Long term planning for a successful event -
Michael Garten, Executive Director
of the Accenture Match Play Championship
We sat down with Michael Garten, Executive Director of the Accenture Match Play Championship to find out a little about overseeing such a large tournament. We thought CGA members and tournament directors could learn from his experience the past seven years. Michael started his golf background at the University of Southern California assisting with the Trojan Golf Club and serving on several fundraising and charity golf tournament committees.
Q: Tell us some of the big items you think are important for long term planning when organizing a big event like the Match Play Championship?
Garten: Experience… experience that you have or involving someone in the process who has experience with having seen event from beginning to end. Also to have someone who has done it several times in order to see the big picture as you start the process is important.
Q: What do you say to the majority of people who are procrastinators? How do you schedule the event and map it out so that it doesn't all come out and bite you at the end?
Garten: It's important to put together some type of strategy. Some people like to use timelines that could be based via calendars. Some people like to do task bars; there are a variety of different tools, but choose a tool that suits you then you can basically lay out a strategy that will accomplish all the objectives and complete the projects that are all part of the overall event once leading up to the final event week.
Q: How do you utilize your staff or volunteers to help you accomplish a lot of the things you have talking about?
Garten: I think that ties into the experience. The more effective manager you can be the better and there is always a field for somebody who can delegate responsibility, but at the same time it is important to keep enough of a tether cord to allow someone to do the work you've asked them to do. If you're the one with the experience and you know the direction that you want this to go, you need to stay close enough to the process to make sure it's making progress. You're providing them with the tools to be successful.
Q: What would be your two or three major areas that you give for a bit of advice to give to a tournament director? What should they really concentrate on for a successful event?
Garten: Sales & marketing and operations, which is the backbone of any event, I don't care if were talking about PGA tour or a little charity event for 60 people. The operations are the building blocks that make an event are always most important. Third would be client services, the people that you are serving at the end of the day you want to make it the best possible experience for them, whether it a PGA player of someone who signs up for a charity event. Try to make it as seamless a process, first class process as you can. 
