NJPGA InsiderAugust, 2014
Page Two President’s Message
Page Three NJ Golf Foundation News
Page Four Head Pro Spotlight
Page Five Section News
Page Six Assistant Pro Spotlight
Page Seven What’s in the Bag
Page Eight Player of the Year
Presidents Message
Please click on the picture aboveto view NJPGA President Andy
Brock’s video message
NJ Golf Foundation NewsPeter A. Famiano Memorial Scholarship Recipients
Congratulations to our 2014 Famiano Scholarshiprecipients, Jessica Wild & Nicholas Cappetti!
Jessica graduated in 2014 from Hunterdon CentralRegional High School where she was involved inmany activities including National Honor Society
and Mock Trial. Jessica will be attendingUniversity of Tampa as a member of the Class of2018 and plans to major in Government andWorld Affairs. Nicholas graduated in 2014 fromBurlington Township High School where he was
the captain of the golf team for his senior year. Healso volunteered many hours with the New Jersey
National Guard. Nicholas plans to receive hisPGM Golf Management Business Degree at
Campbell University.
NJ Golf Foundation in the Community
Golf Day at the New Jersey JackalsOn July 13, the NJGF staff & interns went to theNew Jersey Jackals baseball game to give lessons
with birdie ball & SNAG equipment, run a raffle forall fans in attendance & Executive Director Chris
Hunt threw out the first pitch!
NBC 4 & NY Giants Health & Fitness ExpoOn July 19 & 20, the 2nd Annual Health & FitnessExpo was held at MetLife Stadium. The NJGF wasthere to give lessons and provide programming
information to everyone in attendance.
Head Pro SpotlightFrank Esposito, Brooklake Country Club
What is your work history prior to Brooklake?
1988-1989: Assistant Pro Glenwood CC
1990-1993: Assistant Pro Montammy GC
1994-1997: Assistant Pro Crestmont CC
1998-1999: Assistant Pro Shackamaxon CC
How have you been able to handle playing greatcompetitive golf and maintaining yourresponsibilities at work?
First you need to have a good staff and I have beenvery fortunate in that respect. Also, having the backingof your members and since Brooklake is privatelyowned, the backing of my owners.
How many Majors and tour events have youcompeted in?
1992 US Open1990 & 1992 Westchester Classic1999 Lehigh Valley and Hersey Classic (Hogan Tour)2008 & 2014 PGA Championship2014 Senior PGA Championship2014 US Senior Open
Are any of the majors more memorable thanothers?
Playing in your first major and having it be at PebbleBeach has to be at the top of list. Also playing in my firstSenior PGA and making the cut was special.
What are your most memorable victories in NJ orthe Met area?
Well obviously the 1999 State Open comes to mind.Probably though between last year and this year hold-ing the titles in both the Senior PGA, and Section PGAas well as NJ Senior Open and the NJ State Open atthe same time is pretty special.
Many people think you are playing betternow than ever. What's been your secret tokeep improving with age?
No secret, I still enjoy competing, and I’mrelatively healthy. I still love to work hard on mygame.
Can you talk a little bit about your practiceroutines.
Believe it or not I really don’t practice as hard asI used to. The body doesn’t respond like it usedto. Having said that I always try to do somethinggolf related everyday. Hit a few balls, play afew holes, or putt and chip for a bit
If you were giving advice to youngassistants getting into the businesswhat advice would you give them aboutbeing a successful professional andhow playing has helped your careerpath.
You really need to enjoy what you do. Ihave always enjoyed being around andworking in the business. It is hard workand it takes up a lot of your time but beingable to go to a golf course everyday andmake money is not such a bad thing.Playing has helped me tremendously,especially here at Brooklake. My membersare my biggest fans they enjoy watchingme, rooting for me and following me at thenational level. They take great pride inthat, as do I.
Section NewsNJPGA Senior PGA Championship
Black Oak Golf ClubTuesday, July 22nd - Wednesday, July 23rd
Congratulations to Ed Whitman (Knickerbocker CC)for winning the Senior PGA Championship with a twoday total of 5-under par, 139. Whitman will be repre-senting the NJPGA at the Senior PGA ProfessionalNational Championship in November! He will be
joined by fellow NJPGA Professionals, Gregory Baker,Don Brigham, Bill Britton, Mike Burke, Frank Esposi-
to, David Glenz, Baker Maddera & Mark Yannotta.
