January, 2011 Newsletter

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ASSOCIATION NEWS
From the Indiana Golf Course Owners Association
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Board of Directors

A YEAR FOR NEW OPTIMISM
The new year is here and its a time for optimism in the Indiana golf industry. Property tax savings, slightly better unemployment levels, and a stronger focus on exploring the impact of health care on small businesses, are indicators of a more positive outlook.  A December story in BLOOMBERG reported top US Executives of the Business Roundtable forecast a 2.5% growth in the economy in 2011 after projecting a 1.9% growth for 2010. A January report from the National Golf Foundation reports a recent survey of golf travelers indicates golf travel may be stabilizing, with forecasts of golfers taking the same number of golf trips in the next 12 months as were taken in the past 12. This may be the year to introduce a new program, start a new league, or take a fresh look at existing programs and consider a more optimistic outlook on business growth.   Contact the INGCOA office for information to help you this year; including the Indiana Golf League program, insurance plans, property tax information, purchasing network, and access to the bounty of NGCOA resources, including the 2010 Compensation and Benefits Study.

INDIANA LEADERS RECOGNIZED BY NGCOA
The National Golf Course Owners Association has announced Linda Rogers, President of INGCOA, Vice President of NGCOA and owner of Juday Creek Golf Course in Granger, Indiana will receive the Champion Award. The Award is bestowed upon individuals or entities succeeding in working on behalf of a group of owners - locally, regionally, nationally or internationally, garnering a significant victory for members.  Also recognized will be Randy and Sara Ballinger of Walnut Creek Golf Course in Marion, Indiana, recipients of the Indiana Course of the Year Award. Walnut Creek will compete with Hidden Valley in Norco, California and Thunder Canyon in Washoe Valley, Nevada for NGCOA's Course of the Year.  The awards will be presented at the NGCOA Celebration Dinner on February 9th during the NGCOA's Annual Conference in Orlando.

JOIN US IN ORLANDO
A contingency of members will travel to Orlando for the NGCOA Annual Conference February 7-11, 2011. The Conference runs concurrenty with the Golf Course Superintendents Association Education Conference and coincides with the Golf Industry Show. Register now to attend at www.ngcoa.org/ac2011/.

GOLF DAY AT THE CAPITAL
Save the date of April 12, 2011 to invite your legislator to join us for Golf Day at the Statehouse for a VERY SPECIAL EVENT. This event is a collaborative effort with the Indiana Section PGA, Indiana Chapter Golf Course Superintendents Association, Club Managers Association of Indiana and INGCOA to bring awareness to the impact of golf in Indiana, based on the findings of the recently released Indiana Golf Economic Impact Study.

    - Golf is a $909.6 Million industry in Indiana
   - Golf generates over 21,000 jobs in Indiana - over $530.7 million of wage income
   - Indiana's golf operations generated over $608.9 million in revenue in 2008

This is critical information and it is important that legislators are aware of the impact of the golf industry in Indiana. Contact your local officials and tell them to meet you there, then call your legislator and tell him you'll see him/her at this event on April 12th. Together, we can make a difference. View the full report - The Indiana Golf Economy.

MORE ON PROPERTY TAXES
Now is a good time to provide business financial information to your county assessor to use as a basis for your coming property tax assessment notice. Since the new legislation is based on the income approach, providing your financial information now may prevent an assessor from making a change that is inaccurate. Avoid unnecessary phone calls, appointments and even appeals by providing the necessary information now.

FREE BUSINESS WEBINARS
The Indiana Office of National Federation of Independent Business is offering a series of free webinars covering topics which may be of interest. See their schedule of webinars ...

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Angel Hill Golf Course	Roger McGill	Rossville
Autumn Ridge Golf Club	Roger Delagrange	Fort Wayne
Cherry Hill Golf Club	Roger Delagrange	Fort Wayne
Cobblestone Golf Course	Jeff Huffman	Kendallville
Crestview Golf Course	Ron Frantz	Muncie
Eagle Glen Golf Course	Bruce Wood	Columbia City
Eel River Golf Course	Lenny Shaw	Churubusco
Hazelden Country Club	Mike and Candace Armstrong	Brook
Lafayette Golf Course	Jason Biddinger	Lafayette
New Albany Springs Golf Course	Cary Hammonds	Orleans
The Timber Ridge Golf Course	Bruce Imel	Bluffton
Westwood Golf Course	Michael Guthrie	Scottsburg

TIP FOR RECEIVING INGCOA NEWS
As you may know, if you send e-communication to your members, the word "golf" is a SPAM keyword. Use of SPAM keywords may prevent e-mail from being received through SPAM filters on your e-mail program. To know you will always receive the latest news from INGCOA be sure mail from ingcoagolf.org is always accepted by your e-mail. If you use Outlook, go to "ACTIONS," then "JUNK MAIL," and click on "ADD SENDERS DOMAIN TO SAFE SENDER'S LIST.

Indiana Golf Course Owners Association
Donna Deno, Executive Director This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
P.O. Box 636 Monticello, Indiana 47960 765.490.5997
www.ingcoagolf.org