Today’s interview is with Linda J. Warnshuis, Tournament Director for the Lake Erie Charity Classic. Her responsibilities included day-to-day operations of the tournament, from sponsorship, organization, operations, volunteers and liaison with the PGA Tour and The Golf Channel. The Lake Erie Charity Classic is held at the Peek’n Peak Resort in western New York which gives guests the opportunity to watch professional golf while still enjoying the amenities of the resort has to offer.
TST: Since 2002, the Lake Erie Charity Classic has been held at the Peek’n Peak Resort. What struggles did you find in promoting the tournament the first few years? How about now?
Linda: Regional support is integral to the success of the tournament. In 2005 we worked hard to build partnerships within the region, which will only strengthen the tournament. The one void in this five-year old event is the lack of a title sponsor. That is the biggest challenge on any of the three PGA TOUR sponsored tours [Ed: Nationwide, PGA Tour, Champions Tour]. You have to have corporate underpinning to be successful. We are fortunate enough to have many sponsors on lower levels that accumulatively get us to the point we need to be operationally.
TST: What difficulty does not having a title sponsor present with promoting and operating the tournament?
Linda: The difficulty does not lie with promoting and operating the tournament. Of course a title sponsor gives you the capability of having larger budgets in both areas, which gives you greater leeway to expand your promotions and operations. By not having a title sponsor you must collectively secure more sponsors at lower levels to achieve the same goals. Don’t get me wrong a title sponsor definitely gives you the ability to step it up a notch.
TST: Have you made any mistakes in planning these past few years? If so, what have you learned and how has it benefited the tournament now?
Linda: No and I believe that is evident in the accolades the Peak receives. The players love the golf course. They love the setting. Peek’n Peak is unique on the Nationwide Tour because it is a self-contained Resort. The Nationwide Tour has a summer home in the resort area of Findley Lake. It’s an event that the Tour is dedicated to and they plan on being here a long time.
TST: This year the Lake Erie Charity Classic offered a $450,000 purse. Can you give us some insight on how you raise that money?
Linda: The purses on the Nationwide Tour are not the sole responsibility of each individual tournament. The tournament pays only a portion of the purse and that amount is raised through sponsorship
TST: What charities does the tournament contribute to? What benefits have you and the resort seen since you begin hosting the tournament?
Linda: ACES, Achievement Center, Boys and Girls Clubs of Chautauqua County, Chautauqua Children’s Safety Education Village, Chautauqua Fallen Heroes Fund, Hamot Heart Institute through Hamot Second Century Fund, Heritage Centers, Hospice, Hunter’s Hope, Junior Achievement of WNT, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, SafeNet – Domes Safety Network, United Way of Erie, United Way’s Success by Six.
Of course Peek’n Peak Resort benefits directly from having the tournament because the majority of players, PGA officials, and The Golf Channel make the Resort their home for the week, but the economic impact on the region for the week is estimated to be approximately $1.3 million.
TST: Earlier this year you attended a tourism meeting for the Chautauqua County, In reading the minutes of the meeting there was quite a bit of discussion about the tournament and its impact on the area, how does this relate to the Lake Erie Classic? Does the county contribute anything to help promote the tournament? What does the county do to help the tournament?
Linda: Many organizations in the county such as The Chautauqua Chamber of Commerce, the Chautauqua County Visitor’s Bureau, Chautauqua County Department of Economic Development/Planning, Chautauqua County Legislature, Planning and Economic Development Committee and Chautauqua Institution, to name a few are on board in support of the tournament and are well aware of the impact the tournament has. They encourage their memberships to support the tournament and work to promote it through avenues available to them.
TST: Staffing is crucial for running a smooth tournament and volunteers are often a key part of the equation. Have you had any difficulty in finding enough people power to help you run the event? Do you have any full time staff to assist you?
Linda: We have a wonderful volunteer force to that supports the tournament by giving unselfishly of their time. It is a misstatement to say they are often the key. Without volunteers you could not have a successful event.
There is no full time staff to assist me with the tournament. I have to rely on the employees of Peek’n Peak Resort to help me with projects. Karen Westerburg was able to spend the three weeks prior to the tournament as well as tournament week in my office. Karen also coordinated the volunteer efforts of the tournament, but this was in addition to handling the workload of her position at the Peak.
TST: How much time do you and your staff spend planning the Lake Erie Classic. Why is it so involved? Planning a tournament of this size must be a yearlong job; can you give us some insight as to what you’re doing the months and weeks prior to the tournament?
Linda: You have already answered part of your own question. It is a full-time job. Months and weeks leading up to the tournament I must first focus on the previous year’s tournament, which includes clean up, thank you’s, financials etc. Then I start right in with next year. Structuring the sponsorships, budgets, operations and schedules just to name a few.
TST: The event was one of many Nationwide Tour events televised on The Golf Channel. What did The Golf Channel do to help promote the tournament and resort during the telecast? Did they make any special mentions about the resort opening in the winter for skiing?
