Jay Karen, CEO of the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), joined Rob Thomas on the Club + Resort Talks podcast to discuss the organization’s role in advocacy, education, and trade association services for golf course owners. He highlighted Google’s entry into the tee time market, emphasizing the need for direct booking links to avoid third-party aggregators.

Karen also addressed the impact of AI on golf operations, predicting widespread adoption of gamified driving ranges and simulators. He noted the rising golf prices due to inflation and the importance of municipal golf courses for affordability. Legal issues, such as liability for errant golf balls, were also discussed, with Karen emphasizing the need for connective tissue between green grass and off-course digital golf experiences.

Also in the news, which was sponsored by KE Camps, Sarasota National in Venice, Fla., enlisted Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design to enhance the course’s playability for all skill levels and improve sustainability, while seamlessly tying-in the natural beauty of the Audubon International Certified Signature Sanctuary.

Wayzata (Minn.) Country Club will close its golf course in summer 2025 to complete a comprehensive $15M renovation, with plans to reopen by June 2026. In addition to regrassing the entire course with 007 bent grass, updates feature new tee boxes, including forward tees on every hole, reshaped greens, and a modernized irrigation system. An 18-hole putting course will also be added as part of the enhancements.

And … U.S. tennis participation has surged to a new high of 25.7 million players! The nearly two million player increase from 2023 marks a significant acceleration in excess of eight percent growth. Retained and returning players are on the rise with a 5 percent increase in retention rates over 2023 reaching a five-year high, while those who returned to the game after a break of at least one year rose 9 percent.