IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Dan Webber
February 26, 2008 404/832-7712
SIXTY-FOUR PGA PROFESSIONALS EARN CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL
STATUS; SEVEN ACHIEVE ALL SIX CERTIFICATIONS
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – With the latest rounds of the PGA ProFiciency Test completed in December 2007 and January 2008, 64 PGA Professionals received 89 certifications from The Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) Certified Professional Program.
The PGA Certified Professional Program is an online, career-enhancing educational curriculum that supports PGA Professionals who are committed to continuously enhancing their golf management skills in order to stay ahead of the increasing demands of the industry.
The online distance learning approach ensures broad access to the program, while reducing the time and travel costs associated with traditional classes. Currently, the most popular career paths are Golf Operations and General Management. Classes with the highest enrollment across all career paths are accounting, business planning and budgeting, turfgrass management and customer relations.
Since the program’s inception in August 2004, 359 PGA Professionals have earned a total of 606 certifications in related career paths, including General Management, Golf Operations, Instruction, Retail, Executive Management and Ownership/Leasing.
The following PGA Professionals have achieved all six certifications:
· Miles J. Blundell, Nemacolin Woodlands, Farmington, Pa.
· Elizabeth “Lizzy” C.T. Freemantle, Oxmoor Country Club, Louisville, Ky.
· William “Butch” F. Holtzclaw, The Rookery, Milton, Del.
· Jeff Mehler, Boca Woods Country Club. Boca Raton, Fla.
· James Nemeti, Grandover Resort, Greensboro, N.C.
· Ricky A. Reynoldson, Ashland Country Club, Ashland, Neb.
· Wayne Wecksler, Big Canyon Country Club, Newport Beach, Calif.
Editor ’ s Note: The following list includes the name s and affiliation s of PGA Professionals who recently obtained certification. For interviews or additional information on the following Certified PGA Professional s please contact Dan Webber at 404-832- 7712 or .
· Eric D. Anderson, Altoona, Wis. (Instruction)
· Stephen J. Aumock, Gleneagles Country Club, Plano, Texas (Instruction)
· Joshua B. Barr, Regency at Dominion Valley, Haymarket, Va. (Instruction)
· Timothy P. Beckwith, The Oaks Club, Osprey, Fla. (Instruction)
· Danny G. Caverly, Willowbend Golf & Country Club, Mashpee, Mass. (Instruction)
-- more --
Page 2\Latest PGA Certified Professionals
· Robert Charland, El Rio Golf and Country Club, Mohave Valley, Ariz. (General Management and *Golf Operations)
· Tim J. Cooke, Long Cove Club, Hilton Head Island, S.C. (Instruction)
· Jason M. Cooper, Sunset Country Club, St. Louis, Mo. (Retail)
· Derek M. Cordova, Golf Dynamics Teach & Practice, Loveland, Colo. (Golf Operations and Instruction)
· Brian S. Dahle, Minnehaha Country Club, Sioux Falls, S.D. (Instruction and *Golf Operations)
· Christopher J. DeBusk, Ravines Club & Lodge, Middleburg, Fla. (Golf Operations)
· Vito M. DeSantis, Trophy Lake Golf & Casting Club, Port Orchard, Wash. (General Management and Golf Operations)
· Scott W. DeVaux, Golf Academy of the Carolinas, Myrtle Beach, S.C. (Instruction)
· Kenneth J. Doherty, BallenIsles Country Club, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (Golf Operations)
· Johnny A. Eusebio, Reflection Bay Golf Club, Henderson, Nev. (Golf Operations and *General Management)
· Stan R. Everitt, Mount Vintage Plantation Golf Club, North Augusta, S.C. (Golf Operations, General Management and Retail)
· Gregory K. Flesher, Owensboro Country Club, Owensboro, Ky. (Instruction)
· Rafael Floriani, B. Madonna Golf Academy/Marriott Orlando, Orlando, Fla. (Instruction)
· Robert A. Fritz, John Jacobs’ Golf School, Hilton Head, S.C. (Instruction)
· Robert C. Gable, Metropolis Country Club, White Plains, N.Y. (Instruction and General Management)
· Michael J. Giordani, GolfTEC-Burlington, Burlington, Mass. (Instruction)
· John C. Hammer, Hidden Creek Golf Club, Egg Harbor Township, N.J. (Instruction and *Golf Operations)
