Page 8 - Fall 2017 english

Message From The President • Steve Spratt
photos © gauthier photographe
In The Fairway
The hot topic that has all of us tremendously frustrated, has been the unfortunate weather forecasts and extreme weather conditions this season. Since April 1st, we have had 75 out of 105 days of rain!
The rain that we have been experiencing in Ottawa is the polar opposite of the very dry and dangerous conditions in Alberta and British Columbia. This topic was discussed at length between board members from across the country at the recent summer board meetings.
The Ottawa meetings went very well and I’m extremely proud to have a board that gets involved with the Association and expresses their concerns and insights. We covered a lot of important issues, one of them being the importance of membership in the NGCOA Canada!
Get Involved!
Coming from a background of farming, transitioning and changing careers to becoming a General Manager/ Owner of Falcon Ridge Golf Course, seemed to happen so fast! One of the first things I did, over 20 years ago, was join the NGCOA Canada, and attend my first local chapter meeting.
I was so impressed with the flood of information and especially the comradery between members. I also continue to be especially grateful for the amount of supplier savings endlessly provided to us from the NGCOA Canada.
My first experience with the support and savings was my dealing with Top Flite and Spalding; at the time, the savings alone were enough to pay my Association fees! In an industry where every dollar counts, especially on off years, every savings opportunity is a welcomed one! The amount of savings and rebates offered from the NGCOA Canada from countless suppliers, not only covers our Association fees, but helps our bottom line!
There are countless reasons to be part of the Association, not only the support and savings, but the amount of hours the staff and board members put into government lobbying on our behalf. NGCOA Canada advocacy has successfully tackled property taxes in Ontario, the licencing of golf carts in British Columbia, and we are currently lobbying to fix the Federal Expense Tax. Amending the Federal Expense Tax would allow businesses to use golf as an allowable expense and would be a huge win for the golf industry.
Currently, the minimum wage increase has raised a few eyebrows around the board table, and likely with many of you. Please see page 15 for the NGCOA Canada’s advocacy on this issue to date, and visit the government relations section of www.ngcoa.ca for ongoing updates.
As a golf course owner, I feel it is extremely important to be a member of the NGCOA Canada. The amount of insight and knowledge that is shared between colleagues is vital to the growth and direction of our industry. The lessons learned and the friendships made along the way have been invaluable.
More than ever, especially after the year we are enduring, there is a real need for the support and guidance from our fellow colleagues. If you are not an active part of the NGCOA Canada, I strongly urge you to get involved today, and ensure the growth and success of our industry. As always, to my fellow members, thank you for all your support and most importantly, your friendship.
Sincerely,
Steve Spratt
Co-owner, Falcon Ridge Golf Club, ON steve@falconridgegolf.ca
8 Golf Business Canada