PGA.com: You have three championship courses there. All of which have been cited as "top of class". What's the difference in the three?

Baldassari: Well, they are all exceptional, but in distinct ways. The Dye Course is a Pete Dye design that incorporates a links-style layout with some Florida surroundings. It is a beautiful course that really takes advantage of the natural land around it. It just fits into the routing perfectly. The Ryder Course has more of a Carolina feel to it, with lots of tree-lined fairways and rolling hills. The Wanamaker is a classic Florida course. Wetlands, palm trees, lots of water - just a really great and scenic test of golf. But even with their differences, you can't really go wrong playing any of them. They are each spectacular and unique.

PGA.com: Last week you hosted the Senior PGA Professional Championship. This week, you have the PGA Assistant Professional National Championship. That's over 500 golfers playing tournament golf in less than two weeks. That's got to be a lot of stress on the course, the staff, the facilities, etc.

Baldassari: It's not as much stress as it is an honor. Every day, we work really hard to provide the best on all levels for all of our visitors. But when a national championship comes calling, especially one of fellow PGA Professionals, well, that's like a major championship for us. That's why we put in such hard work day to day; so we know when opportunities like this come along, we are going to really stand out and shine.

PGA.com: Hosting your colleagues, a vast number of them, has to give you a sense of pride and some added motivation to put your best foot forward. How has the feedback been?

Baldassari: It's been overwhelmingly positive - really encouraging. I think that as fellow PGA Professionals, they have a great understanding of the challenges that we have to take on every day and on a long-term basis. With that being said, they see this culture and atmosphere here that just exudes a great momentum for what we are doing. We are showcasing the brand excellence of the PGA of America all across the board. I should take a moment to recognize John Lee, our Director of Grounds for the work he and his staff has done to make sure we are presented like we should be these two weeks. Junior Gonzalez is our Superintendent at the Ryder course, Chris Diebell is at the Dye Course, and Rick Rieder is the Superintendent at the Wannamaker Course. They have really done an outstanding job of getting these courses ready and looking like a national championship venue should look. So yes, all the comments we are getting validates the effort we have been putting forth. The theme we push here is that there are 28,000 sets of eyes (the number of PGA of America members) on us, counting on us to represent the Association like it should be, so that's a big stage for us. We feel good about how we are going about that.

PGA.com: Many of the participants in these two national championships, both last week and this week, have never played Florida golf. What distinguishes golf in Florida from the rest of the country?

Baldassari: Well, it's a few things. First of all, the bermuda grass is always an adjustment it seems for many players. The greens roll at a little different speed, the rough is a bit thicker and stronger. The topography of the land is flat, at least compared to many other regions of the country. So elevation changes and severe uneven lies aren't as much of a factor for you. But also, we have the near constant ocean breeze, so wind usually does come into play on all of your shots. Typically, the ball doesn't go as far here as in some other areas of the country so it may take some adjustment before you can really feel confident about club selection.

PGA.com: Besides the great courses, you have a premier practice and learning facility and the PGA Historical Center. Is there anything you don't have that you might want?

Baldassari: We are always looking for ways to improve our product. All of our courses have recently gone under a renovation. Our golf shop just went under a renovation. You could say it's a culture of renovation here, a constant search for ways to make the visitor experience more rewarding and valuable. I'm new here, we have a number of new people here on staff, and we bring a lot of new ideas, new energy into the mix. We were fortunate to inherit a great product, but now we are tasked with taking a great facility and moving it to an even higher level. Yes, it's a formidable job, but we're doing it. And it's a great thing to witness and be a part of.