NJPGA InsiderJuly, 2014

Page Two President’s Message

Page Three NJ Golf Foundation News

Page Four Head Pro Spotlight

Page Five Section News

Page Six Assistant Pro Spotlight

Page Seven What’s in the Bag

Page Eight Upcoming Events

Presidents Message

Please click on the picture aboveto view NJPGA President Andy

Brock’s video message

NJ Golf Foundation News2014 Special Olympics USA Games

The 2014 Special Olympics Golf Competition tookplace June 16-18 at Mercer Oaks Golf Course in

Mercer County, NJ. Over 170 athletes participatedin five different levels:

Level 1:  Individual Skills Competition includes ashort putt, long putt, chip shot, pitch shot, bunkershot, iron shot and wood shot. Each athlete is al-lowed five attempts at each station and the pointsfrom each attempt are added together to get the

total score for that station.Level 2:  9 hole Unified Sports Alternate Shot

Team Play Competition where each team is madeof two individuals; one athlete with an intellectualdisability and one Unified partner without an intel-lectual disability. One ball is in play each hole and

shots are alternated.Level 3: 18 hole Unified Sports Alternate Shot

Team Play Competition. Similar to Level 2, theseathletes and their partners play with one ball

throughout an 18 hole round.Level 4:  9 hole Individual Stroke Play Competi-tion where the athlete plays individually with the

assistance of a caddie.Level 5:  18 hole Individual Stroke Play Competi-tion. The same format as Level Four, however, the

athletes play a full 18 hole round.Congratulations to these athletes from Team

New Jersey who won Gold Medals

Level Two (9 Hole Alternate Shot Team Play)Athlete: Carissa Sommers & partner: Brain Millen

Athlete: Bradford Hennefer & partner: Bob Hennefer

Level Four (9 Hole Individual Stroke Play)Pauline Naturile

Christopher HaroldGerard CobumDaniel Philippi

Above: Team New Jersey with their custom golf bags donated by the NJGF.

Below: Team New Jersey at the medal ceremony with Golf Chairman and NJGF Execu-tive Director, Chris Hunt. New Jersey took home eleven total golf medals.

NJGF Golf ClassicAugust 4 - Baltusrol Golf Club

All spots for the PM shotgun on the Lower Course are soldout! Sign up now to reserve a spot in the PM shotgun on the

Upper Course or the AM shotgun on the Lower Course!

Click here to view Golf Classic Brochure

NJGF Executive Director,Chris Hunt presents acheck for Special Olympicsto athlete Chris Harold atthe 2014 Lincoln CharityClambake held June 9-11 atRockaway River CountryClub

Work History?I am in my second year as the head golf professional at GlenRidge Country Club. Prior to coming over to this side of theriver last year, I worked for a total of 14 years in the Met Sec-tion; eight years as the first assistant at Greenwich CC (CT)and one year at Pelham CC (NY) as their teaching profession-al. In between those two clubs, I spent five years as the headprofessional at Dutchess G&CC (NY). Additionally, I workedin in San Diego and on Martha’s Vineyard. I have been winter-ing in San Diego for over a decade.

Can you compare the NJ Section to others you have beenin?It is refreshing to see the NJPGA is very similar to the MetSection. In our area, golf professionals are looked at as assetsto their clubs and not a “line items on the budget”. When thegolf professional is looked at as an expense to the club (as theyare in other areas of the country), the value of the jobs de-crease and the idea of long tenures at one facility is almostnon-existent. I also like that in the New Jersey Section, thegolf professional is looked at as an expert in playing, teaching,and tournament administration. While I pride myself on run-ning a beautifully maintained golf shop, I feel anyone can folda sweater. It is the playing, teaching, and tournament adminis-tration which separates the PGA Professional in this area fromthe rest of the country.

Who has helped you become a successful professional?First and foremost, my father is huge influence on me in allaspects of my life. From the golfing community, a few thatcome to mind from outside of New Jersey are: Derek Uyedaand Todd Smith in San Diego are incredible instructors. In theMet Section, Mike Diffley, Jerry Coats, and Andy Fellows areall true old school golf professionals. In New Jersey, I havebeen fortunate enough to come in regular contact with MichaelHoliday, David Reasoner, Joe Kelly, Paul Poandl, and MattFreitag. They have all helped me settle into my new positionwithin the Section.

Head Pro SpotlightTommy Monteverdi, PGA - Glen Ridge CC

What traits do you see in the best professionals and how can assistantslearn from them?In my opinion, the traits that the best professionals have in common is theability to be visible, accessible, and approachable to their members. GolfProfessionals sometime forget how much of a positive influence they canhave on a player’s time at the club. I believe the best professionals get upfrom their desks when members and guests come into the shop and spend afew minutes with each person whenever it is practical.The other area that the best professionals excel in is becoming active in theSection. They get involved on committees, support the growth of their assis-tants, play in and host events.The assistants who are looking to advance, I would recommend becoming anexpert in computers, point of sale systems, and Event Man. Those are threekey areas I look for to be highlighted on a resume. Next I would say, spe-cialize in something. For me, I specialize in working at 100+ year old family-orientated private clubs. For the past 16 years I have exceled in this arena. Iunderstand how to help facilitate family fun for all segments of the member-ship.

Career highlights?Some of my career highlights include playing in 3 New York State Opens,qualifying for 10 Met PGA Championship and my low competitive round is68. I look forward to establishing myself more in the NJPGA tournamentsthroughout this year. Additionally, I have been recognized by U.S. Kids forthe past eight years as a Top 50 Kids Teacher in America and I am TPI Certi-fied. Outside of golf, I played college soccer as a goalkeeper at the Universityof South Carolina. In the fall of 1995, we were ranked the #1 team in thenation.

