AJGA Blog

Reflecting on IRW

As the AJGA’s Intern Recruiting Weekend came to a close, invitees were asked to share their thoughts about experiences had and lessons learned:

“From the time I walked into the building I felt like I was at home—the front porch, warm smiles, welcomes and of course the food. It was an experience because no other job seeker or interviewer has treated me like the AJGA did this weekend. I was treated like family.

This was the greatest testament to the organization because if they treated potential interns like family, I knew that the people they served and employed were treated even better.”

- SYDNEY BRUNELLE

“The amount of impressive people in one place is unimaginable.  The energy in the room is contagious, even after a 10-hour day.  After leaving IRW, potential interns not only know what makes the AJGA so special, they know a little more about themselves.  Being in front of people who have completely different backgrounds and experiences helps you find out what makes you so special.  Every single person in the building has some spark that makes them stand out.  I can confidently say that no matter which people get chosen for the job, the future of the AJGA is in great hands.” 

- MORGAN SEELEY

“There’s no better way to meet someone for the first time than to greet them with a yawn and pretend you weren’t just sleeping as they walk through the hotel door.

When I received confirmation that I would be attending the AJGA Intern Recruiting Weekend, I wanted to make sure I couldn’t possibly slip up before I got to Georgia. I booked my flight early. Like crack-of-dawn early. Even though we didn’t need to be in Braselton until 4:00 p.m. or so, I signed up for the first trip out of St. Louis, Mo., at 7:20 a.m.

I got to the hotel with almost five hours to spare (better early than late, right?). After eating lunch two hours earlier than I usually do, an AJGA staff member suggested a nap. God bless his soul. Once you sign on with the AJGA, sleep is like a third-cousin. Always appreciated. Rarely seen.”

- CALEB BARRON

“As I boarded my flight at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport this past Friday, I knew it was going to be a great weekend. Why, you ask? Because someone once told me that if you sit next to a crying baby on a flight then you will have good luck. If that’s the case, then I’m going to win the lottery.

If I had to take one thing away from this amazing weekend, it would be the need to put yourself out in the open, even if you’re not comfortable. By doing this I was able to talk to people that work for the AJGA, are applying for the AJGA or are notable people in successful companies.”

- JAMES MILLARD

“Chasing dreams – a common theme around the AJGA office. Many of the golf industry’s best leaders have come through this association, chasing their dreams. The AJGA’s internship program hosted its annual Intern Recruiting Weekend this past weekend and afforded nearly 100 potential interns the opportunity to chase their dreams.

The benefits from this weekend – whether or not one is chosen for an internship – are numerous. From job search advice, to team building activities and leadership skills sharpening, anyone who leaves here with anything less than a new outlook on their goals did not listen closely enough.”

-STEPHANIE DITTMER

Roll Out the Red Carpet for the AJGA Tournament Awards

 When people think of the AJGA, a lot of times the first thing to come to mind is the caliber of players that play in our events. Elite. Cream of the crop. Top of the line.

 That’s definitely true. The AJGA showcases the best talent in junior golf, but the Association also showcases the best tournaments.

 Each year, the AJGA honors events that excel in different areas of the tournament experience. Tournaments with the best fundraising, volunteers, charitable giving, media and hospitality are all recognized. Awards also go to the Tournament of the Year, Invitational of the Year, Golf Professional of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, as well as the most improved tournament of the year.

To put it into perspective- these tournaments are the Rolex Junior All-Americans of the AJGA’s schedule, and with more than 85 events in 2010, selecting the winners was tougher than ever.

So without further adieu, roll out the red carpet and come to attention, the 2010 AJGA Tournament Awards have arrived.

Participants at the ANNIKA Invitational were treated to a clinic hosted by the LPGA legend. The tournament features off-the-course activities each evening.

Receiving top honors as the Invitational of the Year is the ANNIKA Invitational. To keep the comparisons going, this is the Rolex Junior Player of the Year, the Cadillac of tournament awards. This honor is bestowed upon the tournament that provides an unparalleled tournament experience. If you can think of an amenity you would want at an event, the ANNIKA Invitational probably already has it.

