June 2011, Cover Stories
Making Golf Outings Score
Golf pros share their tips for crafting outdoor business meetings that boost networking and swing business deals
Mix a warm, bright Wisconsin day and one of its more than 600 golf courses. What do you have? The perfect networking opportunity.
C-level executives and charity organizers find golf outings are a surefire way to get quality elbow-rubbing time with those who can make a difference in their business or cause.
“Our clients like the opportunity to have a captive audience and one-on-one time with guests. It’s hard to measure the ROI on this, but many believe it’s a very effective way to build relationships and improve business or giving,” says Andy Bacon, tournament coordinator of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s University Ridge golf course.
“People combine golf with business because it offers a social opportunity where they can network, grow business and exchange ideas. It also creates a competitive, yet friendly environment that increases networking in the group,” says Renata Prellwitz, director of sales at Chula Vista Resorts in Wisconsin Dells.
Golf outings can take many shapes and forms, heavily dependent on the expertise of the planners and the capacity of the golf course. “Keep the goal of the group in mind and recognize the skill level of the group,” suggests Jennifer Myers, assistant general manager at Geneva National Golf Club in Lake Geneva. “We offer several formats of play that can mitigate skill level issues. After all, 50 percent of all golfers don’t break 100.”
Ed Elsner, tournament coordinator at Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run, says a golf course provides a pleasing and peaceful environment for a meeting. “It is a pleasant day away for clients or employees. But the ROI really takes place after the event,” he says. “Providing a client with a great experience may go a long way in building a profitable and long-lasting business relationship. It is also an outstanding team building experience for companies.”
Conferences to review company results or break out new products or ideas are typical before-golf meeting topics, says Elsner. “Reward and incentive events are also very popular as well as fundraisers for alumni groups and charities.
10 secrets to success
Golf planners agree the best-run golf outings rely on detail-oriented people who have experience in organizing and pulling off events. From picking the course to thanking attendees, they offer many ideas that can take the outing to the next level of success.
1. Set your budget. “The most important thing is to develop a realistic budget based on your overall objective. You must stay within your means to be successful. Develop and follow a timeline, be organized, relaxed and have fun! Use the facility’s professional staff to assist, they execute events every day. Take advantage of their expertise,” says Elsner.
2. Timing. If this is your first annual event, start planning as much as a year in advance, says Bacon. “If you’re planning a new event, start early so you have more time to market your event,” he says.
3. Pick a date. “Consider your guests’ work schedules, but also consider when in the season you want your event. For example, our greens fees are lower in April, May, October and November. The day of the week and time of year really affects pricing,” says Bacon.
4. Pick a course. Group size can greatly affect course selection, the experts advise. According to Rob Hard, veteran event planner, an 18-hole course can handle up to 144 players, but there will be serious delays in play. “Generally, 72 players, or 18 foursomes, offers a nice pace of play on an 18-hole course,” he says.
“With the three 18-hole courses at Geneva National, we can handle as many as 350 golfers. If you have a 16-person group, there could be a 40-minute gap from when the first group tees off to when the last group gets on the tee. Consider how long golfers will be waiting around. Make sure you have one company representative or sponsor in each foursome; otherwise your guests will be schmoozing each other,” Myers says.
Prellwitz agrees; “We can handle a 120-person group, but find that 80 players is optimal on Chula Vista’s 18-hole course.”
Before signing on the dotted line, Hard suggests scoping out the cleanliness, overall service and how people flow through the facility.
“The key is to be on a nice course that’s run well. When you have people in a foursome, they end up spending as much as five hours together. Selecting a pleasant course where the facilities are well-designed and maintained can make the experience even better,” says Bacon. “Know your guests. Courses can work with you to make the round as easy or as hard as it needs to be to create an enjoyable experience, based on the group’s overall skill level.”
5. Set your agenda. Most courses have group tee times that start at 8 a.m. or 1 p.m.; 1 p.m. is the most popular, says Hard. “Build your itinerary around it.”
Typically, events set aside an hour for registration and a simple meal or light buffet. Golfers attending these events fully expect some sort of presentation, and Hard suggests opening the meeting with a short presentation by the CEO or other high-ranking representative. “Follow this with a presentation by a motivational speaker or other presenter,” he says.
6. Invite your guests and pair them up. Prellwitz suggests the hosting group puts some avid golfers on its planning committee. “They will be instrumental in recruiting players. If they are passionate about golfing, they will rally others to join in.”
Hard says invitations can be mailed, however, more are resorting to online invitations and registration. “In either case, the invitation/RSVP should include date, time and location; event agenda, RSVP card or link with contact name, phone and e-mail; request for left- or right-handed club rentals if needed; and request for golf score handicap information, if available.
“Make your foursomes based on player handicaps, especially in scrambles. A host player should be with every foursome. Place your VIP guests at holes closest to the clubhouse at play start. The golf course should have your pairings 24 hours before the event; but don’t rule out the possibility of significant changes the day of the event,” Hard says.
7. Tap into experts. Event-savvy courses will have experts already on staff. “Planning is key to success, and I recommend hooking up with a course that can help you look good. Some courses aren’t so group-savvy. Look for a course that has a wedding or event coordinator on staff. They tend to be more service oriented and know how to free up your time. Event planners should be asking you more questions than you ask them,” Myers says.
8. Bide by your budget. It’s not unusual for a golf meeting with 100 or so attendees to cost from $15,000 to $30,000, says Hard. Make sure your budget accounts for greens fees per person; food and drink; tournament gifts and prizes; hole-in-one contest insurance; signage and promotional materials; guest speaker honorarium and other fees and gratuities. “Look at club memberships the company or an individual host may have to see if they can be used to discount prices or improve meeting flexibility,” he says.
If it’s a fund-raising activity, experts caution against hitting players up at every hole for cash; also make sure the registration fee is within reason. “We see events struggle if they ask for as much as $40 above the greens fees, then hit the golfers up for $10 or $20 on every hole. We have found the less time golfers are asked to dip into their wallets, the greater the success of the event. Raffles are a good way to gain incremental funds instead,” suggests Bacon.
9. Throw in contests and prizes. Attendees enjoy getting golf-related welcome and parting gifts as well as being able to compete for golf prizes. “Contests add to the fun and the competitive spirit of play. Common contests include longest drive, shortest drive, closest to the pin and longest putt on the putting green,” says Hard. “Don’t forget a few worst performance gag gifts, such as a tennis racquet for worst score. Tournament prizes and gift certificates from the golf shop are always well-received.”
10. Think about non-golfers. Prellwitz says having a variety of activities available along with golf can attract even more participants. “Being in the Dells area and having water park and sightseeing options along with golf has attracted more golfers and more families to events here at Chula Vista,” she says.
GolfLink’s Top 10
GolfLink’s list of the Best Wisconsin Golf Courses details the top public and private golf courses in the state of Wisconsin. The GolfLink list is calculated from an objective range of factors, including the preferences of up to a million or more visitors to www.golflink.com each month.
1. University Ridge Golf Course, Verona
2. Whistling Straits — Straits Course, Sheboygan
3. Blackwolf Run Golf Course, Kohler,
4. Maplecrest Country Club, Kenosha
5. Rainbow Springs Golf Course — North Moraine Course, Mukwonago*
6. Whistling Straits — Irish Course, Sheboygan
7. Oneida Golf and Country Club, Oneida Course, Green Bay
8. Brown County Golf Course, Oneida
9. Northern Bay Golf Resort and Marina, Arkdale
10. St. Croix National Golf Course, Somerset
* As of press time course is closed indefinitely.