In February, California’s dramatically beautiful Monterey Peninsula once again played host to one of golf’s greatest tournament traditions, the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Known for decades as The Bing Crosby Clambake, this prestigious tournament attracts stars like Kevin Costner, Ray Romano and Bill Murray who join with top golf professionals to compete at Spyglass and Pebble Beach, two of the world’s most picturesque and challenging golf courses. 

As in previous years, IMI was well represented by a contingent of golf pros who don the IMI logo on shirts and caps as they play their way through the PGA and Nationwide Tours (13 of 15 pros were in this year’s AT&T Pro-Am field). “The AT&T event at Pebble Beach is a great opportunity for us to spend time with our pros,” says IMI CEO Mike Collins. “After a long day on the course, the guys come to the tent to relax, grab a bite and just sit and watch the sunset on the Pacific.”

An idyllic atmosphere for relaxing with friends, IMI’s hospitality tent is located at the historic Canary Cottage overlooking Carmel Bay. A two-tier deck built for the IMI gathering provided spectacular views of the 18th hole at Pebble Beach, as well as crashing waves and playful otters who floated on their backs while cracking open mollusks. Friends and clients enjoyed daylong entertainment and relaxation services in the same vein that Bing Crosby’s Rat Pack chums did at the cottage each year, decades ago. “We probably had about 2,000 people at this year’s event,” Collins says. “It’s our chance to entertain current and future clients, past customers who have purchased properties from IMI, and to showcase our partners and properties.”

Indeed, IMI’s tent offered the comforts of home and served as a respite for guests between watching golf. Among the indulgences: chair massages, shoe shines, Internet access, cocktails, gourmet coffees, plus a daily breakfast and lunch off the grill. Between bites, friends of IMI could look around and imagine the places they could live someday, from Anguilla (where IMI announced a partnership with the Viceroy) to Hammock Beach in Florida to Lake Tahoe, Calif.

Though golf was never far from the guests’ minds, a particular highlight of the event was IMI’s annual Thursday-night gala. Guests sipped exquisite Dom Perignon and superb Napa Valley wines from IMI partner Far Niente. On the menu: mouth-watering hors d’oeuvres and dinner temptations that included fresh grilled lobster marinated with a Monterey artichoke pesto, and seared beef tenderloin carved with sauce béarnaise. For dessert, mini-vanilla-bean crème brulées and decadent chocolate truffles created the perfect complement. The roots-rock stylings of the Phil Long Band from Vail, Colo., entertained the crowd, which included Kevin Costner, two-time U.S. Open Champion Lee Janzen and a host of other professional golfers and most important, IMI’s guests from across the country. For those who chose to indulge, Cigartainment (see below) was on hand to roll fresh cigars made with Dominican Republic tobacco. Those who stepped outside to enjoy their custom smokes were warmed by a firepit fashioned especially for the occasion. Also outside, a synthetic putting green got plenty of play by day—and night—with clubs provided by Jack Nicklaus Golf.

IMI’s presence at Pebble Beach is the highlight for many who attend the AT&T Pro-Am. Though IMI also hosts guests at the weeklong BMW Pro-Am in its hometown of Greenville, S.C., the Pebble Beach weekend, Collins says, “is larger by a scale of 10.”

“Everything at this event is first rate,” says one guest from Philadelphia. “It’s been an unforgettable weekend.”

A cigar made by hand at an IMI reception becomes much more than a cigar. “People are amazed at the craftsmanship and the art,” says Joe Sweigart, who, with his wife Elaine and son Mike, runs Cigartainment, a company that produces hand-rolled cigars at corporate events, including IMI’s annual AT&T Pro-Am party at Pebble Beach, the Low Country Boil, and a host of other IMI-related events.

Cigartainment’s cigar rollers turn the three elements—wrapper, binder and filler—into prized objects that have a mild-to-medium body and taste. Sweigart, however, notes that his company’s success—more than 150 events last year—extends beyond mere rolling. “It becomes an interactive experience,” Sweigart says. “It’s entertainment. As people watch we make sure everyone’s in a relaxed state of mind.”

Cigartainment is part of Sweigart’s Private Label company in Atlanta, which imports cigars from the Dominican Republic and repackages them for private clients with custom labels. At events like IMI’s Pebble Beach affair, “We give partygoers a cigar that will be a pleasurable experience—good tobacco that is properly cared for and rolled so it will burn well,” Sweigart says. 

To inquire for your event, visit Cigar­tain­ment at cigartainment.com or contact the Sweigarts at 770-938-6770.