! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
.FEJB )JHIMJHIUT
!
e e S he View from t ANCHORAGE
Golf Meetings
Lake George, New York Meeting in Iowa Faith-Based Meeting Guide A
U
G
U
S
T
2
0
1
4
Tee Times and Bragging Rights These high-profile golf destinations are popular with meeting attendees
Courtesy Pinehurst Resort
By Rachel Carter Groups that hold meetings at Pinehurst Resort can play golf on the legendary course (above), and then overnight and meet in the 82-room Holly Inn (left).
s a sport, golf has taken some hits in recent years — some view it as too expensive or too elitist — but the fact remains that “there are still deals done on the golf course,” said Jeff Holland, director of marketing and sales for Rosewood CordeValle in northern California. And golf is still often part of the deal when planning meetings. Must-play courses attract conferences and events, but planners can also use them to attract attendees.
A
Pinehurst Resort Pinehurst, North Carolina Pinehurst Resort hardly needs an introduction in the golf community. Pinehurst’s introduction is its nine courses. Having hosted the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open back-toback in June didn’t hurt, either.
14
Meeting Ideas
Courtesy Pinehurst Resort
“We know our DNA in the marketplace is golf; when people think ‘Rolex,’ they think ‘watch,’” said Eric Kuester, director of group sales for the resort. Pinehurst has to work harder, though, to educate people about the resort’s meeting
space, conference services and other recreation options than it does to promote golf. “Sometimes we have to educate our customers that we’re more than golf,” Kuester said. “We almost have to work harder to educate meeting planners that you can come to Pinehurst and not be bored if you’re not a golfer.” The Carolina Hotel has more than 61,000 square feet of indoor meeting space and another 22,000 square feet of outdoor event space. The largest of the hotel’s 20 indoor meeting areas is Carolina Hall, a 14,00-squarefoot space with a terrace, followed by the 9,600-square-foot Grand Ballroom, which can
www.smallmarketmeetings.com
Courtesy Kingsmill Resort
The 16th and 17th holes of the River Course at Kingsmill Plantation overlook the James River. be split into five smaller rooms. The 82-room Holly Inn has five meeting rooms ranging from about 400 square feet to just shy of 1,100 square feet, as well as an outdoor pool terrace for receptions. Across the resort, the 1899 Pinehurst Clubhouse has two ballrooms — the larger one is about 5,200 square feet — that work well for receptions or meals before a round of golf, Kuester said. www.pinehurst.com
Kingsmill Resort Williamsburg, Virginia Kingsmill Resort has three courses, although only two — the Plantation and River courses — are available to resort guests. The Woods is now a members-only course. “There are not many public resorts in the country that have hosted a professional golf tournament over the course of 30 years,” said Rich Keurajian, vice president of sales and marketing. “The opportunity to play a famous course is a draw for any golfer.” The River Course hosted the PGA for more
August 2014
then 20 years, although it has hosted the LPGA Kingsmill Championship during the past decade. “Golfers love to play a golf course that they can watch on TV and say, ‘I’ve played that hole,’” Keurajian said. The last three holes of the Pete Dye-designed River Course are along the James River, where officials believe America’s founding fathers landed on May 12, 1607, before heading farther west the next day to settle Jamestown. The Plantation Course also blends the historic and the scenic. Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay designed the course to include Richard Kingsmill’s 1736 plantation home. Kingsmill has about 16,000 square feet of meeting and conference space that includes 10 meeting rooms on the resort center’s conference level and a 6,000-square-foot ballroom with a patio that overlooks the James River. The ballroom can be broken into four smaller rooms. Kingsmill also has three guesthouses — each with a kitchen, a dining room and a deck or patio — available for corporate retreats or VIP
