Stafford, Va. – John P. “J.P.” Lunn has been a part of the Middle Atlantic PGA since 1990 and has volunteered to serve his Chapter and Section in some capacity since 1997. For his distinguished service mentoring PGA Professionals, especially in the area of employment and club relations, as well as his outstanding involvement in community activities, J.P. Lunn is the recipient of the 2017 Middle Atlantic PGA Bill Strausbaugh Award.
Throughout his tenure as a member of the PGA of America, J.P. continually strives to promote both golf and the PGA of America as its ambassador. He has an undying devotion to promoting and enhancing the PGA and the game of golf and takes time on a regular basis to speak to local civic organizations and area schools about what it means to be a PGA golf professional and a member of the PGA of America.
J.P. Lunn was born on June 11, 1968 in Buffalo, New York to parents John and Lynda and has a younger brother, Garrett. He began playing golf at age eight when his father introduced him to the game at Orchard Park Country Club in Orchard Park, NY. He enjoyed this special time spent with his Dad and has loved the game ever since.
In addition to his father’s introduction to the game, J.P. learned even more about the game from a couple local PGA Professionals. His first lesson was with Jerry Coleman, who was the PGA Assistant Professional at Orchard Park CC. He still remembers some of Jerry’s teaching from a lesson over 40 years ago. Around 1976, a PGA Professional named Lonnie Nielsen allowed J.P. to spend all day, every day throughout the summer, “just hanging around” at Crag Burn Golf Club in East Aurora, New York. He learned about club repair and golf operations and even caddied for Lonnie when he played in Section or National events.
As an amateur, J.P. was the Boys’ Champion of the Buffalo District Golf Association, competed in the International Junior Masters, and was the Junior Club Champion at Orchard Park Country Club. J.P.’s first golf-related job was as a caddie at Orchard Park Country Club when he was 12 years old; earning $8 per bag for a single loop. He completed his BA in English (Media Communications) in 1989 from High Point University in High Point, North Carolina and accepted his first professional job in 1990 under the tutelage of PGA member Tommy Martty at WestWinds Country Club in New Market, Maryland. Tommy instilled a sense of organization and diligence that J.P. still adheres to today.
J.P. was elected to PGA membership in January 1994, the same year he began working as the Head PGA Professional at Brandermill Country Club in Midlothian, Virginia. In 1995, he became the Assistant Head PGA Professional at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland and in 1998, he went on to be the PGA Director of Golf at Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort in Flintstone, Maryland. In 1999, he was selected to be the Head PGA Professional at Holly Hills Country Club in Ijamsville, Maryland and became the PGA General Manager in 2005. In 2014, J.P. became the President of Sabre Golf, and shortly thereafter purchased a range and became the Head PGA Professional/ Owner of the facility.
With a commitment to serving the Section, J.P. is currently the Vice President of the Board of Directors and was Section Secretary 2013-2014, Northern Chapter Secretary from 2004-2005, Vice President from 2006-2007, and President from 2008-2009. He also served as either a Chair or Co-Chair on many Chapter and Section committees since 1997, including the Membership, National Golf Month, Fundraising, Education, Employment Committees and Sponsorship.
Lucky enough to have met Coach Strausbaugh early in his career, J.P. learned of Coach’s unique and personal approach to Teaching and Coaching. He has similarly modeled the way that he treats his profession and livelihood – with a willingness to learn and attention to detail. J.P. has mentored numerous individuals that have become class A members of the PGA, many venturing from different career paths. He’s helped part-time staffers who started in the bag room earn their PGA membership and has watched as his mentees have grown from Assistant Professionals to Head Professionals and Director of Instruction.
For the past 12 years, J.P. has continued to annually host Town Hall meetings for the Northern Chapter. He personally calls hundreds of professionals to encourage them to attend the meetings for better engagement and participation. Personally, he attends the Baltimore Private Club Town Halls and has attended the same on the Eastern Shore, as he loves to interact with his fellow professionals.
Working as a consultant within the Frederick Maryland area, J.P. has successfully influenced three separate non-PGA facilities to employ PGA Professionals and emphesized the importance of the value associated with having a PGA Professional as a part of their operations and decision making process.
Within his community, J.P. represents the PGA badge by reaching out to local groups like the Frederick Lion’s Club, Frederick Rotary, and Frederick Chamber of Commerce. He was the creator and coordinator of the Lion’s Club’s charity golf tournament which is entering its eighth year. For his past efforts in creating and orchestrating an annual MAPGA sanctioned Pro-Am for the Rotary Club, J.P. was honored with a Paul Harris Fellow (one of the highest honors through Rotary International). He also helped organize, develop, and host a golf event for the Frederick Chamber of Commerce. Since they did not have a PGA Professional on the Board, the members on the committee asked J.P. to be their local “expert in the game of golf.” And if that isn’t enough, he still found time to volunteer for Hood College, as well as worked on the Advisory Board for the Mission of Mercy and the tournament committee for the Operation Second Chance Golf Classic.
This is the third Section award for J.P. He has twice received the MAPGA Horton Smith Award (2009 and 2014) for his dedication to education within the Section.
J.P.’s philosophy for golf is the same as it is for his business and personal life: he has and will always try to personalize his relationships with everyone that he meets. Whether it is a student, member, guest, or work colleague, he simply treats them as he would like to be treated and tries to communicate with them (not to them) to the best of his ability, in an honest and up front, relaxed and sincere manner.
J.P. has been married to Kim since 2015 and together they share daughters: Sydney (22), Nikki (18); sons: Chase (30), Garrett (26); and grandsons: Wesley (4), Adam (20 months), Beckett (1 year).
Contact:
Kelly Lawson
Klawson@pgahq.com
