• Banner 1

    PGO Updates

24.06.11 Spring Meeting Application

April 5, 2024

Dear valued fellow PGO members,     

I am sharing an update with you specifically regarding the Executive Director position of our PGO.
 
For nearly a decade, Wanda Fry served as our Executive Director. This journey started by jumping in with Past-Presidents Steven Graybill and Robert Kleckner to assist our association as well as traversing the pandemic-era specifically with Robert and the PGO Board of Directors. A solid stepping stone for the PGO resulted with Wanda’s involvement and one that we have and will collectively build upon. We thank Wanda for her impact to the PGO and wish her happiness in her newest chapter ahead, having decided to move on from the PGO.
 
Moving forward, it is with confidence and positivity I announce Ron Stepanek PGA as the new PGO Executive Director! Many of our PGO members may already know Ron through his efforts working with Philadelphia based Spirit Golf Management as well as covering the entire state of Pennsylvania in his work with BrightView Golf Maintenance (and in turn was an active PGO Sponsor!).  Prior to this, the bulk of Ron’s career was with the PGA of America where he served as Executive Director for two PGA Sections, Central New York and Southern Ohio, and was eventually promoted to serve as Director of Industry / Player Development for the PGA of America Headquarters.
 
Our PGO Board of Directors diligently delved into the pursuit of filling the open position of Executive Director and unanimously supported moving forward with Ron Stepanek in the role. The direction is growth while becoming better and stronger. Please continue to support your PGO, the dedicated volunteer PGO Board of Directors, and the new Executive Director as we transition forward – and better serve you as a valued PGO/ NGCOA member.
 
Stay tuned for increased organization, communication, representation, influence, and engagement. We are PGO!
  
Sincerely,
 
Douglas W. Day
President, PGO This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

Registration is now open for National Golf Day 2024, May 8-10 in Washington, D.C. - join your NGCOA member peers and others for this "monumental" activity.

Spearheaded by the American Golf Industry Coalition (AGIC), National Golf Day has been instrumental in raising awareness among key policymakers on Capitol Hill, the White House, and federal agencies about the golf industry's substantial economic footprint, which includes a nearly $102 billion economy, almost $4.6 billion in annual charitable contributions, and its environmental and health benefits.

It's a day where industry leaders and stakeholders engage with members of Congress, the executive branch, and federal agencies to underscore golf's wide-reaching impact — including more than 15,000 diverse businesses, two million jobs, tax revenue generation, and its role in bolstering tourism.

Click here to register for National Golf Day 2024

 
 
Dear valued fellow PGO members,                                                                                                                                            
Short and sweet…
Happy New Year! Cheer’s to 2024 and your success!
The annual National Golf Course Owners Association “Golf Business Conference” (NGCOA-GBC 24’) in sunny and warm Orlando Florida is only two weeks away. It’s not too late to register. Please jump in and join your fellow PGO members and sponsors.
Also, I will again host the “PGO President’s Poolside Cocktail Reception” on Monday January 22nd that was a smash hit last year. We had fun, enhanced our camaraderie, and rallied our representation of Pennsylvania before walking into the NGCOA-GBC 24 main welcome reception.
If you need any assistance please click here www.GolfInPA.com  and/or contact PGO’s Wanda Fry at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Day
President, PGO, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Cc: Wanda S. Fry This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
P.S. Below is your PGO representation at the annual NGCOA Golf Business Conference 2023 in Orlando Florida: (L-R) PGO/NGCOA Past President Steven Graybill, PGO President Douglas Day, PGO Past President Robert Kleckner.

Picture1

 

 

January 2024

A number of bills have been signed into law in recent months that are either in effect ahead of the New Year or will be shortly after 2024 begins in Pennsylvania.

The new laws cover a wide range of topics including probation reform, women's health care, food safety, cybersecurity, religious garb in schools, voter registration and dog licenses.

