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By Design
S
ince its establishment in 1973,
the ASGCA Foundation has
worked to support the game
of golf. We spoke to its current
president, ASGCA Past President
Clyde Johnston, ASGCA, about the
Foundation’s efforts to make golf
more accessible, enjoyable and
sustainable.
Could you explain the purpose of
the ASGCA Foundation?
As a non-profit organization,
the ASGCA Foundation helps
fund important research on golf
course design as it relates to the
game of golf, the enjoyment of
golf, new technologies and golf’s
relationship to the environment. The
information and insight collected
by the Foundation is shared with
those committed to designating
green space for recreational
purposes, helping them develop a
better understanding of how golf
course architecture can increase
player enjoyment and benefit the
environment.
The Foundation also supports
the game of golf, funding and
administering programs to help the
game flourish and grow. We run
initiatives aimed at getting more
people involved in the sport and
provide college scholarships to
deserving high school students.
How did the Foundation’s support
for the Longleaf Tee Initiative
come about?
The Longleaf Tee Initiative was
the brainchild of the U.S. Kids
Golf Foundation, and was created
to help grow the game through
the use of additional tees. The
first implementation took place at
Longleaf Golf & Family Club in
North Carolina based on design work
from Bill Bergin, ASGCA.
When I first heard this notion, I
admit to having a few doubts as to
how possible this would be. But any
skepticism was quickly quashed once
I spoke with U.S. Kids Golf President
Dan Van Horn. They really helped
open my eyes to what the system can
offer to golfers of all ages and abilities.
Once I realized how beneficial
the system could be to the game, it
made perfect sense for the ASGCA
Foundation to provide support. We
need to embrace opportunities like
this to make a positive difference to
the health of the game.
How does the Longleaf project
meet the mission and vision of the
Foundation?
The Longleaf Tee System is for golfers
of any age, gender and golfing ability,
and therefore offers an opportunity to
make the game more fun, encourage
new golfers to take up the game and
retain golfers in the sport. The system
will also be good for new and existing
golf courses as it expands their ability
to appeal to a wider range of golf skills.
The ASGCA Foundation is
committed to showing courses how
they and their golfers may benefit
by adopting the concepts developed
through the Longleaf Tee System.
A positive impact
on the game of golf
INTERVIEW
ASGCA Foundation President Clyde Johnston explains how the non-profit
organization is supporting facilities and enabling a better golfer experience.
We are
constantly looking
for ways we can
positively impact
the game of golf
and the profession
of
golf course
architecture