Downing Wins Professional Development, Giannetto Wins Bill Strausbaugh Awards-
Mike Downing Wins Professional Development Award
Riverside, Iowa – Mike Downing of Iowa PGA Section, Director of Player and Membership Development has been named the 2024 Professional Development Award winner. The Professional Development Award is based on a Professional’s entire record and achievements over their career. The guidelines for this award include various types of educational seminars brought to the section, contributions made to building the PGA image, leadership and networking ability, promotion of the game of golf within the community, techniques used to encourage membership support of the various seminars, articles written for publication in books or magazines and any sectional or nationally recognized coursed attended by the nominee which enhance the PGA Professional.
When asked on what this means to win this award Downing responded with, “It’s a honor to be recognized as this year’s professional development award winner. It’s great to be a part of a section that invests in their members. Being able to provide tools and resources to make our members and associates more successful has and continues to be a top priory of mine.”
Over the past 5-years Downing has overseen our Teaching & Coaching Summit, our Assistants only Teaching & Coaching Summit, ADM/PGA Coach training, Assistants workshops, Player Engagement workshops with PGA Jr League and Drive Chip & Putt, Spring and Fall Education at our annual meetings. He oversees our Assistants Association that has grown from 30 to 65 Associates in my 5 years. All of these accomplishments are part of his role as Director of Player & Membership Development for the Iowa PGA Section.
He has worked with the ADM PGA Coach team to develop the program. Also assisted with the Reimagine PGA Member Content /Communications. He works closely with the PGA of America Education department as it relates to the PGM program.
Each week he conducts a Field Report for our membership that refence education, best practices and articles that will benefit our PGA Member. He provides materials to all new associates that enter the PGA of America PGM Program. He works one on one with those who need PDR’s when cycles are almost at end.
His number one goal is to make sure our PGA Professionals and Associates are successful. He meets with them one on one to provide tools and resources to ensure success. Our PGA of America Professionals are our leaders, and he tries his best to make sure they are well versed.
Downing tries to lead by example and think what he would like for someone to do for him if he was in their shoes. It helps that he has been in those shoes and can relate. You are your own brand; he wants to make sure my fellow PGA Professionals in the Iowa PGA Section have a great brand. He assists in promoting the game of golf through Player Development programs like Drive, Chip and Putt, PGA Jr League, Iowa PGA Jr Academy, Iowa PGA Jr Tour and of course our Iowa PGA Section events.
JR Millar, PGA General Manger at Lake Bracken Country Club and Awards Chairman, “Mike tries to remain in the shadows and give everyone else credit for his achievements in Education. He spends countless hours securing speakers, creating/hosting educational opportunities, and helping all Associates and Class A Members stay current on the latest trends or how they can better themselves in their position. Mike is the epitome of what the Professional Development Award is all about.”
Downing won the Bill Strausbaugh Award in 2022.
The Iowa PGA Congratulates Mike Downing as our 2024 Professional Development Award.
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Jay Giannetto Wins Bill Strausbaugh Award
Jay Giannetto of Elmwood Country Club has been named the 2024 Bill Strausbaugh Award winner by the Iowa PGA Awards Committee. The Strausbaugh Award emphasizes the nominee’s performance and achievements over the past five years and is awarded to those who demonstrate day-to-day alternative methods of improving the employment conditions for the PGA Professional.
When asked on what this means to win this award Giannetto responded with, “It is an honor to be recognized as the Bill Strausbaugh Award Honoree for 2024. Bill Strausbaugh was known as a “Pro’s Pro” which is a label that I strive to have associated next to my name. The Iowa PGA is full of first-class golf professionals and my career has been positively impacted by so many of them. As I become a more experienced professional, I look to continue to develop relationships with younger PGA Professionals and hope to have a positive impact on their careers like so many Pros had on my development as a PGA Professional.”
Giannetto’s journey in this industry has been enriched by the wisdom imparted by some of the finest PGA Professionals, and their mentorship has shaped him into the professional he is today. What truly sets him experience apart is the genuine bonds of friendship woven over the years with his peers. Rather than assuming the role of a mentor, he aspires to be a friend, a confidant to fellow professionals and associates. The joy of sharing their victories, supporting them through their struggles, and providing guidance from his own experiences is immeasurable. The measure of his impact as a mentor isn’t in grand gestures, but in the heartfelt messages, calls, and conversations he shares with fellow professionals throughout the year.
One of the cherished experiences in his professional journey has been the privilege to work alongside Matt Jennings during his time at Elmwood Country Club. His aim was to guide Matt in unravelling the business facet of our profession, while maintaining his passion for teaching and playing. His growth into the Head Golf Professional at Bos Landen fills him with immense pride, and he eagerly looks forward to his continued progress and his strong presence in the Iowa PGA Section.
Giannetto has been graced with the opportunity to strive for excellence as a PGA Professional, a journey that is both challenging and rewarding. Despite the hurdles, his commitment to improving every day has remained unwavering. The pride he feels in representing the PGA of America, wearing our badge with honor, and supporting our Section leaders is immense. His membership with the Iowa PGA is a badge of honor that he wears with immense gratitude.
He considers himself incredibly fortunate to have been able to contribute to the growth of golf through initiatives like Iowa PGA Swings With Kids, PGA Junior League, and more. The experience of being part of organizations that enhance children’s lives in our community has been a source of great joy and appreciation. His involvement with the Lennox/Quakerdale Pro-Am committee since 2015 has given him a profound sense of gratitude. It has shown him how golf can act as a powerful conduit for positive change. The Pro-Am’s success, raising over 2 million dollars for the Quakerdale Foundation, has brought light to countless stories of impact on youth and families in central Iowa. Serving on this committee has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of his career, for which he is immensely grateful.
Giannetto is currently a sitting member of the Iowa PGA Board of Directors and Acting Co-Chair of the Tournament Committee. He has been a member of the Tournament Committee and the Awards Committee during his years in the Iowa PGA.
It has truly been a blessing to have had numerous assistants accompany him on his journey through the years. Each one holds a special place in his heart, and it fills him with joy that we continue to maintain our bonds, sharing frequent conversations. He wants them to know that he is always here, ready to lend a listening ear, should they ever need guidance or support in navigating their own operations.
Jay is grateful for the opportunity to represent the PGA of America, a role he embraced with all his abilities. Naturally, there have been challenges, and he acknowledges instances where he has fallen short. Yet, he persistently strive to improve, aiming to represent not just myself, but also his family, club, and organization in the best possible light.
The honor of being a PGA Professional fills him with pride and committed to setting an example for the next generation. His aspiration is to embody the true essence of a high-class PGA Pro in the way he conducts himself every day.
Terry Anderson, PGA Head Golf Professional at the Elks Country Club in Iowa City said, “Jay is a deserving PGA Member who meets the qualifications for this award. He is active within the Iowa PGA Section. He is active within his community and represents the PGA of America admirably. He mentored a former assistant of his, Matthew Jennings, into a fine Head Golf Professional at Bos Landen.”
This is Giannettos’ first Iowa PGA Section Award.
The Iowa PGA Congratulates Jay Giannetto as our 2024 Bill Strausbaugh Award.
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