The Winn Grips Heather Farr Classic hosted by Longbow Golf Club let players test their archery skills during the tournament cookout.

Also receiving the top award for Tournament of the Year is the Winn Grips Heather Farr Classic hosted by Longbow Golf Club. This award is given to the non-Invitational tournament that goes above and beyond to provide a tournament experience like no other for players, parents and sponsors alike.

For more information on all 10 awards and to see if an event in which you played made the list, visit the AJGA homepage or check out the special issue of The AJGA Insider dedicated to tournament awards.

 -Written by Ashley O'Dell, AJGA Communications

 

The PGA-USGA Rules Exam: A Tale of Two Graduates

In January, there is one staple on the AJGA Operations Department’s schedule. In bold, black ink there are two words that strike excitement, and maybe a little fear, into the hearts of the tournament directors: RULES SCHOOL.

In all, 13 of the 17 AJGA attendees achieved a 92 or higher, raising the number of tournament directors who are Rules Certified to 16. The AJGA staff as a whole boasts 28 staff members who are fully certified.

The ops staff travels to a PGA-USGA Rules of Golf Workshop each year with the hopes of reaching the highest level of certification, which is done by achieving a 92 or better on the exam. Following is the story of two AJGA Tournament Directors, Rules School Veteran Andrew Greenfield and first-year TD Lindsay Dodge.

The first step of preparing for the Rules exam, for AJGA staffers, is to study, study, study….

Andrew Greenfield: I begin preparing for the AJGA In-House Rules School about one month prior to the first class. We started our In-House program November 29, only two days after the conclusion of the Polo Golf Junior Classic. For the first two weeks of December the operations department met each morning from 7:30 – 9:30 a.m.

Lindsay Dodge: As a new hire, I was still finishing up my semester in Kansas while  Rules School started on Nov. 29th. While juggling finals and work, I was receiving multiple emails from Andrew Greenfield everyday regarding the Rules of Golf.  Overwhelmed by all of this, I took one quiz at a time averaging about a 50% on each of them and trying to figure out exactly how to study for the Rules of Golf.

But of course, along the way, roadblocks will arise, forcing the operations department to find creative ways to prepare…

Greenfield: During the last week of the In-House Rules School, the city of Atlanta was hit with a snow and ice storm that closed AJGA Headquarters for three days. This could have really hurt the operations department’s progress with the rules, but the staff did a great job studying at home, doing my quizzes on their computers and asking questions via e-mail and cell phone. On the last day of the office being closed we were able to have two study sessions at designated. For some the snow storm was a blessing, as the office and road closures left nothing to do, but study the rules.

Dodge: As week one came to an end, I left the office in preparation to spend my weekend in Atlanta looking over the “Blue Pages” in the decisions book and be back on Monday with a fresh start.  I was wrong.  Our area was hit with the Atlanta Blizzard on Sunday Night and we were snowed in for three days.  Good thing I didn’t leave my rules book at my desk… Between snowball fights and sledding in my apartment complex, I was able to study with my roommate.  We had a few study sessions over Skype with other members of the Operations Department, and even conference called Andrew once or twice. I can now say Thank You to my three snow days for fully preparing me for the exam.

 After a 17-hour drive to San Antonio, the Operations Department was up bright and early to the begin the Rules Workshop…

 Greenfield: For the next three days the AJGA staff experienced nothing but the Rules of Golf from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After dinner each evening the Operations Department would meet in my room to discuss key points of the day and ask any questions. This meeting would last around 30 minutes. After our meeting the staff would return to their rooms or other areas of the hotel to study on their own or in smaller groups doing practice questions.

Dodge: The AJGA was the first group of people in the room on the first day of the workshop which meant that we could pick the best seats.  I remembered back to my high school days when my teacher’s always taught me to sit in the “T” Zone because it is more conducive to learning.  I felt like a nerd as I picked my seat in the very front row in front of the projection screen.

 After three days of non-stop Rules of Golf studying, they were ready to take the test. Test-day jitters were bound to make an appearance…

 Greenfield: The morning of the test is always nerve-wracking and you just want to get the test over with. Everyone has worked so hard for more than two months and you want that effort to translate into a good score. I know not everyone is going to hit that mark and knowing that is a tough pill to swallow. I wish everyone good luck before the test and give one last reminder to make sure to read each question carefully.

