2025 New England PGA Annual Report

2025 FALL MEETING AGENDA

Annual Meeting - December 1, 2025

Nashawtuc Country Club

Welcome & Call to Order

Opening remarks

Moment of Silence for Deceased Members

Reading of the Minutes

Executive Director Report

Secretary’s Report

Newly Elected Members

Quarter & Half Century Members

PDR Update

Vice President’s Report

Financial Report

President’s Report

State of the Section

Foundation Report

District 1 Directors

Break NEPGA Officer Elections

Education - AI Presentation

Swearing in of Newly Elected Officers & District Directors

New Business & Open Forum

Adjourn

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Fellow NEPGA Professionals,

As I write to you in my final days as your President, I am both grateful and humbled that I have had this opportunity. I did not get involved in Section governance because I had a personal agenda, or wanted to fix something that was broken, I simply wanted to give back to a Section and Association that has given me so much throughout my career.

I hope you will join us at Nashawtuc CC for the New England Section’s Annual Meeting. This is a very historic year for our Section, and I look forward to celebrating our tremendous accomplishments and reflecting on an exciting 2025 season together New England PGA Professionals continue to inspire me through their achievements in tournament play, leadership, service, and their passion for growing the game. As I prepare to turn the Presidential reigns over to Joanne Flynn, PGA, I do so with full confidence that your leadership and staff are already thoughtfully planning for the years ahead.

When I began my Presidency, I outlined three areas of focus we identified that would guide us into the future. We called these our North Stars for the NEPGA and they were our Members, our Business, and the Game.

Members – We remained committed to showcasing the incredible work PGA Professionals do each day. Whether it’s through teaching, playing, fundraising, or player development, we made it a priority to celebrate your impact across all communication platforms. As always, we strive to deliver programs, education, services, and events that our members truly want. By listening closely, we aim to provide what our PGA Professionals need to succeed.

Business – The New England PGA continues to strengthen its position as a sustainable and forward-thinking organization. Revenue-generating initiatives such as the New England Series, the Junior Tour, and our valued partnerships allow us to invest directly in programs and services for our members. Our goal remains clear: to position the Section, its future leadership, and our staff for long-term stability and success.

Game – The past few years have put PGA Professionals in a unique position to engage golfers at unprecedented levels. Our mission continues to be growing the game, re-engaging lapsed golfers, and maintain high enthusiasm among players of all ages. Alongside these efforts, we are committed to providing high-quality tournaments for our PGA Professionals and the golfing public.

PGA REACH New England continues to lead not only our region but the entire country. We celebrated a record year for the Junior Tour, which was our 30th Anniversary season, another record year for PGA Junior League, and the most successful fundraising year in our Foundations history. We served the largest number of Veterans since the launch of PGA HOPE in our Section, contributed significant dollars to local charities, and awarded more

than $100,000 in academic scholarships, most of which went to sons, daughters, and grandchildren of NEPGA Professionals. The reach and impact of these programs on golfers throughout New England is truly remarkable.

Our tournament season was equally successful, with strong participation, outstanding competition, and growing partnerships. We introduced new events, crowned exceptional champions, and continued to see impressive engagement from our PGA Professionals. On some of our busiest days, between chapter events and Section tournaments, more than 250 NEPGA Professionals are actively competing. Thank you to all who support these events and contribute to the strength of our competitive community.

We remain committed to helping PGA Professionals grow their careers and improve their lives. Our focus is to help you position yourself to where you have the best opportunity to improve your PGA Journey. Employment is the most important services we can provide to help our members, so our Section, along with the PGA of America are leaning in to further support this effort. Education is synonymous with employment, and we strive to provide the best education resources in the country for our members.

Throughout my Presidency, I saw it as my responsibility to be a steward of our brand, our image, and our “why.” It was important for me to leave the NEPGA stronger than when I began and I trusted that our staff and board would do the same, always focusing on our “why” - the PGA Member. There is no New England PGA without the Member, so at the NEPGA Annual Meeting, each of you will have the opportunity to take home our new PGA Member poster. This poster highlights the value of the PGA Professional and the essential role you play in the game we love and the profession we live.

As I prepare to leave office, I want to express how deeply meaningful this journey has been. We have an extraordinary community of PGA Professionals and a dedicated staff who work tirelessly on our behalf. It has been, and will forever be, my honor to have worked for and alongside each of you.

I look forward to seeing you at the Section Annual Meeting on December 1. Thank you for your ongoing support, and I wish you and your families a safe and healthy holiday season.

Respectfully Submitted, Chip Johnson, PGA

Head Professional, Hatherly Country Club President, New England PGA

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT

Dear New England Section Membership,

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As I wrap up my 15 season as Executive Director and my 30 season with the New England Section, I can honestly say that there is still no place I would rather be. Having a late date for our Annual Meeting provides me even more time to reflect on the remarkable accomplishments the New England PGA has experienced over the past twelve months. I have also had the opportunity to reflect on the amazing progress the New England Section has seen throughout my last three decades. It’s no secret that this success is due to the amazing support of our PGA of America Professionals.

We recently went through a Benchmarking exercise with the other 40 Sections and some of our statistics should hopefully make you proud to be part of the New England PGA. For the tournament players, your purse payouts are higher than the national median and national average, which comes out to $625 per member. Our Section and Chapter sponsorships are over $200,000 higher than the national median and over $100,000 higher than the national average of the other 40 Sections. We have the second most PGA Professionals registered for deferred compensation behind the Carolinas Section, which has over 2000 members. We focus on employment and we post more jobs in New England than the National Median and National Average and we are more than double the national average for filling jobs.

PGA Reach New England fundraising dollars are among the highest in the country. Our junior tour runs the most events for a seasonal section in the country, and for academic scholarships, the national average is 17 and we give out 110. The average amount awarded is $69,000 and New England awarded over $125,000 this year.

The Sections PGA Junior league registration numbers, number of coaches, number of teams and average coaching fee, lead the nation. We are in the top sections for number of PGA Hope Programs, number of sessions, number of veterans impacted and number of PGA members trained.

This past year member satisfaction and retention became our focus. Our team made the promotion of our PGA Professionals through marketing/communication a priority, we created engagement opportunities for our PGA Professionals, we targeted Associate recruitment & retention as well as listening to member feedback. The results of the recent PGA Member survey revealed that over 86% of our NEPGA Members are satisfied with their Section Membership, which leads the country

We could not be where we are today without the amazing Chapter & Section leadership, our committee volunteers, host PGA Professionals, event participants/supporters and of course the NEPGA Staff. I want to thank everyone involved for all your efforts. Team goals continue to far outweigh individual accomplishments and your love and commitment to your Association and Section is so evident that the New England PGA is revered and respected nationally.

Administration

Carrie Belden, Director of Membership, Admin & Special Events

Hannah Corso, PGA Works Fellow

Chris Clayton, Director of Tournament Operations

Max Doctoroff, PGA, Director of Rules and Competition

Chad Eades, PGA Reach New England Program Manager

Sam Holden, Tournament Operations Manager – Vermont

Casey Litwack, Tournament Director

Brianna Sovring-Moesch, Junior Golf & Player Development Manager

Tim Murphy, Tournament Manager

Lauren Neilan, Marketing and Communications Director

Michael Packard, PGA, Director PGA Reach New England

Sydney Reichard, PGA Works Fellow

Mike Serijan, Cape Cod Junior Tour Administrator

David Soucy, PGA, Tournament Operations Manager - Maine

Joan Stuart, Director of Accounting and Finance

Tony Zdunko, PGA, Tournament Operations Manager – New Hampshire

Education

The New England Section continues our commitment to provide educational program offerings that emphasize personal and professional development. The Education Committee remains focused on providing quality education in the categories of: Instruction/ Merchandising/ Personal Wellness/ Golf Operations/ Career Development

Section Meetings, Seminars and local/regional online opportunities remain the vehicles to deliver education, and the NEPGA Empower Hour’s continue to bring quality education on a weekly basis.

The Education Report in this packet will go into our Section education in a little more detail.

Member Services

Section staff are committed to providing you with outstanding customer service, while assisting you with your professional needs. No one does it better and has done it longer than Joan Stuart and adding Carrie Belden to the team has only expanded our services offered.

