ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL – For the third consecutive year, the International Network Of Golf Spring Conference will qualify a team to represent the United States in the International Pairs World Finals in Wales.
Ross Honey, Founder of the 7-year-old International Pairs competition, made the announcement, adding that the winning ING pair will again receive a trip to the UK to compete in the August 9-12 global competition at Celtic Manor in Wales against nearly three dozen other countries. The duo’s airfare, three nights accommodations and most meals will be complimentary.
The winning team will be determined from the qualifier held at the 16th Annual ING Spring Conference, scheduled for May 21-25 in the Sandhills of North Carolina. The hosts include the Village of Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen CVB; The National Golf Club; Country Club of Whispering Pines; Comfort Inn of Pinehurst and Tobacco Road Golf Club.
The International Network Of Golf, a 16-year-old non-profit, media-based networking organization whose mission is to bring together members of the media and business communities to enhance communication in golf, conducts the conference, which is expected to attract over 250 people.
ING is open to anyone in the golf industry or media.
"We are delighted to once again be working with the ING," said Honey, whose event has been a huge success in Europe and in dozens of other countries across the globe. "The ING team has represented the USA very well the past two years, and I have no doubt the same will be the case in 2005. We conduct a first-class competition, and we believe the ING matches that quality at its Spring Conference. It’s a nice partnership."
The 2005 champions were Frank Keasling of Best Friends Golf in Ponte Vedra Beach and Brian Taylor, a sports radio host from Utah. They won the best ball net quota tournament at the King and Bear at World Golf Village last May, then finished in the middle of the pack at Celtic Mahor, host of the 2010 Ryder Cup. Bobby Parish of Georgia and Wally Nelson of Florida played in 2004.
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This year’s qualifier will occur at the renowned Tobacco Road Golf Club May 24, and players are allowed to choose their own partner. Tobacco Road is one of the most unique and memorable golf courses in the region. It was designed by the late Mike Strantz, and will challenge every shot in the bag.
That is just one of three golf events for conference attendees to choose from. For those more interested in networking than competition, a four-player team scramble is scheduled opposite the two-player team events on Monday and Wednesday.
Several educational seminars are scheduled during the ING Spring Conference, including one called "Marketing Into The Future," presented by Patrick Coulson, CEO of Golf Buzz. That session is for non-media attendees, while the media will be in a golf club technology workshop.
Other educational sessions at the conference include "The Future Of Golf;" "Working With The Media;" "The Edge Of Technology," "PR Of The Future;" and the "Publishers Roundtable."
The recently renovated Comfort Inn of Pinehurst is the main hotel for the conference, joining National Golf Club and the Country Club Of Whispering Pines in hosting this annual gathering of media and industry leaders.
The refurbished Country Club of Whispering Pines will host all the ING Spring Conference morning activities, including the One-On-One Appointment Show, educational seminars and breakfasts. Also, the two Ellis Maples-designed golf courses will host three of the five golf outings.
The National Golf Club serves as headquarters for the ING Spring Conference. Conference registration, the Sunday Kickoff Golf event, the ING Demo Lab and all nightly functions will be hosted at this private club, which features some of the most beautiful grounds in all of the Sandhills, and a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course.
If you would like to reserve a room at one of the three specific properties described above, do so quickly, as the staff is filling the rooms first come, first served.
A full schedule of events, an entry form and other information can be found at www.inggolf.com/. Register now for the best choices. For more information, call 407-328-0500.
Contact:
Mike Jamison
407-328-0500
mike@inggolf.com
