California’s allied golf associations convene for inaugural Day at The Capitol

The following is a guest blog from California Golf Course Owners Association and Golf Course Superintendents Association of Northern California Executive Director Marc Connerly.  Thank you, Mark, for your insight and representation in Sacramento.

On March 24, representatives from California’s allied golf associations convened at the state capitol for the golf industry’s first “Day at The Capitol.” The day was, by all accounts, a resounding success, and an important step towards placing our industry in a favorable light under the dome in Sacramento.

First, a big debt of gratitude to CAG legislative advocate Tony Rice for putting the event together. Tony arranged a total of eight meetings with legislators, legislative staff, key committee staff, as well as executive branch staff, and kept our group on schedule and on point.

In attendance were CAG President and Northern California PGA Executive Director Chris Thomas, CGCOA Past President Steve Plummer, NCGA Executive Director Vaughn Kezirian, California GCSA Board Member Jim Ferrin, California Turfgrass and Landscape Foundation CEO Bruce Williams, CAG Board Member and Doctor’s Orders: Play Golf Founder Emmy Moore-Minister, NCGA Board Member Tom Bone, and I.  SCGA Governmental Affairs Director Craig Kessler became ill in the middle of the night prior to the event and was sincerely missed, but certainly deserves credit for his role in planning the event.

The contingent met with assembly members Ian Calderon and Phil Ting, as well as staff for assembly members Marc Levine, Mike Gatto, and Jimmy Gomez; staff for the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee and the Senate Committee on Governance and Finance; a senior adviser on energy and environmental issues; and a senior adviser to Governor Brown.

As one would expect, the majority of the discussion focused on water, with golf industry representatives taking turns focusing the discussion around several major points:

• Golf courses, combined with parks  and other large landscapes, use approximately 1 pecent of the state’s water (in contrast to roughly 80 percent usage by agriculture)

• Approximately 33 percent of all courses in the state run on recycled water, and it is our goal for 100 percent to be on recycled, eventually

• The primary obstacle to increased use of recycled water is lack of infrastructure

• 70-80 percent of courses are public, not private

• Golf contributes $13.3 billion to the state’s economy

• Golf employs more than 128,000 workers in California

• The industry can point to examples of exceptional environmental stewardship, including 30 percent reduction in turf and installation of a high-efficiency, computer-controlled  irrigation system at Poppy Hills

• Turf provides an excellent natural water filtration system

• More Latinos and women are being introduced to golf

• FootGolf is bringing soccer and golf together, increasing utilization of golf courses, and introducing new people to the courses

The lone negative on an otherwise entirely positive day was the news from Kip Lipper that red tape is preventing the distribution of bond money for recycling projects until late 2016 because the guidelines for said funding are encountering delays in publication by the regulatory entities.

Finally, a couple of unexpected surprises were presented. First, during a discussion on the industry’s preliminary efforts to form a self-funded California Golf Commission, John Scribner, chief of staff for Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez, offered to provide draft language for the bill that would be necessary to authorize the commission.  While he could not commit the assemblyman to authoring the bill, the gesture was a necessary and welcome step in the process.

Second, Assemblyman Phil Ting indicated that he has authored AB 945, which will exempt all electric vehicle sales from sales tax until 2020, including those golf carts that meet the definition.

All in all, it was a very informative and uplifting day for golf in California, and hopefully the first of many.

California golf leaders gather on the steps of the Capitol Building in Sacramento after a busy day of meetings with legislative leaders. (L to R-Back Row) Steve Plummer, CGCS, CGCOA; Marc Connerly, GCSANC & CGCOA; Vaughn Kezirian, NCGA; Chris Thomas, PGA (L to R-Front Row) Emmy Moore Minister, Women's Golf & NCGRA; Bruce Williams, CGCS, CTLF; and Jim Ferrin, CGCS, CCGCSA. Photo Credit:  Emmy Moore Minister.