Golfing For a Cause: How to Host a Charitable Golf Tournament in Your Community

May 20, 2013 by

Golfing For a Cause:

How to Host a Charitable Golf Tournament in Your Community

With the popularity of golf soaring, it should come as no surprise that many folks are opting to use this popular pastime for positive, charitable purposes such as raising awareness for a particular cause, or even raising funds to donate to local organizations and research groups. The beauty of a charity-based golf tournament is that it isn’t a top-notch professional tournament played only by seasoned veterans; no, quite the contrary in fact. Golfing for a cause brings out the pro golfer in everyone—young and old, and man and woman alike—depending on what type of tournament you plan to host in your local community.

One of the first steps in planning a charitable golf tournament is to establish just what type of tournament you want to host. There are a number of popular types of golf tournaments to choose from; for instance, a golf tournament where people from all walks of life can tee up, regardless of their level of expertise. There are other options that are slightly more prolific, such as a celebrity golf tournament, in which local (and national in some cases) figureheads from the community and surrounding areas are invited to play, as well as regular participants too. Then there is a Pro-Am­ golf tournament, which is a style of tournament that pairs two golfers together, one of which is usually a professional or reputable golfer.

Once you have determined what type of tournament you would like to host, it is now time to enlist the help of one of the golf courses in your community; after all, a golf tournament cannot exist without a golf course, right? With that being said, you have a few options at your disposal. First, you could take the old-fashioned route, literally commuting to various golf courses and explaining the situation. Another option would be to enlist the aid of the charity you are working with (should you be working with one, that is.). Generally, charities provide a great persuasion tool because they can usually offer a particular golf venue a substantial write-off at tax time.

After securing a venue, you can begin promoting the event if you have not started generating buzz about the tournament already. In terms of tournament promotion, nothing does the trick better than the use of promotional products. Promo items such as custom printed frisbees, stress balls and baseball caps, are not only economical but also relevant too. Moreover, since most people will almost never pass on the opportunity to get free stuff, distributing these promotional items will be a cinch. If you want to promote even further, you can always couple promotional items with posters and flyers, as well as newspaper and radio ads.

** If you plan on hosting a celebrity or Pro-Am tournament, then you already have a powerful promotional tool at your disposal already. Simply introduce a press release or two generating buzz about the big names partaking in your event. **

In order to minimize any confusion on the day of the big tournament, be sure to announce ahead of time that all golfers should register and pay any dues/fees a week or so before the tournament. With an advanced registration process, you will be presented with how many players you can expect to have on your roster on tournament day. Because you already know who is participating, you can fabricate a roster or agenda, outlining how the day will pan out. Furthermore, if you are hosting a tournament in which golfers will be paired together in twos, threes, or even fours, then you will already have a registration list of participant names so you can pair individuals together beforehand.

Ultimately, you should find that tournament attendees had a blast at your function. However, if you truly want to maximize the level of excitement that takes place then you want to hire some form of entertainment. Let’s face it, entertainment is a broad word spanning a broad spectrum of categories. This is where your imagination becomes the best weapon in your arsenal. For instance, you could have an elaborate catered function set up on the very last hole in honor of all the golfers who participated in your tournament. That is just one example though; others include live entertainment, inflatables, and social activities that actively engage everyone.

While sponsorship from local and corporate entities alleviate some of the financial burden associated with organizing an entire tournament, it would be a good idea to set aside some sort of funding for a prize or two to award the winners. After every golfer has completed the 18th hole, you can hold a small reception afterwards to award the winner(s). If your budget allows for it, then it wouldn’t hurt to award every participant with some form of consolation prize, even if it is just a small plaque.

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