Review: Tobacco Road Golf Club – Sanford, NC
October 21, 2018The Best Non-Golf Activities for Groups
November 15, 2018Let’s face it. The golf group leader does the bulk of the work and gets little of the glory. Don’t be the unsung hero of your next group golf trip. Guarantee your rock star status in the realm of group golf trip leadership by following a few simple tips.
- Group selection is key. Only travel with people you want to travel with. And only include folks in the group who get along with each other on and off the golf course.
- Survey the group and get a consensus on where, when and how much before you even begin planning the trip. Understand exactly what your group wants, including how much golf to play each day and preferred approximate start times, as well as dining preferences and possible non-golf activities. Once this is done, present the group with a clear cut plan so no one misunderstands the content and purpose of the trip.
- Begin planning early to secure the best tee times at your desired locations, and the best airfares if your group is flying to their destination.
- Sill looking for additional help? Reach out to a professional trip planner, golf packager or on-site group coordinator who specializes in the area where you want to go. Use their experience and established relationships with resorts and courses to get the best pricing, secure the tee times you want, and provide you with insider information on area dining, entertainment and other off-course activities.
- Beware of offers that sound too good to be true. Read the fine print and check out course and lodging reviews in advance on sites such as TripAdvisor.com, as well as course reviews on PGA.com, courses.GolfDigest.com and GolfAdvisor.com.
- Ask for perks and you shall receive! Many golf resorts and courses offer incentives for larger groups. These can include free replays, free range balls, accommodation and meal plan upgrades, comps and more for individual group participants and/or for the group leader.
- For budget-conscious groups, suggest a off-peak season trip. Playing and staying during non-high season dates enable you to score a destination that would normally be beyond the group’s budget. Sweet!
- Make a plan and stick to it…to a point. If an interesting opportunity presents itself during the trip, doesn’t completely derail other well made plans, and has the support of the group…go for it! Play an unplanned replay round, stop for a beer at a roadside watering hole, or take in a local sporting event. The possibilities are endless and may turn out to be a highlight of the trip.
- Delegate! Discern the unique talents of the people in the group and assign them each a trip-related task. You will lighten your workload and share responsibility for the success of the trip.
- Groups love competition! Whether its serious or zany, or you play for money, a trophy, free drinks or bragging rights, everyone has fun and has a chance to win. For a different twist, contact the golf professional at one of the clubs you’ll be playing in advance of your trip and make arrangements for a little friendly competition between your group and a some local players or club members.
- Why not give everyone in the group a souvenir of their trip? Have a logo created and put it on hat, shirt, jacket or golf towel. For an extra special touch, hire a professional videographer or photographer to follow the group around for 9 or 18 holes, capture the action and then create a CD with narration and/or background music.
- Know that something will go wrong and roll with the punches when it does. No trip is ever 100% perfect. Folks arrive late, oversleep and overindulge, luggage gets lost, tee times get cancelled and sometimes Mother Nature just does not cooperate. Minimize the chance and severity of the glitches with detailed pre-planning and organization. Enjoy the trip, learn from the experience and make the best of every situation.