Happy National Golf Day!

National Golf Day, 2013

Today is National Golf Day and WE ARE GOLF, a coalition of the game’s leading associations and industry partners, returns to Capitol Hill to meet with Members of Congress and discuss golf’s nearly $69 billion economy, $4 billion annual charitable impact and many environmental and fitness benefits.

Jack Nicklaus, 18-time major winner, will join golf industry executives in D.C. for The First Tee Congressional Breakfast. Golf’s leaders will meet with Members of Congress throughout the day to share stories about the game’s nearly 15,000 diverse businesses, two million employees, tax revenue creation, tourism and ecological value.

“Our primary goal is to communicate to Congressional members that golf is a major U.S. industry and generates almost $4 billion annually for charities – more than the MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL combined – with the majority of funds going to causes unrelated to the sport,” says Steve Mona, CEO of World Golf Foundation (WGF) and administrator of WE ARE GOLF. “The May 21 event is an ideal opportunity to bring industry stakeholders together on Capitol Hill to showcase the game’s benefits to society and explain why golf courses should be regarded like any other small business.”

Organizations participating include the Club Managers Association of America, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), National Golf Course Owners Association, PGA of America, PGA TOUR, The First Tee, United States Golf Association, United States Golf Manufacturers Council, WGF and others.

National Golf Day will feature a day-long exhibit in the Cannon Caucus Room with live lessons for Members of Congress and staff from 2012 PGA Teacher of the Year Michael Breed, host of “The Golf Fix” on Golf Channel, and LPGA Professional Dana Rader. Special exhibits and activities include a “Closest to the Pin” contest utilizing an aboutGolf simulator, the exclusive on-air provider for the Golf Channel and official licensed product of the PGA TOUR; state-of-the-art swing analysis from GolfTEC; Birdie Ball, the latest at-home training technology; and a Republican vs. Democrat “Putting Challenge.”

“We look forward to representing the two million men and women who rely on the golf industry to make a living while providing significant benefits to local communities,” says Rhett Evans, CEO of GCSAA and WE ARE GOLF Coalition Chairman. “When passing legislation, we want Congress to appropriately recognize the size and scope of the golf industry so we are treated similarly to other businesses.”

To join the conversation, visit the social media hub at www.wearegolf.org/social-media/national-golf-day. From May 1-31, be sure to use #NGD14 and tag @wearegolf for Twitter and Instagram to show your support for the golf industry.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

We Are Golf Explains Value of the Game

There's more to golf than just a walk in the park--a lot more, according to WE ARE GOLF, an industry coalition that communicates the economic, charitable and environmental impact of golf, as well the health and wellness benefits of the game and the affordability and accessibility of golf to members of Congress, the Executive Branch and regulatory agencies.

The organization recently launched a redesigned website with increased functionality, social media interactivity and streamlined navigation.  The site is meant to be a portal for industry updates. WE ARE GOLF collaborated closely with the Club Managers Association of America, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), National Golf Course Owners Association, The PGA of America and World Golf Foundation on content creation, multimedia needs and design optimization.

“As industry stakeholders, the new WE ARE GOLF website is an engaging tool to inform Congressional leaders, political staffers and the general public about the positive impact our sport has on society,” says Rhett Evans, WE ARE GOLF Chairman and CEO of the GCSAA. “Golf supports nearly two million jobs across the nation with a nearly $69 billion economic impact and this website helps tell the story of how the game is making a difference at the local, regional and national levels.”

To visit the new site, go to www.wearegolf.org.

The goal of WE ARE GOLF is to ensure that laws and regulations that impact the golf industry are fair and appropriate to an industry that generates nearly $70 billion in economic impact annually, employs close to two million Americans and generates nearly $4 billion in charitable giving each year.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf