ATLANTA --- The sport of golf has a $5 billion yearly economic impact in Georgia, both professional and amateur, according to an estimate released Tuesday by a consortium of golf associations.
Georgia ranks sixth in the size of its golf economy, following California, Florida, New York, North Carolina and Texas.
Tuesday's event, hailed as Golf Day, featured displays and simulators in tents set up in the Capitol lobby, where legislators, aides and lobbyists drove golf balls into nets under the gaze of professional coaches.
"For the 57,000 Georgians who earn a paycheck from golf, every day is Golf Day in Georgia," said Gov. Nathan Deal.
Beyond that, the sport brings enjoyment, environmental benefits and exercise, he said.
"For those of us who haven't been very successful out on the links, it also teaches patience," he said jokingly.
Georgia always has one major each year, the Masters Tournament in Augusta.
This year, it also has the PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club's Highlands Course. The inaugural McGladrey Classic, a stop on the PGA Tour fall series, was played in October on Sea Island Co.'s Seaside course on St. Simons Island and is returning at least through 2012 with U.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III as host.
There is a Nationwide Tour event in Athens set for May 2-8.
Golf directly generates $2.4 billion, but its impact is magnified when money flows to suppliers and employees spend their wages. Much of that comes from the 401 courses across the state and the tourism built around resorts.
In addition, 95 percent of all golf cars in the world are built at one of three Georgia factories in Augusta and Newnan.
Most of the courses employ 40-50 people, and the average golf pro earns $57,000, making it an industry made up primarily of small businesses, according to Joe Steranka, the chief executive officer of the PGA of America.
"Golf is all about small business," he said.
Steranka launched the series of Golf Days planned for half the states as a way to combat recent government efforts, he said.
"We are in an unprecedented era of public-sector involvement in business," he said.
He reached the conclusion that golf needed to change its reputation when Congress passed a law helping businesses affected by Hurricane Katrina that exempted golf courses, casinos and race tracks.
"We thought that was a black eye," he said.
Some politicians view golf as elitist, he said, even though nine out of every 10 golfers don't belong to a country club. With only 16 percent of American households containing a golfer, few people have first-hand knowledge of the game.
The economic-impact studies are a way to stress the importance of golf to people who never pick up a club.
One way to illustrate that is the $56 million that Georgia tournaments gave to charities in 2009.
The Stadion Classic in Athens, on the Nationwide Tour, raised $92,000 last year in ticket sales. This year, its goal is to raise an additional $50,000 for scholarships for University of Georgia students from low-income families.
The school signed a three-year deal to take over the tournament to boost the golf program, according to Dave Cousart, the tournament director and head of the UGA course.
"We're the only PGA-sanctioned event that is owned and managed by an institute of higher learning," he said.
Reach Walter Jones at walter.jones@morris.com.
Augusta native Larry Mize will be honored at the 13th annual Mayor's Masters Reception on April 4.
The event, which will be held at Augusta Common, between Broad and Reynolds streets, features the 1987 Masters champion.
Food from more than 40 restaurants will be available, and Mize will be honored with a key to the city.
The event will begin at 6 p.m. Admission is $1.
-- John Boyette, sports editor
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
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