At the Genesis Invitational, Hospitality Is the Name of the Game

Rod Cleaver March 28, 2024

The PGA tour spends winters on the west coast where the weather is typically agreeable to accommodating four consecutive days of sunshine, enough to allow a group of golfers 72 holes of uninterrupted play. This past season, however, a weather anomaly meteorologists seem to take great pleasure in explaining — an atmospheric river — has washed out a number of those prime west coast golfing days and even forced shortened tournaments.

The final west coast tour event is the target of my anxiety. One week out, the Genesis Invitational seemed destined to be a soggy event. The PGA tends to suspend or cancel only if lightning is a risk, or if standing water on the course could affect the play. As a golf fan, I am giddy at the possibility of attending one of the most iconic PGA tournaments on the calendar and also terrified that the whole shebang will be cancelled prior to our arrival.

Rain isn’t just bad for golf, it’s bad for the business of golf. As headline sponsor of the tournament, Genesis has a lot at stake here.

The Korean luxury automaker began investing heavily in golf culture when the brand launched in 2015. At first, it seemed like an odd pairing. Why not a bigger sport, one that would attract more eyeballs to the upstart brand?

The inaugural Genesis Open was played in 2017 and, three years later, the tournament was elevated to an Invitational. One of the tournament’s biggest draws is the location; the Riviera Country Club located in tony Pacific Palisades perched atop the Malibu Coast. Past members include Walt Disney and Humphrey Bogart. Current members reportedly include Larry David and Happy Gilmore himself, Adam Sandler. The Riviera was founded in 1926 and has hosted professional tour events since 1948 including US Opens and PGA Tour Championships. In 2028, it’ll play host to the Olympic gold medal event.

To round out the allure of this marquee event, Genesis enlisted the presence of one of golf’s biggest names, Tiger Woods, to host. Woods’ health and physical condition continue to affect his game but the truth is, whenever he’s at the course, it causes a stir. People want Woods to succeed and are willing to line up to see him come back in any way, shape, or form.

As guests of Genesis, a group of us were ensconced in a cluster of hospitality tents, ringing the 14^th green, referred to as the Coast Suites. What they lacked in actual coastal views they made up for in shelter from the occasional passing sprinkle. The atmospheric river kept threatening to rain on our fun.

While sipping on crafted cocktails and nibbling on catered snacks and chatting to other likeminded fans, it dawned on me how naturally the game of golf is suited to hospitality. Whether it’s buying a round for the group you’re playing with, to hosting suppliers or clients, to putting on your own tournament, golf appears to seamlessly embrace the concept of friendly entertainment.    

When Genesis was founded, the three tenets of its brand were design, technology and hospitality. The world didn’t need another luxury car company, of course, but — as the success of Genesis as proved — the world did want a luxury car company that made the lives of its clients easier, smoother, frictionless. Genesis would come meet its clients where they were. And whether that meant test-drives at your office, or bringing its cars out to a golf tournament, that’s what Genesis did. Hospitality in the car world was, actually, quite a novel concept.

The hospitality at the Invitational extended beyond the few invited guests allowed access to the suites around the 14^th green, Genesis also provided a hospitality lounge for other visitors to the event. Aside from featuring a number of their latest and upcoming vehicles, the lounge offered up drinks, tea and Korean snacks. It felt similar to the brand’s newest retail locactions, which strive to make anyone entering feel more like honoured guests rather than potential customers.

Thankfully for Genesis, its guests and the golfers, the rainfall got perpetually pushed back day to day, leaving bright sunshine for most rounds with only occasional light showers on the final day of play.

The scene was spectacular. The Riviera Country Club fills a canyon that cascades down to the beaches. Overhanging the fairways and greens are some of the most spectacular homes one could imagine. Several have been enhanced with industrial level metal support pillars, akin to something you would see supporting a freeway. The deck supported above usually contains outdoor living space or a swimming pool, somewhat counter to the old adage, “Buy land, they aren’t making any more of it.” Well, at least not affordably.

Being inside the country club inner circle has exposed Genesis to its target demographic better than, perhaps, any other sport could have. The investment in golf, and this tournament in particular, has been a successful venture for the carmaker. The exposure outside of the golfing world was also highlighted the weekend of the Invitational when not one but two golfers scored holes-in-one during tournament.

Genesis, being generous and hospitable at its namesake tournament, awarded the stunning new GV80 SUV to each golfer and the Electrified GV70 SUV to each of their caddies. News of their good fortune spread globally far beyond the golfing world.

Less advertised, however, was another-hole-in one during the warm-up Pro-am event at the course. While no vehicle was awarded, the brand felt their guest’s achievement should be recognized, and donated a significant amount to the golfers’ charity of choice. A hospitable gesture to be sure.