Gallery of choices.

PRO TOURNEYS MAKE GOOD COMPANY

If you're looking for a break from that annual company golf outing or want to add to it, there's another way you can use the sport to bond with clients, reward employees or increase your company's visibility: Invite the important people in your business to one of the handful of spectator golf events that will be held along the Front Range in 2005.

The International at Castle Pines, the U.S. Women's Open at Cherry Hills, the Colorado Open at Green Valley Ranch and the Denver Open Championship at Buffalo Run all offer ways for companies to get involved in the action, with possibilities ranging from inexpensive or even free tickets to hospitality tents to awards dinners where you and your guests can meet some of the game's top players and hear about their Colorado golf experience first-hand.

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Here's a look at the pro tournaments teeing up this summer:

U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN, JUNE 20-26 AT CHERRY HILLS COUNTRY CLUB

How does a pro golf tournament work as a memorable company gathering? "It's sort of along the same lines of a (company) golf outing where you're essentially entertaining people," says Doug Habgood, championship director for the 60th U.S. Women's Open Golf Championship. "You're just doing it without the club in your guests' hands. You're just inviting them out here as you would invite them to Invesco or Coors Field."

The levels in which companies can get involved, at least in the U.S. Women's Open, are nearly endless, Habgood says. "I think what we want to stress is, the sky's the limit. We're very flexible. Based on your needs we'll do what we can to make sure you get the return that you're looking for."

The most popular package with companies or small groups for the U.S. Women's Open, Habgood says, is the "10-ticket flex book" for $230. The package allows the buyer to divvy up the tickets any way he or she wants--give out all 10 of them for Sunday's final round, or spread them out to different guests over all three days of tournament play. And if your business friends are true fanatics and don't want to miss anything, you can get them tickets for practice rounds for $15 each.

Habgood says much of what the U.S. Women's Open offers companies and small groups is hospitality-based. "We have several different packages they can participate in," he says. "Some include food and beverage, some do not. Some are on the golf course, others are in the clubhouse. We do have tents where you have your own setup. But we also have the ballroom and the clubhouse that we're selling--packages of tickets for that. You can go in, grab a drink or something to eat and head back onto the golf course. It's a little more flexible for companies with a smaller budget that maybe don't need to entertain as many people."

Habgood has directed many PGA and LPGA events over the years, though never in Denver. But he is confident about this: "It's going to be the place to be that week in Denver. This is the national championship, and it's only going to be here once. It's been very popular with the people we've been talking with."

Because the U.S. Women's Open strives to customize sponsorship or hospitality packages to fit the company, Habgood advises interested parties to call and discuss options and prices.

Contact: Max Novena, director of sales and marketing, (303) 806-OPEN, ext. 2, or visit www.2005uswo.com.

DENVER OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, JULY 22-24 AT BUFFALO RUN, COMMERCE CITY

Any tournament boasting past champions like Ben Hogan and Chi Chi Rodriguez is worth a look, especially when admission and parking are free.

The event, first contested in 1947 at Cherry Hills and won a year later by Hogan when it was played at Wellshire Golf Course, has a guaranteed minimum purse of $75,000. Competition is open to professionals and to amateurs with a five or less handicap.

For sponsorship information, contact: Tom Krause at [phone], e-mail him at [e-mail], or visit www.denveropen.com.

* HEALTHONE COLORADO OPEN, JULY 27-31 AT GREEN VALLEY RANCH

* HEALTHONE COLORADO WOMEN'S OPEN, JUNE 14-17 AT GREEN VALLEY RANCH

* HEALTHONE COLORADO SENIOR OPEN, SEPT. 6-9 AT GREEN VALLEY RANCH

(First dates listed for all three events are pro-ams.)

HealthOne Colorado Open sponsorship is a three-event package covering the men's, women's and seniors' opens. Sponsors are granted four spots in each of the three pro-am tournaments and seats for all pro-am participants plus a guest for each at all three championship dinners. Sponsorship also gives guests access to a hospitality pavilion, the ability to display a company banner during the tournament and presence (your company's logo with a link) on the Colorado Open website, www.coloradoopen.com.

The men's open boasts a purse of $125,000, the women's open $50,000 and the seniors' $25,000.

Sponsorships of more than $10,000 can be customized to meet the company's objectives.

Contact: the Colorado Open Golf Foundation at [phone] or visit www.coloradoopen.com.

THE INTERNATIONAL, AUG. 1-7 AT CASTLE PINES GOLF CLUB

Tiger Woods not withstanding, The International annually attracts a world-class field to one of the most spectacular stops on the PGA tour.

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Tickets are $45 each for tournament play and are available at all Colorado golf courses, but if you want to go all out you can get a hospitality tent for $33,000 to $45,000 (with 100 to 150 accompanying tickets). This primo package includes signage to tell guests what tent they're in and signage on five locator boards around the village.

Another package, called "Golf Watch," consists of two tickets for $1,600, good for all four tournament rounds. It includes access to a large tent overlooking the 18th fairway, breakfast, lunch and cocktails throughout the day.

The International also offers about 16 sky boxes around the course. A new product, called Greenside Club, entitles guests to a 40-foot by 60-foot tent with a 20-foot by 60-foot patio overlooking the 16th green. It's available for $175 a day. All hospitality venues include food and beverage.

Contact: [phone] or [phone], e-mail [e-mail], or visit www.golfintl.com.