PGA Pro Mike Beck
Michael Beck, assistant golf pro at Thendara Golf Club, has been selected as the new PGA golf pro at Vesper Hills Golf Course in Tully, NY.
Beck joined Golf Pro Rich Chapman at the Thendara club in April of 2008. That same year he started his PGA training program.
He completed the program in 44 months, logging over 800 hours of class time and taking exams at the end of each of three levels of training.
Subjects covered in the PGA curriculum included everything from Food and Beverage Control to Golf Course Maintenance, according to Beck.
He also took an elective in Golf Course Design and the necessary business courses to help prepare him for pro shop management.
Michael Beck
Beck has been Chap-man’s assistant for the past five years, serving as a PGA pre-apprentice for the first year, and as a full apprentice for the past four.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor and employer than Rich,” Beck said.
Beck is now a Class A PGA Professional (Golf Pro). Like all PGA pros, he will be required to participate in continuing education to retain his credentials.
Beck said his father, Dave introduced him to golf at a young age. He began taking lessons from Inlet Golf Pro Roland Christy at the age of five.
Though Beck said he wanted to start at a younger age, Christy had set a minimum age of five, taking into consideration the retention and attention spans of young students.
“I was hooked from the age of five,” Beck said.
As golf pro at Vesper Hills, Beck will own and operate the golf shop, give lessons and run tournaments and clinics.
Vesper Hills was designed by Jeffrey Cornish, who is known for designing the Newport Golf Course.
The course was purchased by Mark Drumm in 2012, who has undertaken the task of fully renovating the club house, including the construction of a wraparound deck.
The course is built on a hilltop with 360 degree views of valleys, hills and Otisco Lake, one of the Finger Lakes.
“I think the view alone is going to be a really good selling point for a lot of people. Even if they don’t play, they can come in, have a meal, and look out over the lake,” Beck said.
Beck’s new job isn’t the only exciting change in his life. He recently became engaged to Old Forge resident, Victoria Timmerman.
