District 8 Director Message from Greg Neujahr, PGA

Hello Iowa Golfing Community,

Thank you for letting me share some thoughts on the PGA of America and what golf looked like in 2021. The pandemic changed the landscape of golf in 2020 with rounds not seen in decades and new players entering the game in record numbers. Golf is an $84 billion industry that impacts nearly two million U.S. jobs with $58 billion in annual wage income. The big question was what 2021 was going to look like and could we keep the momentum going! As I write this article, rounds are up +8.4% year to date compared to 2020 so it is safe to say the golfing boom is continuing.

I’m proud to be a PGA Professional during this time frame and a small part of growing the game over these past two years. The leadership of our organization in keeping golf open during COVID and the Back2Golf document that was used as a guideline was essential for all facilities. Whether it is through PGA Junior League and Junior Golf or serving the military veterans of our communities under the PGA Hope umbrella the PGA Reach foundation is making a difference.

The 2021 season was a re-opening of our Championships to spectators and the future new home of the PGA of America. The PGA Championship was held in May at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island in South, Carolina. Seeing fans at the venue and watching Phil Mickelson win as the oldest major champion was quite a scene at the 18th hole on Sunday. The USA was victorious at the Ryder Cup in September at Whistling Straights in Kohler, Wisconsin with the help of many supporting golf fans and the world watching . The new home of the PGA of America started to come out of the ground this year in Frisco, Texas and some are calling it the new “modern home of golf”. This new 36-hole property with a 500 room Omni resort and lighted short course will host some of golf’s biggest championships and be a place to learn the game and grow golf into the future. We are excited to open this facility in the Spring of 2023 and host the Senior PGA Championship the month of May.

Thank you for playing the game this past year and if you are new to the sport, I hope you have had a chance to connect with a local PGA Professional. We are here to help you enjoy the game and make it a lifetime sport. If you are considering entering the golf business or making it a second career…..there is no better time to make the move. I look forward to turning the page to 2022 and continuing to enjoy this great game and hope you are too.

Sincerely,

Greg Neujahr, PGA