PGA of BC PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
G&G GOLF COMPANY
In 1991, Gord German began building custom clubs, setting up shop and learning the club-building trade. After noticing a niche for custom logoed golf items, he began to build clientele in the corporate, retail and pro-shop areas. He added on items such as divot tools, towels, umbrellas and golf bags that rapidly expanded G&G Golf Company. Through all of this, the German family's commitment to service and quality has not wavered in the company's 28-plus years of business.
 
G&G prides itself on being a people-first company that is passionate about the game of golf and all that goes into it. Whether you need fresh new ideas for your next golf event, or access to some of the top brands in North America, G&G is there for all your golf business needs.
 
G&G is currently working with over 1,500 active accounts across Canada, United States and Australia, offering a range of products from TravisMathew Apparel, New Balance Golf, Prodigy Headwear, Gogie Girl Headwear, Imperial Headwear, Bermuda Sands Apparel, Big Max, MXM Golf Accessories, Daphne's Head Covers, Cuater Golf Accessories & Footwear, Evolve Golf and more.

The Association is proud to announce that G&G Golf Company will continue its generous support of the PGA of BC as a Silver-level Preferred Partner through 2021, remaining a co-title sponsor of the Pro-Assistant Championship. Click below to learn more about G&G.
PGA of BC NAMES TOP 100 GOLF PROFESSIONALS OF 2019
Earlier this week, the Association was proud to reveal the list of the PGA of BC's Top 100 Golf Professionals of 2019, as determined by the Professional Development Program Order of Merit presented by Sunice & Bobby Jones .

The Professional Development Program (PDP) is an annual Order of Merit designed to recognize PGA of BC members who make outstanding contributions to the Association, their communities, the province’s golf industry and, most importantly, themselves. Through participation in continuing education, competitions, the PGA of BC Awards Program, annual Buying Show and various forms of volunteerism, the PDP provides an equal avenue to showcase strengths of the diverse membership.

Congratulations to all PGA of BC members for their commitment to professional development and efforts to better serve patrons of our game across British Columbia.

Additionally, the PGA of BC is pleased to name  Gordon Mink  (Hi-Knoll Golf Centre) as the winner of the 2019 PDP Order of Merit. Mink kept a busy and balanced schedule throughout 2019 that allowed him to accumulate 121 PDP points for educational pursuits, volunteerism, championship play and recognition through the PGA of BC Awards Program.

Cailean Hourigan  (Bear Mountain Resort Community) was the only other member to eclipse the 100-point mark in 2019, collecting 114 during the season to secure a second-place finish in the Order of Merit and improve upon his 10th-place result one year ago.  Jeff Wiggins  (Mountain View Golf Club) earned 98 points on the year to place third, marking his first finish inside the top 10.  Colin Lavers  (Seymour Golf & Country Club, 94 points) and  Graham Ogden  (Richmond Country Club, 93 points) rounded out the top five.

Thanks in large part to the support of Sunice and Bobby Jones, a total bursary purse of nearly $5,000 will be divided among those finishing among the top 10, providing financial opportunity to pursue further professional development and education. The PGA of BC is pleased to announce that Sunice and Bobby Jones have committed to continuing as presenting sponsor of the Professional Development Program in 2020. We thank them for their generous, ongoing support of the program.

Click below for the full Top 100 list and more details.
LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER FOR JAN. 14 EDUCATION SERIES EVENT
Members are reminded that the 2020 PGA of BC Education Series presented by Foresight Sports Canada kicks off next week at Richmond Country Club, and there's just one day left to register for the first event of the series.

The gathering will take place Tuesday, Jan. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with three excellent presentations of relevance to all Golf Professionals scheduled.

Event Itinerary:
9:30 a.m.: Registration Opens

10 a.m.: “Introduction & Overview of World Handicap System”
Doug Hastie ; Senior Manager of Field Competitions, British Columbia Golf
 
11 a.m.: “Today's Competitive Advantage: Skills that Drive the Customer Experience”
Lindsay Benard ; Senior Corporate Trainer, Dale Carnegie Training of British Columbia

12 p.m.: Lunch served

1 p.m.: “Fitting Top Talent: Experiences on Tour”
Laird White ; Teaching Professional, The Golf Performance Project

Registration for the event will close at 4 p.m. PT on Thursday, Jan. 9. The member registration rate is just $39 (plus tax), which includes lunch service. Non-member guests are also welcome to attend for an additional $30 fee, with a reference from a Class "A" member. Click here for full event details and a link to registration.

Registration is now open for all four events of the Education Series and for the Spring Education Seminar, which will take place Feb. 10-11 at Tsawwassen Springs. An announcement of the speaker lineup for the seminar will take place shortly. Find registration links on each event page or via our 2020 Schedule of Events linked below.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS SEEKS INTEREST IN OPEN POSITIONS
The PGA of BC Board of Directors invites qualified members interested in serving on the Board of Directors to submit their names to run in this month's upcoming election for open positions. 
 
