Monte Meyer Named 2018 Iowa PGA Professional of the Year

Riverside, Iowa – South Hills Golf Course Head PGA Professional, Monte Meyer has been named the 2018 Iowa PGA Professional of the Year. The Golf Professional of the Year Award is the highest honor paid to an Iowa PGA Golf Professional. The honoree is chosen based on leadership abilities that stand above the rest, contributions made to their facility’s success, and excelling as an overall golf professional at the Iowa PGA Section level.

“I am completely humbled by receiving this year’s Iowa PGA Professional of the year award,” said Meyer. “I feel this award should be shared equally between my family, staff and the thousands of Cedar Valley golfers I have been fortunate enough to serve these past 28 years.”

Meyer has been a PGA Member for 28 years. He started his career as an Assistant Professional in 1989 at the Irv Warren Memorial Golf Course in Waterloo, Iowa. He served in that position for two years before becoming the Head Golf Professional at South Hills Golf Course in 1991. He is known throughout the Iowa PGA Section for his success in growing the game of golf and keeping people engaged in the game. 

“I’ve always thought he (Meyer) has done a great job promoting junior golf at his facility,” said Iowa PGA Member, Sean McCarty. “I know our other Golf Professionals in our Section have a lot of respect for Monte, especially with everything he has done for golf.”

Meyer has used many different tactics in his efforts to grow the game in the Waterloo area. Some of the ways Meyer has done this is by creating a Wednesday night league that has grown to 32 teams in eight years, starting a Date Night on Fridays that has since grown to 20 couples, starting the first PGA Junior League team in the Cedar Valley are in 2017, starting a weekly golf instruction package that attracts 14 individuals weekly, starting a winter simulator league that includes 24 teams and much more.   

In addition to his passion for helping others learn the game, Meyer is a student of the game himself. In 2013, Meyer looked to Iowa PGA Members Larry Gladson and Andy Devine to improve his game as well as observe how they teach. Meyer continued his learning efforts in 2016 when he started meeting with Mark Egly. With the help from his peers and dedication to teaching the game, Meyer has grown his teaching business to 25 lessons a week all year round, and taught the Girl’s 2018 2A State Champion, Morgan Weber. 

“In these days of hard working PGA Members and new initiatives to enhance the game while not only attracting new golfers, but also retaining those payers, no other Professional is doing it as well as Monte,” said Iowa PGA Member, Mark Egly. “Monte is an inspiration to our profession and is a role model that I wish to have more of our peers know about.”

Meyers journey to better himself as a teacher and to improve engagement of the game also got himself more involved with the game. Challenged by his friends in 2016, Meyer competed in 15 Iowa PGA events. He was the low senior in the 2016 and 2017 Iowa PGA Professional Section Championship. Meyer qualified for the 2016 National Senior PGA Professional Championship. In 2017, he finished T6 at the Iowa PGA Professional Section Championship and was the second alternate for the National PGA Professional Championship.

“John Panek and Dick Specht talked me into starting to compete again in 2016,” said Meyer. “In fact, they challenged me to play 15 events in that year. I am indebted to those two Professionals for pressing me to compete again.”    

In a very short time, Meyer has proven he is a great leader and his commitment and contributions to his facility, section and the game of golf are extraordinary and remarkable.  Our congratulations to Monte Meyer on being honored as the 2018 Iowa PGA Golf Professional of the Year.

2018 Iowa PGA Awards

Distinguished Service Award