A Golfer, By Design
October 30, 2024
What an exciting time for the Minnesota Golf Association. We have been busy! With summer behind us, there is time to reflect on our accomplishments and plan for the future.
At the beginning of the summer, we welcomed Holly Noble as our new women’s golf manager—so, look out for enhanced experiences at our women’s championships and programming.
Our tournament program remains strong. We are proud to conduct best-in-class amateur championships that are the envy of association peers. Nearly every single MGA staff member volunteered at the U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National and the Chaska Town Course. Also, just to brag a bit, we had nine local rules officials working championship week, including three MGA staff. And a shoutout to Joel Comstock, who worked inside the ropes with USGA staff on the U.S. Amateur setup at Chaska.
Great strides have been made toward our goal of making golf accessible for everyone. Our Youth on Course program has grown to nearly 20,000 kids, making Minnesota the second largest YOC chapter in the U.S. We’ve supported adding caddie programs at Keller, Hiawatha and Columbia golf courses. We continue to award an average of three women’s scholarships annually, and, courtesy of the Mendesh family, we’ve added the Jim Mendesh Memorial Scholarship. We hosted two adaptive golf clinics at The Loop in Chaska, where we also conducted two community days during the U.S. Amateur week.
"Beyond all that, our overall MGA membership now tops 100,000 for the first time ever and continues to grow. Tell your family and friends! All golfers of any ability should be a part of the MGA."
Finally, congratulations to Jon Mays, MGA executive director/COO, who is completing his first year in the role. Guess we can’t call him the “new guy” anymore! It’s been a jam-packed 12 months. He has enjoyed reconnecting with his Minnesota roots and put a ton of miles on his car, traveling the state. He has big aspirations for our association. There has never been a more exciting time to be involved. If you haven’t had a chance to meet him, reach out. You will be impressed.
As I complete my two-year term as president, I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to work alongside our talented staff and our many volunteers. I have learned so much from all of you. Our volunteer base is second to none! In traveling around our great state, I continue to be awed by our gorgeous MGA member golf courses (386 strong) in every corner.
It is no wonder that Minnesota is a favored destination for national championships. And on the horizon is the 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the 2029 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National and the 2030 U.S. Women’s Open at Interlachen Country Club.
At our recent annual meeting, we elected Paul Meierant as the new MGA president. Fasten your seatbelts—it is going to be a great couple of years. He brings to the table his golf passion, business acumen, a sense of humor and youth (yay!). Paul is a big thinker and an all-around great guy. We will be well served under his leadership.
-Ede Rice, President
October 30, 2024
October 30, 2024
October 30, 2024
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