Aldrich and Friday Elected to Connecticut Section PGA Board of Directors

2011 Special Awards Banquet & Hall of Fame Induction and 78th Annual Fall Meeting A Success

Section delegates elected Patrick Aldrich, PGA Head Professional of Sharon Country Club and Howie Friday, PGA Head Professional of Tumble Brook Country Club to the Connecticut Section PGA Board of Directors by a majority vote. Both PGA Members will serve three-year terms. The Section delegates paid tribute to two outgoing Directors, Andrew Campbell, PGA Head Professional at Black Hall Club and Peter Pulaski of The Course who completed their three-year terms.
 
There were 145 attendees at the meeting, including 127 PGA Professionals, all of which who were voting members. The attendees also recognized nine newly elected members into the PGA of America. The following were recognized for graduating from the PGA Professional Golf Management Program and being elected as members: Lawrence Antinozzi, TPC River Highlands; Luis DeJesus, Gillette Ridge G.C.; Daniel Giacco, Hunter G.C.; James Gladue, Lake of Isles; Charles Golibart, Race Brook C.C.; Jason Goodhind, Crumpin-Fox Club; Sonny Grosso, Rock Ridge C.C.; Matt Nyren, TPC River Highlands; and Adam Seely, Bull’s Bridge G.C.
 
Special recognition went to PGA Life Member Vic Svenberg, for maintaining his PGA Membership for 50 years, and to Paul Brown, Craig Kealey, Tony Kelley, Jim McDonald, Tony Roberto, and Bill Whaley for maintaining their PGA Membership for 25 years.
 
In 1999, Donald F. Gliha, Connecticut Golf Academy, became the 207th Master PGA Professional of The PGA of America. This year, Ciaran Carr, General Manager at Wintonbury Hills C.C., joins Gliha as a Master PGA Professional distinguishing himself as an expert in instruction.

Gliha was also honored as the Section’s Golf Professional of the Year in front of a crowd of 230 people at the Annual Special Awards Banquet at The MGM Grand at Foxwoods, Mashantucket, Conn., on November 20. This is the highest honor bestowed by The Connecticut Section PGA on a PGA Professional and for the first time ever, this honoree was also a part of the Class of 2011 Hall of Fame Inductees which included Henry Patrick Bontempo, Walter “Wally” Chicon, and Joel Smith.
 
Gliha was joined by other Section Special Award Winners at the event that was sponsored by Club Car, with support from Foxwoods Resort & Casino, Kirk & Matz, and Polo Ralph Lauren. Also honored were: George Connor, Gillette Ridge G.C. as Teacher of the Year; Jon Janik, Tashua Knolls Golf Course, as Junior Golf Leader; Sean Busca, Clinton Country Club, as Horton Smith Award recipient; Tim Gavronski, Shuttle Meadow Country Club, as Bill Strausbaugh Award recipient; Shaun Maher, Stanley Golf Course, as Assistant Professional of the Year; Kyle Hedstrom, Stanley Golf Course, as the Merchandiser of the Year - Public; Ryan Hall , Golf Club of Avon, as the Merchandiser of the Year - Private; Mike Perreault, Callaway Golf, as the Golf Sales Representative of the Year, and Brian Higgins, The Hartford Golf Club, as the President’s Award Recipient.