Golf-outing tips: trends in golf outings and advice for selecting a course.

• Author: Held, Shari
• Position: Indiana Golf

Warm weather in Indiana is an open invitation to grab the clubs, hit the links and get down to business.

"I guarantee you that some of the biggest deals in the country are done on the golf course," says Tom Floberg, golf pro at The Brassie in Chesterton.

Hard-nosed sales tactics are about as out-of-place as suits and ties when it comes to the golf course. The idea is to relax and have fun. "Golfing gives you the opportunity to do something that is fun as a group. It is also a good way to see the other side of someone--a side you may not get to see in a stuffy office environment," Floberg says.

Mike Hulse, director of golf at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, agrees. "Just the aspect of being together is a way of doing business. I don't think you necessarily have to take out a purchase order pad and take orders."

Even non-golfers can get in on the fun when they attend corporate golf outings. Meeting and greeting guests, driving beverage carts, scoring or judging contests and other activities allow non-golfers to participate fully. "You're still rubbing shoulders, communicating and networking," says Brian Nicholoff, director of golf for Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel.

No wonder golf outings are so popular.

LATEST TRENDS

Like everything else, the face of golf outings continually changes. Golf pros have spotted a number of trends during the past year.

One change having a positive impact on Indiana golf facilities is the tendency for high-end companies to "stay local." "We are starting to see a lot more of the big companies supporting us locally. That's good. We like that," says Hulse.

Dave Harner, director of golf operations at French Lick Springs Resort in French Lick, says that when "times are tough" he tends to attract business that would normally go out of state. "Rather than hopping on a plane, they are jumping in a car and driving two or three hours."

Tough economic times haven't put a dent in the number of golf outings--if anything they are even more in demand. "We had more outings in 2002 than any other year except 1999. This year we are right on track for another 2002 season" says Nicholoff.

At the same time, golf outings are being downsized as companies become more selective when it comes to the guest list. "I have more of them, but fewer people play," says Floberg, indicating that outings that used to have 144 participants are now more likely to have 120 or 118 participants.

Giveaways and other extras have also been downsized. Chris...