Well…we made it through 2021! Like me, I know many of you are glad to see 2021 in the rearview mirror.
A special thank you to Frank and the Section staff and ED’s for a great 2021. I also want to thank the fantastic, dedicated members who serve as Officers, Board members, committee chairs, and committee members. These professionals work tirelessly to serve you and make the Pacific Northwest the best Section in the PGA of America.
I believe 2022 is going to be a great year! Looking ahead, the Section and Chapters will continue to offer you numerous playing opportunities at some great venues. The Hawaii Pro-Am is back after being canceled because of Covid-19. I sincerely hope “canceled because of Covid” is a phrase I don’t hear in 2022. We continue to add sponsors at both the Section and Chapter levels, giving you the chance to play for more money.
In the spring, we will have our Membership meeting and special awards presentations in conjunction with the Pro-Assistant event. We had some fantastic professionals win awards this year, and I hope you can join us at the meeting.
This year will be a big year from a governance standpoint. At the National level, we will elect a new National Secretary. We have three outstanding Professionals who have tossed their hats into the ring. Your officers will be getting to know these candidates over the next few months through phone calls, video conferencing, and face-to-face meetings in March. Additionally, we will have our election for Section Secretary In the fall. We have two great candidates, John Grothe and Chas Holmes. John is the President of the Oregon Chapter, and Chas is the Vice-President of the Central Washington Chapter. They will begin writing articles and answering leadership questions in Foreword Press in the spring. Lastly, Doug Doxsie will finish his tour as our District Director at this year’s National annual meeting. Doug has been an exceptional representative of our Section and District on the National PGA Board of Directors. Jeff Lessig from the Southwest Section will replace Doug.
We have a lot to look forward to in 2022. I am optimistic that the PNW Section will continue to be the best Section in the PGA of America. I hope you are all getting some well-deserved rest during these slower times and are ready to put the peddle down as we move into 2022.
As always, please stay safe, reach out, and contact someone you have not seen or talked to in a while.
Thank you for your time and all that you do,
Howie Pruitt, PGA
Director, Golf Operations, Aspen Lakes GC
President, Pacific Northwest Section