Find the Right Format

One of the most important components of a successful golf tournament is the format. Use the wrong kind of format for your group and you could have a lot of unhappy golfers by the end of the tournament.

Chuck Lane — who as assistant vice president, public relations and meeting services for Humana in Green Bay, Wis., plans 12 to 15 tournaments a year — says that a tournament should be designed “to create a meaningful experience, a sense of team and camaraderie. You don't want to turn it into something cutthroat and counterproductive.”

The most popular formats are scrambles and shambles. Scrambles, in which teams from tee to green take the best shot in a foursome and hit from that spot — are team-oriented games that accommodate all skill levels. And Lane likes the shamble, which uses the scramble format for the tee shot, but after which every golfer must hit his or her own ball. “It helps keep the field competitive.”

While these kinds of formats help level the playing field, Lane says, there can still be problems. For example, “it's difficult to establish who the A, B, C, and D golfers [in terms of ability] are,” he notes. It's important, therefore, to try to determine that handicaps reported by tournament participants are as accurate as possible.

One untraditional format that Lane loves is the “horserace.” He experienced it at an event at the Esmeralda Resort in Indian Wells, Calif. Teams were divided into A, B, C, and D players who were required to hit alternate shots until a hole was finished. The unique component was that the highest scoring foursome on each hole was eliminated from the tournament, making the field progressively smaller. The eliminated teams became part of a growing gallery of spectators, increasing the excitement as the tournament drew to its conclusion.

“It's great for socializing and teambuilding,” Lane says. Since teams can potentially be eliminated after just a single hole of play, it helps if the “horserace” is just a nine-hole event held as part of two or three days of golf.

RSS Share

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2012 Penton Media Inc.


Acceptable Use Policy
blog comments powered by Disqus

Search 125,000+ Venues

Search Meeting Space

Find Event Venues with Cvent

The Meeting Planning Blog

Face2Face Latest Posts

Sign Up for Our Free E-Newsletters



Meetings Collaborative

Rate your experience with meeting venues and suppliers.

Facility / Hotel

 
Powered by: Meetings Collaborative
Aega Awards

Latest Webinar

Beyond Marketing: What Else Social Media Can Do for Your Meetings
Thursday, May 24 | 2-3 p.m. EST

Most associations know that online social networks can be handy tools to spread the word about their meetings and events. But social media can do so much more than market. Our social media expert will uncover ways you can leverage social media to discover the educational content your members are craving, engage and energize your community, build relationships, and even simplify your meeting processes. Register Now!

VIEW ALL ARCHIVED WEBINARS

Recent Comments

Powered by Disqus

Back to Top

Explore Our Newsletters


Meeting Planner Survival Guide

Whether you're a novice planner or a veteran, this compilation of must-read articles is your meeting planning resource.

Must-See Meeting Files

Visit the MeetingsNet expert-advice site, where we’ve got top meeting pros on camera answering a variety of your questions as well as a collection of educational—and sometimes offbeat—editors’ pick lists — from the top tech tools to the best books for meeting professionals.

Suppliers/
Facilities/CVBs

MeetingsNet makes it easy to find the CVBs, tourist boards, and facilities you need for your next meeting.

Deal Finder

Special offers brought to you by MeetingsNet.

Find A Job

Targeted to all aspects of the hospitality and special events industry.

SMM PORTAL

Your source for Strategic Meetings Management info and intelligence

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   RSS Feed

Inside Current Issue

May 2011 FIM

May 2012

March 2011 FIM

March 2012

January 2012

January 2012

November 2011

November 2011

July/August 2011

Browse Back Issues