NEW YORK, NEW YORK | In my time in golf, I have been to more than a few USGA Annual Meetings. I’d probably need three more hands to count them all. But few if any were as meaningful or memorable as the gathering that took place this past weekend.
The USGA Annual Meeting, which is held in a different location around the country each year, has the flavor of a college reunion. Friendships are renewed, stories are told, memories rekindled. It is generally a festive occasion, and this year was no different.
The basic functions went off as they usually do. Outgoing president Fred Perpall mostly kept his emotions in check as he signed off after seven years of distinguished service to the USGA. Incoming president Kevin Hammer, a skilled player, spoke movingly of growing up in a golf household; his father, Laurie, was a former PGA Tour professional and longtime club pro. Future Walker and Curtis cups were awarded to cathedral sites Seminole, Cypress Point and National Golf Links, and the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio, busted back into the U.S. Open rota. Bob Jones Award winner Ellen Port delivered a rollicking acceptance speech.
But amid the fun and games, this year featured some real revelations. And the big takeaway in my mind is this: CEO Mike Whan has some real rocket scientists working for him. To wit:
>>The GHIN app is about to get a makeover, and it’s hard to overstate just how much more useful it is about to become. The basic utility – posting scores – will remain front and center. But it is going to become a more modern, data-rich, user-friendly, eye-catching app designed to enhance the golfer experience. It will be fun and interactive and offer virtual competitions.
Note to commercial handicap-based app businesses: You might want to call your banker and explore an exit. A very well-funded competitor is about to disrupt this space.
Tom Padula and Jonathan Pak discuss the upcoming changes to the GHIN app.
Jason E. Miczek, USGA
>>Artificial intelligence is coming to the USGA, and in this case, it is not threatening. “Rules AI” will begin to see the light of day later this year. You won’t need to carry that handy rule book in your bag anymore; all you need is a mobile phone. Imagine a sticky rules situation in the member-guest event; instead of waiting for the pro to come out and (hopefully) make the correct ruling, you go to the USGA app and pose a question. Within seconds, the proper rule and consequences are delivered courtesy of AI. Mind blowing.
>>And then there is the ever-reliable-but-largely-unheralded USGA Green Section, which very quietly goes about its business of serving golf course superintendents. Its motto is “Good turf = good golf.” The modern-day tools and services the Green Section delivers are extraordinary but out of eyeshot for most retail golfers. It’s a shame; there is real science being practiced and delivered by turfgrass experts. Just ask your golf course superintendent.
Missing from this year’s meeting was any deep dive on the great distance debate. Whan delivered a spirited explanation as to where things stand on the golf ball rollback (a term the USGA is not particularly fond of), but he moved past it pretty quickly. It appears that the USGA thinks it’s time to move on, that the decision has been made so let’s all get over it. Some will likely find that posture arrogant, others will call it reality.
Whan emphasized that the game is on a heater. Participation post-COVID has skyrocketed. Golf is not just enjoyed or consumed on a golf course or on television: off-course golf is real and growing like an unwanted weed by the first green. The game is “cool;” influencers and celebrities have found golf. New York Yankee legend Derek Jeter made a cameo appearance at the meeting, albeit by prerecorded video. LeBron James’ swing isn’t textbook, but he appears to be hooked.
Against this backdrop, Whan is hitting the accelerator. The USGA is investing in numerous initiatives, many of which won’t generate a return on investment for years, if not decades. Yes, he is leading the organization in 2026, but he and his Executive Committee have their eye on 2046 at the same time. This is to be applauded.
The USGA gets a bad rap in some corners of the game, and most consumers only come in contact with the organization by posting a GHIN score on the app or watching the U.S. Open on some device. It’s too bad; there is a lot more going on in Liberty Corner, New Jersey, than most people are aware. And it’s all good.
They are taking victory laps at USGA headquarters this week, and rightfully so.
On to Shinnecock Hills.
Top: CEO Mike Whan shares the USGA’s future plans at the Annual Meeting.
USGA, Jason E. Miczek