Employment & Facility Relations

Employment remains a central priority for the New England Section, and the months ahead will once again represent our busy season. I am honored to the impressive employment team of Employment Committee Chair Larry Kelley, PGA, as well as PGA of America Career Services Consultants David Wilson, PGA, and Jim Remy, PGA. These distinguished PGA Professionals work diligently on behalf of our members and are always readily available to provide support and guidance.

Our mission is to offer comprehensive advice and counsel to golf professionals, employers, and facilities across all employment-related matters. While many of you are familiar with the Career Services resources available through pga.org, we will continue to share timely employment updates through the Friday Forecaddie to ensure that Members and Associates remain informed of current opportunities and important developments. 8

Communication

The NEPGA remains committed to elevating the incredible work of our Section and PGA Professionals and sharing it with the wider golf community. While expanding our reach is essential, our top priority continues to be keeping our Section Professionals informed through every communication channel and ensuring the NEPGA remains at the forefront of golf across New England

Our expanded content efforts have significantly grown our audience. Since January, NEPGA content has reached more than 1.2 million viewers on Instagram and over 764,000 on Facebook, alongside a gain of 1,500 new followers this year. Engagement on LinkedIn has also increased as we’ve highlighted the achievements of our PGA Professionals throughout the season.

The NEPGA website continues to play a vital role in educating the public and showcasing the positive impact PGA Professionals have within their communities For those not yet connected with us on social media, I encourage you to follow along and stay engaged. The Friday Forecaddie, our weekly email publication, is distributed to all Section Members and Associates. This dynamic resource delivers timely updates, tournament information, and industry news each week. I also hope you enjoy my Monday article, which is designed to bring a positive start to your week.

The New England PGA App remains a valuable tool, offering easy access to tournament information, sales representatives, and a comprehensive membership directory for PGA Professionals and their facilities. If you haven’t yet downloaded the app on your Apple or Android device, I highly encourage you to do so.

Governance

The New England PGA Board of Directors meets regularly to review and address the key issues facing the Section, ensuring strong oversight and thoughtful decision-making. Communication between the Board and the Section staff remains consistent and collaborative throughout the year. Our Chapter leaders also work closely with both staff and Section leadership to enhance communication, strengthen programming, and support the needs of their respective chapters. This level of engagement not only elevates our operations but also helps cultivate a strong pipeline of future Section leaders. I encourage any interested PGA Professional to become involved and give back by volunteering your time and expertise in service to the Section.

Partners & Business Development

The New England PGA is deeply grateful for the continued support and commitment of our many partners. Their engagement enables our programs to remain among the strongest in the country and plays a vital role in sustaining the high-quality services we provide to our membership. I am continually impressed by the number of organizations that seek to be aligned with the NEPGA and the meaningful relationships that develop as a result.

Our PGA Professionals play a significant role in fostering the success of these partnerships, and I want to extend my sincere appreciation to those who actively support and collaborate 9

with our staff in these efforts. I encourage you to take a moment to thank our partners for their contributions, and please feel free to reach out to me directly if you believe an individual or company may be a prospective partner for the NEPGA.

Foundation

The New England PGA Foundation (PGA Reach New England) had a banner year. I am so proud of our leadership, volunteers and staff for all their efforts impacting lives. Please read the Foundation Report to become inspired and see where you can become involved

Finance

The Section Finance Committee works closely with Section leadership and staff to develop and refine the annual budget. Monthly financial reports are provided to the Board of Directors, offering a detailed evaluation of income and expenses relative to budgeted projections. Both the Board and the staff continue to demonstrate exceptional stewardship in managing the business and financial operations of the Section, and the New England PGA remains in a strong, stable, and secure financial position.

Tournaments

Our tournament department continues to be one of the most active in the country, and the quality of the Section’s professional tournament program remains among the elite at the Section level. The expertise and dedication of our highly skilled staff, combined with the strategic guidance and support of our leadership, have created an environment that attracts increased sponsor revenue and encourages many of our premier facilities to host major events.

I invite you to review the Tournament Report included in this document for a detailed overview of another highly successful tournament season.

I cannot fully express what an honor it is to serve as the Executive Director of the New England Section. Fifteen seasons have passed quickly, yet I remain as energized and enthusiastic about my work as I was 30 years ago when I first began as an intern. This year has been filled with meaningful accomplishments, and I hope you share the same pride in our Section that I feel each day.

Everything we do is grounded in our commitment to supporting PGA Professionals in New England and all those connected to this great game.

I extend my very best wishes for a healthy, successful, and fulfilling offseason. Please do not hesitate to contact the New England PGA if we can be of assistance in any way.

Respectfully Yours,

Michael J. Higgins NEPGA Executive Director

VICE PRESIDENT REPORT

It has been a tremendous privilege to serve the Membership as Vice President of the New England Section this past year. Working alongside so many talented PGA of America Professionals in the Board room continues to be both inspiring and rewarding. Overseeing the Section’s finances is a responsibility I take very seriously, and I am grateful for the trust you have placed in me. Our Finance Committee diverse, knowledgeable, and deeply committed works diligently to help produce the Annual Budget for both the Section and the Foundation. Our Section Staff continue to impress me daily with their professionalism, attention to detail, and unwavering dedication to our members

As the 2025 season inches to a close, I am proud to report on another successful and productive year. The leadership and staff continue to manage expenses with care, create new revenue opportunities, and direct funds back into the programs and services that support our PGA Professionals. Our strategies are simple – Run our finances as close to break even and maintain a strategy to not tap into our reserve. The Covid golf boom continues, and we find our Section leading the nation in growth and revenue generation. As a result, the board spends significant time discussing how to spend any profits on our members and our mission. I hope you have experienced these efforts through our programs, our meetings, our services, and our communication.

Talking about the finances are never as much fun to talk about as our Tournaments, our programs or our members, but it is how we are able to fund what we do. I can tell you that we have been laser focused on our finances. We know that inflation is a real thing and the cost of doing business has increased significantly over the past few years, and I acknowledge that this is something we all have to deal with. As a Section we utilize any funding from the PGA of America, but we are not reliant upon it to conduct our day-to-day operation.

Thanks to strong fundraising efforts and the continued success of our programs such as PGA HOPE, Scholarships, and Junior Golf, the Section is still positioned to finish 2025 with a slight profit Every financial decision we make is grounded in what best serves New England PGA Professionals today and in the future.

We are deeply fortunate to have the steadfast support of our many Section partners. Their commitment to the NEPGA remains a vital part of our financial strength. Our staff continues to secure new partnerships that help fund enhanced purses, robust education, and reduced costs for our membership. I encourage each of you to take the time to thank these partners personally those small gestures go a long way in fostering long-term, meaningful relationships.

As we enter a new season, I also encourage every New England Section Professional to attend our Annual Meeting at Nashawtuc CC this December. No matter where you are in your career, there is always an opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with fellow PGA

Professionals who share the same passion for furthering our craft and growing the game of golf.

As I look ahead, I am genuinely excited for the opportunity to serve as your President. It has been my honor to represent you as Vice President, and I am deeply grateful for the trust, collaboration, and spirit of community that define our Section. This will be an exciting NEPGA Annual Meeting for me, because it was fifty years ago that my father, Bill Flynn, PGA was the President of the New England Section and I am honored to be following in his footsteps to help lead our great Section. I know he would be so proud of where our Section is and what we have become.

I look forward to continuing to work on your behalf and to supporting the incredible work being done across New England. In closing, thank you for your continued dedication to the game and your unwavering commitment to making golf such an enjoyable and meaningful experience for so many. Your efforts enrich our Section and will continue to impact golfers for generations to come. Please continue to utilize the resources and support of the PGA of America and the New England PGA to elevate both your facility and your career.

Respectfully and humbly,

Joanne Flynn, PGA Director of Golf, Windham CC NEPGA Vice President

SECRETARY REPORT

Dear New England PGA Members and Associates,

As my second year as your Secretary comes to a close, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the entire membership for your unwavering support. It has been a remarkable experience to be part of a team of dedicated PGA Professionals who are deeply committed to advancing our association. Serving alongside these individuals has been both a privilege and an honor. I can assure you that each of them is passionately devoted to the well-being of the NEPGA. Furthermore, working alongside our Executive Director, Mike Higgins, and the entire NEPGA staff has been an absolute pleasure. We are truly fortunate to have such a devoted group of individuals who tirelessly serve us each day. Thank you for this incredible opportunity to serve you.

