Interview With Michael Osgood Managing Director, Preferred Golf

Below is an interview with Michael Osgood , the Managing Director at Preferred Golf. The following are a few traditional and non traditional golf centric questions that I love to ask influential people in the golf industry.

Can you provide our readers a brief biography?
Michael Osgood is the Managing Director of Preferred Golf, Preferred Hotel Group's collection of more than 65 world-class golf resorts, that provides members-only benefits to golfers looking for once-in-a-lifetime experiences on legendary fairways around the globe.

In this role, Michael directs the sales and marketing efforts for the member resorts and continues to increase the number of renowned resorts in the Preferred Golf portfolio. In 2013, he helped launch the Preferred Golf Fantasy Challenge- the first international virtual golf experience that allows members to compete for weekly golf getaway prizes.

Before joining Preferred Hotel Group in 2008, he worked in sales and marketing for other hospitality companies in California, such as Desert Willow Golf Resort, Marriott International, and Miramonte Resort and Spa.

Michael is a six handicap and says his claim to golf fame was pairing with legendary New York Yankee Yogi Berra and Motley Crue Lead Singer Vince Neal for two days during the 2002 Frank Sinatra Celebrity Invitational. He currently lives in Palm Springs, California.

When did you start golfing and who introduced you to the game?
I was working at a video store, at 19-years old, and a frequent customer asked me if I have ever played golf. My answer was "no", as I was then attending junior college on a baseball and football scholarship. Dennis Foster, Head Pro at Indian Wells Golf Resort, hired me on the spot to begin working on the driving range.

What is your current home course?
Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert, CA

To date, what is your proudest golf accomplishment?
I would say that I have two proud moments: On the course, it would be creating the Richard Kelly Memorial Adult/Junior Desert Open, which encourages parents to play golf with their children. My daughter Torri and I won the event the year it launched.
Off the course, it would have to be when I was awarded the Director of Sales and Marketing of the year award 3 of the 6 years I was with KemperSports and Desert Willow Golf Resort. They were a great company to work for and encouraged employees to think outside the box.

What is your biggest golf pet peeve on or off the course?
Slow play. I understand that sometimes the game of golf can be challenging and we all lose golf balls on the course, but the fact that golfers feel that they need to abide by every golf etiquette rule known to man blows me away. You don't need to mark your ball if it sits 6 inches outside the hole. Pick it up!!!

What is your favorite club in your bag and why?
My driver of course. With the age of 40 getting closer and close, I like the fact that I can still pump a drive over 300 yards and then take another six shots to get it in the hole.

What is your favorite golf destination?
Wow!! This is a tough one because of all the courses I work with for Preferred Golf.
How could I say that Pebble Beach is better than The American Club, The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island or The K Club. I would be shot on the spot!

I can say however, that I have two great memories, which play a big part in why Pebble Beach and The K Club are two of my favorite golf destinations.

First, in 2009 I won a golf trip for two to The Lodge at Pebble Beach by purchasing just one $50 raffle ticket. I took my best friend and we had a trip of a lifetime.

Second, when I joined Preferred Hotel Group, the company hosted its annual conference in London. So, I took advantage of this trip overseas and did a 3-day trip- prior to the event- in Ireland and Scotland, which gave me the chance to experience Dromoland Castle, The K Club, Cameron House on Loch Lomond, Gleneagles Hotel and The Old Course in over a 3-day span. That was amazing but it was disappointing because I was by myself.


What course is on your bucket list that you have not played yet?
I have a couple. The Ocean Course at The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island, Whistling Straits at The American Club and Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand. However, I'm playing The Ocean Course on June 12th, so we can go ahead and prepare to check that one off.

If you woke up tomorrow and could play one course you played before, where would you play?
I would go back to The Old Course, but I would like to have my boys with me this time. There is too much history to play that course by yourself.

If you could change one aspect, rule or thing about golf, what would it be and why? Today, when we're in an age where everyone is crunched for time, I would like to see the evolution of the three-hour golf course. Most professional sports have to end in under three hours and I think golf needs to follow suit, or else the game will see a decline in new golfers. Is a 12-hole golf course in our near future? I don't know, but I bet the designer who builds it might be very surprised.

Dream foursome (living)?
Another great question that I think all golfers think about. As a lifelong San Francisco 49er fan, getting Joe Montana and Jerry Rice in the same group would be phenomenal. Then George "W" Bush. Now, this is not a political statement from me. I would like to have the time to play a round with him so I could pick his brain on what was going through his mind during the 9/11 attacks. I know what was going through mine, as I was in Times Square that day. If I could not pull this one off, then it would go back to the opportunity to play the Old Course with my three kids.

Dream foursome (living or dead)?
I think about this quite often. I'd like to play with my grandfathers, who both passed away prior to me getting involved in the game. I think they both would enjoy golf. The fourth person would have to be Babe Ruth.

18 Rapid Fire, Off The Cuff Questions

1) Hitting Long Drive OR Sinking Long Putt?
Long Drive.

2) Having Round of Life OR Hole in One?
Hole in One, as I am still waiting for my first.

3) Golfing at the crack of dawn OR twilight?
Crack of dawn. Always.

4) Hit a power fade OR power draw?
Power fade - but I just cannot seem to hit one.

5) Beverage cart OR halfway house?
Halfway house.

6) Bathroom OR bushes?
I will say bathroom but we know what happens on the golf course stays on the golf course.

7) Hot dog OR wrap?
Really like the hot dog but my wife has me on these wraps.

8) Around the green, being in sand OR thick rough?
Toes in the sand.

9) Walking OR riding?
Walking at a fast pace.

10) Do you carry traditional 3 iron OR hybrid?
Hybrid.

11) Do you prefer long par 3 OR long par 5?
Long par 5 because my lifetime average score on a Par 5 is under par, where my lifetime score on par 3's is probably double bogey.

12) Pants OR Shorts?
Shorts. When you grow up in Palm Springs, CA you cannot wear pants.

13) Palmer OR Nicklaus?
Palmer.

14) Beatles OR Elvis?
Beatles.

15) Play for fun OR play for money?
Both because it is so much fun to take your buddies money.

16) Bump and run OR flop shot?
Bump and run and I have perfected this from inside 50-yards. Cannot seem to hit a good flop shot.

17) Lay up OR gamble?
Gamble.

18) 18 holes OR 36?
18. Used to be 36 but the low back does not hold up like it used to.