GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador Rory Van Poucke has made great strides when it comes to engaging his assigned federal policymaker Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), member of the United States House of Representatives since 2011, representing Arizona's 4th congressional district. Gosar serves as the chairman of the Western Congressional Caucus.

The Western Caucus is committed to protecting private property rights, strengthening local control, fostering economic growth, preserving multiple-use of public land and increasing energy independence. The Western Caucus believes economic growth and conservation are not mutually exclusive goals and can be accomplished by promoting balanced, common sense reforms.

On July 14, Van Poucke and GCSAA Director of Congressional and Federal Affairs Bob Helland spoke at the monthly caucus meeting on the value of the golf industry and importance of golf course management.

Van Poucke offers his thoughts on this engagement opportunity:

"I was honored to accept Arizona Congressman and Western Caucus chairman Paul Gosar's invitation to speak at the Western Caucus meeting in Washington, D.C. I spoke alongside Bob Hellendabout golf's economic impact (national and state), water and GCSAA's 50 by 2020 Best Management Practices (BMP) initiative. Helland elaborated on government legislation facing the golf industry. GCSAA's Grassroots Ambassador Program allowed the golf industry to have a platform to be discussed at the Western Caucus meeting.

Equally important, the program has given golf more influence in government affairs. I helped provide information to the Western Caucus members to support golf as an industry, such as its economic impact of $69 billion nationally and $4 billion locally in Arizona. We presented the fact that golf uses less than 2 percent of Arizona's total water usage.This, and information about the BMP initiative, reiterates GCSAA's commitment to using water as wisely as possible on a national level. It shows that the golf industry is working toward being more environmentally concise by introducing better practices for practical and sustainable solutions.

The Western Caucus is a monthly meeting related to supervising the land, water and natural resources that directly impacts the golf industry. At this meeting there are more than 80 Congressional staffers, including the Secretary of the Interior.

Helland and I also scheduled meetings with the staffs of Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ), and Reps. David Schweikert (R-AZ), Martha McSally (R-AZ) and Andy Biggs (R-AZ), who I had the pleasure of meeting personally.

I was fortunate enough to have the support from the GCSAA Ambassador Program to be fully prepared for the Western Caucus meeting. I'd like to thank Chava Mckeel, Michael Lee and Helland for their insights. I believe the Grassroots Ambassador Program is one of the leaders in government affairs for the golf industry. I also want to recognize Rep. Gosar for helping us produce video and radio content while speaking at our economic impact event in December. Thanks to Gosar's staff, Jeff Small and Penny Pew, for their help and support. I also thank Carmella Ruggiero, executive director for Cactus and Pine GCSA, for her help with government advocacy. She has helped in many areas such as assisting with Rep. Gosar's course visits and attending many meetings with him with me."