American Society of Golf Course Architects

What American Society of Golf Course Architects does

The American Society of Golf Course Architects Foundation (ASGCA Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1973 and headquartered at 155 S. Executive Drive, Suite 100, Brookfield, Wisconsin. It operates a headcount of 1-10 employees and runs as the charitable arm of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. The foundation's stated mission is to fund research into golf course design and disseminate information to those designating green space for recreational purposes. It organizes its work around three pillars: serving the profession of golf course architecture, helping golf courses be more successful, and supporting the growth of the game of golf.

The foundation's portfolio spans publications, scholarship programs, research, and grant-funded site evaluations. It publishes six books on golf course architecture and design (Golf Has Never Failed Me, Golf's Grand Design, Secrets of The Great Golf Course Architects, Designs on a Better Golf Course, Golf & Water, Profitable Golf) distributed via Amazon. Programs include the Wadsworth Scholars annual $2,500 scholarship for two students (administered with Wadsworth Golf Construction Company and the Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation); the Living History video archive (endowed in 1998 with Michigan State University, holding two dozen interviews of leading architects); the USGA-ASGCA Site Evaluation Program (grants to ~24 golf courses for ASGCA member and USGA agronomist visits); the Forward Tee Initiative (with U.S. Kids Golf Foundation); a First Tee college scholarship initiative; and the Welcoming New Players Initiative supporting the National Alliance for Accessible Golf.

Revenue mechanics are donation-led rather than transactional. The Society of 1872 donor program accepts $15,000 pledges from ASGCA members and non-member supporters, with more than two dozen enrollees to date. The foundation is governed by a board led by Jeff Blume (President, also of Jeffrey T. Blume Ltd.), Jan Bel Jan (Vice President, Jan Bel Jan Golf Course Design), Erik Larsen (Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Larsen Golf), and Tom Marzolf (Immediate Past President, Fazio Golf Design), supported by directors drawn from member firms and industry partners such as Wadsworth Construction, Heritage Links, Rain Bird, and Watertronics. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on the foundation website, social channels (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram), email, the ASGCA Annual Meeting, and Amazon-distributed publications rather than traditional sales infrastructure.

Name

American Society of Golf Course Architects

Legal name

ASGCA Foundation

Website

https://asgcafoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The ASGCA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1973 that funds golf course design research, publishes authoritative books on golf course architecture, administers scholarships and grants, and preserves architect heritage through a video archive partnered with Michigan State University.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Golf Courses and Country Clubs (71391)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD)

Keywords

• Golf course architecture
• Golf course design
• Professional association
• Nonprofit foundation
• Scholarship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Brookfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Pledges: The foundation operates primarily through charitable donations. The Society of 1872 is a membership program where ASGCA members and non-member supporters pledge $15,000 to the Foundation, with more than two dozen people having joined.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The ASGCA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that funds research on golf course design, publishes educational books on golf course architecture, administers scholarship and preservation programs (including Wadsworth Scholars and Living History), and supports industry initiatives to help golf courses succeed and grow the game of golf.

