February 15, 2023

CEO's Report

Frank Talarico | [email protected]

Are You Leading a Happy Team?

One of the features that differentiate good leaders from average bosses is their ability for building a happy community of workers.  When such leaders create the environment for a healthy community to evolve, the upside is a high-performing team. It’s having leaders in place who have a level of faith to say, “I’m going to foster the environment for such a culture of caring to develop,” and by example, others catch on, and it spreads outwardly.  So, what does building community really look like? How do you turn this idea of building community into action that leads to good business outcomes?

It’s all about the relationships

First, for work communities to stand strong and thrive, it must be founded on a culture of personal relationships. This means people must invest time with each other to learn who they really are and what makes them tick.

In turn, this produces great collaboration. It’s a team effort, and nobody wins at the expense of the team. Leaders guiding such a team make sure that differences are valued and respected; that there’s a diversity of opinions, ideas, and perspectives.

There are clear indicators that make these communities stand out through their work relationships. Here are four noticeable habits you’ll find in their employees (do you see these in your teams?):

1. They practice listening

I can’t stress enough the importance of listening in developing strong relationships. Here’s what happens: somewhere along the way into adulthood, we tend to stop listening and learning from others. In fact, it’s worse than that. We start telling everybody what to do — and then we call it leadership. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. The only way you’re going to open the door for good work relationships to flourish is to learn to listen — listen to the contributions and ideas of others.

2. They get to know about each other’s lives

How well do you know the people in your teams? Do you know the events of their lives that have shaped who they are today? If you’re going to be spending the better part of the week working on a project, you might want to get to know them well. Do you know their dreams for the future? Their strengths, their passions, their gifts, and what they bring to the table beyond what’s “on paper”? 

You’ll be surprised at how much more talent you may have on a team that will benefit the organization in new ways. To really get to know the people around you, create margin in your daily routine to spend time with them, and not for your own personal gain. This is about investing time with your most valued employees and colleagues to learn who they really are.

There’s also tremendous benefit in building personal relationships in a community when someone moves to a different organization, a practical reason. When you need a favor, a resource, or a contact, you can reach out to others and they will reciprocate — there’s history, respect, and trust there from previously working together. There is tremendous networking power when you establish community that will last for years.

3. They celebrate together

You can’t have strong communities if you don’t celebrate accomplishments along the way — big and small. Celebrations can be personal or professional in nature; they can be individual or team celebrations. Never stop looking for ways to celebrate life together — that’s the essence of community. Think about it now: What have you, or what will you accomplish together, that’s a cause for celebration?

4. They are transparent with each other

Whatever your preferred channel is for connecting with others remotely, it should be a place where you talk about work and share wins, ideas, challenges, and concerns, and get as close as you can to replicating the experience of being in an office together. There’s a sense of togetherness there.

But here’s the thing: Transparency and trust are key in developing virtual communities. What you share with one, you share with all. And it starts with leaders modeling the behaviors of trust and transparency.

There’s tremendous power in building community at work. And the reason it’s so important is that people are naturally wired for relationships — it’s what science has proven to be the catalyst for driving human performance.  As you have heard me say often, we are privileged to work in an industry that is inherently social.  Embrace it. When leaders pave the way for close community to happen, expect this cycle to happen: Trust increases, morale improves, collaboration soars, and productivity will reach new heights.

Some reminders from the Section Office….

Entries are out now for the PNW PGA Senior Players Championship. Please join me in welcoming back our sponsor, the City of Walla Walla.  Joining us this year is Sunice!  Sunice stands for excellence in performance and style. From outfitting teams in the Winter Olympics to being the go-to brand for the world’s greatest golfers, Sunice has led the ski and golf apparel industry in expertise, functionality and innovation for more than 40 years.  For more information, I encourage you to contact Liz Ogle, [email protected].

Entries are also available for the PNW PGA Mexican Fiesta Pro-Am. 2023 event dates are October 30 through November 4.  The 2023 Pro-Am will again be hosted by the Villa Del Palmar Resort and competed on the TPC Danzante Bay.  Start putting together your team and planning your ultimate golf trip now!

