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As he approaches the end of his year
as ASGCA President, Greg Martin,
ASGCA, outlines what the Society
means to him.
The past year has demonstrated to
me a number of things: The ASGCA
is valued for our leadership, as well
as our fellowship; we are trusted and
simultaneously misunderstood; we
are more important than the public or
golf industry realizes; we have vastly
differing talents and perspectives; and
collectively and individually, we make
the game better.
We have created championship
venues, and parks for the masses,
restored ruined landscapes and made
scars from industry beautiful. We have
done marvelous and beautiful things.
Yet, our goal is simple: to provide
a better game for those who enjoy
this magnificent sport and create
resounding benefit for the communities
in which they reside.
The ASGCA after my name means I
have been vetted and approved by my
peers; my accomplishments to the game
have been meaningful and relevant; my
practice is considered professional and
ethical; and the fellowship I share is
both inspirational and cherished.
Golf is changing. Those who
embrace it will adapt and see new
opportunities. Those who don’t will grip
tighter to days gone by. I don’t wish for
change, but I do face it, expect it and
hopefully recognize the opportunities
when they present themselves.
As a professional organization, we
are in the midst of adapting. You can
see it in our annual meetings, our
education, our website, our leadership
and social media. We must adapt.
As practitioners, we instinctively
react to the marketplace; we adapt
to new golfer expectations and client
needs; we reformulate our design
because of golfer ability and golf ball
length, environmental demands or
water availability; and we adjust our
specifications to meet construction needs
and provide more lasting products. We
change and adapt every day. Golfers
are changing too. In the past 30 years,
expectations have changed. Golfers
demand more, but want to pay less.
The golf industry has reacted,
sometimes positively and sometimes not.
I applaud the USGA for their research
and full analysis of some of the more
challenging issues facing the game. It
is not coincidence that the most visible
tournament, our national championship,
has been played on more unique venues
featuring firm and fast conditions. Those
decisions are difficult to understand for
the golfing public. Yet, the USGA has
seen the future and are willing to make
tough decisions about our industry. The
USGA is changing.
What will not change is that golfers
want to play golf, whether at Pebble
Beach or the local muni, in authentic
places with friends and family. Golf is a
shared experience that provides value
to our culture and communities: that
desire will never go away.
What is needed now, more than ever,
is thoughtful and proactive adaptation
of our work. Making the game better
with community golf courses, better
environmental stewardship, efficient
operations and management, habitat
enhancement, water quality
—
provided
to wider markets in more diverse
neighborhoods
—
is what golf needs.
Our relevance and value
—
individually
and collectively
—
will be tied directly
to how golf course architecture can
provide value to lives and communities
beyond the greatness of the game.
Good golf design shouldn’t be
confined to the privileged. Nor should it
be confined to golfers or the properties
on which they reside. Good golf design
should inspire our clients, golfers and
benefit the surrounding community. If
we commit to bettering the game by
providing and engaging an authentic
experience for golfers while improving
the environment and our communities,
our organization and this profession will
be on the right side of history.
So how will the ASGCA adapt in the
coming years? The ASGCA membership
will become more diverse and more
representative of how golf course
architecture is practiced; The ASGCA will
be more collaborative and active with
Allied Associations; and The ASGCA
membership will create more unique
opportunities for golfer engagement.
What will not change is that the
ASGCA will continue as thought
leaders, proactive custodians of the
game and stewards of the environment.
“Golf is a shared experience that provides
value to our culture and communities”
GREG MART IN, ASGCA PRES I DENT