Stafford, Va. – Trish Gates, the PGA Assistant Professional at River Bend Golf and Country Club in Great Falls, Va., has been selected as the MAPGA’s 2014 Assistant Professional of the Year. This award bestows special recognition on an assistant PGA Professional who, through a commitment to improving opportunities for assistants, has distinguished himself/herself in service to the Section, his/her peers, and facility. Gates will be recognized in front of the membership at the MAPGA Hall of Fame and Awards banquet to be held on March 8, 2014 at The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Va.
Ms. Gates is only the second female PGA Professional in MAPGA history to receive this honor. She has earned it through her long-time service to the Section as well as through her continual quest to improve herself and her fellow assistant professionals with mentoring and leadership. Much of what Ms. Gates exemplifies was taught to her by mentors like PGA Professionals Gary Wiren (PGA Golf Academy Instructor) and the late Bill “Coach” Strausbaugh (formerly of Columbia Country Club).
A Middle Atlantic native, Gates grew up in Silver Spring, Md. and spent much of her time at Columbia Country Club with her family. Golf, for her, was just something “to do” after swim practice in the summer, yet her competitive nature drove her to improve. She competed in several amateur events and was accepted as a walk-on to the golf team at the University of South Carolina. She completed a degree in Media Arts from USC and then came back to her home state of Maryland to pursue a career in golf.
After working at prestigious clubs like Kenwood Golf and Country Club and Bethesda Country Club, Gates found her calling to work as an Assistant Professional for John Madden, PGA at River Bend Golf and Country Club in Great Falls, Va. She earned her PGA Membership shortly after joining the RBGCC staff and instantly threw herself into Chapter and Section activities. She was selected as the Assistant Professional Director for the MAPGA’s Central Chapter, which allowed her to work directly with the Section’s Assistant Professional Association (APA). Her role in the Chapter progressed to that of a mentor to Apprentices and Assistants. Ms. Gates was recently appointed to a seat on the Section Tournament Committee to share her insight on issues for female professionals.
At River Bend, Ms. Gates has been instrumental with golf operations, player development programs and membership. During the course’s reconstruction in 2009, she was an integral part in coordinating reciprocal golf for the River Bend members; making the process as smooth as possible. In the area of Player Development, she has been actively involved with junior, women’s and Section programs. She helped organize the Junior Golf Kickoff at River Bend that featured fun, near-golf equipment like GolfZilla and SNAG to spark the interest of the 85 young golfers in attendance. Gates also co-captained two PGA Junior League Golf teams and initiated a “Girls Club” for aspiring female golfers ages 7-12. For the last two years, she has volunteered for National Golf Day to be a representative of The PGA of America and give golf instruction to Members of Congress and their staff.
With over 20 years of experience in the golf industry, Gates enjoys mentoring employees and values communication as a tool to success. Her leadership qualities make her a source for guidance at the club as well as with other assistants in the Middle Atlantic PGA. She feels that pairing the right assistant with the right facility will help “foster one’s ability to thrive and progress” in the golf industry.
About the Middle Atlantic Section of the PGA of America
The Middle Atlantic Section of the PGA (MAPGA), located in Stafford, Virginia, is one of 41 Sections of The Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA), headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. As a part of The PGA since 1925, the MAPGA consists of over 1,100 members and apprentices in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and small portions of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Together, the MAPGA golf professionals, volunteers and staff support the mission of The PGA to promote enjoyment and involvement in the game of golf and to contribute to the game’s growth by providing services to PGA Professionals and the golf industry.
Contact:
Stephanie Jennings, PGA
sjennings@pgahq.com
(540) 720-7420 ext. 116
