Business on the Golf Course

Challenge: Marriott sought to capitalize upon the immense current popularity of golf's Ryder Cup Matches on the spur of the moment with a limited hospitality budget.

Solution: Just a few month's prior to The 1999 Ryder Cup Matches, Marriott National Accounts realized they had no program planned, no tickets purchased, no hospitality for the event—and desperately wanted to accomplish something for their key clients. With little money to spend and precious little lead time, they called upon us. R.B. Robertson and Company enjoys longstanding relationships with clients and athletes in the game of golf. We were able to secure tickets at cost from another client for one of the practice rounds and retain the services of popular NBC golf analyst Johnny Miller to help host the day for the eighty in attendance.

Results: Marriott reported that this day of key client hospitality met with some of the most favorable reviews of any conducted that year. The return of goodwill and implied quid pro quo for future business far exceeded Marriott's expectations given the minimal investment. Marriott is eager to proceed with more R.B. Robertson and Company B2B golf hospitality in years to come.

Challenge: Coopers & Lybrand (since merged with Price Waterhouse to form PriceWaterhouseCoopers) faced new levels of competition from market consolidation.

Solution: Use corporate golf and hospitality to solidify client relationships. Through its NBC contacts, network advertising was placed on telecasts for the biennial Europe versus U.S. Ryder Cup Matches, known as the "Olympics of golf."

We managed corporate hospitality at the Matches and created a grassroots program with twelve invitational golf events for key clients across the country, hosted by the Ryder Cup U.S. team captain.

Results: Coopers & Lybrand strengthened its lines of business with Fortune 500 clients and has been recognized as the preeminent entity associated with the Ryder Cup.

Tom Watson immediately after chipping in at 17, 1982 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Challenge: To leverage
a major championship hospitality commitment
for the 100th U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

Solution: As a means of generating client interest and anticipation in advance of Fannie Mae's corporate hospitality for the 2000 U.S. Open, R.B. Robertson helped organize a series of Fannie Mae golf retreats at leading resorts around the country. Using the theme, "An Invitation to History," each regional event guest received a hand-signed commemorative print of 1982 Champion Tom Watson's historic chip-in at Pebble Beach.

Results: The excitement leading up to the Open helped Fannie Mae secure its best clients to attend and see Tiger Woods' record-shattering U.S. Open performance.

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