2009 Illinois PGA Senior Masters Honorees John Cleland and Jerry Moody

Ironically, the strong presence that "junior golf" now enjoys throughout the state of Illinois is the legacy of one of this year's Illinois PGA "Senior Masters." While John Cleland has dedicated a 35-year career as a PGA Golf Professional to making a positive impact for his fellow Professionals through employment relations, it was his leadership role in the creation of the Illinois Junior Golf Association (IJGA) that will leave his lasting imprint.

Born and raised in Chicago, John graduated from Loyola Academy High School in 1959. An accomplished two-sport athlete, John won the Cook County Amateur Golf Championship in 1959 before attending DePaul University on basketball and golf scholarship. During his junior and senior years at DePaul John earned intercollegiate medalist in 1962 & 1963.

After turning professional in 1967, John took a job in San Diego, CA, as an assistant greens superintendent. Thus began a career in the golf industry that, while from a competitive standpoint may have been a self-described "average at best", has been nothing short of well above average from a standpoint of impact on the Illinois PGA.

John was elected to PGA membership in 1974 and immediately became involved in the association. After serving for three years as an assistant professional to Ken Henry at Glen Flora Country Club in Waukegan, IL, and at LaQuinta Country Club in LaQuinta, CA during the winters, John was named Head Professional at Indian Hills Country Club in Prairie Village, KS. While at Indian Hills, John was elected to serve on the Executive Board of the local PGA Section.

In 1977, John moved his family back to Chicago to become the Head Golf Professional at Exmoor Country Club in Highland Park, IL, a position he would hold until 1991. John continued to expand his involvement in the association, serving on various committees in the Illinois Section including education, employment and tournaments. In 1985, John was elected Secretary of the Illinois PGA, moving through the officer chairs before serving as President in 1989-1990.

While serving as President, John was the driving force behind an initiative to bring all of the allied golf associations in Illinois together in a united effort to expand junior golf in the state. The result was the creation of the IJGA as it exists today, the second largest state junior golf association in the country serving more than 2500 junior golfers annually with developmental and competitive opportunities.

From 1992 until 2005, John served as the head golf professional at Butterfield Country Club in Oakbrook, IL. As a PGA Life Member, John currently remains the professional emeritus at Butterfield and continues to offer his service and experience to the Illinois PGA. In 2008 & 2009, John served on the Illinois PGA Employment Task Force charged with setting the direction for future Illinois PGA employment initiatives.

During his service to the Section, John was recognized as Illinois PGA Golf Professional of the Year (1989), Bill Strausbaugh Award winner for club relations and employment (1991) and Junior Golf Leader (1996). Says Cleland, "My involvement in the Illinois PGA has always been based on my pride in PGA membership and the strong belief that the PGA has to lead in the promotion of this game we love and that if properly organized the association can positively help the careers of its membership."

The journey from little baseball champion in Puerto Rico to assistant golf professional at Rolling Green Country Club in Arlington Heights, Ill., is a long one, both literally and metaphorically. But along the way, Illinois PGA Senior Master Jerry Moody has seen the world and gained many amazing experiences and memories in a career that has now spanned more than 33-years as a golf professional.

The son of a World War II and Korean War Air Force veteran, Moody, 63, spent a part of his youth playing both baseball and golf while his family was stationed in Puerto Rico. At the age of 11, Jerry helped his local baseball team capture the Puerto Rican Little League Championship in 1958.

Jerry went on to attend North Texas State University on an ROTC Air Force scholarship, graduating in 1968 with a degree in Mathematics. After graduation, Jerry spent one year at the University of Oklahoma earning a certificate in Meteorology that would prepare him for his tour in the United States Air Force.

While in the Air Force, Jerry was stationed in Tokyo, Japan, where he performed Aerial Weather Reconnaissance & Forecasting for flights of wounded U.S. soldiers returning home from Vietnam after triage.

During his five-year stint in the Air Force, Jerry developed his golf game and twice won the Pacific Air Force Championship (1971 & 1973), the later of which included a 19-stroke victory over the second-place finisher. After concluding his active duty in the Air Force and his amateur playing days, Jerry turned professional and spent the next several years playing on mini-tours and open events around the globe. All told, Jerry has competed in the national open championships of 16 different countries.

In 1976, Jerry went to work as an assistant golf professional for Ken Bartosh at Bryn Mawr Country Club in Lincolnwood, Ill. It was there where Jerry developed the philosophy of "never turn down the opportunity to give a lesson." This philosophy was never more evident then on the day he gave 22 lessons over a 14-hour period before a big member tournament at Bryn Mawr. "I'd have given more if I hadn't run out of range balls", says Jerry now with a laugh.

Elected to PGA Membership in 1980, Jerry became the head golf professional at Glencoe Golf Club in 1981, a position he held until 1988. Following his stint at Glencoe, Jerry spent seven years as the Manager and Head Golf Professional at Steeple Chase Golf Club in Mundelein, Ill. In 2000, Jerry moved over to become the assistant professional at Rolling Green Country Club, where he remains today. His position at Rolling Green allows Jerry to spend more time on his passion for teaching the game.

"Teaching the game should always remain one of the top priorities of the PGA golf professional," says Jerry. "I believe that is the number one way we can have the greatest impact on developing the game."

Jerry's daughter, Lauren, is a four-year Illinois PGA and PGA of America scholarship recipient.