The Official Website of the PGA of Southern California

SCPGA at Senior PGA Championship

admin — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:40:34 +0000

The Southern California PGA would like to wish the best of luck to PGA Professionals Mike Miles (Virginia Country Club), Mike Mitchell (Hideaway Golf Club), Ron Skayhan (Hillcrest Country Club) and Chris Starkjohann (Torrey Pines Gold Club & Outings) at the 74th Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid!

You can follow our four Southern California PGA representatives HERE

Southern California PGA Professional Mike Mitchell is joined by 3 of his students in the 74th Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid! Check out the full article here!

Cronly and Wellenstein Prevail at Club Car Professional-Official

admin — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:37:09 +0000

The Club Car Professional-Official is one of the featured events on the Southern California PGA tournament calendar. PGA Members and Apprentices partnered up with an Official from their club, they took to the links for a day of great food, fun and amazing golf. Our host, Ironwood Country Club in Palm Desert, was the highlight of the day with immaculate conditions, the great staff, and the outstanding variety of amenities for all the players.

The competition is formatted with PGA Professionals using their gross score and the Officials playing to their current index in a Four-Ball Net competition. The ideal conditions on a course, that just last week hosted Local US Open Qualifying, were perfect for some great scores. John Cronly (Glen Oaks Golf & Learning Center) and his Official Lindsey Wellenstein took advantage of two net eagles (Holes 7 & 9) to offset their one bogey and shoot 61 (-11). By narrowly clipping the teams of Wade Berzas, PGA (Annandale Golf Club) and Tom Capehart, and Scott Shiroma, PGA (Rolling Hills Country Club) and Jon Schneider, Cronly and Wellenstein captured this year’s Club Car Professional- Official Championship. Additionally, PGA Professional Dan Hornig (Heritage Cross) won the only Skin worth $1,000 with a birdie on 13 and Chris Gilley, PGA (Seacliff Country Club) claimed the low PGA Professional honor with a six-under par 66.

The host and sponsors of the Club Car Professional-Official Championship make this event special. From our presenting sponsors at Club Car down the line from Capital Insurance Group and Golf Insurance Specialists, US Foods, Antigua, Nexbelt, Titleist and Pepsi, they all were a huge part of this year’s event and added so much to all our PGA Professionals and their Officials experience. The same can be said for the Ironwood Country Club including General Manager Josh Tanner, CCM, PGA Head Professional Mike Oberlander, their amazing staff and their extremely supportive Membership that made the day possible. Thank you all for your contribution to the 2013 Club Car Professional-Official Championship!

Click here for full results

Message from the President – Part 25

admin — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:27:49 +0000

There was a time, not too long ago, when the “small ball” was an accepted ball when playing in Great Britain and here in the States we used a slightly larger version. Different rules for the R&A and the USGA. Interesting. Balls, wood heads, grooves and countless other evolutionary changes have taken place over the years. There was a time when taking relief and dropping a ball was done over ones’ shoulder, and now we drop with a view. Some of these rules had been in existence for decades. And then there were changes. Rules and procedures are quite different than the physical activity of making strokes. Long Putters, and anchoring a stroke with them, has been around for decades. What if that type of stroke were disallowed? Would the records of those using this method receive an asterisk for their success and championships won? Would every Professional that used a small ball need an asterisk? The “horse is out of the barn” on the anchoring conversation and if one allows 20 plus years to pass before implementing change, then one must settle in with the records achieved before those changes. During all those years players have honed a stroke with what was legal and allowed. If those players having found new life and excitement playing the game were subsequently told that things are different, it could have a deleterious effect on not just the premier players of the world, but all the tremor affected amateurs as well. This isn’t just equipment, it is form and physical activity which is vital to playing the game. Unlike how you drop a ball or the size of the ball you dropped, making a stroke is essential to the very nature of the game. Therefore it might follow, what’s the point? What else? Does the ball go too far? Are we witnessing a precursor to a more robust conversation regarding equipment again? That pesky ball that flies far to far. Watch….