I encourage all members to note the recent change in Spring General Meeting scheduling.  Out of respect to the Bluestein Family and to avoid schedule conflicts with Harold’s Celebration of Life, the 2023 PNWPGA Spring Meeting has now been moved to May 22, 2023.  Additionally, as previously communicated to the membership, the 2023 Awards Ceremony will now be held the evening of May 21, 2023.  Both events will be hosted by The Home Course in Dupont, Washington, and in conjunction with the 2023 Northwest Open.

As always, if I or any member of our Section staff can ever be of service, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Frank Talarico, CEO

District #14 Director's Report

Jeff Lessig, PGA - National Director, District #14 | [email protected] 

Our PGA governance model groups Sections into Districts that include three Sections per District - except for District 14 which includes only two Sections, Pacific Northwest and Southwest. 

And with apologies to the Aloha Section, all the other Sections are geographically contiguous with the other Sections in their District - except for District 14 whose two Sections are separated by about 1,500 miles, give or take. (I’m guessing that when we got beyond #13, we just figured it was easiest to throw whatever was left over out west into #14.)

So, at the risk of losing your attention right away, I want to let you know a bit about what’s been in the news in this part of our District. Water.

The Southwest Section includes Arizona and Clark County, Nevada (Las Vegas) and as many of you have seen and heard, our region is suffering from an unprecedented drought. It’s in the news constantly here and it’s a little scary. Perhaps you’ve seen some of the national attention the drought is now generating. Words like “crisis” and “disaster” are now common descriptors. 

As I write this month’s newsletter, notably, the WM Phoenix Open, the “Greenest Show on Grass” is happening and will be telecast around the world. You may hear some media commentary about our water challenges. 

The seven states that draw water from the Colorado River (each with a different “priority”) include AZ, NV, CA, NM, UT, WY and CO. Water policy across those states and in numerous local jurisdictions is incredibly complex. Sadly, many perceive golf as an industry that “wastes” water. We are and will remain a convenient target in the public square.

My semi-reliable “golf pro math” tells me there are least 2,500 PGA Professionals in the West/Southwest whose livelihoods are beginning to feel somewhat uncomfortable. No one is predicting the drought is going to just “get better” anymore. In fact, most are predicting it will worsen. What it may look like in another five or ten years is anyone’s guess.

Fortunately, some pretty smart people here founded the Arizona Alliance for Golf (AAG) www.azallianceforgolf.org a couple years ago. Our stated purpose is to speak for our industry and related industries such as tourism, lodging, restaurant, etc. with a united voice. In addition to thousands of individuals, member organizations include the SWSPGA, Arizona Golf Association, Club Managers Association, GCSAA Cactus and Pine, NGCOA Arizona, and The Thunderbirds. I encourage you to take a look at the website to get a sense of the work that has been done that reveals some compelling facts.

An independent research firm just completed s study on AZ’s golf industry and the highlights include:

  • Golf water usage: 2% of AZ daily consumption
  • Economic Impact: $6 Billion annually
  • Tax revenue generated: $518 Million annually
  • Jobs: 66,200
  • Charitable contributions: $100 Million annually

In contrast, agriculture in AZ accounts for 73% of AZ’s daily water consumption.

We certainly consider these facts to be revealing, impressive and hopefully, influential. The challenge is that few outside our industry are educated on golf’s heavy economic footprint and incredibly light environmental one.

The hard reality is that climate change dictates that our collective water habits must change. Eventually, politicians will be forced to take a position and cast a vote. We need to make sure that the facts are known and golf is not the convenient target we now appear to be.

The stakes are high. The industry and many of our Members are feeling a genuine risk. The PGA of America and our varied resources must become engaged.

Jeff Lessig, PGA
National Director, District 14
[email protected]

Player Engagement

Patrick Oropallo, PGA - Player Engagement Consultant | [email protected]

Join the "Era of Engagement": Sign up for PGA Jr. League Today

PGA Jr. League is about to start and there’s a lot of excitement among golf professionals in the Pacific Northwest. Thus far, 70% of facilities from the previous year have re-registered, and there are also 15 new facilities joining. National enrollment for PGA Jr. League has exceeded last year’s opening day records with a 20% increase, a sure sign that parents believe in this program. Furthermore, the Pacific Northwest Section is poised to be the leader among all 41 Sections in terms of Jr. league participation with a little help from you.