Here's what you need to know:

New Pennsylvania laws 2024: Here is new legislation signed into law that is in effect as 2024 begins - 6abc Philadelphia

 

December 28, 2023

Dear valued fellow PGO members,

Your time is very important so here are some snippets:

  • The PGO Fall Meeting Event October 17th hosted by the fine folks of Meadia Heights Golf Club in Lancaster was a good gathering of fellow members, sponsors, and new sponsors as well as educational and fun. Thank you all.
  • Up next: the annual National Golf Course Owners Association “Golf Business Conference” in less than a month (January 21st – 24th) followed by the PGA of America show. In 2023 our PGO representation was very good, including “The President’s Poolside Cocktail Reception” that was a smash hit and nurtured camaraderie. Please plan on registering for the NGCOA-GBC and join us in Orlando Florida. You’ll be glad that you did.
  • Assistance and guidance:
    • Simply click www.NGCOA.org for a hub of resources including “Accelerate” for collective sharing/seeking as well as tuning into (I do!) “Golf Business Live” often hosted by the brainpower of CEO Jay Karen as well as the talented and insightful Michael Williams who tag-team with dynamic and vivacious PGA of America Vice President Don Rea! Just a click or podcast at your fingertips.
    • Check out www.GolfInPA.com too. Also, social media with NGCOA and PGA of America via X, Instagram, and Facebook.
  • Grow or wilt: Let’s grow together. Stronger, better and bigger! Please recommit to the Pennsylvania Golf Course Owners/Operator Association. Wanda Fry is always available to you as am I, the Board of Directors, and fellow members. Please recruit one new member this year. And if you haven’t attended the Spring or Fall PGO events please consider a New Year’s resolution to do so. We are counting on you! And bring a new prospective member too.
  • Time to reflect and project: Blessed by and with you. Merry Christmas. Cheers to the New Year. And see you in sunny and warm Orlando!
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Day   
President, PGO, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Cc:  Wanda S. Fry This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

P.S. Below is your PGO representation at the annual NGCOA Golf Business Conference this past January in Orlando Florida: (L-R) PGO/NGCOA Past President Steven Graybill, PGO President Douglas Day, PGO Past President Robert Kleckner.

Picture1

 

gbc24_save_the_date_email_graphic_600px_2634747.png

   

You and your whole staff are invited to Golf Business Conference 2024 to experience 3+ days of timely and relevant education, meaningful networking, valuable peer discussions and a lot of fun!

Register TODAY to join hundreds of your golf course business peers January 22-24 in Orlando (and consider extending your stay through January 26 to attend select education and the expansive exhibit hall at the 2024 PGA Show, all included at no extra charge with your GBC24 badge!)

You'll return to your facility with new and stronger relationships, an accurate outlook on our industry, and knowledge, tools and tangible plans to strengthen and grow your golf operations. There’s no better way to start the new year!

 

filename 01

 

Dear Valued PGO Members,                                                                                                                                              

Your time is very important so I’m sharing with you in snippet format:

