I hope this finds you and your families safe and healthy. This blog was originally committed to my favorite time of year as a sports fan with March Madness, The Masters and Opening Day in Major League Baseball.

Well, how things change in a hurry. COVID-19 has thrown all of our best laid plans into the waste basket (including my previous blog). What started as precautionary cancellations of major events has turned into something much larger with potentially much greater implications for our personal lives as well as our golf facilities.

At the time of this article, GCSAA affiliated chapters across the Southwest region had cancelled all of the remaining March events as well as many of the upcoming April functions. Undoubtedly the correct call by the various board of director members and chapter executives in Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada.

GCSAA also responded to the situation by modifying operations and mandating employees to work remotely. While not ideal, the move still gives our employees the ability to continue their duties with little or no interruption in service to members.

Our organization as well as our chapters and members showed leadership, values and flexibility in making these decisions. I applaud them and that’s why you elected them to lead.

As we move forward, our industry is going to face quite possibly its greatest challenge. The economic fallout with be immense with courses closing doors for unspecified periods of time throughout the region to deal with the effects and fallout of the virus. Jobs and livelihoods will be at stake.

But just like the Great Depression, World War II, the Great Recession and the endless other challenges that have been presented to the game over the last century, golf will survive and continue to offer a solace to who choose to play this great game. As historian Thomas Fuller said, “the darkest hour is just before the dawn.”

Whatever the outcome, I know we have the leaders and resources in place to continue forward and I look forward to working with you all to make it happen. GCSAA has COVID-19 related resources here. 

Best of luck to all of you as we navigate through these difficult times and if I can be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact me at jjensen@gcsaa.org. Stay safe, take the proper precautions and I hope to run into all of you at some rescheduled event later this spring and summer.