At Nevada Golf Alliance’s first-ever tournament hosted at Anthem Country Club, Nevada golf industry professionals gathered to unite around a shared mission to remind everyone that golf is far more than a competitive sport. With an economic impact nearing $2 billion and $750 million in tourism revenue alone, golf helps local businesses, and provides a unique outlet for an estimated 300,000 Nevada golfers and tourist golfers.
“Today was important; it was the first golf tournament that Nevada Golf Alliance has done, and Anthem Country Club and Shelly Caiazo were kind enough to host the event,” said Eric Dutt, Reflection Bay Operations Director and Nevada Golf Alliance board member. “We had about 20 teams, a lot of golf courses participating, and a lot of vendors that are industry partners. To get everybody together on this day and educate people on what the Nevada golf industry does, is important. The golf industry makes a $1.9 billion direct and indirect economic impact in Nevada. And that’s from 2018 before COVID. So it’s a big business, a lot of moving parts. We do a lot of lobbying with our politicians in Northern Nevada, and to get these folks out here and get them to be part of that, this is very important to us.”
The Southern Nevada and Northern Nevada golf associations feature nearly 30,000 members, and golf courses are very supportive of those efforts.
“I think it’s great to support golf in Nevada,” said Kenny Ebalo, President, Southern Nevada Golf Association. “Obviously golf is viewed as a competitive sport, but throughout the entire state, it’s more of a social game. It’s a great partnership that we have with the golf courses. We do anything we can to support local golf, and local golf courses do anything they can to help us out and our members by giving them extra benefits and so much more.”
Golf is important to golfers and non-golfers. And is often underestimated in its importance to the state of Nevada.