2-10-2025 4:31am

Local Golf Pros

MIDDLE ATLANTIC PGA SECTION ANNOUNCES SPECIAL AWARD WINNERS, HEADLINED BY PGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL THE YEAR, ADAM RELAN, AND PGA TEACHER & COACH OF THE YEAR, SEAN ENGLISH

Each year the MAPGA Recognizes its Most Outstanding PGA of America Golf Professionals and Amateurs in the Middle Atlantic Region for Exemplary Contributions to the PGA of America and the Game of Golf

For photos of the award winners, courtesy of the Middle Atlantic PGA Section, please click HERE.

Stafford, Va. – The Middle Atlantic Section of the PGA of America (MAPGA) has announced their 13 Special Award Winners, headlined by PGA Golf Professional the Year, Adam Relan and PGA Teacher & Coach of the Year, Sean English.

“The MAPGA is proud to once again recognize its most outstanding PGA of America Golf Professionals and amateurs in the Middle Atlantic region for their unmatched contributions toward the game of golf,” said Lynne Hunter, President, Middle Atlantic PGA. “Across 13 categories, our award recipients boast track records of excellence in growing the game and inspiring individuals using the great sport of golf.”

2024 MAPGA Awards Recipients

PGA Golf Professional Of The Year

Adam Relan, PGA, Director of Golf & General Manager, Bide-A-Wee Golf Course,
Portsmouth, Va.
Hometown: Clifton, Va.

PGA Teacher & Coach Of The Year

Sean English, PGA, Director of Instruction, The Elkridge Club, Baltimore, Md.

Hometown: Reisterstown, Md.

Bill Strausbaugh Award

Adam Smith, PGA, Head Golf Instructor, The Country Club of Virginia
Richmond, Va.
Hometown: Richmond, Va.

PGA Professional Development Award

Patrick J. Bedingfield, PGA, Director of Instruction, Bethesda Country Club, Bethesda, Md.
Hometown: Woodbine, Md.

Player Development Award

Cathy Kim, PGA, Director of Instruction, Baltimore Country Club, Timonium, Md.

Hometown: Bellevue, Wa.

Youth Player Development Award

Bill Fedder, PGA, Director of Instruction, The Club at Glenmore, Keswick, Va.
Hometown: Lynchburg, Va.

Merchandiser Of The Year (Private)

Chris Costantino, PGA, Head Golf Professional, Cattail Creek Country Club, Glenwood, Md.
Hometown: Olney, Md.

Merchandiser Of The Year (Public)

Buddy Sass, PGA, Head Golf Professional, Ocean City Golf Club, Berlin, Md.
Hometown: Berlin, Md.

Merchandiser Of The Year (Resort)

Zach Pfingst, PGA, Director of Golf, Bay Creek Resort & Club, Cape Charles, Va.
Hometown: Cape Charles, Va.

Assistant PGA Professional Of The Year

Matt Brennan, PGA, Senior Assistant Golf Professional, The Country Club of Virginia, Richmond, Va.
Hometown: Raleigh, Nc.

David Wortman Citizen Of The Year

Stacy Miller-Arndt, LPGA, Congressional Country Club, Bethesda, Md.
Hometown: Frederick, Md.

Earle Hellen Sports Media Award

Rob Failes, PGA & Eric Layton, PGA, The Golf Intervention Podcast, Birdwood GC/Univ of Virginia & The Country Club of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va. & Richmond, Va.

Salesperson Of The Year

Eric Davis, Sales Representative, Acushnet Company/Titleist
Hometown: Newberry, S.C.

Headlining the MAPGA Award Winners is Adam Relan, PGA, Director of Golf & General Manager at Bide-A-Wee Golf Course, in Portsmouth, Va, who is the PGA Golf Professional Of The Year. This is the highest honor paid to a PGA Professional, and it is based on overall performance, level of service to the MAPGA, leadership ability, promotion of the game of golf, image as a PGA Professional and ability to inspire fellow professionals, among other criteria.

This honor follows Relan’s 2023 MAPGA Player Development award and further reinforces his expertise in player development, which is well chronicled at his facility and in the Section, especially among junior golfers. In addition to his distinguished MAPGA honor, Relan was also recently named the PGA of America’s national Patriot Award winner, which recognizes PGA of America Golf Professionals who demonstrate patriotism and commitment to the United States through golf. Recipients of the award also show strong moral character and leadership and have a history of supporting the United States Armed Forces.

