Corporate golf outings in Las Vegas: Tips for bringing a large golf group to Sin City

By Bill Bowman, Contributor

LAS VEGAS -- In real estate, the saying is "location, location, location."

Las Vegas has more than 9.8 million square feet of convention and meeting space, including the Las Vegas Convention Center.

«

»

It's the same in golf, especially when you're looking to book a golf outing for your large corporate group. No matter the number, a golf outing can be one of those never-forget outings that brings back memories for everyone for years to come - as well as a great bonding experience. Especially in Vegas.

The first location is easy: If you're looking for the best place to tee it up, you've got to look no further than Vegas. With more than 60 golf courses in Las Vegas, you're bound to find one (or more) that fit your price range(s).

The second location is a little trickier: the golf courses themselves. On the Strip? Off the Strip? North? South? Well, you get the picture.

The No. 1 thing to remember is every location has a number of courses to choose from. From the high-end, luxurious layout to the nothing-fancy-but-it's-great-golf course, the choices are plentiful. All the great ones -- Fazio, Nicklaus, Palmer, Jones, etc., -- have designs here just waiting for your group.

That brings us to the final location: where you'll be staying. Remember, you're in Vegas. Chances are you won't be spending that much time in the hotel room (not with all of the meetings planned, dinners, excursions, etc.), so that five-star resort may be a great place to visit during your off-time, but not to stay. The choices, again, are limited only by your imagination and budget.

The best advice if you're the one planning that corporate trip to Vegas and want the best options is to look around on the first page of the LasVegasGolf.com site you're reading right now. The golf courses in Vegas, the packages, the resorts, the restaurants, the entertainment and much more are second-to-none.

Another tip: Be patient. There are plenty of deals to be found if you're diligent.

"There is no better place than Las Vegas to host your group outing," said John DeMarco, director of travel tourism for LasVegasGolf.com/Golf Channel. "Even though golf will serve as the centerpiece of your trip, Las Vegas offers so many additional entertainment options from shows, dining and, of course, gaming."

Here are a few things to remember if you're bringing that big group to Vegas:

As we all know, not everyone's going to agree on everything -- if anything -- and that includes the golf. But everyone needs to remember that you're here on a business trip first. The golf is a great perk between all those meetings. Remember that someone has spent hours and hours fitting every last detail -- golf included -- into the itinerary. Be thankful that golf is included. Many corporate outings to Vegas may include food, room and a show, but not golf. If a round or two is included in your trip, rejoice and clean those clubs.

It's also a great break for the golf course to have just one person check the group in. Having the entire group milling around the guys and gals doing the check-in can raise tempers quicker than a three-putt.

"The golf course, unlike major hotels, may have just one or two guys checking in players, and having him dealing with 16 guys (or more) can create a crazy environment," said Dennis Piekarski, director of sales and marketing at Revere Golf Club.

Working with the courses (and hotels/motels), you'll get a better deal the more you play. If you book your group for two rounds (ideally at two different courses within the same chain), the rates will go down, and the experience will go up.

Be flexible. Everyone would love to play bright and early, but these are prime slots and the priciest. And for big groups - as well as individuals - price is always a factor. If you book your golf group later in the day (check out the twilight rates), you're going to get better rates. Plus, you're in Vegas -- you just might want to sleep in a little. (Not that you're tired from that four-hour corporate meeting).

Make sure you're committed. This is easier said than done. There's nothing worse than showing up at the golf course with 20-30 co-workers rather than the 48 you had tee times reserved for. It puts a huge burden on the course. And heaven forbid your group shows up late. Then you've got major problems and delays, and everyone's unhappy.

"The biggest thing is to have all your ducks in a row," said Piekarski. "You've got to have a firm commitment before you book any course. You know a couple of players may flake due to festivities the night before. You've got to plan for the number of players you have ... not the number you hope for."

Now we know you're here on that business trip. But the golf outing is a great part of that experience. It's a chance for everyone to bond, blow off a little steam, have a beer and play one of the amazing courses Vegas offers.

This trip, planned and carried out right, will be a memorable experience both in and out of the boardroom.

October 8, 2009