FAIRBORN, OH – The Southern Ohio PGA is excited to name Jamie Brewer, PGA Assistant Professional at Hyde Park Golf & Country Club, the 2022 SOPGA Assistant of the Year.

Jamie Brewer, PGA Assistant Professional at Hyde Park Golf & Country Club, is the 2022 Southern Ohio PGA Assistant Professional of the Year. Goal setting and hard work are two skills Brewer learned as a junior golfer that have carried over into her short career as a golf professional. Her interest in the game began at 10-years-old. Working with a local PGA Professional Instructor, Brewer refined her game to play competitively at William Mason High School in Mason, OH. She continued working hard in taking her game to the collegiate level at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, OH where she was a two-time NCAA Super Regional Qualifier. Upon her 2016 graduation, Brewer began working through the PGA Associate Program and was elected to PGA Membership in February 2021. Today as an Assistant Professional, she continues to set goals for herself while going above and beyond to achieve them. As Brewer is one of the small percentage of female PGA Professionals and was recently a junior golfer herself, she has found a passion for growing the game specifically among junior golfers and women at her facility. Through the creation of her “Major” and “Minor” PGA Jr. League concept and Ladies Only events, she generates new golfers daily. Brewer is also working to grow the Section’s junior golf offerings as a vocal member of the Junior Golf Committee. She prides herself on organization and efficiency in all aspects of her career as she is extremely grateful to call the golf course her “office” everyday. Brewer has been recognized with various accolades throughout her playing career, but the 2022 Assistant Professional of the Year award is her first recognition for success working in the industry in Southern Ohio.

Q: What does it mean to you to be named the Southern Ohio PGA Assistant Professional of the Year? 

JB: I am incredibly honored to be named the Assistant of the Year. I remember when I filled out the essay questions and thought that once you’ve graduated college, you don’t really win awards for anything anymore. The fact that our industry honors those who play well during tournaments and also have awards for those doing exceptional work in other areas is really cool. I’m also honored that both [my husband] Matt and I have now received this award. 

Q: What inspired your passion to become a PGA Professional? 

JB: My love for golf (like most would probably say) inspired my passion to become a PGA Professional. The fact that I get to work at a country club and not in an office is ideal for me. I don’t think I could do the same thing every day and be in an office.  That is the one thing about the golf industry, every day is something different. 

Q: What do you think makes a successful Assistant Professional in the industry? 

JB: Personality is everything. If you can be personable and work hard you will be successful. People are at the club with their disposable income and time so they want to enjoy themselves. If you can present a good attitude and create a positive experience, they will continue to come to you for their golf needs.

Q: Since beginning your career, what has been the most surprising and/or interesting thing about you’ve learned about yourself or the industry? 

JB: Golf is a lot more complicated than what I thought it was when I was competing daily as a junior golfer. When I was playing, it was all about feel. I did what my swing coach told me to do and trusted it. I wasn’t watching swings online or analyzing other pros/players. I was strictly just a junior golfer with decent feel of the game and swing. When you’re a kid you lack the fear factor that you gain as you grow up. Teaching/watching kids play golf now, it’s amazing to see how they just wind up and smack it without a care in the world. We need more of that in adults but, it’s not easy to create that mindset. I feel like people make it overly complicated and then you can get conflicting sources. Just simplify it. It is just a game at the end of the day.

Q: What does it mean to you to be a PGA Professional? 

JB: In this profession, I believe I am in the 4% of PGA Professionals who are female. I think that is a really interesting (and scary) statistic. I think it may be one of the only industries that is 96% male dominated. I feel very honored to be a part of that 4% and being taught at our PGA Associate Levels in Florida by females was a really cool experience once we were at level 3.

Q: What has been the most impactful advice you’ve received since becoming a PGA Professional? 

JB:  “Most people can handle the easy ones, we handle the difficult ones” Bill Wood.

He said this during the caddie classic while telling a story about his cousin who was a big golfer. He had belonged to lots of clubs and wondered how Bill lasted so long at one place. Being able to handle the difficult people will make one resilient. Reading it now it sounds bad because every job has difficult people but this industry has so many interactions daily. Every experience has to be a positive member interaction and you can’t really have an off day or else members will know. So being strong mentally and resilient is so key in this industry.

Q: Is there any advice would you give to someone thinking about getting into the industry?

JB: I would tell them to get in and grind for a few years. If you can get in a grove you can great a create clientele for lessons, and be able to run leagues and events with ease. Do the extra work to learn the systems that make your job easier. Create junior programs because families want their kids involved in sports and you can name your price. If you can get into the right facility with the right leadership, it can be an excellent career. The balance is one of the hardest things to manage but if you do it right, you can really enjoy a lot of perks of being a golf professional.

 

The SOPGA recognizes the PGA Member and Associate Assistant of the Year for their growth in their development as a golf professional as well as commitment to a career in the PGA. Criteria for these awards are based on: 1) overall performance as an Assistant golf professional; 2) services to the Section, Chapter or Association; 3) leadership ability and; 4) promotion of golf. Click here to learn more about the Southern Ohio PGA Special Awards and to view previous recipients.