Tuesday’s G4 Summit was a good example of the ever-evolving, ever-changing business of golf.
Most of the topics discussed at the annual get-together of leaders in the Colorado golf industry almost certainly would not have been on the agenda in the 20th century:
The most effective strategies for engaging the millennial generation. The importance of courses issuing “corporate social responsibility reports”. Environmental sustainability. Using golf courses as science learning labs for kids.
“I genuinely believe — and I’ll go to my grave saying — that we are part of a moment in time in a sport that has hundreds of years of history and will survive for hundreds of years beyond all of us,” said Sarah Hirshland, senior managing director of business affairs for the USGA, who was one of the speakers Tuesday at the event at The Omni Interlocken Resort in Broomfield. “I hope everybody feels as privileged to be a part of this as I do because at some point they will look back and say that was a decade-ish where the golf world changed and evolved, and it’s a really fun thing to be a part of. I hope all of you appreciate that. You may not yet, but one day I know we all will.”
Such is part of the reason for the G4 Summit, which brings together leaders of the CGA, CWGA, Colorado PGA, course superintendents and club managers for a day of meetings, panel discussions and several presentations by notable speakers. The idea is to keep abreast of — and effectively deal with — issues that face golf, preferably on a collaborative basis.
And so it was that the roughly 180 people who attended Tuesday’s fourth annual G4 Summit learned about all of the aforementioned topics — and others.
As Colorado PGA president Ty Thompson noted, “Today we were learning things outside of our wheelhouse.”
Aubrey McCormick and Gina Rizzi from IMPACT360 Sports spoke about the importance of environmental sustainability practices by golf courses — in areas such as water and energy use, health and safety, and community engagement, among others. The idea is not only to implement such practices as good business, but then to issue corporate social responsibility reports and spread the word so that governmental leaders and millennials take a more favorable view of golf, and the game has a better chance of growing.
“It’s worth investing in that care for the environment,” Rizzi said. “That resonates with millenials” and helps with government relations.
In a similar vein, but engaging a different audience, David Phipps from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America spoke about the First Green program, in which kids go on superintendent-led field trips to learn about the ecosystem of golf courses and perhaps hit a few balls or putts. The goal is to demonstrate the environmental benefits of golf — and maybe grow the game a little.
“My takeaway is we need to make golf courses an integral part of the community,” CWGA executive director Laura Robinson said later. “The First Green is a huge step toward that by bringing the kids on. The (corporate social) sustainability report shows all the ways a golf course can be part of the community. That’s a trend we can really focus on in making it happen. Golf courses are more than a place to hold a wedding. They can be such an integral part of the community.
“It’s such an obvious resource — this big, open green space that’s quite often underutilized during school hours that has so much to offer kids in terms of the environment and animals and getting out to get fresh air. It’s great to see there’s a way we in the golf industry can take advantage of that and make it part of the community.”
Overall, with the game of golf facing significant challenges, a little innovative thinking can’t hurt. And there was certainly a fair amount of that on display at the G4 Summit on Tuesday.
“I think we once again covered a great array of topics — something for everybody,” CGA executive director Ed Mate said. “I thought it was great content. And I’m excited to apply the First Green to our (Colorado PGA) Golf in Schools model.
“(The G4) was another great event. I always want to see more participation, but mission accomplished once again.”
Several of the national G4 speakers applauded the allied golf associations of Colorado for assembling annually and addressing such issues.
“This doesn’t happen everywhere and I applaud you for this,” Hirshland said.
Which puts a smile on the face of leaders in the Colorado golf industry.
“It’s great for all of us in Colorado golf to hear from these national governing bodies that Colorado is leading, that not everybody does this, (and) that really there are very few states that do this,” said Eddie Ainsworth, executive director of the Colorado PGA. “That’s never our intent with what we do — to be a model for anybody else. But if others can learn from our example — with what we’ve done with our Junior Golf Alliance (of Colorado) and our Colorado golf alliance, more power to them. We’re glad to help. Overall, it was a tremendous day.”
119 Tourneys on Tap for Junior Golf Alliance: Speaking of the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado — a joint effort of the CGA, Colorado PGA and CWGA — it will be expanding in its second year.
Twelve months after the name, logo and details for the JGAC were announced at the 2016 G4 Summit, organizers made it clear they aren’t resting on their laurels.
A year after conducting 81 tournaments, the alliance plans 119 this year. Many of the additional events will be part of the new JGAC Prep League, which will give competitive opportunities to junior varsity golfers and players who haven’t had the chance to compete much. In all, 27 nine-hole Prep League events are planned for boys and girls.
Also on the JGAC schedule this year will be tournaments in western Colorado.
“Year 1 was a success. Year 2 is going to explode,” said Dustin Jensen, managing director of operations for the CGA.
Numerous junior programs — both tournament-oriented and not — fall under the auspices of the JGAC. Among them: Drive, Chip & Putt Championship; PGA Junior League; the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy; Colorado PGA Golf in Schools; the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program; and Colorado competitors in the the boys and girls Junior America’s Cup.
For 2016, Colorado PGA junior golf director Holly Champion noted the following participation levels in the JGAC progams:
— 3,695 total junior rounds played.
— 836 JGAC members.
— 10,844 kids in Colorado PGA Golf in Schools.
— 1,184 kids at 88 facilities in PGA Junior League.
— 47 Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy caddies accumulating 1,444 loops.
— 950 competitors in Drive, Chip & Putt in the Colorado PGA Section.
All in all, that’s what you call collaboration for a good cause.
