Few activities complement meetings as well as golf. Unfortunately, though, fewer and fewer meeting attendees actually play it, according to Successful Meetings Senior Editor Andrea Doyle, who says the number of U.S. adults who play golf dropped from 30 million in 2005 to 25.3 million in 2012.

“Over the past decade, the leisure activity that has traditionally been most closely associated with corporate success in America has been in a recession,” Doyle says. “And that’s a shame, because golf is fun, it’s good exercise, people of all skill levels can enjoy the sport, its pace is conducive to bonding and brainstorming between business associates, and it’s a natural teambuilding event.”

If you’re planning a golf event in conjunction with your meeting, there are several things you can do to increase interest and participation, according to Doyle. One idea, for example, is to organize a shorter game.

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