Category Archives: Insider Digest

Carolinas Golf Association Announces Johnnie-O as Official Apparel Partner

From the Carolinas Golf Association

The Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) has announced a new partnership with Johnnie-O, naming the Santa Monica born brand with a significant presence in Raleigh as the Official Apparel Partner of the CGA.

“Johnnie-O has become one of the most recognizable and respected apparel brands in golf, and we are excited to align their style, quality, and authenticity with the CGA,” said Andy Priest, Executive Director of the CGA. “With Johnnie-O’s product, sales, and marketing operations based in Raleigh, the collaboration with the CGA team in Southern Pines has been seamless from the start, and we look forward to elevating the championship experience for our players, staff, and volunteers.”

The partnership brings Johnnie-O apparel to the forefront of CGA championships and events, outfitting staff, volunteers, and teams across the association’s tournament calendar. With a shared presence in the Carolinas, the collaboration connects two organizations rooted in the region and is committed to growing the game.

 

Indoor facilities have opportunity to host sanctioned qualifiers for BDO National Golf League

From Golf Canada

Golf Canada is proud to announce the first nationally sanctioned pathway connecting simulator golf to an on-course national competition.

Off-Course Member Facilities of Golf Canada now have the opportunity to host and participate in the inaugural BDO National League indoor qualifier. Players who compete in facility-run simulator leagues will have the opportunity to advance to outdoor Provincial Finals as part of the BDO National Golf League.

“We are excited to offer this new pathway for players that compete in off-course leagues,” said Tim McLaughlin, Chief Marketing Officer. “This new pathway brings great value to off-course member facilities and offers their customers a competitive pathway tied to a national championship. This opportunity also creates greater connectivity between off-course and on-course facilities.”

Off-Course Member Facilities must host a simulator league that concludes by August 31 to be eligible. Competition is facility-defined while being supported by the standardized league guidelines provided by Golf Canada. Following the season of simulator league play, the top player at each participating facility will be eligible to advance to an outdoor Regional Final in their home province.

Top Regional Final teams advance to the National Championship, held the Saturday prior at the host venue of the RBC Canadian Open.

 

Never Too Late: IGA Champs Director Heads to PGA Professionals Championship

From the Idaho Golf Association

Kyle Weeks has spent much of his career driving across Idaho and Oregon on his way to Pro-Ams and PGA Section events. Chasing his ball for a score that matters is at the heart of why he made a career out of golf. And it’s an itch he can’t stop scratching, no matter how much the rest of his life keeps delivering joy.

“Maybe it’s too late,” the IGA Director of Rules and Competitions said, forced to reflect on the state of his competitive ambitions from behind the wheel of a green-and-white, IGA-branded Toyota Highlander on his way to a Pro-Am event at Canyon Springs. “I never felt as sharp as I did before.”

The thought that it might be too late was, in part, the product of a career shift that put him in the driver’s seat of that car. With two daughters under five years old at home, the Saturday-Sunday grind of a club professional promised to steal him from moments he refused to be stolen from. But preserving weekends with his wife and daughters would also mean fewer chances to play on Mondays and Tuesdays, when most club professionals trade tee sheets and landlines for competitive reps.

 

Beginners Luck? Norton Teenager Makes Ace in his First Ever Round of Golf

From Mass Golf

The ball didn’t look like much off the club. It came out low, hit the ground early, and started to bounce, nothing unusual for a beginner still figuring things out.

But then it kept going, rolling closer to the green than expected, picking up just enough speed to stay alive as it tracked toward the flag on the roughly 60-yard 3rd hole, the shortest of the 18 holes at The Links at Mass Golf.

For a moment, no one said anything. Then the group of teens all started running toward the green, awed by what they just witnessed.

By the time it dropped into the cup, Norton teenager Carter Theos had done something most people don’t accomplish in a lifetime of attempts — he made a hole-in-one on just the third hole of the first round of golf he had ever played.

Not his first of the season, or his first at the course. First round ever.

 

AI is quickly becoming part of everyday work across associations. The real opportunity is figuring out how to use it in a way that actually helps.

At Indiana Golf the approach is simple. It’s not about complex systems or overhauling processes, but using accessible tools to support the work already being done. We connected with Renee Biller, Communications and Marketing Manager at Indiana Golf, to take a closer look at how AI fits into her workflow and where it is making the biggest impact.

One of the most effective parts of Indiana Golf’s approach is that nothing about the workflow has been completely reinvented. After a long day covering a tournament, Renee is already gathering notes, results, and key storylines. The difference is in what happens next.

Instead of starting from a blank page, she speaks directly into ChatGPT to build a structured draft. At the same time, she uses Otter.ai to capture quotes that can easily be worked into the story. It’s a simple shift but it removes one of the most time-consuming parts of the process, getting started and turning raw information into something usable.

Another key part of Indiana Golf’s approach is how AI is used over time, not just on a one-off basis. Rather than starting fresh with every task, Renee works within ongoing conversations, allowing the tool to better understand Indiana Golf’s tone, structure, and preferences. This creates a more consistent output and reduces the amount of time needed to refine content across platforms. It’s a simple adjustment but one that makes AI more effective.

“ChatGPT can analyze things for you in a matter of seconds and you can tweak every detail. This is done in each individual thread that I have built out. These models remember everything. That’s a key thing to remember, it remembers and stores everything for a long time, and you can really train it to match what you need,” said Renee Biller.

Instead of just generating content it becomes a tool that adapts to your workflow and supports consistency across everything you’re producing. Beyond content creation, AI also plays a valuable role in day-to-day problem-solving and idea generation. 

