Stafford, Va. – The 2016 Middle Atlantic PGA Assistant of the Year Award Winner is Brian Dix, PGA from the University of Maryland Golf Club in College Park, Md. 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.
Brian Dix was selected as the 2016 MAPGA Assistant PGA Professional of the Year for his constant quest
to improve himself and his fellow assistant professionals within the Middle Atlantic Section. Brian is
committed to improving and increasing opportunities for his fellow assistants not only through playing
in Assistant Professional Association (APA) events, but also increasing their opportunity for continuing
education. Most importantly, Brian is dedicated to improving his fellow assistant’s marketability as they
look to advance their career.
Brian was born on October 8, 1985 in Baltimore, Md., to parents Richard and Maggie Dix. Brian has two
sisters, older sister Jessica and a twin sister Megan. Growing up in a family surrounded by avid golfers,
Brian began playing the game of golf at the age of eight. Brian recalls his father taking him to local
driving ranges and to the Rocky Point Golf Course in Essex, Md., to take lessons from Brian’s first golf
instructor Joe Rahnis, PGA. Although both of Brian’s parents played golf and he enjoyed the opportunity
to play with both parents, the opportunity to have some father/son time was always enjoyable.
While in high school, Brian’s passion for golf continued to grow. His first job started shortly after he
turned 16 at Sparrows Point Country Club in Dundalk, Md. He, as every kid that age, started out as a part
of the outside service operation. Playing in various MAPGA Junior Tour events throughout his high
school career, Brian improved his golf game and in his senior year he qualified for the State Championship at the University of Maryland Golf Course. In 2007, Brian graduated from the University of Baltimore with a Bachelor degree in Business Administration. A year later he turned professional and became the 1st Assistant Golf Professional at Sparrows Point Country Club in Baltimore, Md.
While working at Sparrows Point, Brian was elected to PGA membership in 2013. He worked at Sparrows Point
until August 2015 when he accepted his current position as Assistant Golf Professional at the University
of Maryland Golf Course in College Park, Md.
One aspect of Brian’s personality that has always stood out is his leadership ability among his peers.
Brian has always strived to learn and lead in any position he has been put in. It is important to Brian that
he makes sure things are done in a manner consistent with the values of the facility at which he works.
Brian takes great pride in knowing that when the Head Golf Professional is out of the office, there is
complete trust and he does not have to worry that something will go wrong or cannot be handled in the
proper manner in their absence.
Although his service to the APA and overall performance as an Assistant Golf Professional have been
nothing short of spectacular, Brian is always looking to improve. Serving as the Section Assistant
Professional (A?8) Director on the MAPGA Board, it is Brian’s purpose to be the voice of the APA. As
Brian continues to progress in his career and leadership in the APA, he is doing everything he can to not
only grow tournament and membership numbers, but to also get all assistants more involved within the
section. Brian is dedicated to providing assistants and apprentices with opportunities to volunteer,
provide charitable contributions to our section and educational growth.
From the first time he picked up a golf club, Brian’s father mentored and instilled values not only in golf,
but also in life, which have provided Brian with great business and personal morals. Within the PGA,
Brian mentions that he would not be where he is today without the help and support of Erick Brock,
Head PGA Professional at Sparrows Point Country Club and Jim Bennett, Assistant PGA Professional at
Piney Branch Golf Club in Upperco, Md. Erick believed in Brian’s ability to become an accomplished
professional and taught Brian how to be an all around golf professional. Jim has always been willing to
help Brian in his quest to better understand the golf profession and, more recently, Jim has been a huge
supporter of Brian as he runs the APA. Brian attributes his success to being able to learn every day from
every experience and tries to make sure that every interaction he has with any Golf Professional is a
meaningful and a learning experience.
Contact:
Eric Southard
esouthard@pgahq.com
(540) 720-7420 ext. 115
