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Jerry Impellittiere, PGA Director of Instruction at Monarch Country Club, found more than just a career in golf; he found a calling. Having grown up in the shadow of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where his father worked for nearly five decades, Impellittiere’s early experiences around those who served instilled deep-seated respect and a desire to give back to the military community. “It is incredible the sacrifices these Veterans have put down for us and seeing their courage and fight despite what they have endured,” said Impellittiere. Military continued to be a big part of Impellittiere’s life after he started his career as a PGA of America Professional. “When I owned my driving range in New York, I employed several individuals from the nearby Stewart Air Force Base,” noted Impellittiere. “I would support Master Chief Bruce Lubkeman’s golf events and hold clinics for Officers and enlisted personnel.” After operating his driving range for nearly 30 years, Impellittiere moved to south Florida. “When I transferred from the Met [Metropolitan PGA Section] to South Florida, I was looking for some way to get involved to help Veterans,” recalled Impellittiere. It was then that Judy Alvarez, PGA, a pioneering figure in the PGA HOPE program in south Florida, introduced him to PGA HOPE. PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) is a free program that allows Veterans and Active Duty Military to learn the game of golf. Golf is proven to help Veterans assimilate back into their community and improve their overall well-being through the social interaction and camaraderie the game provides. “I immediately got involved, completed the adaptive golf and military cultural competency training, and started teaching classes as a certified instructor,” said Impellittiere. Impellittiere’s involvement with PGA HOPE is more than just a professional commitment; it is a heartfelt mission. "I love helping the Vets," Impellittiere often says, reflecting on his passion for teaching golf and his admiration for those who have served. "I never had to serve, so this is a way that I can give back to those who did." In 2022, Impellittiere received the South Florida PGA Patriot Award. The Section presents the Patriot Award to a PGA of America 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. Through his work with PGA HOPE, Impellittiere has encountered over 160 Veterans, each with harrowing tales of sacrifice and resilience. “One person who has always stood out to me is Mary [Anderson-Kokell],” said Impellittiere. “She isolated herself for a long time, and yet a single golf ball lured her from seclusion, eventually leading her to become an ambassador for the program. Now she is changing the lives of other Veterans.” Amid the inspiring stories of recovery and camaraderie, Impellittiere has also been confronted with the grim reality of Veteran suicide. “The one thing that rips my heart out is the fact that 22 Veterans a day commit suicide,” stated Impellittiere. “This little white golf ball we all obsess about is a miracle in many Vets’ lives.” PGA HOPE has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which enables direct referrals to the PGA HOPE program as a form of therapy. Impellittiere’s journey with PGA HOPE and his dedication to serving Veterans showcases the profound impact that compassion, gratitude, and a little golf can have on the lives of those who have served. “This whole program just humbles me, and that’s why I am so glad I am in a position where I can give back,” said Impellittiere. The South Florida PGA Foundation is a not-for-profit organization founded to support the south Florida community, focusing on military, junior golf, and education. The South Florida PGA Foundation falls under the direction of the South Florida PGA, a not-for-profit organization comprised of 2,000 men and women PGA of America Professionals serving as experts in business and the game of golf. Click here to support PGA HOPE programming in south Florida. Click here to get involved.

