Media Links About PTR Labels

With the help of Nan Ryan, Founder & Executive Director of the Little People's Golf Championship, PTR Labels was in the Quincy Herald-Whig, WGEM (TV), and WGEM (radio) the last two days.  As a four-year participant of the event, I was also fortunate enough to speak to a large number of juniors with their parents at the welcoming BBQ dinner on Monday night.

All very exciting stuff!


Zach
Founder and Owner, PTR Labels
http://www.ptrlabels.com/

The Little People's Golf Championship & Quincy, IL

I just returned home after spending two days with the Little People's Golf Championship in Quincy, IL.  PTR Labels was one of the sponsors at this year's event and we provided samples and creative pieces to each of the (403) golfers.  I had the opportunity to meet a lot of the parents and juniors at registration on Monday as they were passed out with each player's registration packets.  And as a former participant in the LPGC between ages 14-17, Founder and Executive Director, Nan Ryan, asked if I would speak for a few minutes to the parents and kids at the welcoming BBQ on Monday night.

Playing in the tournament for (4) years, I think it served as the catalyst for me to want to improve at the game and pursue it in college and beyond.  I've been fortunate to see many new places, play great courses, establish great friendships, and enjoy many great experiences all of which are a result of playing golf.  The LPGC played a critical part in that process and in my development as a golfer.

PTR Labels is incredibly thankful for playing a small role in this year's event.  We look forward to being there again in June 2011!

Zach
Founder and Owner, PTR Labels
http://www.ptrlabels.com/

The Ball Retriever & the Equestrian Golf Course (#4)

In the pro shops, restaurants, and locker rooms of almost every golf course and country club are pictures of their golf course. There may be aerial views of the entire property that show each hole meandering through the terrain and topography. Many pictures are taken of individual holes either from the view of the tee box or green. Photos of the golf course during sunrise and sunset hours are common too as they seem to capture a more calm and pristine environment compared to how one may view the course after they’ve completed a 5-hour death march playing through trees, woods, water, sand, heat, wind, and/or rain.

I used to work at The Polo Club of Boca Raton in south Florida and it was no different there. Throughout the club are photos of the Club and Equestrian golf courses. Most of the pictures were taken with golfers in the foreground who were unknowingly photographed in the middle of a putt or swing but they were always in the company of three or four friends. They really are beautiful pictures; the course and hole is always in immaculate condition, the sun is always shining, and the golfers are mostly smiling and enjoying themselves. That is until they fall behind the group in front of them and the Ranger in the red golf cart starts following them.

Pace of play was, and still is, highly important and closely monitored by more and more courses as each tries to maximize profits by pumping as many greens fees through the cash register with maintaining the enjoyment of its guest (golfer). It was not uncommon for the (2) courses at the Polo Club to experience 250-300 rounds per day in peak season. Members were expected to play in a reasonable 4:10 – 4:20 pace depending on the course but as the day wears on it becomes very difficult to monitor and enforce. If a group does fall behind, Rangers normally ask the slow group to pick up their golf balls, discontinue playing the remainder hole or holes, and move into position directly behind the group in front of them. Needless to say, this suggestion is rarely received well by the slow group who is out of position. But in some instances, the challenges of a particular hole make it easier for a golfer and group to ‘quit’ and move up.

The 4th hole on the Equestrian golf course is a short par-4 that play into a small green that is guarded by a pond with OB right behind the green. Due to the difficulty of the approach shot, it wasn’t uncommon for a group who had fallen behind the group in front of them to not finish the hole especially if they had already deposited a couple of golf balls into the pond. Most golfers did not need much convincing from the ranger to skip the green and move straight to the 5th tee box in order to pick up some time and improve their pace of play. However, the golfers who had lost balls in the pond did not pass on the opportunity to ‘fish’ them out with their ball retrievers before rushing to the next hole.

The picture hanging in the locker room of the 4th hole on the Equestrian golf course is of the green. Its next to other beautiful photos of the course in settings as I described above. The flag is in the hole. There are no golf balls on the green and there are four golfers who are not smiling. They do not have their putters in hand. Instead, they’re peering into the water from different sections of the green, holding their ball retrievers, fishing for their lost golf ball.  The pros used to joke that the favorite club of the Polo Club golfer isn’t the driver, or putter, or specific iron. Instead, it’s the ball retriever.

If you ever have the opportunity to see this photo and wonder why it looks so out of place in comparison to the others, it’s likely the group was slow, behind the pace of play, and none too happy about losing their Top Flite golf ball.


Zach
Founder and Owner, PTR Labels
http://www.ptrlabels.com/

St. Jude & Delta Upsilon

On a non-golf related topic, I received an email from the president of the Delta Upsilon chapter at Bradley University.  Being a DU and alumi of Bradley,  I was proud and excited to hear that the men in Peoria raised over $32,000 for St. Jude Children's Hospital and have performed 950 service hours in the last year.

Keep up the great work, guys.

Zach
Founder and Owner, PTR Labels
http://www.ptrlabels.com/