A Day Of Golf In Lansing

I had a fun day of golf Wednesday in Lansing.

First, I stopped by the Michigan Golf Day at the Capitol. The annual event is the Michigan Golf Alliance’s effort to impress on legislators the importance of the state’s golf industry.

The Michigan Golf Alliance is composed of the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM), Greater Michigan Club Management Association (GMCMA), Michigan Golf Course Association (MGCA), Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association (MiGCSA), Michigan Section PGA and Michigan Turfgrass Foundation (MTF).

On the day, representatives of these groups met with state legislators, and — along with the Michigan Propane Gas Association in an adjacent tent — held a lunch on the Capitol lawn.

I had a chat with several of the state’s golf leaders, including GAM Executive Director Chris Whitten and Michigan Section PGA Executive Director Kevin Helm.

Golf’s impact on the state of Michigan is significant: $6.079 billion in total impact in 2023 (the most recent year for which states are available). That included $1.24 billion in golf facility revenue, $831 million in golf tourism and $110.1 million in charitable events.

In total, 61,000 jobs with $1.795 billion in wages and benefits are attributed to Michigan’s golf industry.

The Michigan golf travel market that year involved 1, 846,000 golf travelers, each spending an average of $559.69.

And all this, in a state that frankly has a much shorter playing season than many other golf destinations. Even so, Michigan is the fourth largest tourist destination in the US behind only Florida, Texas and California.

This much I know: Michigan is a much richer state — both in the monetary and intangible senses — thanks to golf. Not only does golf provide jobs and tourists (and tax revenues!), it offers those of us here a community. I love having friends to play a round with at Washtenaw Golf Club, and I know that you, dear reader, also enjoy the companionship at your own local course and with your leagues.

One of the things we are missing in our highly digitized world is fellowship and the great outdoors. Golf offers both.

If I may offer a suggestion: If you have not done so already, join the Golf Association of Michigan. Membership is just $45, and in many ways, it will connect you to the larger golf community in the state.

After the Michigan Golf Day at the Capitol, I drove over to play Lansing’s municipal course, Groesbeck, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Groesbeck is a perfectly delightful course. Unexpectedly hilly and playing around a series of ponds, it takes full advantage of the topography. My sense is that the original architect didn’t move much dirt, but “found” the holes on the land. Whoever it was, they did a good job; Groesbeck has some really well-designed holes.

Conditions, I thought, were quite good for a muni.

This is a course to which I would return.

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