Golf at Conference Centers

Golf, enjoyed by some 26.5 million Americans, is the most popular form of recreation at meetings, including those at conference centers. This article tells how to incorporate golf in a conference center meeting and where to obtain more information on the subject.

ADVANTAGES OF A CONFERENCE CENTER

Conference centers are ideal for combining serious discussion and learning with the business world's most serious recreation: golf. To see why, one need only look at their design. A conference center is a purpose-built facility that specializes in small meetings, usually no more than 75 attendees. Most conference centers have fewer than 300 guest rooms, and most are located in suburban areas, removed from the distraction of busy downtowns. Conference centers belonging to the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) must meet a set of criteria in such areas as conference-room design, audiovisual facilities, and conference services. In addition, IACC requires that at least 60 percent of a member center's total revenue come from conferences.

The industry has no criteria regarding recreational amenities, such as golf courses, but the name of a property may provide a clue to its facilities. Conference centers offering golf generally have the word "resort" in their name. Resort conference centers, which also boast tennis and health facilities, either own or manage their golf courses or are situated next to one owned or managed by another entity.

Regardless of a property's name, it's important to remember that conference centers are built and operated with meetings, not golf, in mind. Groups use conference centers for training meetings, sales meetings, and other purposes that emphasize business over recreation. Golf is just part of the overall program, not the focus. At a conference center, golf provides a refreshing break and a networking opportunity for attendees in the midst of an intense meeting. Groups do not choose a conference center based on the challenging nature or aesthetic qualities of its golf course, as they might when selecting a resort hotel for an incentive meeting. Rather, groups choose a conference center based on how the facility can help them achieve the overall business objectives of the meeting.

"LIVING, LEARNING, AND LEISURE"

Many people believe that proficiency at golf is one key to achieving success in the corporate world. The leisurely pace of golf lends itself to forging stronger relationships with co-workers and business associates. Golf also enhances camaraderie and, when played in a tournament format, can foster teamwork. Because conference center meetings are intense, with an undercurrent of team-building, golf fits well into the program. "Golf is an extension of the networking and bonding that goes on at a meeting," says Tom Bolman, vice president of IACC, which is based in St. Louis. "It is a key element in the third of the three components of conference center meetings: living, learning, and leisure."

Meeting planners tend to agree. "Golf has its own return on investment because it gives attendees that breather to strengthen relationships with their peers," says Margaret Foley, convention and meeting director for Distribution America, a Des Plaines, IL-based network of independent hardware distributors.

At conference centers that offer golf, the conference services staff works closely with the meeting planner on structuring the golf outing in a way that contributes best to the group's overall objectives. "We rely on the meeting planner to tell us the purpose of the meeting, what they want to accomplish," says Dawn Cleboski, director of corporate services at Del Lago Golf Resort and Conference Center in Montgomery, TX. "Then, we help the planner decide whether this should be a group golf event or individual play, an early morning event or an afternoon event." (For a look at all the details of incorporating golf in meetings, see #5310, Golf Meetings Overview.)

SELECTING A CONFERENCE CENTER

Some 300 facilities, including 200 in North America, meet IACC's membership criteria. You can access a directory of IACC's member conference centers through its Web site (http://www.iacconline.com) or by calling or faxing the home office (see Associations). Bear in mind, though, that not every conference center or conference center management company belongs to IACC. All the major conference center management companies have resort conference centers, and you can contact them directly. Among the leaders are:

Marriott Conference Centers. Call 800-831-4004; go to http://www.marriott.com/confcenters/
International Conference Resorts. Call 800-781-0197; go to http://www.conferenceresorts.com Benchmark Hospitality. Call 888-846-6338; go to http://www.benchmark-hospitality.com
Dolce International. Call 888-WW-DOLCE; go to http://www.dolce.com
Harrison Conference Centers. Call 800-422-6338. Information can be obtained through IACC's site at http://www.iacconline.com, (click on "Search", type in "Harrison").

CHOOSING A GOLF COURSE

Just because golf isn't the focus of a conference center meeting doesn't mean that golf courses serving conference centers are second-rate. In fact, there are many excellent courses managed by, or affiliated with, major conference centers, and some of them are stops on the tours of the Professional Golf Association of America (PGA), Senior PGA, and Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).

