NEPGA Drive, Chip & Putt 2016 Qualifier Information Announced

Local Qualifying Events to be Held at 10 Facilities Throughout New England

For the third year, the PGA of America is helping to grow the game of golf among boys and girls 7-15 through the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship. This youth golf development initiative will again include boys and girls ages 7-15, who will compete in separate divisions in four age categories. In only its third year, the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship will provide playing opportunities throughout all 50 states during the months of May, June, July and August. Top performers at the local level will advance through sub-regional and regional qualifiers in July/August and September, respectively. The top 80 performers - 40 boys and 40 girls - will earn an invitation to the National Finals at Augusta National on Sunday, April 3, the eve of the 2016 Masters.

Ten qualifying events will take place at courses throughout the New England PGA, from May 31st – July 29th. The sub-regional qualifying events will be held on August 4th at Framingham Country Club in Framingham, MA and August 12th at Pinehills Golf Club in Plymouth, MA. Local Qualifying registration is open and thousands of participants have already signed up at DriveChipandPutt.com for the third year of the event. There are four age groups for both boys and girls: 7-9, 10-11, 12-13 and 14-15. Age groups are based on the golfer’s age as of April 3, 2016. Registration is first come, first served. If an age/gender division is full at one Local Qualifying site, the registrant can check the next closest site for availability.

New England Sites are:

• Sunday, May 31st - Val Halla Golf & Recreation Ctr. - Cumberland, ME
• Friday, June 26th - Button Hole Golf Club - Providence, RI
• Sunday, June 28th - Cyprian Keyes Golf Club - Boylston, MA
• Tuesday, June 30th - Renaissance Golf Club - Haverhill, MA
• Thursday, July 2nd - Links at Lang Farm - Burlington, VT
• Wednesday, July 8th – Ferncroft Country Club – Middleton, MA
• Tuesday, July 14th - The Bay Club - Mattapoisett, MA
• Tuesday, July 21st - Windham Country Club - Windham, NH
• Thursday, July 23rd – LeBaron Hills Country Club – Lakeville, MA
• Wednesday, July 29th - Granite Links Golf Club - Quincy, MA

Visit www.nepga.com/chipandputt for all New England DCP information.

For more information about the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship, including official rules, qualifying sites or to register, please visit www.DriveChipandPutt.com.

Blue Hill Assistants Capture First Event of 2015!

NEPGA Winter Pro-Pro Champions Lucas Langelier, PGA (L) and Patrick Hohman, PGA (R), both from Blue Hill CC, pose with longtime NEPGA and Winter Pro-Pro sponsor Terry Frechette of RJ Shepherd.

The week of the PGA Merchandise Show starts with New England Section PGA Professionals arriving in Orlando, Florida to see what’s new in the golf industry, place their orders for the upcoming season, attend some educational opportunities, and it ends with the NEPGA Winter Pro-Pro.

Twenty-two teams of two competed at the Reunion Resorts Palmer Course on Saturday, January 24^th on what started out as a cloudy, wet morning, but ended with blue skies and the temperature in the high 60’s.  The high 60’s was also the score needed to finish in the money, with teams having to shoot 69 or better to finish in the money.

The duo consisting of PGA Professionals Rusty Gunnarson and Bob Giusti posted an early round 66, which would hold the lead for most of the day.  The team almost didn’t play when Gunnarson’s original partner, past NEPGA Section Champion Chip Johnson withdrew due to an injury.  A quick call to the bullpen and Giusti was in!  Four birdies later and Gunnarson was happy with his partners performance. 

Coming out with six birdies and no birdies on the front nine to post a six under par 30 had the team off and running.  Two more birdies on holes 14 & 15 were canceled out by their only two bogeys of the day on holes 13 & 17.  “We were disappointed with our score on the back nine”, said Giusti, “but we were on a roll for a little while on the front side.”  “All in all it was a great day and a fun tournament.”

One of the final pairings of the day featured the two assistant professionals from Blue Hill CC in Canton, MA, Lucas Langelier, PGA and Patrick Hohman,PGA.  Langelier and Hohman are both spending the winter months in sunny Florida working on their game, and it certainly showed.  A bogey on the first hole was quickly erased by birdies on holes 2 & 3.  The double bogey five on the 170 yard 5^th hole quickly put the team in the black numbers, but birdies on holes 7, 8 and an eagle on 9 got the young golf professionals off and running.

Five more birdies on the back side and only one bogey allowed Langelier and Hohman to post a seven under par round of 65.  This edged out the team of Gunnarson and Giusti by one shot and earned them the title of 2015 NEPGA Winter Pro-Pro Champions.

A special thanks to all the PGA Professionals that participated in this terrific event and a special thank you to NEPGA Sponsor and friend Terry Frechette.  Terry has sponsored this event since its inception over a decade ago.  We couldn’t do it without you Terry.  Thank you for all that you do!

NEPGA Section & JLG Captain Todd Cook Honored at PGA Show

Todd Cook, NEPGA Professional from Milton Hoosic Club in Canton, Mass., and the New England PGA were among the eight regional PGA Junior League Golf Captains and PGA Sections of the Year honored by The PGA of America and League Golf for their successful 2014 seasons during the 62nd PGA Merchandise Show.

“Our Professionals and PGA Section honorees have truly put in the time, energy and passion to cultivate PGA Junior League Golf participants across the country,” said PGA of America President Derek Sprague. “Thanks to their efforts, boys and girls nationwide are being introduced to golf and ensuring the future of the game.”

Cook was a leader within New England, where the number of teams doubled in 2014. He captained two teams and recruited neighboring clubs to form two local leagues he led and managed.

The regional Captains of the Year were selected based upon various criteria, including player participation, recruitment of PGA Professional Captains, parental involvement and other administrative duties associated with running their leagues. The regional PGA Sections of the Year honorees were selected based on the total number of teams, percentage increase in teams from 2013, percentage of PGA facilities participating and their overall involvement in PGA Junior League Golf promotion, recruitment, league assignments and communication.  In 2014, the NEPGA sent out 85 teams, a 74% increase from the previous year.