Iowa PGA Honors 2011 Special Award Winners

By Tess Goudy, Iowa PGA

RIVERSIDE, Iowa — The Iowa Section of the PGA of America recently honored the winners of the 2011 Iowa PGA Special Awards. These awards, held each year and voted on by Iowa PGA membership, recognize excellence in 11areas of the PGA member’s profession. At the conclusion of the year’s tournament schedule, the Iowa Section also awards a Player of the Year for three distinguished divisions, PGA, Senior PGA, and Apprentice. A special luncheon sponsored by All Star Pro Golf was held Tuesday, October 25 at Riverside Casino & Golf Resort to honor the winners.

Golf Professional of the Year
Dave Schneider, PGA General Manager at The Wakonda Club
The highest annual award bestowed on a Section Member is that of the Golf Professional of the Year.
Overall performance at his/her facility, a high level of service to the PGA and at the section level, and a
positive image as a Golf Professional are just some of the criteria considered. This year’s honoree is
Dave Schneider, PGA General Manager at The Wakonda Club. Dave is a 15 year PGA Member and has
been honored with the 2009 Horton Smith Award, the 2008 & 2010 Bill Strausbaugh Award and as the
2006 Private Merchandiser of the Year. He has been very active on the Board of Directors serving on
various committees and as committee chairs. Most recently Dave has served as Secretary of the Iowa
PGA and was elected as Vice President on Tuesday, October 25, 2011. He has been instrumental in the
last year implementing the Iowa PGA Membership Committee and serving as its chair.

Dave Schneider is probably one of the most positive, energetic people you’ll ever meet. Even though
his days are consumed with General Manager duties at The Wakonda Club and probably many local
community activities, he still finds time to seamlessly perform numerous responsibilities as Secretary of
the Iowa PGA and Membership Chair. All the while he is able to find a great balance in his personal
life. He is a great husband, father of 3 boys and has dedicated himself to fitness, running a Marathon
and participating in Triathlons, so you know he is in great shape. His marathon run last year was a
platform to help spread the word to his fellow PGA Professionals about how important it is to take care
of ourselves and our health. It also helped raise funds for the newly formed Iowa PGA Foundation.
Dave has only been back in Iowa for 6 short years, but in that time his contributions to the Iowa PGA
and his facility are remarkable and numerous. There is no doubt Dave is so very deserving of this
award, his passion for the game of golf, the Iowa PGA Section, his community and his family are
definitely praiseworthy. Congratulations to Dave Schneider, the 2011 Iowa PGA Golf Professional of
the Year.

Teacher of the Year
Mark Egly – The Des Moines Driving Range, Des Moines, Iowa

Horton Smith Award (Education)
Steve Fuller – Fort Dodge CC, Fort Dodge, Iowa

Strausbaugh Award (Employment & Club Relations)
Kevin Beard – Otter Creek GC, Ankeny, Iowa

President’s Plaque
Steve Hutton – Geneva G & CC, Muscatine, Iowa

Junior Golf Leader
Tess Goudy – Iowa PGA Section, Riverside, Iowa

Assistant of the Year
Brian Wernimont – Brown Deer Golf Club, Coralville, Iowa

Sales Representative of the Year
Trent Cressy – Titleist

Merchandiser of the Year (Private Course)
John Panek – Davenport Country Club, Pleasant Valley, Iowa

Merchandiser of the Year (Public Course)
Andy Stoterau – TPC Deere Run, Silvis, Illinois

Merchandiser of the Year (Resort Course)
Bryan Haas – Blue Top Ridge, Riverside, Iowa

Iowa PGA Player of the Year & Low Scoring Average (70.68)
Sean McCarty – Brown Deer GC, Coralville, Iowa

Iowa PGA Senior Player of the Year
Kevin DeNike – Red Hawk Golf & Learning Center, Davenport, Iowa

Iowa PGA Apprentice Player of the Year
Ryan McClintock – Davenport CC, Pleasant Valley, Iowa