The culmination of the recent golf boom has marked the beginning of a new era, the “era of engagement”. In this era, golf facilities and professionals who have a comprehensive offering of player engagement programs and a brand that embodies engagement will be best positioned to weather the inevitable decline in rounds and revenue. PGA Jr. League is an excellent opportunity for golf facilities to achieve this, providing a high-quality junior golf development program that aligns with modern coaching principles and the American Development Model.

Facilities interested in enrolling in the program are encouraged to reach out for more information and support in setting up a PGA Jr. League program. With the league formation deadline for the Pacific Northwest Section fast approaching on April 1st, now is the time to enroll and make a difference in the lives of young golfers.

Mark your calendars for the upcoming Championship post-season. A big thank you goes out to all the facilities and golf professionals who will be hosting the Section Qualifiers and Championships in 2023. One exciting addition this year is the 17U National Car Rental Championship, which will increase participation for that age group and may impact how 17U post-season qualifiers are conducted. The enrollment levels will be closely monitored, and you will be updated promptly once a decision is made regarding the need for 17U Section Qualifier(s).

PGA Jr. League is one of the best player development programs offered by the PGA of America. It gets juniors out on the golf course, learning how to play while having fun. The program is beneficial for facilities, driving ancillary spending and promoting golf operations, food and beverage, and membership retention/enrollment. Golf professionals also find the program to be rewarding and financially beneficial. This win-win-win model is something that you should experience for yourself, so consider joining the thousands of coaches across the country and enrolling in PGA Jr. League today!

Patrick Oropallo, Certified PGA

2023 PNW PGA Championship Season
Enroll in PGA Jr. League Today
Schedule an Appointment to Learn More

Convergence Towards Your Best Year as a PGA Professional, Part IV: Justice

Monte Koch, PGA Certified Professional, CEIP - PGA Career Consultant | [email protected]

As we continue with the concept of convergence as a pathway to your “best year (yet) as a PGA Professional,” we continue to build on the foundation of Convergence: Overview (Article 1), Convergence: Courage (Article 2) and Convergence: Moderation (Article 3). In bringing together our three phases (physical, mental and spiritual) in alignment, we are seeking the path to have them “converge” and build our impact, our effectiveness and our legacy as PGA Professionals who use golf as a platform generating goodness and goodwill.

For this article, let’s consider Justice, and how to apply it to our lives as PGA Professionals.
Read more >

Employment Opportunities

These are primarily “PGA Professional” only positions posted on the PGA Career Services Job Board: https://jobs.pga.org

PNWPGA JOB BOARD NOTICE

Upcoming "Stay Involved" Education Webinars

Feb 16 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am PDTGolf Genius Advanced Training – presented by Tyler Cope, PGA and Justin Scott, PGA

Feb 23 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm PDT2023 Rules of Golf – presented by Chuck West, PGA

In-Person Education Opportunities

Feb 18 @ 8:00 am - 4:30 pm WA Golf Rules of Golf Workshop – Fairwood G&CC

Feb 21 @ 8:00 am - 3:30 pm PGA HOPE Professional Training – Eastmoreland GC

Upcoming Events

PNW PGA Senior Players' Championship

April 18-19, 2023
Walla Walla, WA -  Wine Valley GC
Enter online

PNW PGA Mexican Fiesta Pro-Am

Oct 30 - Nov 4, 2023
Villa Del Palmar Beach Resort & Spa
TPC Danzante Bay
Enter online

Thank You for Supporting Our Sponsors

Gold Level Sponsors
FP-gold-sponsor-NCR FP-gold-sponsor-wildhorse FP-gold-sponsor-rosauers
Callaway Golf logo
Holcomb-In-One Sponsors
antigua logo
Silver Level Sponsors
FP-silver-sponsor-PACGolf FP-silver-sponsor-bushnell FP-silver-sponsor-clubcar
FP-silver-sponsor-yamaha
Sunice
National Sponsors
FP-natl-sponsor-janiking
FP-natl-sponsor-KitchenAid FP-natl-sponsor-PGANatlResort FP-natl-sponsor-PGATour FP-natl-sponsor-pepsi
Partner-Level Sponsors
Radmor under armour logo
Therabody
4ORE
Copyright © 2023 Pacific Northwest Section PGA, All rights reserved.