Sponsoring golf good for investors, economy

The perils of the economic crisis facing this country have dominated newscasts in recent months. The negativity has driven many (me included) to take the approach that sometimes it’s almost better to not watch the news.

Golf has recently taken its fair share of beatings, too. Political leaders including John Kerry and Barney Frank have been openly critical of financial institutions that have devoted dollars to the sponsorship of sports marketing, particularly PGA Tour events.
That being said, marketing
still is an important part of doing business.
Sports marketing has been extremely effective. Bank of America’s Ken Lewis stepped to the plate in the past few days and took a swing at critics who say bank bailout recipients shouldn’t be sponsoring glitzy sporting events.
Lewis, whose bank has received billions of taxpayer funds and has numerous sports sponsorships across the nation, bluntly told a business crowd in Boston that marketing is crucial to its corporate growth.
Internal data show that for every dollar spent on sports marketing, Bank of America gets $10 in revenue and $3 in profit. Bank of America has sponsorships with the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots.
Lawmakers hit the roof when another bailout recipient, Northern Trust, sponsored a California PGA Tour golf tournament last month.
Jerry Tarde, Golf Digest publication chairman and editorial director, wrote recently, “It is time for golf to stop apologizing and start defending itself. … Private enterprise has been involved in golf sponsorship and entertainment for 100 years, not because the boss plays but because it’s good for business.”
Here are a few facts about the golf industry.
There are 2 million people in the United States who are employed in golf. This is 3.5 times more than those employed by the Big Three automakers.
$61 billion annually is paid in golf wages. Golf is about wages, not wedges.
Not only does golf provide jobs,
jobs, but it also generates tourism dollars, produces tax revenues, creates recreational benefits, raises real estate values and promotes efficient use of water.
Golf donates $3.5 billion annually to charity.
Seventy percent of all golf is played on public courses at an average fee of $27. This game is affordable.
New program
Get Golf Ready is a new five-day program introduced by Golf 20/20 in January by the PGA of America and the United States Golf Association. Many in golf would suggest this is the most exciting and affordable instructional program to ever hit golf
For only $99, those interested in learning how to play golf can sign up at participating PGA-staffed facilities and receive five golf lessons and accompanying on-course experiences.
Clubs and other equipment are not required. Participating courses will provide this at no cost.
A maximum of eight students will be a part of each session. You can sign up with friends or as a single.
When students complete the five-lesson Get Golf Ready experience, they will:
Have the basic skill and foundation to play the game
Know how to keep score
Know what to do when arriving at the course
Have an understanding of the differences between golf clubs
Know the importance of playing “ready golf”
Understand the proper usage of golf carts
Remember safety tips
And have an appreciation for the history, rules and etiquette of the game.
“We need to look at programs that will turn out golfers. In my opinion, this is different because there is a clearly defined start and finish to the program,” said Mike David, executive director of the Indiana PGA. “The on-course experiences are extremely important and will help make people feel comfortable at the golf course.
“I expect this program to be a huge success.”
If you are interested in more information on the Get Ready Golf experience, I encourage you to contact the following facilities who are registered with Play Golf America through the PGA of America:
Harrison Lake County Club, Columbus; Jeff Smith, PGA; (812) 342-6012
Hickory Stick Golf Course, Greenwood; Keith Clark, PGA, and Chip Essig, PGA; 422-8300
Legends of Indiana Golf Course, Franklin; Scott Downing, PGA, Ryan Ford, PGA, Tony Clecak, PGA, and me; 736-8186
Otter Creek Golf Course, Columbus; Chad Cockerham, PGA; (812) 579-5227
Gongaware Junior Golf Academy, Franklin; Roger Lundy, PGA; 738-9696
Ted Bishop is director of golf for The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin and secretary of PGA of America.

Photo Caption: The perils of the economic crisis facing this country have dominated newscasts in recent months. The negativity has driven many (me included) to take the approach that sometimes it’s almost better to not watch the news.
Golf has recently taken its fair share of beatings, too. Political leaders including John Kerry and Barney Frank have been openly critical of financial institutions that have devoted dollars to the sponsorship of sports marketing, particularly PGA Tour events.

Gary Henry- Folds of Honor Foundation

On Monday, August 4, 2008, PGA Tour players were setting their sights on the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. This would be golf’s final major championship of the season. Many things were at stake. Most notably, the game’s top players were hoping for a strong finish at the PGA Championship. The goal was to represent the United States in the Ryder Cup matches to be held in late September at Louisville, Kentucky.

