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Volume 6, Issue 1 January 2014

Growth of the Game P 2

2013 Gateway PGA Award Winners P 3

Rules Corner P 4

Teaching & Coaching Summit P 5

PGA HQ News P 6

Employment Chips P 7

Fitness Tips P 8

Tournament News P 10

Member Updates & Birthdays P 11

I have always loved the month of January as a PGA Professional. For one, the PGA Merchandise Show is just a great environment to be in. It is an opportunity to connect with old friends and network to find new ones. There are also endless opportunities to find education, products, and a little warmer weather! In addition to

the PGA Show, I like working with Gateway PGA Professionals on new ideas to connect and benefit our total membership. This month alone, I have met or have had meetings in regards to giving back, tournaments, education,

teaching & coaching, leadership, membership meetings, women’s golf, and a few more! I enjoy the pursuit of making things better and this journey is only secondary to the relationship created along the way. With the last line in the above paragraph in mind – I rewrote my newsletter article from that point forward. I will not say any names but I had the good fortune of meeting with two PGA Professionals of our section recently. To say I left a little inspired would be an understatement. We met with the purpose of making a section offering better for fellow PGA Members. As we moved along in our discussions one of our PGA Professionals said “Do you know what the one and only goal we all have as humans is?.....To be happy”. He went on to explain that everything we do in life is to find happiness. This happiness can be productive or unproductive. Productive happiness is giving to another, accomplishing a professional goal, forming new relationships, and more. The pursuit of happiness can take the bad angle through substance abuse, greed, etc. – but if you add it all up…life is the pursuit of happiness. The reason why I bring this up is to let you know that from the conversation above it made things simple in my mind. One of the things we can do as an association of PGA Members is to inspire our fellow member. If we all pursued happiness in a positive way we would offer unwavering customer service to our players, be inspired to help others become better, and do anything in our power to benefit the game of golf. Why? Because if we truly loved golf we would be very happy to see the game positively impacted.

All the best,

Josh Riley, PGA

PS: Don’t forget to sign-up for the 3rd Annual GPGA Putt-Putt Championship at

Fantasia!

Section Officers

Joe Schwent, PGA President

Nathan Charnes, PGA Vice-President

Benjiman Kent, PGA Secretary

Gateway PGA Staff

Josh Riley, PGA Executive Director

Steve Finn, PGA Assistant Executive Director

Alex Anderson Director or Junior Golf

Ali Wells, PGA Growth of the Game and

Program Director

Lindsay Riley Foundation Admin Assistant

Susan Bender Membership

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GROWTH OF THE GAME

Happy New Year Gateway PGA! The Foundation and Growth of the Game Committee are off

to a great start this year. Take a peek at some of the happenings and opportunities for all

Gateway PGA Members!

Growth of the Game Committee

The Committee will be holding its first meeting of 2014 in early February – date TBD soon.

Any GPGA member is encouraged to attend; more information coming to your inbox soon!

The Growth of the Game Committee is involved in ladies golf, junior golf, Get Golf Ready,

free community events, the College Skills Combine and much more. Join us for fresh ideas,

networking, career enhancement, MSR credits, or just to hang out with cool people!

Pros In Schools

Alton Middle School begins a new golf program for their 7th and 8th graders this February. Two dates still have

and opening for 1 PGA Professional to help teach: Wednesday, February 5th and Thursday, February 6th from

8:45am – 11:20am. Participating professionals receive $40/hour and 1 MSR credit/hour. Please contact Ali

Wells (awells@pgahq.com) for more information or to sign up.

Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis – Teaching Opportunity

Through the PGA of America’s national partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America AND PGA

REACH’s partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis, the Gateway PGA will strive to bring

the game of golf to juniors in 5 different Clubs in 2014. Each Club will offer at least one 5-week introduction to

golf program which needs 1 PGA Professional for 1 hour each week. Final dates and times will be released soon.

Professionals will be compensated for their time. Again, please contact Ali Wells for more information or to lead

a program.

