On Par with the Piedmont

An updatefrom your Area Director, AJ Sikula, PGA:

Event #1
Name: Learn to Showcase your VALUE to your Club and Members 
Speaker: Mike Mueller, Carolinas PGA Career Consultant
Date: Monday, June 25 from 3:00 – 4:30 PM with optional golf afterwards
Cost:  There is no cost to attend this workshop
MSR: 2 points (required category)
Location: 2120 Highway 105. Linville, NC 28646
Description: Come listen to the Carolinas PGA Career Consultant, Mike Mueller, offer innovative and creative ways for PGA Professionals to create and prove their value to their employer. Whether you are a seasoned Head Professional or an entry level Associate, Mike’s presentation is one to benefit everyone. Afterwards, everyone is invited to compete in a 9-hole Best-Ball competition. Sign up with a partner, or we will pair singles together.
Deadline:  Friday, June 22 at Noon
To Register, please respond to this email.

Event #2
Name: Resume & Interviewing Advice from the Industry’s Best 
Speakers: Tom Dale (Linville GC), Chip King (Grandfather G&CC) and John McNeely (Diamond Creek GC)
Date: Monday, July 16 from 3:00 – 4:00 PM with optional golf afterwards
Cost:  There is no cost to attend this workshop
MSR: 2 points (required category)
Location: 2120 Highway 105. Linville, NC 28646
Description: PGA Professionals Tom Dale (Linville GC), Chip King (Grandfather G&CC) and John McNeely (Diamond Creek GC) will share what they look for when filling out their staffs. This informative discussion will you give you the insights into exactly what top PGA Professionals look for in candidates. Afterwards, everyone is invited to compete in a 9-hole Best-Ball competition. Sign up with a partner, or we will pair singles together.
Deadline:  Friday, July 13 at Noon
To Register, please respond to this email.

Best Practices

Sexual Harassment has become a major issue nationwide. Many clubs have been instituting staff-wide training programs to not only proactively prevent any incidents, but to also protect the Club from potential litigation. Clubs and Managers need now more than ever to do their due diligence to protect against an unfortunate situation that could result in a financial loss to the Club and/or its Employees. Please contact an industry expert to properly instill any desired training at your facility.

Congratulations are in Store!

Mary Thomas has recently become the Director of Golf at Bermuda Run Country Club after 14 years at Greensboro Country Club. Also, Davis Agnew accepted a Head Golf Professional position at Greensboro Country Club after spending the past three summers at Grandfather Golf & Country Club as the Senior Assistant. Please join me in congratulating Mary and Davis!

Finally, if anyone has recommendations on how to enhance the Area IV Section, I am eager to hear any and all ideas.

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