2020 SCPGA Special Awards Nominations

The Golf Professional of the Year Award is one of the highest honors the Section/Chapter can bestow on a working club professional whose total contributions to the game best exemplify the complete PGA Professional. This award embraces a wide range of services executed by the club professional. Please use these guidelines when making your nomination.

• Overall performance as a golf professional at his/her club
• Level of service to his/her Section and to the Association
• Leadership ability
• Image and the ability to inspire fellow Golf Professionals
• Promotion and growth of the game of golf

While this honor should be based on a professional’s entire record, emphasis should be placed on his/her performance and achievements over the last five years. As a nominator you will be responsible for assisting the nominee with his in-depth materials he will be asked to submit.  Members are eligible for Golf Professional of the Year once every 10 years.

Ineligible: Current Board President and Honorary President,  Previous National PGA Golf Professional of the year winners, PGA of America Past Presidents,  Nominees for National Office, Class “F”, Inactive, and Suspended Members, Apprentices and PGA/SCPGA Section Staff. Please submit no more than two nominations for this category.

The Teacher of the Year Award is designed to recognize a PGA Professional who is an outstanding teacher of golf among the ranks of the PGA membership.  This award is based on a professional’s overall performance in teaching; articles published; as well a s outstanding golfers the professional has instructed. Criteria to be considered are:

• Recognized as an outstanding teacher among the ranks of the PGA Membership
• Overall performance in teaching at the facility, Chapter Section and National levels
• Instruction of outstanding golfers
• Image and ability to inspire fellow professionals
• Promotion of the game of golf
• Initiation and/or implementation of unusual, innovative and/or teaching programs
• Involvement in junior golf activities at the facility and in the community
• Techniques for teaching small and large groups
• Articles written for publication in books and magazines

Note:  Should have attended two PGA of America workshops or seminars in the past 5 years OR be certified in teaching through the PGA Certified Professional Program to be considered for the National Teacher of the Year Award.

While the candidate’s entire record should be taken into consideration, emphasis should be placed on performance and achievements over the five years. Members are eligible for Teacher of the Year once every 5 years.

Ineligible: Previous National PGA Golf Professional of the year winners, National Teacher of the Year winners, PGA of America Past Presidents, Previous Section Teacher of the Year within the past 3 years, Nominees for National Office, Class “F”, Inactive, and Suspended Members, Apprentices and PGA/SCPGA Section Staff.  Please submit no more than two nominations for this category.

The Horton Smith Award recognizes the PGA Professional who is the model educator of the PGA Golf Professionals. This award is designed to give special recognition to an individual PGA Professional for outstanding and continuing contributions to professional education. The following guidelines are to be used in making you nomination.

• Contributions to the Chapter, Section or National PGA Education programs
• Contributions to education programs and seminars in the Section and Chapters
• Demonstration of outstanding qualities of leadership
• Contributions and assistance toward the development of articles which benefit and relate to education
• Contributions to building the image of both the PGA golf professional and the Association

Nominations should be based on the candidate’s total career and experience, and his/her inclination for providing continuing contributions and assistance.  Members are eligible for the Horton Smith Award  once every 3 years. Please submit no more than two nominations for this category. 

Ineligible: Previous National Horton Smith winners, Previous National PGA Golf Professional of the year winners, Previous Section Horton Smith recipients within the past 3 years, PGA of America Past Presidents,  Nominees for National Office, Class “F”, Inactive, and Suspended Members, Apprentices and PGA/SCPGA Section Staff.

The Bill Strausbaugh Award is designed to recognize PGA Professionals who by their day-to-day efforts have distinguished themselves by mentoring their fellow PGA Professionals in improving their employment situations and through service to the community.  The following guidelines are to be used in making you nomination.

• Contributions to building and growing the image of the game of golf, the PGA Professional and the Association
• Involvement and significant contributions toward improving the skills of other PGA Professionals
• Overall integrity and character of the PGA Professional
• Involvement in community and Association activities including civic and charitable activities
• Level of service to the Chapter, Section and Association 

Members are eligible for the Bill Strausbaugh Award once every 3 years.

Ineligible: Previous National Bill Strausbaugh winner, Previous National PGA Golf Professional of the year winners, Previous Section Bill Strausbaugh Recipient within the past 3 years, PGA of America Past Presidents,  Nominees for National Office, Class “F”, Inactive, and Suspended Members, Apprentices and PGA/SCPGA Section Staff.  Please submit no more than two nominations for this category.

