Behind the Game,
For the Game
It takes players, volunteers, clubs, golf facilities – and so much more – to make the game of golf go round
Kevin Chang
President, WA Golf
It’s an especially busy and exciting time of year at WA Golf. Championship and tournament season is well underway, on-site course ratings are being conducted by WA Golf staff and a team of volunteers, and outreach and marketing resources are introducing more people to the game every day.
Golfers of all ages are connecting with their favorite public, private, or online clubs, updating or establishing their handicap, and, in some cases, picking up a club for the very first time at a driving range, golf simulator, or green-grass course.
The mission of WA Golf is to be “Enriching lives through the many benefits of golf by leading, supporting, and promoting the sport in our region.” As the popularity of the game continues to grow, WA Golf recognizes that it must continue to up its own game while serving as a steward of the sport to its more than 103,000 members, 520 member clubs, and 260 golf facilities.
WA Golf leads and promotes many activities that occur behind the scenes and may go unnoticed by the casual or weekend golfer. So, let me pull back the curtain on a few of the initiatives and efforts currently shaping the game across our region.
From an operational standpoint, WA Golf has embraced the rapidly evolving nature of technology and recognizes that players and golf courses alike have different needs. I’m old enough to remember the days when you played a round of golf, manually entered your score on a desktop computer in the clubhouse, and then waited two weeks for an updated handicap to appear. That information was then printed on a sticker that you affixed to your plastic handicap card. (Do you still have an old one in a desk drawer?) Fast forward to today, when handicaps are updated immediately after you enter your score using the GHIN app on your smartphone.
Other services provided through WA Golf include memberplanet and Golf Genius. Through memberplanet, clubs have access to free services that allow golfers to join and renew their memberships. Using Golf Genius, clubs can manage their events, tournaments, and league activities.
WA Golf provides championship-level opportunities to golfers of all skill levels. A full slate of events is well underway, with the Men’s and Women’s Four-Ball Championship in the rearview mirror and our Amateur and Mid-Amateur championships for the state’s most talented men, women, and senior players on the horizon. The popular Net Four-Ball Match Play tournament is ongoing and once again features a robust group of golfers from across the state. For those looking for a more relaxed environment to test their skills, look for a future Casual Golf Day event hosted by WA Golf.
WA Golf has initiated efforts to procure an updated Economic Impact Study to replace a previous version that is now 10 years old. Such a document helps quantify the direct and indirect economic benefits associated with golf and the golf industry and will help inform interested stakeholders and guide broad planning efforts related to the golf industry. WA Golf also contracts with a lobbyist who keeps us apprised of any legislative issues that may impact or be impacted by the golf industry.
The WA Golf staff team is not large but is mighty, and the organization also applauds the dedicated volunteers who generously give the gift of their time to serve as rules officials or course raters, just to name a few. Did you know that more than 30 courses will be rated by the team this summer? WA Golf also counts on the many unheralded local handicap chairs, club representatives, and officers who contribute in so many ways. To all of you, please know that your efforts make a meaningful difference in strengthening your golf community.
Whether you support golf, give back to golf, or simply play golf, know that WA Golf is busy at work and here to help. Together, we enrich the game, and that qualifies as a tap-in birdie in my book.