THE COLD AND SNOW ARE BACK! Domes and Simulators are open. So with all the talk of courses opening. Winter just won’t leave. So take your golf season preparations indoors for a few more days. The Mistwood Golf Dome on RT. 53 in Bolingbrook is open daily to 10 Pm, (630)-739-7600. SCHAUMBURG Golf Club 410 North Roselle Road in Schaumburg has three simulators open daily. So call the pro shop at (847)-885-9000.
THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or Connect on LinkedIn and Facebook.
JAMIE NIETO KEVIN WEEKS NICK PAPADAKES
THE 2023 PGA MERCHANDISE SHOW in Orlando Florida saw the announcements of national award winners from the PGA of America. 2023 became a special year for the Illinois PGA Section-as three IPGA professionals were honored with awards from the national office.
JAMIE NIETO-Head Golf Professional at the Preserve at Oak Meadows in Addison. Nieto won the Deacon Palmer Award for the second time. Because Nieto also won the award in 2020 at the local IPGA level. Now Nieto was honored again with the 2023 award at the national level.
The PGA of America has over 28,000 professionals across America. But only 13 of them won national awards this year.
So for Nieto who was lighting a firepit in his backyard on his 20th birthday, his ordeal began when a can of accelerant exploded. Nieto suffered 3rd degree burns to 65% of his body and spent 6 weeks in the ICU at Loyola University. Three of those weeks in an induced coma, while surgeons performed skin grafts to save his life.
Four years after working with doctors to rebuild his injured right hand so he could golf again, Nieto earned his PGA membership in 2012. Nieto’s motto in life is-Never Give Up. Nieto says winning this award at both levels has left him speechless. Nieto feels grateful that he can both inspire and work with fellow burn survivors.
NICK PAPADAKAS-Head Golf Professional at the Onwentsia Club in Lake Forest. 2023 winner of the Player Development Award. The award recognizes professionals who have helped younger members advance in their career. Papadakas has served on numerous committees for the Illinois PGA section, including being Past President of the section. But Papadakas awards list includes the Professional Development Award 5 times at the local level.
Papadakas said he is “Beyond excited to win this years award. Because education and mentoring have always been important to me. So I’m proud to share the stage this year at the national level with fellow IPGA professionals Kevin Weeks and Jamie Nieto.”
KEVIN WEEKS-Director of Instruction at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Palos Park. National Teach of the Year Award. Weeks has long been a member of the Golf Digests 50 Greatest Teachers list since 2012.
Weeks has been honored by other national publications, and has won the IPGA Teacher of the Year three times (2005-2007-2009). The other Illinois PGA teacher to win this award at the national level was former Cog Hill instructor Jim “Doc” Suttie. Weeks has especially been known for his work in the area of putting. So his putting work includes more than just teaching, because Weeks has created putting stroke-form equipment with lasers to measure putter face at impact.
“So to be honored this way is truly humbling. But I have had a lot of help getting here and my family has sacrificed so much. So I thank Cog Hill Golf and Country Club for allowing me to do what I do.”
Weeks has a list of students who include PGA Tour winners, and junior golf champions. His teams at Cog Hill have gone to the PGA Junior League championships six straight times. But Weeks is the only coach in the country to accomplish that feat.
Glen Oaks Country Club head golf professional Danny Mulhearn is the 2022 Illinois PGA Professional of the Year.
2022 IPGA AWARD WINNERS
PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR-Danny Mulhearn-Glen Oak Country Club-Glen Ellyn.
But the other IPGA Special award winners are:
Joe Sheren-SMART Golf & Fitness-Teacher of the Year.
Kyle Donovan-Oak Park Country Club, Assistant Professional of the Year. Tim Krouse-Effingham Country Club, Youth Player Development Award. Ryan McGwyer Cog Hill Golf & Country Club-Player development Award. Terry Russell-Cantigny Golf, Bill Strausbaugh Award. T.J. Sullivan-GolfTec, Oak Brook- PGA Professional Development Award. Juan Espejo-Maryville Academy-Bill Heald Career Achievement Award.
MARK LABIAK-Ruth Lake Country Club-Merchandiser of the Year-Private Club. Frank Hohenadel-Mistwood Golf Club, Merchandiser of the Year-Public Course. Don Pieper-Merit Club, Distinguished Service Award. Dino Lucchesi-Grayslake Practice Center-Deacon Palmer Award. Robert Powers-PGA Life Member-Patriot Award Tony LaFrenere-Schaumburg Golf Club-PGA Executive of the Year.
But for more information on all Illinois PGA Awards-visit IPGA.com