I CAN'T BELIEVE this is the 11th year that Corporate Meetings & Incentives has published our annual golf issue. We started this special issue because our readers are often asked to plan golf events and have few resources to turn to. The magazine has grown throughout the years to cover trends in golf events (from adding a golf school to hiring a sports celebrity), issues our readers face (such as golf facilities that are not geared toward women), and the growth of various golf destinations (right now, golf/spa destinations are hot — see page 47).

This year, we have pulled together the most comprehensive golf event planning guide for groups ever. It's an issue that we hope you will keep on your shelves for years to come. You'll find everything you need to know, from tournament formats to pairing tips to event planning checklists to advice on what to do when the weather doesn't cooperate. Our “Ultimate Guide to Planning Golf Events” starts on page 10.

Eleven years ago, we organized a talented and knowledgeable group of golf pros and golf event planners to become our Golden Links Advisory Board. Many of its members (listed on page 57) have been with the board since its inception. They are a valuable source of ideas and information, and I have learned so much from them through the years. On page 59, board members talk to staff writer Michael Bassett about recent trends that they have seen, including rising fees and shrinking participation.

The other important member of our annual golf issue team is Ed Schmidt Jr., a Florida-based golf travel and meetings writer who has also been with us from the start. Ed writes for magazines including Golf, Travel and Leisure Golf, Links Magazine, and Golfweek, and has written two books on the golf resorts of Florida: 52 Great Florida Golf Getaways (2002, Pineapple Press, Sarasota, Fla.) and Florida Golf Getaways (1990, Sentinel Publishing, Orlando, Fla.). He is also the person who makes our annual “Editor's Choice,” which this year is the stunningly beautiful One&Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico. Travel there with him on page 94.

We hope that you will find this issue a help with your golf events.
Barbara Scofidio
Editor

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CMI welcomes letters. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. Please send comments to bscofidio@primediabusiness.com.