Blog
Oct 17

RDGA Officials, Club Delegates, Reflect on Busy 2014 Season at Annual Meeting

Jim Scorse of Stafford Country Club, center, receives the 2014 RDGA Player of the Year award from RDGA Board member Mark Little, left, and RDGA Board Chair Mike Source, right, during the RDGA Annual Meeting, hosted by Stafford on Oct. 6.
 
On October 6, members, guests, volunteers and RDGA Club Delegates of the Rochester District Golf Association met at Stafford Country Club to celebrate another successful year on the local links.

Reflecting on a busy season – one that included an expanded schedule of 22 events between May and September, up from 15 a year ago – the RDGA Annual Meeting offered District officials the opportunity to present a “state of the RDGA”–type address, as well as RDGA delegates the opportunity to vote for the slate of District board members who will lead the RDGA in 2015.

“I wish to thank all the RDGA member clubs who hosted District events this year, as well as all the tournament volunteers, course ratings volunteers, Rules officials – and golfers – who all helped to make the 2014 season a success,” said outgoing RDGA President Fred Lapple, who will become the Board of Governors chair for the RDGA Foundation in 2015 after serving as District president for the past two years.

Announced as part of the Annual Meeting was the District’s top honor, Player of the Year, which went to Stafford member Jim Scorse for an unprecedented 13th time. In winning the 2014 Player of the Year award, Scorse led the season-long RDGA Player of the Year points race with 1,235 – outpacing runner-up Adam Condello of Locust Hill Country Club by nearly 400 points. Also recognized on Tuesday was the RDGA’s Junior Player of the Year, Will Thomson from Monroe Golf Club.

For the final official Player of the Year standings, visit the Point Standings page here.

The 2014 season was one of both transition and expansion for the RDGA. In addition to the expanded programs and tournament schedule available to its more than 14,000 members throughout the Greater Rochester area this year, the District also counted success in its continued growth of women-friendly initiatives, including the establishment of a new women-friendly course rating system, the first full year of service by Debbie Harper, the first female board member in the history of the RDGA – as well as the inaugural RDGA Women’s Open at Ridgemont Country Club, the first women-only championship ever held by the RDGA in it’s 85-year history.

In addition to its ongoing Women’s Initiative, the RDGA also continued its transition this year to expand its year-round, professional staff – led by Executive Director Tim Vangellow – which supports the volunteer work of the Board of Directors and enables the District to provide more services to its membership.

Providing an overview of the size and reach of the RDGA’s by the numbers, Vangellow listed that in 2014, the RDGA included 14,500 men, women and junior members – each of whom are registered for official USGA GHIN handicaps through the District. Throughout an active 2014 tournament schedule, the RDGA also enlisted the help of 210 volunteers, who assisted 12 RDGA Rules officials and the District staff in running the 22 different tournaments offered for both adults and juniors, as well as 7 USGA Regional Qualifiers that were held in the area this season. In all, the District registered 1,295 golfers who competed in RDGA tournaments this year.

Additionally, many of those 210 volunteers also helped rate 9 area golf courses this year, as well as adding forward tee measurements to 12 other District courses’ current handicap ratings.

For a complete recap of the 2014 RDGA Tournament schedule and results, visit our tournament page here.

Following the year-end player awards, RDGA Delegates voted for – and approved – the slate of District officers that will serve for the coming season. In 2015, the RDGA Board of Directors will include Mark Battle, Wilson Fitch, Debbie Harper, Mark Little, Mike Sorce, Sam Space and Paul Turner. Dan Overbeck, who was most recently the Secretary/Treasurer, will become the new RDGA President as of 2015.

Although Lapple is stepping down as District President this year, he will continue to serve the RDGA as Board of Governors chair.