As the golf season is now upon us, this spring has presented its share of challenges across the province. Below-normal temperatures combined with frequent rain events have made it difficult for many facilities to prepare conditions following a long winter. Despite these obstacles, it has been encouraging to see the progress made and the resilience shown by our members and their teams as they work toward delivering quality playing surfaces for the season ahead.

The association office remains active as we prepare for upcoming golfing events, continue our planning efforts for the conference, and strengthening our governance practices. Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the post-conference survey—your feedback is invaluable as we look ahead to 2027. Planning is already well underway, including the development of our speaker lineup and continued expansion of the Equipment Managers’ track. We recently met with the EM Committee to review programming plans for Niagara and received excellent input that will help strengthen both this year’s event and future conferences.

We are also pleased to once again partner with Golf Canada to deliver the First Green program during the week of the Canadian Open. This year, we anticipate welcoming over 500 students to learn more about the golf industry. It is a tremendous opportunity to showcase the many career paths within our profession and to introduce young people to the work we do every day.

Labour continues to be a significant challenge across the industry, and it is clear that ongoing efforts are needed to attract new individuals to the workforce. Programs like First Green provide a meaningful first introduction and are already proving to be impactful, even if the long-term benefits will take time to fully realize. If you have an interest in participating or would like to learn more, I encourage you to reach out to the office or connect with one of our liaisons. The OGSA offers financial support to assist with associated costs, including transportation, making it easier for schools and facilities to get involved.

Thank you for your continued engagement and support as a valued member of the association. We sincerely appreciate your involvement and hope to see you at various events throughout the season. Wishing you all the best for a successful and enjoyable year ahead.