The New England section currently has 1,222 professionals, made up of 915 members and 307 associates, making us the 8th largest Section in the country. There are 658 facilities in the New England Section 353 of those facilities are staffed by a PGA Professional That is over half at 54%. Of the 307 Associates in the New England Section, 15 are suspended. There were 14 suspended Associates at the 2024 Fall Meeting. The suspended associate rate for the New England Section is slightly lower than the national average. If you know of an Associate who is struggling to become active, have them reach out to either myself or a member of the membership committee, as we are happy to help.

We are all very proud of our Associates when they complete their PGA education and are elected as Class A Members. I would like to congratulate the 16 individuals who have completed the task over the course of the past year:

NEW MEMBERS

Joshua E. Ancahas, PGA

Elie Anquetil, PGA

Peter Broome - Honorary Member

Cameron G. Casto, PGA

Patrick R. Duggan, PGA

Michael Gamble, PGA

Ronald C. Gendron, PGA

Cole H. Hoffman, PGA

Christopher M. Houston, PGA

John A. Howland, PGA

Benjamin M. Jewell, PGA

Dylan J. Orlando, PGA

Ryan M. Sadosky, PGA

Scott E. Sheehan, PGA

Peter D. Tasillo, PGA

Anna Ziegler, PGA

We are also very proud of veteran PGA Professionals who have reached the milestone of being a PGA Member for 25 years and 50 years. I would like to congratulate the 3 individuals that have joined the PGA of America Half Century Club and 14 individuals that have joined the PGA of America Quarter Century Club:

HALF CENTURY MEMBER

Jeff Bailey, PGA

Bob Gunnarson, PGA

Michael Foster, PGA

QUARTER CENTURY MEMBERS

Mark Ashton, PGA

John Boswell Jr, PGA

James W. Bruce, PGA

Gregory Dowdell, PGA

Peter Finnegan, PGA

Robert Jacobs, PGA

Dana Janis, PGA

Jim Lessard, PGA

Richard Packish Jr., PGA

Jason Parks, PGA

Joseph Rocha, PGA

Mark Siksta, PGA

Douglas VanWickler, PGA

Jon Wood, PGA

The Professional Development Requirement Policy (PDR) deadline is set for June 15th, 2028. As PGA of America Golf Professionals, we are required to earn 54 credits before the deadline. 36 must come from any combination of Education, PGA of America Meetings, National Survey submission, Section Mentoring programs, and/or Specified PGA of America Player Engagement Programs.

PDRs for Education and/or Specified Player Engagement Programs may include attending career specific education, including serving as a speaker/instructor, or attending education on topics such as youth safety, diversity, equity and inclusion, mental health and wellbeing.

PDRs for PGA meeting attendance may include attending national, section, or chapter meetings, including board and committee meetings.

New for this cycle - all online meetings and education are 1 PDR and all in-person meetings and education are 2 PDRs.

As a reminder, you can always login to your profile on PGA.org and see where you currently stand. If you need help please reach out to myself or a member of the Section staff. We are here to help and happy to do so!

The PGA Merchandise Show will be held from January 20th to January 20th-23rd at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando Florida Registration is open! With a recordbreaking 33,000 attending in 2024, this event is always a great opportunity for networking.

We are excited to bring back Empower Hours this off-season. These are fantastic virtual education opportunities. The Northeast Region Education Hub is expanding with the PNW Section, adding even more virtual offerings from the west. As for in-person programming, we will be bringing back a Teaching & Coaching Summit as well as a Personal Wellness Summit. Stay tuned for more information on those coming soon.

I would like to reiterate my commitment to serving each and every member of our esteemed section. With a dedicated board of directors and a capable section staff, we are fully devoted to assisting our members whenever the need arises. Should you require any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. Wishing you a productive off-season.

Respectfully Submitted,

Brendan Walsh, PGA Director of Golf, The Country Club NEPGA Secretary

FOUNDATION REPORT

Dear New England PGA of America Professionals,

As President of PGA REACH New England, I am honored to share the continued growth and impact of our foundation during the 2025 season. Our commitment to positively impact lives through the game of golf remains unwavering, and in 2025 we have further strengthened our three core pillars –Inclusion, Veterans and Youth Development. With your continued support, we’ve expended the reach of our programs, empowered more individuals throughout the New England Section, and deepened our ties to the communities we serve. Together, we are advancing the future of the game and amplifying the positive influence it can have on an individual. We take great pride in the fact that our foundation continues to grow in revenue, programs and impact year after year – an achievement that speaks to the exceptional efforts and commitment of our entire foundation family.

Youth Development

Our Junior Golf programs experienced continued success during the 2025 season, with a record number of juniors participating in our tournaments, PGA Jr. League, Drive Chip & Putt as well as our scholarship program. We introduced innovative and inclusive initiatives that helped make golf accessible to kids of all backgrounds, promoting a lifelong love for the game of golf.

A detailed report related to our New England PGA Junior TOUR, national initiatives like Drive, Chip & Putt and PGA Junior League can be found in the official Junior Golf Report below, submitted by our Junior Golf & Player Development Director.

16 unique Scholarship offerings available

$106,500 awarded in 2025

(4) consecutive years of providing over $100,000 in scholarships to New England families Awarded to (81) Total Students at (49) Unique Institutions

Inclusion

In 2025, we remained committed to fostering inclusion across all programs. The creation of mentorship and volunteering opportunities for our PGA of America Professionals as well as partnerships with local organizations increased participation across all Inclusion Pillar programs, helping make golf welcoming and accessible to all.

Women’s Networking Summit (4th Annual)

125+ Female business professionals in attendance

Women’s Networking Series

(4) Locations across New England, offering (30) spots for female golfers to learn the game, network, collaborate and have on course instruction.

Camp REACH

Bringing the game of golf to kid’s camps, specifically young boys and girls battling life threatening illnesses

Camps located in ME & NH (Camp Sunshine, Camp Akeela)

2025: 150+ children, siblings and parents over two days

Inclusion & Netowrking Clinics with the HBCU Classic

“OpportuniTEE Classic” – Inaugural event targeting Boston-based executives and underrepresented career professionals

120+ business professionals engaged in a day of networking, clinics with NEPGA Professionals, and a scramble tournament

Veteran & Active Military Support

Our support of PGA HOPE continued to grow in 2025, providing golf as a rehabilitative tool for Active Military and Veterans across all corners of the Section. We proudly expanded our outreach to more VA facilities, enhancing the lives of those who have served our country. PGA HOPE will remain the primary entry point into the game for some of our nation’s heroes and affords us the opportunity to create new and enhanced programming to keep their golfing journey connected to our foundation.

PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere)

25 programs hosted by 22 facilities

425+ Veterans registered & participated in 2025

60+ NEPGA Professionals trained to provide recreational therapy and instruction

OPERATION: PlayDay

8 different host sites in New England Section

350 Rounds of golf, 175 unique Veterans participated 2,096 combined years of service

New England Veteran Series (Inaugural Year (NEVS) is a golf tour designed specifically for Veterans connected to our foundation with competitive aspirations

113 Veteran Members, 158 Total rounds of golf, 6 events

Northeast HOPE Invitational

4th Annual collaboration between New England, Northeastern New York, and Connecticut PGA Sections

48 Veterans alongside 12 PGA Professionals compete for HOPE Cup

2025 Champion- Team HOPE Northeastern New York - first repeat Champion!

Sets Fore Vets

21 Sets of new or gently used clubs provided to Veterans to begin or continue their golfing journey

Fundraising & Partner Support

Through the dedication of our PGA of America Professionals, Host Facilities, and our community partners, we successfully raised funds to support our mission. The generosity of existing and new partners has allowed us to expand our programs and create more opportunities for our communities.

