The PGA of BC is proud to acknowledge its Top 100 Golf Professionals of 2018, as determined by the Association’s Professional Development Program presented by Sunice and Bobby Jones.
The Professional Development Program (PDP) is an annual Order of Merit designed to recognize PGA of BC members who make outstanding contributions to the Association, their communities, the province’s golf industry and, mostly importantly, themselves. Through participation in continuing education, competitions, the PGA of BC Awards Program, annual Buying Show and various forms of volunteerism, the PDP provides an equal avenue to showcase strengths of the diverse membership.
“Sunice and Bobby Jones proudly support the Professional Development Program, as we feel it is important to acknowledge individuals working to elevate the overall profile of PGA of BC Professionals and who are actively involved in service to the Association,” said Stephen Graham, British Columbia sales representative for Sunice and Bobby Jones.
“The Top 100 Golf Professionals of 2018 are once again an impressive group of individuals demonstrating key qualities such as leadership, professionalism and dedication to their craft.”
Additionally, the PGA of BC is pleased to name Matthew Palsenbarg (The Tour LAB @ Northview) the winner of the 2018 PDP Order of Merit.
Palsenbarg collected a record total of 137 PDP points throughout 2018, which were 21 more than any other PGA of BC Professional over the course of the year. The 37-year-old has come close to topping the PDP Order of Merit in the past – finishing second in 2013 and third in 2016 – but a busy year for the Head Teaching Professional on a number of fronts helped him maintain a significant lead for most of the 2018 season.
Palsenbarg developed and presented the results of a membership-wide survey on the golf-instruction industry in the province, and continued his pursuit of extensive continued education beyond the Association’s own offerings. He was the Lower Mainland’s regional recipient for the PGA of BC Coach of the Year and Professional Development awards, and was also presented with the PGA of BC Dunc Sutherland Distinguished Service Award. As well, Palsenbarg earned nearly the maximum amount of points available for tournament participation at the regional, zone and national levels, earning some impressive results along the way: a win at the PGA of BC Tournament of Champions and runner-up results at the PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada and the PGA of BC Pro-Assistant Championship among them.
“Leading the Professional Development Program Order of Merit for 2018 is a great honour and an achievement I am proud to realize,” said Palsenbarg. “It’s my belief that Golf Professionals have a responsibility to continue learning and evolving to better serve their patrons, students and the golf community as a whole. The Professional Development Program is a great initiative that encourages my colleagues and I to remain committed to career growth.
“Hats off to all PGA of BC Professionals for their ongoing efforts to expand their knowledge and hone their skills to benefit our sport.”
Talking Rock Golf Course Head Professional Adam Blair earned 116 points on the year, edging Hi-Knoll Golf Centre Head Teaching Professional Gordon Mink for second place in the PDP standings by a single point. Blair’s finish represents his third consecutive year in the Order of Merit’s top three, while Mink improved upon his fourth-place standing from 2017. Bill Kelly (Glacier Greens Golf Club, 106 points) and Brian Schaal (Copper Point Golf Club, 105 points) rounded out the top five.