Advice for anyone just getting in the business?My advice for anyone just getting into the business is simple. You must re-ally want it. If you work in the golf business you will turn down many week-end trips to the shore and you will miss many family events. But the rewardsare great for those that make it through the lower ranks. I love what I get todo every day and I never complain about going to work. I know getting intothe golf business was the right choice for me.

Section NewsNew Jersey PGA Wins 2014 Metropolitan Golf Writers

Association Distinguished Service Award

The New Jersey PGA & the New Jersey Golf Foundation received the MetGolf Writers Association award for Distinguished Service at their annualdinner on June 23. The award honors an organization for its “contributionsand service to golf and for inspiring others who love this great game.” TheMGWA applauded the Foundation’s efforts to make the game more funand accessible to youth in New Jersey as well as the Famiano MemorialScholarship, awarded to worthy student golfers each year.Other award recipients at the dinner included Knickerbocker Country Club(Club of the Year), Nancy Lopez (Winnie Palmer Award) and Fred Couples(Gold Tee Award).2014 marked the 63rd year of the Met Golf Writers dinner, making it thelongest running golf dinner in the United States.Click here to read more information about the Distinguished ServiceAward.

NJPGA President, Andy Brock with Fred Couples& Bob Papa

Manasquan River’s Brent Studer wins the 2014 LincolnCharity Clambake

The 50th annual Lincoln Charity Clambake was held June 9-11 at the beautifulRockaway River Country Club in Denville, New Jersey. We managed to escapethe forecasted rain all week with only one small delay on Monday morning. Af-ter the first two rounds, Michael LaBrutto from Greenacres CC had a stronglead with a two day total of 7 under, with Baker Maddera and Jim Famula threestrokes back in second place. Early in the third round, LaBrutto stayed strong,finishing his front nine with a three stroke lead over Brent Studer (ManasquanRiver GC). However, a back nine run from Studer and slip from LaBrutto putthem both at 4 under after 18 holes. On the first hole of the playoff, Studerholed a 5 foot putt for par to win the 2014 Charity Clambake for the first timesince 2003.A huge thanks to our sponsors, Titleist, Footjoy, Lawley Insurance & Lincolnand to our host, Rockaway River Country Club. We hope to come back for an-other 50 years!

Assistant Event

Marc Issler (Tom’s River GC) - 71

Assistant/Open Event

Bill Hook (Knickerbocker CC) - 70Bryan Dougherty (Navesink CC) - 70

Assistant Player of the Year

Sam Kang (Farmstead G&CC)

Player of the Year

Brent Studer (Manasquan River GC) Senior Player of the Year

Frank Esposito (Brooklake CC)

2014 Charity Clambake Champion - Brent Studer

Assistant Pro SpotlightSeth Hirschhorn, PGA - Echo Lake CC

Year Elected to PGA Membership:2013

Favorite Golf Courses:Bethpage Black & The Ocean Course at Kiawah

Career Low Round:66 in the 2013 NJSGA Youth Foundation Pro-Am atHackensack Golf Club

I have been working at Echo Lake Country Club inWestfield, NJ for the last two seasons as an AssistantGolf Professional.Playing junior golf as a teenager, I accepted a scholar-ship to play for the Rutgers University Division I GolfTeam in 2003. During the 2004-2005 season weearned a NCAA Sectional bid and I captained the teamduring the 2006-2007 season while also serving on theStudent-Athlete Advisory Committee during my Junior and Senior years. Upon graduating from RutgersUniversity I decided to turn professional to achieve a successful career in the golf industry.My favorite parts about the golf industry are honestly everything about it. I enjoy the challenges and becomingwell rounded in every aspect that the business puts in front of me as a golf professional. A reason I enjoyimproving at all aspects is that having a good understanding of merchandising and sales does not only help youin that area. For example, I like to use the skills learned in merchandising to promote myself in teaching.

The focus of my career is to attain a posi-tion at a prestigious club where I canachieve a long and successful career whilebeing a “part of the family” at that partic-ular club. As well, I thoroughly enjoycompeting in all of the section events.Contending in majors and participating inevents such as the National Club Pro(PGA PNC), Assistants National Cham-pionship and the US Open are my goalswithin the playing realm of this industry.

What’s in the Bag - Robert Downey, PGACrestmont Country Club

9.5 Titleist 913 D3

Titleist 910F 15°3-Wood 19°

Ping G25 23° (lofted to 22°)

Titleist AP 2

Titleist Vokey 56°

Ping G2 Tess blade 34”

Dime

: Titleist Pro V-1 #7 or #12 with one green dot

Depends on the day

Always marks ball with coin heads up

69 at the Echo Lake Pro-Am in August 2013

: After Crestmont CC, Somerset Hills CC

To play one shot at a time

Congratulations to the following Professionals who qualified for Major Championships this Summer

2014 U.S. Senior Open

Frank Esposito (Brooklake CC) & Stu Blasius (GOLFTEC)

2014 PGA Championship

Frank Esposito (Brooklake CC) & Jim McGovern (White Beeches G&CC)

Upcoming EventsSave the Date

Celebration of GolfOctober 23 - Trump National

Golf Club, Bedminster

Please consider purchasinga table and inviting your

members and guests!

2014 Special Award Nomination FormClick here to view the Nomination Form for the NJ Section

Special Awards. All nominations are due July 15.

2014 Section ChampionshipsRegister on PGALinks.com

NJPGA Professional Championship

Registration Open NowEntry Deadline: Tuesday, July 8 at 5 pm

----------------------------------------------------------NJPGA Senior Championship

Registration Open NowEntry Deadline: Tuesday, July 15

----------------------------------------------------------NJPGA Assistant Championship

Registration Open Wednesday, June 11Entry Deadline: Tuesday, July 22