clients, whether for overnight stays or receptions. The Links Landing Tent can hold up to 160 guests for a sit-down dinner and offers views of the 18th fairway. www.kingsmill.com
American Club Resort Kohler, Wisconsin Almost all conferences are looking for some form of recreation, and “if you can put it on a golf course such as [ours], the attraction is huge,” said Ed Elsner, tournament coordinator for the American Club’s Blackwolf Run and Whistling Straits. The resort has four golf courses. Whistling Straits has two: The Irish and The Straits, which hosted the 2004 and 2010 PGA Championships and will host it again in August 2015. The Straits is a walking-only, Pete Dye-designed course that hugs Lake Michigan’s shoreline. The Irish is a grasslands-and-dune course that sits just inland. Blackwolf Run offers two more courses: The River and The Meadow Valleys. Pete Dye also designed The River, which features large
15
greens, and water or gorges on 14 holes. With regard to hosting the PGA as well as the 2007 U.S. Senior Open and the 2012 U.S. Women’s Open, Elsner said. “that type of exposure is priceless to attract corporations.” The Kohler Golf Academy provides golf clinics and group lessons for nongolfers or those who are rusty; avid golfers, however, can take on the courses. The rustic Blackwolf Run clubhouse, built with fieldstone and lodge pole pine, has a meeting room that can hold about 150 people; it can also be divided into two smaller spaces. A boardroom that overlooks the 18th hole can hold about 50. At Whistling Straits, the fieldstone-built Irish Barn has exposed rafters and an open wall that overlooks three fairways. The open wall can be closed off during inclement weather. And one of the guests’ favorite features at Whistling Straits is the herd of blackfaced sheep that roam both courses. www.americanclubresort.com
Rosewood CordeValle San Martin, California Rosewood CordeValle is surrounded by 1,700 acres of environmentally protected land
16
Meeting Ideas
Courtesy American Club Resort
The seventh hole at the American Club’s Whistling Straits course is nicknamed “Shipwreck.”
www.smallmarketmeetings.com
Courtesy Kingsmill Resort
Meeting planners can hold post-golf events at Kingsmill Resort’s Petus House.
in northern California, “so it’s just you and nature,” Holland said. There are “unobstructed views of meandering creeks, a lot of old oak trees, a lot of deer running around,” he added. CordeValle’s golf course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. who “He said this was one his best courses he designed,” said Holland. The course opened in 1999, and the resort and clubhouse followed in 2001. CordeValle has hosted the PGA tour the past four years and will host the U.S. Women’s Open in 2016. Nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, CordeValle has become a popular meeting destination among the Silicon Valley elite, such as employees of Google and Twitter. But because CordeValle is private, “you either have to be a member or staying here to play here,” Holland said, which makes the resort an intriguing destination for attendees who want to “see behind the gate” and play the course. The resort offers classes and clinics for those who want to improve their golf skills, and CordeValle also hired a female instructor to work exclusively with women who want to learn the game or improve their play. CordeValle has 45 guest rooms as well as meeting and event space for as many as 200 people. Meeting space includes a 2,600-square-
“We’ve ggot to start meeting like this!” Located in historic Cooperstown, NY, home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, The Otesaga offers 30,000 square feet of distinctive meeting spaces from stately conference halls to break-out rooms for lakeside collaboration. Charming >VV `>Ì Ã] vÀii 7 > `w i` }i i « v Ì i personal service we’ve delivered since 1909. Contact us to see how our team can take your event to the next level.
MEETING PACKAGES FROM $245*
800-348-6222 • O TESAGA . COM
* Per room, per night based on single adult occupancy. Double adult rates available and starting at $325. Õ v xä À à «iÀ } Ì° V Õ`ià >«« V>L i Ã> ià Ì> ià > ` }À>ÌÕ Ì ið "Ì iÀ ÀiÃÌÀ VÌ Ã > apply. Package available now through December 30, 2014. Some blackout dates apply.