Equipment Rental Program

While you are planning your junior programs and offerings for 2014, don’t forget to check in with us for all your

equipment and idea needs. We’ve recently acquired a brand new Golfzilla inflatable and we need help breaking

him in! Contact Ali Wells to reserve your inflatables, SNAG equipment, Birdieball equipment, KWIK Golf set,

or anything else.

Foundation Announcements

Finally, please take a hot second to pull out your pen and mark off the following dates on your calendar. The 2nd

Annual Ozzie and Friends Benefit Concert will be held on May 1st at the Peabody Opera House! Vince Gill,

Kathleen Madigan, and Nikko Smith will perform live to help the Foundation and PGA REACH raise some

money.

The Foundation Dinner Auction and Pro Am will come to St. Albans Country Club on June 29th and 30th. More

details on both events will continue to come… but you should’ve already marked the dates off!

I hope to see many of you at one of these upcoming events – Gateway PGA Teaching Coaching Summit, Growth

of the Game Committee Meeting, the PGA Show in Orlando, or Ozzie and Friends.

Stay well, stay warm!

Ali Wells, PGA Foundation Operations Director

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Congratulations to the 2013 Gateway PGA Congratulations to the 2013 Gateway PGA Congratulations to the 2013 Gateway PGA

Section Special Award Winners Section Special Award Winners Section Special Award Winners

Mike Tucker, Private

Merchandiser of the Year

Ty Zimmerman, Private

Merchandiser of the Year

David Kohlberg, Hard

Goods Sales Rep of the Year

Jeff Field, Bill Strausbaugh

Award (Brian Gilbert accepting)

Kevin Corn,

Junior Golf Leader

Craig Liddle,

Horton Smith Award

Jon DePriest, President’s Plaque

Shane Blankenship,

Assistant Player of the Year

Steve Heckel, Super-Senior Player of the Year

Barbara Blanchar,

Teaching Professional & Ladies

Player of the Year

PGA Player & Senior Player of

the Year

Brandon Coffey,

Assistant of the Year

Gideon Smith,

Professional of the Year

Bob Shogren,

Honorary Gateway PGA Member

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RULES CORNER

The USGA and R & A revise the "Decisions on the Rules of Golf" every two years. The new

Decisions Book for 2014-2015 is now available. There are three new decisions and 59 revised

decisions. Most of the revisions are for clarity.

Decision 14-3/8 permits a player to access local weather information through an application

or internet browser on a multi-functional device.

Decision 18/4 deals with television evidence that shows a ball at rest changed position by an

amount not reasonably discernible to the naked eye. In this case the ball is deemed to have not moved and there

would be no penalty under Rule 18-2b. This decision is five paragraphs long and one that PGA Professionals will not

deal with at our clubs. This decision was written and at the printer well before the incident at the BMW Tournament.

Decision 18-2b1 makes clear the effects of gravity do not satisfy the exception under Rule 18-2b. For the

exception to apply to a player after the player has addressed the ball it must be known or virtually certain the player

did not cause the ball to move. To meet that standard, it must be known or virtually certain some other

observable factor (e.g. wind, water, or outside agency) caused the ball to move. As my friend David Staebler at USGA

says "you can't see or feel a gust of gravity".

I encourage all PGA Professionals to have at least two copies of "The Decisions on the Rules of Golf" in the Pro

Shop. Then spend some time learning how to use the table of contents and index to quickly find an applicable

decision. Let’s all be the rules experts at our clubs.

