Special Awards
Golf Professional of the Year
The Golf Professional of the Year Award is the highest honor paid to a PGA Professional within the Indiana Section PGA. The following guidelines are used to determine nominees for this prestigious award: overall performance as a golf professional at his/her facility, level of service to his/her Section and to the Association, leadership ability, image and ability to inspire fellow professionals and promotion of golf. While this honor should be based on a professional’s entire record, emphasis should be placed on his/her performance and achievements over the last five years.
Teacher of the Year
The Teacher of the Year Award bestows special recognition on a PGA golf professional that has performed outstanding service as a golf instructor. Criteria to be considered are: overall performance as a golf professional at his/her facility, service to his/her Section and the Association, leadership ability, image and ability to inspire fellow professionals, use of teaching aids and the ability to illustrate their effectiveness, involvement in junior golf activities at the facility and in the community, techniques for teaching small and large groups, articles written for publication in books and magazines.
Bill Strausbaugh Award
The Bill Strausbaugh Award is presented to those PGA members who by their day-to-day efforts have distinguished themselves in the field of club relations, causing dramatic improvements in employment conditions in their local Section and/or the PGA of America. The following guidelines should be used in making a nomination: length of service as a chairperson, committee member or worker on club relations and employment, or as a resource person in these areas, level of activity, i.e. number of calls made to golf facilities, contacts with professionals, employers on employment matters, etc., involvement in education efforts relating to club relations and employment by either writing or speaking on a Sectional or National basis, involvement in the development of data and statistics, materials or programs used either Sectionally or Nationally on club relations and employment activities, any other positive and significant contributions to PGA employment.
Professional Development Award
The Professional Development Award is designed to recognize individual golf professionals for their outstanding and continuing contributions to developing and improving education opportunities for the PGA golf professional. The guidelines for this award are: contributions to educational programs and seminars in the Indiana Section, contributions and assistance toward the development of articles which benefit and relate to education, contributions to building the image of both the PGA golf Professional and the Association.
Player Development Award
The Player Development Award is designed to recognize a PGA Professional for extraordinary and exemplary contributions and achievements in the area of player development. This award considers the PGA Professional’s growth of the game leadership commitment at the Section and National levels and the impact made at the facility. The following guidelines are used in making nominations: contributions to Section and National Player Development initiatives, quantity, quality and diversity of player development programs, use of Play Golf America tools and resources in the area of Player Development, quality of best practices, including uniqueness of ideas, increase in rounds/revenues, retention and customer satisfaction, and inspirtaion of fellow PGA Professionals in the area of player development.
Roger Lundy Youth Player Development Award
The Youth Player Development Award (formerly the Junior Golf Leader Award) is designed to pay recognition to a PGA Golf Professional who is a leader in junior golf, reflects the qualities and ideals of those who work with our nation’s youth, and provides opportunities and experiences for juniors to learn and play golf. The following guidelines are used in making nominations: contributions to junior programs and the events in the Indiana Section, involvement in the promotion and development of junior golf at the facility and also within the community, support of Indiana Junior Golf programs, overall image, service and leadership in the area of junior golf, overall integrity as an individual and acceptance by junior golfers as a person of outstanding character.
Assistant of the Year Award
The Assistant of the Year Award, established in 2001, is designed to recognize an individual assistant golf professional for his or her dedication to the game and commitment to the profession. Criteria that are considered are: commitment to customer service, leadership ability and academic history.
Deacon Palmer Award
The “Deacon Palmer Award” bestows special recognition on a PGA Golf Professional who personally displays outstanding integrity, character and leadership, in the effort to overcome a major obstacle in their life. This individual is an unsung hero/heroine at their facility and in their community, who serve to inspire, empower and assist others, both inside and outside of the game. This award was first given in 2014 to Arnold Palmer in honor of his Father who the Award is named after.
Merchandiser of the Year Award
The Merchandiser of the Year Awards recognizes those PGA professionals who have demonstrated superior skills as merchandisers in the promotion of golf. The award is given for excellence in golf shop operations in three categories: Private, Resort and Public/Municipal/Military/Semi-Private. The following criteria are applied to all awards: PGA Member in good standing, credit rating with the industry, overall credit rating and community involvement. The candidates are judged in the following areas: merchandising ability and techniques, inventory levels and turn rate, shop display and attention to detail.