 Dodge: The exam started at 8 a.m. and we left our hotel around 6:45 so we could get to the hotel to eat breakfast and have a last minute study session on our own.  The nerves starting kicking in as we arrived at the Marriot in San Antonio, where the workshop was being held.  I found myself not being able to eat breakfast.  The worst part about the exam is that even though I felt prepared, I had no idea what the outcome of the test would be because I had never taken it before.

Unlike some exams, test-takers at the USGA-PGA Rules Examination can get an unofficial score within an hour or so of finishing the test. Keep reading to find out how Greenfield and Dodge scored…

Greenfield: After the test is over, the grading is the hardest part. The instructors put the answer key on the overhead projector and read out the answers (we hand in our scantron answer keys, but mark our answers down on an unofficial sheet so we can self-grade immediately after the test). While some tournament directors do not look at the overhead and just listen to the instructor’s voice, I do not have that patience. I immediately look at the overhead answer key and start going down my sheet. After the closed-book section, I have not missed any questions. I am relieved, but my heart is pumping forcefully in my chest. I look around to see the expressions of the rest of the staff. Everyone looks optimistic after the closed-book portion. For the open-book section, once again the scantron is placed on the overhead and the calling out of the answers resumes. I immediately look at the overhead and grade my test quickly- 100 for the second straight year! Not too bad.

Dodge: I finished the exam with about five minutes left and I could finally breathe again.  I thought the worst part was over, but then an overwhelming feeling came over me when I realized I had to grade my own exam. At the time, it seemed like the slowest process.  Each answer came out A…as in ALPHA, B…as in Boy.  My hand was shaking as I went down the first column and starting getting butterflies when I realized that I was not missing any questions.  The second column came and I missed four and before I could think about it, we had graded the closed portion and I scored a 46 out of 50.  I couldn’t believe it, it was the best I had done so far between any of the practice tests.  After grading the open book portion of the test, I found out that I had only missed five on the entire test which means I scored a 95.  I couldn’t believe it and I was so excited that I had passed.  All of the long hours of studying the Rules of Golf had paid off!

Greenfield: Once all the answers had been called out, I looked around at the staff. Excitement poured out across our section. Three tournament directors achieved 92 or better for the first time and they were beaming. We now have all seven female tournament directors rules certified, an impressive feat. Two other tournament directors scored 100 for the first time. Whether they achieved the 92 score or not, a sigh of relief comes over everyone. It’s time to relax, celebrate and return to Atlanta. Our rules knowledge will guide us through the upcoming tournament season and we will close the chapter on intense studying, until January 2012 when we begin it all again. 

The AJGA in 2011

As a new year speeds into gear, the AJGA is preparing to get started with a bang at the annual Presidents Day events. The ANNIKA Invitational and the HP Boys Championship at Carlton Woods have been leading off the tournament season for years, and provide an exciting opportunity for the nation’s top junior golfers to showcase their talent on a national stage.

While these two events are in the forefront of the AJGA’s mind, there are many other things to anticipate for the 2011 season.

This year, the AJGA’s schedule will expand to 90 events, hosted in 29 states, Mexico and Puerto Rico (congrats on your wins at the Puerto Rico Junior Open, Jason and Monifa!).

The biennial PING Junior Solheim Cup will be held in Trim, Ireland in September. An invitation to be on the U.S. team will surely be on the minds of junior girls through out the year, as the U.S. hopes to retain the Cup and be the first team- U.S. or European- to win the event on foreign soil. Tournament participants can expect to see U.S PING Junior Solheim Cup Team Captain Meg Mallon scouting talent at AJGA events leading up to team selection.

Aside from the exciting tournaments, the AJGA is working to help develop the juniors within the organization. New programs such as AJGA Cares for the Course, alongside new pace of play initiatives and the return of Leadership Links will create opportunities for these young men and women to grow not only in their golf game, but help to develop charitable giving skills and promote volunteerism.