Our partners supporting efforts to positively impact lives through the game of golf:

America’s VetDogs

Amica Insurance

Commonwealth Collective, LLC

Dick’s Sporting Goods (Golf Galaxy)

ES Veterans Association

Fenway Sports Group

FootJoy

Forward Financing

Gorton & Company

National Marine Life Center

Pannone Lopes Devereaux & O’Gara

Service Credit Union

Side by Side Charitable Foundation

Titleist

Tournament Solutions

UKG

Signature Fundraisers

Rounds for REACH (Spring online auction)

(102 items from our professionals & facilities), $79,678 raised Achieved 50.1% increase in funds raised in 2025

Lessons for Charity (Spring online auction)

(132 lessons donated from NEPGA Professionals), $4,943 raised

REACH Classic

$41,000 raised to support PGA HOPE and Veteran Pillar programs

Birdies 2 Benefit

(53 professional & guest participants)

$255,216 raised

Inaugural Team PGA HOPE and Team Jr. TOUR participants

Surpassed our goal of raising $1,100,000 in 5 years

As we wrap up another remarkable year, I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to each of you for your continued commitment to PGA REACH New England. Your support and belief in our mission have allowed us to expand our reach, promote inclusion, and strengthen lives through the great game of golf. Looking toward the future, I’m confident that our collective efforts and shared dedication will continue to drive a greater impact across New England. Together, let’s keep using golf as a vehicle to inspire, serve and lead in our community.

Thank you for all that you do, here’s to another great year of growth and success ahead.

Sincerely,

Rob Jarvis, PGA

Head Golf Professional, Bangor Municipal GC President, PGA REACH New England

PLAYER ENGAGEMENT REPORT

Player engagement in the New England is thriving. Reflecting on 2025, we have much to celebrate. The golf professionals in this Section are truly leading the way within our Association. Whether it's by implementing programming at the highest level, serving on national committees to influence the direction of the Association, or managing the day-today operations of golf facilities during one of the busiest periods the golf industry has ever experienced, their contributions are invaluable.

The purpose of this report is to provide each of you with comprehensive metrics. These insights are intended to foster the development of thoughtful questions and solid actions that will ultimately lead to you being more valuable to your facility.

It's my absolute pleasure and honor to serve my fellow professionals. Together, we continue to elevate the standards and success of the New England Section.

Sincerely,

Brian Bain, PGA

PLAYER ENGAGEMENT REPORT

PGA Jr. League

NEPGA 2025 SNAPSHOT

2025 New England Key Performance Indicators - As of 11/21/2025

Registrations 4,919, up 7% YoY

Engaged Coaches 158, up 2% YoY

Total Coaching Revenue $1,521,836 #1 of all 41 Sections

AVG Coach Fee $325/player Programs 316, up 6% YoY

2024 New England Key Performance Indicators

Registrations 4,597

Engaged Coaches 155

Total Coaching Revenue $1,370,014

AVG Coach Fee $317 Programs 297

Registrations by Section (11/21/2025)

1. New England 4,919

2. Pacific Northwest 4,209

3. Middle Atlantic 4,095

4. Carolina's 3,465

Active Coaches

1.New England 158

2.Middle Atlantic 117

3.Carolina's 114

4.Pacific Northwest 107

AVG Registrations Per Coach

New England 31.1

Middle Atlantic 35 Pacific Northwest 39.3

Carolinas 30.4

PLAYER ENGAGEMENT REPORT

JUNIOR REPORT

This year, the Junior Tour celebrated its 30th Anniversary! This included another recordbreaking membership, participants, and generated revenue The Junior Tour saw new facilities join the schedule, such as Ocean Edge Resort & CC, Wollaston Golf Club, The Haven Country Club, Sky Meadow Country Club, Willowbend Country Club, and Ellinwood Country Club, to name a few! Thank you to our incredible host facilities and PGA Professionals who support the Junior Tour and help grow the game for families across New England!

Stats:

NEPGA Junior TOUR (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont):

-1349 members, vs. 1255 members in 2024 (7.5% increase)

NEPGA Jr Members: 1211

Maine Jr Members: 90

Cape Cod Jr Members: 48

-6046 total rounds, vs. 5551 total rounds in 2024 (8.9% increase)

-142 total events, vs. 134 total events in 2024 (6% increase)

Drive, Chip & Putt

This year, Drive Chip and Putt saw an increase in both players and sign-ups for all New England local qualifiers. The weather was only an issue for our first qualifier at Button Hole Golf Course in Providence, Rhode Island, on June 7th. Our Subregionals took place at Pease Golf Course and LeBaron Hills Country Club. Advancing Juniors will now move to the Regional qualifier being held in New Jersey at Ridgewood Country Club in September!

Stats:

Drive Chip and Putt (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont): AugustaNational

PGA

At the New England PGA Jr League Section Championship hosted at Stow Acres Country Club, August 4th and 5th, 2025. Our Section Championship, by number of players, was the second largest in the country and had all 6 Chapters represented!

13U Champions: Team Burlington, led by Coach Evan Carty, PGA

13U Runner Ups: Team Bradford, led by Coach Kevin Murphy, PGA

17U Champions: Team Button Hole ‘A’, led by Coach Tyler Piekarski, PGA

17U Runner Ups: Team Atkinson (1), led by Coach Brian Diamond, PGA

29 13U (232 players), 24 17U (192 players), 424 total players, vs. 350 total players in 2024 (21.1% increase)

Stats:

PGA Jr League (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont) as of August 28th:

-4600 players, vs. 4377 players in 2024 (5.1% increase)

-158 coaches, vs. 145 coaches in 2024 (9% increase)

-289 total programs, vs. 286 total programs in 2024 (1% increase)

New England PGA Internship

With programs continuing to grow and expand, the NEPGA Staff needs assistance to grow the game across New England, which is where assistance from our many Interns and Works Fellows comes in! This year, we brought in a diverse group of young professionals. On the section side, a new Videography Internship was created to prioritize capturing key moments and increasing our storytelling ability. We also extended our Works Fellow program, allowing our foundation to divide and concentrate on better serving both our members and the community!

Operations Internship

Michael Bachand (Palmer, MA), Nichols College

Caitlin Anderson (Raynham, MA), Stonehill College

Lilly Corso (Winchester, MA), Endicott College

John Donahue (North Weymouth, MA), Plymouth State University

Gabriella Fernandes (Berkley, MA), UMASS Amherst

Orick Kelley (Upton, MA), Nichols College

Tyler Kirby (Haverhill, MA), Clemson University

Morgan MacLeod (North Attleboro, MA), Merrimack College

Michael Bradshaw Jr. (Cumberland, RI), Merrimack College

Robert Underhill, MBA (Newbury, NH), Bates College & University of New Hampshire

Media Internship

Joey Demarais (Norwood, MA), University of Rhode Island

Videography Internship

Zach Soumoulis (Milford, MA, UMass Amherst

PGA WORKS Fellow

Hannah Corso (Winchester, MA) UMASS Amherst

Sydney Reichard (Brookline, NH) University of South Carolina

Respectfully Submitted, Brianna Moesch

NEPGA Junior Golf & Player Development Director

EDUCATION REPORT

This year provided yet another example of the New England Section leading the way as one of the most prominent educational programming Sections across the country. New, unique options, coupled with habitual staples on the education calendar, provided Section Professionals with ample opportunities to expand their knowledge and sharpen their skills as PGA of America Professionals. June of 2025 was an especially critical time for NEPGA education, as PDR Cycle 17 was on the horizon and many Section Professionals were inching closer to completing their requirements. As an education leader, it is important to the New England Section that there are many opportunities provided to satisfy those requirements.

NEPGA University was heavily utilized as an avenue to satisfying requirements. Over 40 Professionals utilized the platform to reach the finish line of cycle 17. With over 20 unique classes offered, there are no shortcomings of opportunities to expand your knowledge with the platform. As more educational offerings are hosted, many of them will be recorded and uploaded with testing to expand NEPGA University’s library.

The Empower Hour series continued its tremendous success, bringing knowledge directly to Section Professional’s homes. With over a dozen unique Empower Hour sessions, PGA of America Professionals were able to enhance their expertise on several different topics. Sessions included mental health, career services, executive management, modern tools for fitting & coaching, the rules of golf, and much, much more. This rolodex of topics continually assists Professionals build upon their expansive skills that can be brought directly back to and implemented at their home facilities. The NEPGA is excited to keep the success of Empower Hours rolling in the winter of ’25-’26 with another great lineup highlighted by the newly secured partnership with Golf Live. This will help bring in some of the best teachers in the game of golf who can share their knowledge with Section Professionals. In addition, the hope is to expand the Empower Hour offerings to a list long enough to start hosting multiple days in the week for increased opportunity.

