Stafford, VA – Joshua Tremblay, the Head PGA Professional at Springfield Golf and Country Club in Springfield, Virginia, has been selected by the Middle Atlantic PGA as their 2014 PGA Professional of the Year. This is the highest honor given to an MAPGA Professional and bestows special recognition for overall performance as a PGA Professional, leadership, service, and promotion of the game of golf. Tremblay will be recognized in front of his family, friends, and peers at the MAPGA Hall of Fame and Awards banquet to be held on March 8, 2014 at The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Va.
Tremblay will be honored for his all-around efforts within the Middle Atlantic PGA. Not only has he been active in the governance of the Association as Central Chapter President and on the Section Board of Directors, but he has also led by example. Tremblay was one of four MAPGA Professionals to pilot PGA Junior League Golf, and help it grow to 61 teams in 2013. He has been one of the top two fundraisers for the PGA Golf Day fundraiser that benefits the MAPGA Foundations. Additionally, he has been very active with the Section’s Junior Golf committee, Membership committee, and has recently been named chair of the Education committee.
Born in in 1979 in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, Tremblay started playing golf at Bethlehem Country Club at the age of five. The local PGA Professional at Bethlehem, Fred Ghioto, sparked his interest in the game and that interest was further fueled by Bethlehem’s Head PGA Professional Wayne Natti. In addition, Tremblay’s parents, who were avid golfers themselves, supported his decision to play golf and ultimately choose golf as his career path.
Tremblay graduated from the Professional Golf Management (PGM) program at Pennsylvania State University and started his golf career working at Wilmington Country Club in Delaware in the summer and at Jonathan’s Landing Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida in the winter. In 2005, he relocated to Maryland to work as an assistant professional at Woodmont Country Club before becoming the Head PGA Professional under Director of Golf, David Dorn, in 2007. In 2010, at the age of 30, he accepted his current position of Head PGA Professional at Springfield Golf & Country Club in Springfield, Va.; the fourth head professional in Springfield’s history.
As mentioned previously, Tremblay has strived to be very well-rounded in all areas of the profession but is especially known for his efforts in growing junior golf in the Middle Atlantic. From 2006-2011, he served as League Commissioner of the Frank Emmett DC Metro Area Junior Interclub program. In addition to his work with Junior Interclub, he helped spearhead the inaugural MAPGA Capital Cup in 2009 with MAPGA Junior Golf Director Bob Heintz. He was selected once as captain for the Maryland team and three times as captain for Virginia. His efforts with both the Interclub and Capital Cup placed Tremblay on U.S. Kids Golf Top 50 Kids Instructor list that year and garnered him the 2010 MAPGA Junior Golf Leader award.
One of Tremblay’s most rewarding experiences came when he was nominated to be a representative at the inaugural PGA Magazine Coaching & Mentoring Summit. This experience propelled him to serve as a leader and mentor to assistant professionals, PGM interns and PGM students. He currently serves as a Lead Mentor for Penn State University’s PGA Professional Golf Management program.
In his four short years at Springfield, Tremblay has made a significant impact in growing member participation. By adding “Family Golf Nights” that include formats like a Tee-it-Forward scramble, night golf, and putt-putt night followed by a family cookout, he has tripled the size of the junior golf program. He credits the club’s growth not only to these events, but also to the efforts of Chris Lebiedz, LPGA Professional and Director of Instruction at Springfield. Together, they have increased the number of clinics for beginners and golfers of all skill levels.
Rounding out his achievement as the 2014 MAPGA Professional of the Year is Tremblay’s community outreach to local, diverse groups. His efforts have expanded his reach as a PGA Professional and have also elevated the exposure of Springfield Golf & Country Club. In the Spring of 2013, he lead an instruction program for the Culmore Character Boys & Girls Club. The final session was held at Springfield where the students were able to hit on the range, use the putting green, and play a one-hole scramble. Tremblay, along with Lebiedz, also worked with a group called Networking for Executive Women (N.E.W.). They provided group instruction for fifteen new female golfers and closed the session with a fun networking luncheon.
Tremblay attributes his success to being able to step into the shoes of a member, a junior golfer, or a tournament player and look at the operations and programs from their perspective to meet or exceed their needs. He considers himself a team player and enjoys helping others reach their own goals, and in return, feel they are both better for the time spent together. Tremblay views lessons as coaching, because he feels like he is working with the student on the same team, trying to help them reach their personal goals.
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
