It’s election week in America. Elephants and donkeys vying to win seats across the country at various levels of government. Regardless of the outcome, GCSAA is on the ball and working with both sides of the aisle to ensure golf is represented at local, state and federal levels. With that, I’m going to focus the next few blog posts on our government affairs team and advocacy efforts. To begin, let’s highlight the 2021-22 GCSAA Priority Issues Agenda.

16. Priority Issues Agenda

The GCSAA Board of Directors, Government Affairs Committee members and staff receive ongoing feedback on golf course management issues through communication with members, affiliated chapters (boards, executives, GCSAA Grassroots Ambassadors), regional turfgrass and green industry coalitions, allied associations, industry partners, university scientists, advocacy consultants, and government agencies. Input and feedback is also gathered from the GCSAA Member Needs Assessment, as well as issue-specific member surveys.

Based on this feedback, the GCSAA Government Affairs Committee biannually develops a recommended Priority Issues Agenda. While staff actively monitor and take action on many issues impacting golf course management, the Priority Issues Agenda outlines the legislative and regulatory “priorities” for GCSAA — those that are likely to require the greatest amount of association resources and staff time.

For each priority issue, the agenda contains an informational overview, a GCSAA Board-approved position statement, current GCSAA activity on the issue, information on official GCSAA position papers and information on coalitions in which GCSAA participates.

GCSAA staff utilize the Priority Issues Agenda to take action on golf course management issues. They are guided by the official GCSAA position statement for each issue.

The use of sound science in decision making is important to GCAAA. Throughout the Priority Issues Agenda, the term sound science is referenced frequently. Sound science includes the recognized/accepted science methodologies and practices for research that follow the high standards of the scientific method. These standards include important investigational attributes and practices such as the formulation of a readily testable hypothesis; the use of systematic and well-documented experimental or analytical methods; the application of appropriate data analysis tools (e.g., statistics and mathematical models) to the data; and the articulation of conclusions that address the hypothesis and are supported by the results. Sound science is also reproducible until there are no discrepancies between observations and theory.

2021-2022 Priority Issues:

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)  
• Fertilizers  
• Labor and Immigration  
• Pesticides
• Value of Golf
• Water

Finally, don’t forget to participate in the #GolfVotes social media campaign. Simply take a selfie with your "I Voted" sticker and post it to your social media account(s) along with the hashtag #GolfVotes and tag @GCSAA.

As always, if you missed a previous post, please check it out below:

1. GCSAA Association Health Program
2. GCSAA Foundation
3. Awards Anyone?
4. Conference and Tradeshow
5. Melrose Leadership Academy
6. Melrose Equipment Experience
7. Thank a Superintendent Day
8. Golf Course Environmental Profile
9. First Green
10. Affiliated Chapters
11. Disaster Relief Fund
12. Planning for Retirement
13. Career Resources
14. Compensation and Benefits
15. GCSAA and FFA