Let's Golf
Author: April Miller
June 2009
Features
Benefits abound when you take your meeting to the greens
Sponsored by Hyatt Hotels
When you’re charged with a meeting that fosters networking and team building, it’s time to hit the course—a golf course, that is. Not only for die-hard players, golf events these days can range from a putting contest to nine-hole outings to a full-blown 18-hole tournament.
“Today’s work environment offers few, if any, opportunities for the type of interpersonal communication that builds solid relationships and fosters team building,” says Scott Verrue, director of sales at Washington State’s Suncadia. “By taking people out of the busy workplace and placing them in an environment free of [internal] meetings, e-mail and phones—assuming you turn off that BlackBerry—and other distractions, you can provide an opportunity for meaningful personal connections to occur.”
Unlike certain activities individuals can undertake during a meeting, golf draws people together, according to Suncadia’s head golf professional, Brady Hatfield. The course hosts hundreds of groups each year, from foursomes to 144-player tournaments. “Bringing people together is one of the single most important reasons to hold an off-site meeting in the first place,” he says. “The pace of play offers opportunities for extending conversation and lasting relationships to be formed and fostered.”
Tim McGill, Sycuan Resort’s director of sales and marketing, citing the great networking aspects of the game, says he still receives e-mails from people he golfed with once, several years ago. “You exchange cards,” he explains, “and by the end of four or five hours you know them forward and backward.”
If you don’t have much experience with the game, don’t let that inhibit you from hitting the greens. Golf course staff are happy to work with you to tailor an event that perfectly fits your goals and attendees. In fact, many courses are looking to increase their outings business. Couple that with a down economy allowing for more negotiating room, and now may even be the time to host an event at that high-end resort course you thought was out of reach.
Terranea Resort
Such is the case at the Wailea Golf Club in Hawaii, where clients have included Boeing, Airbus and Wells Fargo. Even though the club hosts several hundred private company, association and nonprofit group events each year, ranging from 20 to 288 players, Jennifer McNally, director of sales and marketing, says they are looking to increase event business. “It’s been challenging with the current economic climate and negative public perception of companies spending money on ‘frivolous’ outings and events,” she says. “We are working more with local groups and tournament organizers who previously might not have played at a high-end resort course. We are also working closely with our resort area hotel partners to secure group business in Wailea.”
VALUE AND ROI
Not only does the game of golf make for bonding, camaraderie and fun in a beautiful setting, but golf outings can deliver a notable return on investment.
“The value of a golf outing far exceeds the expense,” McNally says. “It’s perceived by players as a high-value activity, well worth their time and participation. And, especially at a renowned destination in Hawaii like Wailea, it’s an effective reward, particularly for incentive groups looking to encourage the best possible performance from their top sellers in a tough economic climate.”
Sycuan’s McGill agrees that golf makes a great reward mechanism. “I’m a big proponent of the incentive industry,” he adds. “You hit your quarterly goals, it’s a thank you, a reward, a recognition.” The El Cajon, California resort has two 18-hole championship courses as well as a fun 18-hole par 3 course. Annually, 280 to 320 groups hold events there, many of those being large corporate outings.
Betty Kuan, director of tournaments and memberships at Industry Hills Golf Club at Pacific Palms Resort, advises planners to focus on venue, value and service for a significant return. The Southern California venue holds more than 400 events, from 12 players to 432 players, each year.
“Golf gets the group outside, away from the sedentary meeting environment,” Kuan says. “It invigorates, stimulates and allows associates from multiple disciplines and from varying levels of authority to feel a sense of unanimity. No other resort activity provides such opportunity.”
“The return on a golf event can be very profitable for the organizing entity,” adds Mike Bender, general manager of Ridgefield, Washington’s Tri-Mountain Golf Course, managed by Billy Casper Golf. The course hosts both small (16 to 40 players) and large (80 to 144 golfers) events, about 75 annually. “The time of year, day of the week and clientele you are trying to attract all play a big part in the financial success.”
Wailea Golf Club
COST SAVERS
Many courses are striving to offer attractive packages for meeting planners, so definitely ask about discounts and value-add options for your group. Your contact will typically be a director of sales and marketing, director of golf or the course pro; some courses have an event coordinator, tournament director or tournament service manager.
Examples of some offerings from the Wailea Golf Club include: rolling back meeting planner rates to last year’s levels; providing merchandise discounts; and being more flexible on deposits, cancellation and other policies.
