Taking Care of the Game
and One Another
The 3M Open just concluded and one of golf’s emerging stars, Jackson Koivun, age 21, burst onto the scene in a big way with his victory over a collection of major championship winners. The 3M is played in Minnesota and as I think about age, golf and life it reminded me of a Minnesotan – former Vice President, Hubert Humphrey – and a quote from a speech of his:
"The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly…”
This quote from nearly 50 years ago had me thinking of the golf community, as the game is soaring to record heights of participation, and traditions, emerging technologies and personalities are yielding creative friction.
Golf is in a strong position today. Courses are busy, participation remains healthy, and more people are discovering – or rediscovering – the game. That strength is worth celebrating. It also gives us an opportunity, and perhaps an obligation, to think carefully about how we welcome and support all golfers, including both ends of the age spectrum.
For young people and beginners, golf must feel accessible, enjoyable and inviting. Their first experiences with the game may not involve an 18-hole scorecard or a perfectly executed swing. They may not know the rules or etiquette – those are all learned later, not unlike a flop shot. They might begin at a junior clinic, riding along with a parent, putting on a practice green or playing a few holes late in the evening. The details matter less than whether they feel that they belong and if they are encouraged.
We should teach young golfers the traditions of the game, but we also need to give them room to enjoy golf on their terms. That means creating affordable opportunities, offering encouragement and understanding that fun is often the first step toward a lifelong relationship with the sport.
Older golfers require a different kind of attention. For many, golf has been part of their lives for decades. It has provided competition, friendship, exercise and a familiar place to gather. As mobility, distance or health changes, the golf community should continue finding ways to keep them connected. Having combination – or “combo” – tees have become more common and provide a fair test, while also providing the same enjoyment we want our beginners and juniors to relish.
A golfer should not feel that there is an expiration date on being part of the game. Some may no longer play 18 holes several times a week, but their experience, stories and presence remain an important part of a club and community. A little patience can go a long way towards feeling included.
Taking care of golf also means taking care of the places where it is played.
Strong participation brings additional traffic and wear to our courses. Maintaining quality playing conditions cannot fall entirely on superintendents and their staff. Every golfer has a role. Replacing a divot, repairing a pitch mark, raking a bunker and keeping carts away from vulnerable areas are small actions individually. Collectively, they make an enormous difference.
These habits are also a form of respect. We repair the course for the golfer behind us, just as someone repaired it for us. In that way, course care reflects the larger spirit of the game: leaving something in as good – or better – condition than we found it.
Golf’s current strength should not be measured only by rounds played, memberships sold or crowded tee sheets. It should also be measured by whether a junior golfer feels welcome, whether a seasoned golfer still feels valued and whether we are caring for our courses and communities with an eye toward the future. After all, for those of us lucky to have come to the game, whenever in life that is – we can all enjoy it together.
Finally, we recently lost two great friends of our association – Bill Sprinkle and Woody Hahn.
Bill, an accomplished athlete in the prep and collegiate ranks, is a member of multiple halls of fame, most notably, Bill was a standout football player for the University of Washington. Bill’s service to sports was lengthy and included many roles across different organizations including serving as the director of the Montana State Senior Golf Association before it merged with the MSGA. I had the good fortune to know Bill and his family and to spend time on the links in Helena with him as he not only played good golf late into his 70s but matched competitive drive with a gentleman's demeanor – something that can be in short supply when the game isn’t going your way.
Woody also had a distinguished and diverse career in sports. He co-owned a minor league baseball team, and served as commissioner of three different collegiate leagues in addition to numerous leadership roles in the communities he lived, most notably Billings. Woody served on the MSGA Board and was inducted into the Montana Golf Hall of Fame for his service to the game. In my first state junior championship as MSGA executive director, Woody and I had a great visit about what golf had meant to him, his family and his friends. His love of the game and the values instilled by golf and other sports was palpable and you couldn’t help but be uplifted after a visit with Woody.
Both men made meaningful contributions to golf in Montana and to the people around them. We offer a heartfelt tip of the cap in their memory and dedicate this message to the friendships, service and love of the game they shared with all of us.
The MSGA will be looking back later this year on a number of friends of the association we’ve lost in 2026. If there was someone important to you, your community or golf in Montana, please drop us a line at nick@msgagolf.org.