The IAGA was saddened to hear that former Golf Ontario Executive Director and 2018 IAGA Distinguished Service Award recipient Dave Mills passed away after a short battle with cancer. Our condolences go out to Dave’s family, friends and the Golf Ontario team.
Click HERE to read more about Dave and the positive impact he had on golf in Ontario.
January 12, 2021 | By African American Golfer’s Digest Staff
Get better acquainted with Chris Montgomery, Senior Director of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships with the Arizona Golf Association (AGA). He is responsible for planning, developing, and implementing the business marketing and revenue-generating strategy and the first African American to be a member of its Board.
Chris believes golf is a game that enhances people’s lives by providing opportunities to compete, be active, and build great relationships. Chris sees the Arizona Golf Association platform as potentially one of the most influential in all of sports.
In his last 6 years with the Arizona Golf Association, he has generated over half-a-million dollars in sponsorship and partnership revenue, identified strategies and initiatives to drive retention and membership acquisitions, and developed new promotions to attract golfers and build the golf association brand awareness.
Before joining the Arizona Golf Association in 2014, Montgomery worked with the NBA and the Phoenix Suns for 19 years. He served as the Director of Premium Membership Services in the last 9 years where he was accountable for managing a $1.1 million dollar budget and the premium client portfolio of over $10 million dollars annually.
In the 10 years previous with the Phoenix Suns he was responsible for sales and staff development, generating revenue through memberships, sponsorships, and marketing events at the venue. He is on the ASU Sports Advisory board and is active in Career Concepts for Youth, a program for underserved middle school children in Phoenix that encourages them to stay in school by demonstrating how education can lead to fulfilling careers and adult lives.
A native of Chicago, IL, Chris earned a full Division I football scholarship to Northern Illinois University, where he played fullback and was a three-year letterman and graduated with a degree in Corporate Communications. Montgomery, his wife Megan, and their children live in Scottsdale, AZ. For more about the Arizona Golf Association visit https://www.azgolf.org/
Click HERE for video interview
Mass Golf’s Menachem to Lead IAGA in 2021
Virtual Conference Reaches over 500 Industry Professionals
Nov. 19, 2020
The International Association of Golf Administrators (IAGA) conducted its first-ever Virtual Conference and Annual Meeting sponsored by Golf Genius. The event welcomed more than 500 individuals representing over 80 associations and industry companies to enjoy three days of networking and education with peers and industry leaders. “Collaboration and learning from others is more important now than ever in the golf industry, and we were thrilled to be able to provide a platform last week for industry professionals to network and engage virtually in 2020. A special thank you goes out to our attendees, speakers and sponsors who made this event possible,” said IAGA Executive Director, Bill Walker.
During the Annual Business Meeting portion of the Conference, it was announced that Jesse Menachem, Executive Director/CEO of Mass Golf, would serve as the 55th president of IAGA.
“I am thrilled to serve as the President of the IAGA and represent our members as we navigate uncertain times in our industry. It is an honor to follow in the footsteps of Mass Golf leaders Richard Haskell, Tom Landry and Joe Sprague, who also served as IAGA presidents. I would be remiss in not thanking the team at Mass Golf for its support, as well as my fellow board members of the IAGA for their confidence.”
Troy Andrew, CEO/ED of Washington Golf (Vice President) and Matt Vanderpool, Executive Director of the Georgia State Golf Association (Secretary/Treasurer) join Menachem as IAGA officers in 2021.
The IAGA also welcomed Chris Montgomery to the Board of Directors as an At-Large member. Chris currently serves as the Senior Director of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships with the Arizona Golf Association.
“Chris has been a valuable contributor to the IAGA in recent years serving on the Program Committee. We are thrilled to have him involved on our board as a he brings a wealth of knowledge, perspective and experience from his successes both inside and out of our industry,” said Menachem.
