| • 2005 Presidents' Council • 2006 Presidents' Council • 2007 Presidents' Council
Association holds 4th Annual Presidents' CouncilThe Golf Association of Philadelphia conducted its 4th annual Presidents' Council on March 27 at Waynesborough Country Club for the second time in as many years.
"The goal of the Presidents’ Council has been to bring our club leaders together, let them discuss some of the more common issues facing the industry and allow them to learn from nationally recognized speakers in various fields," said Richard P. Meehan, Jr., vice president of the Association. "It’s just a great venue to help them understand the tasks that they may be facing at their member clubs." Added Meehan, "Everybody is facing the same problems today with trying to identify how to attract the next generation of golfers to their clubs. And that’s why today’s program is particularly important, especially the strategic planning and membership development portion." Featured speakers included Frank Vain, President of the McMahon Group, Inc.; Darin Bevard, Senior Agronomist for the USGA Green Section and Susan Wegrzyn, President and CEO of the National Club Association. Vain spoke about strategic planning, membership marketing for retention and backfill, as well as the critical issues involved with attracting new members. The McMahon Group, Inc., a firm based in St. Louis, Mo., has consulted more than 1,000 private clubs throughout the world. Bevard touched on potential methods to maintain reasonable green speeds without jeopardizing the health of the turf, while Wegrzyn spoke on immigration reform as it continues to be hotly debated in Congress and around the country. Her presentation also focused on H-2B issues and planning for future changes in employment legislation. Although the event centered around three key speakers, Meehan pointed out an additional benefit of the council. "This is one of the programs that the Golf Association puts together that enables the presidents and other officers of the clubs to get to know each other and share what they are doing at each of their clubs," Meehan said. Founded in 1897, the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) is the oldest regional golf association in the United States and serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. Its 136 Member Clubs and 56,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. The purpose of the Association is simple: To promote, protect and preserve the game of golf in the region.
*Frank Vain's presentation |
A Walk Through Time
GAP is the oldest state or regional golf association in the country. It started courtesy of a friendly competition – the Team Matches – and has grown into the preeminent golf association in the country. Along the way, golf history has been made.
