Organizing a Class Golf Outing

West Point Class of 1971(revised July 2018)

The Class of 1971 Annual Golf Outing – The Shootout

• Organized by Tom Martin ‘71 in 1999• 18th Annual in June 2016• Started small, built up from there• Probably the most important contributor to Class

involvement and cohesion• More relaxing/less frenetic than Reunions• Important recurring vehicle to contribute to

Class gifts and other activities (e.g., 50-Year Affiliation program)

2

Schedule & Timing

• Traditional date is 3rd week in June, i.e., after Father’s Day• Traditional schedule is Wednesday-Saturday

• Day 1 Afternoon Shotgun, BBQ dinner at course• Day 2 Morning Shotgun, evening free• Day 3 Morning Shotgun, Class dinner• Day 4 Morning Shotgun, Class dinner

• Have moved dates occasionally to accommodate venues, and late May Reunion at West Point• Timing now Tuesday-Friday (avoids 1-night of

weekend hotel rate)

3

Venues• Typically different every year, with 4 exceptions

• Colorado Springs, CO 1999, 2001• Myrtle Beach, SC 2000• Williamsburg, VA 2002• Albuquerque/Santa Fe, NM 2003• Boyne Highlands, MI 2004• Charlottesville, VA 2005• West Point (35th Reunion) 2006• Auburn/Opelika, CO (RTJ) 2007• Keystone, CO 2008, 2012• Hilton Head, SC 2009• Santa Ynez , CA 2010, 2015• Pinehurst, NC 2011• Lake Geneva, WI 2013, 2020• Fairfield Glades, TN 2014• Durham, NC 2016• Branson, MO 2017• Savannah, GA 2018• Chambersburg, PA 2019

• Considering 5-venue rotation for the future4

Attendance

• We track Classmates and total participants

• Attendance can fluctuate based on location, proximity to concentrations of Classmates, and overall costs

• Typically 90-100 Classmates, 150-170 for dinner

5

13-Year Attendance

6

69 6785 92

84

11499 95 90 86

110100 96103

113

153 159151

187

166

147 150 143

177168 169

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Wes

t Poi

nt RTJ

Keys

tone

Hilto

n He

ad

Sant

a Yn

ez

Pine

hurs

t

Keys

tone

Lake

Gen

eva

Fairf

ield

Gla

des

Sant

a Yn

ez

Durh

am

Bran

son

Sava

nnah

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Classmates Participants

Costs

• Evaluation criteria for venue proposals• 5-night Lodging cost target (per room) <= $750• 4-round Golf cost target (per golfer) <= $300• Meal targets (includes tax/service/gratuity)

• BBQ target (per person) <= $40• Dinner target (per person) <= $65

• Class representative (local host(s) and The Commissioner) enter into contracts with venues• Attendees pay lodging directly at negotiated rates• Attendees pay Commissioner, who pays the venues

for all other• Commissioner balances overall value vs. targets

7

13-Year Costs

8

$709

$480 $537

$459

$795 $795

$630

$858

$440

$755 $725

$785 $745

$338

$217

$375 $280 $270

$276 $343 $380

$160

$250 $285 $310 $270

$138 $121 $127 $131 $143 $122 $152 $134 $100 $156 $155

$160 $145

$-

$100

$200

$300

$400

$500

$600

$700

$800

$900

$1,000

Wes

t Po

int

RTJ

Keys

tone

Hilt

on H

ead

Sant

a Yn

ez

Pine

hurs

t

Keys

tone

Lake

Gen

eva

Fair

field

Gla

des

Sant

a Yn

ez

Dur

ham

Bran

son

Sava

nnah

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 20185 nights lodging 4 rounds golf 3 meals

Shootout Leadership

• The Commissioner• Single Classmate (we like Unity of Command)

• Tom Martin 1999-2013

• Jake Jacobson 2014-Present

• Plenipotentiary powers• Selection of venue

• Timing/schedule

• Dispute (?) resolution

• Contracts

• Custodian of funds• Shootout accounts separate, not commingled with any other

Class funds

9

Shootout Leadership (cont’d)

• The Committee (aka The Commissioner’s Many Minions)• Ass’t Commissioner

• Other duties as required• Golf coordinator

• Liaison with courses• Selection of tees and skill prize holes• Any other “golf stuff” excepting the LGA

• Scorers• Typically one Head Scorer and multiple assistants• Organizes daily games, determines winners• Has kept historical records back to 2005• Collects $ for daily games and Mulligans

• The Dark Lords• Handicap committee

• The LGA• Organizers of the ladies golf events

10

Golf Stuff

• Daily games for Classmates• Flights• Pick a partner (random pair high/low handicap players)• Shamble

• Couples play first round together, if desired• Ladies play 2-lady scramble• Classmates in daily game

• Skill prizes• Closest to the pin• Longest putt

• LGA• Ladies play scrambles on any day they play

11

More Golf Stuff

• Established rules• Pace of play

• Pick up after 3 over par• All out of bounds treated as lateral hazards

• Mulligans• When/when not to use

• Payouts for daily games

• Once established, small changes year to year

12

Annual Process

• Venue proposals solicited

• Venue selected (1-2 years in advance)

• Information Flyer with schedule and rates

• Tracking of attendees and signups, monthly then weekly

13

Fundraising -- Mulligans

• The Commissioner sells Mulligans• 2 per round• $10 and then $15 = $25 per day

• Previously• 5 Mulligans per round available• Progressive: $5/$10/$15/$20/$25 = $75 per day

• Has resulted in ~$300K to the Class Gift over the years

• Mulligans reduced to 2 in 2014• Not in active campaign• Speeds up pace of play

• The Shootout did have a Calcutta in place (bidding on/auctioning off golfer performance) at one time…but discontinued

14

The Spirit of the Shootout

• It’s not about the golf….• Laughter way more important than scoring• Many non-golfer Classmates & spouses now attending• Venues selected with an appreciation for the availability

of non-golf activities

• Classmate awards• The DAQ: who asks the Dumbest Question in the run-up to the

Shootout• The Woody: most bonehead move at the Shootout

• Dark Lords• Adjust handicaps daily to spread out winnings• Big winners penalized• Woe bedtide a sandbagger

15

The Spirit of the Shootout (cont’d)

• Pairing philosophy• Mix it up• Not organized by Regiment or Company….• ...but, requests honored• Experienced Hackers paired with Shootout Rookies

• Outcomes: • a LOT more knowledge about Classmates known

about, but didn’t know at West Point• New close friendships• The most important contributor to greater Class

cohesion and engagement….for all other Class events

16

Questions?

• Happy to provide assistance/advice to Classes wanting to develop their own event• Contact:

Tom MannlePresident, West Point Class of 1971(978) 491-9774tmannle@gmail.com

17