Golf In New York City Blog

It was great watching Mark Cannizzaro, a writer for the New York Post on the Golf Channel. Mark started last week on The Grey Goose 19th Hole show. Many of you know Mark Cannizzaro for his National Football League reporting. He is a very respected golf writer.
Mark is a good friend to NYC Golf. He has played most of the golf courses and is a low handicap player. He has often donated his time to the March of Dimes Charity event at Latourette Golf Course.
Lets wish Mark good luck on the golf Channel and I look forward to watching and hearing his opinions.
Mark is the author of “Tales from the New York Jets sideline”.

The first event in the FedExCup playoffs is moving to Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey, leaving Westchester Country Club in New York. It will be the first time in 40 years that New York will not host a PGA TOUR event.

Under an amended agreement, The Barclays will return to Westchester at least once before between 2010 and 2012.

“As we have said before, we believe it is in the best interest of The Barclays to rotate among various venues in the New York area,” PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem.

The Barclays had been played at Westchester since 1967, but it moved from June to late August last year as the first of four PGA TOUR playoff events. It was the only playoff event that Tiger Woods did not play. The 2008 Tournamen dates are August 21-24.

The TOUR previously had said the 2009 tournament would be held at Liberty National in Jersey City, N.J.

Ridgewood, a 27-hole complex designed by A.W. Tillinghast in Paramus, N.J., previously hosted the 2001 Senior PGA Championship and the 1990 U.S. Senior Open, as well as the Ryder Cup in 1935.

Ticket and tournament information will be available on www.barclaysgolf.com.

January 17, 2008

We are currently in Orlando, Florida for the Annual PGA Show.
THE GOLF INDUSTRY is growing and close to two million people in the United States work in golf. Many of you want to work in golf and the PGA of America has a few ways to help you attain that goal. All of the PGA employment services are complimentary.

February is a good time of year to look for work in the golf arena in our area because most golf facilities will be adding staff for the upcoming season.

Thanks Harper Cornell, Edelman for PGA of America, for providing the following information.

PGA of America Hosts SEVENTH annual Jobs in Golf Month connecting
Employment Services to Golfing Public

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – As a $195 billion industry, golf employs over two million people in the U.S. in positions such as golf course management, food and beverage, retail sales and promotions. To drive awareness and attract interest of jobseekers and employers, The PGA of America designates February as “Jobs in Golf Month,” promoting its complimentary employment services found at the online PGA Employment Center at www.pga.com/employment.
The PGA of America officially kicks off its seventh annual National Jobs in Golf Month during the 55th PGA Merchandise Show (Jan. 17-19). Throughout the month of February, the PGA’s Jobs in Golf Month program links employers in the golf industry with potential employees, both PGA Professionals and the general public, via The PGA of America’s online Employment Center.
“The golf industry contributes $61 billion of direct and indirect wage income in local economies and as interest in golf continues to increase, so will the demand by employers to attract qualified talent with golf knowledge and the specific skill sets for both on and off the course positions,” said PGA of America President Brian Whitcomb. “The beginning of the year is the time that golf industry employers begin thinking about the upcoming season and Jobs in Golf Month was designed to cater specifically to connect jobseekers to top-notch career and job opportunities throughout the golf industry. The PGA of America’s online resource listed more than 10,000 job postings in 2007 and is a valuable tool for those seeking employment and employers looking for highly qualified candidates.”
Geared towards both employers and jobseekers, The PGA of America’s Employment Center serves as an online clearinghouse of complimentary employment services. Through the site, employers can access nine region-specific PGA Employment Consultants or add job postings to hire candidates interested in working in various positions throughout the golf industry. In addition, jobseekers can post résumés, access employment opportunities for hundreds of open positions, read testimonials, find out about different types of jobs in the golf industry and learn how to become a PGA Professional.
During Jobs in Golf Month, employers seeking to fill positions may begin their search for candidates at www.PGA.com/employment. Employers can take advantage of the many employment services The PGA of America provides on a complimentary basis, including a job posting board or utilizing regional PGA Employment Service Consultants to assist in finding qualified candidates that will meet the needs of each particular position.
Jobseekers looking to work in the golf industry can search the job database at PGAjobfinder, a subset of The PGA Employment Center. PGAjobfinder allows the general golfing public the opportunity to post resumes, apply for open positions and search for jobs throughout the golf industry. Job opportunities range from General Manager to Teaching Professional positions for PGA Professionals, and Caddie Master to sales positions for the general public.
The PGA also offers CareerLinks, a complimentary employment referral service with nine regional PGA Employment Service Consultants based throughout the country to provide support to employers and PGA Professionals. Other employment services include CareerNet, a PGA member-only site, which offers PGA Professionals an online way to seek out and hire assistant professionals, teaching professionals and other PGA Professional support staff. The PGA also retains the services of a wage-and-hour consultant to help PGA Professionals and employers interpret labor laws and wage-and-hour information.
About Jobs in Golf Month
Launched in 2003, the Jobs in Golf Month campaign grew out of the 2002 Jobs in Golf Week and is designed to provide employment services to golf employers and potential employees. The PGA Jobs in Golf Month Campaign works with the PGA Employment Center, located online at www.PGA.com/employment.

