“Golf news and notes” plus 2 more

Golf news and notes
Tampa Bay golf tour
Golf Resort Business Moving Out of the Rough | Knowland Survey

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 06:10 PM PST

Times wires
In Print: Thursday, February 17, 2011

Golf Fest

The Tampa Bay Downs golf facility hosts Golf Fest on Saturday and Sunday. It features free lessons, demonstrations from companies and seminars by teaching pros. Chuck "The Hit Man'' Hiter, a trick-shot specialist will perform at noon Saturday. At 10:15 a.m. Sunday, LPGA Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam talks. Admission is $10 but free for those 16 and younger. For details, go to golfest.com.

High-tech bag

John Daly is going multimedia. He has a TV built into his bag (think Rodney Dangerfield's character, Al Czervik, in Caddyshack) that will display ads much like an electronic billboard. The screen rotates with Daly's various sponsors. He says it weighs only about 3 pounds, so it's not a strain on his caddie. And while it only looks like a TV, Daly says he's trying to make it work like one, especially when he plays overseas during football season. The bag will be on display when he plays in the Transitions Championship. The LPGA's Kyeong Bae first used the monitor last year.

Win a pro-am spot

There is still time to register for the Bright House Networks Challenge. The winning foursome will play with a Champions Tour pro at the Outback Steakhouse Pro Am at TPC Tampa Bay. Go to outbackproam.com.

Local tournaments

• The Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce's third annual Mardi Gras tournament is Sunday at Cypress Run. Registration begins at noon with a shotgun start at 1. Entry fee is $90 per player or $320 per foursome and includes a cart and dinner. Call (727) 937-6109.

•Temple Terrace Golf and Country Club hosts a hickory tournament Monday. Players use early 1900s hickory-shaft clubs and even wear clothes from that era. Admission is fee, or you can enter the tournament by e-mailing Mike Stevens at amstevens@ij.net.

•The Hurricane Junior Golf Tour will hold a tournament Feb. 26-27 at The Claw at USF. There are five age groups: boys 15-19, boys 13-14, boys 10-12, girls 14-18 and girls 10-13. For details, call (904) 379-2697 or go to hjgt.org.

This week on Tour

PGA: Northern Trust Open, Riviera Country Club, Los Angeles. TV: Today-Friday, 3 p.m. Golf Channel; Saturday-Sunday, 1 p.m. Golf Channel, 3 p.m. Ch. 10

LPGA: Honda LPGA Thailand, Siam Country Club. TV: Friday, 12:30 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 3 p.m. Golf Channel

Champions: Ace Group Classic, Quarry Course, Naples. TV: Friday, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, 6:30 p.m.; Sunday, 7 p.m. Golf Channel

PGA Europe: Avantha Masters, DLF Golf and Country Club, New Delhi. TV: Today-Sunday, 9:30 a.m. Golf Channel

[Last modified: Feb 16, 2011 08:57 PM]

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Tampa Bay golf tour

Posted: 16 Feb 2011 04:39 PM PST

Times staff
In Print: Thursday, February 17, 2011

Tampa Bay golf tour

Tampabay.com/golf is a guide to public courses in the area. More than 70 regulation and executive courses are listed, broken down by county and price range. The site also has a video review of each course. This week's featured courses are Chi Chi Rodriguez Golf Course, Seven Springs Golf Club, Silverado Golf and Country Club, The Dunes Golf Club, Pebble Creek Golf Club and Bardmoor North Golf Club.

LPGA players start 2011 chasing young star

The LPGA Tour starts today in Thailand, and the player to beat is no mystery. Taiwan's Yani Tseng, 22, already has won three majors, was last year's tour player of the year and won two European tour events in Australia this year to rise to No. 1 in the world. Tseng's goal was to get to No. 1. She just didn't believe she would get there before the LPGA season began. "I still have another 10 months to go," Tseng said. "I just need to be very patient and keep working hard. I still have a lot of things to learn, too." Seminole's Brittany Lincicome also will play in Thailand.

Quote of the day

"When it was played at the end of March, it was getting to be the fifth major. When they moved it to mid May, it's about the 10th-most important tournament in the world now (for European players)." — Andrew Chandler, agent for Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy on why the Europeans are skipping the Players Championship at Sawgrass

[Last modified: Feb 16, 2011 07:26 PM]

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Golf Resort Business Moving Out of the Rough | Knowland Survey

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 02:31 AM PST

16 February 2011

62% of Resorts Surveyed by Knowland Have Seen a Recent Increase in Golf Bookings

The Knowland Group, the world's largest data firm in the global meetings and conventions industry, recently conducted a survey of golf resorts across the United States. While 45 percent reported seeing a drastic reduction in golf resort bookings over the last two years, the survey shows business is on the upswing. 62 percent said golf bookings are on the rise, with a vast majority of those classifying the increase as moderate or large.

With the combination of the economic downturn and scandals like AIG, many golf resorts saw a large drop in their business the last few years. While 45 percent said they saw a drastic reduction, even more surveyed acknowledged some decrease in golf bookings. One resort in Arizona admitted having a number of government cancellations simply because their name contained the word 'resort', which would show up on expense reports and cause public outcry. Of those who reported a drastic reduction, 4 percent said they removed words such as 'spa' and 'resort' from their name, 28 percent launched a new ad campaign, 31 percent offered alternatives to golf packages, and 37 percent used other methods to combat the loss, including slashing rates.

"The highly vocal negative perception of golf events has finally started to fade," said Knowland CEO Michael K. McKean. "Resorts can once again be proactive in pursuing corporate, government, and SMERF business by offering golf packages as an added amenity."

Directors of Sales at golf resorts across the country are even more optimistic about the future of golf business. 74 percent of those surveyed said they thought golf bookings would increase in 2011. Most have also learned the important lesson of diversification – 75 percent now offer other recreational activities besides golf.

This Knowland survey was conducted from January 31-February 3, 2011. The full survey results can be found below.

1. After AIG and similar scandals, did you have a large number of golf cancellations?

a. Yes – 24%

b. No – 76%

2. Did you see a drastic reduction in golf resort bookings the last two years?

a. Yes – 45%

b. No – 55%

If so, what if anything did you do to combat this loss in golf resort business?

a. Launch a new ad campaign – 28%

b. Remove words such as "spa" and "resort" from your name – 4%

c. Offer alternatives to golf packages – 31%

d. Other – 37%

3. Have you had an increase in golf bookings recently?

a. Yes – 62%

b. No – 38%

If so, how would you rate that increase?

a. Large increase – 12%

b. Moderate increase – 53%

c. Minimal increase – 35%

4. Do you see golf bookings increasing in 2011?

a. Yes – 74%

b. No – 13%

c. Unsure – 13%

5. Do you offer other recreational activities for non-golfers?

a. Yes – 75%

b. No – 25%

About The Knowland GroupThe Knowland Group is a proven innovator, developing intuitive marketing products and services that streamline and support event and group sales in the hospitality industry. The company, headquartered in McLean, VA, serves over 3,000 hotel clients and 25,000 users globally. Knowland was ranked as the fifth fastest growing software company (public or private) in North America by Deloitte and the second fastest growing private company in the travel industry for both 2009 and 2010 by Inc. Magazine. For more information, visit www.KnowlandGroup.com, call 410-860-2270, or follow us on Twitter @knowlandgroup.