Constitution & By-laws
ARTICLE I
SECTION 1. This body shall be called the "Professional Golfers’ Association of America – Iowa Section".
SECTION 2. The object of this body shall be to elevate the standards of the Professional Golfers’ vocation, to promote interest in the game of golf, to protect the mutual interests of its members, to hold meetings and tournaments periodically for the encouragement of the members, to assist deserving members who may be out of employment to obtain a position, to establish a benevolent fund and to effect any other object of like nature that may be determined from time to time by the body.
SECTION 3. In as much as the Iowa Section is but a part of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America, this Constitution and By-laws will in no way conflict with the Professional Golfers’ Association of America Constitution and By-laws.
SECTION 4. Any amendment or addition to the Professional Golfers’ Association Constitution and By-laws will automatically change the Iowa Section Constitution and By-laws of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America.
ARTICLE II
SECTION 1. Membership requirements shall be those established by the National body.
SECTION 2. Class "A" and "Life Members" shall govern and control the Section and shall have the sole right to vote at meetings.
SECTION 3. Honorary members shall be elected at the Fall meeting for a period of one year, there shall be no limit as to the number of times they are re-elected.
ARTICLE III
SECTION 1. The annual dues for the Professional Golfers’ Association of America – Iowa Section shall be $325 for all classes with the exception of "Life Member" which shall be $75 and dues for registered Apprentices which shall be $125.
SECTION 2. No member shall enjoy the privileges of membership such as attending meetings, voting, holding office, signing applications, or playing in any Section sponsored tournaments while under suspension or while on probation.
ARTICLE IV
Boundaries
Iowa: Entire state of Iowa, except that part lying west of the 95th degree longitude; also that part of the state of Illinois lying west of 98 degrees 50 minutes longitude and north of a line between the cities of Quincy and Springfield, Illinois, including along the east line and cities of Quincy and Jacksonville, Illinois, along the south line of said boundary.
ARTICLE V
Meetings
The regular membership meetings will be held each year; a Spring and a Fall meeting. The Spring meeting shall be held between March 1 and April 15. The Fall meeting shall be held between September 15 and November 30. The Fall meeting shall constitute the Annual meeting.
ARTICLE VI
Election of Officers
SECTION 1. The election of officers shall be held at the Annual Meeting in odd numbered years. The following officers shall be elected: President, Vice-President and Secretary. A Tournament Chairman will also be elected at the Annual Meeting in odd numbered years.
Election will also be held for three positions on the Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting every year.
SECTION 2.
a. The President shall appoint a nominating committee prior to the annual meeting to seek out and nominate willing and qualified nominees. The chairperson of the nominating committee shall call out for nominations from the floor. An office shall be voted upon before nominations are taken for the next office.
b. Election procedure for President, Vice-president, and Secretary. All voting will be by secret ballot unless an office has but one candidate. A winner must receive 50% of the votes cast plus one vote. If there is no winner under these conditions, a run-off election must be held between the top two vote getters and ties. They will be listed on the run-off ballot and again a winner must receive 50% of all votes cast plus one vote.
c. Election procedure for three elected Board of Directors, and tournament chairman. All voting will be done by secret ballot. The winners will be the three highest number of votes for the Board of Directors and the highest number of votes received for tournament chairman.
d. The Section office will send to any eligible voting member, upon request by the member, an absentee ballot, which will be counted the same as any and all secret written ballots. The absentee ballot must be received in the Section office 24 hours prior to the election. The absentee ballots will follow their candidate in a run-off vote unless that candidate drops out; in which case those votes are not to be counted in determining a majority.
e. District 8 Director will be appointed by the Iowa Section PGA Board of Directors. Invitations will be sent to Iowa PGA members, notifying them of the open position. Interested individuals will then submit a letter/resume to the Board of Directors. Board of Directors will conduct interviews with all candidates and then appoint District 8 Director.
SECTION 3. If a vacancy among Board members (including tournament chairman) should occur during their term in office due to appointment or election as Officer, death, resignation, suspension, transfer, or for any other cause, the President shall appoint a substitute Board Member to serve the remaining term. If the vacancy comes from a PGA Member, then the substitute must be a PGA Member. If the vacancy comes from a non PGA Member, then the substitute must be a non PGA Member.
ARTICLE VII
Term of Office
The said Officers shall be elected at the annual meeting in odd numbered years. They shall be elected for one, 2-year term and cannot be elected for consecutive terms.
ARTICLE VIII
Board of Directors
SECTION 1. The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, Vice-president, Secretary, the elected tournament chairman, the immediate Past President, six Directors elected by the membership, two Non-PGA Member Directors appointed by the President, and District 8 Director (when serving). The six elected members of the Board of Directors shall not be eligible to hold said positions for more than two (2) consecutive terms. If there is not an eligible immediate Past President, the position will be filled by the most recent Past President who is a member of the Iowa Section.