Product overview

The ASGCA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1973 that advances golf course architecture through publications, educational programs, and research initiatives. Its portfolio includes six published books covering golf course design, architecture history, and business management—namely 'Golf Has Never Failed Me,' 'Golf's Grand Design,' 'Secrets of The Great Golf Course Architects,' 'Designs on a Better Golf Course,' 'Golf & Water,' and 'Profitable Golf.' The Foundation also administers programs including the Wadsworth Scholars scholarship, the Living History video archive (maintained with Michigan State University), the USGA-ASGCA Site Evaluation Program, the Forward Tee Initiative (in partnership with U.S. Kids Golf Foundation), The First Tee scholarship initiative, the Welcoming New Players Initiative, the Society of 1872 donor program, and various golf course research projects. Together, these offerings support golf course professionals, golf facilities, and the growth of the game.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Golf Has Never Failed Me Book on golf course architecture featuring the Donald Ross manuscript, published by the ASGCA Foundation and sold through Amazon as a best-selling work on the craft.
• Golf's Grand Design Book companion to the PBS documentary of the same name, covering the evolution of golf course architecture, sold through Amazon.
• Secrets of The Great Golf Course Architects Book revealing the techniques and philosophies of prominent golf course architects, sold through Amazon.
• Designs on a Better Golf Course Book providing guidance for golf course committees on design improvements, sold through Amazon.
• Golf & Water Book presenting case studies and stewardship guidance covering water management in golf courses, sold through Amazon.
• Profitable Golf Book covering studies on financial success factors in golf course management, sold through Amazon.
• Living History Archive Video archive of golf course architect interviews, endowed with Michigan State University, containing two dozen interviews of leading architects and accessible at golfarchitects.lib.msu.edu.
• Wadsworth Scholars Program Annual scholarship program awarding $2,500 academic scholarships to two college students or post-grads who demonstrate intent to practice golf course architecture, including invitation to the ASGCA Annual Meeting.
• USGA-ASGCA Site Evaluation Program Grant-funded program developed for golf course owners and operators interested in reconfiguring layouts or adding smaller-scale facilities, connecting them with ASGCA members and USGA agronomists for site visits and advice. About two dozen golf courses have benefited from grants.
• Forward Tee Initiative Program developed with U.S. Kids Golf Foundation to help golf course operators strategically expand tee complexes with up to seven tee locations per hole to improve playability and pace of play.
• Welcoming New Players Initiative Initiative supporting organizations that expand golf access and make the game more inclusive, including the National Alliance for Accessible Golf.
• Golf Course Research Foundation-underwritten research on golf course improvements and community benefits, including studies on landfill golf courses and renovation return on investment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Two dozen+ golf courses have benefited from grants through the USGA-ASGCA Site Evaluation Program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Michigan State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998In 1998, the ASGCA Foundation endowed a program with Michigan State University to permanently maintain video of golf course architects. Videos can be accessed at golfarchitects.lib.msu.edu. Today, two dozen interviews of leading golf course architects have been added to the collection.
• Wadsworth Golf Construction CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ASGCA Foundation partners with Wadsworth Golf Construction Company and Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation to annually provide scholarships to college students/post-grads interested in golf course architecture. Wadsworth Scholars are awarded $2,500 academic scholarships.
• Wadsworth Golf Charities FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly with Wadsworth Golf Construction Company, provides annual scholarships to students demonstrating intent to practice golf course architecture.
• USGAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe USGA-ASGCA Site Evaluation Program was developed for golf course owners/operators interested in reconfiguring their layouts. The initiative provides grants to facilities for ASGCA members and USGA agronomists to visit and advise on modifications.
• U.S. Kids Golf FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ASGCA Foundation and U.S. Kids Golf Foundation teamed up to develop the Forward Tee Initiative, a system that increases course playability and golfer enjoyment by helping operators strategically expand existing tee complexes.
• The First TeecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ASGCA Foundation partners with local chapters of The First Tee to provide college scholarships to deserving high school students. Recipients are invited to the ASGCA Annual Meeting.
• National Alliance for Accessible GolfminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ASGCA Foundation supports the collaborative efforts of organizations across the industry working to give more people access to golf. The National Alliance for Accessible Golf is among those supported.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Golf Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA): Industry association for golf course builders and contractors. Peer on nonprofit membership model, education, and serving the supply chain of professionals who physically construct the courses ASGCA members design.
• Landscape Architecture Foundation: Charitable foundation supporting landscape architecture research, scholarships, and publications — the direct parent-discipline analogue of ASGCA Foundation. Highly comparable as a 501(c)(3) advancing the field through grants, scholarships, and curated content.
• American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA): Professional association for landscape architects, the parent discipline of golf course architecture. Highly comparable as a membership-based professional society that publishes authoritative works, runs scholarships, and advocates for the profession.
• Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA): National membership association serving golf course superintendents, the closest peer professional society in golf facility operations. Compares directly to ASGCA Foundation on mission (education, research, member support), nonprofit 501(c)(3) structure, and member-funded programs.
• The First Tee: Youth development nonprofit introducing golf to young people, and an active scholarship partner of ASGCA Foundation. Comparable on nonprofit funding model, educational programming, and shared audience of scholarship students.
• Club Managers Association of America (CMAA): Membership association for managers of private clubs, including golf and country clubs. Comparable on nonprofit membership model, education and certification programs, and serving a leadership audience in the club/golf industry.
• National Golf Foundation: Trade organization focused on research, market intelligence, and growth of the game of golf. Comparable to ASGCA Foundation on nonprofit structure, industry research mandate, and outreach to grow participation and educate operators.

Broad incumbents

• PGA of America: Major national membership association serving golf professionals with education, research, and member services. A broader incumbent operating across the golf industry with overlapping educational and scholarship-style programming.
• United States Golf Association (USGA): National governing body of golf in the U.S., an active direct partner of ASGCA Foundation through the Site Evaluation Program. Broader incumbent serving rules, handicapping, championships, and course ratings with overlapping research and grants.

Emerging players

• Irrigation Association: Membership association for irrigation professionals, with overlap in golf course water management. Comparable on technical training, certification, and member-funded research, intersecting with ASGCA Foundation's golf water-management content.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ASGCA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ASGCA-American-Society-of-Golf-Course-Architects-117859318239338
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-society-of-golf-course-architects
• Instagraminstagram.com/asgca1947

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Society of Golf Course Architects