Featured Article on the PGA Program - Methodist University

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PGA Golf Management AlumniTEE PARTYJames Ondo ’05, Business AdministrationHead Golf Professional, The Apawamis ClubRye, N.Y.James Ondo is the head professional at The Apawamis Club in Rye, N.Y., but hiscareer has taken him all over the United States. Before his current position, he workedas an assistant professional at Grandfather Golf and Country Club in Linville, N.C.;The Loxahatchee Club in Jupiter, Fla.; and Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck,N.Y. As a student, he interned at St. Clair Country Club in Pittsburgh, Pa.; TournamentPlayers Club at Jasna Polana in Princeton, N.J.; and Pebble Beach Golf Links inPebble Beach, Calif.Ondo was also a member of the men’s golf team when he was a student, and sayshe enjoyed the fraternity and camaraderie of the team and the PGM Program.“Being able to go ‘downback’ to work on my game and play golf with my fellow‘PGM Boys,’ as Dr. Marr lovingly referred to us, each day was priceless,” Ondo said.“I could not have had a better opportunity to develop as a player and teacher than Ihad with Methodist’s world-class facilities. My experiences representing Methodist asa student-athlete were also very rewarding. Competing on a nationally ranked team,while traveling the country with Coach Conley and four of my best friends, was trulya special experience.”Ondo said Conley and Jerry Hogge had an immense impact on his life andcareer and that Hogge is a mentor who he calls regularly and continues to look tofor help navigating the golf industry. He credits Conley for instilling players witha commitment to excellence and always demanding that they have respect for thecommunity, school, teammates and themselves.The rest of the PGM staff from his time at Methodist also have a place in Ondo’saccolades, people who he said inspired him daily to be a better person and studentathlete.“Sharon Kerr, David Durham, Kim Kincer, Charles Koonce, and Bernie Krickare remarkable individuals,” Ondo said. “The PGM staff was more of a family than afaculty. There is not a day that goes by in the golf industry where I do not reflect onsomething I learned from each of those staff members. Being able to see the PGMstaff, along with the president of our university, each year at the PGA Show is alsovery special to me.”62Engage. Enrich. Empower.
COVER STORYTHE DRIVE TO SUCCEEDScott Reilly ’06, Business AdministrationHead Golf Professional, Philadelphia Country ClubPhiladelphia, Pa.One of Scott Reilly’s first golf jobs was working with Bernie Krick on the driving rangeon campus.“He was stern yet appreciative, and never shy to let you know of a teaching moment andwhat he expected,” Reilly said. “He was a great role model and I learned a lot about clubrepair and fitting.”Since then, Reilly has gone on to become the head golf professional at PhiladelphiaCounty Club, where he has been since February 2012. His previous positions were at TheCounty Club in Brookline, Mass., where he completed his last internship and worked forthe last seven years, and The Jim McLean Golf School at Doral in Miami, Fla., where hespent two winters and became a certified instructor.One of his more memorable moments at Methodist was playing in the Hogge Shootoutwith his friends, cheering for matching that came down to the last three holes.“It was always so much fun,” Reilly said. “And then, we’d go out afterwards and celebratewhether we won or lost.”From his first days at Methodist, Reilly said he appreciated the honesty that Jerry Hoggegave the students.“He told it like it is, wanted the best for us, but gave perspective that you need to havepatience and work hard,” he said. “Classes that he taught were always fun, whether he wouldreflect on one of his past experiences, tell of another student, or a real world situation heknew of. He cares so much for the program and the students, it was always a pleasure whenwe got to see him come down on the range and talk to everyone with his big smile andlaugh.”THE GAME PLANThomas Hutton ’10, Business AdministrationDirector of Junior Golf, Southern Texas PGAThe Woodlands, TexasAs the director of Junior Golf for the Southern Texas PGA, Thomas Hutton is helpingto spread the game to the next generation of players. There, he oversees and manages oneof the largest junior golf programs in the country, with 3,000 junior golf members ages6-18 years old and 300 junior golf tournaments a year.Hutton got a small taste of event planning when he was at Methodist, where he ran andorganized Easter Jam for two years. He says this was one his most memorable experienceson campus.“It allowed me to give the student body an unbelievable event on campus with someamazing music,” he said. “It also allowed me to work closely with a lot of staff and studentson campus.”Hutton credits Jerry Hogge for a lot of his motivation as a student, and as an alumnus.“He always had his door open to talk about anything and since I have graduated, he’s been abig help in my professional career with advice and direction when I needed it,” he said.JourneyThe Methodist hUniversity63
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