In May of this year my mother passed away. She outlived my dad by roughly two years. Losing my parents over the past few years has brought on a lot of reflection. I have shed a lot of tears of sadness and joy as I look through old family photos. I was fortunate to have my parents live such long and healthy lives, and I was blessed to share so much of my adult years with them.
Perhaps it is this same spirit of reflection that inspires me to write this month’s message. My first day as executive director of the CGA was April 1, 2000. I often joke that it is the longest April Fool’s joke in history! I vividly remember that day. It was a Saturday. I went to the CGA offices at 7465 E. 1st Avenue in Lowry to rearrange furniture, comb through files, and get ready for my first week on the job.
The years have flown by. As I look back over the past 25 years, it strikes me how each five-year period had one notable highlight that stands out.
From 2000 to 2005 my focus was on learning the ropes of being an executive director. This new challenge brought tremendous personal growth, as I learned to manage a staff, report to a board, and lead by example. I reflected on the management styles of those I had worked for in the past and tried to emulate their good qualities. I made many mistakes, but overall, I believe I succeeded in contributing to a fresh, cultural shift from the previous millennium.
From 2006 to 2010 my full attention shifted to the acquisition of the Lowry Air Force Base Golf Course and working with the board to maximize its potential as an association asset. The hiring of Tom Doak as our golf course architect created the foundation for what became CommonGround Golf Course—a place for all and all the game teaches. It has been a joy to see CommonGround blossom into a highly regarded, affordable public golf course, and a laboratory for CGA outreach programs.
From 2011 to 2015 the CGA became a true public charity. The creation of the Colorado Golf Foundation (CGF) in 2012, and the hiring of a full-time Director of Development in 2014, established the CGA as a cause for good. The CGF was envisioned as a “rising tide” for all youth golf programming in Colorado. The CGA and the CGF created a powerful partnership that broadened the CGA’s ability to use golf as a vehicle to inspire kids on the course, and in the classroom throughout Colorado. The CGA and the CGF have continued to build on this partnership and, today, support a golf community that collectively reach over 35,000 youth golfers annually.
The five-year period from 2016 to 2020 was highlighted by the integration of the CGA and the Colorado Women’s Golf Association (CWGA) to form one association to serve ALL golfers in Colorado. The leaders of the CGA and the CWGA pledged to honor the legacy of the CWGA by creating an equal partnership to serve golf in Colorado. The results have exceeded expectations. Today, the CGA board and professional staff is equally comprised of men and women. Since joining forces, the CGA has been led by two female presidents—Juliet Miner and Janene Guzowski. Sara Montgomery will become the third, in 2025.
This brings us to the fifth chapter in this 25-year story. From 2021 to 2024 golf experienced an historic increase in popularity. The impetus was something no one ever dreamed of—a global pandemic?!! COVID-19 was a perfect storm for the game of golf. As infectious disease doctors urged us to avoid close contact and indoor spaces, golf’s inherent attributes made it the perfect recreational outlet for social distancing. What could be better than an outdoor game that spaces its participants in intervals (tee times)? The result was record rounds of golf and an explosion in popularity that continues to this day. The CGA has benefited tremendously from this explosion, going from a pre-pandemic total of 58,000 members to over 92,000 today!
So what do the next five years have in store? There is no doubt that the world is full of uncertainty. Turning on the news can make even the most upbeat person want to curl up in the fetal position. But despite these undeniable challenges, there are many reasons to be optimistic. For me, at the top of that list is the game of golf. Golf transcends our differences by pitting us against the same opponents—the green expanse of a golf course and the infinite variables of mother nature.
In June of this year, the CGA board unanimously approved a new mission statement—To make golf and all it offers available to everyone. Whatever the next five years have in store, let’s all work together to make that happen.