TPC Four Seasons Las Colinas in Texas offers engraved divot tools and yardage guides or personalized bag tags. Home to the HP Byron Nelson Championship, a PGA Tour event, the course recently underwent a $10-million renovation. Groups of 12 to 144 have played the venue. “We sometimes offer a ‘warm-up with the pro session’ prior to the outing, which is popular at our practice range,” says Jay Alexander, tournament director.
At Sycuan Resort, planners can take advantage of one of three packages: Par, Birdie or Eagle. “We want to make it easy for the planner,” McGill adds. Enhanced from previous years, with more value-adds, each package is at a different price point and may include some of the following: golf fees, cart fees, bag tags, rule sheets, on-course contests, food and beverage, welcome banners and more.
To ensure planners are at ease with the facility and have an adequate comfort level with the game of golf, Pacific Palms offers hospitality rooms, menu tastings, test-drive golf rounds and sometimes even complimentary golf lessons for event planners, Kuan says.
No matter your chosen venue, there are additional cost savers to keep in mind. “The two most important factors are day and time of day,” says John Fitzpatrick, director of golf operations at The Links at Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. The oceanfront property is set to open this month and has a nine-hole, walking-only course. “If a meeting planner can plan the golf to fall on a weekday afternoon instead of a weekend morning, the savings can be substantial, even though the group is getting the same exact experience.”
Holding your event during a course’s shoulder season can also minimize expenses. “At Suncadia, April or May pricing is more affordable than our peak season months such as July and August,” Verrue explains.
In addition to arranging your outing at a facility’s nonpeak times, planning ahead and confirming an accurate number of players can save in cancellation and no-show fees. Other options are boxed lunches, which can save time and money, versus a traditional banquet lunch. Consider drink tickets in lieu of an open tab. Request donated products from beverage companies or sponsors. And ask your course contact for any available complimentary amenities. At the Wailea Golf Club, some no-cost services include: range balls and use of the practice facility; cart cards with players’ names and tee times; bag tags with players’ names; on-cart GPS systems that can be customized with a welcome message; and locker room privileges. Costs may also be minimized by securing gifts, prizes and awards through the course.
Most tournament directors and golf pros say they are happy to design a program to fit your needs. As Wailea’s McNally says, “Be honest with your budget; there are creative ways to make the most of your money.”
COURSES AND TIMING
In addition to your budget, your course contact will also want to know the following: date, time, approximate player count; goal and purpose of the event (a fun outing or a competitive tournament); arrival and departure times, as well as any other nongolf-related meetings or activities that you want to take place; your group’s demographics (males, females, ages, CEOs, etc.) and skill level (novice or avid golfers, or a mix); if rental clubs will be required; and desired food and beverage options.
Sycuan Resort
“If this is a new group to Wailea,” McNally says, “it helps to know what they have done for their golf outings at other properties. And to get an honest appraisal of the events—what worked and
didn’t work.”
The more information you can provide upfront, the better. Be honest with your needs, wants and expectations. Key to the success of any golf outing is matching it to your attendees and your desired outcome. You also want to be sure you are choosing a course that can meet any pre- and post-event needs you may have.
If you’ve already booked a meeting at a resort with a course, then utilizing that on-site course makes sense. If you’re in the process of finding a venue, then you may want to start your search online. If there are photos, course descriptions, services, fees and additional information beneficial to planners on the course’s website, then it’s likely they often host events and your group would be welcomed.
While some say that a small, straightforward event can be planned in as little as one month, the more time you have, the better. High-end and top-rated courses are booking up to a year in advance. McNally’s advice is to give the course a call as soon as you have an idea when the event might take place, if only to check on the availability of the golf course.
“Although we are always glad to help organize an event at the last minute,” Verrue says, “ideally the planning period should be long enough to provide time to take care of details such as creating and sending invitations—unless attendance is mandatory—contest and prize selection, menu planning and more.”
MAKING IT MEMORABLE
Depending upon your attendees’ skill level and meeting goals, your event may be friendly or competitive, but at the end of the day, everyone should have fun and walk away with an unforgettable experience.
Memories can be made with contests such as closest to the hole, putting, hole in one, longest drive and straightest drive. A contest such as beat the pro or the organization’s CEO can energize attendees. “What we often do at our course,” says Four Seasons’ Alexander, “is match your score to a past PGA Tour score from our Nelson Championship.” Additional on-course festivities can include a trick-shot master, bagpiper, magician or massage therapist.
