McCarty Named Deacon Palmer, Armes Named Patriot Award-
Sean McCarty Wins 2024 Iowa PGA Deacon Palmer Award
Riverside, Iowa – Sean McCarty of Brown Deer Golf Club has been named the 2024 Iowa PGA Deacon Palmer Award winner by the Iowa PGA Award’s Committee. The “Deacon Palmer Award” bestows special recognition on a PGA Golf Professional who personally displays outstanding integrity, character and leadership, in the effort to overcome a major obstacle in their life. This individual is an unsung hero/heroine at their facility and in their community, who serves to inspire, empower and assist others, both inside and outside of the game.
While playing at the national level, McCarty tried his best to make Iowa known as one of the top playing sections in the country. McCarty has had a back problem since he was 16, which requires every year to have a lumbar rhizotomy every spring. This past January, he tore his bicep tendon and rotator cuff. He wasn’t supposed to play until July, which he started at the end of April to compete at the 2024 Senior PGA championship. His biggest problem in the last eight years is that he burned his right hand, making it difficult to hold the clubs when it’s hot or on multiple golf days. He is in the process of working with the University of Iowa hospital burn unit to figure out a solution without doing skin graft. He has tried many different golf grips to see if that would help.
McCarty’s goal as a PGA golf professional has always been to represent the Iowa PGA and his facility the best he could, whether it was running an event, giving lessons, or playing at the national level.
McCarty still tries to compete at the highest level so he can be an inspiration to young golfers around the state and at his facility. All golfers seem to have body ache, so it makes it easier for him to relate and maybe help them make adjustments in their swing to continue golfing. His biggest contribution is to let players know it sucks to have pain while playing, but it is possible to succeed at the highest level.
McCarty won the Iowa Section Player of the Year (2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022), all while going through the body aches and pains which hopefully shows that he doesn’t give up while it would be easy to do. He just feels like he needs to be an inspiration to the young golfers he teaches and coaches at his facility. He knows Mark Egly has been through a lot and has inspired him not to give up. He has won the National Deacon Palmer award, and rightfully so, with all the health problems he has gone through. He is his hero in his book not to give up!
Joel Logan Sales Representative at TaylorMade Golf had this to say about McCarty, “As we all know in the section, Sean had shoulder surgery earlier this season. I thought his golfing season was over before it started. With his dedication and love for the game, Sean did what it took to make it back to playing. Not only is he back playing but playing at a very high level. I remember him telling me in the shop before his surgery that he would be back playing in only a couple months. I had my doubts but going forward if Sean tells me he can do something, I will never doubt him on anything ever again.”
Mark Egly, PGA Golf Instructor at Des Moines Driving Range, “Over the years, Sean has been very modest and humble about his successes, and sharing his problems is almost unheard of. This year, some of you know, Sean tore his bicep tendon, while pulling a ripcord that recoiled on him about January 18th of 2024. The tear required immediate surgery and would require 7 to 9 months of rehabilitation before playing again for the average person. Sean’s strict discipline and rehab has amazed his doctor. His surgeon only permitted him to play if he did not take divots until further notice. If you saw Sean hit a thin shot this year that sailed over a green, that most likely was caused by following Dr. Nepola’s advice!”
McCarty won Player Development Award in 2016.
The Iowa PGA Congratulates Sean McCarty as our 2024 Iowa PGA Deacon Palmer Award.
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Mike Armes Wins 2024 Iowa PGA Patriot Award
Mike Armes of Geneva Golf & Country Club has been named the 2024 Iowa PGA Patriot Award winner by the Iowa PGA Award’s Committee. The Patriot Award is presented to an Iowa PGA Professional who personifies patriotism through the game of golf and demonstrates unwavering commitment and dedication to the men and women who have valiantly served and protected the United States of America.
When asked on what this means to win, Armes responded with, “I am deeply honored to be recognized by my peers with the Patriot Award. However, I must share this recognition with the dedicated volunteers I am blessed to work alongside. They are equally deserving of this praise, and it is through their tireless efforts that this accomplishment is truly possible.”
Armes is the Lead instructor for GIVE (Riverside) and has been an instructor for GIVE over 10 years before becoming the lead. ln his position, he participates in fund raising by either playing in the pro-am or being an ambassador for the 2-day event at Riverside. This year he was the Keynote speaker for the fundraiser.
He is an instructor for the previously named TEE Tournament for vision impaired veterans which is now named, National Disabled Veteran Golf Clinic. This event has 3 days of instruction for the yearly event. Some of the students are paraplegic, amputees, and all sorts of disabilities. “This is an event I have supported by teaching for several years.”
Next 18 is an organization that does camps for both veterans and first responders with a whole person approach, which includes several days of instruction along with golfing with the veterans. “This is a new event for me this year, and I will be supporting them again next year.”
Armes is a veteran, having served in the Army as a Military Policeman in Thailand and San Francisco from May 1975 to May 1978, as well as being a Police officer for the Department of Defense and the Moline Police Department, allows him to communicate with veterans at their level and helps to make them more comfortable.
ln striving to be a better instructor, he is now a Certified Golf Professional in Teaching and Coaching as well as PGA HOPE Certified. “The importance of staying up to date with different approaches is important for not only the instructor but the student as well, as some of the disabilities we see in our students create challenges to traditional teaching methods.”
Previously as President of the Assistant’s Association and Board Member of the lowa PGA Section, he encouraged all members of the lowa Section to assist in instruction to provide a sense of giving back to the community as well as making them a better instructor as they must teach golfers with different injuries/disabilities.
Mark Egly, PGA Golf Instructor at Des Moines Driving Range, “I am proud to say Mike Armes is a PGA Professional who came to us late in life and now leads us from his military, police work, and Golf Professional background to lead our GIVE Program proudly!”
Armes won Patriot Award in 2019 and Assistant Professional of the Year in 2021.
The Iowa PGA Congratulates Mike Armes as our 2024 Patriot Award Winner.
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