For many months, dozens of people have been putting together the pieces that would make up Golf Day in Alabama 2017. We had partners from the Alabama Golf Association and the Dixie Section PGA on board and ready to go spread golf's good news to our state lawmakers in Montgomery. We picked that date of April 11 because it was the week after the Masters and it fit well with everyone's busy schedules. We made arrangements to meet with the Lieutenant Governor Kay Ivey to discuss the economic and environmental importance of golf in the state. Our meeting was at 1 p.m. on Golf Day, April 11. Everything was set for Golf Day in Alabama 2017, what could possibly go wrong?
Well, for many months here in Alabama. our Governor Dr. Robert Bentley has been under fire for spending state money to hide a relationship he had with a staff member and the impeachment process had begun. Who knew months ago that on April 10, he would plead guilty to two misdemeanor charges and resign as governor just hours before Golf Day in Alabama 2017. That would have caused plenty of problems for our event all on its own but at 6:05 p.m. on the 10th, the very person we had a meeting with in 18 hours would be sworn in as the new governor. Needless to say, Kay Ivey couldn't meet with us on the 11th since she was now the new Governor of Alabama.
When I awoke in my hotel room on the morning of April 11, I knew that there was work to be done. Our months of planning were now a smoldering pile of debris! I made my way to the State House to see how much of the day we could salvage. I started in the office of my local Congressman, Chris Pringle, on the fourth floor. He hadn't arrived in Montgomery yet since the House didn't go into session until 4:30 that day because the impeachment process was supposed to be happening that morning. I got sent up to the 5th floor to meet with the Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon who also wasn't in his office but his assistant Maggie made sure that we would be recognized on the floor of the house during the late session. While I was in his office, I tried to find someone else to meet with that day since Kay Ivey was now governor. Maggie helped me get a last minute meeting with Alabama Secretary of Commerce, Greg Canfield at 11 a.m. Things were beginning to look a bit brighter.
I made my way over to the Commerce Building a few blocks west of the state house well before my 11 a.m. appointment and headed up to the 7th floor. There, I was met by Deputy Secretary of Commerce Angela Till. In a day filled with chaos, Angela was a welcome return to normalcy. She spent nearly 40 minutes talking with me about everything about the economy in Alabama. Then at about 11:20 a.m., Greg Canfield arrived having just spent the last 90 minutes with the new governor Kay Ivey. I got to speak about the economic aspects of golf in Alabama and had a really great meeting with Greg. Finally. our message was being heard as we talked about jobs, BMPs and the game of golf's role in the state economy.
Somewhere around 5:45 p.m., the members of the Alabama Golf Alliance were recognized by Speaker McCutcheon as we sat in the gallery above the house floor. It was indeed Golf Day in Alabama, even though just about everything that could go wrong did. Even so, there were new relationships created, a greater awareness of the impact of golf by the state house and senate and we had greater resolve than ever to make Golf Day in Alabama 2018 bigger and better. Just in case you're in Montgomery next year, it will be on April 11. That sure seems to be our lucky day!
Well, for many months here in Alabama. our Governor Dr. Robert Bentley has been under fire for spending state money to hide a relationship he had with a staff member and the impeachment process had begun. Who knew months ago that on April 10, he would plead guilty to two misdemeanor charges and resign as governor just hours before Golf Day in Alabama 2017. That would have caused plenty of problems for our event all on its own but at 6:05 p.m. on the 10th, the very person we had a meeting with in 18 hours would be sworn in as the new governor. Needless to say, Kay Ivey couldn't meet with us on the 11th since she was now the new Governor of Alabama.
When I awoke in my hotel room on the morning of April 11, I knew that there was work to be done. Our months of planning were now a smoldering pile of debris! I made my way to the State House to see how much of the day we could salvage. I started in the office of my local Congressman, Chris Pringle, on the fourth floor. He hadn't arrived in Montgomery yet since the House didn't go into session until 4:30 that day because the impeachment process was supposed to be happening that morning. I got sent up to the 5th floor to meet with the Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon who also wasn't in his office but his assistant Maggie made sure that we would be recognized on the floor of the house during the late session. While I was in his office, I tried to find someone else to meet with that day since Kay Ivey was now governor. Maggie helped me get a last minute meeting with Alabama Secretary of Commerce, Greg Canfield at 11 a.m. Things were beginning to look a bit brighter.
I made my way over to the Commerce Building a few blocks west of the state house well before my 11 a.m. appointment and headed up to the 7th floor. There, I was met by Deputy Secretary of Commerce Angela Till. In a day filled with chaos, Angela was a welcome return to normalcy. She spent nearly 40 minutes talking with me about everything about the economy in Alabama. Then at about 11:20 a.m., Greg Canfield arrived having just spent the last 90 minutes with the new governor Kay Ivey. I got to speak about the economic aspects of golf in Alabama and had a really great meeting with Greg. Finally. our message was being heard as we talked about jobs, BMPs and the game of golf's role in the state economy.
Somewhere around 5:45 p.m., the members of the Alabama Golf Alliance were recognized by Speaker McCutcheon as we sat in the gallery above the house floor. It was indeed Golf Day in Alabama, even though just about everything that could go wrong did. Even so, there were new relationships created, a greater awareness of the impact of golf by the state house and senate and we had greater resolve than ever to make Golf Day in Alabama 2018 bigger and better. Just in case you're in Montgomery next year, it will be on April 11. That sure seems to be our lucky day!
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| The floor of the Alabama State House on the evening of April 11th where the members of the Alabama Golf Alliance were recognized as part of the first ever Golf Day in Alabama just hours after the new governor was sworn in. |