On that same day, Gary Henry, a 34-year old firefighter from Greenwood, was already representing another team from the United States. He was a member of the National Guard’s 38^th Military Police Company of Danville. Henry, a 12-year veteran of the Indianapolis Fire Department, was overseeing special operations rescues, specializing as a driver and a paramedic.

Henry was on a combat operation in southern Baghdad while golf’s best players were tuning up their games in Michigan at a PGA Championship practice round on that Monday in August last summer. It’s doubtful that Henry, who was a sports enthusiast, had golf on his mind that fateful day.

Gary Henry’s life came to an abrupt end on August 4, 2008 when a roadside bomb hit his vehicle. Tragically, he left behind three children, Shelby (15), Gavin (11) and Ashton (8). Only those that have suffered similar circumstances can even begin to imagine the pain and suffering that the Henry family would face.

You think Kenny Perry is having a tough time dealing with the sudden death playoff loss to Angel Cabrera at last week’s Masters? Ask Shelby, Gavin and Ashton Henry what it’s like to deal with a sudden death loss like they had last summer. We all would take Perry’s fate……… in a heart beat.

I can’t tell you that Gary Henry had any tie to golf. His mother plays the game. But, from personal experience I have no golf stories that would involve this well respected and highly decorated Indianapolis firefighter. But, as happens in life, fate produces strange partners.

In 2007, Major Dan Rooney of Broken Arrow, OK, himself a PGA member, organized the first annual Patriot Golf Day. Rooney is an F-16 fighter pilot/golf pro who has flown four tours of duty in Iraq. He felt compelled to organize a nationwide program that would raise money to fund scholarships for families of military veterans who have been disabled or lost their lives in the line of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Patriot Golf Day, supported by the PGA of America and the USGA, was a rousing success in 2007 raising over $1 million for the Folds of Honor Foundation, which is the vehicle designed to help families in need. Rooney’s efforts sparked even more interest in 2008 and in just two years over $3 million has been raised for the FHF.

Last year’s Patriot Golf Days were held over Labor Day weekend. Nationwide, more than 3,600 public and private golf facilities participated. Capping off the 2008 effort was a $130,000 donation to the Folds of Honor Foundation by Captain Paul Azinger and the 12 members of his U.S. Ryder Cup team.

On March 9, Rooney appeared at the Indiana PGA Meeting, which was held at the Holiday Inn North. He was there with his own mission- to present Shelby, Gavin and Ashton Henry with scholarships funded by Patriot Golf Day and the Folds of Honor Foundation.

“Gary Henry was a true American Hero who served both his country and his community. Folds of Honor is proud to be able to assist his children in this small way thanks to the PGA Professionals in the Indiana Section and the 28,000 PGA Professionals across the country,” said Rooney. Last year 78 golf facilities in Indiana participated in Patriot Golf Day generating more than $36,000 in donations.

The Indiana PGA is currently working with Maj. Gen. Marty Umbarger, the adjutant general of the Indiana National Guard. There are 18 other Indiana families who have lost loved ones in the Iraq or Afghanistan conflicts. The hope is to help more families like the Henry’s.

There is a “feel good” ending to this story. It seems that the Henry family would like to learn more about golf and actually play the game! The Henry children will be attending a session at the Indiana Junior Golf Academy courtesy of the Indiana PGA and the Indiana Golf Foundation. The Henry family has been afforded membership privileges at The Legends of Indiana Golf Club. They will be fitted for free golf clubs courtesy of Titleist/Cobra and its affiliation with The Legends.

I can’t profess what Gary Henry would say about his son Gavin taking up the sport of golf. Gavin is an avid baseball player and all I can do is guarantee his dad that golf won’t screw up his ability to hit a baseball!

Gavin, Shelby or Ashton will never have the opportunity to spend time on the golf course with their dad. Those of us that have had that privilege know what they will be missing. But maybe someday, the Henry kids will have kids of their own and they will get a chance to share that experience.

This is a story about all of the good things that golf represents. It is the essence of what golf professionals do everyday. Patriot Golf Day will be held over Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 4-7. I hope this story compels you to play golf this weekend and help other children like Shelby, Gavin and Ashton Henry!

Please support Patriot Golf Day here at The Legends all weekend. Print this e-mail and bring it to The Legends. You make a $5 donation to the Folds of Honor Foundation and we will match it!         

Tiger vs. Lefty: Real rivalry that helps golf’s bottom line

When Phil Mickelson won the CA Championship last week at Doral’s Blue Monster in Miami, NBC’s Johnny Miller was quick to point out that Mickelson had closed the gap on Tiger Woods and was within a few points of becoming the No. 1 player in the World Golf Rankings.

