Industry leaders talk pressing issues for Coachella Valley golf

There’s no doubt golf is an industry that feeds the Coachella valley.

But exactly how big of an impact does it have?

That was just one of the topics discussed at the very first Coachella Valley Golf Industry Summit.

“Look, let’s talk about what’s right with golf, what’s going well with the industry and what’s been done with water issues, and what needs to be done going forward,” said Bob Marra the director of Business Development for the CareerBuilder Challenge.

There’s some great news for the Coachella Valley.

“The total economic impact in the valley here is $1.1 billion,” said Jeff Jensen of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.

Our 121 courses make up 27 percent of the courses in southern California and employ 14,000 people.

Tournaments like the CareerBuilder Challenge contribute to the boom.

“The CareerBuilder Challenge, along with the ANA Inspiration, they contribute over $7 million to the local golf economy here,” Jensen said.

The bad news is, of course, the drought, having an impact on companies, like Turf Star, that distributes irrigation products.

But in the long run they say it’s for the best.

“We’re becoming more conservation focused. We’re providing new products, new equipment to help save water. So long term positive, and short term, it’s been very disruptive. There’s no question about it,” said Turf Star CEO Joe Guerra.

Guerra said get used to dormant grass, because as the drought continues, people will see more brown and less green.

But pros said it doesn’t impact play.

“So we’re able to not water. Let it go dormant, and it has the same type of feel as normal grass, so it doesn’t impact the play. The pro players have done it for years,” said Marra.

Industry leaders all agree meetings like this will help the golf industry continue to prosper.