This offseason will see the Northeast Education Hub enter its second year of existence, highlighted by the addition of the Pacific Northwest Section (PNW). PNW boasts one of the most robust educational offerings across the country, and it will be directly accessible to all NEPGA members. PNW’s “stay involved” seminars are fantastic virtual opportunities for NEPGA members to join and not only receive PDR credit but further develop their repertoire. The Northeast Education Hub will also again feature offerings from (7) other Sections. Be sure to visit the NE Education Hub page on nepga.com to view all the latest offerings.

While the above virtual options are of great value to our Section members, there is no greater value than in-person networking. As such, the NEPGA will be offering a wide variety of inperson education seminars throughout the winter months. We are excited to be bringing back our annual Teaching & Coaching Summit, with plans to include some wonderful presenters. Max Doctoroff, PGA & Tom Giffin, PGA, will be hosting a tremendous day covering course setup, course handicapping, and the rules of golf. Also, a first of its

seminar is being formulated and will be an exciting new offering for our Section Professionals. Be on the lookout for more information that will soon be announced regarding all of these amazing in-person offseason activities.

Lastly, we would like to welcome our new Education Committee members who will offering up their time and services to continually improve the New England PGA’s education program. Jason Calhoun, PGA, Kelly Kostick, PGA, Tyler Corder, PGA will be joining current committee members Matt Lombard, PGA, Zack Sweet, PGA, Rob Javis, PGA (cochair) and Mike Bradshaw, PGA (co-chair). If you have any questions regarding the New England PGA education program, please do not hesitate to contact one of these amazing committee members, or a member of our talented NEPGA Staff.

Sincerely,

Mike Bradshaw, PGA

COO/Director of Golf - Kirkbrae CC

NEPGA Education Committee Co-Chairman

TOURNAMENT REPORT

2025 was another successful year for the NEPGA Section tournament program – the season was marked in particular by an increased interest in individual professional tournaments, and a downtick in pro-am participation. Overall, participation was down by about 7% from last year, which indicates a market equalization after 2024’s incredible participation growth of 32% over the previous year. Despite this 7% decrease in this year’s player count, the 2025 season had the second highest participation numbers from the last five years, with 621 more players than the next-highest performing year (2023).

Tour Section remains one of the highest participating Sections on the national level, thanks to our Section Championship having the second-most participants in the country, only behind South Florida. Thanks so much to the 198 NEPGA Professionals who competed at the Bay Club and Kittansett this year, for helping us remain one of the dominant Sections in the country.Our extremely high participation numbers are rewarded with extra sponsor money from the PGA of America, and extra spots in the national PGA Professional Championship for our Members. This year, we were able to send 14 players to the national event, plus Rich Berberian who was exempt. Our Members continued to be extremely supportive of the Senior and Assistant Championships as well, which contributed to us receiving six spots in each national PPC.

Congratulations to all of our major Champions and Players of the Year for 2025! Eddie Kirby once again had a dominant year, claiming the Section Championship, Wogan Player of the Year, and Senior Player of the Year titles, as well as qualifying for the US Senior Open. The NEPGA Senior Championship also had a repeat Champion in Dale Abraham, who played two outstanding rounds at Agawam Hunt.Section newcomer Arthur Griffin took home the hardware from the Assistant Championship at Marshfield CC, making quite the splash in his first year in New England. Liam Friedman’s outstanding play in the Stroke Play Series earned

him the Stroke Play Series season-long Championship, and Ryan Riley is our Assistants Association Player of the Year, following his terrific play in the NEAA Stroke Play events in the spring and fall. Brand new for 2024 was the Cleveland/Srixon Pro-Am Player of the Year race, which was won by Peter Ruymann. The NEPGA Section is incredibly proud of each of these players, who represent the talents of our Section Professionals fantastically!

2025 Tournament Participation by the Numbers: NEPGA Section Tournaments

3382 total players, vs. 3640 last year (7% decrease)

1.2024 saw 32% increase in total participants over 2023 – an unrealistic level of growth in the long term. 2025 participation was still the second highest in the last five years, with 621 more players than the next-highest year (2023).

PPC’s

Section Championship: 198 players, vs. 173 last year (14% increase)

Senior Championship: 75 players, vs. 81 last year (7% decrease)

Assistant Championship: 82 players, vs. 81 last year (about flat)

Stroke Play Series (Regular Season)

461 total players, vs. 400 last year (15% increase)

Pro-Am’s (Local)

1588 total players, vs. 2106 last year (24%decrease)

Two rain-outs and one cancellation (due to unexpected golf course renovation) contributed. Still down approximately 200 rounds in events that were held (that’s an average of 12 players per pro-am). 2025 is still up by 290 rounds over 2023 – market is leveling out, after unusually high increase of 62% from 2023-2024.

Pro-Pro’s

409 players vs. 404 last year (1% increase)

Pro-Assistant up 3% (5 rounds)

Pro-Pro Match Play down 17% (10 players)

Pro-Pro Stroke Play same as last year

Sr/Jr up 78% (22 rounds)

Fall Pro-Pro down 27% (16 rounds)

Future Tournament Outlook

2026 is shaping up to be another great year of competition and camaraderie, with great venues lined up for our major Championships, and others. The Section Championship will take us to Maine, with Portland CC and the Woodlands Club putting their hospitality on display for Section Professionals. The Assistant and Senior Championships will both be returning to some favorite courses from past years – Seniors at Agawam Hunt and Assistants at Alpine CC. Thanks so much to host Professionals Dan Venezio, Jan Murken, Lou Rivers, and Nate Adelson for allowing us to contest our most prestigious events at their wonderful facilities!

While next year’s schedule is about 80% complete, we are in need of some host sites for a few remaining tournaments, mostly in June, July and August. If your course happens to have an open Monday or Tuesday throughout the season, we’d love to talk with you about potentially hosting a Pro-Am or Stroke Play event .We do have limited flexibility in the shoulder seasons if that’s all you have available, so please reach out if you’d like to get your course into the competitive mix in the upcoming season!

As always, the Section is looking to improve our tournament program and offer a bit of novelty to our players. A few new/different things to look forward to in the coming year include the introduction of live/mobile scoring. We’ll be asking all players to help out with entering their scores on a cell phone app as they play, so that other competitors can know where they stand. Live scoring will also help NEPGA staff monitor pace of play, and help the media team keep up with the exciting happenings on the course! We are hopeful that with the cooperation of tournament participants, this new addition will improve our product in several different ways. Another new idea that Section staff is trying to bring to fruition is our first-ever Tournament of Champions. We are shooting for a spring date, for which tournament winners from previous years can qualify Eligibility specifics and a host Club for the event are pending, so stay tuned for more news on that. The last significant change of note is the expansion of the Pro-Am Championship into a two day event. This Championship will be hosted at the Quechee Club in Vermont, and will feature both of their Championship courses. Teams will play 18 holes per day, and will be treated to a great overnight getaway with their top-performing Club members in the mountains of VT.

Thanks so much to all of our loyal tournament players, for always supporting what we do here at the Section. We hope you had a great time playing golf with us this past year, and we can’t wait to see you on the course again in the spring.

CLICK HERE FOR A LOOK AT THE 2026 SCHEDULE!

New England Series (Amateur Tour) Report

The NEPGA is pleased to report another outstanding year for the New England Series, which continued its upward momentum throughout the 2025 season.

Membership figures reached all-time highs in 2025, totaling 617 members and $159,625 in membership revenue, a slight increase of 2 percent from 2024 membership and membership revenue Demand for participation remains high, as 84 prospective members are already on the membership waiting list for 2026. This sustained enthusiasm around the series highlights the value that New England golfers see in its offerings.

NES members enjoyed 33 playing opportunities in 2025 at premier facilities across New England and beyond. 32 of these events were hosted within Section borders, while one special opportunity brought 36 members to the iconic Pinehurst Resort for an unforgettable travel experience. Looking ahead, the travel trend continues into this upcoming offseason. 20 NES members will head to Streamsong Resort in early February for a warm-weather escape and for many, their first golf of the new year.

Thanks to a large majority of inclement weather taking place on weekend days this year, the NES avoided event cancellations and had only one rescheduled date due to weather. As a result, participation levels also reached new heights, with rounds played increasing by 11 percent over 2024 and climbing to a total of 3,100. This growth reflects not only the depth of the schedule but also the strong engagement of our playing community.

