Stafford, Va. – Geoff Montross, the PGA Assistant Professional at International Country Club in Fairfax, Virginia has been selected as the MAPGA’s 2015 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 in service to the Section, his peers, and facility. Montross will be recognized in front of the membership at the MAPGA Hall of Fame and Awards banquet to be held on March 14, 2015 at The Baltimore Marriott Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland.
Montross was selected as the 2015 MAPGA Assistant PGA Professional of the Year for his commitment to other assistants in the Section comes in the form of his service to the Assistant Professional Association (APA), as a member of the Section Tournament Committee, and serving as the Central Chapter Tournament Chair for the 2014 season.
The Montross family was relatively small, as it was just Geoff and his older sister Tracy. Geoff’s father was a highly renowned golf course superintendent for 33 years and worked the majority of Geoff’s childhood at Westwood Country Club in Vienna, Virginia, where Geoff and Tracy learned to play the game of golf. By the age of 14, he started to become serious about playing the game of golf. Geoff credits his parents for teaching him the importance of having a great work ethic, as well as having a desire for education and learning; all of which are important in being a patient and understanding golf instructor.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Geoff accepted the Assistant Professional position at Kenwood Golf and Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland in 2006. After two years at Kenwood, Geoff moved to his current position as the Assistant Professional at International Country Club in Fairfax, Virginia. Geoff was elected to PGA Membership in 2011 and credits Mike Fischer, PGA, (Westwood CC) as one of his mentors who encouraged him to become a PGA Professional.
One aspect of Geoff’s personality that has always stood out is his leadership ability among his peers. Geoff has no fear of taking lead positions within the Chapter and Section and believes in leading by example. Geoff served as Chair on the Central Chapter Tournament Committee and served on the Section Tournament Committee in 2014. In an effort to better share information with fellow Central Chapter professionals, Geoff created an E-Newsletter and also helped develop social networking functions for Chapter professionals to increase camaraderie. Geoff is a firm believer in the importance of having open communication avenues. With many assistants finding it hard to make the leap to a head professional position, Geoff has begun the process of creating a networking group that will help forge a stronger bond between head professionals/directors of golf and assistants.
Geoff’s legacy at International Country Club and throughout the Middle Atlantic Section is one of creating a positive club atmosphere with a strong Junior Golf contingent. Within his six years of being at International, Geoff has successfully implemented programs such as the Boys and Girls Clubs (which are offered both in the spring and fall), and the ICC Junior Tour, which consists of seven tournaments. In addition to implementing new programs, Geoff has been the driving force in growing existing junior programs such as a spring break camp, three summer camps, and a junior interclub. He is particularly proud of his Junior Member Guest event which has only been in existence for three years, but Geoff has been able to recruit 30 junior golfers to participate. International CC has increased participation in PGA Junior League by 109% and currently has 15 junior golfers who have made their high school teams, including the 2014 MAPGA Junior Tour Player of the Year for the 15-18 Division, Caroline Deloach.
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:
Eric Southard
esouthard@pgahq.com
(540) 720-7420 ext. 101
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