The Golf Committee Is a Good Day
Golf is one of those things that can be intimidating if you don't play. But the annual IESNYC Golf Outing is designed to be fun for hackers and ringers alike. Committee Chair Melissa Goren of MGE Lighting Design Collaborative, puts it plainly: “You don't have to be an obsessive golfer like me to play. Most of the stronger players are generous with advice and encouragement. And the format is structured so that nobody tanks their team.”
That accessibility is the point. The outing draws a cross-section of the industry that most IESNYC events don't. You’ll see reps and lighting designers, sure, but lots of contractors, distributors, architects, and electrical engineers will always show. A half day outdoors followed by a sit-down barbecue lunch also creates a different kind of conversation than the standard networking cocktail hour. "You get to just chat with people. Normally you don't get to talk to that freely because we're so rushed and busy," Goren explained.
The outing runs as a scramble. IESNYC takes over the course for the morning and all foursomes tee off at once (shotgun start). Every player on the team plays from the best ball at each hole. A beginner paired with stronger players can do their best without anxiety. And the club provides rentals for anyone who needs them.
The competition can be fierce though. Prizes for lowest-scoring team, longest drive, and closest to the pin keep individual golfers sharp. (A foursome stacked with scratch golfers won't sweep everything.)
It’s all in the backswing
In golf and in event planning, most of the work happens before you hit the ball. The committee's job, in practice, is mostly outreach. Our venue is well established: the Port Washington course has tremendous views and great food. So the committee's energy goes toward participation. It takes time – and more hands are always useful – getting people to sign up, matching foursomes, reaching out to potential hole sponsors, making sure everyone knows it's happening.
The outing currently runs at around 60 participants and could definitely use more hole sponsors. The theoretical maximum is 36 foursomes, but 18 may be a sweet spot: enough to fill the course, with everyone finishing. Goren calculated that last year's outing returned $8,000 to the Section's general fund, supporting scholarships, programs, and the operational funds that make everything else possible.
There's room to grow. NextGen members are a natural fit. It’s rare: a half day side-by-side with a wide variety of industry professionals, including people they might not otherwise meet. Getting there takes logistics: a weekday commitment, transportation to Long Island, and often a sponsor willing to cover the foursome. The committee is also open to affinity group participation (that’s you, WILD NY, ALC, Lightinas, NACLIQ, and Build).
"It’s always a blast for everyone that plays," Goren said. "And we're supporting the community at the same time we're having fun."
Stay tuned for the 2026 Event recap!
Volunteer and be a part of the Golf Committee