Below is a complete listing of the IAGA Board of Directors:
About the IAGA
IAGA was formed in 1968 to promote and conserve the best interests and the true spirit of the game of golf as embodied in its ancient and honorable traditions. With those pursuits in mind, the IAGA serves as a medium for golf administrators to exchange information, techniques and other data relating to the game of golf and establish channels of communication among all of the world’s golfing fraternities.
Members are golf administrators of state and regional amateur golf associations and other invited national golf-related organizations. These administrators manage the affairs of their respective golf associations in various capacities. The IAGA has members from the United States Golf Association, Golf Canada, and most of the state and provincial golf associations throughout North America.
The IAGA holds its annual meeting in early November. A host of IAGA members and guest speakers make presentations on golf-related topics. Breakout sessions allow members to interact and discuss specific problems in their fields, and a new Board of Directors is elected during the business meeting.
Contact Information
Bill Walker
IAGA Executive Director
The IAGA has made the difficult decision to change the format of our event from a traditional in-person conference to a completely virtual event due to concerns surrounding COVD-19. The safety of our members, speakers, and partners was of paramount concern. The IAGA also understands the financial impact that COVID-19 has had on our industry and recognize that adjusted budgets could prohibit attendance at an in-person event this fall.
Below are some FAQs regarding this new virtual event.
FAQs
Benefits with Virtual Conference
If you have any questions regarding this announcement, please feel free to reach out Bill Walker at bwalker@iaga.org.
Scotland Golf Tours and the IAGA announce a three-year corporate partnership beginning in August 2020.
Formed in 1997, Scotland Tours provides the ultimate vacation planning service dedicated to creating memorable vacations. The company offers a variety of services for visitors to Scotland, Ireland & London, whether on business or leisure.
“We aim is to supply clients with the vacation of a lifetime, supported by professional levels of service and expert local knowledge. We believe in providing value for money and that the process of reserving your vacation should be as easy and efficient as possible. Whether you are four golfers intending to travel here and play the big-name courses or you are an IAGA member association seeking a first-class experience for your members, e will design and deliver a great trip for you all.” said Ronnie Pook, Managing Director of Scotland Golf Tours.
“The IAGA is excited about our partnership with Scotland Golf Tours. As associations continue to seek unique, experienced-based member benefits and Scotland Golf Tours certainly provides these opportunities. It is great to partner with a company that was highly recommended from current members such as the Georgia State Golf Association and the Tennessee Golf Association.” said Bill Walker, Executive Director, IAGA.
Click HERE to access the welcome letter from Scotland Golf Tours.
About Scotland Golf Tours: Click HERE
OAKVILLE, ONT. (Golf Canada) – Due to continued health concerns as well as government restrictions on travel and group gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, Golf Canada has cancelled all of its amateur golf competitions for the duration of the 2020 season.
HOOVER, AL (June 15, 2020) – Youth on Course – the non-profit organization providing youth ages 6-18 access to opportunities through subsidized golf, college scholarships, paid internships and a caddie program – partners with the Alabama Golf Association to introduce rounds for $5 or less in the State of Alabama.
Youth on Course (YOC) has been recognized by The Golf Channel and Golf Digest as a valuable step toward bridging the gap between youth instruction and consistent play throughout adulthood. Alumni of YOC have moved forward as collegiate golfers and influential members in the industry altogether.
The partnership between the Alabama Golf Association and Youth on Course opens the door for more than 2,000 golfers in Alabama ages 6-18 to play rounds of golf for $5 or less at participating facilities.
Funds raised by the Alabama Golf Association and the Youth on Course Alabama Board of Directors will go toward round subsidies as facilities across the state begin to adopt the initiative. To date, Youth on Course has subsidized over 950,000 rounds of golf.
Starting with courses on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, the Alabama Golf Association will announce partner facilities as they join the effort. Golfers in Alabama can sign up for a Youth on Course membership here: www.youthoncourse.org/join.
Click HERE to read more
Golf looks a little different this summer.
New health and safety plans are in place for the first time at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, as the first AJGA event of the summer season begins.
