crooked stick staff
"It’s truly an honor and privilege. Not only is Crooked Stick a great golf course, but we also have a membership who is passionate about the game and really wants an incredible golf experience at the club."
–Tony Pancake
management staff
tonypancake@crookedstick.org
317-844-9928 ext.104
317-430-2061 cell
Tony Pancake
Director of Golf and Club Operations• PGA Professional
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Tony grew up in Seymour, Indiana and attended the University of Alabama on a golf scholarship. After graduating in 1985 with a degree in Accounting, he landed his first Head Professional job with Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky at the age of 24. He served as the Head Professional at Valhalla for nine years – a period that saw the club host the 1996 PGA Championship. From there he served a one year stint at Hurstborne CC in Louisville, before taking on Head Professional duties at Baltimore Country Club – a perennial Top 100 private club with a rich golfing history.
Pancake and his family were looking for a return to the Midwest when it was announced that Jim Ferriell would retire from Crooked Stick at the end of 2003 after 25 years at the helm. Following a nationwide search, Tony was selected and introduced to the golf world as Crooked Stick’s new Head Professional in late 2003. Since that time, Tony has helped steer the club’s efforts on the national and international stage with Crooked Stick playing host to six national and international championship events – the 2005 Solheim Cup, 2007 USGA Women’s Amateur, 2009 US Senior Open, the 2012 BMW Championship, the 2016 BMW Championship, and the 2020 Western Amateur.
In additional to overseeing the entire Club as the Director of Golf and Club Operations, Tony is an Officer for the Indiana PGA Section and President of the Indiana Golf Foundation. He has also received recognition as a 2-time PGA Section Junior Golf award winner, 2-time PGA Section Horton Smith Award winner, 2-time PGA Section Golf Professional of the Year, PGA Section Merchandiser of the Year, and PGA Section Bill Strausbaugh award winner. And in 2013, Tony he was featured in Joel Zuckerman’s book Pro’s Pro, which highlighted 30 of America’s top Golf Professionals. Tony also serves on the National Advisory Council for Titleist golf equipment and Polo Golf apparel.
From a competitive standpoint, Tony represents Crooked Stick in numerous Indiana PGA and national Pro-Am events. In 2014, he captured the Indiana State Senior Open. As a leader and mentor, Tony has also played a key role in the development of his staff with over 30 former Assistants/Interns now serving as Head Golf Professionals throughout the country.
Tony and his wife Libby live in Zionsville with their 4 children.
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jakegargasz@crookedstick.org
614-306-6540
jake gargasz
Director of Grounds
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Jake Gargasz joined the Crooked Stick Golf Club management team in the fall of 2010.
Jake is originally from Ohio but spent most of his adolescent years in Portland, Indiana.
His first job on a golf course was at Portland Country Club where his family had a membership. At the age of 16, he and his family moved back to Ohio. While still in high school, an opportunity came about to help build a new Tom Fazio designed course called Sandridge Golf Club near his home. Jake jumped at the opportunity and this choice ultimately catapulted his career in the direction of working for top tournament venue clubs. Jake earned a degree from Ohio State University in Turfgrass Management and he moved to Rochester, N.Y. for an internship at Oak Hill Country Club, listed as a perennial Top 25 Golf Club in the U.S.
In his 5 year stint working to prepare Oak Hill for the 2003 PGA Championship, he was elevated to the position of Assistant Superintendent on the championship (East) course at the age of 20. Immediately following a very successful championship, he made the move to Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin Ohio, another perennial top 20 club and home to the annual Memorial Tournament. Jake was the Superintendent from 2004 until 2010. In 2010, Crooked Stick was looking for a new superintendent. Following a nationwide search, Jake was selected in October of the same year to be Crooked Stick’s next superintendent. In his first 10 years with Crooked Stick, Jake has steered the club through numerous capital improvements and the 2012 and 2016 BMW Championships. Director of Golf Tony Pancake says about Jake – “He has changed the culture of our golf course maintenance operation. His hard work, commitment to the Club, attention to detail, and quality of work is incredible. He’s done a tremendous job for us!”
Jake and his wife Mindy live in Carmel with their 2 children.
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sandy judd
Administrative Coordinator
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I am a life-long resident of Indianapolis, and my husband and I have resided in cozy “Home Place”, IN for the past thirty-two years. I have two grown and married sons, the elder of which, and his wife, have blessed me with two amazing Granddaughters. In addition to spending time with my family, I also enjoy tending to flowers in my yard and singing in our church choir.
Upon graduating from BRHS, proud to be a “Rocket”, I quickly entered the business world and was fortunate to be hired at Woodland Country Club. It is there that I cultivated 30 years’ worth of invaluable experience in the private club industry. I was primarily in charge of maintaining member billing accounts and customer service related to membership charges, payments, reservations, etc. For many of those years, I was also the Member Liaison for new memberships and for existing member concerns regarding all aspects of the club.
My tenures at Woodland consist of 20 uninterrupted years of service, at which time I resigned and went to work at Carmel Orthodontics. There, I was responsible for maintaining patient accounts, assisting families with appointments and developing positive rapport for the well-being of the patients in treatment. This experience further honed my customer service skills and provided me with a new perspective in the healthcare\insurance industry. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to add many new friendships to my repertoire that I would not have otherwise had.