August 2014
17
Courtesy Sun Valley Resort
The Sawtooth Putting Course at Sun Valley Resort gives visitors an opportunity to play a leisurely par-3 round of golf surrounded by mountains. foot ballroom, a 720-square-foot all-purpose room, three smaller boardrooms and a rose garden for events. www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/ cordevalle-northern-california
Sun Valley Resort Sun Valley, Idaho Surrounded by mountains — the Smokies to the west, the Boulders to the north and the Pioneers to the east — Sun Valley’s 45 holes makes it a must-play destination for many golfers, said Jack Sibbach, director of marketing and public relations for Sun Valley Resort. The 18-hole Trail Creek course, which was designed by Jones, offers a lot of trees, water and elevation changes. The nine-hole White Clouds course, which opened in August 2008, offers 360-degree mountain views, Sibbach said. The famous father-son design team of Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed the Elkhorn course, which originally opened in 1974. Sun Valley bought the
course and the 16,000-square-foot clubhouse in July 2011, and although both are private, they’re available to Sun Valley guests. The resort also has the 18-hole Sawtooth Putting Course, “a fantastic opportunity for people to go out here and have a great time, whether they’re golfers or nongolfers,” Sibbach said. Every hole is par 3, and golf attire is not required. “They can go out there in bare feet or sneakers, go out with a cocktail in their hand,” he added. “It’s a place where a lot of groups will have a putting contest.” The Sun Valley Club has a boardroom as well as event space that includes a deck and a terrace. Sun Valley Inn has about 16,000 square feet of meeting space, including an 8,400-square-foot ballroom that can be divided into three smaller rooms. Sun Valley Village has a 300-seat Opera House and two large meeting rooms, each more than 2,100 square feet in size. www.sunvalley.com
www.smallmarketmeetings.com
The List
!
CordeValle Golf Club ranks as toughest golf course in the Bay Area Ranked by USGA course rating Locally Researched by: Julia Cooper, Apr 11, 2014, 3:00am PDT
Looking for a challenge on the fairway? Check out our list of the 25 toughest golf courses in the Greater Bay Area. We rank courses on U.S. Golf Association course rating.
!
!
The List: Silicon Valley's most challenging golf courses for men Apr 8, 2014, 6:40am Lemery Reyes Researcher- Silicon Valley Business Journal
Want to bond with clients visiting Silicon Valley from out of town? You’re in luck. This week the Business Journal published a list of the most challenging golf courses in Silicon Valley. The list was ranked by the United States Golf Association, which measures courses by how many strokes a scratch golfer would be expected to take in a round. (Female golfers, we’ll publish a list of the top 5 courses for women this week as well). Is your course on the list? No. 4 (tie): San Jose's Coyote Creek Golf Club, Tournament (Rating: 74.8) No. 4 (tie): Seaside's Bayonet & Horse Golf Club (Rating: 74.8) No. 3: Carmel's the Preserve (Rating: 75.1) No. 2: Pebble Beach's Spyglass Hill Golf Course (Rating: 75.5) No. 1: San Martin's Cordevalle Golf Club (Rating: 76.4) Additional information for this list was obtained from the Northern California Golf Association, golf course websites and representatives. The top 5 golf courses’ average men’s course rating combined is 75.32 in the Valley. A breakdown of both the men’s and women’s USGA course and yardage information, greens fees and manager can found in the print edition. We looked into golf courses from Santa Clara County; Fremont, Newark and Union City in Alameda County; Atherton, Belmont, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Carlos, San Mateo and Woodside in San Mateo County; and San Benito, Santa Cruz Counties. And for this list we also chose to include Monterey County to give you the most robust list of golf courses we could. Happy swinging!
GOLFWEEK MARCH 21, 2014
GOLFWEEK.COM
18TH ANNUAL GOLFWEEK’S BEST COURSES
®
> CAPTAIN INKSTER IN 2015 > WILLY MAC’S ROAD BACK > SENDEN SNEAKS IN > 19TH HOLE: A FASTER NA
COORE VALUES DESIGNER BILL COORE IS A MODERN CLASSIC
> OUR TOP 100 COURSES > BEST STATE BY STATE Nos. 2 and 3 at Bandon Trails, ranked 22nd on our Modern list
P18-42
GOLFWEEK’S BEST
STATE STATE - by -
COURSES YOU CAN PLAY
The number of courses per state varies based on course supply, population and level of play; includes daily-fee layouts and courses accessible via resorts. (m) - modern course; (c) - classic course; * - new to list
Alabama 1. FarmLinks at Pursell Farms, Sylacagua (m) 2. Kiva Dunes, Gulf Shores (m) 3. The Shoals (Fighting Joe), Muscle Shoals (m) 4. Ross Bridge, Hoover (m) 5. Grand National (Links), Opelika (m) 6. Grand National (Lake), Opelika (m) 7. Limestone Springs, Oneonta (m) 8. Oxmoor Valley (Ridge), Birmingham (m) 9. Timberline, Calera (m) 10. Capitol Hill (Judge), Prattville (m)*
Alaska 1. Anchorage GC, Anchorage (m) 2. Moose Run (Creek), Fort Richardson (m) 3. Chena Bend GC, Fairbanks (m) 4. Eagleglen, Elmendorf Air Force Base (m) 5. Settlers Bay, Wasilla (m)
Arizona 1. We-Ko-Pa (Saguaro), Fort McDowell (m) 2. Quintero GC, Peoria (m) 3. Golf Club at Dove Mountain (Saguaro/Tortolita), Marana (m)
34
Golfweek
.
