Spencer Dillard’s rise from a young golfer to a devoted PGA of America Golf Professional is a story of passion and purpose. His love for the game began when he was gifted a Tiger Wood’s golf video game as a kid. Spencer, who is now an Assistant Golf Professional at Preston Trail Golf Club, reflects on a journey shaped by the Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour. Spencer’s golfing journey began at the age of seven when his parents enrolled him in a small golf camp in McKinney, Texas. A year later, he discovered the Ewing Automotive NTPGA Junior Tour and started competing in tournaments. These early experiences helped him develop both his skills and excitement for the game. Spencer’s first experience on the junior tour was memorable. “I think I shot 72 for my very first [Prep Tour] event,” Dillard shares. “By the end of that year, I shot a 46. I was so happy to go from shooting a 72 for nine holes to [shooting] in the 40s.” 

FORT WORTH, TX – The Northern Texas PGA held their annual Awards Banquet on Sunday, February 2, at River Crest Country Club. The banquet celebrated the 2024 NTPGA award winners, which included Northern Texas PGA Golf Professional of the Year, the Section's highest award, won by Neil Lockie, PGA director of golf at Dallas National Golf Club. This is the highest honor given annually to a Northern Texas PGA Member, and is awarded for qualities of leadership, strong moral character and a substantial record of service to the NTPGA as well as the game of golf. The complete list of award winners can be found HERE . Congratulations to all!

Today, our Section was selected as the 2025 Herb Graffis Award recipient! The award is given annually to one of the 41 PGA of America Sections for tireless dedication to growing the game of golf and furthering player-development programming in the community. Thank you to all of our PGA of America Golf Professionals who are involved in so many of our Foundation programs, helping us to impact lives in the communities we serve in North Texas!  Led by President Cameron Doan, PGA, and Executive Director Kelly Gilley, PGA, the Section is backed by a membership of more than 1,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals who are employed at more than 300 facilities. The Section’s mission is to promote the enjoyment and involvement in the game of golf and to contribute to its growth by providing services to golf professionals and the golf industry. The NTPGA’s success is fueled by the Northern Texas PGA Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization dedicated to promoting and growing the game of golf among diverse groups of kids in North Texas, and instilling in them the positive, character-developing traits for which the game is known. Annually, approximately 10,000 children and their families are impacted through the Foundation’s full circle of programs and services. Today, based on the three key pillars of the PGA of America REACH Foundation—Youth, Military, Diverse populations—as well as pillars for college scholarships, internships and inclusion, the Foundation reaches a greater audience to promote and grow the game. The centerpiece of the Foundation’s golf programming is the Ronny Golf Park, a first-of-its-kind facility that features a two-acre, lighted golf park made entirely of fully synthetic turf. It can be enjoyed rain or shine, day or night. It is designed with junior golfers in mind, and led by the Section’s PGA-led staff, who offer a variety of programs for children ages 3-14. The Section will be formally recognized again later this year when the PGA of America hosts its Annual Meeting at PGA Frisco in November. Congratulations to all of the 2025 PGA of America award recipients! A full list can be found HERE .

At this year's PGA Show, eight Northern Texas PGA Members and Associates were recognized as #GameChanger Award recipients! The #GameChanger Awards celebrate PGA Jr. League Coaches who go above and beyond to grow the game. The awards honor the 25 largest PGA Jr. League programs in the country as well as the largest programs in each of the 41 PGA of America Sections. The ceremony at the PGA SHOW highlighted the efforts of PGA and LPGA Professionals who are leading the way for youth to enjoy and learn the game of golf. 

LAJITAS, Texas (December 10) – Spencer Dillard, PGA assistant professional at Preston Trail Golf Club, won the Duel in the Desert to claim the 2024 Yamaha Golf-Car Company | Srixon and Nike Match Play Championship Open Division title. Rick Woodson, PGA instructor at Sherrill Park Golf Course, claimed the Senior Division title. The No. 1 seeded Dillard battled No. 3 Gabe Reynolds, PGA director of instruction at Topgolf - Dallas, in a 36-hole final match for the title and $10,000. Both players began their run to the championship match back in October at White Bluff Resort where they worked their way through the 32-player match play bracket. “It’s tough to get here. You have to go through a lot of great players, so I feel really satisfied after the long year of hard work,” said Dillard. “He’s [Reynolds] really good. He can make a birdie or an eagle at any point. Playing with Gabe you know you have to bring your best.” After playing 18 holes on Monday, their match stood at 2UP in favor of Dillard. The 2UP lead for Dillard held through 28 holes. Dillard then began to charge on the back nine when he hit his approach shot on the par-4 11th hole to 10 inches for a conceded birdie. He followed that up on the 12th with another birdie after a 20-foot putt. An errant tee shot on the 14th saw his lead cut to only 3UP with four holes to play. After winning the 14th hole, Reynolds hit his tee shot into the rocks on the right side of the 15th hole. After an unsuccessful attempt to play the shot, Reynolds conceded the hole, and the match ended with a 4&3 victory for Dillard. This is the second year that Dillard has made it to the final match. Last year he fell to Chad Moscovic 7&6 in 36 holes. The redemption victory in Lajitas marks Dillard’s first individual Section major championship victory. It caps off a stellar year, one in which he also earned the Yamaha Golf-Car Company | Srixon and Nike Player of the Year Award presented by Adventures In Golf and the Ben Hogan | NTPGA Stroke Play Scoring Average Award. “Finally! I’m usually just a team champion! It feels great to finally do it on my own,” said Dillard.

