Yesterday, on April 18, 2012 representatives from We Are Golf hosted the fifth annual National Golf Day in Washington D.C. with the purpose of engaging industry stakeholders through a nationwide awareness campaign about the economic, philanthropic, and environmental contributions of the sport.
Led by the Club Managers Association of America, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, the National Golf Course Owners Association, and The PGA of America, We Are Golf is a coalition formed to showcase golf’s various businesses, employees, tax revenues generation, tourism-building, philanthropy efforts, and the environmental benefits it provides.
In 2011 We Are Golf representatives met with members of Congress and communicated the profound impact that golf has on our nation’s economy, the 2 million job opportunities1 it provides and the environmental stewardship it promotes. Most importantly, legislation was introduced in both the House and the Senate to establish permanent, national tax relief in the wake of disasters that would remove the exclusion for public or private golf courses (current state-specific disaster relief funds exclude golf courses). Some photos from the 2011 Nation Golf Day event hosted on Capital Hill can be found here.
On National Golf Day 2012 a continued effort was made to reach out to golf industry partners through a nationwide awareness campaign. One major push will be the passing of the National Disaster Relief Bill introduced in 2011 without exclusion for public and private golf courses. We Are Golf representatives also hope to be involved with legislation related to the Americans with Disabilities Act, such as single rider carts for disabled golfers.
If you are wondering how you can get involved, visit twitter.wearegolf.org and tweet why golf is more than just a game to you. We Are Golf will share the tweets and diverse stories about golf’s impact on individuals, families, businesses and the greater community around the country with lawmakers. You can also change your twitter background to support National Golf Day and interact with We Are Golf on facebook to let them know what the golf industry means to you.
What does being a member of the golf industry mean to Bowling Green? First and foremost we are proud to provide a first job opportunity to the youth of Jefferson Township. The routine operations of a daily fee course are supported by a variety of entry-level part-time jobs, which teenagers are well suited. From these first part-time jobs teenagers will learn their first skills in fulfilling an employer’s expectations. In addition to these part-time employment opportunities, there are also several levels of quality full-time employment made possible by our golf course business.
A golf course is also a good neighbor: providing a large property tax ratable while maintaining a contiguous green open space in the community. The environment reaps the benefits from the preserved open space of a golf course. Over the last 45 years, wildlife has flourished on the Bowling Green course. This past decade, our concern has been a lack of recognition by municipal and county authorities of the benefits we provide to our community vis-Ã -vis the tax paying enterprise that is Bowling Green. It’s the same lack of recognition on a national level We Are Golf is seeking to redress within the National Disaster Relief Bill. Inclusion of golf course businesses, both public and private, in a disaster relief bill will bring recognition to their economic impact and to the importance of sustaining the industry’s jobs.
In addition to these important economic contributions, the New Jersey section of the PGA reports that over 16,000 golf facilities nationwide serve as the access points for charitable fundraising by local & national organizations2. On a local level, Bowling Green gives generously to non-profit community fundraisers.
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1Source: http://wearegolf.org/about
2Source: NJSGA Golf Early summer 2011, President’s message (Bryan Jones) NJ State Golf Association magazine