“As soon as I finished my round, I was taken in a golf cart up the hill for a golf channel interview,” recalled Jeremy Wells, PGA, remembering the moment he qualified for the 2023 PGA Championship. “I called my wife and couldn’t even talk, I was so emotional. It was just a very proud moment in my life.” Going into the final round of the 2023 PGA Professional Championship (PPC) in New Mexico, Wells, Director of Player Development at Cypress Lake Golf Club, was in a tie for 29th and needed to get inside the top-20 to qualify for the PGA Championship. Wells delivered and fired a final round low 66, moving him 22 spots up the leaderboard, into seventh place. “It is just amazing how quickly things can change on a golf course,” Wells said. “A few hours earlier I was in a divot in the middle of the fairway about to make a bogey to move to 40th place and three hours later I'm on the golf channel thinking about how my kids are going to be watching me play against guys like Jon Rahm.” While qualifying for a Major Championship is an incredible feat, it wasn’t the only major accomplishment for Wells in the months leading into the PPC. Playing in the PGA Professional Championships requires being a Class-A PGA of America Professional which Wells earned in May of 2022. The new status allowed him to compete in the South Florida PGA Professional Championship that September where his third place finish qualified him for the PPC, April 30-May 3, 2023. Just 15 days later, Wells was teeing it up in the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club, competing against the best players in the world. A Virginia native, Wells grew up around the game, attending the College of William and Mary where he competed on the golf team for all four years. Upon graduation, Wells, like many aspiring TOUR players do, moved to south Florida. He settled in Fort Myers and was fortunate to find Cypress Lake Golf Club where he practiced and played while competing on mini-tours. After three years, Wells wasn’t seeing the results he wanted and decided to try teaching, as someone who has always loved the mechanics of the golf swing. He began giving lessons at a local driving range in August of 2016. “I still remember my first paycheck for two weeks. I made $1,100 and that was more money than I had ever made for a few weeks of teaching compared to three years of playing,” Wells recalled laughing. The transition was smooth for Wells and proved to be a smart decision financially and professionally. “I’ve always had an obsession with the mechanics of the golf swing so it was a natural transition to get into teaching,” he said. “Towards the end of my first season I had basically a full book of business at a local driving range.” Wells continued teaching for the next two-and-half years before deciding to enter the PGA Associate Program. For Wells, the idea of becoming a Member was perfect. “I can be busy teaching all winter, and then when my lesson book isn't as full in the summertime, I can go and play competitive golf against my peers,” he explained. Officially committed to his career as a teacher, Wells had the opportunity to move into a full-time teaching role at Cypress Lake, the facility that was so gracious to him as a player. With this role, Wells gained support and mentorship from the PGA Professionals at the facility, which allowed him to stay motivated to finish the Associate Program. Once completed in May of 2022, Wells took off, making the most of his PGA Membership and all the opportunities that became possible with it. At 33 years old, Wells is as happy as he has ever been personally and professionally. “It is a very well-rounded situation that I have created and I am very proud of what I've done,” he explained. “I spend every day trying to help members at Cypress Lake enjoy their golf games and their lives more, but I also get to compete at a national level and potentially a world level at a PGA Championship. I am incredibly proud of the work I have done.” As Wells reflects on an incredible first two years as a PGA of America Professional, he once again has the chance to play on one of the biggest stages in golf as he competes in the 2024 PGA Professional Championship, starting Sunday at PGA Frisco’s Fields Ranch, vying to once again finish in the top-20 to make his second consecutive PGA Championship start.

Fort Myers, FL - Adam Miller, PGA and his team from Verandah Golf Club won the South Florida PGA Pro-Am presented by Cadillac, yesterday at The Club at Renaissance. Miller, the Director of Golf at Verandah Golf Club was joined by amateurs, Lee Bennett, Wayne Morris and Anita Morris. The team finished play at 17-under, one better than the team from Esplanade Golf and Country Club led by Nick Marcoaldi, PGA. James Desanges, PGA of Panther Run Golf Club claimed low pro honors with a total of 47 points, edging Miller by one point. Desanges managed only one bogey to go along with six birdies. 20 teams of a PGA of America Professional and three amateurs competed in a two best ball of four format with the maximum score allowed per hole being a double bogey. The professional individual division was played in a stableford format with pars worth two points, birdies worth four points and eagles worth eight points. The event was presented by Cadillac with Devoe Cadillac and Val Ward Cadillac supporting the event. Leaderboard

