The 2025 PGA Golf Professional of the Year Conference provided an opportunity for nearly 30 award-winning PGA of America Golf Professionals to discuss the unique qualities they possess – and how those qualities have helped them succeed in their careers.
The 16th annual conference, held Nov. 16–19, 2025 at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon, boasted the theme “Built Different” to commemorate the ways the national and Section winners of PGA Golf Professional of the Year honors have set themselves apart in their profession. The invitation-only gathering, part of the PGA Magazine Conference Series, featured four days of authentic, in-depth discussions about the business of golf that spanned panel discussions, breakout group meetings and networking opportunities on and off the golf course.
“We want to dive into what motivates you to be different,” PGA Magazine President Brian Folino said at the outset of the conference. “Our goal is to provide the platform for you to exchange ideas and experiences, and to learn from each other about how you are built different and how that’s helped you become the leaders you are.”
2025 PGA of America Golf Professional of the Year Scott Paris of Plainfield Country Club in Edison, New Jersey, headlined a spirited group of PGA of America Professionals with dozens of various national and Section awards between them.
In a fireside chat, Paris discussed how he feels motivated to continue learning and growing despite his decades of experience.
“People ask me when I’m going to be done. I still love doing what I do, and I’m going to keep going,” Paris said. “I’m inspired by all the great PGA of America Golf Professionals in this room – I feel like a slouch when I hear all that you’re doing.
“I clearly still have lots of room to grow. I’m still passionate about this game and growing it, and I have the energy to keep going and learning from other professionals.”
The “Built Different” theme of the 2025 PGA Golf Professional of the Year Conference allowed attendees to share ideas from their home facilities, while framing discussions on the state of the industry that occurred in meetings and on the golf course.
“I’m always struck by how our jobs are so different, yet we’re all trying to do the same things,” said Jeff Kiddie, the PGA of America Head Professional at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, and the 2023 PGA Golf Professional of the Year. “I’m bringing home eight or nine pages of notes to share with my staff at the club. This is a special event at a special place.”
Each morning breakout session featured a different mix of attendees, ensuring each PGA of America Professional was able to meet and hear from all of their peers over the course of the conference. PGA Professionals at the conference were also able to extend their conversations and camaraderie to the fairways and greens, as attendees played three of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort’s highly ranked golf courses: Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes and Sheep Ranch.
“It’s been an amazing few days,” said Kim Falcone, the PGA of America Assistant Professional at La Jolla (California) Country Club and the 2025 Southern California PGA Section Patrick Rielly PGA Golf Professional of the Year. “I learned so much from our sessions that I can incorporate back at La Jolla. I made new friends, got a chance to get to know people from around the country, and I felt at ease and welcome from the start. I’m so glad I came to this conference.”
Representatives from PGA Golf Professional of the Year Conference presenting partners Bandon Dunes, E-Z-GO, Galvin Green, Golf Genius, the PGA of America, Ping, Pukka and UST Mamiya also addressed conference attendees. The group was welcomed to Bandon Dunes by PGA Master Professional Jeff Simonds, the facility’s PGA of America General Manager, who discussed the resort’s excitement to host the 2026 PGA Professional Championship on the facility’s Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes courses. Simonds also detailed the resort’s recent opening of its Shorty’s par-3 course, additional accommodations currently in the construction phase, and plans for a sixth 18-hole course to be built at a site 10 minutes south of the resort.
In addition to the eight presenting partners mentioned previously, 2025 PGA Golf Professional of the Year supporting partners were Bioesque, CaddieMaster, Motocaddy, Premier Golf, StrackaLine and Strokes Gained.