About The PGA of America
Since 1916, The PGA of America’s mission has been twofold; to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, the Association enables PGA Professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the $195 billion golf industry.
By creating and delivering dramatic world-class championships and exciting and enjoyable golf promotions that are viewed as the best of their class in the golf industry, The PGA of America elevates the public’s interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere. The PGA of America brand represents the very best in golf.

Published by National Geographic Books, 2007

Reviewed by: Bill Castner

The USGA has released a delightful golf photography book, Classic Shots: The Greatest Images from The United States Golf Association. The book illustrates the things that I believe make golf such a special game.

Marty Parkes, the senior director of communications at the United States Golf Association (U.S.G.A.), put the book together. The United States Golf Association (USGA) has served as the national governing body of golf for the U.S., its territories and Mexico since its formation in 1894. It’s a non-profit organization run by golfers for the benefit of golfers. The Association sponsors a variety of programs that benefit everyone who plays the game, from conducting 13 national championships each year, to writing and interpreting the Rules of Golf, to funding turf grass and course maintenance practices, to supporting grassroots programs through its For the Good of the Game initiative.

In the opening photograph of the book (cover page), John Murmett already treats us to a spectacular shot, with his two-page spread of the eighth hole at Pebble Beach. Your eye is treated to the obstacles the golfer faces –rough, bunkers, hills, gorse, cliffs, ocean, wind, length, and an undulating putting surface. The reader is already treated to some of the many special aspects of the golf course.

The next photograph, by J.D. Cuban, is an ankle-view photograph of the late great Payne Stewart. We see each sock that Payne is wearing, standing in the same pose as Payne did. It is apparent that Payne is standing on the putting green patiently watching another golfer putt. This photograph certainly illustrates the interaction between players and the etiquette - another special aspect of golf.

After a lengthy introduction and historical background (partially written by Arnold Palmer), the book’s photographs are divided geographically. From varying photographs that span many years, the book explores the golf in the Northeast, the South, the America’s Heartland, and the Western region of the United States. An additional section features photographs from outside of the United States.

When thinking about a favorite photograph, it is very hard to pick one out of such a great collection. One real stand-out is a staged photograph by John Mummert, with Sam Snead playing from a deep water hazard (see page 134).

Other highlights are golf’s great players and courses, including ones of Harry Vardon, several United States Open Champions, the Bridge at Binniekill, Jack Nicklaus chipping, Tom Watson with his caddie Bruce Edwards (who pasted away from ALS several years ago), Arnold Palmer, Tommy Armour, Tiger Woods, Natalie Gulbis, Glenna Collett Vare, Prairie Dunes Golf Course, Bob Jones, Mike Bell, the many trophies, and views of golf course construction.

If you are still not convinced, you should be. There are so many interesting, moving, and beautiful scenes that you must see this book. The book is available at local bookstores and also on-line.