West Palm Beach, Fl - The South Florida PGA Southeast Chapter claimed its third consecutive Nelson Cup victory, yesterday at West Bay Club with a total of 57 points. The Nelson Cup is an annual South Florida PGA Ryder Cup style tournament between the Southeast, Southwest and Southern Chapters. The day started with a foursome match play / alternate shot format before ending the day with a three-ball match play format. All matches were worth a maximum of three points with single points being rewarded for the front nine, back nine and overall 18-hole total. Ties resulted in split points. The Southeast Chapter jumped out to an early lead in the morning matches, led by partners Kenny Leech, PGA of Don Law Golf Academy, and Alastair Mackenzie, PGA of Trump National Golf Club, securing the maximum of three points. After the morning matches, Southeast held a 1.5 point lead over the Southern Chapter and a three point lead over the Southwest Chapter. Moving onto the three-ball match play format, Leech and Mackenzie continued adding to the point total, winning all four of their individual matches, catapulting the Southeast Chapter to a commanding lead. After all matches were complete, the Southeast Chapter finished with a total of 57 points, while the Southwest Chapter’s comeback fell shy, finishing with 52.5 points and the Southern Chapter completed play with 25.5 points. With the win, Southeast has now won six of the last seven Nelson Cups, bringing their total up to 13 total wins (excluding 2020 - Pandemic / 2021 - Rain Out). This year’s Nelson Cup was supported by Scales Gear, which supplied uniforms for each chapter. Leaderboard

West Palm Beach, FL —The South Florida PGA opened its 2024 Section Tournament Season yesterday with the Club Car Pro-Official, presented by Toptracer, at St. Andrews Country Club. The first event of the season welcomed 50 teams, each consisting of a PGA of America Professional and an Official from the same facility, who competed in a four-ball stroke play format. Jonas Dewitte and Robert Poore (a) of Indian River Club took home low net honors with a 9-under 63, clean scorecard. Their round was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5, 10th hole. Justin Rountree, PGA Head Professional at Eagle Lakes Golf Club and Will Latreille (a) secured low gross honors with a 5-under 67 scorecard. Brandon Holden, PGA Head Professional at Mayacoo Lakes Country Club secured low pro honors with a 4-under 68. The 2024 Club Car Pro-Official was presented by Toptracer and supported by Ballz 4 Change, BlueGolf, DLL Financial Solutions, Earth Networks, Prize Possessions, and Turtleson. This event would not have been possible without the support of St. Andrews Country Club's General Manager, Marc Ray, PGA Director of Golf, Paul Clivio, and the entire team. Leaderboard / Photo Album

West Palm Beach, FL - The South Florida PGA concluded its third annual Play Yellow Birdie Bash, yesterday at PGA National Resort in which all proceeds benefited the South Florida PGA Foundation and the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. Fifty PGA of America professionals set out on a challenge to complete 81-holes on The Match and The Staple courses at PGA National, with the goal of making as many birdies as possible in a doubles golf team format. Each birdie was backed by donor pledges and the funds raised will help further the missions of the SFPGA Foundation and Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation in support of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. In total, this year’s event has raised over $330,000 so far with donations still open until Friday. For the third consecutive year, The Bear’s Club professionals Eric Veilleux and Ryan Fountain were the highest earners with over $58,000 raised, bringing their three-year total to over $220,000. In the spirit of competition, Stan Moore, PGA and Tanner Barnahrd, PGA of Don Law Golf Academy made the most birdies with 58, beating Allastair MacKenzie, PGA and Sean O’Donnell, PGA by one. This unique event has now surpassed the $1 Million mark in its first three years of existence. In the past two years alone, the SFPGA Foundation has administered free golf lessons to more than 600 military personnel, granted $40,000 to support students in higher education, and provided smiles to more than 1,000 children going through a range of hardships at six medical facilities. For the first time this year, the South Florida PGA will extend its reach across the Section to introduce the West Coast Play Yellow Birdie Bash this October at The Glades Golf and Country Club in Naples. The South Florida PGA Foundation is a not-for-profit dedicated to serving the South Florida community and changing lives through the game of golf. The SFPGA Foundation administers a diverse set of programs that use golf to enhance the lives of local military personnel, children, and families. Jack and Barbara Nicklaus founded the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation in 2004 to provide world-class pediatric care to children in Palm Beach County and beyond. The Foundation’s primary beneficiary is Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, which has helped children from every state in the union and 119 countries. Celebrating its 20th year, the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation has raised $200 million to advance and enhance health care for children locally and globally. To support the South Florida Play Yellow Birdie Bash, click here .