· Morgan Gonzales, The Club at Fairvue, Gallatin, Tenn. (General Management)
· Ryan T. Holland, Barrington Hills Country Club, Barrington, Ill. (General Management, Instruction and *Golf Operations)
· Brian N. Jerred, Links of North Dakota, Ray, N.D. (Golf Operations)
· Michael D. Kaye, Moon Brook Country Club, Jamestown, N.Y. (Instruction, Golf Operations and Retail)
· Travis M. Kemp, Las Cruces Country Club, Las Cruces, N.M. (General Management)
· Matthew Klein, Austin Golf Club, Spicewood, Texas (General Management)
· Chris Krause, Deering Bay Yacht & Country Club, Coral Gables, Fla. (Golf Operations and Retail)
· John A. Landers, Metropolitan Golf Links, Oakland, Calif. (Ownership/Leasing and *Instruction)
· Jason Lee, GolfTEC-Tualatin, Tualatin, Ore. (Instruction)
· Philip Licata, Rumson Country Club, Rumson, N.J. (Instruction and *Golf Operations)
· James Lohbauer, River Run Country Club, Davidson, N.C. (Instruction)
· Kevin Maginn, Partridge Run Golf Course, Ogdensburg, N.Y. (Executive Management, Retail, *Instruction, *General Management, and *Golf Operations)
· Dean Marks, Grand Prairie Golf Course, Kalamazoo, Mich. (Instruction)
· Joshua Miller, Eagle Trace Golf Club, Littleton, Colo. (Instruction and *Golf Operations)
· Barry A. Niemann, University of Idaho/PGM Program, Moscow, Idaho (Golf Operations)
· Steven Oldfield, Baton Rouge Country Club, Baton Rouge, La. (Golf Operations)
· Chad Osborne, The PGA Golf Club, Port St. Lucie, Fla. (Golf Operations)
· Vici J. Pate, Methodist University Golf Club, Fayetteville, N.C. (Instruction
· James Peters, GolfTEC-Blue Ash, Blue Ash, Ohio (Instruction)
· Brad J. Pluth, Halla Greens Executive Golf Course & Driving Range, Chanhassen Minn. (Instruction)
-- more --
Page 3\Latest PGA Certified Professionals
· Randy Rachell, Forest Hills Country Club, Chesterfield, Mo. (Golf Operations)
· Heather Ruhe, PGA Tour Superstore, Plano, Texas (General Management, Instruction and *Retail)
· William H. Safrin, Myopia Hunt Club, South Hamilton, Mass. (General Management)
· Robert L. Sanders, Canyon Hills Park Golf Course, Nephi, Utah (Golf Operations)Kenneth W. Scott, Seven Lakes Country Club, Palm Springs, Calif. (Executive Management and *Golf Operations)
· Jason M. Sedan, PGA Golf Club, Port St. Lucie, Fla. (Instruction)
· Joe S. Sievers, TPC at Snoqualmie Ridge, Snoqualmie, Wash. (Instruction)
· David Smiley, Shingle Creek Golf Club, Orlando, Fla. (General Management)
· Scott Sommers, Saddleback Golf Club, Firestone, Colo. (Instruction)
· Joshua Snider, Oxmoor, Country Club, Louisville, Ky. (Golf Operations and Instruction)
· Geoff Tollefson, Arboretum Club, Buffalo Grove, Ill. (Ownership/Leasing, *Executive Management, *Golf Operations and *General Management)
· David Torbenson, Spooner Golf Club, Spooner, Wis. (Golf Operations and *Instruction)
· Jason Waters, Hop Meadow Country Club, Simsbury, Conn. (General Management, Golf Operations and *Instruction)
· Aaron R. West, Dorado Del Mar Golf Club, Dorado, P.R. (General Management, Retail and *Instruction)
· Chuck Will, Dulles Golf Center, Sterling, Va. (Instruction)
· John Williams, Stonebridge Ranch CC, McKinney, Texas (Instruction, Retail, *General Management and *Golf Operations)
· Benjamin Zatz, Harmony Club, Timnath, Colo. (Executive Management, *Golf Operations, *Retail and *General Management)
* Previously earned certification.
About The PGA of America
Since 1916, The PGA of America’s mission has been twofold: to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf.
By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, the Association enables PGA Professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the $76 billion golf industry.
By creating and delivering dramatic world-class championships and exciting and enjoyable golf promotions that are viewed as the best of their class in the golf industry, The PGA of America elevates the public's interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere.
The PGA of America brand represents the very best in golf.
The PGA of America , 100 Avenue of the Champions, Palm Beach Gardens , FL 33418
###