The Illinois PGA Section recently recognized its 2018 Special Award winners earlier this month at a private awards ceremony and three Central Illinois PGA Chapter (CIPGA) members representing Central Illinois golf facilities were among the 11 golf professionals honored. In addition, the Central Illinois Chapter recognized its own Special Awards winners honoring professionals that work within the Chapter.
Following are the 2018 Illinois PGA Section Special Award winners from the CIPGA Chapter:
- Lance Olson, Champaign Country Club – Youth Player Development Award
- Paul Betteridge, Pekin Country Club – Bill Strausbaugh Award
- Harland Kilborn, PGA Life Member – Bill Heald Career Achievement Award
Following are the 2018 CIPGA Chapter Special Award winners:
- David Lundy, Mt. Hawley Country Club – Professional of the Year
- Ben Irwin, Red Tail Run Golf Club – Assistant Professional of the Year
- Paul Betteridge, Pekin Country Club – Youth Player Development Award
- Bill Abrams, Balmoral Woods Country Club – Teacher of the Year
- Tim Krouse, Effingham Country Club – Merchandiser of the Year and Horton Smith Award
- Lance Olson, Champaign Country Club – Richie Hammel Award
- Steve Orrick, Country Club of Decatur – Bill Strausbaugh Award
“We are privileged to have such an outstanding group of PGA Professionals working in the Central Illinois Chapter that are dedicated to growing and improving the game for everyone from the junior player to the weekend player to the elite player,” said Carrie Williams, executive director of the Illinois PGA Section. “And this year’s Chapter Special Award winners exemplify all the PGA of America has to offer as the experts in the business and game of golf.”
Section Award winners
The Illinois PGA Section also includes the Central Illinois PGA Chapter which is comprised of 80 golf professionals in the area south of I-80 and in the middle part of the state.
Three Section Special Award winners call the CIPGA Chapter home: Lance Olson, 47, Champaign Country Club, Youth Development Award winner; Paul Betteridge, 62, Pekin Country Club, Bill Strausbaugh Award winner, for his mentorship to fellow PGA Professionals in improving their employment situations and through service to the community; and Harland Kilborn, 68, PGA Life Member, Bill Heald Career Achievement Award. Kilborn was the Head PGA Professional at Illinois State University Golf Course for 15 years and also served as the school’s men’s golf coach for 30 years, and women’s coach for four years. He is a four-time Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Coach of the Year (1989, 1992, 1999, 2004). After working at the university course, he designed, built and owned/managed Royal Links Golf Course for 18 years.
CIPGA Chapter Professional of the Year
Leading the 2018 class of CIPGA Chapter Special Award winners is David Lundy, 33, winner of the CIPGA Professional of the Year Award. This award honors the working club professional whose total contributions to the game best exemplify the complete PGA Professional. Special emphasis is placed on performance and achievement over the past five years, or specifically in the following categories: overall performance as a PGA Professional at his/her facility, service to the Illinois PGA and the Association, leadership ability, image and ability to inspire fellow PGA Professionals, and the promotion of golf.
Lundy is the Head PGA Professional at Mt. Hawley Country Club in Peoria, Ill. where he is a hard-working, motivated PGA Professional committed to growing the game at his facility and within the community. Lundy has a passion for providing outstanding customer service and making sure every member and guest has a memorable experience at Mt. Hawley CC. He has focused on getting more women and children playing the game which has involved developing Golf Get Ready Ladies Group Lessons and creating a popular Junior Golf Program for kids as young as 4 years old up to 20 years old.
Lundy is also committed to the community and participated in the Chapter Birdies for Charity event which raised nearly $40,000 for three local charities, one of which was the Children’s Hospital of Illinois, where his oldest daughter had spent two months in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU). It was a special day for Dave, his wife and their three children when they all could help present the donation check to hospital administration with 50% of the funds earmarked to support the NICU.
Additional Chapter Award Winners
Rounding out the Chapter Special Award winners are Ben Irwin, 38, Red Tail Run Golf Club, Decatur, Ill., Assistant Professional of the Year; Bill Abrams, 52, Balmoral Woods Country Club, Crete, Ill., Teacher of the Year; Paul Betteridge, 62, Pekin Country Club, Pekin, Ill., Youth Player Development Award; Tim Krouse, 47, Effingham Country Club, Merchandiser of the Year Award and Horton Smith Award; Steve Orrick, 42, Country Club of Decatur, Decatur, Ill., Bill Strausbaugh Award; and Lance Olson, 47, Champaign Country Club, Richie Hammel Award.
E-Z-GO is a proud sponsor of the Illinois PGA Special Awards: E-Z-GO ELiTE Professionals.
About the Illinois PGA/Illinois PGA Foundation
The Illinois Section of the PGA of America is a professional organization serving the men and women golf professionals in northern and central Illinois who are the recognized experts in growing, teaching and managing the game of golf. The Illinois PGA is responsible for the administration of competitive golf tournaments, educational opportunities, support programs and growth of the game initiatives. With over 840 members and apprentices, the Illinois PGA is one of the 41 regional Sections that comprise the PGA of America. The Illinois PGA Foundation focuses its community efforts on promoting the goodwill and growth of the game with an emphasis on activities that benefit youth. Foundation initiatives include: GolfWorks Illinois, Youth-based Scholarship Funds and the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame. For more information about the Illinois PGA and the Illinois PGA Foundation, please visit www.www.ipga.com and join us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
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CONTACT:
Palmer Moody
Illinois PGA Communications
847.804.2721 mobile
pmoody@pgahq.com