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PGA HQ NEWS

Samsung Named Official Patron of the PGA

of America; Partnership to Provide

Multi-Platform Support for Championships,

Golfers Nationwide

Three-year Agreement spans PGA Championship and 2016 Ryder Cup PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Samsung Electron-ics America Inc., a global leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, has been named an Official Patron of the PGA of America. The three-year multi-platform agreement announced today spans the PGA Championship and Ryder Cup through 2016, featuring enhanced technological support that touches the daily golfer, spectators and media at premier events. As part of the agreement, Samsung and the PGA will be working together to develop multi-screen, second-screen and interactive experiences to create the next generation fan experience. The initial focus will be on extending the experience of the PGA Championship and Ryder Cup for fans at home, on the go and attending two of golf's premier events. The PGA fan experiences will be available across Samsung's line of Smart TVs, large display monitors, PCs, connected cameras, smartphones, tablets and wearables. In addition, Samsung's line of mobile products will be used as the PGA's Official Scoring System for the PGA Championship and 2016 Ryder Cup.

"The PGA of America is proud to welcome Samsung into a partnership that launches a new era in spectator enjoyment at the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup, along with elevating the golf experience for consumers," said PGA of America Chief Executive Officer Pete Bevacqua. "Over its history, Samsung has been a leader in technological progress and product enrichment. With this agreement, Samsung is making a sizeable impact on the game, which we believe will benefit PGA Professionals and all those who are passionate about golf."

"Samsung is all about providing innovative solutions that connect people to their passions," said Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics America. "We look forward to working with the PGA to redefine the ways that golf enthusiasts can engage and get deeper access to the game they love across our network of devices, at home and on the go."

Your Input on “Anchoring” Needed for

USGA Meeting

On Feb. 8, PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem and I will jointly attend the USGA Executive Committee meeting in Pinehurst, N.C. Our main purpose will be to formally request a "grandfather period" for recreational amateurs who anchor long putters. Read the letter from Ted Bishop here and submit your story by January 24, 2014.

2014 Compensation Survey Live on

PGALinks.com

Your participation is requested in helping to ensure that one of our Association's most powerful employment tools remains effective for you and your fellow PGA Professionals. Your participation is the key to producing compensation data that is valid and meaningful. Please consider the following points when contemplating filling out the survey: • The survey data is completely confidential - individual information cannot be accessed • The survey contains vital information to help your brother and sister PGA Professionals in their negotiations for higher compensation • The Compensation Reports are important for the Employment Consultants as they meet with employers in the effort to drive up compensation • 100% participation is possible only if you take the time necessary to be involved! Typically, our higher wage earners do not participate which can drive the results down. • Our goal in the Illinois section is to significantly increase participation this year! • Each member has until March 23, 2014 to complete the survey and will receive 2 MSR's. Thank you for your support of this very important Association survey! Click here to complete the 2014 PGA Compensation Survey.

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Employment “Chips”

Tim Marks, PGA | Employment Consultant | 815.630.5196 – Office | tmarks@pgahq.com

Heading to Orlando?

I am hoping many of you will be

attending the upcoming PGA

Merchandise Show in Orlando,

FL. The show runs from

January 22-24, 2014.

Show hours are:

8:00 AM until 5:00 PM Wednesday and Thursday

8:00 AM until 3:00 PM on Friday.

Make sure to stop into the PGA Member Business

Center where you can access a wide array of PGA

programs and resources including:

Chat with Employment Consultants to gain insights

on the many PGA tools and resources available

including CareerLinks, PGAjobfinder,

Compensation Tool, Professional Report, Career

Fitness Manual, PGA Job Hunter’s Tool Kit and

many more.

Attend free educational programs (PGA

Professionals will be awarded 1 MSR Credit per

each hour of participation with no maximum

limitations). Sample course offerings are:

Employer Communication Planning – Your

Key to Job Security (PGA Employment

Consultants)

Utilizing PGA Resources – Your Competitive

Edge (PGA Employment Consultants)

Grow Your Value Now – Focusing on Service

Plus Value Added Sales (PGA Employment

Consultants)

Solving the Job Search Puzzle – Steps to

Achieving Your Career Goals (PGA

Employment Consultants)

"First Things First, Start With a Plan"

Building a Successful Teaching Program (Player

Development Regional Managers)

"Put Me in Coach" PGA Junior League Golf

(Bob Baldassari, PGA)

Town Hall - Ted Bishop, PGA, President and

Peter Bevacqua, CEO PGA of America -

Thursday 2:30p.m-3:30p.m.