  • Next up is the PGO Fall Meeting Event October 17th at Meadia Heights Golf Club in Lancaster. Let’s collectively dedicate ourselves to this date and event. Please recruit fellow members as well as prospective members to participate. The fine folks of Meadia are excited to welcome and host you! Let’s boost our participation and attendance, please!
  • The aforementioned event follows the success and format of the PGO Spring Meeting Event at Toftrees in State College back in May. Nearly thirty members attended and participated. The day was educational, fun, and tight so that all could learn, enjoy, then return to business. Feedback on roundtable format and topics was excellent. Thank you; Knies Insurance Group, Golf Cart Services, Golf Car Specialties, Mason Dixon Distillery, and Brute for sponsorship as well as Past Presidents/Board and Wanda Fry for your contributions.
  • PGO representation at the annual NGCOA Golf Business Conference this past January in Orlando Florida was excellent. The President’s Poolside Cocktail Reception was a smash hit and camaraderie building with thirty in attendance. Please join us in January 2024. You’ll be glad that you did
  • PGA of America, PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf... merger, dividing or rekindling? And now the Ryder Cup team selections made in preparation to land upon Italy. How has any of this affected you and your golf business? How will it moving forward? How are your supply issues? Finding good staff? Have you adjusted your business model(s)? We do and should discuss locally, regionally, and in-state.
  • Desire assistance and guidance in our industry? Simply click www.NGCOA.org for a hub of resources including “Accelerate” for collective sharing/seeking as well as tuning into (I do!) “Golf Business Live” often hosted by the brainpower of CEO Jay Karen as well as the talented and insightful Michael Williams who tag-team with dynamic and vivacious PGA of America Vice President Don Rea! Just a click or podcast at your fingertips. Check out www.GolfInPA.com too. Also, social media with NGCOA and PGA of America via X, Instagram, and Facebook. Try it! A new goal is to significantly improve the social media exposure of our own PGO too.
  • Please place in your schedules for January 2024 the annual NGCOA Golf Business Conference in Orlando Florida. PGO participation and fun is growing there. The President’s Poolside Cocktail Reception is a smash hit as well as camaraderie building. Thirty-plus members of PGO were in attendance.
  • Let’s get stronger! Let’s get better and bigger! Please recommit to the Pennsylvania Golf Course Owners/Operator Association. Wanda Fry is always available to you as am I, the board, and fellow members. Please recruit ONE NEW MEMBER this year. See you in October (and January). Thank you!

Sincerely,

 Douglas W. Day

President, PGO, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 
 
Schools are back in session, the night air is cool, and everything is pumpkin flavored -- It must be time for FALL!

Sign Up Now for the Fall Meeting at Meadia Heights Golf Club 
Join our Morning Roundtable Discussion prior to Afternoon Golf and Reception

Fall Meeting - October 17, 2023
Meadia Heights Golf Club in Lancaster, PA

8:00 AM               Registration/Continental Breakfast
9:00 AM               Welcome and PGO Updates            
9:15 AM               NGCOA Updates                               
9:30 AM               Roundtable Discussion     
11:00 AM             Sponsor Introductions/Lunch
12:00 Noon         Golf 
After Golf            Reception


 

Dear Fellow Golf Business Vanguard,                                                                                                                                    

You are very important to Pennsylvania! Your time is valued so here’s the ask… please join us!

Your hesitation to join or commit to yet another group, association, etc. is understandable. Believe me, I know as I was a non-member once too!

You might be asking, so what?! Well, I am the new President of Pennsylvania Golf Course Owners/ Operators Association (“PGO”), the state chapter of the National Golf Course Owners Association (“NGCOA”). I am in Western PA, the Pittsburgh area.

Newer to the golf business industry I learned of the PGO and joined with expectations to benefit from such an association. I did, however when the pandemic arrived in 2020 with mandates and closures, I was very impressed with the NGCOA, especially the leadership of the PGO under Past President Robert Kleckner (Philadelphia area), Executive Director Wanda Frye (Scranton), and NGCOA & PGO Past President Steve Graybill (Reading area).

These folks represented you and I in the tough times and they made, and make a difference! You can too. You and we, receive. You and we, give. A collective and influential voice. Bigger can be better.

There are obvious benefits of you joining the PGO that cover and exceed your very modest financial commitment. The rejuvenated golf course industry and our Pennsylvania affiliate of the NGCOA provides you with much more.

You read this far so perhaps you are motivated to make the decision to try the PGO now! Please simply reply today to this email or telephone our Executive Director Wanda Fry (717-673-6096 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Interested in some golf camaraderie? Well, we host two golf association events per year (Spring and Fall) in Pennsylvania as well as attend, represent, and participate in the annual NGCOA Golf Business Conference in sunny warm Orlando Florida each January!

Please give us try! We strive to meet or exceed your expectations.

Sincerely,

Douglas W. Day

President, PGO  

 

 

 

Dear Valued PGO Members,                                                                                                               

Let’s GOLF together!

Please join your fellow PGO members for a great day together at Meadia Heights Golf Club on October 17th for the PGO Annual Meeting.

