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We've Moved!

Dave Donelson Tee To Green has an exciting new home at
Westchester Magazine.

We're still about all things golf, especially those pertinent to golfers in Westchester and the NY Metro, but now we're in a much bigger space!

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Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Miracle At Merion Wins USGA Award

Congratulations to Dave Barrett, golf writer extraordinaire, whose book, Miracle At Merion, won the USGA's 2010 Herbert Warren Wind Award. The book's subtitle tells it all: The Inspiring Story of Ben Hogan’s Amazing Comeback and Victory in the 1950 U.S. Open.
“Ben Hogan was a great champion throughout his career, but his remarkable victory at the 1950 U.S. Open just 16 months after a devastating car crash is one of the most inspirational stories in all of sports history,” said Rand Jerris, managing director of the USGA Museum. “David Barrett’s detailed portrait of the strength, courage and resilience of Hogan as he endured a grueling test of both mental and physical stamina is a wonderful addition to the lore of the 1950 U.S. Open.”
Barrett will receive the award on April 6 in Augusta at the Golf Writers Association of America’s annual awards dinner during the week of the Masters Tournament.

I greatly enjoyed the book and reviewed it last year. Not long after, I had the pleasure of interviewing Barrett about what Merion and Ben Hogan's triumph meant to him.

In addition to writing about golf, Dave Donelson distills the experiences of hundreds of entrepreneurs into practical advice for small business owners and managers in the Dynamic Manager's Guides, a series of how-to books about marketing and advertising, sales techniques, hiring, firing, and motivating personnel, financial management, and business strategy.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

My Season Kicked Off With A New SeeMore Putter

I recently finished my first three rounds of the year and have to say I'm extremely happy with the new putter I put in my bag--a SeeMore m3. I really like the red dot alignment technology that completely eliminates any doubt about whether your body is aimed where you want to send the ball. With that kind of confidence, a solid stroke is almost automatic.

SeeMore putters feature a patented alignment system that helps you set up your putter perfectly each and every time by lining up the bottom portion of the shaft between two white lines and covering a signature red dot on the heel of the top line. If you can’t see the red dot-—you’re good to go! It’s foolproof and available in a wide range of styles and sizes to fit every golfer.

D.A. Points used a SeeMore putter to good effect, too, winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am for his first PGA Tour victory. He also won the pro-am with partner Bill Murray for a double whammy. Points used a SeeMore FGP for his victory, the same putter he has used since early 2009. At the AT&T, he finished first overall in putting average, first in birdies, and second in fewest total putts.

There's a little backstory about SeeMore putters at Pebble Beach. The brand first arrived on the scene in early 1999 when Payne Stewart, in his first tournament using the same putter, won the AT&T and then went on to win the 1999 US Open. The SeeMore brand was re-launched in 2007, and immediately regained worldwide prominence as Zach Johnson used a SeeMore FGP to win the 2007 Masters.

My putting performance may not have matched D.A. Points, but I recall only missing a single putt under ten feet in three rounds last week, which got my year off to a good start.

In addition to writing about golf, Dave Donelson distills the experiences of hundreds of entrepreneurs into practical advice for small business owners and managers in the Dynamic Manager's Guides, a series of how-to books about marketing and advertising, sales techniques, hiring, firing, and motivating personnel, financial management, and business strategy.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Start Your Season Right At Westchester Golf Show

The annual Journal News Golf Show at the Westchester County Center offers more ways than ever this year to kick off your season with a bang. For half the price of a new ProV, you'll get everything from free lessons from top PGA Pros to free swings in the demo area using the latest clubs from major manufacturers like Titleist, Mizuno, Cleveland, Nike, Srixon, and Adams. Club fittings, ball fittings, plus all kinds of travel, gear, and other offers will give you everything you need to start the season.

This year’s 7th Annual Event will take place at the Westchester County Center in White Plains Saturday 3/12 and Sunday 3/13 from 10AM until 5PM each day.

