The beginning of 2021 was marred by one word: uncertainty. After the tumultuous, unforgettable year that was 2020, we entered a new year hopeful that things would be better, and that we could get closer to “normal” than we had the previous nine months. There was confidence but not complete certainty that on the golfing front, we would have a full slate of National Championships and qualifiers for them. That we would be able to offer the Youth on Course caddie program once more. That we would be able to offer tournaments without having to reschedule 75% of them because of pandemic issues. Thankfully, all of that did materialize, and our organization was able to offer a vast majority of the services it strives to provide.

January-April was still filled with much of what 2020 contained; social distancing, no fans at sporting events, and masks required every place you went. One big thing changed though with handicapping thanks to the implementation of GHIN digital profiles. This major update was one of the largest in the history of the USGA’s handicapping program and after plenty of confusion in its first several months, the update has come to serve golfers well with fewer security issues and a simple login process. But if you still have questions or issues with the system, please call us and we’ll help you out! Our number is (502) 243-8295 and we’ll take care of any troubleshooting you need now or going forward.

We also introduced our first podcast, Golf Pod Kentucky. TaylorMade quickly came on board as a presenting sponsor, but we have been able to tell stories and share experiences with more than 30 people who help shape Kentucky golf. If you were a guest on the podcast, it’s been a pleasure having you on and we hope to have you back on again in the future. If you have listened to at least one episode, we appreciate you supporting it and encourage you to submit your feedback and let our staff know who you want to see on as a future guest.

The look of that very staff changed, however, during the winter with lots of shuffling taking place. The retirement of long-time Director, Amateur-Professional Competitions Bill Coomer, PGA took place on April 30 after a half-year of preparing for Bill’s departure. It was an emotional good-bye for staff, the Boards of Directors, and the golfers of Kentucky as one of the state’s leaders in golf hung up his paint gun and called it a career. That led to Brad Martin becoming Director, Amateur Competitions and Ray Moehlman, PGA becoming Director, Professional Competitions. Ray’s move left the Director, Junior Golf position open which was assumed by Michael Vick, PGA who had previously been a part-time employee within the organization. To top it off, Sally Morgan, PGA joined the team as Assistant Executive Director and has been with the team since mid-March and has helped grow many KGF initiatives like PGA HOPE and Youth on Course in the time since.

Speaking of the KGF, it got a big win this spring when the KPGA Board of Directors voted to pay off the remaining debt of the Golf House Kentucky building. Money to pay off the building ever since its opening in 2005 had been taken out of the KGF’s wallet, but this move led to more money from the KGF’s funds being able to go towards growth-of-the-game initiatives and continue developing golfers’ love for the sport. Nine months in, that impact has already been felt and the ripple effect is only going to continue expanding in the years to come.

The KGF has helped provide platforms for young players like Luke Coyle, Bradford Lacefield and Athena Singh. One year later than scheduled, those three golfers finally got to compete in the Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club. While they got to enjoy that experience, the Kentucky PGA Junior Tour’s season began when it usually does (late March) rather than the much-delayed time it did in 2020 (late June). We’ll dive into the results of the Tour’s top events in future recaps, but the Tour’s resumption was significant as it signaled hope things were turning around and good things were on the way. The season’s opening events at Griffin Gate Golf Club and A.J. Jolly Golf Course had huge turnouts and represented how strong Kentucky Junior Golf is and reminded us what one of the rare good things about the pandemic has been: how much it reinvigorated or furthered people’s interest within golf.

And many of the people responsible for that are the Section’s PGA Professionals. Thanks to their hard work and sacrifices, golf had a big boom in 2020. A dozen of those folks who played a role in that plus a couple other members of the golf industry were recognized at the Dever | E-Z-GO Spring Member Conference as the 2021 Special Award recipients. Those folks are listed below, and congratulations once more to each of them on their respective accolades:

• Derrick Griffitts, PGA – Golf Professional of the Year
• Josh Griffin, PGA – Assistant Golf Professional of the Year
• Todd Butts, PGA – Player Development Award
• Colby Wollitz, PGA – Teacher of the Year
• Blake Hardesty, PGA – Youth Player Development Award
• Eric Gilliland, PGA – Bill Strausbaugh Award
• Kirk Schooley, PGA – Deacon Palmer Award
• Jamie Miller, PGA – PGA Professional Development Award
• Kelly Maxwell, PGA – PGA Golf Executive Award
• Matt O’Keefe, PGA – Patriot Award
• Nathan Downs, PGA – Private Merchandiser of the Year
• Robert Costello, PGA - Public Merchandiser of the Year
• Scott Brown – Media Representative of the Year
• Tyler Chilson – Sales Representative of the Year

Shortly thereafter, the Section began its tournament season with the Kaiser Cup – a Ryder Cup-style event with the top Member Professionals from the previous season battling the top Assistant Professionals. For the third straight occasion, the Members won the event with a 12-8 victory, perhaps signaling the end of the dynasty the Assistants had after winning eight straight years from 2010-2017.

One week later, Nick Johnston won the first of a litany of tournaments throughout 2021 in the Pro-Pro Shamble supported by HMG Accessory Solutions. He and Chris Wilson won at Lake Forest Country Club in a playoff, a harbinger of things to come for Johnston in Section competition.

Amateurs then got their tournament seasons underway with a joint KPGA-KGA event with Golf House Kentucky Classic #1 at Country Club of Paducah. Josh Rhodes, the reigning John C. Owens Player of the Year, had the best performance there with a winning score of 69 (-3) in what was the first sub-70 round of the Golf House Kentucky tournament season.

That score got bettered one week later with the opening KGA Am Series event of the season at University Club of Kentucky (Big Blue). Stephen Warren shot 68 (-4) to launch the start of a quietly strong season for the young Owensboro golfer.

And with that, tournament season in Kentucky was firmly underway. Great play and wonderful memories were soon to follow from May through October.