With respect to your time, the Fall event is a smoothly organized one day combination of golf business industry updates within our state (PGO) as well as nationally (NGCOA), hot topics roundtable opportunities, connecting with PGO sponsors/ partners, reconnecting with past and new members, engaging with your Board of Directors, and yes…. GOLF camaraderie!

If you feel motivated to make the decision, commitment, and integral contribution to and with the PGO, please call or email our Executive Director Wanda Fry (717-673-6096 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).   

You are very important to the Pennsylvania Golf Course Owners/Operators Association! Please watch for registration information  - We hope to see you at Meadia Heights Golf Club in Lancaster!

Sincerely,

Douglas W. Day

President, PGO  

P.S. Below is your PGO representation at the annual NGCOA Golf Business Conference this past January in Orlando Florida: (L-R) PGO/NGCOA Past President Steven Graybill, PGO President Douglas Day, PGO Past President Robert Kleckner. And we’ll be at Meadia Heights Golf Club on October 17th.

 Picture1

 

ngcoa_generic_email_header_1020160.jpg

Do you have the data and insights you need for 2024 planning, budgeting and employee compensation?

The compensation and benefits landscape across the golf industry is rapidly changing, and to provide golf course businesses like yours with timely, relevant data, the NGCOA is again producing the 2023 Golf Industry Compensation & Benefits Report, this year in partnership with the National Golf Foundation (NGF).

Today, we invite you to participate in the development of this critical resource. Please share your facility details to help us develop a reliable, true representation of the industry. Your data will be kept completely confidential, and the final report will offer insights to help you develop your own compensation and benefits plan moving forward.

As a thank you for participating, you will receive complimentary access to the final report when it’s released this fall.

With the report, you'll be able to:

  • garner industry insights that impact your bottom line,
  • evaluate how competitive your employee wages and salaries are, compared to similar facilities and your regional market, and
  • most importantly, arm yourself with the most up-to-date information you'll need going into budgeting and annual reviews this fall.

This tool is sure to be one of your most valued business resources.

takesurvey255(1)_834458.jpg

Please visit ngcoa.org/compensation to access the survey method that’s right for you (for example, there is an Excel form available for multi-course operators to help streamline the process of providing information for more than one course.)

  • Single Facility Survey for public/daily fee courses, municipal facilities, and semi-private or private clubs
  • Multiple Facilities Survey for multi-course operators and management companies to complete for multiple courses
  • Corporate Survey for corporate-level roles at golf course management companies

We’re looking for industry-wide participation, so feel free to pass along to any of your peers/colleagues who are equipped to complete the survey on behalf of your operation; please note that only one survey needs to be completed per golf facility or management company. All individual facility information is kept private and reported directly to the National Golf Foundation. Click here to access the surveys outlined above.

We sincerely thank you for your willingness to share your time and valuable facility data for this important industry research. For questions or comments, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at National Golf Foundation.

takesurvey255(1)_834458.jpg

Survey responses are due by MIDNIGHT ET, Friday, June 16, 2023

 

 

 

2023 PGO Meetings

Spring Meeting - May 15, 2023 
Toftrees Golf Resort in State College, PA
     

 Fall Meeting - October 17, 2023
Meadia Heights Golf Club in Lancaster, PA


Sign Up Now for the Spring Meeting at Toftrees Golf Resort 
Join our Morning Roundtable Discussion prior to Afternoon Golf and Reception


National Golf Day

Register for the 15th annual National Golf Day, organized by the American Golf Industry Coalition (AGIC). On May 9 and 10, you will convene in person (for the first time since 2019) in Washington, DC for the annual community service project and industry-critical legislative meetings ...

Registration closes on Monday, April 17 — please register now!
 
Advocating on behalf of the golf industry is one of the essential services NGCOA provides to our members. NGCOA may lead this work, but it shows real influence when our members engage directly with civic leaders to promote the tremendous economic impact and environmental stewardship our industry provides our communities every day.  
AmericanGolfIndustry (golfcoalition.org)

 

(click here for updates from 2020-)

Close
Questions about PGO Membership? Call 717.673.6096
 Join The PGO