Stonehouse Wins CPGA Club Professional Award
Acton,
ON (January 22, 2003) The Canadian PGA today proudly unveiled its list of
national award recipients for the year 2002 with the honour roll stretching from
Kelowna, BC to Baddeck, Nova Scotia.
Each year, the Canadian PGA invites nominations from its 3,000 members across
the country and recognizes winners in four categories, Club Professional,
Teaching Professional, Merchandiser and Junior Leader. The awards will be
officially presented at ceremonies later this year.
"These awards exemplify the qualities and innovation golf professionals aspire
to from coast to coast," said Danielle O'Rourke, Executive Director of the
Canadian PGA. "The quality of candidates made for some difficult choices and all
nominees should be proud of their achievements."
Club Professional Award
Ted Stonehouse, Head Professional and General Manager at the Bell Bay Golf Club
in Baddeck, Nova Scotia is the winner of the Canadian PGA Club Professional
Award.
"I'm absolutely blown away," said Stonehouse. "This has got to be the biggest
honour I've ever experienced."
Club Professional nominees are judged on a wide array of criteria ranging from
business operation at their own golf club to promotion of the game and playing
ability.
Stonehouse credits his emphasis on customer service and professionalism as
cornerstones to his success.
"Ensuring the highest quality customer service to make sure your guests enjoy
themselves is everything," said Stonehouse. My staff and myself are very mindful
that we are representing our course or our Association so we always look and act
as professionally as possible."
Growing up in Ontario, Stonehouse took up the game at 11 years of age and worked
under several top professionals like Tom Aird (Maples of Ballantrae), Bob
Kennedy (Sleepy Hollow), and Leon Decaire (Spring Lakes) before signing on to a
golf scholarship at Southern Wesleyan University in central South Carolina.
Stonehouse joined the Canadian PGA in 1994 and worked at Granite Springs and
Ashburn Golf Clubs in Nova Scotia before joining Bell Bay in 1999. Under his
leadership, Bell Bay has hosted numerous high profile tournaments, like the
Wayne Gretzky and Friends event, and has prospered through key community
partnerships established by Stonehouse.
Teaching Professional of the Year
Dean Spriddle, Head Professional at the Evergreen Golf Centre in Lethbridge, AB
is the Canadian PGA Teaching Professional of the Year.
"This is icing on the cake for someone in my profession," said Spriddle. "I take
what I do very seriously so this is quite an honour."
Teaching Professional nominees are judged on a wide array of criteria ranging
from innovative teaching techniques to instructional articles, videos or
promotions.
Spriddle provided more than 500 lessons to over 250 clients in 2002. He is a
contributing writer to the Lethbridge Herald and maintains a strong playing
ability as witnessed by his 8th place finish at the 2002 Canadian PGA Club
Professional Championship.
Spriddle was born in England but grew up in and around the birthplace of golf,
St. Andrews, Scotland. He is a three-time winner of the Alberta PGA Teaching
Professional of the Year Award and serves as the National Coach to the Canadian
Ladies Golf Association. He is a graduate of the University of British Columbia
where he earned a Masters of Physical Education and majored in Coaching Science.
He joined the Canadian PGA in 1993 as a Tournament Professional and then moved
on to jobs at the Henderson Lake Golf Club and Evergreen Golf Centre, both
located in Lethbridge.
"I was the leading money spender on the Canadian Tour," Spriddle joked about his
decision to concentrate on teaching golf rather than staying on Tour.
His teaching philosophy is a mixture of styles and information he has absorbed
from other teachers.
"I find something good in everybody, from David Leadbetter for his ability to
communicate to our local guys," said Spriddle.
"I live vicariously through the success of my students now," explained Spriddle.
"One of my first students, Mike Mezei of Lethbridge is currently one of the top
ranked amateurs in Canada."
Merchandiser of the Year
Peter Hopley, Head Professional at Gallaghers Canyon Golf & Country Club in
Kelowna, BC is the Canadian PGA Merchandiser of the Year.
Merchandiser nominees are judged on a wide array of criteria ranging from
merchandising philosophy to Pro Shop layout and display techniques.
Hopley's merchandising philosophy revolves around three words, stop, look and
buy.
"We try to be visually attractive to potential customers," explained Hopley. "We
recognize that the appeal to the customer's sense of sight is more important in
establishing a positive image of our shop than the appeal to any other senses."
Now into his 7th season at Gallagher's Canyon, Hopley has increased sales by an
average of 9.7% each year.
It's the third year in a row that the nominee from British Columbia has won the
Merchandiser of the Year Award. Marc McAndrews, Head Professional at the Mount
Brenton Golf Club on Vancouver Island was the 2000 recipient while Dave Hodgson,
then Executive Professional at Chateau Whistler Golf Club in Whistler, B.C.
captured the honour in 2001.
Junior Leader of the Year
Sam Young, Head Professional at the Shelburne Golf Club in Shelburne, Ontario is
the Canadian PGA Junior Leader of the Year.
Junior Leader nominees are judged on a wide array of criteria ranging from
contributions to the development of junior golf to leadership, inspiration and
promotion of the game.
Young organized the first interclub Junior Tour in his area in 1989 that led to
the formation of the 7-event Future Masters Tour, which he now serves as
commissioner. He is the sole teaching professional at Shelburne Golf Club that
includes a contingent of more than 100 juniors. He has modified his golf course
to include forward tees for golfers as young as 6 years old and converted the
old driving range to a three-hole layout that is open to Juniors. An innovative
golf club leasing program is also in place that provides juniors with
appropriate size clubs with a double-strapped bag for $35 a season.
Young joined the Canadian PGA in 1961 and has been active off the course as
well, serving terms as President of both the Canadian PGA and Ontario PGA.
The Canadian Professional Golfers' Association is a non-profit Association
comprised of approximately 3,000 golf professionals across the country.