March 21, 2014
.
golfweek.com
4. We-Ko-Pa (Cholla), Fort McDowell (m) 5. Troon North (Pinnacle), Scottsdale, (m) 6. Troon North (Monument), Scottsdale (m) 7. Ak-Chin Southern Dunes, Maricopa (m) 8. TPC Scottsdale (Stadium), Scottsdale (m) 9. The Verrado Golf Club, Buckeye (m) 10. Ventana Canyon (Mountain), Tucson (m) 11. Talking Stick (North), Scottsdale (m) 12. La Paloma GC (Ridge/Canyon), Tucson (m) 13. Boulders Resort (North), Carefree (m) 14. Boulders Resort (South), Carefree (m) 15. Laughlin Ranch, Bullhead City (m) 16. Golf Club of Estrella, Phoenix (m) 17. Grayhawk (Talon), Scottsdale (m) 18. Grayhawk (Raptor), Scottsdale (m) 19. Gold Canyon Golf Resort (Dinosaur Mountain), Gold Canyon (m) 20. Ventana Canyon (Canyon), Tucson (m) 21. SunRidge Canyon, Fountain Hills (m) 22. Whirlwind GC (Devil’s Claw), Chandler (m) 23. Arizona National, Tucson (m)
24. Sewailo, Tucson (m)* 25. Whirlwind GC (Cattail), Chandler (m)
Arkansas 1. Big Creek G&CC, Mountain Home (m) 2. Hot Springs CC (Arlington), Hot Springs (c) 3. Mountain Ranch CC, Fairfield Bay (m) 4. Thunder Bayou Golf Links, Blytheville (m) 5. Hot Springs CC (Park), Hot Springs (c)
California 1. Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach (No. 7, c) 2. Spyglass Hill, Pebble Beach (No. 20, m) 3. Pasatiempo, Santa Cruz (No. 34, c) 4. Rustic Canyon, Moorpark (m) 5. Barona Creek, Lakeside (m) 6. CordeValle GC, San Martin (m) 7. PGA West (Stadium), La Quinta (m) 8. DarkHorse, Auburn (m) 9. Torrey Pines (South), San Diego (c) 10. Bayonet GC, Seaside (c) 11. Links at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach (m) 12. Saddle Creek, Copperopolis (m) 13. Trump National GC Los Angeles,
FEBRUARY 10, 2014
Pre-Wedding Getaway Package
CORDEVALLE, A ROSEWOOD RESORT
Couples with a love for golf will find pure bliss at CordeValle, A Rosewood Resort in San Martin, California. The resort is situated in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains and features a championship golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. that has hosted an array of PGA tours and is scheduled to host the 2016 U.S. Women’s Open. Luxurious guest rooms, suites, and villas with unparalleled amenities make this resort the perfect place to relax before the wedding day. The Ultimate Getaway: 3-Night Package for Two features accommodations for three nights, two rounds of golf, and a daily continental breakfast. For further rejuvenation, a $400 Sense spa credit allows couples to indulge in therapeutic treatments including the Bungalow Love, which offers in-room citrus-scrub exfoliations, citrus-lotion massages, and uplifting soaks complete with treats and Champagne for couples. Wine tasting at the resort’s Clos LaChance Winery completes the romantic offerings. Valid through February 28, 2014. Offers are subject to change/availability and exclusive of applicable tax, service/resort fees or surcharges unless otherwise noted. Rates may vary by arrival date and be limited to specific room types. Blackout dates may apply. Offers are not applicable to groups. Unused portions of packages are not refundable. For more information, visit rosewoodhotels.com/cordevalle.!