In deciding where to book your golf meeting, you have two basic options: a conference center with golf on site or one with golf nearby. In either case, your conference coordinator can put you in touch with the appropriate personnel at the golf course. If you opt for an off-site golf course, you'll need to factor in travel time and the cost of transportation. If the meeting is running on a tight time frame, make sure there is a course convenient to the conference center.

Do your best to determine the difficulty of the golf course you'll be using. What makes a golf course challenging? Narrow fairways flanked by woods, for one. Also, lots of water hazards and bunkers. And length: A 7,100-yard, 18-hole layout is more difficult than a 6,100-yard layout. A group of adept golfers will appreciate a course that challenges them, while novice and occasional golfers are apt to find a difficult course frustrating. For them, a flat, short golf course devoid of water hazards is ideal.

Be sure the course has all the amenities for a successful golf outing. These include:

• Golf carts; you'll need one for every two golfers.
  
  
• Equipment and shoe rental for attendees who won't be bringing their own clubs and shoes.
  
  
• Sufficient staff for setting up the course, loading clubs onto the carts, and greeting attendees.
  
  
• Food and beverage operations; you'll need at least two beverage carts per 18 holes, more if it is very warm.
  
  
• Rest rooms, permanent or portable.
  
  
• Locker rooms (necessary only if the golf outing takes place away from the hotel or resort).
  
  
• Clubhouse; this serves as a meeting place before or after the golf outing, as the venue for a post-tournament awards ceremony, or as refuge from rain).
  
  
• Tournament services, such as scorecards, scorekeeping, and scoreboard updating; there usually is an extra per-golfer charge for this service.
  
  
• Pro shop.

SCHEDULING GOLF

In terms of time commitment, getting your attendees onto the golf course for 18 holes of play is no small undertaking. A round of golf takes at least four hours, sometimes more than five. And, although golf is never the focus of the overall meeting at a conference center, it often is the focus of a particular meeting day. Attendees will need time before the outing to change clothing and warm up, and time afterward to shower and change for the event that follows.

The most popular time to start a golf outing is 1 p.m. That way, attendees can get in a full morning of meeting, break at 11:30, and grab a box lunch on the way out. If you are holding a tournament, awards can be presented at dinner that evening.

Starting golf at 7 or 8 a.m. is another option, and one especially popular in warm climates. But with morning golf, you need to give more thought to what the group will do next. Scheduling an intensive meeting session after golf will not be met with appreciation. "You definitely don't want golf followed by meetings, because you would not have a high level of attention from your attendees in the meeting," says Margaret Foley of Distribution America. Golf was the only organized recreation during a recent sales meeting attended by the company's sales representatives and its distributors' sales forces. However, the outing was held before checkout on the morning of the final day of the meeting at Hickory Ridge Conference Center in Lisle, IL.

Tip: On the day of an afternoon golf outing, build a time cushion between the golf and the evening event. A 6 p.m. cocktail hour may be too early if the attendees tee off at 1 o'clock, especially if yours is a sizable group playing in a tournament. A tournament format, especially one that includes supplementary contests for such things as Longest Drive and Closest-to-the-Pin, almost always takes longer than recreational play.

AND IF IT RAINS?

Part of the planning process for any golf outing is to have a contingency plan in the event that rain washes away part or all of the round. It's best to arrange beforehand for access to a meeting room, a ballroom, or the golf clubhouse. Popular rainy-day events include putting on indoor contests and showing golf videos. At The Woodlands in Houston, a complex with two championship golf courses, the staff once set up TV monitors in a lounge area equipped with a miniature golf layout, says Patrick McKenna, director of conferences and catering at the conference center. Attendees took putting lessons and watched golf videos over cocktails. If your overall meeting schedule is flexible, you can postpone the golf outing a day and spend the rainy day in sessions. That depends, naturally, on whether the golf course is available the next day.

MATCHING THE FORMAT TO THE MEETING

Especially at training and sales conferences, golf serves several purposes. It is, of course, the principal form of recreation and an opportunity for networking. What's more, when played as a tournament, it can be a team- building experience. Whether you opt for purely recreational golf or an organized tournament depends on the objectives of the meeting. With both recreational and tournament golf, the golfers play in foursomes. In recreational golf, each member of the foursome plays his or her own ball and keeps score. In tournament golf, each foursome is a team competing for prizes, often golf equipment or a gift certificate from the golf course's pro shop.