The NES also continued to deliver significant economic benefits to its host clubs. In 2025, events totaled $542,852 in course fees directed back to host facilities, alongside an additional $48,600 in pro shop credit distributed to those facilities and golf shops. We extend our

sincere appreciation to each host club for their hospitality, flexibility, and ongoing support. These partnerships remain crucial to the continued success of the New England Series.

With record participation, rising demand, and continued enthusiasm from our members and host facilities, the NES is well positioned for another successful season in 2026. If you and your facility are interested in hosting the New England Series in 2026 or beyond, please contact a member of the New England PGA Tournament Staff!

Sincerely,

Jeff Martin, PGA NEPGA Tournament Chair

CHAPTER REPORTS

MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS

105thSectionChampionship

EdKirby,PGA TheAquidneckClub

Senior Championship

Women’s Championship

Seul-KiHawley,PGA WinchesterCC

Assistants Championship

Arthur Griffin, PGA Eastward Ho!

StrokePlay pionship

fPro-Ass pionship ,PGA(SNHU)& r.,PGA(VesperCC)

mans,PGA& A(TheBayC

Johnnie-OPro-ProMatc Championship

ShawnWarren,PGA(Bate ) MattArvanitis,PGA(SNHU)

ROLEX WOGAN

PLAYER OF THE YEAR &

SENIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Ed Kirby, PGA

The Aquidneck Club

STROKE PLAY SERIES

IN-SEASON POINTS RACE

Liam Friedman, PGA Wollaston GC

2025 AWARD WINNERS

Mike’s leadership and vision have made him a trusted mentor among players and PGA Professionals alike. He has demonstrated how investing in youth golf strengthens clubs and the game overall.

YouthPlayerDevelopment

MikeDugas PGA

Kristy has transformed the golf shop, creating a modern, welcoming experience for members and guests. Her efforts have driven significant sales growth and improved profitability through smart buying strategies.

MerchandiserOTY-Public

KristyGleason PGA

Paul has built a merchandise program blending style, customer service, and business knowledge. He contributes to the broader golf community, building relationships with suppliers, attending merchandise shows, and adapting to trends.

MerchandiserOTYPrivate

PaulTessier,PGA

TeacherOTY

JimmyTirone,PGA

JimFairbanks,PGA

Through his expertise and passion, Jimmy inspires students and fosters a lifelong love of golf. He has transformed instructional programs & reaches the highest levels of the game.

Jim’s innovative programs have encouraged engagement and growth in the game. Through his passion and dedication, he has introduced countless golfers to the sport and strengthened the game in New England.

2025 AWARD WINNERS

SalesRepresentativeOTY

TJ has dedicated himself to the growth and development of his peers, setting a high standard of leadership and mentorship. He has fostered a culture of communication, collaboration, and continuous learning.

Charles exemplifies the best qualities of a PGA professional hardworking, passionate, and committed to growing the game. He mentors aspiring assistants and interns, sharing his expertise and enthusiasm for the game every day.

For more than three decades, Ollie and Dee have set the standard for professionalism, service, and care in the golf industry. They have been trusted partners to countless PGA Professionals across New England, known for their expertise, warmth, and reliability.

ocate for veterans in New , provides equipment, and ame of golf no matter what stage of learning they are in.

Jim has been a steadfast supporter of the New England PGA for decades. His efforts have made countless tournaments and events memorable, while his mentorship and guidance have left a lasting impact on fellow professionals.

2025 AWARD WINNERS

Chris exemplifies dedication and resilience. Always putting others first, Chris cares deeply about his colleagues, the game, and the PGA, maintaining a positive and passionate attitude through adversity.

Allan has dedicated his career to serving fellow PGA Professionals and giving back to the game. His leadership and mentorship has helped many PGA Professionals advance their careers.

ssional Of The Year

ck Sweet, PGA

Zack Sweet’s journey in golf began at age four on a small Par 3 course in Maine, where a family pastime grew into a lifelong passion Over the years, that passion led him to pursue a career as a PGA Professional, shaped by early experiences at Lakewood Golf Course and his long tenure at Cape Cod National, where he has served as an intern, Assistant Professional, and now Head Golf Professional

Sweet’s career reflects hard work, leadership, and a deep commitment to mentorship. For eight years as Head Professional at Cape Cod National, he has fostered a culture of growth and positivity, leading by example and inspiring both staff and members He credits his success to the many mentors who guided him from his parents to influential figures throughout his education and career and takes pride in helping others advance, including assistants who have gone on to earn their own Head Professional roles.

Honored and humbled to be recognized as Golf Professional of the Year, Sweet views the award as a tribute to the colleagues, mentors, and community who have supported him. With the continued support of his wife, Kelsey, and his family, he remains driven by a passion for the game and the opportunity to make a lasting impact on golfers and fellow professionals alike.

2025 NEPGA NEW BUSINESS FORM

NewBusinessis definedas anyitemwhichrequires anaction or responsefrom theBoard of Directors.Please summarize yournewbusinessitem usingthe formbelow and submit by Friday, November 28th.

NEPGA Annual Meeting

November 4th, 2024

Blue Hill Country Club - Canton, MA

M I N U T E S

Officers/Dir. Present:Chip Johnson, PGA – President

Joanne Flynn, PGA – Vice President

Brendan Walsh, PGA - Secretary

Mike Bradshaw, PGA – Honorary President

Mark Aldrich, PGA - Massachusetts

Chris Carpenter, PGA - Massachusetts

Ben Egan, PGA - Cape Cod

Cory Mansfield, PGA - New Hampshire

Jeff Martin, PGA - Massachusetts

Jim Remy, PGA - Senior Association

Don Roberts, PGA - Maine

Special Guests:David Wilson, PGA – PGA Employment Consultant

Larry Kelley, PGA - District 1 Director

Rob Jarvis, PGA – Foundation President

Brian Bain, PGA – Regional League Manager

Staff In Attendance:Michael Higgins – Executive Director

Chris Clayton – Director of Operations

Brianna Sovring – Director of Junior Golf & Player Development

Casey Litwack – Director of Tournament Operations

Joan Stuart – Director of Accounting & Finance

Max Doctoroff, PGA – Director of Rules & Competition

Michael Packard, PGA – Director of PGA REACH New England

Lauren Neilan – Director of Marketing & Communications

Lily Oksanen - Membership & Communications Manager

Chad Eades - PGA REACH Program Manager

Hannah Corso - PGA WORKS Fellow

Call to Order

President Chip Johnson, PGA calls the meeting to order at 9:03am.

President Johnson welcomes everyone to the meeting and thanks Blue Hill Country Club for being such a gracious host.

Before starting the meeting, Johnson asks that those in attendance rise for the playing of our National Anthem. Upon completion, Johnson then asks everyone to remain standing to observe a moment of silence for New England PGA members who have passed away this year

Johnson notes that the previous Annual Meeting minutes were distributed to all New England PGA members via e-mail and are available in the 2024 Annual Report. Johnson then asks for a motion to approve the previous minutes

A motion was properly made to approve the minutes from the previous meeting by Section Vice President, Joanne Flynn, PGA The motion was seconded by Benjamin Egan, PGA and passed unanimously

Roll Call

Johnson notes that the role call was performed via the sign-in sheet at the registration table Johnson reminds those that have not signed in to do so in order to receive credits towards professional development requirements

Housekeeping

Before beginning his report, President Johnson discusses a few housekeeping items First, Johnson notes that if anyone would like to submit a new business item, forms were emailed prior to the meeting and were available at registration. Johnson reminds attendees that new business constitutes any item which requires an action from the Board of Directors Johnson notes that Section Staff can also provide new business forms for anyone that wishes to submit one while at the meeting

Johnson provides recognition for special attendees. Johnson notes there are many past presidents & Hall of Fame members in the audience Johnson asks them all to stand and be recognized Johnson also thanks the Board of Directors for their hard work throughout the season. Johnson notes that the Board of Directors have met many times and appreciates their dedication Lastly, Johnson thanks the Section Staff for their continued efforts to make our Section the best it can be Johnson asks those in attendance for a round of applause for Section Staff members.

