Liberty Corner, New Jersey – This past week Nick Logue and Hailey Smith attended the 2023 Boatwright Intern Summit at the USGA headquarters in Liberty Corner, New Jersey. There was 90+ interns representing 58 Allied Golf Associations (AGAs).
“Going to the summit I wasn’t expecting to learn as much as I did,” Hailey said. “The summit taught me information I didn’t know and went more into depth about what I did know.”
During the summit, Nick and Hailey were able to learn and connect with other interns and USGA staff. Their first full day, Tuesday, May 23, was packed with learning about Championship Administration Overview, GHIN, Handicapping & Course Rating, Rules, Social Media, and Agronomy. As the day concluded they were able to spend a couple of hours at TopGolf with all the other interns and a few of the USGA staff.
The Second full day, Wednesday, May 24, they learned about USGA History, Player Relations and Development, Championship Team, and heard from Boatwright Alumni. Nick and Hailey broke up into different groups and went on a tour through the Test Center where the USGA tests golf equipment to improve the standards for the game of golf. They were also able to get a tour through the USGA Museum. This Museum was the first sports museum, opening in 1935. The day ended in a Putting Championship with a Game Truck, Ice Cream Truck, and a Pizza Food Truck.
“I am so grateful for this experience, the connections I’ve created, and being able to talk to USGA staff to hear their stories,” Hailey said. Nick said that these past few days were full of “growth and learning” and “Being able to interact with USGA staff who really cared about our willingness to learn, as well as the fellow interns made the experience one that I couldn’t forget”. Nick added that he “cannot wait to see what the USGA has in store with their goals of player development. That is one of the things that I found remarkably interesting and cannot wait to see it come to life”.
Nick and Hailey had a wonderful trip to New Jersey, and coming back to Maryland, they can share information they both learned.
