What's New For PA Golf in 2012?
2012 Pennsylvania Golf Association President
John W. McMurdy, Jr.
Mr. John W. McMurdy, Jr. was elected President of the Pennsylvania Golf Association at its most recent meeting. McMurdy was raised on a farm in Washington County, near Southpoint GC. He went on to attend Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, and was hired on as an Associate of the law firm of Tomb and Tomb in Indiana, PA. He then pursued a new endeavor and purchased a Chevrolet/Cadillac dealership. He has been a member of Indiana Country Club for 36 years. The game of golf has always been a part of his life.
"I am honored to be the new President of our State Golf Association after a 57 year relationship with the game. My journey to this position started as a farm boy who just happened to live close to a small public golf course. My interest in golf and girls arrived at nearly the same time and I still have a passion for the game and my wife of 37 years."
Click HERE to view the entire "President's Letter"
Social Media Facebook/Twitter/YouTube
The PA Golf Association jumped into the online/social media/technology world over the winter. We are very excited to announce our new social media outlets:
Facebook: The page has been created as a "Fan Page" which is different from most of the pages that you are used to on Facebook. Our page cannot be your "Friend" and cannot send or receive individual messages, like emails. This page is designed to keep everyone informed and also to show YOU off. We will post all of our photos from every event to this page for all to see. You are welcome to post comments, copy the photos for your own use, or "Like" them all you want! You do not have to have a Facebook account to view the page, but if you have an account, make sure you "Like" the page and check back often. We will have multiple giveaways throughout the year for PA Golf Association gear.
Check out our Facebook page HERE
Twitter: Our Twitter page will be utilized to give up-to-the-minute updates regarding venues, dates, scoring, etc. Anything that is important for our community to know will be posted to our Twitter Page. So Follow us and check in daily to find out the scoop. You must have a Twitter account to take advantage of this service.
Check out our Twitter by searching for: PA_Golf
YouTube: We will be taking some video of golf shots, award ceremonies, and interviews and posting them to our YouTube channel for 2012. Keep an eye out for updates on these postings.
These avenues will make our association available at all times and will bring all of the news and notes to your fingertips, around the clock.
PA Golf Pro Shop
We have created a PA Golf Association Marketplace to offer clothing, gear, and misc. merchandise embroidered with the PA Golf Association logo. We love that you want to represent YOUR Golf Association. So, if you are in need of a fresh new shirt or sweater, come check out what the PA Golf Pro Shop has to offer. We are able to offer some great prices and we will have a number of pieces on hand for quick delivery. You can view the Pro Shop offerings on www.pagolf.org.
The Sigel Face-Lift
The R. Jay Sigel Amateur Match Play Championship has undergone a transformation this off-season. "The Sigel", note the new name, will be played at Huntsville Golf Club, in Shavertown, PA, on June 4-6, 2012. The event will consist of two 18-hole stroke play qualifying rounds (36 holes on the same day) at Huntsville on June 4th. The top 16 players will then move on to Match Play on June 5th, for the round of 16 and also the quarterfinal matches. The Seminfinals and the Finals will be played on June 6th. Entry for the event will be completely open, however the selection of the 72 players will be based upon your 2011 W.C. Fownes Player of the Year points. In the event that the field of 72 cannot be completed with players who have accumlated points in the year prior, the entries will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. So, mark your calenders for April 1st, because this one is going to fill up fast.
Click HERE to view the 2011 W.C. Fownes Player of the Year Standings
Senior/Super-Senior Match Play
Due to the fact that "The Sigel" has been transformed, the Senior Amateur Match Play Championship gets some new faces. The Super-Senior men from Pennsylvania now get their shot at a match play title. The Senior Amateur Match Play Championship will be unchanged. We have just added a Super-Senior Division to the event that will be played at the home of the reigning 3-time Super-Senior Amateur Champion, Jay Howson. St. Davids Golf Club, in Wayne, PA, will host the inaugural event on May 9-10, 2012. The Super-Senior Division will be made up of the top 8 finishers from the 2011 Super-Senior Amateur Championship. They will play two matches on May 9th, and the finals will be played at noon on May 10th. Invitations have been sent out, and the deserving invitees are welcome to register for the Senior Division and the Super-Senior Division online.
Pace of Play Guidelines
Following in the footsteps of the USGA's recently formed Pace of Play guidelines,of which it utilized in all of it's Amateur Championships, the Pennsylvania Golf Association will incorporate a "Pace of Play Checkpoint System" for 2012. The checkpoint process will be used in all of our championships and qualifying rounds. Your pace of play for each hole will be noted on every scorecard, and will be very easy to follow while on the course. Policies, time-pars, and penalties are still being calculated and constructed by our Championship Committee and Staff, and will be available prior to the 2012 Championship Season.
State Team Championship
The 10th Annual USGA Men's State Team Championship will be held at Galloway National Golf Club, in Galloway, NJ. Pennsylvania has always been very well represented in our history of attending the event. Team Pennsylvania was victorious in 2009, when Nathan Smith, Sean Knapp, and Mike Van Sickle brought home the hardware. This event is played on a biennial calendar. The teams are comprised of three players from each state and is competed on a "best two scores of three" basis for three rounds. The selection process for the team is based upon many factors. Two players are selected based upon two consecutive calendar years of W.C. Fownes Player of the Year points. The final player is left to the Championship Committee of the Pennsylvania Golf Association to select. The point standings for selection will be posted to the website soon.