tee gift package featuring a Scotty Cameron putter.  We are playing Charlotte CC the week after it hosts the USGA Mid-Am, so the course will be in pristine condition.  We plan to have sponsors, food and beverage on nearly every hole, so this will be a can’t miss event!! 

Our 2017 PGA Works Fellow Jessica Asbury accepted the PGA REACH Carolinas Coordinator full time position on May 1^st.  Our new 2018 PGA Works Fellow is Telvin Walker, a recent graduate of Livingstone College in Salisbury, NC.  Telvin will start on May 14^th, after spending  the past year working at the East Potomac Golf Course in Washington DC.  We also welcome our three new tournament interns this month:  Paul Zeuschner of Coastal Carolina, Brandon Moore of Middle Tennessee State and Ben Weeks from the University of Georgia.

Our next board meeting is June 18 & 19 at the Country Club of North Carolina in Pinehurst.  We have a busy agenda as we continue to serve you and grow the game.  Please reach out to me if you have any questions or issues you would like to discuss.  Get out and play some golf, and don’t forget to complete all of your MSR requirements before the June 30^th deadline!

Sincerely,

Paige Cribb, PGA 
President
Carolinas PGA