POLO GolfPro Scratch Championship
Hamilton Farm Golf ClubMonday, July 28th
Congratulations to Jim McGovern (WhiteBeeches Golf & Country Club) and his partner,
Tom Lamorte, for winning the Pro ScratchChampionship with a 9-under, 117. They beatout the teams from Plainfield Country Club &
Black Oak Golf Club by one shot.
EZ-GO Textron Pro President ChampionshipMetuchen Golf & Country Club
Wednesday, July 30thCongratulations to Chris Dachisen (North Jersey Country Club) and his Club President, Silvio Ingui,
for winning with a score of 68 (-4). Congratulations to Sean Toohey (NJ National Golf Club) & his Golf
Chairman, EdGunther for
winning the ProGovernor Division
with a 66 (-6).
Assistant Pro SpotlightDevon Moore, Forest Hill Field Club
Year Elected to PGA Membership:2014
Favorite Golf Courses:The Quarry at Black Diamond Ranch and QuinteroGolf Club in Arizona
Career Low Round:67 at Seaview Golf Club
My ambition to start a career in golf is differentthan most. I didn't play college golf and I didn'tbelong to a country club growing up. In fact, Ionly played a few times a year with my fatherand brother but I usually played well, shootingin the 70's. My brother was a tremendous playerwith a big personality that everyone gravitatedtoward but he wasn't the best student. Unable to decide what he wanted to do with his life wedecided that after he finished community college we would go to The Golf Academy ofAmerica where I could help him with his classwork and then he would have a career he couldexcel in for the future and we could share together. Unfortunately he was diagnosed with a rareform of cancer a month later and six months after that he was gone. I put golf on the backburner for a few years but ultimately I decided to quit my job at AIG and pursue the dream mybrother and I had thought of a few years back. It was one of the best decisions of my life. It'sbeen 7 years since I graduated from The Golf Academy and it's true what they say...when youare doing something you love you never feel like you're working.
Now that I have earned my Class A PGA card I am working toward my ultimate goal ofbecoming a Head Golf Professional at a family oriented club. Family is important to me, I grewup part of a big family and bought a house in the same town I grew up in to raise my ownfamily. In the off season I coach my son's basketball team and participate in three basketballleagues of my own. I love teaching and running golf tournaments (there's a certain energy tothe club before a tournament begins) but my favorite part is when a member tells me that theyjust broke 100, 90, 80 etc. for the first time or that the bunker lesson I gave them the other dayjust worked like a charm on the course. In today's world people have a ton of options with whatto do with their time and money and I feel privileged to work in an industry where peoplechoose to spend their free time.
What’s in the Bag - Matt Freitag, PGAFacility:
Hamilton Farm Golf Club
Driver: Titleist 913 D2 – 7.5 Loft
Aldila Tour Green Shaft
Woods/Hybrid: Titleist 913 FD – 13.5 Loft
Aldila Tour Green Shaft Titleist 913 H – 19 Loft
Aldila Tour Green Shaft
Irons: Titleist AP2 – 4 Iron – PW
Project X PXI Shaft
Wedges: Titleist Vokey – 50 Degree – F Grind Titleist Vokey – 54 Degree – S Grind
Titleist Vokey – 58 Degree – K Grind
Putter: Depends on the day – Odyssey Tank Putter – 38 inch counter-
balance
Ball Marker: Shiny Coins
Golf Ball & markings: Pro V1X – NJ Golf Foundation Logo
Favorite Club in the bag? Driver
Lowest round/when/where? 64 – 2005 – Hamilton Farm Golf Club
Favorite course? Carnoustie
Goals for the season?Place in the Top 20 on the NJPGA Player of the Year Points List
Player of the Year
Save the DateCelebration of Golf
October 23 - Trump NationalGolf Club, Bedminster
Please consider inviting yourmembers and guests to join
us for golf and dinner!
Presented by Polo Golf
Presented by Dunning Golf