For a complete list of PGA Member Business Center

Education please click HERE.

I will be in the Member Business Center during the

entire show so please stop by and say hello! If you

would like to make an appointment to meet with me

please email me at the address below and I will

contact you to set up a time.

Have a great show!

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Falls Golf Club

Assistant Golf Professional

Qualifications: Entry level to Business one completion, candidate

must be motivated to achieve membership in the PGA. Applicant

needs to be proficient in Microsoft word and excel. Customer service

skills and presentation are very important.

Compensation: Based on experience minimum amount $10.00 per

hour.

Benefits: Health Insurance, dental, disability, food, clothing allow-

ance.

Email résumé to Brad Hulett, PGA General Manager -

rbh@fallsgolf.com

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Optimal Lifestyles, Inc is a health and fitness consulting company and fitness education sponsor for the Gateway PGA. Optimal Lifestyles, Inc. provides personal training, golf fitness and yoga for golfers. The information provided by Optimal Lifestyles is for educational purposes and should not replace care or advice of a physician. Please check with a physician if you are starting an exercise program or suspect you are ill.

Brought To You by Optimal Lifestyles, Inc.

Last month we discussed how our energy levels tend to fluctuate and reviewed

strategies for staying at peak performance. With the long nights and early mornings

of winter upon us, let’s look at five additional ways to keep our energy up. This is

the second part of an article, “Ten Ways to Increase Your Energy Level,” written

by James A. Peterson, PH.D. FACSM, published in the American College of Sports

Medicine Health and Fitness Journal.

ENOUGH ALREADY. Don’t overeat or undereat. Eating too much can drain an individual’s energy.

On the other hand, not eating can lower a person’s metabolism level and cause them to feel lethargic.

The key for individuals is to consume enough food to meet their daily caloric needs (note crash dieting

is highly discouraged for any one who wants to fire on all cylinders energy-wise), but not too much.

Furthermore, snacking also can be an effective tool in an effort to maintain and /or boost energy.

Eating the right snacks at the right time over the course of the day can help prevent significant changes

in a person’s energy level.

IT’S JUST A JOB. Reduce Stress in the workplace. More often than not, problems occur at work

that leads to fatigue. The key for individuals is to manage these situations so that these matters don’t

have a negative impact on their level of energy. The first step in that regard is to put any problems into

perspective. In fact, no one’s life is problem-free. Every problem has a solution. Every situation can

be dealt with rationally, even if it eventually means finding a new job.

LIGHTEN UP ON LIGHTING UP. Don’t smoke. In addition to being bad for a person’s e health,

smoking also tends to be counterproductive to any attempt to have more energy. For example, the

body makes energy by combining glucose with oxygen. On the other hand, cigarette smoke contains

carbon monoxide, a substance that reduces the amount of oxygen available in the blood. Not

surprisingly, smokers typically have lower energy levels than nonsmokers.

LAUGHTER AS MEDICINE. Incorporate fun in your life. Individuals should do whatever they can

to make sure that they have enough time for fun. In fact, laughter has been found to be a very effective

energy booster. Not only does it lift a person’s mood and immune system, it also can elicit the release

of beneficial hormones in the body.

A CAUTIONARY NOTE. See a physician if it appears that nothing can be done to boost your energy

level. It is important to make sure that your persistent fatigue is not the result of an underlying medical

problem.

James Q. Peterson, Ph.D., FACSM, is a freelance writer and consultant in sports medicine. From 1990 until 1995, Peterson was direc-

tor of sports medicine with StairMaster. Until that time, he was professor of physical education at the United States Military Academy.

For more help on ways to increase your energy level at any time of the year, contact Barb at Optimal Lifestyles at

barb@optimallifestylesinc.com.

