New Grassroots Ambassador John Coupland recently demonstrated exactly what the Ambassador Program is all about: building relationships that lead to meaningful engagement.

After first meeting with staff from Rep. Dale Strong’s (AL-05) office, Coupland kept the conversation going and extended an invitation for the congressman to visit Hampton Cove, one of 26 courses on Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Just a few weeks later, Rep. Strong accepted the invitation, giving Coupland and his team the opportunity to showcase the facility and discuss golf’s impact on the local economy. 

During the visit, Rep. Strong came well prepared and quickly connected the importance of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail to the growth and economic development of the Huntsville area. He highlighted how the region’s golf facilities help attract a steady influx of aerospace, defense, manufacturing, and technology employers, including Space Force, NASA, FBI and private industry partners.

The conversation also covered a broad range of issues impacting the golf industry and the broader business climate, including workforce recruitment and training, housing affordability, inflation, and the continued need for access to critical turf management tools such as herbicides, fungicides and glyphosate specifically. Rep. Strong also emphasized the importance of working across the aisle in Washington to reduce division and continue making progress on key priorities.

Coupland was joined by Hampton Cove’s directors of golf and agronomy, along with Craig Walsh, vice president of agronomy for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Following the visit, Coupland offered to help organize similar meetings in Alabama’s remaining congressional districts to continue expanding engagement opportunities for GCSAA members across the state.

The visit concluded with plans to reconnect in Washington, D.C., next year and to welcome Rep. Strong back to Hampton Cove in the future.

Thank you, John, for your leadership and continued advocacy. Your efforts are a great example of how inviting elected officials to your facility helps build lasting relationships and educate policymakers about the value of the golf industry.