With the 10th Annual National Golf Day on the horizon in Washington D.C., I am proud to say that I was a part of a similar effort locally here in Florida. On Wednesday, April 19, a delegation representing golf's allied associations in the state gathered for the fifth consecutive year in the halls of the state capitol in Tallahassee.
Our message is one of the positive contributions in the areas of economic drivers, environmental sustainability, and charitable giving. Our visit did not have a specific ask, rather it was our intention to continue to foster relationships with our elected officials. These relationships will prove fruitful in the future as water quality and quantity concerns continue to be at the forefront of policy decisions. We cannot afford to miss our seat at the table during these discussions or we may face legislation that is detrimental to our business.
Golf in Florida has an $8.2 billion direct economic impact to the state’s economy. This figure exceeds the total of $5.4 billion brought in by all the theme parks in the state…. Yes, golf is bigger than Mickey Mouse here in the Sunshine State. We were also able to share with our representatives how much golf reinvests in the local economy. It was reported in our meetings that in 2016 over $432 million was put back into golf facilities around the state. There is another $492 million of reinvestment on the books for 2017. Much of this work is completed using local businesses which again benefits local economies.
In addition to the positive economic impacts of the game, we were able to tell the story of the environmental benefits of golf courses within our communities. Obviously, we focused on the natural habitat we provide wildlife and the filtering and cooling effects which the turfgrass on the course offers in urban environments. Another takeaway we hoped to instill to the representatives was regarding our successful BMP program in Florida. We have certified 396 individuals throughout the state which is a testament to the commitment and professionalism of our members. Our BMP program has also helped golf be granted exemptions from 96 local ordinances around the state. We also relayed to legislators that the program received national recognition from GCSAA as the FGCSA was the 2015 recipient of the Excellence in Government Relations Award in large part due to the BMP program.
Our closing message was that of the charitable giving associated with the game of golf. At the national level, golf gives back in charitable offerings nearly $4 billion annually. This amount exceeds the total charitable contributions of the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL combined. Here at home in Florida, golf combines to contribute over $383 million on an annual basis.
With roughly 1,100 golf courses and over 132,000 individuals employed in the industry, we can truly call our state “The Golf Capitol of the World.” Therefore, events like Florida Golf Day remain important to promote the benefits of our game. If given the opportunity at the local level, I highly encourage you to speak with your representative and establish a relationship with them prior to needing something from them. These relationships may well be the foundation that allows us to continue to conduct our business in a manner that is both economically and environmentally sound.
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