Westfield Greens

Solidifying Charity Golf Outing Contracts

If your club hosts charity golf outings as a revenue generator throughout the summer, there are some important facets of the event to take into consideration so that club and event organizers will walk away satisfied.

To avoid confusion and embarrassment after the event, all parties involved in a golf outing should sign a golf outing contract before the outing is booked. The contract spells out the entire event, associated costs for running an event and helps manage expectations for organizers, participants, and hosts.   

 

Primary considerations for contracts should be given to:

• Date - Ensure date is favorable to seasonal conditions to minimize cancellation potential due to weather.
• Green Fees - Green and Cart fees should be specifically detailed.
• Food and Beverage - Are breakfast, lunch and dinner covered...what about on-course food and beverage?
• Participant Levels - What if there is an overabundance/lack of participants?
• Rain Check Policy- What if the event is cancelled due to inclement weather?
• Equipment Rentals - List additional tables, chairs and tents that may be needed.
• On Course Contests - For hole-in-one contests, make sure it is underwritten and that there is distinct responsibility identified for who will verify proper yardage.
• Volunteers - What type of special training do they need (i.e.golf cart operation), and are their meals included in the contract?

The charity golf committee and the host club's event coordinator should meet at least two times prior to the event and the morning of the event.  This will ensure all parties have an understanding of deadlines and manage expectations for the event.

One of the biggest risks of hosting an event is the number of participants.  The contract needs to spell out minimum and maximum participation levels for both golf and post-round activities (which may be different). If you are the organizer of the event, be aware that if minimum numbers are not met, you will still have to pay for the golf, food and beverage that you committed to.

If you are interested in reviewing a sample contract, Google "golf course outing contracts" and there are several sites that have examples.

Mark Jordan is Natural Resource Leader at Wefield Group Country Club.

Photo courtesy of Mark Jordan

 

Getting the Most Return on Your Intern

Interns can be one of the best resources for you and your facility. In most cases the interns are eager to learn the business they are about to embark upon. It is an exciting time for them as they begin their journey toward becoming professionals in the field they have chosen for their livelihood.

1. Choose the right fit. There are many colleges and universities offering degrees in Hospitality, Golf Operations, Food and Beverage and Grounds Management. Find a school that offers such programs and contact them about your desire to hire an intern. Be certain the intern you are bringing in is sincere about their desire to become a professional in his or her chosen internship. Talk to their counselors. Discover their GPA and their personality traits.
2. Search nationally. You won’t need to limit yourself to local schools, especially if you can provide housing. Housing is an especially attractive offer for interns. This opens up opportunities from literally any school anywhere.
3. Create a plan for your intern once hired. Be certain to expose them to a variety of areas within the operation. Occasionally we have witnessed an intern who is trained in only one area of the operation, for example only working the bag drop for Golf Operations. The intern is looking for complete exposure to all facets of an operation. When challenged with learning all aspects of the operation, we believe you will receive more productivity from that intern.
4. Have your intern sit in on planning sessions. This allows them to see the inner workings of an operation. Assign the intern to manage or supervise a particular project at the facility.
5. Limit repeat experiences. In our Golf Operations we have a policy that states any one intern may only be employed by us for a maximum of two seasons. This means the intern will be exposed to other types of facilities and thus broaden their experiences.  

Remember, while they are working for you and your department, it is still your responsibility to train them in the profession they are entering into. All the best to you and your operations in the coming season!

Chad is the head PGA golf professional at Westfield Group Country Club, and has been a golf professional since 1979. He was elected to PGA membership in 1983 and accepted the position at Westfield Group Country Club in June of 1985.