GREENVILLE, SC – A very successful 22nd addition of the ING Spring Conference came to a close last week with one keyword that was threaded throughout the four-day gathering of media and golf industry executives – communication.
Whether it was digital media and marketing, which was discussed in a blue-ribbon panel session on the conference’s first day, or more traditional means of exchanging information and ideas, communication was the recurring theme during the conference at the Embassy Suites Greenville Golf Resort & Conference Center.
The ING Spring Conference is conducted each May by the non-profit International Network of Golf. Included in the schedule are product launches, educational sessions, networking opportunities, golf tournaments and the One-On-One Appointment Show.
Representatives from golf companies and organizations large and small join approximately five dozen media members at the only media-based networking event of its kind in the golf industry.
Highlights of the conference included:
EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS
David Berry, the Professional Coach of TaylorMade-adidas Golf, spoke of dashing our inhibitions that keep us from unveiling our full attention, but he also spoke of the importance of tempering our steps with reason. His ING University session kicked off the Monday portion of the schedule.
That was followed by a panel of digital communications experts, who shared knowledge of such subjects as social marketing, digital publishing, email communications and more. The panel included Bob Senoff of The A Position, John Johnson of J2 Golf Marketing, Clark Alexander of Vertical Response and Dan Shannon of Chapel Hill Weekly
John and Alan Hunter of Golf America TV continued the digital theme during the Wednesday sessions, and John Glozek of Golfing Magazine followed with a presentation about selling.
PRODUCT LAUNCHES
Several companies chose the ING stage to launch new products. They included Avid Golf’s Swedge, a swing training aid which won the ING Conference Best Product voting; Razor Golf’s new irons and woods; CheckPoint Golf’s new short-game training system; and Grow The Game Golf’s new scoring mobile app.
AWARDS
Tom Gorman, Greg Sampson, Greg Wires, Melanie Steinbach and Mike Vandiver won their flights in the World Golfers Championship National Finals Qualifier on The Preserve at Verdae layout. That earned each of them a spot in the WGC National Finals Sept. 20-22 at Swan Lake Resort in Indiana.
Conference Best Awards: Golfstyles Magazine won the publications category and Avid Golf’s Swedge won the product category.
Tony Leodora of TL Golf Services was inducted into the ING service honors club: The Diamond Cornerstone Club, becoming just the 14th person in the 22-year ING history.
Pam Borges, freelance golf writer, won the ING Plus One award by earning the most points recruiting new attendees to the conference. She wins a golf getaway for two to Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, and a reservation for the TaylorMade Performance Lab at Grand Cypress.
NEXT YEAR
It was announced that Swan Lake Resort in northern Indiana will host the 2013 ING Spring Conference May 19-23. Swan Lake, featuring two golf courses, a golf academy, meeting space and cozy accommodations, is located just 25 minutes from the Notre Dame campus at South Bend.
Contact:
Mike Jamison
407-328-0500, ext. 1
mike@jamisongolf.com