I know there are no profound revelations here but consider this. There are Specimen Local Rules that address things like stones in sand bunkers, embedded balls, protecting young trees and obstructions. Many of these conditions are handled differently in the Masters, PGA Championship, Open Championship and the United States Open Championship. Some implemented, some not. What if anchoring became a condition of a competition? Like the “one ball” rule. Some events yes and some events no. What if posting a score was no longer valid for ones index because of a banned technique? What if the members at your club participate in Team Play Matches conducted by the local USGA sanctioned body and certain clubs played adhering to the ban and others did not? What if players choose to leave the game because they putt poorly and are told the help they’ve enjoyed is no longer legal? And what if the PGA Golf Professional is caught in this chaos and mayhem? We will be.

PGA of America Statement Regarding Anchoring

admin — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:13:35 +0000

Over the past few months The PGA of America has taken a vocal and active position which reflected the strong viewpoint of our PGA Professionals in opposing the USGA and R&A’s proposed Rule 14-1b that would ban the anchored stroke. Today, the governing bodies indicated that they will proceed with the formal adoption of the rule.

We are disappointed with this outcome. As we have said publicly and repeatedly during the comment period, we do not believe 14-1b is in the best interest of recreational golfers and we are concerned about the negative impact it may have on both the enjoyment and growth of the game. Growing the game is one of the fundamental purposes of The PGA of America.

Although we do not agree with the decision, we applaud the USGA for its willingness to listen to our concerns and engage in meaningful discussions. In our opinion and based on our experience, the USGA treated the comment period for what it was intended to be — a time to exchange opinions, concerns and potential solutions.

We should also note that our difference of opinion regarding 14-1b should not in any way detract from the healthy relationship we have had with the USGA for nearly a century. Together, we have taken tremendous steps for the benefit of the game we both love and serve and we will continue to work together through the ongoing mutual support of Get Golf Ready; Tee It Forward; the Boys & Girls Clubs of America; the First Tee, Drive, Chip and Putt Championship; 9 is Fine; and critical pace of play issues. Let us not lose sight of the fact that The PGA and the USGA agree far more than we disagree.

We also want to note that our conversations and meetings with the USGA over these last few months have resulted in our mutual agreement to engage in a leadership conference no less than once a year to discuss our strategies and concerns and see where and how we can continue to improve the game together. In addition, we look forward to working openly with the USGA in order to ensure that on an ongoing basis, our inclusion in the Rules-making process is as meaningful as possible.

At this point in time, The PGA will digest the USGA and R&A’s decision to proceed with Rule 14-1b and discuss this matter with our Board of Directors, PGA Sections and, of course, our 27,000 PGA Professionals throughout the country. Our Board will convene in late June during our PGA Professional National Championship and at that time, we will decide how best to proceed. In addition, we will continue to confer with the PGA Tour as they similarly digest this information.

In the meantime, we will immediately do what we do best — teach the game. Since the end of November, The PGA Instruction Committee has been working on a process whereby our PGA Professionals can help with the transition from anchored putters to a non-anchored stroke in anticipation of this decision. Our PGA Professionals have always embraced our role as problem solvers when it comes to making the game better and more enjoyable for those who play it.

Ted Bishop, PGA
38th President
The PGA of America

Toyota Neighborhood Golf Attends Chino Family Fitness Day

admin — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:51:35 +0000

The Southern California PGA Foundation Toyota Neighborhood Golf program spent this past Saturday growing the game of golf to people of all ages at the City of Chino Family Fitness Day in downtown Chino, CA. Toyota Neighborhood Golf enjoyed the opportunity to teach the game of golf and to highlight several of the important fitness aspects the game provides on a daily basis. Other vendors and activities featured at the event included a rock-climbing wall, volleyball court, Nintendo Wii contests, yoga and dance exhibits, as well as other musical entertainment.

The SCPGA Toyota Neighborhood Golf program will be attending the Inland Regional Center Health Expo on Thursday, May 23, the Red.com Health Expo on Friday, May 24, and the Memorial Day Super Cup Soccer Tournament in San Diego on Saturday, May 25. We hope to see you out there and remember to Play Golf Today!