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IT Execs Tame the Elements at Inaugural Hitachi Golf Classic

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Monday, 13 June 2016 12:58

The winds howled and the storm clouds threatened but at the end of the day it was the golfers that prevailed at the first annual Hitachi Golf Classic, held last week at the spectacular Coppinwood Golf Club in Claremont, Ontario, designed by renowned course architect Tom Fazio.

Teeing it up were 112 IT executives, including hosts from Hitachi Data Systems Canada, Hitachi Ltd. Canada, Hitachi Consulting, Pentaho, OXya and representatives from several firms in Hitachi’s robust partner ecosystem, and a large number of clients and prospects from a wide variety of industries (e.g. financial services, communications, retail and manufacturing) and the public sector. Avnet, Benchmark, Brocade, ESI, HighVail, Intel, OnX and ThinkOn sponsored activities such as the BBQ lunch and halfway house. The event was organized by Apexx Global. 

In keeping with its standing as one of the Best Workplaces in Canada, Hitachi successfully orchestrated the work of a large supporting cast to ensure that the event went off without a hitch.

No expense was spared as the field competed for a variety of great prizes, including the highly sought after hole-in-one prize of a pair of tickets to next year’s Masters in Augusta, Georgia. No one holed an ace to claim the ducats, although this reporter admits to ‘scaring the cup’, missing it by a scant 43 feet.

Nobody walked away empty-handed, as guests were given a choice of gifts, including Callaway putters, wedges, and golf bags.

The winning best-ball four-man team score on the tough, wind-blown track was a sizzling eight-under-par 64. Awards were also given for putting, a range contest, closest to the pin on #5 and #16, most accurate tee shot, longest drives for ladies and men, and most honest team.

Four of the above winners squared off in a post-round chipping contest – witnessed from the clubhouse balcony by a huge group of wise-cracking onlookers – to see who would take home a coveted pair of tickets to this year’s US Open or PGA Championship. The first contestant led off by chunking his 30-yard chip and missing the green by 20 feet, eliciting a round of jeers and catcalls from the crowd. It turned out to be a case of ‘he who laughs last’ however, as the three golfers who followed him landed their chips in ‘the cabbage’ (golfing term for thick vegetation), allowing him to walk away with the grand prize.

One of the key messages articulated by Hitachi during the event was the company’s focus on a data-centric approach to empower the customer’s journey to digital transformation, including the four pillars of data management, data governance, data mobility and data analytics. For more on this strategy, listen to the 19-minuted audio presentation “Transform Today, Thrive Tomorrow”, delivered by HDS Canada CTO, Paul Lewis.  

Participants agreed that the first Hitachi Golf Classic was an unqualified success. And IT executives take note, the hosts are looking to expand the roster of participants for next year’s Classic.

Dave Carey is an award-winning writer, editor and a founding partner of The IT Media Group.