9 Ways to Outsmart Your Competition with Golf

When most golfers think of Business Golf, they think of inviting 3 guests and playing a round of golf. This is, bar none, the most popular way of using golf to entertain. But the question is, "why stop there?" Golf is popular; why not use it to keep your name fresh in your clients' minds. Differentiation is one of the keys to success and the following ideas will give you a competitive edge.

Host a Great Golf Extravaganza

Line up a guest speaker to whom your clients can relate. Hire a Golf Professional to conduct a clinic and be the master of ceremonies on the golf course. Invite four to eight clients and use the following schedule:

Split group into 2 or 3 teams and have a scramble event for a few holes. Also include a closest-to-pin contest and a putting contest. For the putting contest, after a hole is completed find a long putt on a hole and have everyone take a stroke. The player whose ball is closest to the hole wins.

Host a Putting Challenge

Host a putting contest after business hours. There are many different formats that you can use, but the following are the most common:

Host a Nite Lite Golf Event

Invite your clients to a 5-hole event at night using glow-in-the-dark golf balls, or have a putting, chipping, and closest-to-the-pin event at night.

Host a Skills Competition

Have a putting, chipping, long drive and closest-to-the-pin skill contest after hours or on a Saturday morning. Coordinate the event at a club where you can serve refreshments and have the awards ceremony in the clubhouse. Lastly, if you pay the Golf Professional his lesson fee for a few hours, he or she can get the fee for the use of the practice facility waived and you will get his or her help in running the event.

Host a Caddy Shack Party

Rent or buy the best golf movie ever made and invite clients to your house for dinner and a movie. This is definitely a unique idea and your clients have probably never been to your competitor's house for such an event. You can also invite your clients over to watch the last round of one of the Majors, a TOUR Event in your local area, or the Ryder Cup.

Host a Parent-Child Event

There is no question that building relationships is the cornerstone to business success and there is no better method than inviting a client's entire family to an event. Use Beginner Rules or move the tees up even more to make sure it is not too difficult for the children. Consult the professional golf staff about the best formats for the individuals who will be participating. Don't forget to have a ceremony were all the children receive something for their participation. Please be advised that to save money you might want to host your event at a par-three or executive golf course. These facilities are usually junior-friendly and are less expensive. If you can't get on the golf course, host a clinic, putting contest, or nite lite event.

Host a Par Three Tournament

Make all 18 holes par threes. With the help of a PGA Golf Professional you can move the tee markers up on all the par 4's and 5's and invite your clients to try to make 18 pars or better. Also, have prizes for closest-to-the-pin for every hole and award prizes to the players with the three best scores. Because there will be a large gap in playing ability, put the emphasis on closest-to-the-pin by having the best prizes for this competition. Regardless of skill level, most players feel confident that they can hit a good shot once in a while and will be able to win one of the prizes. If you have a lot of novices, you can have a scramble event instead. Have all the teams that finished under par placed in a drawing for a prize.

Host a Shoot-Out

A shoot-out has 10 people, all playing at the same time (be sure to mark everyone's ball). The highest score is eliminated on each hole. In case of a tie, have a chipping or putting contest where the competitor who ends up farthest away is eliminated. Bring a deck of cards. The player who draws the lowest card goes first, but the person drawing the highest card picks the spot for the chip off. The individuals who get eliminated can follow the action and make sure the beverage cart is nearby. If you can't get a full field, you can play one less hole than the number of people you have. You can also have a shoot-out after an outing where the top 4 teams have a three-hole shoot out for the championship. Again, the non-participants can follow the action.

Play in a Local PGA Section or Chapter Pro-Am

These events are a blast. You play with PGA of America Golf Professionals who are great and are much less expensive than regular TOUR Event players since they have a day job. Again, check with your local Golf Professional; he should always be looking for pro-am partners and even if he is spoken for; he will have a friend who is looking for a partner.

If you have clients and prospects that play golf, I can help you. I will be more than happy to assist you in putting together a custom plan on how you can maximize your golf expenditures. Regardless of your budget, you can outsmart your competition and build a better relationship with golf. Give me a call today to see how fun and easy it can be.
David Collins
407-273-0210