The Pellucid Perspective - December 2014 - (Page 2)
GOLF COURSE
OWNERSHIP
The Northern Golf Alliance - A new
challenge to the NGCOA?
By Harvey Silverman
A
newly formed group of state and regional golf course
owner associations has officially announced their formation, and by so doing may have fired a shot across the
bow of the National Golf Course Owners Association with the
message: Our members need and deserve more help.
The Northern Golf Alliance (NGA) was created by the executive directors of five organizations representing nearly 900 golf
course owners: Ken Guenther of the Buckeye Golf Association
(formerly the Ohio GCOA), Gregg Acri of the Pennsylvania
GCOA, Kate Moore of the Michigan GCOA, Curt Walker of
the Midwest GCOA, and Jeff Schwister of the Golf Course
Owners of Wisconsin. With full support of their boards of directors, the NGA is setting out to negotiate preferred deals with
premium partners from which any savings, discounts or rebates
will go directly to golf course owner members - the Alliance
itself receives nothing.
This flies in the face of the NGCOA Purchasing Network
- preferred vendors that provide benefits for members as well
as monetary considerations to National. It's typical for associations to have these buying opportunities and their strength is
in how many members, and dollars, National can deliver to its
The Buckeye breakaway
T
he State of Ohio has a longstanding reputation of outstanding sports, both professional and amateur. It's also
the state most noted for influencing presidential elections - every four years its electoral voice is heard. Its reputation for rebellion is far less acclaimed, however, save for maybe
Pontiac's Rebellion and Kent State.
And then there is Ken Guenther, the executive director of
the Buckeye Golf Association, formerly the Ohio Golf Course
Owners Association. Guenther took seriously his responsibility to act in the best interest of his members, and challenged the
NGCOA regarding membership dues and how those funds
should be channeled. The NGCOA booted the Buckeye for
insubordination. Guenther, and his 160-member strong (and
growing) association, are convinced they own the high ground.
In the early 2000s Ohio had a unique arrangement with
National - Guenther would invoice members with a choice
of Ohio only, National only, or both, with dual membership
receiving a discount from National.
For a while NGCOA allowed this accommodation but
ceased doing so in 2006, and Guenther's board grudgingly approved the conversion to the standard arrangement whereby
2 THE PELLUCID PERSPECTIVE
Purchasing Network partners in return for the reward of signing the back of a check. The NGA directors feel they can do
better on behalf of their members - with the members receiving
100% of the rewards.
Ironically, Guenther of the Buckeye Golf Association has
already felt the wrath of crossing the NGCOA, his organization having been booted from the NGCOA at the end of 2013,
thus the name change to Buckeye Golf Association (See sidebar story below). Guenther had seen his membership decline
steadily, with vacating owners complaining that they didn't feel
the NGCOA gave them much bang for their membership buck,
and preferred that more money go to the state association. The
four other directors empathized with Guenther as they were
experiencing similar membership issues, and so an alliance of
like minds and market conditions was formed.
The Northern Golf Alliance announced its presence earlier
this month at the annual Michigan Golf Course Owners Association meeting. It was greeted enthusiastically by the members in the audience. The NGA fearlessly unveiled its program
in front of NGCOA staff members in attendance, who they
suspected would voice displeasure. There was no surprise when
everyone pays National, with some portion coming back to
the state group. But this helped neither member retention nor
recruitment.
Guenther went back to National with a new proposal -
basically resurrecting the one they had before. He cited that
National had put Michigan on a test program for dues that
was not available to others, but would be acceptable to Ohio.
(Yes, executive directors do converse and share notes). National refused and Guenther, his board and membership stood
their ground. National cut the umbilical cord effective Dec.
31, 2013.
Today, the 160 Buckeye members can still join National if
they choose, but the change helped grow the membership by
18 in 2014, more than in the last 10 years combined. Guenther doesn't know how many Buckeye members also belong
to National, or how many Ohio owners belong to National
and not Buckeye. What he does know is that the dues and
membership structure his group has stood firm upon has made
his organization stronger. It's inclusion in the Northern Golf
Alliance will add to its strength.
-Harvey Silverman
DECEMBER 2014
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Pellucid Perspective - December 2014
TOC
The Northern Golf Alliance – A new challenge to the NGCOA?
Troon strengthens Southeast presence with Honours Golf acquisition
2014 in review: where is the hope?
A new day indeed, or in Breed, for Independence
New payment processing technology offers challenges and opportunities for courses
November golf weather impact: A parting shot from Mother Nature
Orlando operators need some magic to be in the black
Tucson muni courses struggling despite turnover to private management
Tiger: balm, or bomb
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