Typically, my Foreword Press article would start by wrapping up the results from the Oregon Open and previewing the upcoming Rosauers Open and Northwest Open. While our tournament season may be delayed a bit, there are plenty of topics that require your attention.
Our Section CEO search is in the home stretch and our timeline for our process is on target. I am confident we will be able to introduce our next Section CEO on August 1st. I want to thank past presidents Dan Hill, Bryan Tunstill, Marcus King and Roger Wallace for their assistance as well as our selection committee of PGA Professionals: Doug Doxsie, Greg Manley, Jason Aichele, Bill Shea, Chris Nowlen and Howie Pruitt. This was truly a collaborative effort.
2020 is an election year for the Section and we will be voting on a new Section Secretary this fall. Both Chris Nowlen and Bill Shea are highly qualified and talented PGA Professionals. Click here to learn about both candidates. I hope you take the time to learn about each of their platforms so you will be able to make an educated decision this fall. Our mid-month Foreword Press features both candidates as they answer difficult questions about why they deserve your vote.
Events are the lifeblood of our Section. Participation is critical ‒ that is especially true in 2020. For me, playing in a Chapter pro-am or Section event is a much-needed diversion from a very crazy golf season. I am excited to tee it up at Arrowhead Golf Club for our Oregon Open this month. Thank you again to the Fisher Family for opening their golf course to the Section. If you have not played Arrowhead Golf Club, you are in for a treat. We have a full field (with a waiting list) and I have no doubt that the golf course will crown a deserving champion. I hope to see many of you there.
We round out our tournament season with three major events in the span of two months:
The Muckleshoot Casino Washington Open at Meridian Valley Country Club on August 1-4 (Click here to sign up)
Northwest Open Invitational at Wine Valley Golf Club on August 15 -18 (Click Here to sign up)
The PNWPGA Section Championship at Canyon River Golf Club on September 22-24 (Sign up at www.pgatournaments.com)
In closing, I want to encourage anyone who might be reading this article to reach out to a fellow PGA Professional in the coming days or weeks to let them know you are thinking about them.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a unique impact on the golf industry. Many, if not all of us, have been extremely busy these past few months. In my own inquiries, I have noticed that PGA Professionals are experiencing that traditional “burn out” feeling as if we were in the month of September. High foot traffic, tee sheet compaction, budget re-writes, establishing new protocols and other pandemic related challenges have taken a toll on all of us. For me, realizing that we all share a very common bond gives me some solace at the end of a crazy day or busy week. I’ve used this term a few times these past few months, but it’s important now more than ever ‒ WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!
See you all on the other side,
Sean Fredrickson, PGA