VACAVILLE, Calif. – The Northern California PGA today announced its 2015 Annual Section Award winners, a few of whom are from the Monterey area. Eric Lippert, PGA Head Golf Professional at Pebble Beach Golf Links (Pebble Beach, CA) garnered the 2015 NCPGA Patriot Award for his commitment to the men and women who have valiantly served and protected the United States of America. PGA Assistant Golf Professional Michael Spiller of Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Courses (Seaside, CA) earned the 2015 NCPGA Assistant Apprentice of the Year Award for his leadership, promotion of the game, and service to the Section. The award is presented by TaylorMade/adidas/Ashworth/Adams.
Patriot Award
In 2011, as the President of the Monterey Bay Area Chapter, Lippert created a Patriot Day Golf Tournament played on Memorial Day. In all, the tournament has contributed nearly $36,000 to the Folds of Honor Foundation. He saw the tournament as a way to tie the PGA of America Patriot Day initiative to the local Monterey County military community. It also served as a means for PGA Professionals to be leaders in the community for a cause that was not yet developed in the area.
Partnering with PGA Professional Pat Jones from Bayonet and Black Horse, the tournament realized one of its primary goals, allowing the military players to enjoy the entire tournament free of charge.
Assistant Apprentice of the Year Award
Spiller graduated from the PGA PGM program in 2011 and engages with active Apprentices offering work experience reviews and PAT preparation.
He sits on the NCPGA Communications Committee and is active in the NCPGA Monterey Bay Area Chapter, where he is helping develop Chapter-sponsored golf in schools programs. He served as Program Coordinator at The First Tee of Monterey County from 2007 to 2014, reaching more than 10,000 young golfers.
Spiller aims to provide equal access to the game for those who may not be able to afford instruction, taking on junior golfers free of charge or at a minimal cost.
As Membership Coordinator at Bayonet and Black Horse, he created a member-savings matrix that computes the ideal membership packages and average monthly expenses to fit individual levels of play. This along with regular communications and relationship-building activities has increased Associate Membership participation by 27 percent.
Awards Ceremony
The NCPGA will recognize all 19 of its 2015 Annual Section Award winners on Sunday, December 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 visitwww.ncpgalinks.com.
Contact:
Maura Connor – mconnor@pgahq.com
Nancy Maul – nmaul@pgahq.com
