Vernon’s Jesse Crowe is the PGA of BC winner of the Dunc Sutherland Distinguished Service Award presented by DGL Sports Enterprises Ltd.
Crowe and 10 other recipients will be honoured next Wednesday at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond.
The Dunc Sutherland award goes to a PGA of BC member who demonstrates exceptional commitment to the association by supporting and promoting the association’s brand, events and initiatives.
Crowe, a 15-year member of the PGA of BC, is in his fourth year as head pro at the Salmon Arm Golf &Country Club. The Kalamalka Laker grad previously spent four years at Canoe Creek, four seasons at Mabel Lake and 11 at the Vernon Golf &Country Club.
“Crowe has always been an enthusiastic supporter of PGA of BC activities, but perhaps never more than in 2017,” said Eric MacKenzie of the PGA of BC. “The 37-year-old participated in every tournament conducted by the PGA of BC for which he was eligible while also acting as host professional for the Assistants’ and Seniors’ Championships in June. Crowe also championed the association’s junior programming throughout the season, including Canucks Junior Golf Week presented by Odlum Brown Limited and the Jack McLaughlin Memorial Pro-Junior Championship, helping him earn the Interior Region’s nomination for this year’s Junior Golf Leader of the Year Award.”
Crowe, associate pro Kevin Geistlinger, of Vernon, and assistant Nathan Grieve, will attend the Canucks-Ottawa Senators hockey game next Tuesday before taking in a PGA buying show Wednesday before the awards ceremony.
“It’s awesome,” said Crowe, of the award. “Most of the guys who have won this have been around a lot longer than me. It’s an absolute honour to get it from the office staff who do a great job, and to have it approved by the board who I respect very much. It’s very cool. I love my job and that’s what we’re here for.”
Crowe, a father of three, has built up the Salmon Arm junior program which now has 25 members on the championship course and another 40 on the Heritage nine-holer.
Sutherland was a longtime PGA of BC volunteer in the Vancouver area.
The Jim Gibson Patron of the Year Award is presented each year to a person, group of people or organization that demonstrates an exceptional contribution to the Association’s initiatives.
This year, the PGA of BC has presented this award to Dan Dodman. Through a career in BC’s golf industry spanning more than 25 years, Dodman’s support and generosity has been crucial to the success of several PGA of BC programs and events, including Canucks Junior Golf Week, the Club Professional Championship and in recognizing the PGA of BC’s Candidate for Membership of the Year in the Association’s awards program. Dodman recently retired after more than 10 years as president of Cleveland Golf/Srixon Canada, which has been a Preferred Partner of the PGA of BC during the entirety of his tenure.