One of the most popular features of the show is the MGA's "Let’s Talk Golf Stage" featuring experts on every facet of the game. Here's the schedule:

Saturday
11AM The Keys to Good Consistent Putting
The Putting Doctor, Joseph Bermel
12 Noon The Rules of Golf
Brian Mahoney, Tournament Director, Metropolitan Golf Association
1PM Slice Free Golf
Brian Crowell, PGA Head Professional, Glen Arbor Golf Club and NBC Sports Broadcaster
2 PM Form Follows Function: Develop Your Skills
Tom Sutter, PGA Professional, Dunwoodie Golf Course and 2004 Met PGA Teacher of the Year
3PM The Art of Scoring
Tom Avezzano, PGA Professional, Sprain Lake and Maple Moor Golf Courses

Sunday
11AM The Rules of Golf
Brian Mahoney – Tournament Director, Metropolitan Golf Association
12 Noon Proper Grip, Stance and Alignment
Jason Gobleck, PGA Head Professional, Westchester Hills Golf Club
1PM Curve The Ball At Will
Charlie Meola, PGA Head Professional, Saxon Woods Golf Course
2PM Swing Arc Explained: Develop a Swing Arc that Works For You.
Max Galloway – PGA Head Professional, Mohansic Golf Course
3PM The Keys to Good Consistent Putting
The Putting Doctor, Joseph Bermel

In addition, the popular Discount Pro Shop has been expanded and will be filled with exceptional bargains on brand name clubs, shoes, bags and apparel. The Calendar Golf Card Booth will award one attendee with The Great Hudson Valley Golf Getaway, a series of free rounds of golf for four at different Hudson Valley Golf Courses. Westchester County Courses feature a “Two Fore One” voucher where two play for the price of one for the first month of the season at any County Courses.

Entergy sponsors the Charity Golf Corner and will introduce golfers to the Red Cross, Hospice and Palliative Care of Westchester and The Boys and Girls Clubs in Northern Westchester Charity Golf Events.

The Executive Women’s Golf Association (EWGA Westchester) will again host a free lesson area for Women with Lessons provided by LPGA Teaching Pro Nicole Sikora from The Westchester Driving Range.

The price of admission is only $9 ($8 for seniors) and dollar off coupons are available in The Journal News. Since you will receive a coupon for a free small bucket of balls from the Fairview Golf Range--a $7 value--admission is half the price of a new ProV!

In addition to writing about golf, Dave Donelson distills the experiences of hundreds of entrepreneurs into practical advice for small business owners and managers in the Dynamic Manager's Guides, a series of how-to books about marketing and advertising, sales techniques, hiring, firing, and motivating personnel, financial management, and business strategy.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Save The Date To Maximize Your Golf Event Sponsorship

Here's a guest post about a timely topic from Steven Wilson, an expert in golf event management.

In addition to the diet centers and tax preparation assistance companies, this is the time of year charities work hard to clean up their lists to send a "Save The Date" for their golf outing and to ask you to buy a sponsorship, via a donation, to their 501 (c) (3) organization.

This "donation" can be an investment that delivers a significant ROI. Sponsorships range from a few hundred dollars, to $40,000+ that includes a range of benefits, and that's where you find the seeds of an ROI.

Charities are now very flexible to bring on a sponsor at any price point. Analyze all sponsorship levels, from Tee Signs to Title/Presenting Sponsor. Be creative as to what type of "Custom Sponsorship" package would work for you and then be ready to negotiate.

Develop a set of criteria to be used to rate each event and help you determine which event works best for you. Develop a goal that you want to meet and then consider the following tactics. The more of them you incorporate, the higher your return.

The tactics are: client engagement... public relations... signage... database acquisition...networking... sampling... mobile marketing... coupons... tax credit ... employee outing... digital marketing... email marketing... direct mail... electronic event journal... video... advertising.

A golf outing presents an exciting marketing opportunity that can yield an ROI in many ways. The key is to select an outing that matches your criteria. Then develop a strategy and integrate as many of the above tactics to implement a sponsorship program that will deliver an ROI.

For more information, contact stevenmwilson@optimum.net

Steven M. Wilson has developed and implemented golf sponsorship programs at IMG and Golf Digest's Event Marketing Division and for the past 12 years at SMW Marketing.

In addition to writing about golf, Dave Donelson distills the experiences of hundreds of entrepreneurs into practical advice for small business owners and managers in the Dynamic Manager's Guides, a series of how-to books about marketing and advertising, sales techniques, hiring, firing, and motivating personnel, financial management, and business strategy.