By Rachel Carter | Sr. Director of Membership | National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA)
Dear GB Readers,
As many of you know, the Golf Business brand — including this publication — is the official voice of the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), a 501(c)(6) trade association dedicated to advancing the business interests of golf course owners and operators across the country.
As the Senior Director of Membership at the NGCOA, my focus — along with my dedicated team of Barbara Searle, Corey McAulliffe, and Christina Egan — is on engagement, renewals, and growth. We’re proud to serve as the association’s “membership shepherds,” connecting our members with the resources and support they need to operate more effectively and profitably. It’s a role we cherish, and I speak for the entire team when I say it’s a privilege to serve this incredible community.
One of our key strategic goals, as outlined by the NGCOA’s national board of directors, is thoughtful and sustainable membership growth. Our aim is to represent 5,000 golf courses by the end of 2028 — about one-third of the U.S. green grass market. Many of our board members often ask, “Why wouldn’t every course belong to an association that exists solely to support them?” And honestly, it’s a fair question. We recognize that joining a trade association is a business decision — and we’re committed to making that decision an easy one.
With that in mind, I’m thrilled to share that NGCOA membership has grown steadily in the first half of this year. From Moose Run Golf Course in Anchorage, Alaska, to the A.C. Read family of courses in Pensacola, Florida, we’ve welcomed more than 150 new courses to the national roster — and that doesn’t even include the hundreds of additional courses welcomed through our state and regional NGCOA Affiliates. Momentum is building.
Don’t miss the recent Golf Business feature, which highlights several new NGCOA members from the Oklahoma Golf Trail — a multi-year effort led by state leadership and a dedicated commission. I had the pleasure of working with this group, specifically with Jared Gallagher, Ken MacLeod and Lt. Governor Pinnell’s team, and we’re excited to see their continued involvement with the NGCOA community.
So, why are more facilities joining NGCOA now than ever before?
We’re inviting them. Our Membership Directors make hundreds of outbound calls each month to connect with non-members and share how NGCOA can support their success.
Challenges are increasing. Owners and operators are navigating more complexity — from regulatory and legislative pressure to evolving tech stacks — all while staying laser-focused on delivering an outstanding customer experience.
The value of community is undeniable. Members gain access to a network of peers at the local, regional, and national levels. Through our virtual meetings and roundtables, we’ve created more opportunities than ever for connection, collaboration, and idea-sharing.
We’re also proud to support municipal golf course operators through the newly established Municipal Golf Course Operators Community, launched in 2024. This initiative, guided by an Advisory Committee and supported by our membership team, provides tailored resources, education, and engagement opportunities for municipal facilities. We’ve also partnered with Greenlight Advisors to deliver an annual Municipal Benchmark Study — a powerful tool that helps these operators make data-informed decisions. In the first half of 2025 alone, we’ve welcomed dozens of municipal members, including Aurora Golf (CO), Dallas Golf (TX), and Fairfax County (VA), to name a few.
I’m incredibly proud of the member experience we’re delivering at NGCOA. If you’re not yet a part of our community, I invite you to explore what membership could mean for you. One thing we all know for sure: change is constant. Today’s full tee sheets, positive revenues, and stable expenses can shift tomorrow — and when they do, where will you turn for support?
I hope your answer is the NGCOA.
Warm regards,
Rachel Carter
Senior Director of Membership
National Golf Course Owners Association
