4 minute read
Working On Golf’s Present and Future
The Arizona Alliance for Golf
The golf landscape in Arizona is served in many capacities by numerous allied associations working to keep the game open, vibrant and growing, and AZ
GOLF is just one piece of that puzzle. Through the leadership and vision of Gregg Tryhus, President of the Board of Directors for the Arizona Alliance for Golf, these allied associations began to come together under one umbrella in 2020, aligning resources, thought leadership and influence in support of golf in Arizona. The following will provide insight into the associations that make up the Arizona Alliance for Golf as well as the function of the Alliance as a whole.
Who's Who
As the Association responsible for amateur golf in the region, AZ GOLF executes core services such as the World Handicap System and the Rules of Golf, hosts over 95 championships, competitive and social events throughout the year and keeps members informed with Arizona Golf Insider magazine and various digital communication vehicles.
The Southwest PGA is one of 41 sections of the PGA of America, serving the state of Arizona and Clark County in Southern Nevada. Southwest PGA members are on the front lines of golf in the region as the experts in golf instruction and leaders growing the game for future generations.
The men and women who work every day to keep our courses playable are the golf course superintendents. In Arizona, the Cactus & Pine Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) leads the way in course management and maintenance while advocating for critical issues affecting golf in the region including water conservation, pesticide use and environmental safety.
Golf facilities are more than the courses that we play on, they are the clubs that manage them. The 80 affiliated clubs represented in the Greater Southwest Chapter of the Club Management Association of America (CMAA) work together as part of the Association to enhance their service to the club community and serve as leaders in the management and operation of clubs across the region.
Developing the next generation of golfers is crucial for the healthy growth of golf in the future. Since 1983, the Junior Golf Association of Arizona (JGAA) has provided opportunities for Arizona youth to learn, grow and compete in the game of golf and granted scholarships annually to support participants as they continue their journey in college.
Associated with the JGAA is LPGA*USGA Girls Golf of Phoenix.
Much of golf’s recent growth has come through more women playing the game, and Girls Golf of Phoenix is building a foundation for continued growth in the future by empowering girls with confidence and inspiring them to dream big.
The First Tee is a name recognized nationally as providing affordable access at courses and learning centers for young golfers. In Maricopa County, the First Tee - Phoenix facilitates this access to those who may not have the prospects to play otherwise, all while working with juniors to instill key values that golf provides: responsibility, courtesy, honesty and integrity.
Common Goals
The Arizona Alliance for Golf aims to unify, protect and educate Arizona residents, both golfers and nongolfers, about the game of golf and the positive impact it has now and in the future. It provides a unified voice, promoting the fiscal impact the game brings, philanthropic benefits in the state, conservation efforts from across the industry and a voice advocating for the game at the local, regional and state levels of government.
“To truly create a unified voice for golf, we need every golfer in the state to be part of the effort to educate the public on the economic, charitable and social benefits golf provides to all citizens of Arizona, whether they play or not,” said Gregg Tryhus.
The associations mentioned, along with The Thunderbirds, Desert Mashie Golf Club, the National Golf Player Development Foundation, AZ Caddie and Leadership Academy, Visit Phoenix and Warbird National Golf Club, support and participate in the critical work of the Arizona Alliance for Golf. There are also numerous private golf companies, hospitality and community associations, and individual golfers that are part of the Alliance that have helped create and finance the efforts to date. These companies and individuals are integral to the successful work of the Alliance.
Future issues of Arizona Golf Insider will feature stories from across the Alliance, providing a look into how these organizations work to keep the game we all love healthy and prospering now and in the future. For more information on the Arizona Alliance for Golf, visit azallianceforgolf.org.
