WHEN the good times were rolling and everyone wanted to jump on the bandwagon, the "genuine" soccer fan moaned about The Suits who were taking their seats in the East Stand.
Now it seems that many of those same corporate bods have changed attire and are more comfortable slipping on a pair of Ecco spikes, donning their Ralph Lauren polo shirts and taking a place behind the ropes on some golf course or other, albeit with a glass of his or her favourite beverage and a tray of food close to hand.
The corporate hospitality market in sport is huge, and still growing. Worldwide, golf is second only to Formula One motor racing when it comes to companies willing to fork out the lucre, although this year's Ryder Cup match in Spain is currently most en vogue.
In Ireland, the golf corporate hospitality market has grown phenomenally. When the Carrolls Irish Open was held at Portmarnock in 1989, for instance, the tentage barely reached 5,000 square feet; this summer's Murphy's Irish Open at Druids Glen on July 3rd-6th will have corporate hospitality tentage exceeding 67,000 square feet.
Standards have risen appreciably too. Gone are the days when the customer tut tutted but accepted a wonky patio chair and ate with a plastic knife and fork. Increasingly, hygiene and quality are put to the top of the agenda by organisers whether they be in Druids Glen or The K Club, Wentworth or Valderrama. The taps in the hospitality unit by the 17th green on the famous Road Hole during the Alfred Dunhill Cup at St Andrews are goldplated no less.
What is the appeal of corporate hospitality, especially in golf" And, with costs ranging in price from £150 to £275 per person here in Ireland, up to £265 per person at an event like the British Open, is it good value?
No doubt, the economy, that oft cited Celtic Tiger factor, is one reason why companies have joined a queue to entertain clients or staff, or hold informal business meetings away from the office environment, at a tournament. Its other appeal is that attendees invariably know, or feel they know, the technicalities and the nuances of the game. Indeed, an indication of golf's pulling power is that the Irish Open's first visit to Mount Juliet in 1993 was the first sporting occasion in this country that the demand for corporate hospitality was so great that the "sold out" signs were required.
The idea of rubbing shoulders with Seve or Nick or Woosie is appealing to many clients. For instance, one feature of the corporate hospitality setup at the Irish Open is that a star name is brought into the area, subjected to a question and answer session, and more often than not will then have a drink or two with those present.
"Often, people are surprised how modest the players actually are. When they're gone, they'll say something like `God, they're normal human beings'," remarks Paddy Rossi, of Murray Consultants, who organise the Irish Open. "Compared to other sports, however, the special awareness level of corporate hospitality patrons attending golf tournaments would be very high indeed."
Of course, not all the top players are so affable. Ian Woosnam is a particular favourite because of his ability to recount with comedian like clarity his previous night's antics, including a possible banjo and spoons session with someone like Christy O'Connor Jnr. Such stories go down a bomb, the icing on the cake so to speak.
Patrons are given the VIP treatment right through the day, from the time they arrive to their reserved car park, are wined and dined, and, of course, see the golf.
"Some people admittedly don't leave the hospitality area, because they can even follow what is happening in the tournament within the unit's confines, but the majority would feel obliged to get out and about," says Irish Open tournament director David Linnane.
The arrival of the Smurfit European Open as a second PGA European Tour event in Ireland has helped satisfy, even augment, the demand, while the Shell Wonderful World of Golf match between Tom Watson and Fred Couples at Mount Juliet on July 13th is a once off event to whet palates. Yet, Michael McHugh, managing director of Corporate Sports & Leisure, who handle the European Open, believes there is a potential market in the Munster area too: "If you think about it, they haven't had anything major in that part of the country since the Irish Open at Killarney in 1992."
A corporate hospitality culture has crept into Irish sport. "Every major development in the last 10 years has incorporated corporate hospitality facilities. The Curragh. Leopardstown. Croke Park. The GAA case is the classic one because, not only did they create an awareness of what people want, but the finance generated was a major factor in the actual development," says McHugh.
Of course, corporate hospitality units at a golf tournament are temporary structures, even if taste demands that things as simple as the type of curtain used must be of a certain quality. "It's imperative to set high standards and the facilities must be modern, convey a certain image," admits Patrick Conway, Marketing Manager of Murphy's. "From a sponsor's view, golf is considered a premium product and, for us, the Irish Open is the ideal social occasion and a good sampling opportunity. Even nongolfers gel a kick out of it."
McHugh believes that the corporate hospitality sector makes "a serious contribution" to the success of an event and is an increasingly important consideration of any sponsor. In the case of both the Irish and European Opens, there is a large level of repeat business, a sure sign of customer satisfaction. However, there is also an element of follow up inquiries from the organisers to their customers to discover any possible areas where improvements can be made from year to year.
There is no room to stand still in the sector. The hospitality area at the Irish Open in Druids Glen this year - again positioned beside the fifth fairway - will comprise self contained chalet units as well as the Garden Pavilion (which gives the opportunity to mingle) and constitutes an increased area on last year. The European Open, which takes place at The K Club on August 21st-24th, also reflects a booming economy. The number of chalets by the 18th fairway "Without blowing our own trumpets, one of the best sites anywhere in Europe," claims Paul Holland, of Drury Communications who promote the tournament along with the European Tour - has been increased from seven last year to 10, while a new hospitality area with a Ryder Cup theme will also be introduced this year, adjacent to the ninth hole.
"People are quite bullish about their businesses and I feel this is reflected in their demands for top class corporate facilities at golf tournaments," says Linnane. Certainly, that appears to be the case in Ireland, for the moment at least.
