Interview With Eric Yaillen, Executive Director - Southern Nevada Golf Association By Brian Weis

Interview With Eric Yaillen, Executive Director - Southern Nevada Golf Association

A Light Hearted Golf Q & A Interview

By Brian Weis

Below is an interview with Eric Yaillen, the Executive Director of the Southern Nevada Golf Association and Media Director for the Pacific Coast Amateur.

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 with a brief bio.
Eric Yaillen, Executive Director -- Southern Nevada Golf Association; Media Director, Pacific Coast Amateur
Former Director of Marketing & Communciations, Oregon Golf Association
Former Owner, Aspen Consulting (Software Development)
Former Director of Sales & Marketing, Star Plan Data Systems (Handicap computation service for Wisconsin State Golf Association, tournament software for PGA of America)
Former Regional Marketing Director, Feld Entertainment (Ringling Bros. & Walt Disneys World On Ice)

When did you start golfing and who introduced you do the game?
Started golfing while in High School. Really developed a passion when I was with Feld Entertainment and was a supervisor for a great golfer who was an Evans Scholar.
What is your current home course?
Don't have one.

To date, what is your proudest golf accomplishment on the course or in the industry?
I originated the concept of the Customer Relationship Management System implemented for State/Regional Golf Associations that was ultimately adopted and developed by the USGA.

What is your biggest golf pet peeve on or off the course?
Liars and cheaters

What is your favorite club in the bag and why?
My best two clubs are my driver (Nike Sasquatch) and my pitching wedge primarily because I play them better than other clubs.

What is your favorite golf destination?
Everywhere can be a favorite for one reason or another. I lived in Oregon where there are phenomenal daily fee, private and resort courses and unique experiences.

What course is on your bucket list that you have not played yet?
Augusta National. I had an invitation to play it one time, but the member cancelled at the night prior due to a death in the family and we never rescheduled.

If you woke up tomorrow and could play one course you played before, where would you play?
Peninsula State Park GC in Door County, WI. Always had fun there!

If you could change one aspect, rule or thing about golf, what would it be and why?
None.

Dream foursome (living)?
Jerry Kelly, Donald Trump, Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley. (At least I should be able to beat Barkley...and it should be fun!)

Dream foursome (living or dead)?
Payne Stewart, Bobby Jones, C.B. Macdonald, Old Tom Morris

18 Rapid Fire, Off The Cuff Questions

1) Hitting Long Drive OR Sinking Long Putt?
Putt

2) Having Round of Life OR Hole in One?
Round of Life

3) Golfing at the crack of dawn OR twilight?
Twilight

4) Hit a power fade OR power draw?
Power fade

5) Beverage cart OR halfway house?
Bev cart

6) Bathroom OR bushes?
Bathroom

7) Hot dog OR wrap?
Hot dog

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

9) Walking OR riding?
Walking

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

11) Do you prefer long par 3 OR long par 5?
Par 5

12) Pants OR Shorts?
Pants

13) Palmer OR Nicklaus?
Palmer

14) Beatles OR Elvis?
Beatles

15) Play for fun OR play for money?
Fun

16) Bump and run OR flop shot?
Bump

17) Lay up OR gamble?
Lay up

18) 18 holes OR 36?
18

Revised: 02/11/2013 - Article Viewed 30,851 Times

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the Publisher of GolfTrips.com, a network of golf travel and directory sites including GolfWisconsin.com, GolfMichigan.com, ArizonaGolfer.com, GolfAlabama.com, etc. Professionally, Brian is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA) and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG). In 2016, Brian won The Shaheen Cup, an award given to a golf travel writer by his peers.

All of his life, Brian has been around the game of golf. As a youngster, Brian competed at all levels in junior and high school golf. Brian had a zero chance for a college golf scholarship, so he worked on the grounds crew at West Bend Country Club to pay for his University of Wisconsin education. In his adult years, his passion for the game collided with his entrepreneurial spirit and in 2004 launched GolfWisconsin.com. In 2007, the idea for a network of local golf directory sites formed and GolfTrips.com was born. Today, the network consists of a site in all 50 states supported by national sites like GolfTrips.com, GolfGuide.com and GolfPackages.com. It is an understatement to say, Brian is passionate about promoting golf and golf travel on a local, regional, national and international level.

On the golf course, Brian is known as a fierce weekend warrior that fluctuates between a 5-9 handicap. With a soft fade, known as "The Weis Slice", and booming 300+ drives, he can blast it out of bounds with the best of them.