The new requirements include parameters to keep safety No. 1 by limiting the overall number of people at an event, eliminating all possible touch points, and maximizing the game’s natural physical distance.
Click HERE for full story.
The International Association of Golf Administrators (IAGA) elected Mark E. Peterson as the 2020 IAGA President during its Annual Conference held Nov. 3-6 in Monterey, Calif. Peterson serves as the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) Executive Director. He also is the ED for the Pennsylvania Golf Association and the J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust. He will lead IAGA’s nine-member Board of Directors.
“I am honored to serve as the President of the IAGA,” said Peterson. “The IAGA has provided me with the platform to learn and grow in golf administration since I started. It has provided me with mentors and educational opportunities that continue to enrich programming in GAP and the Pennsylvania Golf Association.”
Peterson, 44, a resident, Berwyn, Pa., began with GAP in 1996 as an intern. He took over as Executive Director in April 2000 at the age of 24. At the time, Peterson was believed to be one of the youngest executive directors ever hired. GAP has expanded by more than 100-percent in terms of Members and Member Clubs since Peterson started. He has served on various USGA committees (Green Section, Regional Associations and current co-chair of the AGA Council). Peterson has been the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Golf Association and J. Wood Platt Scholarship Trust since 2000.
“GAP has a long relationship with the IAGA, which started with Peg Burnett. She attended the meeting to form the Association in 1968. She along with my predecessor Jim Sykes both served as President of IAGA. I am so proud to join them in this leadership role,” said Peterson.
Peterson has a lifetime affiliation with the game starting as a kid in Brookfield, Wisc. He grew up at Westmoor Country Club with his father and two brothers. Peterson walked onto the University of Villanova golf team and competed for three years (1994-96). He turned to the administrative side of the game thanks to a P.J. Boatrwight Jr. Internship with the Wisconson State Golf Association in 1993. He served the WSGA as intern for three consecutive years. Thanks to the netowork of the IAGA, Peterson took his skills East, and interned with GAP from 1996-97. He was later named Director of Operations in 1998, which he served as until taking over for Sykes.
Peterson has attended almost every IAGA Conference since 1997.
“During my time on the IAGA board, we have seen many advancements of the Association, highlighted by the hiring our Executive Director Bill Walker. Over the next year we will continue to focus on the expansion of member services while holding true to our heritage of providing an opportunity for association leaders and staff to advance their industry skillsets,” said Peterson.
2019 IAGA Distinguished Service Award Recipient – Carr McCalla
Integrity, leadership and passion are words that come to mind when Carr McCalla’s name is brought up. Recipient of the 2019 International Association of Golf Administrators’ Distinguished Service Award now comes to mind, too.
After 24-plus years of service to the game of golf, McCalla, a longtime Louisiana Golf Association Executive Director, will be honored with the IAGA Distinguished Service Award on Nov. 5 at the 2019 IAGA Annual Conference at the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa (Monterey, Calif.).
“It’s truly wonderful to be honored by your colleagues at the conclusion of one’s career,” said McCalla. “It’s humbling to receive the Award, and I’m extremely grateful for the Committee’s nomination.”
That impactful career, which includes an endless list of accomplishments, did not begin on grass but instead on a hardwood court. He spent time on the basketball coaching staffs at the University of Tennessee (1974-1976), University of New Orleans (1976-77), Marshall University (1977-78), and Murray State University (1978-79), before becoming Head Coach (1979-85) and Director of Athletics (1985-94) at Motlow (TN) College in Tullahoma, Tenn. It was during the summer of 1992 when McCalla’s golfing interest blossomed. His time spent with the Tennessee Golf Association as a P.J. Boatwright Intern sparked a new-found career path.
“That was right around the time when the USGA began the Boatwright internship funding. To make a long story short, I became a three-month intern and the stars all aligned for me. That was my initial foray into golf administration, and the experience and networking opportunities I got during my time with the TGA were invaluable,” said McCalla, 67, of Lafayette, La.