There are different tournament formats, but the one most often used by meeting groups is the Scramble, which is ideal for developing camaraderie among the players. "The Scramble, absolutely, is the most popular format for a group tournament," says Steve Hupe, director of golf at Stone Mountain Golf Club, which is affiliated with the Evergreen Conference Resort (a Marriott conference center) in Atlanta. "It allows players of all skill levels to contribute. Even a novice can get lucky and sink a 20-foot putt."

In the Scramble, foursomes are made up of an A player, a B player, a C player, and a D player so that each team is of equal strength. Each member of the team tees off, but everyone plays their second shots from where the best drive lands. Play continues in this fashion through putting. (For more on formats and contests, see #5311, Golf Formats for Meetings and Corporate Events.)

Note: Especially if yours is a sizable group, consider a shotgun start, in which foursomes tee off simultaneously at different holes. That ensures that all golfers will complete their rounds at approximately the same time, eliminating the concern that late-finishers will wreak havoc with the day's schedule.

SPECIAL COMPETITIONS

Special competitions add interest and suspense to a golf tournament. You can offer prizes in such categories as Closest Drive to the Pin, Longest Drive, or Longest Putt. Some groups offer a special prize for a hole-in-one. This might be merchandise or a significant cash gift.

INSTRUCTION

A brief clinic is a popular option just before a golf outing. This is usually conducted by the golf staff and lasts no more than an hour. The best clinics concentrate on one aspect of the game, such as driving or putting. "We'll take a small group of attendees to the driving range, assign anywhere from one to four of our assistant golf professionals to them, and give them the fundamentals about grip and stance and how to swing a golf club," says Steve Hupe of Stone Mountain Golf Club.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

Golf outings beginning at 1 o'clock are best preceded by a box lunch of, say, a cold sandwich and drink and perhaps a salad and a pastry. Participants can eat on the way out of the morning meeting or in the golf cart at the start of the outing. You also should arrange for roving beverage carts with the conference center's or the golf course's food and beverage department. Because thirst does not always wait, stocking your attendees' golf carts with spring water is a good idea.

COSTS

Golf is almost always priced on a per-player basis, separate from the conference center's per-person, per-day Complete Meeting Package price (the CMP includes sleeping rooms, meeting rooms, three meals a day, coffee breaks, basic audiovisual services, and gratuities). The cost of green fee and cart rental, usually combined as one fee, varies widely by geographic region, time of year, and prestige of the golf course. The fee generally starts at $30 per person, but it can exceed $100. This charge may not include the cost of tournament services, such as scorekeeping and scorecards, so be prepared for a nominal additional cost. You can arrange to have all your golf expenses placed on your conference group's master bill. In addition to these costs, you'll need to budget for food and beverage and gratuities for the golf staff servicing your event.

CASE HISTORY

The Earthgrains Co., a St. Louis baking company, held its national sales meeting at the Lakeway Inn, a Dolce Conference Resort, in Austin, TX. By tradition, a golf tournament is an integral part of Earthgrains' sales meeting, an opportunity for far-flung sales representatives to build camaraderie outside the confines of a conference room. And golf is mandatory; even rank novices are expected to participate. "Some people don't like to golf and can get nervous about playing," says Brian Howard, national accounts manager, who organized the sales meeting. "But the key in that situation is to set up the tournament as just-for-fun."

The four-night meeting began on a Monday, with the 60 men and women arriving throughout the day at the conference center, which is part of a multi-use development that includes two golf courses. About a dozen attendees took advantage of Earthgrains' invitation to arrive early on Monday and get in a round of individual golf that afternoon.

The tournament was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, but there was one important step to attend to first: putting together the tournament foursomes. That was done at the Monday evening welcome reception. All the attendees were designated as either an A, B, C, or D player, with A indicating a golfer of considerable proficiency and D indicating little or no golfing experience. The attendees were asked to assess their own abilities. Howard, an avid golfer familiar with the skills of much of the sales staff, was able to refine the list so there were 15 golfers in each ranking. The foursomes were formed in a blind draw. "Each team had at least one adequate golfer who could hit the ball and put it in the fairway," says Howard.

On Tuesday, the sales meeting opened at 7:30, and attendees were in session until 11:30. Upon leaving the meeting room, the attendees grabbed their box lunches and returned to their rooms to change for the outing. Then, it was on to a bus for the five-minute ride to the golf course. The tournament began at 1 o'clock. To ensure that all teams ended their rounds at about the same time, the tournament was organized shotgun-style (see Matching the Format to the Meeting). Each of the 15 foursomes went to a different hole to begin play. Earthgrains had told the golf course staff who the foursomes were and on what hole they would begin play, so the attendees' equipment was waiting for them on the golf carts. In keeping with the company's desire to inspire camaraderie, the Scramble format was prescribed for the occasion (see Matching the Format to the Meeting).

