What to expect if you are in charge!
Golf Outing Organizer
It’s Monday morning, you were running late and barely survived another staff meeting. You were a little foggy on what was covered, as this is your first early morning meeting since you’ve switched to decaf. What was it the division manager was saying while she was directing that larger than life smile at you? Ah yes, that you had been “elected” as the Golf Outing Chairperson for next year’s company golf outing. WHAT?
Last Year's Golf Organizer
Okay, okay sit down and do your deep breathing exercises. Why is it the only picture running through your head is that of last year’s chairperson, who started out with a thick, beautiful head of hair, only to become “follicley” challenged by the day of the event? He had such a “hair raising” (not) experience with the planning of the outing that many say it was akin to a nervous break-down! Others say he just took a vacation and never returned, someone claimed to have seen him driving his golf cart into the pond on No. 4, never to re-emerge, and yet others speak whimsically of his quest for the Dali Lama.
In many cases, planning an outing can be a daunting task. The same person rarely, if ever “volunteers” for the duty more than once. On the other hand, just attack it as you would any business project. My first suggestion – outsource it! However, if you are an avid golfer, event planner or pain enthusiast, and insist on tackling this project, we can give you some helpful hints.
This planning process focuses on corporate golf outings. While planning a charity outing, or the annual neighborhood outing involves some of the same elements of this process, there are notable differences. Most charity events are planned by event specialists, (or masochists as we like to call them), and since corporate outings are the most popular, we felt this focus would best serve the majority of our readers.
As with any successful project, you need to begin with the proper tools. Might I suggest:
- The strongest aspirin or pain reliever you can buy without a prescription, in multiple bottles strategically located throughout your office, home, in the car and in your golf bag.
Your new best friend!
- Infinite number of hours for phone calls
- A golf course directory
- Customer and vendor lists
- A budget
- Pencils with erasers (no these are not for the scorecards!)
- A gigantic bottle of extra strength Tums
- Plenty of paper, mostly to rip up and throw around to ease the frustration
- Your therapist’s number
- A committee (good luck!)
This is just the beginning of this nightmare trip, I mean adventure. Rather than overwhelm with you with everything that is needed ,we will continue this discussion in two more parts. Our goal is to preserve your sanity while giving you the ‘inside’ look at what it takes to run a golf outing.
Cynthia E. Lamb is CEO and owner of RHINO Enterprises, which specializes in marketing and management consulting. She also operates H&L Golf, a “swinging” division of Rhino, which offers consulting in all things golf. After spending several years in management and marketing with Fortune 500 companies, and earning her MBA, Cynthia spent ten years with American Golf Corporation. She has played golf since she was 13, including competitive golf in high school and college, and has a real passion for the game and its traditions. She is currently also teaching marketing at the college level. She is also a friend, business and golf partner of Sherry Tabb, author of Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog.
Stay tuned for Part Two at Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog at www.sherrytabb.com. Do you have experiences to share? Please leave your comments and stories below. Thanks for visiting!
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Tags: "Tee 'M Up Enterprises", Cynthia Lamb, golf, golf committee, golf event, golf organizer, golf outing, organizing a golf event, Rhino Enterprises, sherry tabb
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