Weather Reports

Bill Reller, PGA, is the Director of Operations for Madison Golf and Development Group. He recently sent a letter to a few Madison meteorologists on the subject of the presentation of weather forecasts. Bill has noticed over the years that more and more people are paying attention to weather reports and then making plans for their outdoor activities, including golf.

I am attaching a copy of the letter that Bill sent. He has received some good feedback from the meteorologists from his letter. Whether anything changes or not is yet to be determined. A letter of this nature may be a great way to make our opinions known. Too many days in the long range forecast have a huge lightning bolt and rain drops only to see the day arrive and it be a relatively nice day.

To view the letter in a readable size, simply click on the image. If you would like a copy of the letter, please email me at jstadler@pgahq.com

EZ Picker Ball Washer & Range Picker

For Sale - EZ Picker 3-Gang Range Picker Unit and Ball Washer. Both work fine, although the picker can use a few new discs and baskets.

$300 each or $500 for both.

Please contact Peter Nomm - 715-356-5217 or mccgolfshop@hotmail.com.

Click on the photos for a larger view----->

PGA Junior Championship Volunteers

Our PGA Junior Championship is held at Yahara Hills on June 29 & June 30. Every year over 400 juniors play in this two day event. I am looking for volunteers each day.
Monday, June 30 & Tuesday, June 30 - 7:30 am to 9:30 am shift or 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm shift. Let me know what day you would like to help and the shift you would like to work. Your support is greatly needed. PGA members will receive MSR's for volunteering. Email me at alandenberger@pgahq.com

Nike range balls for sale

Nike range balls
900DZ used balls and 300DZ brand new balls
$1.20 per DZ used and $4.00 per DZ brand new.

If interested please contact:

Michael M. O'Reilly - PGA
Head Golf Professional
Whistling Straits
Desk: 920.565.6107
Cell: 920.918.4835

Introducing new Straight Down representative

Hi guys, I want to let you know of a new sales representative for Straight Down Clothing in the Wisconsin section. John Carlson is a former UW golfer that currently resides in Minnesota. It's a great product specializing in outerwear but having an entirely new line of short/long sleeve golf shirts. If you need to contact John, he can be reached at (612)240-6036. Hopefully spring golf will begin sometime soon!

Mark Rechlicz

Great American Scramble

Anyone know about the "Great American Scramble"? I received an email and the concept is very similar to the Oldsmobile/Buick Scramble. Just curious as to the level of interest that section members have in participating and if anyone has heard of the organizer Wayne Stone? Web site is: www.greatamericanscramble.com

WSGA League Software

David Cohn, former WPGA Junior Foundation intern and current WSGA staff member asked that I post the following information:

New WSGA Golf League Software
In our never ending quest to grow the game of golf, the WSGA has a unique opportunity to provide the golf leagues of Wisconsin a proven tool for online golf league management. In partnership with Golf Net, the program would be available to existing WSGA member courses and their league secretaries. Participating courses will be given direct access to the
program so that they or their league secretaries can manage the league information.
By using an online based software solution, information can be entered at any location with internet access. In addition, players will be able to track their league information, including schedules, results, and standings 24/7.

Because the software is adaptable to many league formats, the leagues will be able to operate in the same or a similar way, just with the flexibility of an online management tool. Leagues may be individual, 2-person, 4-person, or any combination.

Leagues that participate in the WSGA Software Program will also be eligible to send the winners of their leagues to the year-end WSGA Wisconsin League Tournament. Any player in a league using the WGSA league software will be eligible to become the WSGA Wisconsin League Champion.

In addition to offering many benefits for your league secretaries and league players, the program will also offer you, as a representative of the course, a chance to communicate directly with your league players through email. By having your leagues use this software, you will be able to email them any announcements or promotions, such as rain outs or pro shop discounts.

Please visit http://wsga.org/interior.aspx?id=2582 for more information and benefits or to find out how you or your league secretaries can sign up for a FREE trial.

