Section and Chapter Awards

The highest honor paid to a Gulf States PGA Professional. The following guidelines are used to determine nominees for this prestigious award:

•  Overall performance as a golf professional at his/her facility.
•  Level of service to the Section and Association.
•  Leadership ability.
•  Image and the ability to inspire fellow professionals.
•  Promotion of golf

Previous Winners

The Patriot Award is presented to a PGA Professional who personifies patriotism through the game of golf and demonstrates unwavering commitment and dedication to the men and women who have valiantly served and protected the United States of America.

The Patriot Award Guidelines:

• Contributions and support to the United States Armed Forces and its Activity Duty personnel and veterans.
• Proven interest, concern, and ability to provide opportunities and experience for active-duty personnel and veterans to learn and play golf.
• Demonstration and acknowledgment as an individual of outstanding leadership and strong moral character.

Previous Winners

This award is presented to those Gulf States PGA Members who by their day-to-day efforts have distinguished themselves in the field of Club Relations, causing dramatic improvements in employment condition in the Section and/or the PGA of America.

The guidelines for this award include:

• Length of service as a chairperson, committee member or worker on club relations and employment, or as a resource person in these areas
• Length of activity, i.e. number of calls made to golf facilities, contacts with professionals, employees on employment matters, etc
• Involvement in education efforts relating to club relations and employment by either writing or speaking on a Sectional or National basis.
• Involvement in the development of data and statistics, materials or programs used either Sectional or Nationally on club relations and employment activities.

Previous Winners

This award is designed to recognize individual golf professionals for their outstanding and continuing contributions in developing and improving education opportunities for Gulf States PGA professionals.

The guidelines for this award include:

• Contributions to the Section and National PGA Education program
• Contributions and assistance toward the development of articles which benefit and relate to education.
• Building the image of the PGA professional and the Association

Previous Winners

Designed to give special recognition to a Gulf States PGA professional who has performed outstanding services as a golf instructor. With golf instruction as a cornerstone of the PGA professional, this award is representative of a highly trained, highly skilled individual.

Criteria to be considered are:

• Overall performance as a golf instructor at his/her facility
• Level of service to Section and Association
• Leadership ability
• Image and the ability to inspire fellow professionals
• Promotion of golf
• Use of teaching aids and the ability to illustrate their effectiveness
• Techniques for teaching small and large groups
• Articles written for publication in books and magazines
• Commitment to self-improvement in the area of instruction

Previous Winners

The Player Development Award is designed to recognize a PGA Professional for extraordinary and exemplary contributions and achievements in the area of player development. This award considers the PGA Professional’s growth of the game leadership commitment at the Section and National levels and the impact made at the facility.

Formerly the President’s Plaque Award

• Contributions to Section and National Play Golf America initiatives.
• Quantity, quality and diversity of player development programs.
• Use of Play Golf America tools and resources.
• Quality of best practices, including uniqueness of ideas, increase in rounds / revenues, retention and customer satisfaction.
• Inspiration of fellow PGA Professionals in the area of player development.

Previous Winners

This award is designed to pay recognition to a Gulf States PGA professional who is a leader in junior golf, reflects the qualities and ideals of those who work with our nation’s youth. This person provides opportunities and experiences for juniors to learn and play better golf.

The guidelines for this award include:

• Contributions to junior programs in the Section
• Involvement in and promotion of developing junior golf at his/her facility and also within the community
• Support the PGA junior golf programs
• Overall integrity as an individual and acceptance by junior golfers

Previous Winners

This award recognizes those Gulf States PGA professionals who have demonstrated superior skills as merchandisers in the promotion of golf. The award is given for excellence in golf shop operations in three categories: Private, Resort, and Public/Military/Semi-Private.

The candidates are judged in the following areas:

• Merchandising ability and techniques
• Inventory levels and turn rate
• Shop Display
• Attention to detail

The guidelines for this award include:

• PGA Member in good standing
• Credit rating within the industry and overall credit rating
• Community involvement
• Involvement in the development of data and statistics, materials or programs used either Sectional or Nationally on club relations and employment activities.

Previous Winners

This award recognizes those Gulf States PGA professionals who have demonstrated superior skills as merchandisers in the promotion of golf. The award is given for excellence in golf shop operations in three categories: Private, Resort, and Public/Military/Semi-Private.

The candidates are judged in the following areas:

• Merchandising ability and techniques
• Inventory levels and turn rate
• Shop Display
• Attention to detail

The guidelines for this award include:

• PGA Member in good standing
• Credit rating within the industry and overall credit rating
• Community involvement
• Involvement in the development of data and statistics, materials or programs used either Sectional or Nationally on club relations and employment activities.

Previous Winners

This award recognizes those Gulf States PGA professionals who have demonstrated superior skills as merchandisers in the promotion of golf. The award is given for excellence in golf shop operations in three categories: Private, Resort, and Public/Military/Semi-Private.

The candidates are judged in the following areas:

• Merchandising ability and techniques
• Inventory levels and turn rate
• Shop Display
• Attention to detail

The guidelines for this award include:

• PGA Member in good standing
• Credit rating within the industry and overall credit rating
• Community involvement
• Involvement in the development of data and statistics, materials or programs used either Sectional or Nationally on club relations and employment activities.

Previous Winners

The award for Assistant Professional of the Year is an award given to the associate or assistant who has shown outstanding service to Gulf States PGA and their facility. Candidates should possess outstanding qualities of leadership, strong moral character and a strong record of services to the Section, the Assistant Association and the game of golf. The guidelines for this award include:

The Award cannot be based wholly or substantially based on Playing Ability.

Candidate should be chosen based on:

• Leadership Ability;
• Communication Skills;
• Participation in Section Programs;
• Participation in the Section’s Assistants Association
• Overall Performance
• Winner should be regarded as rising professionals within The PGA of America and are viewed as the most likely candidates to be quality Head Golf Professionals, Directors of Golf and General Mangers in the future.
• Promotion of the game of Golf

This award is for Members only in the Louisiana Chapter. The following guidelines are used to determine nominees for this prestigious award:

• Overall performance as a golf professional at his/her facility.
• Level of service to the Chapter and Association.
• Leadership ability.
• Image and the ability to inspire fellow professionals.
• Promotion of golf

Previous Winners

The award is for Associates and A-8 Members in the Louisiana Chapter. It is an award given to the associate or assistant who has shown outstanding service to the Louisiana Chapter PGA and their facility. Candidates should possess outstanding qualities of leadership, strong moral character and a strong record of services to the Chapter, the Assistant Association and the game of golf.

The guidelines for this award include:

• Overall performances as an Assistant Golf Professional
• Service to the Chapter; Section and Assistant Association
• Leadership Ability
• Promotion of the game of Golf

Previous Winners

The Barbato-Thomas Award is presented to individuals in recognition of those who have unselfishly served and supported the game of golf and the PGA professional.

Previous Winners