Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2021 - 24

BACK
Thank You for
an Exceptional
Golf Season
* BY MIKE MALONE *
I am grateful for Minnesota summers. 2021 was a
particularly warm and exceptional one. As the days shorten and
the air gets crisp, please join me in thanking all who made this
summer of golf one to remember.
I encourage you to join me in sending a cheerful thank you
to the golf course superintendents and their staff. I commend
them for rising before dawn to groom the courses. The drought
made their job even more challenging. A shoutout to all the golf
professionals and their teams: starters, caddies, cart personnel
and merchandisers, who work tirelessly to make your summer
of golf better. Thankfully, food and beverage operations were up
and running this year. The servers and back-of-house staff rose
to the occasion, making it a year to relax and enjoy some time
away from our own kitchens. A toast to their dedication.
It was my privilege to be a starter at the 118th MGA Amateur
Championship. What an impressive fi eld. Derek Hitchner seemingly
cruised to a record-setting 15-under par at Rush Creek Golf
Club to take home the Totton P. Heffelfi nger trophy. The following
week as a spectator at the MGA Women's Amateur Championship,
I watched as talented Sophia Yoemans won the tournament in
a dramatic two-hole playoff. Minnesota amateur golf is in good
hands, as evidenced by these skilled competitors.
Fall and winter may see many of you migrate to warmer climates
for a week or even months of golf. This issue highlights
the beauty and challenges of golf in Puerto Rico. Wherever your
travels may take you, there are always friendships to be made
and new courses to master. This issue also shares a spectacular
driving route from the Twin Cities to the greater Phoenix area.
Travel begins south on 35W through the great state of Iowa.
Leaving Kansas City, the journey takes on local fl avor on State
Highway 54. Along the way, one can appreciate the farms, railroads
and small towns that built America. Visitors will see a bit of
Oklahoma with its massive tracts of agriculture, a corner of Texas
and the desert of New Mexico, followed by the delight of the forest
in Payson, Arizona and the championship golf courses found
in and around the greater Phoenix/Scottsdale metropolitan area.
I have traveled this route and truly enjoyed the beauty and freedom
of travel on our American highways.
The MGA Strategic Planning Committee has scheduled meetings
in the upcoming winter season. Our purpose is to enhance
our relevance and visibility. The issues facing golf today have a
common thread: environmental stewardship, administering the
24
PRESIDENT'S
DESK
" A shoutout to all the golf
professionals and their
teams: Starters, caddies,
cart personnel and
merchandisers, who work
tirelessly to make your
summer of golf better. "
Rules of Golf, advocating for golfers and the industry in general,
and embracing new technology are all priorities. We will explore
these topics and many others to strengthen our organization.
I close by asking you to help keep the game sustainable by
purchasing the Play Golf Minnesota license plates for your
vehicle: When buying a new vehicle or renewing your current
plate, select the distinctive plates (for a $30 fee) to demonstrate
your passion for the game and support the next generation of
Minnesota golfers.
Until the snow fl ies, I'll see you on the links.
MINNESOTAGOLFER Fall 2021
mngolf.org
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2021

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