VACAVILLE, Calif. – The Northern California PGA today announced its 2015 Annual Section Award winners. Among them, Shelley McGill-O’Keefe, PGA Director of Player Development at Spring Creek Golf & Country Club (Ripon, CA), has garnered the 2015 NCPGA Youth Player Development Award for her commitment to creating youth programs that are safe, innovative and fun.
McGill-O’Keefe has been building youth golf programs for more than 12 years, including the NorCal Elite Performance Golf Camp, partnering with Bill Johnson, at Del Rio Country Club. The week long camp mirrored the type of training she was exposed to as an athlete on the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team. The goal is to help a golfer and parents understand that a team can be assembled to help the athlete achieve pinnacle goals.
McGill-O’Keefe is currently addressing youth player development on several fronts. First, as a member of the NCPGA Junior Golf Committee, she is developing a “Golf in Schools” program that can be implemented by all of our PGA Professionals. Additionally, the committee is in the process of bridging the “Golf in Schools” program with facilities and their current programs.
Through her appointment as the Junior Advisor Chairman for the Junior Golf Association of Northern California, McGill-O’Keefe is identifying, organizing and mentoring junior golfers who are leaders in our Section. These exceptional juniors in turn will mentor the younger juniors. Lastly, she is coaching two PGA Junior League Teams, hosting a Drive, Chip, and Putt qualifier, and running a U.S. Kids Local Tour.
Awards Ceremony
The NCPGA will recognize all 19 of its 2015 Annual Section Award winners on Sunday, Dec. 6 at the NCPGA Special Awards Ceremony & President’s Dinner at Round Hill Country Club in Alamo, Calif. This event, a highlight for the year, will be held the evening prior to the NCPGA Annual Meeting. There are more than 200 golf professionals and industry leaders expected to attend. Capital Insurance Group (CIG), Cleveland Golf, and E-Z-Go Textron are presenting partners and 2UNDR, Hole-in-One USA, and Northern California Golf Representatives Association (NCGRA) are contributing partners of the Awards Ceremony & Annual Meeting.
About the Northern California Section of the PGA of America (NCPGA)
Organized in 1920 to promote interest in the game of golf, the birth of this association was heralded as an important step to the advancement of the game in this district. The Northern California Section is one of the forty-one designated Sections of the PGA of America, the world’s largest working sports organization. With over 1,100 dedicated PGA Professionals and apprentices at over 500 golf facilities in Northern California and Northwestern Nevada, the association continues to have a positive impact on the game of golf and communities both regionally and nationally. For more information, please visit www.ncpgalinks.com.
Contact:
Maura Connor – mconnor@pgahq.com
Nancy Maul – nmaul@pgahq.com
