Minnesota Golfer - Directory 2021 - 4

INSIDE
THE MG A
What is MGA
Membership?
* BY TOM RYAN *
Gaining Momentum
The surge in the game's popularity is
sustainable-and in our hands.
T
ypically, my fi rst column
of the new year
focuses on what's
ahead or different for the
coming season. But this year
is different. It's not something
new that is everyone's
focus, but how will COVID19
continue to impact both
recreational and competitive
golf in 2021?
When COVID-19 hit last
spring, and Governor Tim
Walz announced the fi rst
stay-at-home order, no one
predicted the kind of year
golf would have. Not only
in Minnesota, but across
the country, golf truly was
a refuge for many people
as they faced issues and
restrictions involving work,
family,
school, youth and
adult sports, and travel.
Many people who had not
picked up a club in years
played, thousands of kids
played, families played, and
many avid golfers like you
played more than they had
in recent years.
We
recently conducted
a survey of MGA member
clubs to gauge the number
of rounds played in 2020
versus 2019. The results were
astounding! The average
number of rounds played at
all types of facilities were up
29.7 percent. Consider that
4
MINNESOTAGOLFER Directory 2021
rounds played in 2019 over
2018 were up just under two
percent, and you can understand
how important the
opportunity to play golf in
the middle of the pandemic
was to so many people.
Likewise, entries in most
MGA championships were
well above our typical numbers,
suggesting that not only
was playing recreational golf
important, competition was
vital as well.
And just as your home
course followed COVID-19related
restrictions such as no
rakes, fl agsticks in the hole,
and single rider carts, the
MGA followed those same
restrictions in our championships.
In
addition, we
eliminated the use of paper,
instead implementing digital
on-course scoring, app-based
hole location and rules sheets,
and digital scoreboards.
I'm often asked whether
the explosion of rounds
played during the pandemic
is sustainable. My answer is
that while the number of
rounds played is probably
not, the renewed interest in
the game certainly is sustainable.
How the surge in
golfer participation seen in
2020 translates into future
rounds played is mostly in
our hands.
If you had a family member
or friend that picked up
golf, or played more than in
past years, encourage them
to keep it up.
As the vaccine is introduced
and the spread of
COVID-19 gets under
control and diminishes
over time, we
expect the
uncertainty in our lives
will diminish as well, and
we'll get back to some level
of normal. But that doesn't
mean we won't have learned
from 2020. Operators will
be challenged to offer the
same welcoming experience
they did last year, with adult
league play, Youth on Course
and family-friendly times
promoted and encouraged.
We are also reviewing all
of our COVID-19-related
championship protocols.
For example, we had great
success with touchless scoring,
therefore,
the digital
scorecard may well relegate
its paper cousin to obsolescence
in 2021.
Change is often a byproduct
of chaos, and 2020 was
certainly full of that.
All of us at the MGA hope
that you are healthy and
remain safe, and that golf
continues to be an important
part of your life.
See you on the course.
$
It's your invitation
to play some of the
fi nest golf courses
around, through
participation in MGA
Associate Members' Days or
the MGA Senior Tour. * It's
your USGA Handicap Index,
now updated daily, after
a posted score. * It's your
subscription to Minnesota
Golfer magazine, delivered to
your home. * It's your support
of programs and services
that make the game better.
2020 TOURNAMENT SEASON
ACCOUNTING
The MGA annual tournament
season accounting-or
contributions to MGA member
clubs for hosting association
championships, qualifi ers,
Member Days and the Senior
Tour-amounted to more than
$400,000 for the June-October
2020 tournament year. This was
down approximately 13 percent
due to delays, cancellations and
restrictions imposed by COVID19
safety guidelines. Here are
the details:
$66,045
Carts
$167,999
Green Fees
$68,667
Prizes
$80,962
Food & Beverage
$15,461
Range
$9,000
Honorariums
$408,134
TOTAL
mngolf.org
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Directory 2021

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