PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE:  This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

This blog headline is possible because of a commitment from Oregon’s golf industry leaders to take the pulse of the sports economic performance.

It did so to rate the year 2019, the most recent year for which statistics were available.  And that was before the pandemic boosted golf participation throughout the country, including in the Pacific Northwest.

The economic report was produced by the Golf Alliance of Oregon (GAO), in collaboration with the National Golf Foundation (NGF).

THE BOTTOM LINE:  Golf’s direct economic impact in Oregon was valued at $1.6 billion 2019.  Golf supports 16,500 jobs for Oregon residents, with $508.1 million in wage income and more than $69 million in state and local taxes.

The Golf Alliance consists of the Oregon Golf Association (OGA), The Oregon Chapter of the Pacific Northwest Section of the PGA of America, the Oregon Golf Course Owners and Operators Association, the Oregon Golf Course Superintendents Association, and the Oregon Club Managers Association. 

Thus, the Alliance covers all segments of the industry.

“There’s been a lot said about the 8 per cent increase in golf’s total participation during a COVID year in 2020 – which is great news,” says Barb Trammell, CEO of the Oregon Golf Association.  “However, this 2019 study, which is pre-COVID, indicates that golf is more than a safe and enjoyable pastime in our state — it is a key industry contributing to the overall economy and quality of life in Oregon.

“In addition, we’re proud that Oregon golf courses are leaders in environmental stewardship and are originators of maintenance practices aimed at protecting the environment and preserving limited resources.”

Here are a few statistics from the just-published report:

• Golf drives significant economic activity across the State of Oregon through golf facility operations, golf related supplies, capital investments, charitable events, tournaments, tourism, golf-related retail spending, and new home construction in golf communities.

• The size of Oregon’s direct golf economy in 2019 compares favorably with other key state industries such as fishing ($698 million) and wine ($5.6 billion).  However, beyond the economic metrics, the report also details how golf contributes to health and wellness for its 242,500 participants, thanks to the benefits of its 20,000 acres of green space and surrounding ecosystems.

• Oregon is home to 177 golf facilities with most of them open to the public.  The state is also home to notable golf apparel companies — Nike, adidas North America, and Columbia Sportswear — as well as several other smaller manufacturers and golf equipment companies.

• In 2019, more than 242,500 Oregon golfers played more than 4.5 million rounds, and more than 18,000 kids were reached through the PGA, First Tee, Oregon Junior Golf, Leisure Hour and First Green programs.

• A total of $19.1 million was contributed to charity from various golf events, including, in particular, the LPGA’s Cambia Portland Classic played at Columbia Edgewater Country Club.  Further, more than two things of Oregon golf facilities hosted a charity event in 2019.

• Golf courses benefit both people and wildlife.  In fact, Oregon was the first state to implement an Environmental Stewardship Guideline, Best Management Practices (BMP) for Golf Courses.

Am I an unbiased source as I report these pieces of good news?  No.

I am proud to serve on the Executive Committee of the Oregon Golf Association Board of Directors where I joined my colleagues to endorse our CEO’s commitment to produce the economic study.

And results continue to prove that golf is more than a safe and enjoyable pastime for many Oregonians, including me.  It is an economic engine.