Nineteen professionals and managers will be honored at the group’s annual meeting in December, including Len Dumas, General Manager of Contra Costa CC, and Pat Finlen, Director of Golf Course Maintenance Operations, The Olympic Club.
The Northern California PGA (NCPGA) has announced the 19 recipients of its 2013 Annual Section Awards, given to PGA professionals and industry leaders who have excelled in the game and business of golf. The winners will be recognized at the NCPGA Special Awards Ceremony & President’s Dinner, to be held on Sunday, December 8 at Contra Costa Country Club in Pleasant Hill, Calif. More than 200 golf professionals and industry leaders are expected to attend the event, for which E-Z-Go Textron will be a presenting partner and the PGA Resort and Spa and the Northern California Golf Representatives Association will be supporting partners.
“Our award recipients are not just being recognized for excellence in their particular area of the golf industry, but more importantly as role models for the community,” said NCPGA Awards Chairman Ted Mattila, PGA. “On a daily basis they make a positive impact on young people, disabled persons, military personnel, numerous charities, and the general public. For them it is a very rewarding career choice.”
PGA Professional Len Dumas, General Manager of Contra Costa CC and NCPGA Section President, has garnered the 2013 NCPGA Golf Professional of the Year Award. “Len is highly regarded as a model PGA professional, a leader, and an inspiration to others,” said Mattila.
During Dumas’ 24-year career, which began as an Assistant Professional at Summitpointe Golf Club in Milpitas, Calif. and also included positions at Rossmoor Golf Course (Walnut Creek, Calif.) and Diablo (Calif.) Country Club before becoming Director of Golf, and then General Manager, at Contra Costa CC, his contributions have included efforts to take the game of golf to inner cities, working with children and introducing them to the game by participating in Section Golf Days and speaking to local organizations such as Lions Clubs. In 2008, Dumas created the Junior Merit Membership at Contra Costa Country Club, offering a “private club scholarship” to a deserving student that might not otherwise have the opportunity to enjoy the privilege of such a facility.
Pat Finlen, CGCS, Director of Golf Course Maintenance Operations for The Olympic Club in San Francisco, is the recipient of the inaugural 2013 NCPGA Golf Course Superintendent of the Year Award, given to an individual for their expertise in the maintenance, operations, and management of golf courses and their leadership contributions within the NCPGA Section. Finlen is also the current President of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
Other awards announced by the NCPGA included:
• Bill Johnson, PGA Director of Instruction of Del Rio Country Club, Modesto, Calif., as the 2013 NCPGA Teacher of the Year Award.
• PGA Professional Greg Raleigh of Somersett Golf & Country Club, Reno, Nev. as the winner of the 2013 NCPGA Horton Smith Award for contributions to professional education for PGA Professionals.
• Mike Dowd, PGA Head Golf Professional of Oakdale Golf & Country Club, Oakdale, Calif., as the winner of the 2013 NCPGA Bill Strausbaugh Award for his mentoring of PGA Professionals.
• Bob Forse, PGA Head Golf Professional of Rosewood Lakes Golf Course, Reno, Nev., as the winner of the 2013 NCPGA Patriot Award, presented to a PGA Professional who personifies patriotism through the game of golf and demonstrates unwavering commitment and dedication to the men and women who have valiantly served and protected the United States of America.
• Phil Green, PGA Professional and manager/owner of Home on the Range, Newcastle, Calif., as the winner of the 2013 Player Development Award for his dedication and leadership in bringing innovative golf programs to juniors, adults, and disabled golfers to help grow the game.
• PGA Professional Andy Nisbet of Las Positas Golf Course/GRIP Junior Golf Academy, Livermore, Calif., as the winner of the 2013 Junior Golf Leader Award for developing a wealth of exciting and educational golf programs to juniors.
• NCPGA Merchandiser of the Year award winners were named in three categories:
– Tim Burr, PGA Director of Golf at Blackhawk Country Club, Danville, Calif., as 2013 Private Merchandiser of the Year.
– Rob Dugan, PGA Head Golf Professional at Presidio Golf Course, San Francisco, Calif., as 2013 Public Merchandiser of the Year.
– Kyle Winn, PGA Head Golf Professional, Half Moon Bay Golf Links in Half Moon Bay, Calif., as the 2013 Resort Merchandiser of the Year.
• Pat Jones, PGA Head Golf Professional of Bayonet & Black Horse Golf Courses, Seaside, Calif., earned the 2013 NCPGA Club Fitter of the Year Award for his expertise in fitting golfers with the proper equipment.
• PGA Assistant Golf Professional Joe Dolby of Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club, Palo Alto, Calif. earned the 2013 NCPGA Assistant Apprentice of the Year Award.
• PGA Director of Instruction Dave Carr of Teal Bend Golf Course, Sacramento, Calif., earned top honors as Player of the Year (Regular Division), presented by Yamaha Golf Cars.
• PGA Teaching Professional Shawn McEntee of Chardonnay Golf Club, Napa, Calif., earned Senior Player of the Year honors (for ages 50-64), and for the second consecutive year, PGA Life Member Larry Babica of Redding, Calif., earned the Super Senior (65+) Player of the Year honors. Both awards are presented by ILT Golf Vacations.
• PGA Assistant Golf Professional David Solomon of Ruby Hill Golf Club, Pleasanton, Calif., won the Assistant Apprentice Player of the Year award presented by Global Tour Golf.
All Players of the Year were awarded their distinctions based upon their 2013 tournament-year point standings.
• Gary Renelt of NCGRA/Bridgestone is the recipient of the 2013 NCPGA Sales Representative of the Year Award, given to an individual for their service to Northern California PGA Professionals, their merchandising team members and to the Section.
• Jerry Stewart of the Monterey (Calif.) Herald has been selected as the 2013 NCPGA Sports Media Person of the Year, to recognize his support and coverage of local golf professionals, events, and charities.
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