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Dear Friends of CAG,
If the challenges in dealing with the most serious health issue in a century were not enough, the state has most recently had to face some of the largest fires ever recorded. We hope all are remaining safe and our thoughts go out to those impacted by the recent fires.
On a more positive note, golf has come back impressively once the game was deemed safe to play in the midst of a pandemic. We are fortunate that we play a game that promotes healthy lifestyles in the best of times is also well positioned to be a beneficial activity to play safely during a health crisis.
In particular, we are appreciative of facilities, clubs and players who have followed guidelines and responsibly participated providing an important form of recreation when other activities have been stifled. We recognize that it doesn’t exactly look like the game we left in March but believe our appreciation has likely grown in the last 6 months.
I would like to express our gratitude to all of those in the golf community, and especially leadership of CAG, who worked diligently with the various county officials to get golf open again; one of the first activities that was able to come back from closure. Their work was behind the scenes strategically working with a variety of agencies and individuals as every county was slightly different in their approach.
Finally, I think we can have some optimism concerning golf moving forward. We have seen impressive participation which included some who have been away from the game and even those trying it for the first time. In addition, it appears we have had the opportunity to learn some things concerning our operations during this time. This knowledge can be implemented to improve the golf offering when we return to playing the game as we left it.
Yours in Golf,
Kevin Heaney
President
California Alliance for Golf
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 CAG Member Highlight
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James "Jim" Ferrin, CGCS
Vice President
California Alliance for Golf
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Career Highlights: Jim Ferrin, CGCS, is the Golf Course Superintendent and Director of Landscapes for the Sun City Roseville Community Association. Now, in his 14th year at Sun City Roseville, in addition to the two golf courses he oversees, Timber Creek GC (18 holes) and Sierra Pines GC (9 holes), he is responsible for the association’s common landscape areas.
Jim’s career experience includes superintendent and general manager assignments at Whitney Oaks Golf Club (Rocklin, CA) and he was the grow-in and opening Superintendent at Granite Bay Golf Club (Granite Bay, CA).
Education: Jim earned a B.A. degree in History from UC San Diego and a two-year certificate in Ornamental Horticulture from Mesa Community College. He also holds title as a Certified Golf Course Superintendent (CGCS) with the GCSAA.
Honors: He is a former recipient of the GCSAA Environmental Award, Sierra Nevada GCSA Chapter’s Golf Course Superintendent of the Year Award and the Nor Cal GCSA Chapter’s Turfgrass Excellence Award in the Public Course category.
Jim’s Involvement with CAG: Jim has been involved with CAG for more than a decade. He has served on an officer of the Alliance, formerly as board secretary and currently as vice president. He also serves on the Alliances Legislative Committee and makes a point to participate in CAG’s annual trips to the State Capitol, joining colleagues as they meet with legislative representatives on issues directly related to the business and sustainability of golf.
Other Involvement: Jim became passionate about the American Disability Act (ADA) when he repeatedly observed the positive impacts the game of golf has on individuals with disabilities. He is considered an expert in the field and has provided presentations regionally as well as nationally on the topic of ADA. Additionally, Jim has also served on the board of directors for the California Chapter of the GCSA which also focuses on government relations and advocacy.
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 2020 Brings a "New Normal" to Golf |
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- Click here to access the We Are Golf Briefing.
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 Growth of the Game
3rd Annual Women's Golf Summit Held Virtually
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On September 1st the SCPGA, in collaboration with the SCGA, hosted the Virtual Women’s Golf Summit which included empowering speakers from the golf industry and was capped off with keynote speaker Mike Whan, Commissioner of the LPGA Tour. To watch the archived video, click here.
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 Awards Section
Congratulations Azucena Maldonado
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 Congratulations to CAG Board Member and Founder of the Latina Golfers Association Azucena Maldonado on being recognized as a national Latina Champion!
A Latina Champion is paving the way, making strides and contributing to the progress of the Latino community. She is courageous and practices positive behaviors and principles to help others along the way.
Maldonado was recognized during the Latinas & Power Virtual Symposium on September 24th, 2020. To watch the full recorded educational event, click here.
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CGCOA Annual Award Recipients
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 CAG Legislative Update
Articles Provided by Craig Kessler, SCGA |
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Legislative Session Ends On An Unexpected High Note
The California golf community got some pleasant surprises when midnight struck August 31 and the 2020 legislative session came to an end.
It was a session like no other in recent memory – dark for many weeks followed by periodic shutdowns leading us to conclude that only those matters of most pressing concern – COVID-19 and busted budgets – would be taken up. Wait until next year is what we counseled you to expect.
Read the full article here.
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COVID-19 Snapshot
Simplification And Consistency On Rise
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Since the beginning of the pandemic we have been flooded with questions from golfers seeking guidance regarding compliance with the various golf health orders unique to their specific jurisdiction. We have done our best to respond but have been forced to do so on the most ad hoc of bases. Widely divergent orders that constantly change are not amenable to simple answers, let alone simple overarching summaries. But now that most of the jurisdictions have lifted their specific prescriptive golf orders in favor of the minimum outdoor recreation standards issues by the state, we can proceed to a generic summary of that state standard confident that we'll be providing more clarity than confusion, a confidence that we just did not have until now.
Read the full article here.
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Proposition 15 - "Split Roll Initiative On November Ballot
Potential Impact Upon California's Golf Courses
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The “California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act of 2020” has qualified as “Proposition 15” on the November 3 ballot. Its passage would amount to the first significant change to California’s property tax structure since 1978 by creating two classes of property for the purposes of reassessment – residential and “commercial/industrial” with residential property continuing to hew to all of the prescriptions and protocols of 1978’s Proposition 13 for the purposes of reassessment (only upon sale) and with “commercial/industrial” property breaking therefrom by requiring reassessment at least once every three years. Proposition 13’s constitutional provisions related to the 2% limitation on property taxes would remain intact for all categories of real property, albeit what that would mean in terms of limitations for properties reassessed “at least once every three years” would appear to be negligible – a mere sop.
Read the full PDF here.
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California Alliance for Golf Mission: To advance the Game by serving as an advocate for Golf before the public, legislative bodies, governmental agencies, and media, while promoting the economic, environmental, and numerous community-based benefits the Game of Golf provides.
We Welcome Your Support
Do you care about the future of Golf in California? Would you like to help make a difference in support of Advocacy for Golf? If so, please click here to donate online to the California Alliance for Golf. Checks may be mailed to:
Attn: CAG
Southern California PGA
3333 Concours Street
Bldg. 2 Ste. 2100
Ontario, CA, 91764
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