| Meet the Pros
  
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Mark Lemon ("Lemonski")
Mark Lemon, age 55, moved to Ankeny, Iowa, at age 13 and began working on the golf course at the Ankeny Golf and Country Club at age 17 under Carl Fleming and teaching the junior lesson program there as well. Mark graduated as the fourth best scholar in his Class of 1973 at Ankeny High School, before attending the University of Iowa and graduating with a B.B.A. in business in 1977, with a major in Insurance and 4 semesters of Accounting. Mark also belonged to the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, served as Social & Rush (new member recruitment) and enjoyed living in the "Fiji House" his last 3 years of college as a "Hawkeye!"
Lemon was a multiple letter winner on the golf teams at Ankeny High School and the University of Iowa. Mark turned Professional in the spring of 1979 and began his Pro Golf Apprenticeship at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club, host site of the 1999 U.S. Senior Open; and then joined Head Golf Professional, Jack Webb at the prestigious Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa, as an Assistant Golf Professional for the 1980 and 1981 golf seasons.
Mark eventually moved to Waterloo, Iowa, in 1986, long famous for its high quality public golf facilities and programming; and spent twelve years as the Head PGA Golf Professional at beautiful Byrnes Park Golf Course; home of the Greater Jaycee Waterloo Open from 1986 through 1997. Lemon was recognized as the Junior Golf Leader in Iowa by the Iowa PGA, for his past outstanding contributions to kids golf in 1991 and later as the 2005 Waterloo Open Honoree for his past service of excellence to 12+ Waterloo Opens by the Waterloo Jaycees!
Lemon has had numerous Iowa Section PGA Tour wins in his outstanding playing career including most recently the 2005 Iowa Section Senior Champion, the 2005 Iowa Senior Open Champion & the 2005 Cedar Rapids Open Senior Division Champion and was recognized as the Iowa PGA Senior Player of the Year in 2005 as well! Lemon has also participated as a playing Professional in the National Oldsmobile Scramble, the PGA of America National Club Professional Championship, the PGA of America National Senior Club Professional Championship & the Hardees Golf Classic, now known as the PGA Tour John Deere Classic!
Mark also Co-Founded and was Co-Chairperson of the 1999 & 2000 Greater Cedar Rapids Open with his long-time close friend Jim McPartland. The GCRO is now the 2nd biggest golf tournament in Iowa in only its 12th year! Mark continues to be recognized as a high quality PGA Teaching Professional as well; and has taken personal lessons and studied golf instruction under such world renowned teaching greats including: Dr. Jim Suttie, Kevin Weeks, David Leadbetter, Dave Pelz, Jack Webb, Jimmy Ballard, Stan Thirsk and Don Narveson.
Mark worked with former partner and PGA Golf Professional, Greg Mason, at Byrnes Park in Waterloo in 1991 and 1992; before they put together a small group of investors and built the Airport National Public Golf Complex in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; in 1993, which opened in 1994. Mark joined the Airport National Golf Staff full time in 1998 & oversees the daily operations as the PGA Pro/Owner currently!
Mark is married to wife Judi, and has three grown children and now ten grandchildren. They enjoy entertaining family and friends together, while being active at the Solon United Methodist Church. Mark and Judi reside near beautiful Lake Macbride in Solon, Iowa. Judi is very active with her physical fitness routines, volunteer work and "grandmothering to her now 10 wonderful grandchildren!" Mark still enjoys playing in small competitive professional golf tournaments as well as occasional bass fishing, quail and pheasant hunting, golfing with his grandchildren, RV road-trips, being on the Finance Committee at the Solon United Methodist Church & yard landscaping.
Matt Erger ("The Ergler")
Matt Erger, age 35 is one of our cheerful and talented young PGA Golf Professional/Owners at Airport National. Affectionately called “The Ergler” by his Co-Workers, Matt has been on Staff at Airport National since it opened in 1994, where he started out being a "Range-Boy." Matt was also employed two winters at the beautiful Eagles Club in sunny Tampa, Florida, in 1998 & 1999, while honing his already excellent golf game.
Matt graduated from local Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School in 1993 and was a two year letterman in golf and was voted to the 2nd Team All Metro his Senior year. He then attended nearby Kirkwood Community College and was a consistent performer on their College Golf Team where he received All Conference honors. In addition, he qualified and participated in consecutive National Junior College Golf Championships in North Carolina in 1995 and 1996.