Relan is very passionate about programs such as PGA Jr. League and PGA HOPE, while serving as Coach of his PGA Jr. League team, and a PGA HOPE Lead instructor for the Tidewater Chapter. He also hosts a number of instructional clinics and fun golf events throughout the year for golfers of all levels, designed to create a fun environment and help grow the game.

In regard to his commitment to military Veterans, as an active member of the PGA of America’s National PGA HOPE Committee, while also serving as the MAPGA Player Development Committee Co-Chair and the PGA HOPE Committee Chair, Relan is heavily involved in promoting PGA HOPE and Patriot Golf Day in his community and the Middle Atlantic PGA Section.

A resident of Chesapeake, Va., and a PGA of America Member since 2009, Relan has held numerous management positions at high profile golf facilities throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region as well as leadership positions in governance at both the Section level and within the MAPGA’s Southern Chapter, and board positions with related golf organizations.

Prior to his career in golf, Relan attended Mississippi State University before transferring to and ultimately graduating from Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina with a degree of Bachelor of Business Administration and Professional Golf Management. Relan and his wife Abbey have been happily married for 20 years, and they have a son Ames and a daughter Ana Grace.

Joining Relan in the 2024 Class of MAPGA Award Winners is Sean English, PGA, the Director of Instruction at The Elkridge Club, in Baltimore, Md., who is the 2024 PGA Teacher & Coach Of The Year, which is presented for excellence in golf instruction along with overall performance as a PGA Professional. It recognizes an individual’s impact on teaching and golf instruction, involvement in junior golf activities, innovative contributions to golf instruction and articles published, among other criteria.

Sean English, PGA, a resident of Reisterstown, Md., and the Director of Instruction at The Elkridge Club, in Baltimore, Md., who is the 2024 PGA Teacher & Coach Of The Year, which is presented for excellence in golf instruction along with overall performance as a PGA Professional. It recognizes an individual’s impact on teaching and golf instruction, involvement in junior golf activities, innovative contributions to golf instruction and articles published, among other criteria. A PGA of America member since 1998, English has over 20 years of teaching experience, backed by an unwavering commitment to help every student improve their skills and enjoyment of the game.

English believes education is the biggest asset a PGA Professional can have. He attends over one hundred hours of education each year, investing in his own education so that he can help others. As Co-Chair of the MAPGA Education Committee, he was instrumental in establishing the extremely successful MAPGA Virtual Education Series. In addition to his vast involvement in the Section’s education programs he has also presented at the Caves Valley Spring Education seminar.

Throughout his career, English has received numerous awards and accolades, which includes being selected as one of Golf Digest’s Best Teachers by State 2015-25; the 2020 Middle Atlantic PGA’s Professional Development Award Winner; the 2007 Southern Ohio PGA’s Teacher of Year Award Winner; and named U.S. Kids Top 50 Teachers 2023-24. An accomplished tournament golfer, Sean played in the 2004 PGA Championship and 2008 U.S. Open. English has been married to his wife Anita for 20 years and they have one son, Grant.

For bios of all 2024 MAPGA Awards recipients, click HERE. The 2024 MAPGA Awards recipients will be honored on Sunday, March 2nd, 2025, at the MAPGA Hall of Fame & Awards Banquet, at Lansdowne Resort & Spa, in Leesburg, Va. For more information on the Middle Atlantic PGA, visit www.mapga.com.

About the Middle Atlantic PGA Section

The Middle Atlantic PGA Section (MAPGA), located in Stafford, Virginia, is one of 41 Sections of The Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA), headquartered in Frisco, Texas. The MAPGA has been a part of The PGA since 1925 and consists of over 1,200 members and associates in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and small portions of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. There are over 900,000 golfers playing more than 16.5 million rounds of golf a season in the Middle Atlantic region. As player development remains a driving force in the golf industry, the MAPGA provides a wide variety of programs and assistance to support its members who teach the game, promote goodwill and share the game’s values to their golfing customers and their communities in general. Locally, MAPGA Professionals assist in raising over $6 million annually for charities.