“Inside the Ropes” makes a Splash at the Golf Industry Show Most of us have heard the term and have been a part of a “Napkin Idea.” Probably one of the most famous stories of a napkin idea comes from 1994 in California when a group of Pixar executives were wrapping up discussions on the blockbuster hit “Toy Story.” The story goes that the group was meeting at a small café and realized they needed to figure out what they were going to do next and the importance of the early planning process. Using napkins from the café the group began sketching ideas and even characters for future Pixar hits. These napkin ideas eventually became future hits including “A Bugs Life,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Finding Nemo,” and “WALL-E.” The most important part of this story is the comments Pixar has made in recent years about crediting the success of these movies that although some of the initial ideas did come from this lunch meeting, countless discussions, meetings, individuals, and blood, sweat, and tears go into a napkin idea before it ever becomes a reality.
a hotel bar to begin discussions. Napkins may not have been used, but on the back of some of the previous meeting agendas and in small notebooks the group began to bullet out ideas for the education and even began conceptualizing what the area would look like. The group knew the idea of “Inside the Ropes” meant a tournament feel or a finishing hole at a major. With this concept in mind the idea of bleachers for spectators, television stage and tower, and the green as a stage for education presentations was born. The initial concept drawing was forwarded to a few ASGCA members who helped the group align with their fellow member Shawn Smith with Hills Forrest. Shawn was recommended for his creativity and expertise in creating two-dimensional imagery of golf holes. Shortly after meeting with Shawn, concept drawings were available to start sharing with industry partners. Over the next 10 months Inside the Ropes was finalized into what we all enjoyed at the 2018 Golf Industry Show.
A similar story can be told of the 2018 Inside the Ropes project at the Golf Industry Show. In the spring of 2017, after the Orlando Golf Industry Show where the show partners had created a 9,000 square foot green along with bunkers and other golf course features, the group was wrapping up a meeting in San Antonio where the Industry Advisory Council had met to discuss plans for the next show. During the meetings a few important challenges/opportunities were identified. In short, the new convention center space allowed for the trade show registration to be held inside the exhibit halls rather than the lobby along with the hall location being in an area that was not necessarily the most conducive layout to drive traffic. That along with ideas that had been suggested for future builds, a group of association staffers retreated to
Countless hours of planning all led to a four-day build window, a 2-day show, and a 2-day clean-up of nearly 20,000 square feet of space. This project was by far the largest construction project to date for the Golf Industry Show. None of this could have been accomplished had it not been for the countless volunteers, show partners, exhibitors, convention center staff, and Freeman, the general contractor and strategic partner for GCSAA and the Golf Industry Show. This project involved over 100 individuals in one way or another to benefit the thousands of show attendees.
Bunker Displays
4
Irrigation Education
We cannot thank the following enough for their support to make this project a success. Check out the photos from the build of Inside the Ropes on the next page!
Equipment Displays
Donor Sponsors