On Par with the Piedmont

An update from your Area Director, AJ Sikula, PGA:

Happy Holiday Season fellow Professionals!

Hope everyone has had a wonderful 2018 season. Thank you to those of you who came to our Fall Area Meeting in Asheville on October 24th. Thank you again to Nic Ondriska of GolfTec for the insightful data and for helping us expand our teaching knowledge.

Please keep an eye out for Education Seminars coming to our area in the spring. In the meantime, please be aware of the following events:

Tournaments:

PINEWILD CC of Pinehurst PRO- PRO 27-Hole CHALLENGE

Date: Monday, November 19th, 2018
Time: 10:00 AM Shotgun Start 
Host: Chris Little, Kyle Kirk, Hope Thomas
Eligibility: Teams will be comprised of CPGA Members & Apprentices who are otherwise eligible as prescribed by the CPGA Tournament Rules & Regulation. If necessary, the Area V Priority System will be used to determine the final field. 
Format: 2 Person Teams, 9-holes Better Ball, 9-holes Modified Alternate Shot, and 9-holes Scramble
Entry Fee:  $130 per Team ($65 per player)
Entries Close: Completed entry forms must be received by 5:00 PM on Friday, November 16th via fax: (910) 295-6631 or email: kyle@pinewildcc.com, please make to Attn: Kyle Kirk.  Pairings will be available on Sunday, November 18th after 12:00 PM
Practice Rounds: Contestant may schedule a practice round starting Tuesday, November 13th.  To schedule, please call the Pinewild Golf Shop at (910) 295-5145.

Winter Seminar Series / Free MSR Education:

As for the Winter Education Series, currently we have 2 of the 4 seminars confirmed. These will be free to attend while gaining valuable information and MSR credits.  To sign up for the seminars please email me with name and PGA ID number. See below for more details:

November 26th - Teaching & Coaching - Nick Clearwater - Vice President of Instruction for GolfTec - Held at Methodist University

10:00 am - Registration
10:15 am – 12 pm - Indoor Presentation and Open Forum
12:00 – 12:45 pm – Lunch (on your own)
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Outdoor Hands-on usage (weather permitting)

Nick is the Vice President of Instruction for GOLFTEC. He is responsible for the quality of instruction given during the one million lessons that GOLFTEC’s 700 plus Coaches teach annually. He has been a PGA Tour Credentialed Instructor for the past ten consecutive years. Golf Digest has ranked on their Best Young Teacher List, #1 on Golf Digest Best in State of Colorado Instructor list, and was previously on the list of Best Instructors in Illinois as well. He has made countless Golf Channel Morning Drive appearances, and is also referred to as a “regular guest” by the producers and hosts of the show. He also creates and manages over 200 pieces of content annually that air on Golf Channel.

Nick specializes in creating and training a systematic approach toward golf instruction which has enabled GOLFTEC Coaches to view a golf swing and golf instruction similarly. Within his own teaching, he has used nearly every device in the industry including:  GEARS, AMM, Foresight Quad, Foresight GC2, and HMT, TrackMan, Flightscope, BodiTrak, SkyPro, and SkyTrak. In addition to his role at GOLFTEC, Nick has spoken at numerous PGA Section events in the US and Internationally, and has delivered content associated with the recent GOLFTEC-PGA Alliance at the 2017 National PGA Teaching and Coaching Summit, at PGA Section events, Golf Biomechanics Seminars, and PGM Universities.

December 3rd - Developing Your Junior Golf Program – Jim Hardy – National Academy Director US Kids Golf - Held at Longleaf Golf & Family Club

Jim Hardy is the Academy Director for Longleaf Golf & Family Club in Southern Pines, NC. Hardy, is a U.S. Kids Golf Certified Coach, PGA Professional and father of four. He began his career in the golf business in 1996 after buying a practice range and adjacent land for a 9-hole lighted par-3 course in southwest Houston.

As a teacher, Hardy creates a fun and enjoyable learning experience while bringing students the technical, mental and fitness aspects of the game to meet each individual’s needs. He served as a coach for the First Tee and  as an instructor and Board Member of the LPGA/USGA Girls Golf program while in Houston. Eighty percent of his students under the age of 18.

As a player, Jim has played in the PGA Professional National Championship and loves to compete but he gets his biggest thrill when he can say, “Learning has Occurred.” This is a phrase he uses often during golf instruction which, in his words, is a code for making a connection with his students.

AJ Sikula - Piedmont Area Director
Head Professional
Grandfather Golf & Country Club
(304) 444-6115
ajsikula@gmail.com