LAKE MARY, FL – The 23rd Annual ING Spring Conference came to a close last Thursday at Orlando’s Reunion Resort after four days of education, networking and golf. And according to most attendees, it was a hugely successful event.
“One of the best moves I have ever made was to attend this ING Spring Conference,” said Dan Bonomo, President of PSP Golf. “I met some of the top people in the golf business.”
The ING Spring Conference, an annual gathering of media and golf industry leaders from all aspects of the business, is conducted by the non-profit International Network of Golf based in Lake Mary, FL.
The conference schedule is a combination of educational sessions, networking opportunities, product testing and golf tournaments. The 160-plus conference registrants provided a diverse, broad-brush of the industry. Following are a few of the highlights.
EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS:
Three seminars on Monday morning, a Mentor-ING Breakfast on Wednesday followed by a Best Practices presentation comprised the education sessions at this conference. One of the highlights was the golf club technology session, featuring Sean Toulon, Executive VP at TaylorMade-adidas Golf, and Frank Thomas of Frankly Golf.
PRODUCT LAUNCHES/AWARDS
Several companies chose the ING stage to launch new products to the golf industry. Included on that list was Golfalyzer, a small pocket-sized breathalyzer that can be used in the same fashion as the ones used by the police. It won ING Conference Best Product based on a vote by attendees, who appreciated the fact that a golfer can monitor at what blood alcohol (BAC) level they’re most effective and use it to determine at what point the alcohol is having a negative effect.”
The Conference Best Publication Award went to Jean Couser and Golf Coast Magazine in Sarasota.
Bill Conwell, Bill Walsh, Greg Sampson, Greg Wires and Dave Cordero won their flights in the World Golfers Championship National Finals Qualifier on The Watson Course at Reunion. That earned each of them a spot in the WGC National Finals Sept. 26-28 in Mesquite, NV.
Cynthia Janssens won the ING Chi Chi Rodriquez Humanitarian Award for her work conducting a charity golf tournament for the Rally for a Cure tournament raising funds for breast cancer research.
Andy Mears, president of Island Hills G.C, in Michigan, won the ING Plus One award by earning the most points recruiting new attendees to the conference. He wins a golf getaway for two to Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, including a $150 travel credit from the Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area CVB.
NEXT YEAR
It was announced that Resorts International in Atlantic City, NJ, will host the 2014 ING Spring Conference May 18-22. The announcement lunch was sponsored by the marketing arm for Atlantic City golf courses, the Greater Atlantic City Golf Association.
