Following seven years of very successful Outreach Education and Exposure Social Golf opportunities, the Board of Directors has “turned the page” on the out-state events.  Beginning immediately, the Outreach and Exposure events will not be offered in the year ahead.  Perhaps it was new social options, a greater workload with fewer staff, too many educational opportunities or the programming simply ran its course.  Regardless, the regional networking venues experienced a dramatic drop in registrations over the past month indicating the need for change.

And change it will be!  Currently the Arrangement and Education Committees are crafting new member social and educational opportunities.

One change on the table includes expanding the Don White Match Play to become a regional event with a final Best Ball Tournament held in a central location for the Regional Champion and Consolation flights.  The sections will be based upon the Explore Minnesota Golf Map. 

Another idea is the creation of a winter match play tournament utilizing Golf Simulation Equipment.  Again, this would be a regional opportunity utilizing the many golf simulators in place across the state.  Please, in an effort to get this idea moving forward, let me know if your course or club has one or more golf simulators that our participating teams could use as they pursue this fun and competitive networking tournament.  Email me at jack@mgcsa.org with your destination details including availability and cost, if any, to the groups playing.  Perhaps as a professional courtesy “off-peak” times could be donated?

And, as our society becomes more and more reliant and conversant upon internet social platforms, the MGCSA is looking at a new method of sharing webinars, link programing and cloud networking in a Mindful Monday email presentation.  Our group has some very creative members who are already or may in the future, sharing ideas that are working at their courses.  Fun, factual or both, this organization should be taking advantage of the technology at our fingertips today.

If you have any other ideas that could help the MGCSA support its membership, please reach out the Board of Directors or me, jack@mgcsa.org, and we will consider the feasibility of the proposal.

A GIANT Thank You goes out to our historical supporting educational and event sponsors for their help in making the Outreach and Exposure program as successful as it had been.