Divot Mix

"The poetic temperament is the worst for golf. It dreams of brilliant drives, iron shots laid dead, and long putts holed, while in real golf success waits for him who takes care of the foozles and leaves the fine shots to take care of themselves." -- Sir Walter Simpson, The Art of Golf

Take Your Daughter To The Course Week

This year's Take Your Daughter to the Course Week, is scheduled for July 5-11.

Course owners can get a toolkit for the event from the National Golf Course Owners Association Web site under the “Grow The Game” section. The kit includes a sample press release, advertisements, and a number of other promotional ideas.

All courses that register will receive free publicity on www.getlinkedplaygolf.com as well as in national golf publications.

For more on the event, contact Mary Hollingsworth, (800) 933-4262 Ext. 208, mhollingsworth@ngcoa.org , or consult the NGCOA Web site .

ING Spring Conference to feature golf marketing secrets

In today's golf market, with tight budgets and constant accountability, more attention must be paid to marketing plans and dollars. And that requires a marketing plan that is targeted and precise.

Which explains why the International Network of Golf invited John Johnson of Johnson Design Golf Marketing, winner of advertising awards from both Crittenden Golf and Boardroom magazines, to its spring conference.

Johnson will share his secrets in a marketing seminar at the 14th Annual International Network of Golf Conference June 1-5 at Eagle Ridge Inn & Resort in Galena, Ill. The marketing panel is set for 10 a.m. June 2 in the conference center.

He will provide marketing tips that cover a broad range of topics, from e-mail to collateral materials to web design to complete plans and strategies.

Golf Marketing Today is one of several educational panels offered at the annual gathering of golf media and business leaders. Others include State of the Industry , Golf Ball Technology and State Of Golf Travel . GCSAA CEO Steve Mona will participate in the State of the Industry panel

Also on tap at the conference are demo lab, golf outings, networking sessions and golf tournaments. Contact http://www.inggolf.com/ or (407) 328-0500.

USGA updates Web site

The United State Golf Association has relaunched its Web site , following a 13-month project that was intended to make the site easier to navigate while streamlining, organizing and tightening the presentation.

With the assistance of @tmosphere, the Web design arm of BBDO, the New York-based advertising agency, the site was overhauled and retooled with an emphasis on polishing the look without compromising any of the content or its graphic standards.

Site visitors – whether they are interested in rules, the Green Section, championships, equipment standards or grants – will now find a more efficient way to surf.  A “bread-crumbs-style” collapsible navigation bar on the left side of each page shows where a particular user has visited.  A revamped search engine that is powered by Google technology is also new. Based on survey data, page resolution was set at 1024x768, whih the USGA says is a growing trend in the Web industry.

"Printer-friendly pages" have also been added to for both Mac and PC users, as well as flash images for aesthetics.  And download time has been improved.

Ninth Women In Golf day this weekend

The Ninth Annual Women In Golf Day is set for this Saturday, May 15, at American Golf operated courses nationwide.

The American Golf Foundation's Women In Golf Day has grown into one of the nation's largest grass roots amateur golf events for women, as well as one of the golf industry's foremost player development programs for women.

Designed to introduce golf to women in a fun, non-intimidating environment, Women In Golf Day offers beginning women golfers complimentary golf instruction, clinics by celebrity golfers, golf apparel fashion shows, luncheons, equipment demo's, merchandise expo's, and other activities custom designed by each participating course.

Coors Brewing Company will make a contribution to the National Breast Cancer Foundation based on Coors products sold at all American Golf sites during the Women In Golf Day event activities. More inforamtion is available online at Women in Golf Day . The Executive Women's Golf Association is a sponsor of Women In Golf Day.