If you have any questions or would like to sign one of your leagues up for this program please contact me at 414-443-3569 or david@wsga.org.
David Cohn

One More Event

As we determine our schedule for 2008, let us look at our committment to playing golf this year. I still believe the majority of us got into the golf business to play golf. As your Tournament Policy Board Chairperson, I am asking you to consider playing in one more event this year. Look at the Wisconsin PGA website for the tournament schedule and make that pledge. Whether the event is a stroke play or pro-am, put it on your calendar today.

MADE IN THE USA

Many of you already are familiar with the Pyramid Stacker, an industry-changing product “made in the USA”—from concept, through materials, through production—by Jack Thomsen Enterprises at Transcendental Golf.

Why not broaden your horizons beyond the Pyramid Stacker? Become acquainted with Jack Thomsen Enterprises’ range of stellar teaching aids, including:

The Golf-Practice Mirror that helps the golfer reflect upon—and come to understand and utilize—proper spine angles. It’s available to all PGA professionals for just $120 (not including packaging and shipping)—a discount of almost 35%.

The Crooked Lies Golf Mat addresses the fact that only 20% of all golf shots are hit from a flat lie. As its name implies, the Crooked Lies allows the golf professional to teach the crucial 80%: uphill, downhill and side-hill lies.

Transcendental Golf’s Mobile Wedge Course can be a great source of revenue for your facility. I encourage you to see for yourselves. Visit us, play the course, experience the teaching tool that integrates practice and play.

For more information on these and other products, visit http://www.jtgolf.com or phone 1-800-635-0319.

Transcendental Golf believes that living our values contributes directly to our quality of service. In the spirit of social-business principles pioneered by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, Transcendental Golf values

• Treating all people with dignity and respect, be they customers or members of the broader community.
• Open communication between people, leading to new understandings and creative outcomes.
• Ongoing development in the areas of creativity and design, resulting in improved services, new offerings.
• Commitment to the pursuit of ambitious business development strategies.
• Protection of the health and safety of our customers, the community, and the natural environment.

Member Services

January 9, 2008

Good morning and Happy New Year to you all,

As your chair of the Member Services Committee you will be hearing from me a number of times throughout the year. At our recent Board of Directors Meeting (1-7-2008) we discussed how we as a Board can assist in making our section a leader in many different initiatives. Member Services has 4 initiatives that we have done well in but this year I/we will push the section to be one of the best. Our goal is to be in the top five in these categories:
-Performance Trak
-Retirement +
-Certification
-Compensation Survey
Many of you have now received the email for the compensation survey so please take the time to complete it. You may feel that it is a waste of time or that it really does you no good but in the end it is a great tool for all of us to have. It may benefit someone else in the short term but in the long run you may be able to use something to better your position.
Those of you that have questions please feel free to contact me or if attending the upcoming PGA Show stop by the PGA Booth and get the information you need regarding these great initiatives.

Have agreat day,

Rob

Members Assistance Program (MAP) news

Joe has a great idea for an open exchange of information on areas of interest to the members. I see this as an opportunity to make frequent, direct contact regarding information that might, should, could be of interest. It is also a place for questions and discussion. One aspect of my role is providing help when people get stuck, to help them get unstuck. Sometimes it's to lend an ear as they talk a problem through. Another service helps members link up with local resources to help resolve concerns and issues. I love that part of my job. A part I love even more is working with sucessful people to be even more successful in their lives - professionally, as an individual, a spouse, parent, friend. Improving creativity, concentration, energy, physically, mentally and spiritually.

We may take if for granted, or joke about it. But people who take golf into their lives are different from those who don't in a number of ways. The sport is more than a sport, it's more than an activity, it's more than competition and achievement. You know that. The positions you hold at your course, club, range or shop touches many people in more ways than most of us can imaging. Your advice, patience and support helps people reach inside of themselves to accomplish something that is very important and powerful for them. It allows them opportunites to visit beautiful courses and enjoy the experience - because the can find their ball!
You know the drill.

Your MAP program has been created to help you and your families if help is needed. It is a tool that you can use if you have a friend in the Section that is having problems and doesn't know where to turn. A phone call is all it takes. But that phone call is often a huge step. In life, what we want is often on the other side of a closed door. It takes courage to open that door and find out what is on the other side. That is the journey that I would like to talk about in future notes.

Jon Christensen
414.530.6575