The PGA Tour is in support of the Sunshine Protection Act.
CEO Brian Rolapp penned a letter to President Donald Trump on Oct. 1, thanking him for attending the 16th Presidents Cup outside of Chicago. More importantly, Rolapp wanted to voice he, and the Tour's, support for the bipartisan bill that's currently stalled in the Senate and has Trump's support, too.
The Sunshine Protection Act would create permanent Daylight Saving Time, meaning no setting clocks back an hour in the fall or forward in the spring. Only two states – Hawaii and most of Arizona – do not participate in Daylight Saving Time, but a recent bill passed through the House with a 308-117 vote trying to allow states to decide whether to eliminate changing the clocks twice a year.
If passed, the "permanent" time would be summer time, meaning later sunrises and later sunsets in the winter months across the United States. In the golf world, that means being able to golf an hour later, even though the amount of daylight each day doesn't change.
However, it's a change Rolapp and the PGA Tour support. Here's his letter to President Trump in its entirety:
"Dear Mr. President:
"On behalf of the PGA Tour, it was a pleasure to have you join us at the 16th edition of the Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club for Sunday’s final round. Having you in attendance for Team USA’s remarkable comeback made the day even more special. The PGA Tour is grateful for your consistent support for the golf industry and your desire to grow the game.
"I also wanted to put in writing what I expressed to you personally: the Tour's strong support for the Sunshine Protection Act.
"Permanent daylight saving time (DST) would expand access to golf at a time when the game is more popular than ever. Most golfers do not play full-time and fit the game into the margins of a busy life: reps on the range after work, taking their kids to the course after school, or trying to fit in nine holes before dark. That window is already tight, but when the clocks fall back, it closes entirely.
"An extra hour of evening light sounds simple, but for everyday Americans, it can be the difference between getting on the course and not.
"The data backs this up. The National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) estimates that permanent DST would generate 23 million additional rounds per year and $1 billion annually in new direct revenue for the golf industry - an average of $250,000 per facility. The NGCOA has also found that afternoon and evening tee times generate roughly 40 percent more revenue than morning play. For the more than one million Americans employed across the golf economy, permanent DST is a direct economic lift.
"The benefits of permanent DST extend to professional golf as well. At the PGA Tour, usable afternoon daylight in the fall and winter would give our broadcast partners flexibility to extend live coverage of finishing holes, avoid awkward lighting situations in late rounds, and deliver a better overall product for the millions of fans who tune in each week.
"Finally, golf is one of the few sports where health benefits are inseparable from the game. More evening daylight means more Americans can access these benefits: walking courses and spending time outside with friends and family more often, later into the year.
"Few people have done more to grow the game of golf than you have, Mr. President, and we are grateful for your leadership on this issue. It will make a real difference for a lot of people who love golf the same way you do.
"On behalf of the entire PGA Tour, we are proud to support the Sunshine Protection Act."
Cameron Jourdan is an assistant editor of Golfweek, covering college and amateur golf, the PGA Tour and plenty more. Follow Cameron on X/Twitter (@Cam_Jourdan) or Instagram (@GolfweekJourdan).
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: PGA Tour backs Sunshine Protection Act in letter to President Donald Trump
