Who are the hot tickets when it comes to celebrity golf? Bill Colvin, president of Colvin Sports Network, Cleveland, points to golf pro Peter Jacobson, television golf analyst David Feherty, and golf legend Gary Player. “These are guys you can turn loose without any supervision,” he says. “That's important for planners.”
Eddie Smith, owner of Golf-Podium, a Jupiter, Fla.-based speakers bureau, agrees that Feherty is hot, as well as Gary McCord, another golf analyst. And “Chi Chi Rodriguez is terrific,” Smith says of the colorful member of the Senior PGA Tour. He also recommends actor Leslie Nielsen, baseball superstar Johnny Bench, and Golf Channel personalities Jennifer Mills and Peter Kessler.
Fees range from $1,500 to $250,000, depending on the celebrity, Smith says. In his experience, planners spend $10,000 to $25,000.