It’s no secret, the last three years has greatly impacted the majority of for profit and non-profit budgets. As a result, the number of golf outings planned by organizations in the Midwest has also changed. However, if you ask meeting planners and golf pros, the overwhelming majority of them will say that golf outings are still an important way to do business.
Michael Capps, General Manager at Camden on the Lake Resort in Lake Ozark, MI, said golf can unite several different groups together and help businesses stay within budget by cutting down on travel costs, “Golf is such a fantastic sport to draw numerous corporate groups traveling within the Midwest. The Lake of the Ozarks can provide award-winning courses without traveling to the coasts for a meeting.”
Capps is not alone, many others believe that the best networking can be done through creative events such as golf outings. According to Kevin McKinley, Director of Golf and Ski Operations for Treetops Resort in Gaylord, MI, “Businesses of all types are facing increased scrutiny on the dollars they spend on recreation, so meeting planners, resort sales staff and golf professionals all need to work together to help sell the benefits of hosting golf outings to key decision makers within organizations.
Michael Capps, General Manager at Camden on the Lake Resort in Lake Ozark, MI, said golf can unite several different groups together and help businesses stay within budget by cutting down on travel costs, “Golf is such a fantastic sport to draw numerous corporate groups traveling within the Midwest. The Lake of the Ozarks can provide award-winning courses without traveling to the coasts for a meeting.”
Capps is not alone, many others believe that the best networking can be done through creative events such as golf outings. According to Kevin McKinley, Director of Golf and Ski Operations for Treetops Resort in Gaylord, MI, “Businesses of all types are facing increased scrutiny on the dollars they spend on recreation, so meeting planners, resort sales staff and golf professionals all need to work together to help sell the benefits of hosting golf outings to key decision makers within organizations.
Once approved, these outings then need to be executed flawlessly so participants will rave about them to their superiors and there won’t be a question as to the value of the outing for future years.”
Dianna Rom, Regional Director of Sales for Ohio State Park Lodges, agreed that the last couple of years have impacted the way golf outings are run at her facilities, “Today, there are far fewer all-day golf outings and the outings we are hosting are increasingly positioned as teambuilding events.”
Rom said corporate groups are tending to organize shorter outings such as scrambles or events with a shotgun start. Outings are also increasingly designed for golfers of all abilities, so anyone within a corporate group, even those with little or no golf experience, can enjoy them. One of the big misconceptions about holding a golf outing, is the idea that those participating need some form of golf skills to join in on the activities. That idea cannot be farther from the truth. Many attendees that take part in golf outings, may not be regular golfers, but enjoy themselves as if they’d played for years.
Danny Ackerman, General Manager of Longaberger Golf Club in Newark, OH, said scrambles are still one of the most popular types of outings because it is a great way to equalize teams when you have a wide-array of skill levels. He also felt that putting contests and golf clinics are perfect teambuilding activities for groups of all skill levels and abilities.
In 2010, Ackerman’s facility hosted 37 separate corporate events that involved golf. Ackerman said the meeting planners he worked with said they found value in hosting golf events. Some of these meeting planners were also grateful to have assistance with creatively scaling back their events from previous years.
Dianna Lilly, Director of Member Services for the Ohio Trucking Association, is one of those planners. Her association has held several events at Longaberger Golf Club, including an annual all-day fundraiser. For nearly 20 years, the fundraiser was a day-long event, beginning with breakfast, a shotgun start and lunch either on the course in boxes, or as a cookout at the turn or halfway house. Following the round of golf, participants would shower and change, then come to a reception, followed by a dinner and silent, as well as live, auctions.
In 2009 and 2010, the Association made the decision to hold a couple of smaller golf outings. According to Lilly, the association still provided breakfast, lunch and typically a sleeve of balls.
Lilly says the small events drew between 36-60 golfers and they provided an ideal opportunity for members to get together in a relaxed setting to enjoy each other’s company during a round of golf. They were also successful at raising money for their event.
Ackerman said his team is also seeing more small groups staying local and playing several local courses instead.
Susan Harris, Marketing Director for the Sweetgrass Golf Club and Island Resort & Casino, Harris, MI, agrees that golf groups are definitely looking for value as well as convenience.
“Our sales team prides itself on working with each group to individualize their experience and then exceed their expectations while staying within their budgets.”
McKinley echoed Harris’s comments. He felt those facilities that are able to offer a quality onsite golfing experience at a competitive price point have definite appeal with meeting planners.
McKinley’s team has become well-recognized for developing some pretty noteworthy events including challenging putting contests on their Himalayas putting greens. They feature everything from 90-degree doglegs, ramps and other unique things including the logos of the client’s competitors for negative obstacles.