With a trial run of AJGA Cares for the Course at the Polo Golf Junior Classic under our belts, juniors will notice a major change in the Care for the Course program. In 2011, players will be given sand tubes (don’t worry, they are compact and light!), enabling them to fill divots as they go.  For all of you who do this, the group behind you says thanks!

AJGA National Headquarters is buzzing with new ideas, exciting events and an eye on the future. It’s an exciting time for us, and we hope you are all looking forward to the coming months as much as we are. We’ll see you on the road!

Happy Holidays from the AJGA family!

Home for the Holidays. It’s a saying you hear often around this time of year, but when you hear it around the AJGA, it brings a whole new level of excitement. With tournaments over Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and well… most major holidays, the AJGA staff spends more holidays with one another than we do our families. Christmas and New Year’s are an entirely different story though.

Friday is our last day of work this year, and the next three weeks will be a period of celebrating the season with our families, visiting with friends and re-energizing for the coming season (the 2011 schedule comes out today!).

A lot has happened at the AJGA in 2010, and we are very proud of the year we’ve had. From advancements in pace of play to care for the course, not to mention an all-time high in membership, 2010 has been one for the record books, and we couldn’t have done it without all of the faces of the AJGA. To our members and their families, sponsors, tournament committees, volunteers and host facilities, we say thank you!

Thank you for your hard work, your commitment to excellence and your never-ending words of encouragement! As a staff, we are looking forward to coming back to our National Headquarters in January ready to usher in a new season of AJGA events. In the meantime, happy holidays to you and yours!

Note: AJGA National Headquarter will reopen on Monday, January 3, 2011.

Learning from the Best

He is the king of golf course set-up. He’s a rules official at The Masters, British Open and Presidents Cup. He sets up U.S. Open, Womens Open, U.S. Amateur and Walker Cup golf courses, and when there is any type of ruling dispute, across the board, Mike Davis is the man with the answer. And Wednesday, he spent the day with the AJGA Operations staff.

Some people think that once the AJGA closes the books on the Polo Golf Junior Classic, staff members kick back and relax until the beginning of the new season. That, however, is pretty far from the truth. This down time is spent discussing areas of improvement, taking an in-house Rules of Golf workshop, as well as learning from distinguished professionals in the golf industry.

In keeping with this tradition of education, Mike Davis, Senior Director of Rules and Competitions for the USGA, took some time with AJGA tournament directors to talk about golf course set-up and preparation, and to share information and experiences with the AJGA staffers.

“To have someone with his experience talk to us about course set-up and preparation is invaluable to our staff,” said Andrew Greenfield, AJGA Director of Rules and Competitions. “It was very educational.”

Davis, who has been in his current position since 2006, has been with the USGA since 1990. His many years of experience with major championships has given him an unparalleled understanding of the game of golf.

 So, AJGA members, rest assured that when you step up to the tee for your next AJGA event, you will be in good hands should your ball come to rest in a palmetto bush… or a pine tree… or beside an alligator...

Behind the Polos

From February through October, the traveling staff is the most visible part of the AJGA. But after Columbus Day weekend, the AJGA staff seemingly disappears.

What the heck are we doing?

Externally, the summer is when the AJGA goes to work and our master plan is put into action. Internally, the winter is the most influential time of year, as the AJGA's master plan is dissected and improved.

From Oct. 26-28, all 60 full-time staff members traveled to Helen, Georgia, for the annual AJGA Staff Retreat. During this time, the AJGA staff had focused discussions on three topics:

1. How do we improve the AJGA Tournament Experience?
2. How do we better recruit and utilize a volunteer workforce at tournaments and in-house?
3. How do we utilize technology better at tournaments and in-house?

But as AJGA members and parents know, the AJGA also has a master plan on how to have fun. Barbecue dinners, Cornhole, bowling and trivia night highlighted evening schedules, giving the staff a chance to display their hidden talents (or lack thereof).

Since returning to Braselton, the staff has shifted its focus to the Polo Golf Junior Classic (Nov. 20-26), but that doesn't mean we're done brainstorming. Do you have a suggestion on how the AJGA can improve? Share your thoughts via e-mail (ajga@ajga.org) as the AJGA continues to prepare for the 2011 season!

- Chris Richards, AJGA Communications