6 | GCBAA
ferent kind of audience when it comes to
golf, for those who play it and those who
watch it.”
And to Apel’s point, the same virtues
are inherent in GCBAA membership.
From its inception, the GCBAA intro-
duced programs to give back to commu-
nities, establishing a foundation which
stewarded initiatives such as “Sticks for
Kids” – a program that provides youth
with a positive and enriching golf experi-
ence through instruction on golf rules, et-
iquette, safety and environmental aware-
ness. In 2006, the GCBAA formed a
partnership with the National Recreation
and Park Association (NRPA) to market
the program to its 6000 member munici-
palities. That same year, the Founda-