Before proceeding with the President’s report, Johnson begins the playing of a recap video of the 2024 season and all the New England Section and Foundation’s programs. This video highlights all of the efforts put forth by Section Staff & PGA Professionals throughout the year

President’s Report

President Johnson begins sharing his excitement for what is upcoming as his first year in the Presidency role comes to a close Johnson ensures that leadership and staff are well underway in the preparations for 2025, and is pleased to share some updates from what transpired in 2024. Johnson shares that at the 2023 strategic planning session, three areas were identified to serve as beacons for 2024 and beyond. These North Stars were the members, the business, and the game.

Members - we focused on sharing all the amazing things that our PGA Professionals do daily We shared and promoted all the amazing work being done by members through our many communication vehicles We also focused on providing programs, education, services and events requested by the membership Through listening, we will continue to provide the things our members want and need.

Game - The pandemic positioned PGA Professionals to be in a unique position to engage golfers like never before by continuing to grow the game, engaging latent golfers and keeping the excitement level strong In addition to growing the game, our focus is to also provide quality tournaments for our PGA Professionals and the golfing public.

Business - The New England PGA continues to be a thriving business, focusing on creating revenue generating programs such as the New England Series, the Junior Tour and sponsor partnerships All of these allow us to fund member programs and provide the services our membership needs Our goal is to create a business model that will position the Section, and future leadership and staff for many years to come.

Johnson also provides insight into another successful year for the Foundation. We had a record year on our Junior Tour, which will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025 PGA Junior League in New England continues to lead the way, and our fundraising efforts continue to be on the rise. We also impacted the largest number of Veterans to date since the beginning of our HOPE program

Johnson noted another successful tournament season, which included great participation, stellar competition and increased partnerships, which were all highlights of the 2024 season We introduced new events and crowned some terrific champions. When we look at the participation of our PGA Professionals in tournaments, there are days with active chapter events where over 250 different NEPGA professionals will be participating. Johnson thanks everyone who supported these many events

Johnson closes on a personal note, stating he chose to get involved with Section leadership in an effort to give back to the members and Association which has given so much to him. Johnson encourages others to raise their hand to serve, as it is a tremendously rewarding experience Johnson wishes everyone a safe and healthy holiday season.

Vice President Report

Flynn shares that it has been an amazing first year serving as Vice President. She believes it is truly inspiring to work alongside so many talented individuals in the board room Flynn notes overseeing the finances is an important role and one that is taken very seriously Flynn adds those on the Finance Committee are a solid and diverse group that help produce the annual budget for the Section and Foundation

Flynn reports it was a successful season in 2024. Leadership and staff have worked hard to manage expenses, create new revenue streams and redirect funds directly back to member services. Flynn adds that year to date (9.30.24), both Section and Foundation revenue totals are at $4 5 million and expenses total just over $3 8 million There are significant expenses to be settled in relation to the Vegas Pro-Am which will close the gap between the two Flynn continues noting a significant portion of revenue is driven by our fundraising efforts and amazing programs such as PGA Hope, Scholarships, Junior Golf and the New England Series

Flynn shares her appreciation for the many partners who provide continued commitment to our Section Flynn adds the Section Staff has done a tremendous job procuring new partners as well as retaining longstanding ones. Flynn requests our members to reach out to these partners to share their appreciation These notes go a very long way in retaining partnerships

Flynn continues with an update on the NEPGA Headquarters, as we have now completed our second full year in the building Owning the building outright has allowed us to further understand and manage our expenses, which factors directly into a solid bottom line. Flynn implores those who have not visited to do so this off-season to see the home of our PGA Professionals

Flynn encourages those in the room to attend the Executive Management Conference coming later in the month of November No matter how far along you are in your career, or how long you have worked at your current facility, it is never too late to make yourself better, and this is an excellent opportunity to do so Flynn adds it is an amazing lineup of speakers and everyone can take something away from this day

Flynn concludes by thanking those in attendance for their continued commitment to the game of golf, and what each person does daily to make it the most enjoyable game in the world These efforts have impacts for generations to come. Flynn asks everyone to please continue to use the New England PGA and the PGA of America to make themselves and their facility the best it can possibly be

Secretary Report

President Johnson calls Secretary Brendan Walsh, PGA to the podium to deliver his Secretary Report.

Secretary Walsh thanks everyone for taking the time to attend the meeting Walsh shares his hope Section members will enjoy some time with family and friends throughout the holiday season as the long season begins to wind down Secretary Walsh also reminds attendees to sign-in if they have not already Walsh provides the following membership information in his report:

The New England Section currently has 1,170 Professionals

918 Class A Members

252 Associates

14 currently suspended, which is below the national average

781 Facilities in the Section, 414 of which are staffed by a PGA Professional (53%)

8th Largest Section in the Country

Walsh encourages fellow members to reach out to any Associates they know who might be struggling to become active Walsh adds that he or any member of the Membership Committee are also happy to help if anyone reaches out. Walsh adds the large rise in Associates is a great sign for our industry and the key is now to help get them through the program, assist them in mentorship and advancement areas, and provide them as many tools as possible to be successful.

Walsh congratulates 20 individuals who completed the task of becoming a PGA Member:

Eric J Aguiar, PGA

Thomas F. Ankiewicz, PGA

Kolten A Bauer, PGA

Timothy J. Corrigan, PGA

Colin A Davis, PGA

Cameron M. DiCarlo, PGA

Evan E Guillemette, PGA

Andrew T. Johnson, PGA

Jack L Kamsickas, PGA

Cameron D Martin, PGA

Grace E McKinnon, PGA

Andrew T Miller, PGA

Carter Odegard, PGA

Tyler J Piekarski, PGA

Samuel L Reed, PGA

Rodney J Soares, PGA

Ryan C Walker, PGA

Loren J Wiley, PGA

Kyra R Woods, PGA

Tobias M Young, PGA

Walsh congratulates 14 PGA Professionals who joined the PGA of America Quarter-Century Club in 2024:

Brian M Bain, PGA

Allan J Belden, PGA

Christopher R. Carter, PGA

Peter J Collins, PGA

William D. Cunningham, PGA

Peiter K DeVos, PGA

Thomas R. Gillis, PGA

Robert V Hardy, PGA

Alexander K. Kirk, PGA

Anthony J Lauro, PGA

Lee P. McGinnis, PGA

James D Pollini, PGA

Stephen C. Ventre, PGA

Greg L Yeomans, PGA

Congratulates 5 PGA Professionals who joined the PGA of America Half-Century Club in 2024:

Tom Hanifan, PGA

Jay Morelli, PGA

Michael Mullavey, PGA (deceased)

John Scheffler, PGA

Thomas J. Shea Jr., PGA

Walsh reminds everyone of the upcoming PDR deadline of June 15th, 2025. Walsh notes (54) total credits are required, with (30) coming from Education and/or Specified Player Engagement programs, as well as (6) coming meeting and/or national surveys.

Walsh shares that 472 Members are still at a deficit for this cycle and we need to continue to work to meet the requirements as soon as possible. Walsh adds that off the 472 Members in a deficit, 88 are just one to ten credits away from completion

Walsh reminds Members of the upcoming opportunities provided by both the Section and the PGA of America for PDR completion The Section will be hosting an Executive Management Conference in late November. The Section will also be continuing the popular Empower Hour series that will continue through the Winter months The Section is also planning to administer a rules of golf workshop, teaching and coaching summit, and PGA specialized certification seminar. Additionally, Secretary Walsh encourages participation in the PGA Merchandise Show Jan 21-2024, 2025

Lastly, Walsh informs the membership that Eric Eshleman, PGA was elected the PGA of America Secretary at the annual meeting Walsh notes the New England Section endorsed Eshleman with its votes and we are excited to have Eshleman in the role with the National Board of Directors going forward

Executive Director Report

Higgins started by stating this November 4, 2024 is his 5,421 day serving as the Executive Director, and there is still no place he would rather be He reflected on how far the New England Section has come and he attributes it to the amazing support of our PGA of America Professionals.

Higgins reviewed the success of the season and spoke about how we remained focused on our North Stars - The Member, The Game and The Business Member satisfaction and retention is paramount and our team made the promotion of our PGA Professionals through marketing/communication a priority We also improved consumer awareness of our PGA Professionals as players and experts in the game.

