This special issue focuses on the trends shaping group golf, especially emerging destinations and types of courses. Take Las Vegas, which in the past five years has nearly doubled its courses, from 21 to 41, with 10 more on the drawing board. A standout is the replica course Royal Links, a $32 million masterpiece copy of the greatest golf holes in the British Isles, including The Road Hole at St. Andrews and Royal Troon's Postage Stamp (see pages 2829).
A growing trend in corporate partnerships built around golf is evidenced by many of our magazine's own relationships. At our annual Coyote Classic, for example, we work with hospitality industry partners to organize a top-notch tournament for convention and visitors bureaus and their clients. It's an event centered not only around world-class golf, but also around building lasting business relationships. The 1999 Coyote Classic was held at The Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park, Ariz., which recently celebrated its 70th anniversary (of its three championship courses, two were designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr.).
In researching the article "Meetings on the Green" (page 37), we found that more and more executives are placing a high value on business golf. As Jeffrey Chabon, president of ZWorld Entertainment Inc., says in the article: "Not only do you learn a lot about a person on the golf course, you also show your own true colors."
Other special features in this issue include our "Guide to Planning Effective Golf Events" (page 57) and the annual Golden Links Directory of Golf Resorts (page 78), the only resource of its kind, with detailed specs on facilities that will help make your next event a winner.