DALLAS, Texas (December 2) – The 19th Annual Ewing Charity Classic, a fundraising golf tournament conducted by the Northern Texas PGA for the benefit of the Northern Texas PGA Foundation, was held today at Brook Hollow Golf Club. This year’s event raised $303,000 for the Northern Texas PGA Foundation. The Ewing Charity Classic, formerly the Westcott Pro-Am (from 1996-2005), is widely considered one of the most special and unique pro-am events in the country with $5,946,500 raised during the past 30 years for the benefit of the Northern Texas PGA Foundation's broad-based community outreach programs. The money raised helps to further the Foundation’s mission to positively impact lives and communities through golf. The Ewing Charity Classic featured 22 teams consisting of three amateurs, a PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour or LPGA Tour player and a PGA of America golf professional. Past and present tour players that participated in this year’s event included Si Woo Kim, Pierceson Coody, Ally Ewing, Kevin Tway, Chad Campbell, Ryan Palmer, Hayden Springer, Todd Hamilton, Kelly Kraft, Mac Meissner, Paul Stankowski and others. The 18-hole format this year was as follows: The tour player and club professional played a modified alternate shot and the amateurs played their own ball with full handicaps (maximum of 28). The team score was the professional team score plus the low net score of the amateurs.  The winning team was led by PGA Professionals Nic Ishee and Ben Swaffield and included amateurs Bill Duvall, Bill Hickey, and Cary Newman. Together, they shot an impressive 24-under par, 116, to claim victory in the competition. Ishee and Swaffield, both golf professionals at Preston Trail Golf Club, entered the evening prior to the event due to Cameron Doan, director of golf at Preston Trail Golf Club, and his partner Rich Beem not being able to play. For full event results, please click HERE . Following the competition, PGA Professionals participated in the highly anticipated Closest to the Hole Shootout, where the winner would drive home in a brand-new 2025 Mercedes-Benz C300, generously provided by Ewing Automotive. This year’s shootout took place on the Brook Hollow Golf Club tenth tee box from 125 yards under the lights. As the evening settled into a cool, brisk Texas night, the air was filled with the lingering scent of cigar smoke, adding a touch of tradition and camaraderie to the PGA Professionals' Closest to the Hole Shootout. Ben Swaffield hit an incredible approach and landed just 7 and a 1/2 inches from the hole, a distance no one could best. Despite strong competition from the field, Swaffield’s shot held up, securing him the grand prize—a brand-new Mercedes-Benz C300. “I got the 125 yards with a perfect pitching wedge in the cold, kind of embraced it while everyone watched on,” said Ben Swaffield, PGA assistant professional at Preston Trail Golf Club, after receiving the keys to his new car. “It wasn’t do or die, I just wanted to hit a good shot and it turned out great.” After 25 more professionals hit, no one had bested the Australian native. The second-place prize was claimed by Sean Hanson, PGA head professional at Pinecrest Country Club, who put his shot 10 feet, 9 ¾ inches from the hole, earning a $5,000 prize. Chad Moscovic, PGA director of instruction at The Ronny Golf Park secured third place and $3,000 with a shot of 11 feet, 8 inches. The closest to the hole contest was Mr. Ewing’s idea as a way to not only help raise funds for the Northern Texas PGA Foundation but also to say a special thank you to the PGA of America golf professionals who participate in the event. In 2012, it was so well received that Mr. Ewing decided to keep the shootout going and has given away a car to a PGA of America golf professional each year since.

Neil Lockie Named Golf Professional of the Year

Two Epson Tour Exemptions to be Awarded to Top Finishers

GREENVILLE, Texas (November 17) – Adam Headley, PGA director of golf at Green Tree Country Club cashed his largest check with the Northern Texas PGA today at The Oaks Country Club. Headley earned $25,000 for his shootout victory. “The crazy thing is, I’ve been playing in the Section for a long time and this is my first ever Section individual [victory] so that’s pretty cool to win one of the biggest first-place prizes ever,” Headley said. Jerry J. Ransom, the namesake of the Jerry J. Ransom Northern Texas PGA Golf House and long-time NTPGA Foundation supporter, hosted the event for 70 Northern Texas PGA Members and Associates employed at a facility that supports the NTPGA Foundation's growth of the game initiatives. The event was designed to be a fun and unique way to thank the men and women in this Section who work diligently to continue to grow the game alongside the NTPGA Foundation. “I wanted to do something for the PGA Professionals in the Northern Texas Section while bringing entertainment and exposure to The Oaks Country Club,” Ransom said “I wanted to say a different kind of thank you by hosting them for a fun day of golf and a sizable purse. The event is new to the NTPGA schedule this year and was the brainchild of Dr. Ransom and NTPGA CEO, Mark Harrison. The format consisted of a 9-hole stroke play qualifier this morning where the top three scores advanced, plus a randomly drawn name for the final spot. Stetson McMillan, Associate at John Sikes Golf Academy, was the first qualifier after finishing at 3-under-par. Three others finished tied at 2-under-par and went to a sudden death playoff for the final two spots. Brandon Bingaman, PGA assistant professional at Gleneagles Country Club, and Adam Headley advanced. Courtney Connell, PGA head professional at Mira Vista Country Club was the random selection for non qualifiers.