by admin | Dec 30, 2016 | Blog Posts
What types of golf courses and formats encourage faster play?
… “Some 
of the events I like for groups with time-sensitive itineraries are breakfast, lunch or dinner with 9 holes, 18 holes of golf from the 150 to 175 yard markers, speed golf, a walking and running game where each player has only three clubs, and providing a teaching pro with each group for a set number of holes,” said Dawn Donahue, president and CEO for Go Golf Events Management in Vancouver, British Columbia.
One of Donahue’s favorite fun games is called Tombstone Golf, which allows golfers to end the round when a certain score is reached. “You pick a score such as 90 or 100, and the round ends no matter how many holes you play,” Donahue said. “For tournaments, this can be fun because we print individual twelve-inch-by-four-inch foam board tombstones, and when a golfer hits the predetermined score, they plant their tombstone and leave the course.”
Everyone Involved
Let’s face it, not everyone is enamored with golf, and there might be some meeting participants who don’t know a golf club from a baseball bat.
… “We’ll station non-golfers on par 3 holes that have some type of giveaway,” Cusick said. “We also create a hole where an emcee introduces the golfers, and the non-golfers cheer them on.”
Donahue said keeping non-golfers fully engaged allows them to network with golfers and then talk about the day later at the awards ceremony where they otherwise might feel left out. “There are so many things non-golfers can do, such as tend the flag on greens, rake sand traps, clean golf clubs before and after the round or perform as social media gurus taking photographs and videos to post or save for the participants,” Donahue said.
Planned to a Tee Article.
by admin | Dec 30, 2016 | About Dawn, Blog Posts
Dawn Donahue aces final exam to become a Dominican Republic Meetings Specialist
by admin | Dec 30, 2016 | Blog Posts
Golf gatherings adapt to the Gen Y approach – Adapting to the golf audience..
Are Millennials more interested in lattes in the lobby and video games in the sports bar than birdies and bogeys on the golf course?
…Millennials desire a diverse, multi-sensory experience that transcends the traditional and oftentimes unimaginative golf event.
“They don’t like staring (at the fairway) and waiting at the tee, so organizers must adapt to their wants and needs by offering interesting entertainment elements and methods for social media engagement,” says Dawn Donahue, president and CEO for Go Golf Events Management in Vancouver, British Columbia. “At our events we encourage interaction on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Linkedin and other platforms. We even put photo booths on the golf course so it makes it easier to post.”
…Donahue also suggests putting emphasis on creative food and beverage choices for a Millennials golf event.
“Many Millennials are foodies who grew up watching the Food Network and they’re enamored with creative cuisine on and off the golf course,” Donahue says. “Providing chef-inspired delicacies, healthy and gluten-free choices and craft beers is a lot more tempting and exciting to them.”
Time management is an extremely important issue to Millennials, and planners should consider offering shorter events such as three-hole, six-hole and nine-hole tournaments, putting contests, golf simulator competitions, night golf with glow-in-the-dark balls, trick shot demonstrations and ballroom golf competitions.
“Regardless of what format you select, make sure it ends on time,” Donahue says.”Millennials have jam-packed lives with lots of multitasking and time commitments, and they don’t want to hear excuses about why their golf outing won’t finish on time.”
… “You must be very innovative and work diligently to make golf appealing to Millennials because they won’t just show up like Baby Boomers,” Donahue says.
by admin | Apr 12, 2016 | Blog Posts
Dawn is now a Travel Consultant with Travel Best Bets and has achieved certification in Hotel Excellence by Marriott.
Dawn Donahue is a certified culinary travel professional (World Food Association), Certified Golf Tournament Planner and Consultant (Golf Tournament Association of America), is a conference and meeting planner, and has been in the hospitality and meeting industry for 40 years. Donahue has been planning conferences and meetings, which include air, hotel, food and beverage, spousal programs, and excursions, and has chosen to add a full service travel consultant to her profile. Donahue specializes in culinary and golf travel, corporate incentive programs, and leisure group getaways. Looking forward to serving the community.
by admin | Feb 3, 2016 | Blog Posts
Dawn Donahue has been awarded the Hawaiian Travel Expert and Destination Specialist, certified by the Hawaiian Visitors and Convention Bureau. As a Certified Culinary Travel Professional and a Certified Golf Tournament Planner & Consultant, these assets are certain to make any trip to the Islands of Hawaii an experience travelers will enjoy. From the planning stage to creating the experiences for memorable moments remembered for the rest of time.
Whether it is a corporate group, incentive travel, conference or meetings, Donahue will bring the Hawaiian Island flavours to every part of the event. Donahue is certified on all six islands – from the Big Island (Hawaii), to Oahu, Kauai, and Maui Nui (the combination of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai).
by admin | Feb 3, 2016 | Blog Posts
Dawn Donahue has accepted an invitation to sit on the Board of Advisors for the Golf Tournament Association of America. The GTAA is the Association for all Golf Tournaments and Events – Fundraisers, Corporate Outings, Networking, and Amateur Competitive Events. GTAA serves everyone in the golf tournament industry: tournament coordinators, golf courses, suppliers, charities, associations, meeting planners, civic groups, schools, churches, and all groups or individuals involved in a golf outing. It is here to serve and assist organizations in taking their events and business to the next level through education, information, and marketing. The GTAA offers seminars, newsletters, teleconference calls, trade shows, and educational materials.
Donahue is a Certified Culinary Travel Professional (CCTP), Certified Golf Tournament Planner (CGTP), Hawaii Destination Specialist (HDS), has been accepted into the Certified Meeting Manager program (CMM), is a member of the Professional Conference and Meetings Association (PCMA), Meeting Planners International (MPI), a past Board Member for the BC Sports Hall of Fame and the Zajac Foundation, and is a founding sponsor of the BC Hospitality Foundation (BCHF), sits on the Board of Advisors for BCHF, and Chairs the Scholarship Committee for BCHF.
of the events I like for groups with time-sensitive itineraries are breakfast, lunch or dinner with 9 holes, 18 holes of golf from the 150 to 175 yard markers, speed golf, a walking and running game where each player has only three clubs, and providing a teaching pro with each group for a set number of holes,” said Dawn Donahue, president and CEO for Go Golf Events Management in Vancouver, British Columbia.
