Delegates from most of the 66 RDGA Member Clubs, along with officials from the RDGA and Western New York PGA met at Monroe Golf Club to discuss plans for the 2018 season, which officially opens April 15, when score posting for golfers with GHIN Handicaps begins.
Another special guest speaker was Bryan Karns – the 2019 Kitchen Aid Senior PGA Championship Director – who was invited to address the address the assembled Delegates from around the Rochester area and spoke about preparations going on at Oak Hill Country Club for next year’s event, scheduled for May 21-26, 2019.
With the local GHIN Handicap score posting season set to begin Sunday, April 15, the Rochester District Golf Association held its annual Spring Meeting on Tuesday, April 10.
Hosted by Monroe Golf Club – which will also host the RDGA District Championship John H. Ryan Jr. Memorial this summer – the Spring Meeting featured a gathering of RDGA Member Club Delegates from all over the nine-county region serviced by the RDGA.
Although the central theme of the meeting was as an orientation for RDGA Delegates to bring news and information about RDGA programs, services and tournaments back to their clubs and fellow members, leading golf administrators from across Western New York were also invited to address the RDGA Delegates in attendance.
RDGA Executive Director Tim Vangellow welcomed Steve Bartkowski, the Executive Director of the Western New York PGA Section, who discussed the need for both organizations to work together to promote junior golf.
Another special guest speaker was Bryan Karns – the 2019 Kitchen Aid Senior PGA Championship Director – who was invited to address the address the assembled Delegates from around the Rochester area and spoke about preparations going on at Oak Hill Country Club for next year’s event, scheduled for May 21-26, 2019.Karns, who originally hails from Oklahoma, heads a PGA of America staff that will oversee the day to day operations of next year’s Senior PGA at Oak Hill Country Club, along with General Chairman Kevin Horey. As part of their duties, Karns and his staff, which includes Kenny Martin, Volunteer Operations Manager, have relocated to the Rochester area, where they will remain for the next year and a half as they help set up the tournament and work out the logistics of a major championship event.
During his address to the RDGA Delegates, Karns made one rather unexpected announcement – that voulunteer positions for the 2019 Senior PGA Championship have already been filled.
Other topics from the 2018 RDGA Spring Meeting included:
- USGA GHIN Handicapping procedures. Diane Parke-Potter and Rod Potter conducted a pre-Meeting seminar on the latest news and procedures of the USGA GHIN Handicapping system.
- Upcoming changes to the Rules of Golf set to be enacted on January 1, 2019. Senior RDGA Rules officials Dan Overbeck and Wilson Fitch made note of the fact that even though significant changes to the official Rules of Golf are scheduled to be adopted next year, the current Rules remain in effect throughout the 2018 season.
- Volunteering for 2018 RDGA events. RDGA Delegate Committee Chair Sharon White thanked the assembled Delegates for their service to the RDGA, its Member Clubs and 13,000-plus membership – as well as asked for volunteers for this year’s RDGA events.
- RDGA Women’s events. RDGA Board member Debbie Harper highlighted a number of tournament opportunities for the RDGA’s women members in 2018, including the third annual Women’s Four Person Team Scramble, hosted by Mendon Golf Club on June 10 and the popular RDGA Women’s Open at Ridgemont Country Club on September 17. The format of the RDGA Women’s Open has been modified slightly from past years to include a scratch Women’s Championship flight – a two day event that will begin on September 16 and conclude on September 17 in conjunction with the full field of the Women’s Open.
- RDGA Junior Tournament schedule. RDGA Board member Mike Source and RDGA Junior Committee member Jenny Ford discussed the many playing options for juniors this year, beginning with the RDGA Classic Medal events for Juniors (ages 15-17) and Sub Juniors (ages 12-14) at Reservoir Creek (on June 27) and Wild Wood Country Club (on July 9), to be followed by the Pee Wee Classics (for ages 7-11) at Buttonwood Golf Course on June 29 and July 13. Next will be the Junior Championship Qualifier at Silver Lake Country Club on July 16; followed by the RDGA Junior Championships at Ontario Golf Club on July 31 through August 2.
- The 2018 RDGA Tournament Schedule. Featuring a slate of 23-events, beginning on Monday, April 30 with our first RDGA Play Day at Ridgemont Country Club and concluding on Monday, October 1 with our fifth Play Day of the year at Irondequoit Country Club, RDGA Board members and Staff alike discussed the many opportunbities to play in District events throughout 2018.
CLICK HERE to view the 2018 RDGA Tournament Schedule.
The 2017 Spring Meeting concluded with a call to all members to volunteer their time and efforts to help support the many programs offered by the RDGA throughout the year.
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