The SCPGA Youth Player Development Award recognizes the PGA Professional who is a leader in junior golf and who reflects the ideals of those who work with youth. The following guidelines are to be used in making nominations:

• Contributions to junior programs and events in the Chapter, Section and National, including service as chairman or a member of the Junior Golf Committee
• Involvement in the promotion and development of junior golf at the club level and also within the community
• Support of PGA Junior Golf programs including School Golf, Clubs for Kids and Chapter, Section and National initiatives.
• Overall image, service and leadership in the of junior golf arena
• Overall integrity as an individual and acceptance by junior golfers as a person of outstanding character

Members are eligible for Youth Player Development Award once every 3 years.

Ineligible:  Previous National Junior Golf Leader winner,  Previous National PGA Golf Professional of the year winners, Previous Junior Golf Leader within the past 3 year, PGA of America Past Presidents,  Nominees for National Office, Class “F”, Inactive, and Suspended Members, Apprentices and PGA/SCPGA Section Staff..   Please submit no more than two nominations for this category.

This award is for exceptional service in the capacity of a PGA Assistant Golf Professional in his/her club, Chapter and Section. The following guidelines are to be used in making a nomination:

• Service to the PGA on  a Chapter, Section and National Level
• Value to the golf operation to their facility
• Community involvement
• Active participation in PGA meetings, seminars and tournaments

Members are eligible for Assistant Professional of the Year once every 3 years.

Ineligible:  Previous National PGA Golf Professional of the year winners, PGA of America Past Presidents,  Previous Assistant Professional of the Year winner within the past 3 years, Nominees for National Office, Class “F”, Inactive, and Suspended Members, Apprentices and PGA/SCPGA Section Staff.  Please submit no more than two nominations for this category.

This award recognizes a PGA professional who is are expert in the field of clubfitting.  Some of the criteria for this award is one who promotes club fitting at his/her facility, helps both PGA Members and Assistants further their knowledge on the effects that proper and improper clubs have on a ball. The following guidelines are to be use in making a nomination:

• Proven leadership ability
• Involvement in civic activities and local charitable causes within the community
• Recognized as someone of outstanding character

Members are eligible for Clubfitter of the Year once every 3 years.

Ineligible: Previous National PGA Golf Professional of the year winners, PGA of America Past Presidents, Previous Section Clubfitter of the Year Recipients within the past 3 years, Nominees for National Office, Class “F”, Inactive, and Suspended Members, Apprentices and PGA/SCPGA Section Staff.  Please submit no more than two nominations for this category.

The Merchandiser of the Year Award is designed to recognize those PGA Professionals who have excelled as business persons/merchandisers in the promotion of golf. The PGA honors PGA Professionals in Three Categories: Private, Public, and Resort facilities. The following is the guideline to use when making a nomination:

• Demonstration of skill in planning and promotion of sales by presenting products to his/her market on a timely basis, and through the use of specialized merchandising techniques that include display and advertising.

No restrictions on eligibility for being a past winner if at a different facility or in a different category. Otherwise members are eligible once every five (5) years.

Ineligible: Previous National Merchandiser of the Year winner, Previous National PGA Golf Professional of the year winners, PGA of America Past Presidents, Nominees for National Office, Class “F”, Inactive, and Suspended Members, Apprentices and PGA/SCPGA Section Staff. Please submit no more than two nominations for each category.

The Player Development Award is designed to recognize a PGA Professional for extraordinary and exemplary contributions and achievements in the area of player development.  This award considers the PGA Professional’s growth of the game leadership commitment at the Section and National levels and the impact made at the facility.

• Leadership of Chapter, Section and National in the area of player development.
• Use of PGA of America Player Development and Golf 2.0 Resources.
• Inspiration of fellow PGA Professionals in the area of player development

Members are eligible for Player Development Award once of the Year once every 3 years.  

Ineligible:  Previous National PGA Golf Professional of the year winners, PGA of America Past Presidents,  Previous Player Development Award recipient within the past 3 years, Nominees for National Office, Class “F”, Inactive, and Suspended Members, Apprentices and PGA/SCPGA Section Staff.  Please submit no more than two nominations for this category.