Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Selecting the Right Golf Course for Your Event

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Selecting a golf course is one of the most important decisions that you will make when it comes to planning your big day, as it is essential for the success of your tournament.

First, you should consider the quality of players you are expecting at your event.  If you have experienced golfers, they will likely be more inclined to play a high end or more challenging course and be willing to spend more.  Secondly, it is important to know how many people will be participating in your event. If you are expecting no more than 144 people, a venue with one course should work well. If you are expecting more than 144 people, you’ll want to find a venue that has multiple courses.

Four charity golf tournament players smiling on green grass at a golf course

It’s best to begin the course search as soon as possible in order to educate yourself on availability, location, course slope (difficulty) and negotiate the best price possible. It is best to book a course at least 6 months in advance.  You’ll want to get the “Save the Date” invitations out as soon as possible to ensure golfers will be able to attend your event. 

Remember, your tournament will be bringing a lot of traffic to the course.  Be sure to shop around and find a golf course that will suit your event’s needs, while providing an optimal experience for your participants.

 

What To Look For When Selecting A Golf Course:

 

  • Availability – Does the golf course have any available dates that work for you? How many golfers can they accommodate?

 

  • Location – Is this a good location for the majority of your golfers?

 

  • Cost – Does the price work with your budget?

 

  • Difficulty – Will the course be too difficult for your intended participants?

 

Setting a date:

 

When you have found a course that best suits your needs, the next step is to pick a date that suits you and the golf course.  If your event consists of professional relationships or companies, you may want to consider hosting your event during the week. If this is a personal event, weekends typically work best for participants.

A woman working on a golf tournament schedule

When choosing your date, keep in mind that the time of year and day of the week can impact course costs. Prices are typically highest during the months with ideal weather and are lowest during the slower months where the weather is a little less predictable.  

When selecting the day of the week, courses will charge more to reserve the course on days with higher traffic. This means weekends (including Friday) will usually hold a higher price, while lower rates are offered for weekdays.  

Be sure to ask around and select a date that works for everyone.  

 

Negotiating a Contract

Golf tournament registration form on a white paper

Be sure to come in prepared with a list of questions and even a “wish-list”.  Don’t be afraid to openly compare rates from other courses in the area. Tournaments are designed to raise money, but be careful when selecting a venue, as the lowest rate may lack in service and could result in a poor experience for your players and take away from the essence of your tournament.   

 

What should be covered?

  • Cost Per Golfer

  • Cost for Food & Beverages

  • Date

  • Location

  • Contact Person

  • Number of Players – Maximum and Minimum

  • Deposit Required

  • Additional Services – Beat the Pro, Scoring, etc

  • Cancellation Policy and Weather Policy

 

What should be provided?

  • Registration Table

  • Greens Fees

  • Food & Beverages

  • Dining Room for Dinner & Awards  

  • Carts

  • Cart Signs

  • Range Balls (if applicable)

  • Course Contests (Closest to pin, Longest Drive, etc)

  • Tournament Scoring

  • Tournament Prize (Free foursome, lessons, etc)

Remember, forming a strong relationship with a golf course can play a huge role in your event's success for years to come!     




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Monday, June 5, 2017

2017 US Open Picks

This blog article: 2017 US Open Picks was republished from Event Caddy’s Golf Tournament Management Blog

With the 2017 US Open coming to Erin Hills for the first time, making picks may prove to be a difficult task. No one is certain what scores the world’s best will be able to shoot when play gets started June 12th but we can always take a stab at predicting a winner.

Erin Hills was designed by Dr. Michael John Hurdzan and his business partner Dana Fry, and Ron Whitten. The same team that designed a couple of Ontario gems; Devils Pulpit and Devil's Paintbrush. Both which happen to be a mere chip shot away from our Orangeville office.

Erin Hills will be the first par 72 US Open site since Pebble Beach in 1992. With extra-wide landing areas off the tee and four par 5’s, we expect to see some low numbers – especially from the abundance of bombers on tour right now.  

The big hitters will however need to control their ball around Erin Hills as rough is expected to be quite penal. PGA tour player Wesley Bryan had a close up look at that rough during a recent practice round:

Holy wow! Here's your @usopengolf preview 😳 http://pic.twitter.com/VDLUdYiF4o

— Wesley Bryan (@wesleybryangolf) May 30, 2017

At Event Caddy we love our Major Championships and have put together our top picks for this years US Open:

1. Dustin Johnson

Coming off a win last year and a runner-up finish in 2015, it’s pretty hard not to pick DJ. His distance off the tee complemented by extreme accuracy will no doubt prove to be quite beneficial around Erin Hills.. well,  any course for that matter. 

2. Sergio Garcia

Garcia is sure to do something special with these next few months. We’ll even go ahead and proclaim this ‘The Summer of Sergio’. With a win at the Masters, followed by a hole-in-one at the Players; it seems Garcia is playing some of the best golf of his life. His stellar ball striking, combined with an upcoming wedding are sure to have him in a good frame of mind coming into Erin Hills. 

3. Rory McIlroy

Winner of the US Open in 2011, Rory is no stranger to the big stage. The wide fairways at Erin Hills will no doubt suit his eyes and allow him to blast away. It seems he’s finally getting use the new Taylormade equipment and if his recent rib issues stay away there’s no reason we shouldn’t see him at the top of the leaderboard come Sunday.

4. Jon Rahm

It may be Rahm’s first US Open as a PRO but we’re expecting him to complete. With a win at the Farmers and then two top 5s at his first ever world golf championships, it’s no secret that Rahm is on fire this year. Let’s just hope he can forget about that 3rd round 82 at the players.




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