| You are only going to have one major golf vacation | | | | associate myself with a golf course to let them know I |
| with your pals per year. Make it the best possible by | | | | am a "player" and the pros seem to be more |
| designing it yourself. Forget the standard golf package | | | | deferential in talking with a "player". Here is a summary |
| and do it yourself. | | | | of a standard call: |
| In our last article we got to the minus two months point | | | | "Hey Bucky, Randall from Snee Farm here. It's getting |
| of your schedule. You have researched and found the | | | | to be that time of the year again for our annual golf |
| ideal location, picked out the perfect house, sent out | | | | vacation. You have always treated us so well and |
| the word to your pals, and settled on the dates. By this | | | | given us such a great rate in the past. The guys love |
| time, you should have a confirmed group, any of which | | | | the challenge of your outstanding spread. I was just |
| would just as soon lose their right arm as miss the | | | | wondering if you fit us in again on February 23rd. We |
| event. | | | | are looking to play 36 and would appreciate anything |
| Let's lock in the rental house. You DO need to get this | | | | you could do for us." |
| done as early as you can. If you are setting up your | | | | With that or something similar as an opener, I forecast |
| vacation during the off-season like I do, you are in the | | | | that you WILL get a great rate from most of the |
| driver's seat. Talk directly to the property manager and | | | | courses. Don't make a second set of tee times at this |
| negotiate a better rate. Here is a summary of my | | | | point unless you get them for just the replay fee. If you |
| discussion a few weeks ago. | | | | are playing during the on-season and want to play 36, |
| "Hey, Tiffany. Randall here. It's that time again but our | | | | you may have to make and pay for a guaranteed set |
| group is smaller. We really like the house at ?.. but it is | | | | of afternoon tee times. Some of the courses may |
| more than we need. We will be staying a full week. I | | | | have events already scheduled when you want to |
| figured the owner would rather have a bird in the hand | | | | play that particular course. You may have to juggle this |
| and rent the house for a full week instead of taking | | | | slightly and change already made tee times, so |
| the chance of renting it for just a couple days or not | | | | complete your tee time set up within a couple days. |
| at all. We can afford $xxxx. I can pay you today." | | | | Now you have your group, your house and your tee |
| The result of this little conversation was that she | | | | times. It is time to get down to real business. Now is |
| immediately lopped twenty percent off the advertised | | | | the time to get the financial commitment. Send an |
| rate! You will never know until you ask. Shoot for | | | | email spelling out the accommodations and the tee |
| about a thirty percent reduction and go from there. I | | | | times. Ask for your troops to send you at least half of |
| slapped the deposit on my credit card and emailed the | | | | what the final cost per man will be. Our total per man |
| group. (Yes, I was looking for praise.) You can dust off | | | | is normally around $900 for all the lodging, |
| the smaller details like arranging linens (if not provided in | | | | transportation, golf, food and beverages for the week. |
| the rate) and final payment later. | | | | Dining. In general we fix whatever breakfast we |
| Time to grab tee times. What I recommend is setting | | | | personally want, make sandwiches to eat between |
| up early morning tee times for each day. You will have | | | | rounds, and fix our own gourmet supper (with loads of |
| to get up earlier than you may like, but scheduling tee | | | | snacks to wreck our appetites during the entire day |
| times around 8:00 to 8:30AM will accomplish several | | | | and night). You can see our 2006 evening meals by |
| things, including: | | | | clicking on 2006 Schedule at the sample website |
| Being close to first off the box on rain or frost delays | | | | Sample Golf Site . To support all this, you will need to |
| (allowing a second 18). | | | | know what the group wants and prepare a shopping |
| Finishing your round early enough to grab a second 18 | | | | list. This year, I used a free survey website and built a |
| with lunch in between 18's. | | | | fill-in-the-blank survey for the troops. You can see that |
| Allowing easier to change to later tee times if desired | | | | at: DOT com/s.asp?u=256691624905 (remove the |
| rather than to move them earlier. | | | | "DOT" and insert a "." ) |
| Over the Internet and by talking with local pros on the | | | | You can use surveymonkey like that or ask the same |
| phone, you have come up the courses you want to | | | | questions in an email. To give you an idea of what |
| play. As with the house, you DO need to get this done | | | | your shopping list will look like for a group of eight and |
| as early as you can so that you can get the tee times | | | | assuming you follow our general plan, I put a close |
| you want. When scheduling tee times, I prefer talking | | | | copy of last year's shopping list at the above |
| directly to the head pro. In general, you will find more | | | | eye-mind-tricks website. Substitute the word "shop" for |
| flexibility on prices. Other bonuses like getting a second | | | | "golf" to see it. With your shopping list built, you will |
| set of tee times while only paying for a replay fee are | | | | either grab the goodies before the flights of the group |
| easier. The head honcho is also more likely to bend the | | | | arrive if you live locally, or have the troops assist on |
| rules to allow advanced tee times if you are beyond | | | | the way to your house. |
| the time window normally allowed. | | | | You are now at the minus one month point of building |
| Granted, this may be your first time in the location you | | | | the perfect golf vacation. The next article will provide |
| picked, but you can use about the same language as I | | | | recipes, administration details, entertainment ideas, and |
| do. I have just locked in our tee times for February. I | | | | odds and ends. |