“It can help solve problems in some really crazy ways and it’s a great way to have a brainstorming session,” said Biller. 

Renee uses it as a brainstorming partner to work through creative marketing ideas, outline new initiatives, and refine concepts in real time. Whether she’s building messaging, developing an acronym, or simply trying to get unstuck, it provides a starting point that can quickly be shaped and improved.

From troubleshooting HTML issues in emails to working through other technical challenges, AI helps simplify tasks that might otherwise require additional time or outside support.

For smaller teams, this kind of support can make a meaningful difference. Renee manages marketing and communications across Indiana Golf as a one-person team. AI helps streamline that workload, whether it’s serving as a starting point, a second set of eyes, or quick problem solving. 

One of the most important things to keep in mind when using AI is understanding its role in the process. AI is a tool, not a final product.

“When working with AI, I’m taking content that I’ve written myself or that I’ve collaborated on with ChatGPT. I use the word ‘collaborating’ because it’s not just ChatGPT doing the work for me,” said Biller. 

Indiana Golf’s approach offers a clear starting point: begin with what you’re already doing. Look for small areas where AI can help you move faster, stay consistent, or reduce repetitive tasks. These simple adjustments can create meaningful impact without overcomplicating your process.

To see how this works in practice, including Renee walking through her exact workflow and examples in real time, tune in to the full IAGA Insider Digest video.

 

Canadian golf community mourns the passing of Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Stephen Ross

From Golf Canada

Former Golf Canada Executive Director was globally renowned as one of the foremost authorities in the Rules of Golf, a passionate golf industry leader whose decades of service helped shape the modern era of Canadian golf.

Golf Canada and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Stephen Douglas Ross of Dundas, Ont. — a 2011 inductee into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and one of the most influential administrators in Canadian golf history.

The golf community extends sincere condolences to Stephen’s wife, Janet; his four children – Stephanie (Dan), Andrew, Christopher (Stephanie) and Nicholas; grandchildren Savannah, Scarlett, Samantha, Isaiah, Sadie, Skylee and Sienna; and the entire extended Ross family.

A respected golf industry leader, Stephen Ross devoted more than 30 years of his life to the Royal Canadian Golf Association (now Golf Canada), shaping the sport’s development in Canada with vision, integrity, and unmatched dedication.

 

Guided by the North Star: Introducing a New Era for the Minnesota Golf Association

From the Minnesota Golf Association

For 125 years, the Minnesota Golf Association has served as the governing body for the game in the North Star State. But honoring a storied legacy also requires a clear vision for the future. Today, we’re proud to introduce a revitalized brand identity that reflects both where we’ve been — and where we’re going.

Centered on a stylized monogram, the iconic North Star, and our founding year, the new visual identity balances institutional stewardship with a clean, modern aesthetic. Rather than leaning on traditional golf imagery, the updated mark signals leadership, credibility, and organizational growth through refined geometry and a sophisticated color palette.

To bring this vision to life, the MGA partnered with Seth McWhorter, who designed the new logo and leads his own creative studio, McWhorter Creative. With experience building thoughtful, enduring brands, McWhorter approached the project with deep respect for the MGA’s history and an eye toward its future.

“We wanted to recognize the rich history of the organization, but also provide a nod to the future and room for exciting expansion,” explained Seth McWhorter.

The result is a brand that feels equally at home atop a championship leaderboard or stitched onto a member’s favorite hat. It’s a thoughtful evolution designed to ensure the MGA remains a guiding light for Minnesota golfers for the next century and beyond.

 

2025 GHIN® Challenge Winners

From the Texas Golf Association

Congratulations to the winners of the November 2025 GHIN Challenges! Watch the calendar for upcoming GHIN Challenges at courses across Texas.

Alamo City Golf Trail (Brackenridge Course), San Antonio | Terry Bleeker and Jose Garcia

Clay/Kizer Golf Club (Roy Kizer Course), Austin | Elias Haslanger Champion Lakes Golf Course, McAllen | Alejandro Gutierrez

Fort Worth Golf Association (Rockwood Park Golf Course), Fort Worth | JP Fanous,

Martin Nealey, and Pat Wilhelmson

Jersey Meadow Golf Course, Houston | Donald Milbourn

Memorial Park Golf Course, Houston | Bill Furr

The Rawls Course at Texas Tech, Lubbock | Avery Smith

Ross Rogers Golf Complex (Mustang Course), Amarillo | Kim Hazelwood

Sherrill Park Golf Course (Course #1), Richardson | David Strawn Tenison Park Golf Course (Highlands Course), Dallas | Travis Sursa

Tempest Golf Club, Gladewater | Ronald Crutcher

 

Eight RDGA Member Clubs to Receive Expert Course Advice From USGA Green Section Agronomists This Year

From the Rochester District Golf Association

A year ago, the Rochester District Golf Association introduced a new featured service for Member Clubs of the association – bringing in USGA Green Section agronomist Elliott Dowling to assess and analyze their grounds operations from top to bottom, providing invaluable advice to improve their operations.

This season, the RDGA will be bringing back these fully-funded visits to select RDGA Member Clubs – a value of $2500 each – providing best practices and effecient methods of course maintainence as a value-added member benefit.

In 2025, Brook-Lea Country Club, Caledonia Country Club, Canandaigua Country Club, Cobblestone Creek Country Club, Irondequoit Country Club and Sodus Bay Heights Golf Club all benefitted from these Green Section visits.

During the 2026 golf season, the RDGA will award 8 of its Member Clubs with these visits – up from 6 such visits in 2025 – with last year’s pilot program seen as a tremendous success.