There was a time when there was less of a pressing need for golf to have a formal presence at the Colorado state capitol.

After all, with Les Fowler serving as either a state representative or a state senator for 22 years (1967-88), he could always be counted on to carry the torch for the game if the situation arose at the capitol. Not only was Fowler one of the top amateur players in Colorado, a member of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame and later the president of the CGA, but he was universally respected by his lawmaking colleagues.

But while the game of golf still has plenty of friends among Colorado lawmakers, nowadays it’s wise to have a higher-profile presence at the state capitol. That’s why, for more than two years, the Allied Golf Associations of Colorado (the CGA, CWGA, Colorado PGA, the Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Mile High Chapter of the Club Managers Association of America) have commissioned a lobbyist to represent them at the capitol.

It’s also why on Wednesday, the Colorado Golf Alliance Day at the Capitol was held for the second straight year. It’s a chance for golf industry leaders in the state to chat with lawmakers and make them aware of the benefits golf brings to the community.

At least 20 state representatives or senators — along with dozens of others, including Gov. Hickenlooper’s chief of staff — stopped by the west foyer of the capitol on Wednesday morning to chat with golf leaders and collect information. (Among the lawmakers at the event were Rep. Alec Garnett, top, in glasses, and Rep. Daneya Esgar, left, with bag.) Later, the golf folks were introduced on the floor of the House of Representatives (pictured below). 

For those in the golf industry, Golf Day at the Capitol is a very worthwhile endeavor — and in year 2 even moreso than year 1.

“I think our numbers were way up for senators and representatives this year,” said Gary Leeper, executive director of the RMGCSA. “Last year was our first year, and we had a lot of aides and interns who just came by to grab breakfast — and they looked and took some things back. This year, I bet there were twice as many representatives and senators that came down and talked to us — and spent a lot of time actually. It was entirely different. I think we’re at least getting some traction in them knowing we’re there. A lot of them recognized us from last year, so that was good as well.”

Added Laura Robinson, executive director of the CWGA: “Compared to last year, there was a higher buzz, a higher level of energy.”

Like at National Golf Day, which will be held for the 10th time on April 26 on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., part of the idea is to demonstrate that golf pays many dividends — in terms of economic impact, the environment and philanthropically-speaking. For example, the Golf Day at the Capitol event included an “industry scoreboard” which noted the direct impact ($560 million annually) and indirect ($1.2 billion per year) of golf in Colorado; the wildlife habitat that golf courses create; that 88 percent of water used on golf courses is non-potable; that conservation efforts are a very high priority in the industry; and that an initiative such as the Colorado PGA Golf in Schools program has reached more than 40,000 students over the past five-plus years.

But in addition to all that, the Golf Day at the Capitol help put faces on the Colorado golf industry for lawmakers. And if issues of special importance to golf come before those lawmakers in the future — issues related to water use, pesticide application, general environmental stewardship or whatever the case may be — that could prove very important.

“It’s a reminder of how important it is to be seen (by lawmakers),” said CGA executive director Ed Mate. “There were a lot of compliments about the job Jennifer (Cassell, the golf alliance’s lobbyist) is doing, so I think we’re well-represented here. It’s part of that presence you need to have here before something blows up that you’re really concerned about. I think it’s important that we be here every year.

“It seems like there were a lot more state legislators and senators that came by today. It’s an easy subject to break the ice with with golf. But this shows (the Golf Day at the Capitol) is going to become an expectation. Once a year doesn’t seem like a lot, but it’s a lot better than none.”

Robinson seconds that.

“(The lawmakers) were getting to know the golf industry on a personal level,” she said. “They were able to ask us questions and we answered, but they got to meet us — and that was valuable.

“It’s also valuable that we get to debunk a lot of the myths that some people have about the golf industry. They think that we use water (excessively), we waste resources, we pollute through chemicals, that we are inaccessible. I hope what we shared today through all the literature and the posters was that we are actually a good member of the community. If we even educated two or three people today, it was successful.”
 

That’s certainly been the case with Colorado golf since Schwartz was awarded a P.J. Boatwright internship in 2004, working for the CGA’s Youth Programs Department. And after one year away from the golf business, she joined the CWGA staff, where she’s been a fixture for more than eight years.

But that run will end this week — Friday, to be precise — when Schwartz will leave the CWGA to become an association account manager for Interactive Management Incorporated. IMI — whose CEO, Gary Leeper, is executive director of the Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association — performs executive, management and administrative functions for trade and professional associations.

“I saw it as a great way to advance my career and get some different experience,” said Schwartz, director of member programs for the CWGA, who’s also done similar work in the last year for the CGA. “Also, it’s closer to home (she lives in Firestone and will work in Westminster). That was a huge reason after just getting married last year. Life changes, and it will definitely make things a lot easier on my family to be closer to home. It’ll allow me to spend more time with my family.”

Schwartz becomes the third member of the full-time CWGA staff to depart this year, following executive director Robin Jervey and tournament and junior golf operations manager Kelley Mawhinney. New CWGA executive director Ann Guiberson, who formally came on staff April 1, said on Saturday that the association is “trying to reorganize the staff and what we do now, and see what we can do to bring in some additional staff. We’re right at the beginning of looking into that.”

Schwartz has played an integral role the last several years in the CWGA’s push to get more women into the game through social golf events. This year, the association has partnered with a variety of courses and the PGA Tour Superstore in scheduling more than three-dozen such events: CLICK HERE. Schwartz helped solidify those partnerships and the CWGA’s social golf efforts in general.

“We’ll definitely miss Kim and her great innovation and enthusiasm for women’s golf and the CWGA,” Guiberson said.

Jervey, who hired Schwartz during her 22-year run as the CWGA’s executive director, likewise believes the association is losing a very valuable asset.

“She is a very creative and talented young woman and will be sorely missed,” Jervey said in a text. “The departures of Kelley and now Kim for personal reasons creates a huge void on the staff. It will take some time to identify, hire and develop the technical skills needed.”

Schwartz played college golf at the University of Wyoming and she majored in marketing and minored in public relations and communications. So what’s she’s done at the CWGA — and what she will do at IMI — are right in her wheel-house.

“I’m extremely proud of getting the (Women’s Golf) Experiences off the ground and getting momentum and building partnerships with these other social golf events,” she said. “I feel like I’m most proud that I’ve made golf accessible for women. I’ve increased membership for the CWGA because of that. My efforts have made a big impact. I’ve helped women enjoy something positive in their lives.”

(Schwartz is pictured above, at right, during last weekend’s Women’s Golf Experience in Westminster.)

Before becoming director of member programs for the CWGA, Schwartz served as director of rules and competitions for the association, then as assistant executive director.

“The golf community is a family in itself, but I don’t see those relationships going away,” she said. “I feel like I can have relationships with the golf community even if I’m not working in it. I’m definitely going to miss all the relationships and the memories. But it’s one of those things where sometimes you need to change.”