Other add-ons you may want to consider are:
- Equipment demonstrations.
- Golf instruction before, during or after the main event.
- A celebrity or golf pro as a special guest. This can be someone who spends a few minutes with each foursome or just makes an appearance at a post-golfing awards banquet. Kuan, of Pacific Palms, does recommend that you ensure the noted guest arrives on time and meets and greets the entire group.
- Photography and videography. Have someone take pictures, or shoot video, of your group and show a video montage with commentary later in the day.
- Silly contests and games. “If your tournament is not just for serious golfers,” Suncadia’s Hatfield suggests, “try something different, such as making individuals hit their tee shot wearing a backpack or blindfolded. Offer a prize for the best ‘traditional golf attire.” At Wailea, McNally says, for the right groups, they’ll do games such as placing a toilet seat cover on the green and requiring golfers to navigate around it to sink their putts.
- Themes. This always makes an event more interesting, says Tri-Mountain’s Bender. “We had an outing not long ago,” he recounts, “that was a Hawaiian theme with all the players wearing flowered shirts, pineapples for the tee markers on all 18 holes and tiki torches lighting the practice putting green for a contest that was staged after the sun went down.”
- Bring the fun inside. “We have put together F&B functions in our ballrooms where we bring the whole golf experience indoors, complete with putting and chipping stations and a driving simulator,” Suncadia’s Verrue says. “And, of course, a fully stocked beverage cart!”
Classic Club
For any additional on- or off-course activities, be sure to ask about related fees so there are no surprises post-outing. And always keep your group in mind when determining contests and entertainment. Die-hard golfers finally able to play a top-rated course may not want to be bombarded with contests and gimmicks at each hole. Yet, a more relaxed, less serious group could have a “ball” with trick-shot masters or a themed event carried out at all 18.
NINE HOLES & OTHER OPTIONS
If your meeting agenda doesn’t allow time for 18 holes, but you still want to incorporate a golf component into your event, 9-hole tournaments and golf clinics are popular alternatives. Opt for one or the other, or hold an outing post-clinic to reinforce the day’s lessons.
“Everything is about time in this day and age,” says Terranea’s Fitzpatrick. “Executives want to maximize the productivity of their meetings and a 9-hole outing on-site relieves a lot of time pressure. Attendees may also want to experience more than one activity, so if they’re not away all day at an off-site golf course, they have more time to enjoy the other resort amenities and offerings.”
With the exception of Terranea, a 9-hole course only, most courses hold 9-hole outings only in the afternoon so they don’t compete with the peak morning and afternoon tee times.
For those with only one or two available hours, Pacific Palms’ Golf Academy can provide corporate clinic programs. Kuan recommends combining a clinic with the resort’s 19th Hole Reception Package. It’s a nice alternative for a small group of guests to enjoy learning golf and enjoying a reception hosted by you, she says.
Night golf—complete with glow-in-the-dark golf balls, sticks and bracelets and illuminated holes and flagpoles—is a fun twist on a traditional tournament and can take the pressure off your guests who are new to the sport. Play a 9-hole twilight outing on a regulation course or a putting course. Or mix up a day-long, 18-hole event by playing nine holes during the day, break for a meal, then play the remaining nine in the dark.
If you know your group is going to have a few nongolfers, you’ll want to find out what your chosen venue can do to accommodate them during the golf event. “More and more tournaments are asking ‘what do the organizers, volunteers and guests of golfers do while the tournament is being played,’” Kuan says. “Our new spa has provided a very popular answer to that question.”
Four Seasons Dallas at Las Colinas’ spa and its heated golf ball massage is also popular with those not hitting the links, as is its tennis, the fitness facility and the resort pool. Guests at Suncadia can hit its hiking, biking or horseback riding trails; spend some time fishing or kayaking; or partake in yoga and Pilates classes.
Complimentary shuttle service to the nearby Sycuan Casino is offered to Sycuan Resort guests. And with the venue’s close proximity to downtown San Diego, there’s the world-famous San Diego Zoo and many other offerings.
“Also, a multidiscipline tournament can allow for the nongolfers to level the playing field,” Verrue adds. “A cooking competition, GPS scavenger hunt or even a remote control boat race all offer opportunities for individuals to showcase their talents and keep the team building and fun going off the golf course.”
