Iowa PGA News

Tom McCann – November 2009 PROfile

Name: Tom McCann, PGA College/University: University of Northern Iowa Year Turned Pro: 1982 Facility and Job Title: Cedar Rapids Country Club, Head Professional What was your motivation to become a PGA Professional? To become recognized as a quality instructor and a leader in the Golf Profession. What is your specialty in the golf business? I would say my specialty would be teaching. It has been extremely rewarding for me to help golfers of all ages and skill levels improve. What are some of your accomplishments in the golf industry? 1995 Iowa Section Teacher of the Year; 1998 Iowa Section Merchandiser... Read More

Senior PGA Professional National Championship – Oct. 29th – Nov. 1st

The Senior PGA Professional National Championship is being held October 29th – November 1st, 2009 at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fl on both the Wanamaker Course & Dye Course.  264 PGA Professionals from all 41 PGA Sections are competing in this weeks 72-hole event.  The field will be cut to the low 70 plus ties after round 2 to compete for the $285,000 purse with the winner taking home $20,000.  The Iowa Section PGA is represented by 5 PGA Professionals who qualified through the 2009 Iowa PGA Senior PGA Professional National Championship held at Glen Oaks Country Club on Oct.... Read More

2009 All Star Pro Golf Iowa PGA Awards Lucheon

2009 All Star Pro Golf Iowa PGA Awards Luncheon Riverside Casino & Golf Resort Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 The 2009 All Star Pro Golf Iowa PGA Awards Luncheon was held on Tuesday, October 27th at Riverside Casino and Golf Resort in Riverside, Iowa.  All the award winners listed below along with the 2009 Iowa Junior Tour Player Of the Year Award Winners were honored at this Luncheon.  The Iowa PGA would like to thank Dave Brostrom and All Star Pro Golf for their continue support and sponsorship of this great event.  The Iowa PGA would also like to thank John Dinnebier and his selection committee... Read More

McGladrey Team Championship – October26-28, 2009

The 2009 PGA McGladrey Team Championship was held on October 26-28, 2009 at Pinehurst Resort on courses #2, 4, & 8 in Pinehurst, North Carolina.  Forty-one teams comprised of three amateurs and one PGA Professional first competed in a local site qualifier and then joined the host PGA Professional to form four-person teams.  These four-person teams then competed at the their respected Section Championship where the winner in each Section advanced on to compete at the national level.  The format for the event was Two Best Balls of Four Net. The team that advanced from the Iowa Section PGA... Read More

2009 Iowa PGA Fall Events

2009 Iowa PGA Merchandise Show Continuing Education Schedule Monday, October 26, 2009 Special Guest Speaker – J. J. Keegan Managing Principle with Golf Convergence The Iowa PGA is excited to announce and welcome Mr. Keegan to the Section as special guest speaker at the Fall Merchandise Show Education.  Known to his friends as “Rain Man” because of his amazing recall of any course he has played, any person he has met, or any place he has traveled, James J. Keegan has a zest for golf and for life. Jim is an extremely dynamic speaker with 20 years of experience in the golf business.  His... Read More

Iowa PGA Club Car Pro Superintendent – October 12th, 2009

The 2009 Iowa PGA Club Car Pro Superintendent was held at The Preserve on Rathbun Lake in Moravia, IA on Monday, October 12th.  This was the final Section event of the 2009 tournament season.  21 teams comprised of one Iowa PGA professional and one Golf Course Superintendent competed in this 18-hole scramble format.  A special thank you to Tim Goranson of Club Car and Barry Sebastian of NB Golf Cars for sponsoring this event.  Also, a special thank you to Darin Fisher, Director of Golf at The Preserve on Rathbun Lake, and his staff for hosting. Congratulations to Jim Webb of Sugar Creek... Read More

Iowa Golf League Championship – September 27th, 2009

The 4th annual Iowa Golf League Championship was held on Sunday, September 27th at Blue Top Ridge at Riverside Casino and Golf Resort.  Fourteen teams from across the state of Iowa competed in this years event with the winner being crowned the Iowa Golf League Champion.  The Iowa Golf League Championship is a 2-person team league event that qualifies winners from participating leagues, puts them in a season ending championship tournament, and determines and declares State League Champions.  Below are the results from the 2009 Iowa Golf League Championship.  Congratulations to the team of Greg... Read More

John Habermann – October 2009 PROfile

Name: John Habermann, PGA College/University: Coastal Carolina University Year Turned Pro: 2006 Facility and Job Title: The Harvester Golf Club, PGA Head Golf Professional and Club Manager What was your motivation to become a PGA Professional? I have been working in the golf industry since I was 14 and have always been interested in all facets of the industry. What is your specialty in the golf business? Being able to manage multiple departments. What was your greatest moment in golf? Winning the state golf tournament with Ballard High School. What or who has had the greatest impact on your career? My... Read More

