Golf Awards Have a Solid Swing

Incentive: Merchandise

Golf Awards Have a Solid Swing
January 29, 2009
Boost employee performance with the gift of golf

By Alex Palmer

For executives trying to incent their managers and employees to strive harder, get them thinking about getting onto the green. Golf merchandise offers many options for motivating employees, from high-quality equipment to improve their game to souvenirs from a memorable event to a team-bonding experience.

A popular incentive reward for Chicago, Ill.–based Wilson Sporting Goods has been the Wilson Staff Di9 irons. Not only are the clubs designed with sleek steel, they are also considered to be very forgiving to the average golfer. Incentive recipients can even be 'green' on the green with Wilson's new "Eco Carry" golf bag made of recycled plastic bottles.

"[The Eco Carry] is not available at retail yet, and we offered it to special markets initially and they've been jumping on it," says Christopher Cavallari, national sales manager, special markets for Wilson Sporting Goods Co.

Speaking of golf bags, Tumi's Alpha line includes a number of bags for the golf enthusiast. These range from the smaller Shoe Bag and Drawstring Pouch, to the full Stand Up Golf Bag (pictured at left). This includes a seven-way divider, plenty of pockets and retractable stand.

David Monteith, president of Lincolnton, N.C.–based Southern Marketing Incentives Inc., which distributes Burton brand golf equipment, says a favorite golf award for their clients is Burton's stand-up golf bag. With legs that allow it to stand up straight when golfers are taking their swing, it's a logical choice for golfers who are transporting their bag from hole to hole. But according to Monteith, these incentive winners often just put the bag on the golf cart anyway.

"I don't know why in the world people want a stand bag when they have no intention of carrying it further than from the car to the golf cart, but these just continue to be the hottest ticket out there," says Monteith. Whether standing up makes sense or not, these bags seem to be a safe bet for getting employees focused on reaching their goals.

A Hole in One for Employee Motivation

Total Golf Store, based in Chanhassen, Minn., offers an online points-based platform that companies can customize with their logo or incentive program name to reinforce the winners' connection to the company. Frank Postic, the Total Golf Store's vice president and general manager, says that nearly 80 percent of the company's sales come from gift certificates. He believes that since serious golfers are very particular about their equipment, often a certificate for golf merchandise can be the most effective reward for an avid golfer.

"They purchase what they want and that's the power of the program," says Postic. "Instead of giving them a driver when they already have one, or that's not their brand or what they need, they get to select from some 10,000 different options and customizations… It's not a one-size-fits-all reward."

Another advantage of the online catalog system is that participants can see what's available prior to winning their award. Postic has heard about employees who go online and see an item they really want that's in a higher price bracket, pushing them to boost their sales or performance even further than they would have initially. The certificates can range from $25 to as high as a company likes. Postic mentions one pharmaceutical company client that awarded several $2,500 golf gift certificates to its salespeople who had exceeded their annual goals.

"They could choose from two or three [different rewards] but they were golfers and wanted to essentially buy a new game," says Postic. "Now they had enough to do it! So they bought the drivers, the wedges, the irons and bags and everything else."

Take It to the Course

Then, of course, there is the gift of actual golf: individual or group gift cards for golf courses make for meaningful experiential awards that employees won't soon forget. Jack Sims, author of the forthcoming book You Can't See Your Backswing: How to Win at Business and Golf, who was also a founder and CEO of marketing firm Alcone Sims O'Brien (now Alcone Marketing) sees time out of the office as a reward in itself. The fact that it comes from a manager or the company is an added bonus.

"To say, 'Take a day off and go and enjoy a round of golf,' is very special, and people really want that," says Sims. He says golf events were hugely popular with Alcone Sims O'Brien clients and employees. Even those who aren't enthusiastic about golf can enjoy a day on the green, and for those who want to get better, Sims has another suggestion: giving a lesson or two with the local pro.

Golf merchandise tied to a specific company-sponsored event can offer a special kind of recognition. Relatively inexpensive items like golf towels and bag tags can have a huge value to the winner if it's awarded for a specific tournament that only winners and top performers were able to attend.

"Often dates actually mean more to people than having their names on something," says Jason McKinney, brand manager and business development for Brentwood, Tenn.–based Fore Front Golf, which specializes in personalizing golf equipment. "It becomes memorabilia, a collector's item where they can say, 'Hey, I've played this five years in a row.'"

McKinney says these merchandise items can be given to all participants, to emphasize that it is a special distinction even to attend, or as special awards to winners. A special golf towel for the individual who got closest to the pin, earned the best score or hit a hole in one, offers trophy value while also being a handy addition to a winner's golf set.

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