Wednesday, I met with Senators Joe Donnelly and Daniel Coats, and Congressman Peter Visclosky to discuss pending legislation and the impacts to the Golf Industry. I was impressed at the attention and time we were given. I was joined by Linda Rogers and Michelle Wittig, who represented the National Golf Course Owners Association.
Before moving into the issues, we wanted to make sure congress understood the economic, charitable, environmental, and health and wellness aspects of golf.
Golf contributes $68.8 billion to the American economy. One in 75 jobs is impacted by our industry. Golf is bigger than spectator sports, performing arts, and the amusement and recreation industries. In 2011, the National charitable impact of golf was $3.9 billion; which is more than MLB, NFL, NBA, and the NHL combined!
I have always been a fan of golf and the environment. Golf is the only connection to nature for some. Golf provides more than two million acres of green space to urban areas.
My favorite aspect of golf? The health benefits. I love to walk nine holes. As inactivity among Americans skyrockets, walking 18 holes is the equivalent of a 3.5 mile run or a 5 mile walk.
With all the wonderful things that golf provides, we are still a small business. Regulations such as Overtime Pay Rule, and other issues such as H-2B Visa Delays, Waters of the United States rule, the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act, all impact our sustainability. Thanks to all of our Allied Partners for showing up to support golf!
Visit http://wearegolf.org/, and see why people like Nancy Lopez feel compelled to join together on the Hill.
Special thanks to Briar Ridge for allowing me the time to promote our great sport!
Let's go golf,
Turf
Sent from Erwin's phone, please excuse grammar and punctuation.