“The Ergler” then transferred to Mt. Mercy College where he received his B.B.A. in Business Management in the spring of 1998. Matt qualified through his excellent play thoughout the 2008 Iowa PGA Section Golf Season and qualified for the prestigeous 2009 Iowa Cup Matches, where the top Iowa PGA Professionals play the best Iowa Golf Association Amateurs, in Iowa's own version of the real Ryder Cup Matches!
Matt sees himself being a PGA Golf Professional for life as he says, “It’s great to be able to make a living as an extension of my favorite hobby!” In 2004, as an Assistant Professional, Matt was awarded Assistant of the Year for the Iowa Section P.G.A. This prestigious award is for outstanding overall performance, leadership and promotion of the game of golf. Matt was elected into the P.G.A. of America 2007. Matt also was quoted, “I enjoy the diversity of people that I deal with daily at Airport National and I’ve always enjoyed making new friends. Overall it’s a pretty fun work environment to deal with most days!”
Matt is very passionite and experienced as a PGA Golf Teaching Professional. From Adults to kids, beginners to advanced golfers, Matt enjoys seeing the smiles on peoples faces as they hit shot they didn't know they had in them. Click HERE for Matt's teaching philosophy.
“Team Erger” includes avid golfer Steve, his Father, as well as his Mother Sharon, in addition to younger brother Sam. Matt also enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Becky, who received her double major in Elementary Education and Psychology at Mount Mercy College and is teaching early child special education locally. Matt and Becky now have two daughters. Savannah is now five years old and Ava will turn three in March 2010. Matt & Becky are excited to be expecting their 3rd beautiful child in August of 2010! Matt loves spending time with his kids and playing in local professional golf tournaments and variety of sports spectating. Matt is determined to be a successful Head PGA Professional/Owner in the years ahead and has a very bright future, as a "Young Golf Business, PGA Golf Professional Superstar" in this business according to PGA Professional/Owner Mark Lemon for many years to come!!
Nick Miller
Nick Miller, age 23, is the youngest of our three Teaching Professionals at Airport National. Nick started as a “Range Boy” at Airport National Public Golf in 2001, and recently turned Professional in 2009. From the age of 16, he has taught our young and upcoming juniors each summer in our Airport National Junior Golf Schools and he has been instructing in our Airport National Adult Golf Schools since the age of 18 as well. He plans on becoming a Certified PGA Teaching Professional in the near future, and solidifying himself as one of the best young Teaching Professionals in the Golf Business!
Nick graduated from Cedar Rapids Washington High School in 2005 as a National Honor Society Member and a 4 year letterman in golf. He was a 4-time 1st team All-Metro selection, twice as a unanimous decision by the coaches. Nick earned 1st team All-Conference honors all 4 years and was named the Mississippi Valley Conference, Valley Division Player of the Year his junior year. He participated in the State Golf Tournament his sophomore through senior seasons, finishing 10th, 8th, and 7th respectively. All three years he was selected to the All-State Golf Team...quite an honor!
During his high school summers, Nick traveled the Midwest, competing in golf tournaments against some of the best juniors in the United States. Nick had top ten finishes in events he participated in Illinois, Nebraska, and Missouri. As a member of the Iowa Junior Tour, Nick won many statewide tournaments, with his most decorated win coming at the 2003 Iowa Junior Tour Championship at Otter Creek in Ankeny, with rounds of 68 and 71.
Nick enrolled at Luther College his freshman year and participated on the golf team. He soon transferred to the University of Iowa where spent his next four years. He eventually graduated from the Tippie College of Business in 2009 with a degree in Business Finance.
Nick spends his leisure time in his recently purchased condo in North Liberty. He enjoys working at a job that is an extension of his favorite hobby, and considers being a Professional in the Golf Iindustry as a highway to his future successes! Away from Airport National he participates in basketball and softball leagues with his friends and hopes to add a dog to his family of one soon. PGA Professionals/Owners Mark Lemon and Matt Erger were recently quoted, "Nick Miller has a lot of experience and passion in most phases of the Golf Business for someone his age! He definitely has the foundation built to be a young superstar in our exciting Golf Profession for many years to come!"
Picture of Nick with PGA Tour Player Zach Johnson in 2008 @ Airport National  |
