Meeting News - March 9, 2009 - (Page 30)

Planners Guide to Florida Sour Economy No Game-Breaker for Golf But budgets are drastically pared and resorts see smaller groups on the fairways Over-the-top golf events, from parachutists landing on the first tee to kick off an event, to champagne-filled hot-air balloon flights after a round, are now hazy memories of the giddy times at Florida golf resorts just a year ago. With the beleaguered economy and corporate belt-tightening, golf budgets have been reduced to cover only the bare essentials. Corporations cutting back attendees, increasing difficulty in obtaining Fame resides—and currently golf director for nearby Golf 20/20, a World Golf Foundation organization dedicated to increasing participation in the sport and ensuring its future viability. “Most people understand the downsizing of golf events and realize the perks of last year aren’t realistic this year.” Make no mistake, golf-loving groups are still going to Florida, which has more than 1,300 courses and over 50 major golf resorts. But er of golf sales and performance at Walt Disney World Golf, said his team has placed a strong emphasis on smaller groups. “We now offer groups of 12 players or more the same group rates that used to start at 40 players,” said Harker. “Our food and beverage department has developed a $10 box lunch, which is a great accomplishment since our previous lowest-priced box lunch was $17.95.” PGA National Resort & Spa golf director Chris The Naples Berry said the key Beach Hotel to handling a golf & Golf Club budget cutback is has adjusted to know the to serve group’s likes and smaller golf dislikes.“Some groups. groups will opt for a box lunch with a nicer gift instead of a sit-down lunch,” said Berry.“Some groups want the clubhouse lunch for networking and socializing and don’t care as much about golf gifts they may already have received previously.” Golf luxuries increasingly being curtailed are the complimentary beverage cart and open bar at lunches and receptions. “Alcohol is one area of the golf event that oftentimes gets cut to some degree,” said Terry MatthewsLombardo, CMP, owner of Altamonte Springs, FL-based meeting planner TML Services. “Most of the time, it’s little things that people take in stride, like drink tickets for the beverage cart and limiting the open bar to a set time, and perhaps offering only wine and beer instead of high-priced liquors. Attendees are keenly aware of the current environment, and most just go with the flow.” But Disney’s Harker discourages cutting out “hole-in-one,”“closestto-the-pin,” and other contests. “It’s not really about the extravagance. You can’t believe how excited contest winners get about the smallest gift or a $25 gift certificate to the pro shop,” said Harker. “We get lots of correspondence after events, and it’s often the smallest things that people remember most, like a friendly starter or a cheerful cart server. Those things never have to be cut from a budget.” Despite the current challenges, Harker stressed golf as a valuable meetings commodity: “Golf is still a great vehicle for networking and socialization, and groups can benefit in so many direct and indirect ways from a golf event.” —Edward Schmidt, Jr. sponsors, and the downward trend in association attendance have resulted in smaller golf programs. Planners and suppliers are treading lightly in the current environment, trying to create events that blend excitement, fun, and productivity against lower budgets, fewer participants, and the sense that flaunting can invite scrutiny in these troubled times. Even groups that can afford events with lots of sizzle are opting to go more low-key. “In today’s economic climate, if you’re too extravagant, people are very surprised,” said Cathy Harbin, former golf director at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine— where the World Golf Hall of 30 MeetingNews March 9, 2009 what has changed is the number of players participating. At the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club, a typical full, 144-person event has become a 90-person event, said golf director George Willard. But from a hospitality supplier’s standpoint, the goal is still providing a great overall golf experience no matter the size of the group, said James Gelfand, sales and marketing vice president of PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, which has five championship courses and executes more than 1,000 golf events annually (see related sidebar). At Walt Disney World in Orlando, which has four championship golf courses, Steve Harker, manag- Golf Instruction All-Stars Unite at PGA National T he 339-room PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens announced partnerships with two of the world’s most celebrated golf instructors, short-game guru Dave Pelz, who has worked with Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh, and David Leadbetter, whose client list includes Ernie Els and Michelle Wie. The result is the formation of the PGA National Golf Academy, the first location to have both Pelz and Leadbetter programs. Both the Dave Pelz Scoring Game School and the David Leadbetter Golf Academy are housed in separate facilities at the academy, and both offer one-, two-, and three-day programs. —ES www.meetingnews.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - March 9, 2009

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