A few years later I was contacted by Woodland, informing me that my former position was once again available. It was an easy decision to accept that offer since my passion and skills have been honed and polished in this environment. I was proud to provide them with another fulfilling 10 years, taking me up to May 2013.
The most rewarding aspect of all of my career experience has been the cultivation of positive relationships with wonderful members, families, co-workers, etc. My business connection with former Office Manager, Joyce Maher, is what opened the door for me to begin my employment here at Crooked Stick in March 2014. I am thrilled and blessed to have established my role here as your Administrative Coordinator, and embrace each new day with enthusiasm and a positive outlook.
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sandyjudd@crookedstick.org
317-844-9938 ext. 101
kevinolaughlin@crookedstick.org
317-844-9938 ext. 106
317-319-6420 cell
kevin o'Laughlin
Clubhouse Manager
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Born and raised in Indianapolis, I was the sixth of seven children. At age fourteen I began doing dishes and learning to cook from one of my first mentors at Rene's French Deli & Restaurant in Broad Ripple. After graduation from Broad Ripple High School in 1978, I began a full-time career as Head Chef at Knights of Columbus, 71st & Keystone, that spanned eight years. At the time, this was a very active club of 2000 members and one of just a few banquet facilities in the Indianapolis area.
I opted to move into F&B Management at Maple Creek Country Club, one of Pete Dye's first golf course designs in Indianapolis. My career involved four years at Hillcrest Country Club, eleven years at Meridian Hills Country Club and one year at Harbour Trees Golf Club. My position at Crooked Stick Golf Club began in 1991-2000 and I returned in 2013-present.
I have been a member of CMAA (Club Managers Assoc. of America) for twenty years, receiving the CCM (Certified Club Manager) designation in 2012. I served on the Board of Directors and was a past President of the Ohio Valley Chapter of CMAA.
My wife of 35 years, Sheila, and I are now empty nesters residing in Carmel with our Australian Shepherd, Bodie, who takes us for a daily walk at the Carmel Monon Center Dog Park. Our daughter, Katie, was a four-year recipient of the Crooked Stick Scholarship Fund and graduated from DePauw University in 2018. She currently resides in Chicago.
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rickholaway@crookedstick.org
317-844-9938
RICK holaway
Player Amenities Director
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Rick was raised in Watseka, Illinois, a small town just 15 minutes across the Indiana State line in fertile farm country. As a decorated H.S. 4 sport athlete, he took his love of competition forward to Illinois Wesleyan University where he participated in football and excelled in Track & Field. All the while, Rick enjoyed golf as a relaxing fifth athletic endeavor, and Shewami Country Club became a familiar hangout for many a golf match with friends and family. He so greatly valued his time at the golf course, that he became an assistant to the Grounds Keeper during Summer breaks from his University studies. During these years he mowed greens, managed turf, tended bunkers, laid sod, dug drainage, and performed all tasks related to grounds maintenance.
After receiving a degree in Business Administration, he embarked on a 2-decade career as an Information Technology professional, rising through the corporate ranks and into consulting where he eventually formed a local software development and consulting firm. His firm, Cygnus Development Group, recruited like-minded software developers to support various government entities and Fortune 500 companies. During the 7 years as a business owner, he directed the creation and support of a customized, web-based Healthcare application which was redesigned and delivered to the Internet in 2003. Yet, his entrepreneurial days suddenly shifted in 2004 as he exited the corporate realm and moved into the role of a Food and Beverage Professional.
Rick landed his first restaurant gig on Marco Island, Florida at DaVinci’s Ristorante Italiano where he learned the finer nuances of high-class food service. It is from this tropical atmosphere that Rick returned to Indiana and began his dutiful service to the Crooked Stick Golf Club organization. His return to Indiana in 2005 was largely designed to better complete the rearing of his 3 children which now have small families of their own. Rick has performed all duties relating to the Men’s Grille and Locker Room. He is especially fond of representing the club as he served the golf competitors and their families during the - 2005 Solheim Cup, 2007 USGA Women’s Amateur, 2009 Senior Open, the 2012 & 2016 BMW Championships. “Rick epitomizes what we are looking for from our staff here at Crooked Stick. He quickly learns the names of our members and their families along with their preferences in the Men’s Grill. It evident that Rick wants to serve our members and make their experience special each day” says Director of Golf Tony Pancake.
In his free time, Rick spends many hours writing songs, playing music, exercising, and hanging out with his family.
Today Rick lives near Broad Ripple Park and has 3 grown children who live in the greater Indianapolis area raising his 6 grandchildren.
With over 16 years in his Food and Beverage career, Rick brings a passion for attentive service as well as a fondness for golf that began during his formative years at Shewami Country Club near Watseka, Illinois. As a 4 sport H.S. athlete, golf became the 5th sport of relaxation and great enjoyment. During college, he was employed in grounds maintenance at the local golf course. He then used his Business degree to craft a unique 2 decade run as an IT Professional throughout Indiana for several Indiana enterprises and Fortune 500 companies. Today, he enjoys a growing family and a passion for music while providing customer service in the Grille and Locker room for all members and guests that enjoy the game of golf.
EMPLOYMENT
Interested in working aT Crooked Stick?
Golf Course, Clubhouse, Restaurant, and Administration opportunities vary on a seasonal basis.
Crooked Stick is an equal opportunity employer.
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