Treetops Resort also has quite a bit of experience in administering and creating Ryder Cup© style events. The resort even created its own Treetops Cup in 2009. In its first year, 16 players participated and in 2010, it grew to 68 players. This year, the event will be capped at 100 players. McKinley said cup-style events offer a means for friendly competition that can creatively pit two groups agains each other. Don Hughes, a 2009 and 2010 participant of the Treetops Cup, said the Ryder Cup© style of competition, as opposed to regular play, creates camaraderie. “The competition brings out the best in all of us and creates lasting memories that otherwise wouldn’t be there.”
Since 2007, Treetops hosted the Otsego Memorial Hospital Foundation fundraiser golf outing for 200+ players on two of its golf courses. For this event, McKinley’s staff has created a “Beat the Pro” event complete with appetizers and a bar on the first tee the evening prior to the main event. McKinley said this added event has many benefits for the hospital foundation in that it provides extra networking and the ability to raise additional funds.
The previous years have shown that there are several ways to approach planning events. Regardless of the size of the outing, quality events can be successful, stay within budget and make a statement with any crowd.
Dianna Rom, Regional Director of Sales for Ohio State Park Lodges, agreed that the last couple of years have impacted the way golf outings are run at her facilities, “Today, there are far fewer all-day golf outings and the outings we are hosting are increasingly positioned as teambuilding events.”
Rom said corporate groups are tending to organize shorter outings such as scrambles or events with a shotgun start. Outings are also increasingly designed for golfers of all abilities, so anyone within a corporate group, even those with little or no golf experience, can enjoy them. One of the big misconceptions about holding a golf outing, is the idea that those participating need some form of golf skills to join in on the activities. That idea cannot be farther from the truth. Many attendees that take part in golf outings, may not be regular golfers, but enjoy themselves as if they’d played for years.
Danny Ackerman, General Manager of Longaberger Golf Club in Newark, OH, said scrambles are still one of the most popular types of outings because it is a great way to equalize teams when you have a wide-array of skill levels. He also felt that putting contests and golf clinics are perfect teambuilding activities for groups of all skill levels and abilities.
In 2010, Ackerman’s facility hosted 37 separate corporate events that involved golf. Ackerman said the meeting planners he worked with said they found value in hosting golf events. Some of these meeting planners were also grateful to have assistance with creatively scaling back their events from previous years.
Dianna Lilly, Director of Member Services for the Ohio Trucking Association, is one of those planners. Her association has held several events at Longaberger Golf Club, including an annual all-day fundraiser. For nearly 20 years, the fundraiser was a day-long event, beginning with breakfast, a shotgun start and lunch either on the course in boxes, or as a cookout at the turn or halfway house. Following the round of golf, participants would shower and change, then come to a reception, followed by a dinner and silent, as well as live, auctions.
In 2009 and 2010, the Association made the decision to hold a couple of smaller golf outings. According to Lilly, the association still provided breakfast, lunch and typically a sleeve of balls.
Lilly says the small events drew between 36-60 golfers and they provided an ideal opportunity for members to get together in a relaxed setting to enjoy each other’s company during a round of golf. They were also successful at raising money for their event.
Ackerman said his team is also seeing more small groups staying local and playing several local courses instead.
Susan Harris, Marketing Director for the Sweetgrass Golf Club and Island Resort & Casino, Harris, MI, agrees that golf groups are definitely looking for value as well as convenience.
“Our sales team prides itself on working with each group to individualize their experience and then exceed their expectations while staying within their budgets.”
McKinley echoed Harris’s comments. He felt those facilities that are able to offer a quality onsite golfing experience at a competitive price point have definite appeal with meeting planners.
McKinley’s team has become well-recognized for developing some pretty noteworthy events including challenging putting contests on their Himalayas putting greens. They feature everything from 90-degree doglegs, ramps and other unique things including the logos of the client’s competitors for negative obstacles.
Treetops Resort also has quite a bit of experience in administering and creating Ryder Cup© style events. The resort even created its own Treetops Cup in 2009. In its first year, 16 players participated and in 2010, it grew to 68 players. This year, the event will be capped at 100 players. McKinley said cup-style events offer a means for friendly competition that can creatively pit two groups agains each other. Don Hughes, a 2009 and 2010 participant of the Treetops Cup, said the Ryder Cup© style of competition, as opposed to regular play, creates camaraderie. “The competition brings out the best in all of us and creates lasting memories that otherwise wouldn’t be there.”
Since 2007, Treetops hosted the Otsego Memorial Hospital Foundation fundraiser golf outing for 200+ players on two of its golf courses. For this event, McKinley’s staff has created a “Beat the Pro” event complete with appetizers and a bar on the first tee the evening prior to the main event. McKinley said this added event has many benefits for the hospital foundation in that it provides extra networking and the ability to raise additional funds.
The previous years have shown that there are several ways to approach planning events. Regardless of the size of the outing, quality events can be successful, stay within budget and make a statement with any crowd.
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