Thanks in large part to the support of Sunice and Bobby Jones, a total bursary purse of $6,400 will be divided among those finishing among the top 10, providing financial opportunity to pursue further professional development and education. The PGA of BC is pleased to announce that Sunice and Bobby Jones have committed to continuing as presenting sponsor of the Professional Development Program in 2019. Congratulations to the PGA of BC’s Top 100 Professionals of 2018, listed below with facility affiliations from the past year:
| Shingo Akizuki Mayfair Lakes G&CC  Norman Baufeld GolfTEC Vancouver  Lindsay Bernakevitch Victoria GC  Dennis Bradley Copper Point GC  Conor Carnall St. Eugene Golf Resort & Casino  Jeff Dinn Fairwinds GC  Justin Ford Bear Mountain Resort Community  Jason Giesbrecht Royal Colwood GC  Nathan Grieve Talking Rock GC  Leila Harman Morgan Creek Golf Course  Cailean Hourigan Bear Mountain Resort Community  Myles Johnson Spallumcheen G&CC  Jason Jurimae Gallagher’s Canyon G&CC  Mark Kitts Shadow Ridge GC  Dean Kuntz The Vancouver GC Colin Lavers Seymour G&CC  Danny Long Tsawwassen Springs GC  Vaughn Marshall Shaughnessy G&CC  Luke McKenzie Eaglequest GC at Coquitlam  Doug Morgan Richmond CC  Graham Ogden Richmond CC  Alan Palmer Shaughnessy G&CC  Bryn Parry Point Grey G&CC  Lee Ranger The Okanagan GC  Cory Renfrew University of British Columbia  Dale Schienbein Seymour G&CC  John Shin The Tour LAB @ Northview  Matt Steinbach Simon Fraser University  Kevin Stinson Cheam Mountain GC  Cindy Soukoroff St. Eugene Golf Resort & Casino  Michael Thompson Shaughnessy G&CC  Kate Weir Burnaby Mountain GC  Arlen Wocknitz Victoria GC  Jayme Young Arbutus Ridge GC | Lee Alarie Gallagher’s Canyon G&CC  Zach Belitsky Shaughnessy G&CC  Mark Bicknell Victoria GC  Arthur Brown Arbutus Ridge GC  Jesse Crowe Salmon Arm GC  Cory Draper Capilano G&CC  Justin Fram Victoria GC  Grant Gray PGA of British Columbia  Tyrel Griffith Black Mountain GC  Mike Heenan The Vancouver GC  Alec Hubert Kamloops G&CC  Philip Jonas Philip Jonas Golf Academy  Jonathan Kadin Nielsen Agencies  Scott Kolb Victoria GC  Patrick Lago Westwood Plateau Golf Academy Steve Liddicoat University GC  Brice MacDermott Kamloops G&CC  Scott McClain Copper Point GC  Chris Medford St. Eugene Golf Resort & Casino  David Munn Talking Rock GC  Padraic O’Rourke The Fairmont Chateau Whistler GC  Jeff Palmer Highland Pacific Golf  Greg Pool Capilano G&CC  Jordan Ray unaffiliated  Jordan Rourke The Fairmont Chateau Whistler GC  Drew Scollon Point Grey G&CC  Jared Siminoff Point Grey G&CC  Jamie Stevens Kelowna G&CC  Harris Stoneman Talking Rock GC  Rob Tadey Fairview Mountain GC  Oliver Tubb University GC  Tim Wilson Shaughnessy G&CC Stephanie Wong Point Grey G&CC  Ashley Zibrik Shaughnessy G&CC | Rob Anderson Kelowna G&CC  Andrew Bentley Kamloops G&CC  Adam Blair Talking Rock GC  Jeff Buder McCleery GC  Mike Cyndroski Richmond CC  Tom Flockhart McCleery GC  Andy Garcia Tsawwassen Springs GC  Jennifer Greggain Chilliwack GC  Andy Hajer Arbutus Ridge GC  Gina Hosie Victoria GC  Jeremy Johnson Fairmont Hot Springs Resort  Simon Jones Kimberley GC  Bill Kelly Glacier Greens GC  Conner Kozak The Okanagan GC  Russ Latimer Black Mountain GC Mark Lindsay Nielsen Agencies  Clark MacPherson Point Grey G&CC  Brian McDonald Fairview Mountain GC  Gordon Mink Hi-Knoll Golf Centre  Daniel Naismith The Tour LAB @ Northview  Derek Orr Victoria GC  Matthew Palsenbarg The Tour LAB @ Northview  James Presnail Shadow Ridge GC  Warren Reeves Highland Pacific Golf  Brian Schaal Copper Point GC  Chad Scott The Rise GC  Randy Smith The Vancouver GC  Branden Stewart PGA of British Columbia  Mark Strong Richmond CC  Mark Thirtle Capilano G&CC  Michael Van Horne The Rise GC  Brian Wise Glacier Greens GC Daniel Yoon Richmond CC  Dave Zibrik Point Grey G&CC |
