MPI’s Golf Tournament Planner Certificate Tees Meeting Profs Up for Success

 

Riding a wave of popularity stemming from the pandemic when outdoor events were one of the only games in town, golf (and golf meetings) made an impressive surge after a fair amount of shade was cast on the sport’s continued relevance.

Capitalizing on this, MPI launched a Golf Tournament Planner Certificate that educates meeting and event professionals on the details of holding a successful golf tournament or event.

The inaugural event, which attracted nearly 30 planners, was held at Omni PGA Frisco Resort in Frisco, Texas.

“[Frisco] wanted to be the inaugural destination, and at the PGA Omni,” said Tim Luepke, director of MPI Academy. “The intent around the education was the need for event professionals, if they touch any part of a golf event, whether it’s on the corporate side, whether it’s on the charity side, to have that knowledge of how to partner with those golf courses and venues, whether they’re actually producing the golf event or they’re touching maybe a hospitality suite around a particular event.”

[Related: Fun Golf Games to Spice Up Group and Tournament Programs]

Learn the Fundamentals

Luepke said many planners may not have the fundamentals of golf tournament/program planning in their toolkits.

“We have a lot of new planners coming into the industry that have no knowledge to even start,” he said, and continuing by paraphrasing a question many may ask. “'My boss asked me to either get a hospitality suite for an existing golf tournament or they are asking me to add a scramble on the front of a two-day conference,’ and they have no idea where to start and how to engage with the different stakeholders involved.”

Luepke said the program provided that baseline knowledge of how to produce a golf event, and with the in-person implementation in Frisco, transferred that knowledge into a practical, real-world setting.

“And then, of course, having a great partner like Frisco, being Sports City USA, and with the Omni and the PGA in Frisco, it just made a lot of sense for the partnership to come to life,” he said.

[Related: The Massive New Omni PGA Frisco Is a Golf Resort Game-Changer]

Held June 18-20, the event was hosted by Visit Frisco with education facilitated by MPI and The Golf Tournament Association of America.

According to MPI, recipients of the Golf Tournament Planner Certificate gain the following tools to further their career and increase revenue:

• Plan and execute golf tournaments: How to handle all aspects of golf event planning from concept to completion, including venue selection, scheduling, player management and logistics.
• Attract high-profile clients: How to attract and work with clients such as corporate sponsors, professional sports organizations and luxury resorts.
• Increase service offerings: How to expand an organization’s business offerings to include specialized golf event services.
  Command higher fees: The ability to charge premium rates for planning and managing golf events compared to standard event planning services.
• Network with industry leaders: The certification process includes opportunities to meet and collaborate with other golf event planners and key industry stakeholders, expanding the participant’s professional network.
• Utilize advanced tools and techniques: Access to the latest tools and techniques in golf event management to create seamless events.
• Enhance professional reputation: Upon completion, the Golf Tournament Planner Certificate positions meeting professionals as experts in the golf meetings niche.

According to Luepke, MPI is in talks to hold the event at Omni PGA Frisco Resort again next year.

“We’re [also] looking to maybe do two live online deliveries as well over the next six months,” Luepke said. “So, instead of having to go to a destination, and for those busy planners that can’t get to the destination, they can take that four-hour course online.”

[Related: Try These Innovative Non-Golf Activity Options at Top Resorts]

Expert Advice

Guiding MPI’s Golf Tournament Planner Certificate Program, Golf Tournament Association of America (GTAA) President Phil Immordino is a font of golf program intelligence, having produced numerous videos and instructional manuals for meeting profs wanting to shave some strokes off their golf planning game.

“We are the association for all golf tournaments throughout the United States, charity and corporate outings,” Immordino said. “We’ve been doing this for over 35 years and created a certification program for tournament planners over 15 years ago.

“The industry is booming, and more and more companies and more and more of their clients want to use golf tournaments as an entertainment tool or even a fundraiser,” he added. “This certification program gives them the credibility and the confidence which will help them get some more business.”

IGTAA offers a wealth of resources:

• Golf Tournament Games and Contests: The Complete Guide to Games, Contests, Formats and Scoring Methods for any Golf Tournament or Outing
• Golf Tournament Games and Contests eBook
• How to Produce a Successful Golf Tournament video
• Numerous free instructional videos available on its YouTube channel: https://shorturl.at/fRuwb 

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