Howard describes the tournament as a fun, loosely policed event, in which some players used the forward tees and team members measured their own shots for the Longest Drive and Closest to the Pin contests. Emphasizing the fun aspect, the group even awarded a prize for Shortest Drive. Everyone was able to make a contribution to his or her team. "One woman who had never picked up a golf club ended up just putting." says Howard.

At that evening's dinner, the tournament prizes, gift certificates from the pro shop, were presented to members of the top three teams and to the contest winners. From Earthgrains' standpoint, the outing was well worth the investment in time and money. The afternoon of golf cost about $60 per participant for green fees, cart rentals, and scoring services. Food and beverage was extra. Most important, Howard says, was that golfing on the first full day helped to set a relaxing tone for a sales meeting where building camaraderie was a priority.

ASSOCIATIONS

International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) is an organization of conference centers and conference center managers. Call 314-993-8575; fax 314-993-8919. Go to http://www.iacconline.com.

National Association of Golf Tournament Directors. This organization is open to, among others, meeting planners who organize golf tournaments. Educational programming is offered throughout the year. Bill Hoffman is executive director. Call 888-899-2483; fax 702-652-0824. Go to http://www.nagtd.com.

National Golf Foundation (NGF) is the golf industry's leading provider of golf business information and measurer of industry trends. It offers over 200 publications on golf. Call 800-733-6006 or 561-744-6006; fax 561-744-6107. Go to http://www.ngf.org.

United States Golf Association (USGA) is the sport's national governing body. The USGA writes and interprets the rules of the game; tests balls, clubs, and other equipment; performs turf research; and is the custodian of golf's history. Call 908-234-2300; fax 908-234-9687; go to http://www.usga.org/.

CONFERENCES AND TRADE SHOWS

For a list of Industry Events, go to #9510, Calendar of Industry Events.

BOOKS

Golf Tournaments for Fun & Profit: How Anyone Can Easily Put on One- Day Golf Tournaments, by Lynn C. Brown. Available from Amazon.com, $12.95.

Planning & Conducting Competitive Golf Events. National Golf Foundation. $50. Call 800-733-6006; go to http://www.ngf.org.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Golf, by Michelle McGann with Matthew Rudy. McGann, a veteran of the LPGA Tour, has written an indispensable book that covers everything from the rules of the game and how to swing a golf club to how to conduct business on the greens. There's a glossary of golfing terms and a chapter on golf publications and organizations. $18.95. Available from Amazon.com, $15.16.

Birdies, Pars & Bogies: Leadership Lessons from the Links, by David R. Cottrell. Cottrell illustrates 44 leadership principles that can be applied to the workplace and also offers tips on becoming a better golfer. Available from Amazon.com, $17.95.

ONLINE SERVICES

• A comprehensive resource on the Web is Golf Travel Online, at www.gto.com. The site allows you to search golf resorts by state. Information for each resort is extensive, including details about its golf facilities and rates, local climate, accessibility, other recreational amenities at the resort, meeting space, and an area description.
  
  
• A broader site is at www.golf.com, which is affiliated with Golf Digest magazine and NBC Sports. Clicking on "Travel" brings you to databases of golf courses and golf resorts. The golf resort database here is not as helpful as the one at Golf Travel Online because it lacks information about meeting space.
  
  
• The site at www.golfweb.com is similar in scope to www.golf.com and has a golf locator that helps you select golf resorts based on your desired destination, hotel rates, and course style. The locator is geared mainly to individual travel, however.
  
  
• A notable feature of www.worldgolf.com is its listings of golf products and services, including such categories as business services, art and photography, golf-related gifts, books, and golf schools and training.
  
  
• The National Golf Foundation, the repository of facts and figures on the sport, maintains an authoritative Web site at www.ngf.org.

RELATED SMN ARTICLES

For more information about golf meetings, see #5310, Golf Meetings Overview, and #5311, Golf Formats for Meetings and Corporate Events. Other articles that may be helpful are #5010, Meetings Overview, and #5020, Plan a Great Meeting!