This article was reprinted with permission by the American college of Sports Medicine granted to subscribers of ACSM’s Health & fit-

ness Journal VOL. 17/NO. 6.

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2014 Gateway PGA Tournament Schedule

*Note* - This schedule is under construction and subject to change

Date Event Site

MARCH

Monday, March 31 Spring Meeting/Quad Pro Forest Hills CC

APRIL

Mon-Tues April 7-8th 2 Man Team Firekeeper GC Topeka, KS

Monday, April 14th PING Pro AM OakBrook GC

Monday, April 21 Pro-Open #1

Monday April 28th Pro-Assistant Championship

MAY

Monday, May 5-7th Match Play Championship Annbriar GC

Monday, May 12th Pro-Open #2

Monday, May 19th Assistants Pro-Am Missouri Bluffs

Tuesday, May 31st Pro-Open #3

JUNE

Monday, June 2nd Tower Tee Invitational Tower Tee GC

Monday, June 9th Southern Illinois Open Rend Lake GC

Tues-Wed, June 10-11th Senior Match Play Championship Sunset Hills CC

Sun-Wed, June 22-25th National PNC Myrtle Beach SC

Thursday, June 26th Pro-Ladies Pro-Am Annbriar GC

Monday, June 30th Foundation Pro-Am St Albans

JULY

Monday, July 7th Team Championship Quincy CC

Thursday, July 17th Scratch Pro Am TBA

Monday, July 21st Pro-Open #4 Missouri Bluffs

Thursday, July 31st Pro-Junior Pro-Am Old Hickory CC (T)

AUGUST

Monday, August 4th Gateway Section Pro-Am Dalhousie GC (T)

Monday, August 11-12th PNC Persimmon Woods GC

Thurs-Sun, August 7-10th PGA Championship Valhalla

Friday, August 15th Slice of Life Pro-Am Crab Orchard GC

Sunday, August 17th Beautification Pro-Am Lake Forest CC

Mon-Tues, August 18-19th Gateway Sr. PNC Lake Forest CC

Monday, August 25th ACG Pro-Am Meadowbrook CC

SEPTEMBER

Tuesday, September 2nd National Car Rental Asst Champ WingHaven CC

Monday, September 8th Pro-Open #5 Jeff City CC

Thursday, September 25th National Car Pro Am Series Champ Algonquin GC

Monday, September 29-30th Section Championship St.Clair CC

OCTOBER

Monday, October 6th Players Championship

Monday, October 22-22nd Lake Team Event Porto Cima, Osage Natl, Kinderhook

Wednesday, April 23rd Pro-Senior Pro-Am The Legends (T)

Monday, May 19th Assistants Pro-Am Missouri Bluffs

Thursday, June 26th Pro-Ladies Pro-Am Annbriar GC

Monday, June 30th Foundation Pro-Am St Albans

Thursday, July 17th Scratch Pro Am TBA

Monday, August 4th Gateway Section Pro-Am Dalhousie GC (T)

Thursday, September 25th National Car Pro Am Series Champ Algonquin GC

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Happy Birthday! Stanley Shaver, PGA 1/1 Steve T. Remspecher II, PGA 1/17

Michael C Becker 1/2 Garry E. Lee, PGA 1/18

Shane J. Blankenship, PGA 1/5 Dale Schofield, PGA 1/21

Randy J. Phillips, PGA 1/6 Donald R. Winker, PGA 1/21

Gary Fee, PGA 1/10 Brian T. Boles, PGA 1/22

George E Schrage IV 1/10 Andrew M. Jury, PGA 1/22

Mark A. Leroux, PGA 1/11 Gideon H. Smith, PGA 1/24

Joshua T. Riley, PGA 1/13 Mark Lewis, PGA 1/26

Terry Houser, PGA 1/14 David J Cantrell, PGA 1/28

Andrew Joung-Su Kim 1/16 Lukas M. Guthrie, PGA 1/31

Jeffrey P. Escott, PGA 1/17