After his coaching and athletic administration career came to a close at the end of 1995, his devotion to the game of golf began. For the first seven years of his tenure with the LGA, McCalla was the only full-time staff member, administering handicapping services, course rating services, and Championships with the help of an intern and a small cadre of volunteers.
“It was the perfect fit. At the time, the LGA didn’t have experience with a full-time staff member, while I didn’t have any full-time experience in golf,” said McCalla. “I was very fortunate to get the opportunity, and obviously now looking back on it, I’m glad I got that chance.”
Golf in the state of Louisiana, and all over the nation for that matter, benefited because of that chance. In order to further ensure its growth potential under McCalla, the LGA expanded its staff in 2001 with the hiring of a full-time Director of Member Services, and again in 2011 with the hiring of a full-time Director of Championship Operations. In addition to improving the manner in which all LGA Championships were conducted, he was intent on significantly improving benefits to all LGA members, not just the small percentage that compete in LGA events.
“Just the overall growth of the organization, really. That’s what I’m most proud of,” said McCalla. “When I first began, we didn’t have any individual membership. We had to convince our board that we needed to get into the handicapping business, and that was a big step for us. We wanted to do so much at the beginning, and it took us a little while to see the progress, but it became apparent soon after that we were headed in the right direction. ”
McCalla retired as Executive Director at the end of 2017 after 22-plus years of service. He continues to be involved with the organization as a Senior Advisor, helping in any role needed. His successor, Logan Ray, says he wouldn’t be where he is today without the guidance of McCalla, his mentor.
“Carr has set an example for me that is invaluable. He has been so influential for me not only in the office, but also in life,” said Ray. “Carr forged a new direction for the LGA and took the organization to new heights. Working under him, and with him, has been one of my best career experiences to date.”
According to Ray, McCalla’s accomplishments are even more impressive considering the integrity he displayed every single day, whether on the course or in the office.
“He was in this game for all the right reasons. Every day, I strive to live up to the bar and reputation for the LGA that he has set. Carr once told me that if you make decisions for the good of the game and do the right thing then the rest will take care of itself. That’s what he prides himself on, and he is well respected for it,” said Ray.
Outside of his unforgettable work with the LGA, McCalla made an impact nationally with his rules expertise. His appointment to the USGA Rules of Golf Committee (2000-2004) speaks to that fact. Additionally, McCalla served on Rules Committees at over 40 USGA Championships, including 16 U.S. Open Championships, in addition to four Master’s Tournaments (2000-2003).
But the contributions didn’t stop with the Rules book. McCalla served on Committees for both the USGA’s Regional Associations and Bob Jones Award, in addition to the IAGA Board of Directors from 1999-2007. He served as the IAGA President in 2005 – a presidency still remembered to this day.
“It was always about the example that he set for board members coming behind him. He was very dedicated to the IAGA board and to doing a great job. Carr exemplified one of the finest benefits of belonging to the IAGA, and that was his openness and approachability for new people coming into the organization,” said current IAGA President Mary Pomroy. “He was always ready to share his knowledge, experience, and often his questions as well. He always made me think. That’s a good leader.”
McCalla’s name being included among the IAGA Distinguished Serve Award recipients is one of the final touches on a career whose influence reached golfers everywhere, and for the better.
“I know there are some tremendous individuals on the list of [IAGA Distinguished Service Awards] winners. My initial response is my name isn’t worthy of being among them, and really, it’s an unbelievable honor,” said McCalla.
The International Association of Golf Administrators’ Distinguished Service Award is the Association’s highest honor. It was established to recognize individuals or groups whose actions have fostered the IAGA objectives as stated in its by-laws, “to promote and conserve the best interests and the true spirit of the game of golf as embodied in its ancient and honorable traditions.” The selection criteria includes, but is not limited to, the demonstration of superior or innovative administrative abilities, excellence in information exchange, and dialogue between golf administrators and golf organizations.