Iowa PGA October Shootout – October 5-6, 2009

The 2009 Iowa PGA October Shootout was held at Spirit Hollow Golf Course on October 5th and 6th.  Twenty-eight Iowa Section PGA professional and apprentice golfers competed in this 36-hole stoke play competition which was the final Major Point Event of the season.  A special thank you to Jim Hauth of Greg Norman / SkyGolf for providing shirts for all players and also sponsoring this event.  Also, a special thank you to Barry Sebastian of NB Golf Cars for sponsoring the season-long NB Golf Cars League Championship which concluded at this event.  Finally, the Iowa PGA would like to thank... Read More

Iowa Section Senior PNC / Senior Section Championship – October 1-2, 2009

The 2009 Iowa Section PGA Senior PNC / Senior Section Championship was held at Glen Oaks Country Club on October 1st-2nd.  Twenty-two Iowa PGA senior professionals (50 years of age and older) are competing for five spots into the 2009 Senior PGA Professional National Championship which will be played October 29th- November 1st, 2009, at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida.  Players battled strong winds, cold rain, and difficult scoring conditions on both days.  Congratulations to Curt Schnell of Okoboji View GC for winning the 2009 title.  Joining Curt are the other 4 qualifiers,... Read More

2009 Callaway Golf PGA Assistant Championship

The 2009 Callaway Golf PGA Assistant Championship will held October 1-4 at PGA Golf Club – Wanamaker Course in Port St. Lucie, Florida.  The field includes 120 players from all 41 Sections and will cut to the low 70 players and ties after 36 holes.  The purse for the 2009 Callaway Golf PGA Assistant Championship is $100,000 with the Champion receiving $9,000.  Nathan Smith from Ottumwa Country Club and Ryan McClintock from Davenport Country Club both qualified through the Iowa Section Assistant Championship and will compete in this year’s National Championship. Nathan... Read More

Iowa PGA Stroke Play #4 – September 28th, 2009

The 2009 Iowa PGA Stroke Play #4 was held at Veenker Memorial Golf Course in Ames, IA on Monday, September 28th.  Twenty-seven Iowa PGA Professional teed it up on Monday battling gusty winds and challenging conditions.  The format was simple, 18-hole stroke play with open and senior divisions.  Monday served as the fifth event of the season-long NB Golf Cars League Championship.  Special thanks to Barry Sebastian of NB Golf Cars for sponsoring this season-long competition which concludes at the Iowa PGA October Shoot-Out on October 5-6th at Spirit Hollow GC.  Also, special thanks to... Read More

Richard Specht Featured in PGA Magazine Best Practices: Travel

Wednesday, September 23, 2009 Richard Specht is the PGA head professional and co-owner of Timberline Golf Course in Peosta, Iowa. This PGA Best Practices: Travel article originally appeared in the Pro to Pro Section of the February 2009 edition of PGA Magazine. Use Reciprocal Playing Arrangements Richard Specht on the importance of using reciprocal playing arrangements: Timberline is a privately owned facility open to public play, though we do have seasonal members who play our course for just a golf car fee. However, I would estimate that during peak season at least half of our... Read More

Harris Golf Cars Pro-Am – September 21st, 2009

The Iowa PGA Harris Golf Cars Pro-Am was held on Monday, September 21st, 2009 at Emeis Golf Course in Davenport, Iowa.  Twenty-eight Iowa PGA Professionals teamed with an amateur golfer provided by Emeis Golf Course.  The team format for the event was 1 Best Ball of 2 Net.  There was also an individual open and senior division event for the Iowa PGA Professionals. The Iowa PGA would like to thank Terry Harris, Scott Harris, Steve Haldeman, and Eric Mueller of Harris Golf Cars for their continued support of this event and the Iowa PGA tournament program as a whole.  The Iowa PGA would... Read More

Iowa Native, Mike Bender, Named Recipient of 2009 PGA Teacher of the Year Award

Contact: Shannon Boozman 561/624-7671 sboozman@pgahq.com Michelle Kruchowski 732/469-5700 mkruchowski@mastrocomm.com NORTHERN FLORIDA PGA PROFESSIONAL MIKE BENDER NAMED RECIPIENT OF 2009 PGA TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD Mike Bender, 2009 PGA Teacher of the Year PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Mike Bender, the owner and Master Instructor of the Mike Bender Golf Academy in Lake Mary, Fla., has been named the recipient of the 2009 PGA Teacher of the Year Award. Bender, 53, is an 18-year member of The PGA of America and is the second member of the North Florida PGA Section and first native Iowan to be named... Read More

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