Linda: To be exact 16 of the 31 Nationwide Tour events are televised on The Golf Channel. The Golf Channel helps to promote the tournament. The Golf Channel does clips where they are televised and Peek’n Peak Resort is part of this special coverage. There were ads that both addressed the resort as a summer and winter destination. We also had the opportunity to be involved with the Big Break II, The Golf Channels most watched program. We were one of only four events that played host to the winner. It was good exposure for the tournament and the region.
TST: We sent two players to try the Upper Course shortly after the Lake Erie Classic and found the course in excellent condition. Our scratch player shot 1 under par his first time out on the course and we felt that the course was set up for a shot maker and not the power player, so were you surprised that Esteban Toledo shot only 12 under to win this year’s Charity Classic?
Linda: A score of 12 under didn’t surprise me. I personally believe there is much more to golf that grip it and rip it and the Peak’s Upper Course is proof. Of course the golf course is set up much tougher during tournament week than it is for the average golfer. There are 6 tees that aren’t even set up for public use. The greens are faster, the rough is thicker and then of course you have the unknown of the weather. The stats for 2004 showed that the Upper Course was ranked the 11th toughest course on the Tour, which consisted of 32 events. The scoring average for the tournament was 72.685.
Below is what some of the Tour players have to say about the course:
- Sonny Skinner enjoyed the layout. “This is a beautiful course, and it really challenges you. I don’t care if you’re a long hitter or a short hitter; you have to shape your shots out here. If you’re not sharp you’re not going to make any birdies. This is the way a golf course ought to be.”
- Hunter Haas who played on the PGA TOUR in 2001, finds the Upper Course’s length and setup much to his liking. “The greens are difficult, especially when they are firm and fast and the rough can create havoc if you’re not in the fairway or on the greens,” he said. What he really find particularly tricky about the course are the pin placements and getting up and down on the green.
- “It’s a real thinkers course,” said Anthony Painter. “If you’re striking it well and you can take advantage of good thinking, you give yourself some make-able putts. But you could hit it within 10 feet out here all day and not break par if you’re on the wrong side of the green.” The greens are tricky. You’ve got to leave yourself in the right spot,” Painter said. But you could hit it within 10 feet out here all day and not break par if you’re on the wrong side of the green.” The greens are tricky. You’ve got to leave yourself in the right spot,” Painter said.
TST: How involved are you with the course setup for the event? What changes would you make if you were able to hold a PGA TOUR event?
Linda: The tournament has no input in the setup of the course. The Nationwide Rules officials make those determinations. I don’t think we would make any changes. Why would you change something the players really like?
TST: During this years Lake Erie Charity Classic there was a two-hour delay due to weather, did that make you or your staff nervous. What contingency plans do you have in case of foul weather?
Linda: Because this is a Tour event it is a requirement to have an evacuation plan in place and approved by the Rules Official before a player can tee it up on the course. Weather is not in your control so there is no sense in being nervous over something not in your control. A two-hour delay during one of the longest days of the summer is not an issue. The Rule officials determine all contingencies as related to weather.
TST: The Big Break winner, Kip Henley won an exemption to your event. How was the Lake Erie Charity Classic chosen as one of the events the winner would receive?
Linda: The opportunity was given to tournaments early on The Golf Channel Schedule and we were fortunate to be among those.
TST: Even though Kip missed the cut was this participation able to draw more fans to the tournament?
Linda: I would have to say there were fans of The Big Bread II that attended the tournament because Kip was here.
TST: We’ve seen the Nationwide Tour prove itself as a great step to the PGA TOUR. Last year’s winner, Kevin Stadler, is a popular name who has a famous dad and has seen some play on the PGA Tour this year. Jason Gore, as we all know, earned a battlefield promotion and then later won on the PGA Tour. What advantages does that give you in marketing the tournament?
Linda: It can never hurt to have players on the Nationwide Tour move onto the PGA TOUR. Every year 20 players move on to the TOUR so it is an on-going marketing tool. One of the biggest challenges in marketing of the tournament is to get the point across that these guys are good. Jason Gore did more for the promotion of this Tour than any player in recent history.
TST: With popular names like Kevin Stadler and Kip Henley associated with the Lake Erie Charity Classic, what do you do to take advantage of their star power to help promote the tournament?
Linda: You try to use the high profile names for your media day and interviews with TV, radio, and the printed press. Without even trying we received great press this year because our tournament was the first appearance of Jason Gore on the Nationwide Tour since he made a name for himself at the U.S. Open.
TST: We’ve heard of other tournaments offering gifts to entice their participation. What are some things you do to lure top players to the Lake Erie Charity Classic?
Linda: I don’t know what you are referring to as far as offing gifts to entice players. Prizes of any nature for other than total score must be subject to prior written approval of the TOUR. The Host Organization is not permitted to base any prize money increases on the commitment of a particular player or players meeting certain criteria to participate in the tournament. The best way to assure you have a great field is to plan and run a great event that players will want to put on their schedule. Word of mouth about your event goes a long way. Also, it is helpful to have that title sponsor which enables you to offer the player a larger purse.
TST: Linda, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer our questions and we look forward to seeing next year’s tournament and wish you the best of success.