Headline: Meet the Dynamic Duo of Shawn Bennett and Drew Rosen Who Are Behind the Scenes of the MGA Member Day Program; Lottery Opens on February 9th
For Immediate Release: February 9, 2017
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Shawn Bennett (left) and Drew Rosen make up the team that manages the MGA Member Day program. |
Norton, MA — With the 2017 MGA Member Day Lottery opening on Thursday, February 9, at 10:00 a.m., MGA members will have the opportunity to once again register for the chance to participate in one of the association’s most popular programs, a program that allows selected individuals to try some of the Bay State’s top championship courses in a one-day, tournament style event.
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MGA Member Day Quick Links:
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While many if not all aspects of Member Days from previous years will carry over to the 2017 season, the biggest change will be on the organizational side, as a new face will be operating all MGA Member Days in 2017 and serve as the new contact person for all Member Day inquiries for this season and beyond.
In December, it was announced that Drew Rosen, who most recently served as a USGA PJ Boatwright intern at the MGA for the previous two years, would be added to the full time staff as the manager of Member Events & Services. Under his new title, Rosen will be charged with the on-site operations of all 15 scheduled member day events between May 1 and October 24, as well as serving as the contact person for all related membership day questions.
Going forward, Rosen will also be responsible for scheduling future member day sites and working to continue making the Member Day program a fan-favorite amongst all MGA members. Rosen will inherit the role from Shawn Bennett, who was promoted to Assistant Director of Rules and Competition upon the addition of Rosen as a full time employee.
Ahead of the MGA Member Day lottery opening, the MGA sat down with both Rosen and Bennett to talk about the upcoming Member Day season and what members can expect when on the links this year.
Q: With the Member Day Lottery beginning this Thursday, what are you most looking forward to about program?
DR: To be honest, I am very excited to finally get the season started and continue my work with the MGA. I’ve really enjoyed working the past two years as a USGA Boatwright intern and have been able to learn so much about the Member Day program. I am just excited to continue a program that has been so well received by so many MGA members over the years.
Q: You have had experience working various member day events over the past two years. How do you think that experience will help you as you take the lead on member days in 2017?
DR: Having had the opportunity to assist with the operation of various Member Day events in my time with the MGA, I have been able to see how much it is enjoyed by our MGA members. And since we introduced the lottery system prior to last season, the number of new players has grown tremendously. Being able to see how it is enjoyed by so many will be the driving force behind the work I hope to do this season and I think that experience will help me as we kick off our upcoming Member Day season.
Q: Having been in charge of the Member Day program for the past two years, what advice would you give Drew as he begins his new position?
SB: Because Drew has been around the Member Day program and isn’t walking blind into a new venture, I don’t necessarily think that advice is necessary, but if I had to offer some, I would say to just enjoy every day. I’ve been at the MGA for two years and the time has flown by so far and it’s been a very enjoyable experience, so I hope that as a full time member, Drew will find the enjoyment that myself and the entire staff has been able to enjoy. The golf scene in the Bay State is one of the best in the country and that is because of the players who continue to support our association. Every day is enjoyable.
Q: In your time as the leader of the member day program, there were many changes made to the program. What change did you think made the biggest difference to the program as a whole and what is one change that you would like to see made going forward?
SB: Without a doubt, the lottery system that we introduced last season was one that made the biggest difference because it has made the entire process easier for our members to sign up for their desired event as well as ensured that every single person who registered were given an equal opportunity to be selected. It is our goal at the MGA to provide as many opportunities as possible, so one change that I’d like to be made would be to add additional events to our schedule. We hope to add a few more to the calendar this season and continue bringing additional opportunities going forward.
Q: As the season kicks off with the lottery opening this week, how can members go about reaching you if they have a question about the Member Day program or the lottery system.
DR: We have worked to answer many of the question that people may have had in the past in a short video that was narrated by our longtime friend and executive committee member Mike Dowling. That can be viewed by clicking on the link posted under the Member Day section of our website (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRwK2RvGfPg). However, if your question isn’t answered there, I am always available by phone (774-430-9096) and email (drosen@mgalinks.org) and would be happy to answer any additional questions you might have.
The MGA currently has 14 Member Days scheduled for the 2017 season. For a complete list of scheduled events, visit: /memberdays/member_days_schedule.html.