“Yeah, but Tiger hasn’t played in almost a year,” quipped one of Miller’s NBC colleagues.
“That’s true,” replied Miller.
The Woods-Mickelson rivalry spawns compelling golf theater. Tiger versus Phil is good for the game, great for the TV ratings, and each player seems to have his own fan base. Is it real between the players?
According to Eddie Carbone, tournament director for the CA Championship, it is.
“It’s not like boxing, where you are drawing blood from your opponent, or like football, where you are laying a hit on a guy,” said Carbone, who has guided the Doral event since 2004. “But it certainly creates interest in the game of golf. This rivalry is the modern-day version of Nicklaus versus Palmer, and it will fade over time like all rivalries do.
“I think Phil and Tiger are friendlier than most would think. But there is no question that this thing with the World Rankings could create a dramatic showdown at The Masters.”
So what was Carbone’s assessment of golf’s premier players as they tackled the Blue Monster at Doral last week?
“It was an interesting week for Phil,” Carbone said. “He absolutely emanated extreme confidence all week. It was almost role reversal for Phil, with Nick Watney being the underdog in pursuit. Phil’s first-round 65 set the stage, and he never really looked back.
“Considering Phil spent some time at the urgent care center for the flu over the weekend, his play was impressive.”
For what it’s worth, Mickelson made a quick stop at Augusta National Golf Club a couple of weeks ago and made 12 birdies in a 27-hole practice round.
“I never saw him hit it better or play with more confidence,” observed one Augusta National member who joined Phil and Billy Payne, Masters chairman, for the day of golf.
On Woods, Carbone had this to say: “He seems to be in the best physical shape that he has been in recent years. The knee doesn’t appear to bother him. He didn’t putt particularly well at Doral. In the end, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him win five or six events in 2009, including a couple of majors.”
Woods was a late entry to the World Golf Championship at Doral. He officially entered at 2:02 p.m. on the Friday before the event.
It’s amazing that Carbone, the tournament director, knew the exact time to the minute.
“Daily ticket sales doubled from that point,” Carbone said. “Somebody asked Tiger why he waited so long, and he said, ‘Because that’s what I do.’
“It actually increased the buzz for our event. He is the world’s greatest athlete and the most recognizable. We estimated our crowd to be 110,000 for the tournament. We had our largest Thursday crowd ever.”
When asked about a dollar value that Woods created, Carbone responded, “That’s tough to say. It is always a late-purchasing market in South Florida. We had lower ticket prices, which helped generate larger crowds. We estimated 30,000 people on Sunday, and no doubt Tiger contributed to that.”
As mentioned, the CA Championship is a World Golf Championship event. This means that it is a limited field with no cut. Only the world’s top players get invited.
This year’s event at Doral included all 50 of the world’s top-ranked players for the second consecutive year. In fact, the 2009 CA Championship was the highest-rated field outside of the four Majors and the Players Championship in the history of golf.
CA is the world’s fifth largest computer software company, and their sponsorship runs through 2011. What is the value to the sponsor in a time when criticism flows for lavish sports marketing expenses?
“The sponsorship energizes CA’s sales force and creates global brand awareness for the company. The CA Championship donated $1.4 million to charities in the South Florida area,” Carbone said. “The PGA Tour runs these mega events around the country, which heighten the interest of golf in areas like Miami. It helps create new golfers, promotes the health benefit of playing golf, the quality of family participation and important life lessons.”
And there is more to Tour golf than just Tiger and Phil. Carbone used Camilo Villegas, one of the hottest sensations on the PGA Tour in recent months, to promote ticket sales by doing PSA’s in English and Spanish.
“We have 2.5 million residents in the area and only five private country clubs. Camilo helped us bring awareness to the many immigrants that South Florida has from countries such as Venezuela, Argentina and Colombia,” Carbone said.
More people watch golf on television than ever before. Surpris-ingly, a large number of those viewers don’t play the game.
If you are an avid golf spectator, I encourage you to contact one of the PGA golf professionals in your area and find out what this buzz is all about.
Ted Bishop is director of golf for The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin and secretary of PGA of America.

Photo Caption: When Phil Mickelson won the CA Championship last week at Doral’s Blue Monster in Miami, NBC’s Johnny Miller was quick to point out that Mickelson had closed the gap on Tiger Woods and was within a few points of becoming the No. 1 player in the World Golf Rankings.
“Yeah, but Tiger hasn’t played in almost a year,” quipped one of Miller’s NBC colleagues.

