Local pros are more than just top players

PHOTOGRAPHER: Bob Weiner

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Local club professionals have many responsibilities.

Teachers, administrators and salesmen are only some of the jobs that members of the Northeastern New York PGA toil at every spring and summer at both private and public golf courses throughout the region.

The one role nearly every one of them would love to have full-time is that of an accomplished player, like their colleagues on the PGA Tour.

To be sure, most of the members of the NENYPGA are excellent golfers, but they don’t spend as much time working on their games as most people think. Their major focus is to promote the game of golf.

According to the NENYPGA constitution, “The purpose of the section shall be to promote the enjoyment and involvement in the game of golf within the section and to contribute to its growth by providing services to golf professionals and the golf industry within the section. The section will accomplish this purpose by enhancing the skills of its professionals and the opportunities for amateurs, employers, manufacturers, employees and the general public within the section.”

The section offers weekly tournaments from April through October. Some of the events are pro-ams, and some are strictly for the club professionals.

Major two-day section events include the Donald Ross Classic at The Sagamore Resort and Glens Falls Country Club; the FAM Funds Pro-Am and Pro Classic at Cobleskill Golf & Country Club; the NENYPGA Professional National Championship at Hiland Golf Club; the NENYPGA Stroke Play Championship at The Edison Club; and the NENYPGA Match Play Championship..

Last year’s Player of the Year was Peter Gerard of Mill Road Acres.

SCHEDULE

April 21 — Spring Meeting & Pro-Pro at Columbia G&CC; April 28 — Pro-Assistant Pro Championship at Mohawk Golf Club; May 5 — Pro Classic No. 1 at Saratoga Golf & Polo.

May 7 — Gazette Cup at Albany CC; May 12 — Pro-Superintendent at Town of Colonie GC; May 13 — Assistants’ Pro Classic at Saratoga National GC; May 16 — Double ”H” Hole in the Woods Pro-Am at The Sagamore Resort; May 19 — U.S. Open Local Qualifier at Colonie G&CC; May 27 — Pro Classic No. 2 at Shaker Ridge CC.

June 2 — Pro & Three Seniors at Windham CC; June 6 — New York State Open Local Qualifier at Colonie G&CC; June 10 — Pro Classic No. 3 at Orchard Creek GC; June 15 — Ellis Hospital Skins Game Pro-Am at Mohawk GC; June 22-23 — Donald Ross Classic at The Sagamore Resort and Glens Falls CC; June 30 — Affinity Group Pro-Am at Saratoga National GC.

July 7-8 — FAM Funds Pro-Am and Pro Classic at Cobleskill G&CC; July 12 — Pro-Junior at Hiland GC; July 14 — Pro-Club Official at Saratoga National GC; July 21-21 — Professional National Championship at Hiland GC; July 28 — Pro and Three Amateurs Scratch at Albany CC; July 31-Aug. 1 — Senior CPC Qualifier at CC of Pittsfield.

Aug. 4 — Pro-Lady at Mohawk GC; Aug. 5 — Siro’s Scramble at Saratoga Spa State Park; Aug. 11 — McGladrey PGA Team Championship at Ballston Spa CC; Aug. 15 — Race Day Pro-Am at Saratoga Spa State Park; Aug. 19 — Assistants’ TaylorMade Adidas Golf Championship at Town of Colonie GC; Aug. 21 — Senior Stroke Play Championship at Mohawk GC; Aug. 25-26 — Stroke Play Championship at The Edison Club.

Sept. 8 — Pro-Am Scratch Championship and Pro Classic at Wyantenuck CC; Sept. 11 — Triple Play Pro-Pro at Western Turnpike GC; Sept. 15-17 — Match Play Championship, TBA; Sept. 22 — Silver Dollar Classic at McGregor Links CC; Sept. 24 — Bob Smith Memorial Senior Pro-Am at The Sagamore Resort; Sept. 30-Oct. 1 — Assistants’ Match Play Championship at Colonie G&CC.

Oct. 6-7 — Heineken Open Pro-Am and Pro Classic at Capital Hills at Albany; Oct. 14 — PGA Points Challenge at CC of Troy; Oct. 16 — NENY vs. CNY Challenge Cup at Teugega CC; Oct. 20 — Fall Meeting, TBA.