Higgins said that the current state of the NEPGA is very strong and the board remained focused on our business to ensure long range success of the Section. We reviewed all programs, reallocated investments in higher yielding, safe products, identified possible future threats, concentrated on retaining current and future staff and examined new revenue opportunities

Higgins thanked Chapter & Section leadership, committee volunteers, host PGA Professionals, event participants/supporters and of course the NEPGA Staff for all their efforts

Please join me in thanking the New England PGA team for their dedicated efforts in support of the Section and Chapters It is my pleasure to work with the following talented individuals:

•Chris Clayton, Director of Tournament Operations

•Hannah Corso, PGA Works Fellow

•Justin Del Bianco, Tournament Operations Manager – Vermont

•Max Doctoroff, PGA, Director of Rules and Competition

•Chad Eades, PGA Reach New England Program Manager

•Casey Litwack, Tournament Director

•Brianna Sovring Moesch, Junior Golf & Player Development Manager

•Tim Murphy, Tournament Manager

•Lauren Neilan, Marketing and Communications Director

•Lily Oksanen, Membership and Communications Manager

•Michael Packard, PGA, Director PGA Reach New England

•Mike Serijan, Cape Cod Junior Tour Administrator

•David Soucy, PGA, Tournament Operations Manager - Maine

•Joan Stuart, Director of Accounting and Finance

•Tony Zdunko, PGA, Tournament Operations Manager – New Hampshire

Education

The New England Section continues our commitment to provide educational program offerings that emphasize personal and professional development This is an important part of our North Stars strategic vision for the member. The Education Committee continues to focus on providing quality education in the categories of: Instruction/Merchandising/Personal Wellness/Golf Operations/Career Development

Section Meetings and Seminars remain the solid vehicles to provide education, and the NEPGA Empower Hour continues to bring quality education right to PGA Professionals on a weekly basis Each Thursday starting in October and continuing through March, these weekly seminars bring content to our section professionals

Member Services

We are thrilled to report a slight increase in our membership through an increase in the number of Associates and new members This growth is a testament to the excellent work done by our membership committee and the value our organization provides to golf professionals and golfers in the New England region The goal of the Section’s administrative staff is to provide you with outstanding customer service, while assisting you with your professional needs.

Employment & Facility Relations

Employment continues to be a major focus of the New England Section, and the next few months are always extremely busy Our goal and focus are to provide advice and counsel to golf professionals, employers, and facilities in all employment related areas Everyone is hopefully familiar with the Career Services section on pga org, but the Section continues to populate our employment page on www.nepga.com.

Governance

The New England PGA Board of Directors meet regularly to evaluate the issues before the Section There is regular communication between the Board and staff on a consistent basis. The Chapter leaders also work closely with the Staff and Section leaders to improve communication and programing in their chapters The engagement of Chapter Leadership will hopefully create a feeder system of future Section leaders

Partners & Business Development

The New England PGA is so grateful for the support and commitment by our many partners Their support allows our programs to be some of the strongest in the country. These relationships with our partners allow us to maintain our high-quality programs and services Higgins is always amazed by the number of partners who want to be associated with the NEPGA.

Foundation

The New England PGA Foundation (PGA Reach New England) had a very impressive 2024 Volunteering, fundraising, and programing all saw a significant increase and I encourage you to read the Foundation Report to become inspired and see where you can become involved

Finance

The Section Finance Committee collaborates with Section leadership and staff to produce our annual budget Monthly financial reports are distributed to the Board of Directors with an evaluation of income and expenses related to budgeted projections The Board of Directors and staff continue to do an excellent job of managing the business and financial operation of the Section, and the New England PGA continues to be in a very healthy and secure financial position

Tournaments

Our tournament department continues to be one of the most active in the country. The quality of the Section’s professional tournament program ranks among the elite at the section level Our highly skilled and motivated staff, along with the insightful and supportive leadership, has fostered an environment that allows for increased sponsor revenue and a desire for our top facilities to host major events

Higgins expressed how much of an honor it is to serve as the Executive Director of the New England Section His fourteen seasons in this position have flown by, and he still gets as excited to go to work every day. He once again thanked everyone for their support and wished everyone a safe and relaxing off season

President Johnson Fireside Chat with Ted Donato

The Head Men’s Hockey Coach at Harvard University joined President Johnson for a fireside chat discussing the importance of leadership, motivation and mentorship

Donato provided insights from his 20 years as Head Coach. He described his leadership style and how he utilizes it to keep his team motivated Donato discussed managing the highs and lows of the hockey season and how to utilize each as building blocks to bring a team together rather than let them potentially fall apart

Donato also discussed the fine line of being the head coach but also a mentor to younger individuals He noted that handling each player’s personality is unique and you have to treat each individual on a case by case basis at a personal level before having success with them as a player on the ice.

Donato noted that many of these practices with his players can directly correlate to PGA Professionals being leaders to their team and fellow employees at their facility.

Foundation Report

Michael Packard, PGA, Director of PGA Reach NE provides the Foundation report for the Annual Meeting

Packard is privileged to share the remarkable impact the Foundation has made over the past year. Packard notes the Foundation is committed to positively impacting lives through the game of golf and we continue to build on our three pillars - Inclusion, Veterans, and Youth Development. Packard adds we have expanded access to many of our programs and deepened the connections to the communities we serve

Packard reports expansion in the Junior golf programs during the 2024 season. A record number of juniors joined membership of our Junior Tour, and event participation increased year over year Additionally, our PGA Junior League continued to expand even as a leader nationwide.

Packard adds (15) unique scholarships are available via our Foundation In 2024, $104k was awarded in scholarships This marks the third consecutive year eclipsing $100k in scholarships, and this provided (58) unique students with financial aid

Packard notes the Foundation continued to prioritize diversity and inclusion in its programs This was spotlighted by the 3rd annual Women’s Networking Summit which drew over 125 female attendees, as well as the inaugural Women’s Networking Series which offered 30 spots at four different locations for networking and on-course instruction. Additionally, the Foundation continued its Camp Reach, Special Olympics Drive, Chip & Putt, and MIT clinic initiatives Each of these saw increases in participation year over year.

Packard continues providing an update on PGA HOPE, which surpassed its high-water mark in 2024 This season saw 25 programs hosted at 22 unique facilities, which served over 425 Veterans In conjunction, over 60 PGA Professionals trained to provide this recreational therapy and instruction Similarly, Operation Play Days (OPD) continued its success with 8 host sites, 318 rounds of golf, and 175 unique Veteran participants.

Packard excitedly shares that a significant increase in fundraising led directly to creating more opportunities within all of the Foundation programs. The Foundation’s most notable fundraisers, the Rounds for Reach auction and Birdies 2 Benefit, each saw increased success, and over $300k raised between the two

In closing, Packard shares his gratitude to each of the PGA Professionals who offered their unwavering support to the many Foundation programs throughout the season Packard is excited to continue the success and is encouraged by the many new opportunities in the near future.

Outgoing Directors & Swearing in of new Directors

Chip Johnson thanked the outgoing Massachusetts Chapter director, Mark Aldrich, PGA, of Whitinsville GC

Johnson then swore in the new District Director: Joanna Krupa, PGA of Fresh Pond Johnson also swore in Ben Egan, PGA & Don Roberts, PGA for their next terms as District Directors.

Past Presidents Plaque Presentation

President Johnson then acknowledged all of our Section’s Past Presidents with a special commemorative plaque.The Plaque reads: In appreciation of your dedicated service as a President of ourAssociation.

New Business

President Johnson opened the floor to new business. None was submitted.

Committee Thank You

President Johnson then acknowledged and thanked the committees and their leaders

Open Forum

President Johnson opened the floor to the Open Forum - during Open Forum you may publicly thank fellow professionals, make them aware of upcoming opportunities or say whatever is on your mind. President Keane of the New EnglandAssistants’Association reminded all the attendees of the new exciting events and programs the NEAAhas put together for the upcoming year Keane encourages anyAssistants orAssociates in attendance to get involved and participate in some of these events Keane also encourages Professionals in the room who have anAssistant orAssociate on their staff to let them participate in these opportunities

Special Awards Committee Report

Awards Chairman and Honorary President, Mike Bradshaw, PGA explained the Awards Process and shared a QR code for attendees to scan and submit nominations

Close Meeting

President Johnson made closing remarks and moved to adjourn the 2024 Fall meeting. The motion was seconded, and the meeting was adjourned