Perhaps the festering pus of negative public perception had infected some of our ranks and, although not rampant, it created the attitude that nothing could move the seemingly steadfast weight of bureaucracy. Over the past few weeks, and as testified by President Dave Kazmierczak in his recent columns, Minnesota Golf, led by you, the MGCSA, has made some significant gains in public perception, water policy changes and state law. With your support, and the forward thinking of several Boards of Directors, golf has been accorded a high degree of respect through our persistent and consistent actions. Since late April, when successful testimony was given on behalf of the MGCSA against a ban on almost all insecticide use on golf courses as proposed in the House Ag Policy Bill, our legislative victory has been published in many magazine and news threads across the country as a heads up. However, and more importantly, I have been contacted by several of our peer associations and given significant kudos for getting ahead of the issue through our advocacy efforts over the last few years.
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Recent changes in DNR mindset, now supporting a written and formal drought management strategy and reduced irrigation, to be used as the contingency plan for courses who use surface water and are at risk of permit suspension during times of drought, has practically eliminated the threat of total permit suspension and/or the installation of a deep well running $150k at one state golf course. This precedent setting outcome would never have been possible without association support of a persistent endeavor to create partnerships with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Our industry has made some very significant baby steps in moving the “dock� of bureaucracy in recent months. Unfortunately this doesn’t equate a happy ending, but rather just a beginning in advocacy initiatives. In the future you will be expected to further support our fledgling efforts through dialogue and actions. One rather loud voice may get state agency and political attention, but a solid chorus will get the message heard and eventually help to evolve golf into indisputable respect as both an environmental destination as well as an economic driver.