Dispatches from D.C.

GCI's D.C. correspondent, John Ekstrom, with the US Open trophy at the We Are Golf exhibit in the Rayburn Congressional Office Building.It is with great honor that I write this as a member of the GCSAA Government Relations Committee and a part of the association’s contingent  that is attended National Golf Day in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, April 13 on Capitol Hill. 

Just some of the responsibilities of this group are to meet and discuss current policies and issues that are pertinent to GCSAA members such as environmental, labor, and meeting with members of allied golf organizations.  This passionate group is here to promote the campaign to legislators, We Are Golf.   In promoting these issues we will be meeting with members of Congress and the Senate and/or their legislative staffs about policy and making them aware of the impact the game of golf has on the U.S. economy and how their policy making effects us. 


Tuesday, April 12
The GCSAA Government Relations (GR) Committee met at the offices of Reed Smith, a Law Firm that the association works with on GR matters on Capitol Hill.   This group was comprised of nine superintendents and one Assistant.  Pat Finlen, CGCS, and John O’Keefe, CGCS, of the GCSAA Board of Directors were the Chair and Vice-Chair respectively.  Chava McKeel, Information and Public Policy Director of GCSAA, was in charge of the coordination of our trip and meetings.
 
Our group represented eight states; Oregon, Ohio, California, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Colorado, and Illinois.  I quickly learned that Illinois’ environmental theme should be ‘not yet’.  In hearing some of the practices already in place in other states such as water usage restrictions and monitoring, the ban of certain pesticides, and the mounting efforts of environmental activists in some states made things in Illinois seem miniscule.  Fortunately to this point, none of those aspects are required of golf courses in Illinois.  Very eye opening though and many thanks to the Committee members for sharing.  But, in continuing with my environmental thoughts for Illinois, "not yet."
 
The entire day was spent at Reed Smith discussing various items.  The state by state update as I had just mentioned, the sharing of ideas for an education session at the GIS in Las Vegas in 2012, and priority governmental issues that needed to be discussed for our Capitol Hill visits the following day.  Furthermore, Mr. Michael O’Brien from Rise, Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment, shared Rise’s newest campaign, Debug The Myth.  Go to www.debugthemyths.com for details.  Lastly, Mr. David Evans and Mr. Bob Helland, attorneys from Reed Smith helped to prepare us for our visits the next day to Capitol Hill.  We would be meeting with the legislative staffs of the respective Senator and Congressman from our states.  The nerves were starting to set in for the next day already. 

In spending the day at Reed Smith and seeing how prepared they were for our visit, they certainly represent us (GCSAA) well in Washington.  Every question we asked, they had answers for and with every request, and they came through.  I felt like I was an actor on LA Law.  You check in with security as you walk in and we went up to the 11th floor to a big board room.  Every chair had two legal pads at its table setting along with three pens, one black, one blue, and one red.  I know its corny but this assistant superintendent felt pretty important that day. 

Following our day long meeting at Reed Smith, our group went back to the hotel only to find some of our allied industry representatives there in the lobby.  After chatting with them for a few minutes, it was nice to go upstairs and take your shoes off and unwind for a few minutes before we headed to dinner. 

If before I didn’t feel pretty important, for dinner our committee and the GCSAA contingent that was in Washington, met up with all of the allied organizations for dinner at the Republican Capitol Hill Club for the WE ARE GOLF reception.  CEO’s from all of the allies were in attendance, Mr. Rhett Evans, GCSAA, Mr. Steve Mona, World Golf Hall of Fame, Mr. Joe Steranka, PGA of America, Mr. Michael Hughes, National Golf Course Owners Association, and Mr. Jim Singerling, CMAA.  Mr. Singerling was our host for the dinner at the Capitol Hill Club.  The CMAA Headquarters is based out of Alexandria, VA, just across the river from Washington D.C.  It would only make sense that he would be our great host.  Before dinner it was great to meet some of these golf VIP’s, certainly a once in a lifetime experience for this assistant.  Word was that security had been seen in the building with Speaker Boehner, but I didn’t get to see him. 

Following a great dinner, a presentation was made by Mr. David Marin, of the Podesta Group.  The Podesta Group is the lobbying firm which helps the WE ARE GOLF campaign on Capitol Hill.  Mr. Marin helped prep all of us for what would be in store the next day. 

April 12th was a long but very productive day.  Being an Assistant Superintendent from the Hinsdale Golf Club and not just 4 days prior was getting wet and dirty digging up an irrigation leak, I was in the midst of many of golf’s leading people.  Furthermore, having dinner at a place that had held many Republican fundraisers since the 1950’s and the Speaker of the House only few hundred yards away, I was in a different league.  But I think the key was to be as confident as possible and just play the part.