‘Tis the awards season for the PGA of America, both nationally and locally.
Last week it was announced that the Colorado PGA has earned the PGA of America’s national Herb Graffis Award, given to a PGA Section for “extraordinary and exemplary contributions and achievements in the area of player development.” (READ MORE)
And on Tuesday, the Colorado PGA revealed many of its 2018 award winners, including the Section’s highest honor, which goes to the Golf Professional of the Year.
It’s a fairly common occurrence that the GPOY honor goes to the president of the Section, which certainly makes sense given the work a person in that position devotes to the Colorado PGA. And that’s the case this year, with president Ty Thompson (left) of Crosshairs Consulting earning the award.
Over the years, Thompson has worked at D’Lance Golf, Valley Country Club, The Pinery Country Club, Cherry Hills Country Club and Colorado Springs Country Club, where he was head golf professional starting in 2010, later becoming director of golf. Last year, the U.S. Army veteran started Colorado Springs-based Crosshairs Consulting, where he’s helping PGA pros manage efficient, lean operations. He’s been a PGA golf professional since 2005.
The Golf Professional of the Year honors “the working PGA Professional whose total contributions to the game best exemplify the complete PGA Professional. … The highest annual honor bestowed upon a PGA professional, the award is based on the candidate’s entire record, with special emphasis placed on performance and achievement over the past five years in the following criteria: overall performance as a PGA professional at his/her facility; service to the Colorado PGA Section; leadership ability; image and ability to inspire fellow PGA professionals; and promotion of golf.”
Thompson previously received two other awards from the Section: Assistant Professional of the Year in 2006 while on Clayton Cole’s staff at Cherry Hills, and Private Merchandiser of the Year in 2011 at Colorado Springs CC.
Other Colorado PGA awards — including players of the year, the Todd Phipers Media Award, President’s Award and the Vic Kline Award — will be announced later.
The honorees will receive their awards on Nov. 2 at the Colorado PGA Special Awards Gala at Colorado Golf Club in Parker.
Here are all of the award winners announced on Tuesday (updated October 2018):
Golf Professional of the Year — Ty Thompson, Crosshairs Consulting.
Dow Finsterwald Player of the Year — Doug Rohrbaugh, AndersonOrd Golf Apparel
Senior Player of the Year — Doug Rohrbaugh, AndersonOrd Golf Apparel
Women’s Player of the Year — Sherry Andonian-Smith, Valley CC
Associate Player of the Year — Ben Lanting, Bear Creek GC
“¨Teacher of the Year — Dan Sniffin, Omni Interlocken Resort
“¨Bill Strausbaugh Award (mentoring fellow PGA professionals) — Stuart Bruening, The Golf Club at Bear Dance.
“¨Assistant Professional of the Year — Ed Marzec, Country Club of the Rockies.
“¨Horton Smith Award (exceptional contributions to promote and improve PGA educational programs) — Ben Welsh, Frost Creek Club.
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Player Development Award — Trent Wearner, Trent Wearner Golf Academy.
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Youth Player Development Award — Erin Diegel, Legacy Ridge Golf Course.
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Warren Smith Award (special contributions to game of golf, the Colorado PGA, junior golf and their facility) — Kyle Heyen, Hiwan Golf Club.
“¨Private Merchandiser of the Year — Jake O’Dell, The Club at Flying Horse.
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Resort Merchandiser of the Year — Jeff Hanson, Red Sky Golf Club.
“¨Public Merchandiser of the Year — Brian Carlson, Walnut Creek Golf Preserve.