April Miller is editor of Golf Event Media and MyGolfEventPlanner.com. Both websites provide free resources and planning tools to anyone organizing and managing golf events.
FINDING A FORMAT
While the most popular format for golf events tends to be the scramble, this really comes down to the number of players you have and how experienced they are. “Every group is unique, and depending upon their needs and goals, individual golfer’s playing abilities, etc., we might offer different recommendations for the format that suits them best,” says Jennifer McNally, the director of sales and marketing at the Wailea Golf Club in Hawaii.
In a scramble format, all four players hit shots from the same location. They then all play from where the best ball lands, continuing to do this for every shot throughout the round. A social and fun format, it usually lends itself to a reasonable pace of play. “Scrambles are usually the most effective in creating a fun atmosphere in which golfers of all abilities can compete and contribute to the team score,” adds Brady Hatfield, head golf professional at Suncadia, Cle Elum, Wash.
Shamble and best ball are other commonly played outing formats that also tend to keep pace of play moving at a good clip. In a shamble, all golfers tee off with the best of the shots selected. All players then play their own ball from that spot to the hole. In a best-ball tournament, all members of each team play their own balls on each hole. At the completion of the hole, the lowest score among all team members serves as the team score.
Feeling a little confused? Don’t be. Course staff can definitely help you in selecting a format and in handling player pairings (who will play together in each foursome).
GIFTS AND GIVEAWAYS
When planning your event, don’t forget about the goodies. More so than you may think, gifts and giveaways play an important role in the presentation of your overall outing. To source gifts, you can either work with the course staff or purchase them yourself.
“Pacific Palms Golf Pro shop, Crystal Palm Boutique and the Spa have huge inventories and catalogs for you to gather ideas and find the best value from many name brands we carry,” says Betty Kuan, director of tournaments and memberships at Industry Hills Golf Club at Pacific Palms. “We can even arrange a local golf equipment maker, Nickent Golf, to be here on your event day for golf equipment demonstrations or special club fittings for your guests at no charge.”
With so many choices, what to give? At Suncadia, any logo merchandise is popular, be it shirts, outerwear, golf balls or caps. Double-logo (both the resort and the group’s logos) apparel and gift items are also favorites at Wailea Golf Club, as are gift cards. Performance apparel and eco-friendly fabrics have also been gaining in popularity as outing gifts. So too have GPS devices and laser rangefinders.
Yet, you need not be constrained to only golf-related items as gifts and prizes. Guests who don’t golf often may love their sleeve of balls and cap and shirt with logo; others may feel that these items are way overdone at golf tournaments. Consider the following to make an impact:
- iPods, iTunes gift cards or iPod accessories
- Jewelry, watches, pen sets, clocks
- Wine, wine stoppers, corkscrews
- Fine glassware, paperweights, signed prints
- Luggage, toiletry kits, humidors
- Chocolates, coffee, specialty food items
MIND YOUR ETIQUETTE, PLEASE
Essential to the game of golf is etiquette. So whether you are going to join your attendees for a round or simply want to make your less-experienced guests feel more comfortable, here are some rules of etiquette to keep in mind:
- Have all course policies in advance of the scheduled outing and share this with your players. This includes knowing the course’s dress code and any policies it may have on the use of cell phones and smoking.
- Double-check the spelling of all guests’ names. Whether it’s for their bag tag or the sign on their golf cart, a misspelling will reflect poorly on you and the course.
- Start on time. One of golfers’ biggest complaints about outings is slow pace of play. Tee times and the entire day’s schedule must be adhered to. Keeping a list of attendee cell phone numbers can aid in contacting a missing golfer.
On the course:
- Don’t talk while someone is playing a stroke. This includes while they are taking their practice swings and analyzing their shot.
- Do not take your swing until you know that the other players are at a safe distance.
- When it is your turn, be prepared to hit. This will keep play moving and not force others to wait. In fact, if the group behind you is always waiting, invite them to play through.
- Observe all cart rules.
- Never cheat, lose your temper or throw your clubs.
RESOURCES
Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau
Classic Club
Four Seasons Resort Dallas at Las Colinas
Furnace Creek Inn & Ranch Resort
Hyatt Grand Champions Resort and Spa
Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa
Los Cabos
Pacific Palms
Suncadia
Sycuan Resort
Terranea Resort
Tri-Mountain Golf Course
Tubac Golf Resort & Spa
Wailea Golf Club