In the coming vote, there will be four (4) vacant positions on the Board. Each member elected will serve a two-year term. Due to the Board's current composition, at least one (1) of the positions must be assumed by a member based in the Vancouver Island region.
 
All candidates must be Class "A" Professionals who are members in good standing with the PGA of Canada to be eligible to run in the election. Click below to view the requirements and expectations of board members.

Candidates will be asked to submit a brief biography and write-up detailing why they feel they are most qualified for a position on the PGA of BC Board of Directors. Submissions may not exceed 200 words and may not include any supplementary documents or files -- this are firm requirements that will be strictly enforced . Candidates' submissions will be made available online to voting members on the election ballot when voting takes place in late January. Please note that each candidate's 2019 Professional Development Program point total and ranking in the PDP Order of Merit will be included with their personal info on the ballot.
 
To submit your name for consideration, please send an email with your written submission no later than Friday, Jan. 17 at 4 p.m. PT  to  donald@pgabc.org .
VOLUNTEER PRESENTERS NEEDED FOR VANCOUVER GOLFEXPO
The  2020 Vancouver GolfExpo  will return to the PNE Forum Feb. 8-9 and the PGA of BC administration team is once again seeking Professionals to conduct volunteer lesson demonstrations for Expo attendees on behalf of the Association. 

We will be hosting multiple, 20-minute instructional talks on the PGA of BC Presentation Stage on both days of the Expo. Presentation time slots are available at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on both days of the event on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition to being credited with four (4) PDP points for volunteering their time, these lesson demos are a great opportunity for Professionals to receive exposure to potential new clients. 

Please contact Executive Director Donald Miyazaki at  donald@pgabc.org  for more information or to indicate your interest in presenting at the Expo. 
APPLY FOR NEW PGA of BC EVENT SUBSIDY GRANT
​​​​​​​Beginning annually in 2020, the PGA of BC will be awarding five (5) grants to members in the amount of $300 to help offset the cost of attending Association events and championships.

Funds may be used at the member's discretion to subsidize travel, accommodations, registration fees or other foreseeable expenses. The intent of the program is to encourage members who haven't had the opportunity to attend PGA of BC events in the past to participate. 

To apply, please complete the form below and indicate which event you plan to attend with the grant's assistance. Applications will be reviewed by a selection panel to determine recipients. All information collected by this form will remain strictly confidential. 

All PGA of BC members are eligible to apply, but considerations will be given to the following: 
  • If applicant is attending declared event for first time, or first time within past five years
  • Significance of travel required by Professional to attend declared event
  • Membership category, with preference given to Apprentice Professionals

Please note that each individual may make a grant application for one (1) event per calendar year. Successful grant recipients will be reimbursed following their participation in the declared event or their application being selected, whichever occurs later. 

Click below to access the Event Subsidy Grant application form. Please direct any inquiries about the Event Subsidy Grant to PGA of BC Communications & Marketing Manager Eric MacKenzie at eric@pgabc.org .
MEMBERS ON THE MOVE
Nicholas Crookall 's application to the PGA of Canada has been accepted and he becomes an Apprentice Professional at Bear Mountain Resort Community

John Randle goes to The Golf Performance Project as a Teaching Professional

Kyoungyun (Andy) Park has left Eaglequest Golf Centre at Coyote Creek and goes to Eaglequest Golf Centre at Coquitlam

Kevin Bennett 's application to the PGA of Canada has been accepted and he becomes an Apprentice Professional at Copper Point Golf Club

Daniel Yoon has successfully completed the National training program and becomes Class "A" Professional at Richmond Country Club

Joel Trainor has left Sagebrush

Nate Beauchamp has left Northview Golf & Country Club and he becomes a Teaching Professional at GolfTEC South Surrey

Cory Renfrew goes to GolfTEC Richmond as an Apprentice Professional

Dahman Boudraa 's Executive Professional application has been approved and he becomes Executive Professional at Pitt Meadows Golf Club
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
FACT OF THE WEEK
With the winter months representing a time of change for the Professional staffs at many of our facilities, please ensure the PGA of BC administration team is advised if you have found a new place of employment, or if any changes have been made to your team's personnel.

Club Professionals in particular are encouraged to review their Professional staff listing via the PGA of BC's Find a Facility page, accessible by clicking below. Each facility's roster of affiliated members in good standing is listed in that location for public view.

If you have changed facilities, or if your facility's staff listing is no longer current, please contact Executive Director Donald Miyazaki at donald@pgabc.org to have the administration team update affiliations accordingly. Similarly, if your home address or other contact information such as email address or phone number have recently been changed, please provide this detail to the administration team or update your PGA of Canada profile.
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