Dream come true: playing at Augusta

AUGUSTA, GA.

It has to be the dream of nearly every golfer to play at Augusta National Golf Club, site of The Masters each April. I realized that dream Thursday.
In my lifetime, I have experienced the ultimate in sports: The Super Bowl, the seventh game of the World Series, NCAA championship basketball games, The Masters — the list can go on.
But having the opportunity to play at Augusta National was nothing short of the most fabulous sporting experience of my life.
I was at Augusta because of Gene Howerrd and the PGA of America.
Howerrd, who is celebrating his 50th year as a member of Augusta National, was kind enough to host officers from the PGA. I joined Jim Remy, president of the PGA; Brian Whitcomb, honorary president; and Howerrd for one of the most wonderful experiences of my life.
Howerrd epitomizes Augusta National. He is a true Southern gentleman who has an appreciation for the game of golf that is rarely found anywhere but in the core of this prestigious group who call themselves members at Augusta National.
Howerrd served on the U.S. Golf Association executive committee from 1984-92. He became a member at Augusta National in 1959, following in the footsteps of his father, who joined in 1941.
His low round at Augusta National is 66. He also is an astute historian of the most famous golf course in the world, which made him the perfect host.
Our Augusta experience started Thursday with a trip down

Magnolia Lane

. The driver slowed to a crawl as we peered out the windows of The Masters van, which picked us up at the airport.
As you drive down this fabled lane lined with live oaks, you see the practice area on both sides. Magnolia Lane heads straight to the club house, which is accented by a bright yellow flower bed in the shape of the United States with a flag denoting the location of Augusta, Ga. This is the logo for Augusta National.
We quickly warmed up and headed
to the back nine for a late afternoon nine-role round. This nine at Augusta commonly is referred to as “where the
tournament starts at Sunday’s final round of the Masters.”
I am proud to say that I opened with a par on the tough 10th hole.
As we wound our way through the fabled Amen Corner, it was hard not to get caught up in the surroundings. You see, the history of this place almost surpasses its beauty. All of the famous spots on this back nine were more impressive in real time. The greens are more severe. The elevations are greater than depicted on TV.
To make things even more dramatic, the tournament leader boards were up for this year’s Masters, and the bleachers were being installed as we played.
But the walks across The Hogan bridge on No. 12, the Nelson bridge on No. 13 and the Sarazen’s bridge on No. 15 were like floating on air. Nowhere in the world of golf is there a more storied stretch than Augusta’s Amen Corner.
Following the round, Howerrd entertained us for dinner in the Augusta National clubhouse. I chose the house specialty of southern fried chicken with turnip greens and macaroni and cheese. Joining us in the dining room were Raymond Floyd, the 1976 Masters champion, and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who has a pretty famous father and brother.
After dinner, Howerrd took us on a personal tour of the Augusta National clubhouse.
It started with a trip to the wine cellar, where 14,000 bottles of wine are stored.
The oldest is vintage 1907, and the most expensive is $5,000. In the wine cellar still scrolled in pencil on several shelves were the inscriptions: Do Not Sell — Mr. Roberts Personal (longtime tournament chairman of the Masters). Also scrolled was DDE, as in Dwight David Eisenhower, who also stored wine in the cellar.
Next it was upstairs to the champions locker room. This is reserved for Masters champions. It was a small room with brass plates on the lockers commemorating the champion and year won. In a case was the green jacket worn by Trevor Immelman, last year’s champion.
Then it was to the top floor of the clubhouse to the Crow’s Nest, which houses the U.S. amateur champion and others during Masters week. This area had a high ceiling with a widow’s watch window and five twin beds in tiny rooms. Modest accommodations, but the ultimate in location.
At the end of the evening it was back to the Firestone cabin for a night of sleep and 18 holes at Augusta National on Friday.
We awoke at dawn and made the trek past the Butler and Eisen-hower cabins to the clubhouse for breakfast. It was another quick warmup and then to the first tee. Floyd played in a group behind us.
All I can say is, wow, you can’t have a bad day at Augusta.
I hit a lot of good shots in 27 holes. Never lost a ball. Success-fully navigated across Rae’s Creek on all occasions. Three-putted numerous times.
And the score I shot? Well, does it really matter? After all, this is Augusta National.
Ted Bishop is secretary of the PGA of America and director of golf for The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin.

Photo Caption: AUGUSTA, GA.
It has to be the dream of nearly every golfer to play at Augusta National Golf Club, site of The Masters each April. I realized that dream Thursday.