SECTION 2. The President shall call a meeting of the Board of Directors whenever he sees fit to do so but must give at least five days notice to the members of the Board of Directors. At all meetings of the Board of Directors, six (6) members shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE IX
Delegates to the Annual Meetings
SECTION 1. The President and the Vice-president shall represent the Section as delegates to the National Convention or Annual meeting.
SECTION 2. In case the President or the Vice-president is unable to attend the National Convention or Annual meeting, a delegate appointed by the Board of Directors from members of the Board of Directors will represent the Section.
SECTION 3. Expenses may be allocated to a third delegate to attend the Annual meeting. This delegate will be appointed by the Board of Directors from members of the Board of Directors and will act as an alternate delegate. The expenses paid to this delegate will not exceed the amount paid to one delegate by the National PGA.
ARTICLE X
Duties of Officers
SECTION 1. The duties of the President shall be as follows:
a. To preside at all meetings of the Iowa Section and at all Board of Directors meeting.
b. To appoint such committees as shall, in his judgment, be necessary, designating the chairperson thereof; such chairperson to receive the approval of the Board of Directors.
SECTION 2. The duties of the Vice-president shall be as follows:
a. To keep safely and oversee all the funds of the Section.
b. At any time, any voting member of the Iowa Section may request an audit of the treasury in written form to the President of the Iowa Section. Such request shall be limited to one per year and just that past fiscal year.
SECTION 3. The duties of the Secretary shall be as follows:
a. To keep the records, papers and other physical property of the Section.
ARTICLE XI
Special Awards Committee
SECTION 1. The Board of Directors of the Section shall appoint a Special Awards committee, to include one member of the Section chairpersons and at least four others as committee persons.
SECTION 2. This committee shall select the winners of the following awards: Golf Professional of the Year, Horton Smith Award, Bill Strausbaugh Award, Teacher of the Year, Junior Golf Leader, Assistant of the Year, Merchandiser of the Year for Public Courses, Merchandiser of the Year for Private Courses, Merchandiser of the Year for Resort Courses and any special award(s) if warranted. The committee shall take into consideration all members in all geographic areas within the Section.
SECTION 3. This committee shall follow all guidelines set up by National PGA Special Awards Committee.
ARTICLE XII
Amendments
SECTION 1. All amendments to the National Constitution and nominations for national office except Vice-president, in the name of the Section, shall be in written form and must be approved by the Board of Directors and forwarded to the National Office before the first of August of the year in which they are to be considered by the National meeting of the delegates.
SECTION 2. Amendments to the Iowa Section Constitution and By-laws must be in writing and in the hands of the Secretary 30 days prior to the meeting at which they are to be voted upon. These amendments must be distributed to all voting members in written form along with the notification of the meeting. To pass or defeat any amendment to the Constitution and/or By-laws a simple majority of 51% is needed by the membership in attendance.
SECTION 3. Any proposed amendment, which does not conform to the procedures outlined in Section 2 of this Article XII may be brought upon the floor of a regular meeting for discussion and action. Simple majority would rule.
ARTICLE XIII
Office Location
The registered office of the Corporation shall be in Riverside, Iowa, and that Phillip Klinger, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, shall be the registered agent
ARTICLE XIV
Non-member playing privileges
SECTION 1. This shall include only those golf professionals employed in the Iowa Section. Golf Professionals that have satisfied the following requirements are eligible to play in events specified by the Iowa Section Professional Golfers’ Association:
Requirements to enroll into the PGA Professional Golf Management Program:
a. Pass the Playing Ability Test or;
b. Attempt the PAT at least twice since 1/1/2003 and shoot one 18 hole score in a PAT since 1/1/2003 that is equal to or less than the PAT target score for 18 holes plus 5 strokes.
Requirements for non-members to compete in Iowa Section PGA administered events
a. Currently a registered Apprentice in good standing with the PGA of America or;
b. Fulfill (a.) or (b.) in the above requirements and enter successfully into the PGA Professional Golf Management Program or;
c. Fulfill (a.) or (b.) in the above requirement, purchase a Tournament Playing Affiliates Card through the Iowa Section PGA and are currently completing required 6-month work experience for the PGM Program.
SECTION 2. Tournament Playing Affiliates are eligible to complete in all Iowa Section PGA events except those which require PGA membership.
SECTION 3. If an individual with a TPA card becomes a registered apprentice, there is no refund of the TPA fee. The Iowa Section Professional Golfers’ Association Board of Directors determines if Professional Golfers’ Association eligible employment guidelines are satisfied.
SECTION 4. An individual, who has previously been a PGA member, or a PGA apprentice is not eligible for a TPA card. They must reinstate with the PGA of America. Tournament Playing Affiliates must fully complete the application and pay all dues to the Iowa Section office at least seven days prior to the first scheduled event in with the applicant wishes to play.
