Unique 30th birthday gift

Plenty of perks in the works

Justin Leonard didn't intend to play in the WorldCom Classic this season because of his struggles at Harbour Town. In his last six trips to the tournament, he hadn't finished higher than 30th. He hadn't even made the cut the last two times he competed in the event at Hilton Head, S.C.

But his wife, Amanda, talked him into going because she wanted to take advantage of Hilton Head's tennis facilities and participate in some other activities with several players' wives. Leonard gave in and ended up winning the tournament. He already has committed to defending his title in 2003.

Score one for Leonard, one for his wife and one for the WorldCom Classic.

When players determine their schedule, the golf course, the timing of the tournament and the purse often are the most important considerations. But tournaments put in countless hours to provide extra amenities--such as access to the best tennis clubs--to try to make their event even more attractive to potential participants.

It might sound excessive, considering most of these golfers make enough money to buy anything they want. But competition is fierce for the best fields possible, and most tournaments are willing to play the game. The tournament staff helps with hotel reservations, restaurant reservations and tickets to concerts and plays. They provide child care, airport transportation, courtesy cars and souvenirs. They make sure their spread of food and beverages has plenty of variety. They try to provide a comfortable place for the caddies to relax. And they try to take advantage of the entertainment available in the area.

"Every tournament does something special," Rocco Mediate said Friday after his round at the Advil Western Open. "Whether they're giving us some crystal or something else, it's really amazing what they do and how they go out of their way to make us happy. You come here and you have everything you want--stuff to do with the kids, great restaurants. Restaurants are huge. And the day care here is unbelievable. The kids are so tired at night, they go right to sleep."

John Kaczkowski, the Western Open tournament director, has benefitted from the timing of his event. Falling two weeks before the British Open, it's a natural tuneup for the players before they head overseas for the third major of the season. Kaczkowski also feels the tradition of the tournament and the golf course have played a role in bringing some of the best players to the area.

"The first thing you provide is the quality of the golf course; that's why they play," Kaczkowski said. "A lot of players love Cog Hill because it's always in good shape and is a U.S. Open-style venue where you have to hit good shots all the way around.

"Two is really the dates of your tournament. You could run a great tournament with all the perks in the world, but if it falls into a schedule where you're the fourth tournament in a row when they've played in the last three tournaments, chances are they're not going to play."

Still, the Western Open has an impressive itinerary for players and their families. With the July Fourth holiday making it more likely the players will bring along their loved ones, the tournament sponsor often hosts a family picnic. During the cookout Thursday, the players' children went on pony rides, got their faces painted, watched magic shows, clawed their way up a climbing wall and jumped on the Moonwalk. Then they joined their parents to watch a private fireworks show.

The Western Open also has tickets available for Cubs or White Sox games when the teams are in town, with many players expressing an interest in visiting Wrigley Field. As part of the Wee Western day- care program, the kids go on field trips each day to places such as the Museum of Science and Industry and Six Flags Great America. The wives are given an opportunity to shop on Michigan Avenue when the children are touring the city.

It's all about creating an enjoyable experience so the players and their families will want to make a yearly stop in the Chicago area.

"That's the hard part about the PGA Tour," Kaczkowski said. "No one's required to play in an event. What makes them want to play is the quality of the event. How is it organized? How is the fan support?"

The Air Canada Championship, a young tournament still trying to establish itself, offers players a 12-minute helicopter ride from their hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia, to the course, which usually is a 40-minute drive from the city. Also, because of Vancouver's distance from other tour stops, the tournament makes charter planes available to make sure the players have a direct flight from their previous location.

Rachel Harowitz, the Air Canada Championship's tournament director, emphasizes the unique aspects of Vancouver as she recruits players and their families. The tournament's two-day spousal program, which is directly marketed to the players' wives through the mail, includes a day of shopping, lunch and spa treatments followed by a day exploring a certain part of the area. The women have had lunch at the nearby ski resort in Whistler, tea at the Empress (a famous Victorian hotel) and this year will tour the wine country in British Columbia. Harowitz said the wives also get a package from a local department store filled with lotions and other toiletries. As for the men, they've been treated to complementary salmon-fishing trips early in the week before the official start of the tournament.

"We just try to throw in extra touches," Harowitz said. "If we know a player's child has a birthday that week, we'll bring in a clown and throw a party."

The Buick Invitational in San Diego has hosted a family night at Sea World, visits to Navy carriers and trips to the San Diego Zoo. But Tom Wilson, the tournament's director, doesn't think those extra perks have much impact.

"We've surveyed tour players to see if that's important as far as bringing them to the tournament, and most all of them said no," Wilson said. "Good golf conditions, a good purse and treating players well are the keys, we've found. And they do appreciate the personal contact. Most feedback has to do with the course conditions, how good the security is, child care and how the caddies are treated. Caddies are like an extension of their families."

Tournament directors stay in contact with the players, their families and their agents throughout the year. Harowitz and her staff leave presents and notes in the players' lockers throughout the season to remind them of the Vancouver tournament. Examples include a spoof on David Letterman's Top 10, with reasons to play in the Air Canada Championship, small Canadian flags and a cut of salmon. Wilson visits three or four other tournaments during the season to cultivate relationships with the golfers. He also sends out birthday cards and writes a congratulatory letter to the winner of each week's tournament. Kaczkowski also sends congratulatory notes and said Advil, the Western Open's current sponsor, mails a holiday gift to each of the players. Advil also provides a gift for the players when they attend the Western Open.

"You just try to keep the name of your tournament out in front of the player, and hopefully you get on their schedule," Kaczkowski said. "There's pressure to get a good field, and you want to get the best field you can. But we've been fortunate that we have a lot of good things going for us, so you just hope the tournament sells itself to the players."