On The Radar: September – US Clubs

Running a club has never been only about the course and the clubhouse. As the season turns, the list of things a well-run club is expected to show, not just do, keeps growing. This month that list runs from payroll to the irrigation system.

None of it calls for a panic. Each item rewards the clubs that prepare calmly with the time they have, and each one comes back to the same question: when someone asks, can you show where you stand?

Here are three things US golf clubs should know about right now, why each one matters, and where to go for the detail.

Florida reaches $15 on September 30

Florida’s minimum wage rises from $14.00 to $15.00 an hour on September 30. It’s the final step in the increase voters approved in 2020, and from 2028 the rate will be adjusted each year for inflation. The cash wage for tipped employees rises from $10.98 to $11.98, with the tip credit unchanged at $3.02.

For Florida clubs, the date matters as much as the rate. It falls midweek, so the next payroll run will cover hours at both rates. Overtime rises too, to $22.50 an hour. It’s worth checking now that your payroll system is set up for the switch and that your tipped staff are on the right cash wage, so the change is handled before the first pay run, not discovered after it. (Source: Florida Jobs)

Water: the Colorado River plan for 2027 and 2028 is set

The rules that govern the Colorado River expire at the end of this year. With the seven basin states still unable to agree a long-term deal, the federal government announced a two-year plan in August. Arizona, California and Nevada will together cut their use by 1.25 million acre-feet in both 2027 and 2028, more than twice the largest cuts under the current rules. Arizona carries the biggest share, at 760,000 acre-feet a year.

For clubs in the Southwest, that means tighter water budgets and likely higher water bills. Everywhere else, it’s a clear signal of where things are heading. Water is becoming something a club is expected to measure, manage and account for, not just buy.

It’s a good prompt to check what your club can actually show: annual water use, peak irrigation demand, your sources and allocations, storage capacity and the age of the irrigation system. The clubs with the most options in a dry year are the ones that know exactly what they have. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Obbi keeps your water management procedures, irrigation checks and maintenance records in one place, alongside everything else.)

FYI: California’s new employment laws are decided by September 30

The California Legislature sent its final bills to Governor Newsom at the start of September, and he has until September 30 to sign or veto them. Most bills he signs will take effect on January 1, 2027. This is his last signing period before his term ends, so anything he vetoes won’t return until a new governor takes office.

The bills cover bereavement leave, workplace surveillance and the use of AI in employment decisions. One would push last year’s ban on “stay-or-pay” contracts back to January 1, 2027. Another would require the sexual harassment prevention training that employers with five or more staff already provide to include an anti-hate speech section from 2028. If you run a California club, it’s worth watching the outcome and planning any changes to policies and training for the new year. (Source: Fisher Phillips)

Different pressures, same question

A payroll rate, a water allocation and a new state law have little in common on the surface. Underneath, each one asks the same thing: can the club show where it stands? The clubs that stay ahead are the ones whose standard is already visible and provable on any given day, not pieced together when someone asks.