A Look Back at the 2010 Exclusive Resorts Golf Tournament

By: Destination Club News
Date: January 17, 2011

Snow may be on the ground in nearly every state across the United States, but that doesn't damper the spirits of golfers who will soon be dusting off their clubs. Prior to the end of last year, Exclusive Resorts hosted their sixth annual Member Only Golf Tournament. The Sea Island Golf Club was the site for last year's event, allowing members to play both the famed Seaside Course and Plantation Course.

The event was kicked off with a welcome mixer with the 36 Exclusive Resorts members and guests teeing off the following morning. Prizes were awarded for the first, second, and third place teams, as well as to the winners of the longest drive and closest to the pin contests. To date, members have walked away with $50,000 prizes.

Prior to the tournament, each participating member received professional instruction on the practice tee from the Sea Island staff, including swing analysis, chipping, pitching, bunker play, putting, club fitting, and game management.

"The scale and success of Exclusive Resorts' Member Events program may be unique among destination clubs, and is certainly a differentiator within the industry," the club writes. "The focus of the program is to create experiences for club members that they could not enjoy outside the club. In addition to the recent golf event at Sea Island, club members have also enjoyed weekends in the California wine country with private access to leading vineyards, a kids-themed extravaganza in New York, a big-game fishing tournament in Los Cabos, and privileged access to Wrigley Field where they tried their hands at batting practice."

Many other destination clubs have adopted a similar philosophy to Exclusive Resorts, giving members vacation options and experiences outside of the club. The Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club allows members to exchange a portion of their nights for safaris and expeditions. The club has also announced a partnership with the Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, opening even more destinations for members. Quintess and The Oyster Circle have a similar partnership, allowing both to provide members with more international vacation options. As the economy continues to recover, expect more alliances to be formed within the destination club industry as clubs continue to find ways to add value for their members.