West Palm Beach, FL - Jason Miller, PGA Head Professional at Copperleaf Golf Club was presented his 2023 South Florida PGA Youth Player Development Award, last night, honoring his commitment to junior golf. The PGA Youth Player Development Award is for the PGA Professional who has made extraordinary and exemplary contributions to youth player development, which includes involvement in the promotion and development of junior golf at the facility level and support for national junior golf programs. “We are not only helping develop golf games, but we are helping to develop amazing young adults,” said Miller. “I cherish having the opportunity to mentor and lead in the many programs I am involved in.” Miller’s junior golf philosophy is “straightforward and simple,” he explained. “Create and engage in a maximum number of youth programs across all spectrums to drive positive, energetic and excitable opportunities for youth.” Outside of his commitment to volunteering at several Drive, Chip and Putt qualifiers and hosting many SFPGA Junior Tour events, Miller is the head coach for the Barron Collier High School boys golf team. As the coach, Miller has created highly active social media pages for the team, prompting other teams at the school to follow his lead. Additionally, Miller has earned his Certified Coach 1 status with the US Kids Golf organization, which helps Miller continue his mission “to be a positive role model across as many junior golf spectrums in south Florida as possible.” At the facility level, Miller instilled video coaching technology and launch monitor platforms in junior instruction and created a new program to fit junior golfers for clubs. Miller is passionate about growing the game amongst the youth in south Florida and always has one goal in mind: to create smiles and fun for youth in golf. “It is so important to continue this mission in the South Florida PGA and I am 100 percent committed to doing so.” Click here for a full list of award winners.

"You're just a golf guy." For Rob Oosterhuis, PGA General Manager/COO at Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club, this is what he often heard as a PGA Member looking to become a General Manager. Oosterhuis has enjoyed a career filled with various experiences worldwide, proving to be far more than, "just a golf guy." He is most notably a life-long learner, fascinated with "figuring out what you don't know." This fixation has allowed Oosterhuis to earn his PGA Membership and his Certified Club Manager and Certified Chief Executive Licenses as a Member of the CMAA (Club Management Association of America). With these credentials, Oosterhuis sat on the Board of Directors for the Southern California PGA Section and The Golden State Chapter of the CMAA. Born in London, England, Oosterhuis grew up in South Africa before moving to Santa Barabra, California, at an early age. He is the son of Peter Oosterhuis, a long-time Touring Professional and current broadcaster. Oosterhuis attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he played on the golf team and studied history. His initial plans were to become a history professor or pursue a law degree, but his fascination with learning clicked with golf. While attending UCLA, Oosterhuis spent summers working Nike Golf camps in Lake Tahoe and Pebble Beach. "That's where I kind of got the bug for the instructional side of things," Oosterhuis said. After graduating, Oosterhuis moved to Texas to work at The Four Seasons TPC Las Colinas, making $8 an hour before eventually becoming Head Golf Professional in just three years. Shortly after earning his Class-A PGA Membership in 2003, Oosterhuis received a call from The Four Seasons Hotel General Manager, asking Oosterhuis what he thought about Costa Rica. Oosterhuis responded, "Not a whole lot other than the project being built down there." Eventually, Oosterhuis was offered the Director of Golf position at The Four Seasons Costa Rica. While quick to accept the position, Oosterhuis can now look back with perspective: At 30 years old, a new PGA Member who had never served in a Director of Golf role, Oosterhuis took a leap of faith, and moved to another country to build a golf department from the ground up. He was all in. Oosterhuis recalls the experience being unlike anything else - from interacting and working with people from different cultures, hiring individuals with no prior golf experience, breaking language barriers and playing an integral role in the entire build of a luxury resort and golf experience, the first the country had ever seen. "Golf was still sort of an unknown quantity in Costa Rica, and I just looked at it as an adventure," Oosterhuis said. "We were the first real, at least on that scale, luxury product in the country. You couldn't go anywhere without everybody knowing about the hotel, which was cool." While the experience was incredible, Oosterhuis did look at the position as a means to an end and an invaluable experience that set the framework for the rest of his career. "My way of thinking was, whatever the next thing is, I can't get on to the next thing until I get that. I can't be a Director of Golf at a multi-facility property or whatever, make a giant leap in terms of membership or compensation without getting that on the resume and learning about it," he explained. Oosterhuis' next adventure took him back to California to work for JC Golf, a premiere golf management company. There, he was more entrenched in the business side of golf, something he always wanted to learn more about. "I just love the business side of golf, and that's what JC did for me," Oosterhuis explained. "I learned so many more layers of the business with math, psychology, everything you can use to try and formulate decisions." From JC