The Southwest PGA is pleased to announce that Doug Hodge, Trent Rathbun, Mike Scully and Al Sutton were recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Southwest Professional Golfers’ Association of America by members at the Association’s Annual Meeting. Also serving on the Executive Committee will be Jay Larscheid, who was appointed Secretary of the Association filling the vacant officer’s seat.

Larscheid, 53, of Gilbert, AZ., is in his first year as the PGA general manager at Sunland Springs G.C. in Mesa, AZ. For 15 year prior to that, he served as the general manager at Longbow G.C. in Mesa.

Since earning his PGA membership in 1997, Larscheid has been very active in the governance of the Southwest PGA. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2010 and served as chairman of the Junior Golf and Special Awards Committees. He is currently a member of the Southwest PGA’s Governance Committee and served the past eight years on the Board of the Southwest PGA Foundation.

Community involvement is very important to Larscheid as he volunteers his time with Special Olympics and is heavily involved in PGA Golf Day, which not only has a direct impact on his fellow men and women PGA members but in the community as well.

Hodge, 41, of Phoenix, AZ., is the PGA head golf professional at TPC of Scottsdale (AZ). He earned his membership in the PGA of America in December of 1999 after graduating from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI., in the PGA Golf Management program.

Prior to his current position, Hodge worked as a PGA apprentice, assistant and head golf professional at Grayhawk G.C. in Scottsdale for 16 years, the last 10 as PGA head golf professional.

In his time with the Southwest PGA, Hodge has served on several committees including the Arizona Open Committee, and most recently on the Southwest PGA Foundation Pro-Am Committee, which will be hosted at TPC Scottsdale this December. In addition, he has served on the Assistants Association and as a District Director for the Section’s Antigua Junior Prep Tour.

Rathbun, 40, of Scottsdale, is the PGA general manager at Whisper Rock G.C. in Scottsdale, where he has served since December of 2000 – three months before the facility opened.

A PGA member since 1999, Rathbun began his career as an intern and apprentice at Grayhawk G.C. after completing the PGA Golf Management program at Ferris State University. He immediately became involved in the Section as a Salt River District Director of the Antigua Junior Tour. Rathbun previously served on the Arizona Open Committee and is currently a member of the Southwest PGA Foundation Pro-Am Committee.

Scully, 50, of Cave Creek, AZ., is the PGA director of golf at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale. He earned his membership in the PGA of America in 1999 after his short stint playing in the NFL, where his career was cut short due to injuries. Scully was a center with the Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks.

After his NFL career ended, Scully put his degree in hospitality management from the University of Illinois to use accepting an assistant golf professional position at The Forest Country Club in Fort Myers, FL. He would ultimately become the PGA head golf professional, and in 2002, return home to Chicago accepting the head golf professional position at the historic Medinah (IL.) C.C.

While at Medinah, Scully was instrumental in facilitating the 2006 PGA Championship and the 2012 Ryder Cup Matches. He was very involved in the Illinois PGA serving on the Board of Directors, numerous committees and was elected to Secretary and Vice-President of the Section before moving on to Desert Mountain in 2012. He was honored as the 2008 Illinois PGA Golf Professional of the Year, the highest honor bestowed on a PGA Professional. He currently serves on the Southwest PGA Budget Committee.

Al Sutton, 51, of Scottsdale, is the PGA director of golf at Paradise Valley (AZ.) C.C., where he has served since April of 2003.

A PGA member since 1993, Sutton began his career working as an assistant professional at notable facilities Baltusrol G.C., Navisink C.C. and Orange Lake. His first head golf professional position came in 1996 at Mendham Golf and Tennis Club in Mendham, N.J., where he spent three seasons before accepting the director of golf position at Waynesborough C.C. in Paoli, PA.

Throughout his career Sutton has been involved with the board of directors and served on many committees in New Jersey, Philadelphia and Arizona. He was honored as the 2006 Southwest PGA Merchandiser of the Year for Private Facilities and the 2008 PING Fitter of the Year.

For more information about the Southwest PGA, please visit www.southwest.pga.com.