How to get the best out of a golf outing: take full advantage of the opportunities an event like this offers to develop relationships important to you and your business.

• Author: Ryan-Fable, Maureen
• Position: RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT - Column

AS THE DAUGHTER of an avid golfer, I grew up putting in plenty of hours on plenty of greens. Thanks to my dad, I was on a first-name basis with Jack, Arnold, and Fuzzy--we didn't know them, of course; we just invoked their power on tricky shots!

Alas, it was not in my stars to grow up to be Anna Sorenstam. But running an event marketing company that specializes in corporate meetings means I now spend far more time on golf courses than I ever did when golf was merely a leisurely pastime.

That's because golf is, quite simply, the most important business activity that takes place outside the office. People who don't golf miss out time and again when clients are putting together a foursome or when corporations hold major golf events. The importance of golf in business building is no secret in the corporate world, but many executives still don't take full advantage of the opportunities 18 holes offer them to create and develop relationships that may bear fruit for years to come.

To get the most out of hosting a major golf event, don't underestimate the value of a professional with an extensive track record in arranging golf programs. The wide-ranging experience of an active event company means, for example, that you won't be inviting valued clients to a private session with a hot celebrity pro just a month after your competitor hosted a similar program.

More important, however, are seemingly minor details--such as clarity of signage, the choice of sandwiches in the lunch boxes, and what kind of ice cream is in the halfway house freezer on a hot summer afternoon--that make the difference between a ho-hum day on the links and one that can actually help further relationships, engender goodwill, and even help cement new deals.

From my years of planning these events for major corporations, here's my Top 10 list of details that are crucial to success.

1. Be exclusive

   When golf meets business, the fairway is a substitute for your office, so course selection is critical. The local green with its low fees may seem like a good idea for a casual, low-pressure game, but it may also lack the services and staff that can make or break an initial meeting. It's not necessary to host an event at Pebble Beach to make it worthwhile. For the annual corporate events that can become a hot ticket in the business world, there is a wealth of high-end resort courses whose job is to make you happy. (Of course, only you can decide if you need to fly a few important associates to St. Andrews for a long weekend.)

2. Give plenty of advance notice

   In order to save your event from the hectic mishmash of meetings and travel that make up the schedules of most executives, it is imperative that the initial "save-the-date" emails or mailings go out as soon as possible, as much as three to six months prior to the event. Actual invitations should go out no later than six weeks prior to the event, with clearly marked RSVP and contact information. Supporting materials, such as course maps and the day's agenda, can go out within three weeks of the event.

3. Make it easy to register

   The registration desk is a highly charged vortex of activity, and if lines are long or entry is confusing it makes for frustrated guests and a poor start to the day. Send as much material and information as possible in advance to avoid a search for information. Ideally, guests will already have all the materials they need to get started. It is essential for any size event that each foursome be selected in advance (presumably with one member of the host company playing with each). For large groups, each foursome should be marked in large...