The MAPGA is proud to announce its 2011 Merchandisers of the Year: Bob Dolan, of Columbia CC in Chevy Chase, MD (Private Category), Matt Hill of Whiskey Creek Club in Ijamsville, MD (Public Category) and Jeremy Hyjek of Kingsmill Resort (Resort Catgory). This award is bestowed on those MAPGA Professionals who have demonstrated superior skills as merchandisers in the promotion of golf.
Robert F. Dolan Jr., PGA
Columbia Country Club, Chevy Chase, Maryland
Bob has received numerous awards at both the Section and National level. Middle Atlantic Section recognitions include: 1996 President’s Award, 1997 PGA Professional of the Year, 1998 Junior Golf Leader, 1999 Bill Strausbaugh Award and 2004 Horton Smith Award. At the National PGA level he was awarded the 2000 Junior Golf Leader award. In 2001, Bob was honored with an official citation from the Maryland House of Delegates for his devotion to and leadership of several inner-city youth golf programs. In 2010, Bob received his second Bill Strausbaugh Award from the Middle Atlantic Section.
Bob participates in all The PGA has to offer and, in doing so, he promotes the benefits of PGA membership. He has served as the Central Chapter’s Secretary and Vice President and as the Section’s Tournament Chair, Secretary, Vice President, and President 2002-2003. Bob is currently a member of the MAPGA’s Board of Control and serves on the National Government Relations Committee. He is heavily involved with state and regional golf associations, inner-city youth programs, and The PGA of America initiatives toward assisting in the development of programs that create new golfers and encourage more participation from existing players.
Bob re-committed himself to merchandising in 2010 and reorganized his staff to have more customer-service available to his membership. Along with borrowing some merchandising ideas from other successful PGA Professionals, Bob attributes this emphasis on customer service to an increase of $100,000 in sales in his shop.
Bob was born August 27, 1961 and grew up in Long Island, New York. His parents, Bob and MaryAnn Dolan, were very supportive of their children, offering encouragement at every opportunity. His father taught him to play golf when he was ten years old. As a young man, Bob participated in several team sports, but he was particularly drawn to golf because he realized that his success was dependent solely upon himself. He got his first golf-related job when he was 16 years old working at Fernway Driving Range under the tutelage of PGA Professional Luther Showaker.
Bob entered the PGA apprentice program in 1983, and was elected to membership in 1987. He worked at Leisure World Golf Club, Montgomery Village Golf Club and Chevy Chase Club as an assistant professional. Bob has been the Head PGA Professional at South Seas Plantation on Captiva Island, Fla., Hidden Valley Resort in Somerset, Pa. (1987-1992) and Lakewood Country Club in Rockville, Md. (1992-1994). Bob then succeeded the legendary “Coach” Bill Strausbaugh at Columbia Country Club in 1995.
Bob’s commitment to his profession is surpassed only by his commitment to his family. He and his wife, Dawn, have been married for 25 years and have two children, Bobby and Shannon.
Matthew O. Hill, PGA
Whiskey Creek Golf Club, Ijamsville, Maryland
Matt gives credit to his mentor and dear friend Wheeler Stewart, PGA, formerly of Oakland Golf Club in Oakland, Md. for playing an influential role in his career path to becoming a golf professional. Matt studied under Wheeler and learned a lot about the business of golf and where he wanted his career to head. Even though Wheeler was somewhat older than Matt, he was the best man in his wedding.
He started working at Oakland Golf Club six years prior to becoming a Golf Professional in 1997 and was elected to PGA membership in 2006. After eight years at Oakland Golf Club, Matt moved down to Boca Raton, Fla. From 1998-1999 he worked at Boca Woods Country Club. Shortly after that, he relocated to Silver Spring, Md. where he worked at Leisure World Golf Club, 1999-2007. Matt started off as an Assistant PGA Golf Professional at Whiskey Creek Golf Club in Ijamsville, Md. in 2007 and has now been the Head PGA Professional for over two years.
Matt’s personal golf philosophy is to try and treat everyone as he wants to be treated. He says that he strives to be consistent and desires to create an atmosphere that people want to be around as well as carrying items that are appealing to customers. He also believes in the phrase “you get what you pay for”, so having a selection of merchandise that fits every budget is very important. Keeping things simple, providing good products, and offering superior customer service is how Matt has been able to be successful in this business.
Matthew Hill was born on April 6, 1973 in Kingwood, West Virginia to parents John and Carolyn Hill. His father and two older brothers, Mike and Max, introduced him to the game of golf during the summer of 1983. At the age of fourteen, Matt started his first golf-related job at Alpine Lake Resort in Terra Alta, West Virginia as an outside cart attendant. Matt was named NJCAA All-American at Garrett College in 1994, where he attended for one year before transferring to Fairmont State University on a golf scholarship. He was also named West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 1996 and lettered in golf at FSU from 1994-1997, where he received his degree in Management and Marketing.
Matt has been married to his high school sweetheart Shelli for 13 years, but they have been together for over 20 years. They have two beautiful children, Samantha (6), and Mason (3).
Jeremy A. Hyjek, PGA
Kingsmill Resort, Williamsburg, Virginia
Jeremy Hyjek was born on November 30, 1974 in Springfield, Vermont to Eugene and Deborah Hyjek. He started playing golf at eight years old and was fortunate enough to have a family who played the game recreationally; recalling that most of his weekends were spent on the golf course with his parents. Jeremy gives credit to retired PGA member Donald Warner who encouraged him to continue pursuing a career as a golf professional.
Jeremy graduated from Methodist University with a degree in Business Administration. His first golf-related job was in 1993, fulfilling requirements for a Professional Golf Management (PGM) internship at Crown Point Country Club under the tutelage of Dave Pfannenstein, PGA.
Jeremy became a golf professional in 1996 where he worked at Stratton Resort in Bondville, Vermont and Neshobe Golf Club in Brandon, Vermont as an apprentice. From 1998-2000, Jeremy continued his apprenticeship at Bellows Falls Country Club in Bellows Falls, Vermont and in 2000 won the Vermont Chapter PGA Player of the Year. Shortly after Bellows Falls, he moved to the Middle Atlantic Section and has worked at Kingsmill Resort. He was elected to PGA membership in 2004.
Jeremy’s personal golf philosophy is to get the job done, no matter what, and he prides himself in giving his customers exactly what was promised to them. Jeremy and his wife, Monica, have been married for 14 years and have a daughter, Lena Mae (1).
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