Golf Associations Do More Than You May Think
If you asked the average golfer what a state or provincial golf association does, I suspect many of the answers would sound familiar. “They run championships. They administer handicaps. They rate golf courses. They provide education on the Rules of Golf.” All true. But today, that is a very incomplete description of what golf associations actually do.
I know I have previously written about the role of golf associations, and I admit I am a little biased on the subject. But I continue to believe it is important for golfers to understand because there is a lot more happening behind the scenes than most people realize. I have spent most of my professional career in golf administration, and one of the biggest and most positive changes I have seen is the evolution of golf associations. What were once organizations focused mainly on administering certain parts of the game have become organizations that play a much larger role in supporting the overall health and future of golf.
Today, for example, golf associations throughout the Pacific Northwest, including the Alaska Golf Association, British Columbia Golf, Idaho Golf Association, Montana State Golf Association, Oregon Golf Association and WA Golf, all work with golf facilities, clubs, individual golfers, junior programs, industry organizations and community partners.
We still provide championships and playing opportunities, but the work goes far beyond that.
Associations provide technology and services to clubs, help introduce people to the game and keep golfers engaged, advocate for the golf industry, promote the economic, environmental and community benefits of golf, support youth access and player development, and increasingly use data and technology to better understand and serve golfers. And that is still only part of the list.
Another major change over the years has been the relationship between regional golf associations and the national organizations that govern the game. In the United States, the USGA and its network of Allied Golf Associations (AGAs) have developed a much stronger strategic partnership. AGAs provide the USGA with a direct connection to golfers, clubs and facilities at the state level, while the USGA provides national governance, leadership, resources, technology, research and expertise that would be difficult for individual associations to provide on their own.
The USGA looks at the game from a national perspective and invests in programs and services that can impact millions of golfers, while an AGA understands what is happening in its own communities and can build relationships and put many of those programs into action locally. We each have different roles, but we are much stronger working together.
Our neighbors in Canada have a similar relationship. Golf Canada works closely with British Columbia Golf and the other Provincial Golf Associations across the country. While the structure is a little different from the U.S. model, the idea is very much the same, which is a strong national organization working closely with provincial associations to provide a better way to support golfers, clubs and facilities.
And those relationships extend even further. Golf associations also work closely with the PGA of America, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and many other organizations that each play an important role in the game.
That level of collaboration is going to become even more important in the years ahead. Golf is in a great position today. Participation is strong, interest in the game is high, and people are experiencing golf in more ways than ever before.
But growth also brings challenges. How do we keep golf affordable and accessible? How do we introduce more juniors to the game and create better pathways for those who want to compete at higher levels? How do we further support golf courses and clubs? How do we make sure golfers understand the value of a Handicap Index and the Rules that allow us all to play the same game? And maybe most importantly, how do we make sure the millions of people who have discovered golf in recent years stay connected to the game?
No single golf association can answer all those questions on its own. It takes cooperation, and it also requires golf associations to continue to change with the game. There will always be parts of our work that are fundamental to who we are. Championships, Handicapping, Course Rating, Rules of Golf all matter. Those responsibilities provide structure and consistency to a game played around the world. But our role today extends well beyond administering that part of the game. More and more, our job is also about supporting and connecting the game.
Most golfers will never see much of this work, and maybe that is a good thing and a sign that we are making progress. But I hope golfers understand just how much work is happening behind the scenes to support the game and position it for long-term health. Behind it all is a large network of organizations and people working together for the good of the game.
The logos may all be different, and I know it can sometimes be confusing to figure out exactly who does what. But whether it is WA Golf working with the USGA, British Columbia Golf working with Golf Canada, or dozens of other state and provincial associations doing similar work across North America, the goal across the entire golf community is consistent: we all want the game to be stronger tomorrow than it is today.