I recently returned from Washington D.C. after attending “National Golf Day”. This is the 11th year that this event has taken place. It is my second year attending. It is organized by WE ARE GOLF, a coalition of the game’s leading associations and industry partners. I attended along with others across the nation, representing the National Golf Course Owners Association. Others associated with the industry, Superintendents, PGA Golf Professionals, industry vendors, etc., also made the trip to Washington to tell their story. Two hundred meetings were scheduled for owners and other representatives to meet with congressional leaders from their state. I was fortunate enough to meet with Senator King and his legislative assistant as well as legislative assistants from both Senator Collins and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree’s office. Concerns relating to the golf industry such as environmental and labor issues were discussed with the Maine Delegation. My trip to Washington again was a great experience providing a way to bring concerns to our legislators and for me to take part in bringing national awareness on the contributions our industry makes to economic, charitable, environmental, health and wellness areas. Here are a few facts we learned about our industry.
Golf contributed $84.1 billion to the American economy in 2016 and impacted 2 million jobs.
Since 2012, golf as a fundraising vehicle has raised more than $20 billion for charity. Annually, the game generates $3.9 billion for philanthropic causes, almost all of which are unrelated to the golf industry.
Golf is an excellent source of exercise. Playing 18 holes of golf burns roughly 2,000 calories when walking and 1,300 calories when riding in a cart.
Golf courses are responsible uses of green space, providing wildlife habitat, a filter for runoff, and a cooling effect on developed areas.
Did you know that eight out of 10 golfers play at public-access facilities, 75 percent of golf courses are public, and the median cost of a round is $38.