June 5, 2007    view this week's photos    

Kym Houghman
Wachovia Championship
By Henry Bostic
 
Wachovia Championship Executive Director Kym Hougham spoke again at Charlotte Rotary, and if the number of questions is any indication, his topic - the recently completed tournament won by Tiger Woods - is a favorite with club members.
It was a "pretty amazing week - incredible," is the way the man who has led the tournament from its inception described this year's event. And Tiger's win has changed the tournament.
 
After the first four tournaments interest pretty much dried up right after the tournament was over - "like a spigot turned off." But not this year. Calls are already coming in for next year's tickets. "It's ramping up. The marketing campaign will be different next year . . . but we will have to be careful with how we use the likeness of Tiger Woods."
Though final figures aren't in, it looks like donations to Champions for Education, the national charity that benefits from tournament proceeds, will have received a total of $7 million from the first five tournaments, about $2 million from the 07 event.
 
"We knew where we had to be" when the tournament was launched, but "it is bigger than we ever thought - yes, it's in the upper echelon of golf events in the world," Hougham said. "We're looking to improve next year. 'This year's success is next year's liability,' my dad used to say. It will be tough to improve next year."
 
Dramatic changes were made in earlier years, he said. From 06 to 07 it was "difficult to have that wow factor." He said he asked the staff to come up with ideas to make a difference this year. They came up with 75. "We have to drill deep to get it exactly right, to continue to improve. We can't get complacent."
 
"We've raised the bar on the PGA tour. The Wachovia factor. We're proud of that. We're flattered. The key is not what we do but how we do it," Hougham said.
 
Random comments about the tournament from Hougham's talk and the question and answer session:

  • A PGA study estimates the tournament's effect on the local economy is between $40 and $60 million annually.
  • We have 2,500 amazing volunteers, 47 percent of who are Wachovia employees.
  • Wachovia is the most active title sponsor on the tour. It's in their city so "it's very, very important."
  • Forty-seven of 50 sponsors are committed long term.
  • We try to do business locally, to buy and spend locally.
  • We get great support from the region where most tickets are sold. It was two-thirds sold out by Christmas.
  • Ninety-five percent of tickets are sold online so we can plot them on a map. It changed our marketing.
  • There are lots on constituent groups to satisfy - Wachovia, Teach for American, volunteers (Ambassadors), PGA players, families, caddies, the PGA Tour, media, vendors, promoters, sponsors, spectators, Quail Hollow members and Charlotte.
  • Players are excited about Charlotte, but Quail Hollow is the key. The tournament actually has fewer perks than most. Players like the course unanimously. It's different because it was not designed as part of a residential community.
  • We treated caddies better than any tournament before.
  • The PGA was caught off guard by our success. The time slot, a week before the Tournament Players Championship, is set through 2010 and guarantees participation by most major golfers.
  • Quail Hollow members give up the course from mid-march to July 1.
  • The tournament was not an overnight success. Lots of folks can take credit for its success all the way back to 1959 when the founders decided to build the course.
  • The paring of Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods was special. Hougham was on the course at 4 a.m. the Wednesday of the pro-am. By 6:15 there were about 75 spectators at the driving range. By 7:30 a.m. there were between 8,000 and 9,000 at the first tee. Tiger isn't upstaged often. When he was introduced there was a big cheer. But when Michael was introduced there was an even bigger cheer.
  • Wachovia was responsible for working out the details of the continuation coverage from CBS to the Golf Channel when the tournament ran past 6 p.m. because of the two-hour rain delay.
  • When tickets are on sale between mid-November and mid-December, almost all are bought by women for men as Christmas presents.
  • The tournament has a staff person who helps golfers make room arrangements. Twelve golfers have already made reservations for next year and many are booking multiple rooms to bring families and friends.
  • The tournament is now rated right behind the four majors in popularity but it will not become the "fifth major."
  • The daily attendance is held at 35,000 because "we can't park any more cars."
  • The 17th green which slopes toward the creek will be changed for next year.
  • The Friday before the tournament began, the golfers signed up included 29 of the top 30, 38 of the top 40 and 44 of the top 50. The best participation of any non-major tournament.
Head Table: Anthony Foxx, Bill Anderson, Luther Moore, Chip Scholz, Bill Constangy, Debbie Daniel;
Invocation: Chuck Cocke
Visitors & Guests: Don Carmichael; Health & Happiness: Frank Watson; Song: Biff Virkler; Piano: Thomas Moore
 

• Doug Bean introduced Matt Ryan to the club on Tuesday. Matt is a Vice President with HDR, Inc., one of the United States' largest engineering and architectural firms. Contact Matt at mryan@hdrinc.com.
   
• David Norman has been installed as Carolinas chapter president of the Institute of Management Consultants; Foreign Trade Zone 57 re-elected Donald Haack as its Board Chairman and President; Todd Smith says the Salvation Army is actively involved with the Boys & Girls Clubs and eight summer camps will be open.
   
• LET SANDY KNOW if you will be attending the CLUB ASSEMLY at SMS CATERING on JUNE 26TH. Spouses & significant others welcomed.
 
   
Attendance Record Wedding Anniversaries Birthdays & Birthplaces
  6/05/07 6/06/06
visitors & guests 10 6
club members 159 168
total attendance 169 174
  12 Karen and Herb Harriss
13 Deborah and Steve Meckler
13 Jean and Andy Zoutewelle
14 Dot and Powell Majors
14 Shirley and Henry Snead
14 Christine and Phil Volponi
15 Debra and Bob Webb
16 Peggy and Bob Culbertson
16 Mary and Brian Gibson
17 Emily and Doug Booth
17 Jody and Chuck Lew
17 Amy and Gene Marx
17 Mary and Bruce Rinehart
17 Ruth and Carroll Thomas
17 Dee and Ed Turner
18 Gayle and Luther Fincher
18 Peggy and Dale LeCount
18 Peggy and Ken Wesp 		  12 Suzanne Bledsoe, Newberry, SC
12 Elsie Garner, Trujillo, Peru
13 Chris Thomas, Charlotte NC
14 Jay Westmoreland, Shelby, NC
18 Todd Sevens, Savannah, GA
New Members:  Tigger Alexander, Spencer Williams
Resignations:  Jesse Jones, Julius Melton (both transferred to North Mecklenburg Rotary)
Roaming Rotarians:   Tom Burgess: Lake City & Seattle, Washington
 
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Rotary Club of Charlotte -- 841 Baxter Street -- Suite 118 -- Charlotte 28202