By Taylor Boyd
Primland’s Director of Golf and Recreation Brian Alley has been named the 2025 Middle Atlantic Professional Golfers’ Association Resort Merchandiser of the Year.
Alley previously received the honor in 2017 and 2020.
He said section awards are among the most meaningful recognitions for PGA professionals.
“It’s a great feather in the cap obviously. You want to get recognized in that matter. You get the nice, what I call wall hanger, the plaque, so there’s like a little hierarchy to the prestige that goes with the awards,” Alley said.
While it is not the association’s top honor, Alley said Resort Merchandiser of the Year is the award Primland is best positioned to win.
“So, to win it really says a lot. It’s just knowing good product, having good relationships, and selling what you can. We’re really fortunate to have a really nice clientele that we can sell very select products at a really nice price point, which helps,” he said.
As a destination resort, Alley said most of Primland’s retail sales come from apparel such as outerwear, quarter-zip vests and short-sleeved shirts, rather than traditional golf items.
“We have a very small shop, but having the golf shop attached to the hotel is a great help, so we’re able to sell merchandise even in the winter months when there’s no golf being played,” he said.
Although he is the named recipient, Alley said the award reflects a team effort. He credited Golf Shop Manager Dwayne Stanley and Head Professional Matthew Crowder.
“We all sit down together, we view all the products, and we only have 560 square feet to sell. So the process of getting it in hand at the right time, maximizing our storage, which isn’t a ton at the moment, is really crucial, so I would give all the credit to Matthew and Dwayne,” Alley said.
He added that recognition within the Middle Atlantic PGA Section is meaningful for both Primland and Patrick County.
To be considered for the award, Alley said nominees must be put forward by another PGA professional within the same section before completing an application reviewed by the section office and election board.
