The CGA will take a sleek new look into its second century of existence.
The association has replaced its “pine bow” logo — which dates back to 1978 — with an updated, clean logo to coincide with the centennial-year anniversary of its founding in 1915.
The new look emphasizes Colorado imagery and the CGA’s prominent position in golf with a hunter green “C” encompassing navy blue mountains with a flagstick in the foreground and a white background. Below it — or to the side — is the association name and the year it came into being.
“It turned out great, a clean representation of golf in Colorado and what the CGA represents,” said Bill Pierson, chairman of the association’s marketing committee and a longtime CEO and principal at Clarke Advertising and Public Relations.
“The thought is that we wanted to be fresh and forward-looking,” added Buddy Noel, chairman of the CGA’s public relations committee and the secretary of the association. “The 100-year anniversary is a good time to reconsider what we look like and where we’re going. It’s one thing to celebrate 100 years of history and accomplishments for the organization, but at the same time it’s a wonderful opportunity to say we’re now ready to look forward to the next 100 years.”
Noel and Pierson serve on the board of directors for the volunteer-run non-profit CGA and they helped shepherd the logo selection and rebranding process.
The unveiling of the new logo is being done in conjunction with the launching of separate websites for the CGA and the CWGA. After previously sharing one site, the CGA’s new website will be coloradogolf.org, while the CWGA will host coloradowomensgolf.org. The separate, rebranded sites will make it easier for members of each organization, as well as other visitors, to more easily navigate and access material specifically oriented to them.
The new CGA logo was designed by Adrenalin Inc., a branding, marketing and design agency based in Denver. Adrenalin has also done logos and other services for the Phoenix (now Arizona) Coyotes of the NHL and the University of Denver.
The idea behind the new look was to better communicate and symbolize the CGA’s role in golf in Colorado. The association now owns — or co-owns — CommonGround Golf Course, the CJGA, the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy (left) at CommonGround, the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program and a variety of community and wellness outreach programs, with a particular emphasis on youth development.
“The important thing is, what does the new brand mean? In other words, what we do for golf in Colorado,” said Ed Mate, executive director of the CGA. “It’s a fresh opportunity to tell that story. We’re more than just your father’s CGA that just runs championships and does handicapping.
“The CGA has changed a lot — a LOT — in the last 15 years and particularly the last five years with CommonGround (which opened in 2009). The pine bow logo represents the old CGA. Now we have so much more to offer and our mission is so much deeper, and with our centennial the time was right to unveil a new logo. And the reaction we’re getting is exactly what we’re looking for — it’s modern, clean, simple, updated and it says Colorado.”
The new logo supplants a kelly green and white one designed in 1978 by Ronn Spargur, the former executive director of the Colorado Open.
The CJGA, which is overseen and administered by the CGA, also is unveiling a new logo, using the same color scheme and same foundation as the CGA logo.
The CGA will display the new logos to the general public at the Denver Golf Expo, set for Feb. 20-22 at the Denver Mart.