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Sunday
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11th Annual
ING Conference
by Dan Perry, GolfProHelp.com
I recently attended the 11th Annual International Network of Golf (ING) conference, held at Treetops Sylvan Resort, in Gaylord, Michigan. It was my first ING conference, so I decided to keep a journal of the events and of my experiences. It was, without question, the best golf-related conference I've had the pleasure of attending. Very laid back, no pressure, and of course, lots of golf. I particularly liked the fact that the exhibitors floor space was equal, regardless of their size. It really helps the small businesses get much needed exposure.
I
arrived about 3 p.m., and met some of the ING staff during check-in.
Right next to 
the
registration desk were representatives from QLink, a product that strengthens
your resistance to the effects of stress. Marty Bowers ran me through
a stress test with the QLink pendant on and off, and there was a notable
difference. She said it may take anywhere from one week to two months
for me to notice the benefits (A future article, perhaps?).
I walked through the media expo, and met Leonard Finkel from Affluent Golfer, a new publication aimed towards, obviously enough, the affluent golfer. There were also other members of the magazine genre, including Golf Chicago, Golf Business, and Long Island Golfer Magazine.
After
the expo, it was time for the Par three challenge at Threetops, the
site of the Par-Three Shootout, as seen on ESPN (This year's competitors:
Paul Azinger, Phil Mickleson, Lee Trevino and Raymond Floyd.) Believe
everything you hear; it is fabulous. We were playing 6-somes, with a
shotgun start. My group consisted
of Bill Daniels and Dave Weretka of Golf Chicago! Magazine, Cheryl Fink
and James Kaiser of Powerbilt Golf, Kate Pophal of IMG, and myself.
The first hole we played was #3, called Devil's Drop. From the blues,
it's 207 yards, with a 145 foot drop. Unbelievable. They say sometimes
the hangtime reaches 12 seconds. It only got better from there. Bill
Daniels won the 4th hole, and was invited to participate in the SNAG
golf challenge at the end for the grand prize ($500 cash). SNAG is a
new company that helps beginners learn the game, and how to enjoy the
game. He didn't win, but we still had a great time. NOTE: The Par-3
Shootout will be aired on ESPN this year on July 30th & 31st.
Afterwards,
dinner was served while the awards were handed out. The traditional
opening night dinner consists of pizza and beer, but not at Treetops.
We were served a salad, roasted veggies, smoked salmon, and a pork entree
that was in a wonderful red sauce. Of course, the chocolate cake and
cheesecake rounded out a great meal. It was a great way to end the opening
day. To Monday -->
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