2022 Yearbook

25 J ackie Wojciechowski, of Graytown, Ohio, was a wel- comed addition this season as the Handicapping and Course Rating Intern. With a previous stint at the Northern Ohio PGA Section, Jackie came in with golf administration experience. As the Course Rating Intern, she helped with prep work leading up to site visits, recorded data from ratings, and then uploading the data into the Course Rating System. Her prep work allowed for ratings to be done efficient- ly, reducing the amount of time needed on the course. She played a part in dozens of ratings over the summer months and assisted Nate McCoy, Handicapping and Course Rating Director, with his daily responsibilities. Jackie was also the main contact for clubs regarding their Club Authorization, which required her to reach out to courses across Iowa. She remained persistent, en- suring each club was authorized by the USGA deadline in late June. Jackie developed a knack for being at the right place at the right time during IGA championships. Her timing was perfect as she witnessed two separate aces, one at the IGA Father-Son and the second at the Iowa Ama- teur. Like her fellow interns, Jackie has a bright future ahead of her as she recently accepted an Assistant Professional position at Elmcrest Country Club in Cedar Rapids. “I had a blast working for the IGA! Being new to Iowa, it was great to see how much the state values the game. Golf is a sport that brings together all kinds of people from many different backgrounds. It’s awesome to see everyone come together and enjoy the game. I have met so many great people this summer and learned a lot about the golf industry!” G avin Matthias, of Ankeny, completed his sec- ond year of interning. After making the change from Course Rating Intern to Championship Admin Intern, it was clear that Gavin has a strong career in golf ahead of him. As the Championship Intern, Gavin took on the chal- lenge of tracking our Junior Boys' and Girls' Player of the Year standings, a project that requires hours of re- search and the, often-tedious, task of updating the Excel tracker and website standings. Best known for his work ethic, Gavin established him- self as our very own ‘hydration sensation’ when it came to IGA Championships as he always knew where cool- ers were at on the course, when water or ice was low, and when to restock. During his 2022 internship, Gavin averaged 12.4 cooler restocks per day at IGA Champi- onships, up from 10.9 from the 2021 season. So, statisti- cally speaking, if you enjoyed a cold bottle of water at one of our events, Gavin is to thank. One of Gavin's special projects was compiling the Senior Men’s All-Time Wins list. Often a ‘rainy day’ activity, he poured over the archives of championships and made sure all players and wins were accounted for. While the list is yet to be published, we are confident that players will enjoy the walk down memory lane. “This summer was one of the best times I’ve had work- ing with the Iowa Golf Association. Traveling around the state, meeting new people, and working with a great staff were some of my favorite experiences this summer. Getting the chance to learn from the very experienced staff at the Iowa Golf Association has only reaffirmed my desire to work in golf. I cannot wait to return to work and grow the game of golf in the state of Iowa!” Jackie Wojciechowski Gavin Matthias