Golf, Oosterhuis returned to The Four Seasons family to manage the entire operation for Montecito Club in Santa Barbara, California, a facility featuring a main club and a beach club. This was incredibly special for Oosterhuis as Montecito was the club where he initially learned the game. Oosterhuis described this time as the most fun ever had while being a significant learning experience. When talking with a fellow General Manager, Oosterhuis was given valuable advice. "Don't lean into the things that you already know; lean into those things that you don't know and get the feel, education, and understanding for them." That conversation prompted Oosterhuis to dive more into the food and beverage world, where he began sitting in every meeting, asking questions to become more familiar with the ever-changing dynamic of food and beverage. At the same time, Oosterhuis joined the CMAA and earned status as a Certified Club Manager. "I realized that there was a lot I didn't know about private clubs, and this was going to be another of those things where you can call me the golf guy all you want, but I'm also going to have this credential," he said. With all the experience of his previous roles, his PGA and CMAA Membership, Oosterhuis was hired in 2016 as the General Manager/CEO at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California. Sherwood was the host site of the PowerShares QQQ Championship and ZOZO Championship on the PGA TOUR Champions which allowed Oosterhuis to see firsthand how a TOUR-level event is operated and all the moving parts included. This experience helped Oosterhuis understand the most effective ways of leading a team. "When it comes to big-picture decisions and discussions, you're the one that has to make the decisions," he explained. “That's when I learned to develop a core group of leaders and lean on them for their advice and feedback." After nearly five years at Sherwood, Oosterhuis and his family were ready to change locations and circled south Florida as a target where Oosterhuis was offered the General Manager/COO position at Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club, a facility he was well suited for. "You take away a few tennis courts and add in a few boat slips, and you're basically talking about the same club," he said, laughing. "So, from a comfort standpoint, I was very comfortable entering this environment." Outside of the club itself, the wealth of intelligence offered in south Florida as a premier destination for golf and club professionals has continued to intrigue Oosterhuis. With over 25 years of golf and club industry experience, Oosterhuis is still fascinated with learning more and encouraging others to learn beyond their jobs. "It is fulfilling to learn more, Oosterhuis said. "The most important thing is knowing what you don't know." As a PGA Member and a CMAA Member with his Certified Club Manager and Certified Club Executive licenses, Oosterhuis is a prime example of someone who took the positive out of every position, leading him to where he is today. "Be the first person to put your hand up," he said. "Usually, something good happens that way.”

Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (March 27, 2024 ) – The South Florida Play Yellow Birdie Bash returns to PGA National Resort on Monday, April 15, to benefit Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation and the South Florida PGA Foundation (SFPGA). Fifty PGA of America professionals will embark on an 81-hole challenge on The Match and The Staple courses at PGA National, and attempt to make as many birdies as possible in a doubles golf team format. Each birdie is backed by donor pledges with a goal of raising $500,000. The funds raised serve to further the missions of the SFPGA Foundation and Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation in support of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. The Play Yellow Birdie Bash fundraisers have had a tangible and positive impact on the lives of individuals throughout the South Florida community. This unique event has raised more than $900,000 for these impactful charities in its first two years of existence. In the past two years, the SFPGA Foundation has granted free golf lessons to more than 600 military personnel, granted $40,000 to support students in higher education, and provided smiles to more than 1,000 children going through a range of hardships at six medical facilities. The South Florida PGA Foundation is a not-for-profit dedicated to serving the South Florida community and changing lives through the game of golf. The SFPGA Foundation administers a diverse set of programs that use golf to enhance the lives of local military personnel, children, and families. Jack and Barbara Nicklaus founded the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation in 2004 to provide world-class pediatric care to children in Palm Beach County and beyond. The Foundation’s primary beneficiary is Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, which has helped children from every state in the union and 119 countries. Celebrating its 20th year, the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation has raised $200 million to advance and enhance health care for children locally and globally. Back-to-back PGA champions Eric Veilleux and Ryan Fountain, who are representing The Bear’s Club, will return to the field this year. Veilleux and Fountain have raised a cumulative amount of $168,750 over the past two years of the event. To support the South Florida Play Yellow Birdie Bash, click here . To learn more about how to get involved, contact Brianna Alonso, SFPGA Foundation Manager, at balonso@pgahq.com . MEDIA CONTACT Chelsea Casagrande Venue Marketing Group (561) 844-1778, ext. 120 chelsea@venueadv.com