National Golf Day 2018 festivities, held April 23-25, placed golf and private clubs on center stage as leaders from their respective industries gathered in Washington, D.C., to enhance the perception of golf and discuss the pressing issues with members of Congress.
Big Impact
The first two days focused on service and the new findings from WE ARE GOLF’s 2016 U.S. Golf Economy Report. Golf crews assembled to tend the grass at the National Mall, providing much needed improvements to the worn turf. Later, WE ARE GOLF announced that in 2016, golf generated a $84.1 billion economic impact, its highest ever, with private clubs driving much of that success. The report revealed that golf also employs nearly 2 million workers and provides $58.7 billion in wages.
Club Leaders With Our Nation’s Leaders
On Wednesday, NCA’s advocacy team, led by Vice President of Government Relations & General Counsel Brad Steele and President & CEO Henry Wallmeyer was joined by Luke O’Boyle, general manager and COO at Chevy Chase Club, Janine Budzius, general manager and COO at Philadelphia Country Club and Tom Bennison, senior vice president of development at ClubCorp, to speak directly with influential political leaders to help address issues impacting their clubs and the industry.
During our meetings with members of Congress, our volunteers shared their concerns for important club issues and asked for help from key officials. The topics included a permanent fix for the H-2B visa situation, passage of the STARS Act (which simplifies the Affordable Care Act (ACA) regarding seasonal staff) and the Overtime Exemption Rule.
Club Perspectives
“It was a pleasure and a privilege for me to join the NCA staff and fellow industry colleagues for National Golf Day on Capitol Hill. The opportunity to see Brad and Henry in action in the hallowed halls of Congress was impressive. It was fascinating to hear how many of Congressional offices shared a personal connection with our industry… from the congressman who began his career as a country club valet to the staffer whose father worked on a golf course maintenance crew. There was a genuine concern for our issues.” – Luke O’Boyle
“Brad Steele and NCA did a great job of organizing our visit to Capitol Hill on National Golf Day. It was refreshing to see how many legislators (golfers and nongolfers) appreciate the jobs and economic impact on our economy that golf contributes. And I was encouraged by their support for the various initiatives being put forth to assist our industry.”– Tom Bennison
“It was an amazing opportunity to participate in the 2018 National Golf Day and to witness firsthand the impact of the National Club Association and its advocacy efforts. The list of meetings was impressive and our access to leaders of key House and Senate offices, allowed us to highlight golf’s importance to the economy, as well as the critical issues impacting private clubs. At the end of the day, I had a new appreciation of the purpose of NCA and the importance of advocacy for the club industry as small businesses with a big economic impact.” – Janine Budzius
For a live recap of our day on Capitol Hill, click here.