Posts in Why Golf
Putt Putt Fore Puppies is Back!
Putt Putt Fore Puppies is Back!
 

We’re back for year two of Putt Putt Fore Puppies!

The GolfStatus and Dormie Network marketing teams had so much fun in the tournament’s first year—and learned so much—that we decided to do it all over again and crush our goals from 2023. Check out the 2023 planning blog to get the rundown on the mini golf tournament.

Once again, Putt Putt Fore Puppies will raise money to support the pets looking for their forever homes at the Capital Humane Society here in Lincoln, Nebraska. Follow our journey here and on Facebook and Instagram!

1st Quarter Update

We kicked off planning with committee meetings in February and March to review lessons learned and ideas from the post-tournament debrief and start brainstorming for 2024. The planning committee welcomed several new members, with newer GolfStatus Account Managers and Client Success Reps joining in on the fun. The team now numbers 13, which means more people to share the workload. The decision was made to move the tournament to September, for a couple reasons. One, we hit the jackpot with weather last year—75, sunny, and just a slight breeze. October weather in Nebraska is extremely unpredictable, with more stable conditions in September. Second, Capital Humane Society had no events scheduled for September, so Putt Putt could fill that gap.

Thus far, planning has been easier, as we have actual data and last year’s experiences to draw from. We have a better understanding of costs, revenue, attractive sponsor packages, and how many teams to shoot for. We also have processes and assets in place to use down the road. What’s more, we could simply copy our event in GolfStatus’ backend so there was no need to start from scratch. Stay tuned for the website launch!

Here are the tasks we handled this quarter:
  • ✓  Finalized the planning committee
  • ✓  Set dates for all remaining committee meetings
  • ✓  Set a fundraising goal
  • ✓  Reviewed pricing options for facility rental and team registration
  • ✓  Brainstormed sponsorship and package ideas
  • ✓  Brainstormed revenue enhancers
  • ✓  Locked it in with Adventure Golf (September 20!)
  • ✓  Confirmed the date with the Capital Humane Society team
  • ✓  Divided up sponsorships among committee members
  • ✓  Worked on updating the event website so it can launch in April
  • ✓  Updated the tournament’s budget spreadsheet
 
Why GolfJennifer Wemhoffputt putt tournaments, mini golf, software, resources, sponsorships, sponsors, event website, raffles, add-ons, games, live scoring, online registration, hole assignments, waitlists, technology sponsorship, promotion, budgets, teams, planning committees
Plan a Golf Tournament With Us!
Plan a Golf Tournament With Us!
 

GolfStatus’ golf event management platform powers golf tournaments and events of all types and sizes—even mini golf tournaments.

GolfStatus’ golf event management platform powers golf tournaments and events of all types and sizes—even mini golf tournaments.

Leaning on the tournament planning resources available in its online resources library and working closely with the in-house Client Success team, the GolfStatus marketing team planned a brand new mini golf tournament, using the tasks outlined in the golf tournament fundraiser timeline and checklist, to give back to our community and raise money for a local charity. The tournament raised over $9,200 for the Capital Humane Society in our hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska.

A big THANK YOU to our tournament sponsors!

Presenting Sponsor

Sponsors

Golf Ball Sponsor

Certified Piedmontese Logo

Dinner Sponsor

Vanity Fur Logo

Koozie Sponsor

Ross Eickhoff - StateFarm agent

Pin Flag Sponsor

402 Creamery Website Link

Batting Cage Sponsor

Allo Fiber Website Link

19th Hole Sponsor

Raising Canes Website Link

Swag Sponsor

Armature Website Link

Game Sponsor

 

hole sponsors

Post-event update

Lessons learned: The to-do list doesn’t stop once the tournament is done! Post-event follow up and engagement with attendees is super important for ensuring a great experience and building momentum for the next year’s event. Using GolfStatus’ messaging app was a simple way to reach out to everyone in one fell swoop to say thank you, provide a final update, and announce that Putt Putt Fore Puppies will be back again in 2024! Once all of the tournament accounting was reconciled, we were able to present Capital Humane Society with a check for $9,208.15 (which was THREE TIMES what we set for an initial fundraising goal).

We worked on these post-tournament tasks in the last month or so:
  • ✓  Sent a thank you to all attendees via GolfStatus’ platform
  • ✓  Sent handwritten thank you notes to sponsors
  • ✓  Provided hole signs to sponsors
  • ✓  Updated the event website
  • ✓  Reconciled final expenses and income and presented a check to Capital Humane Society
  • ✓  Debriefed with the planning committee
  • ✓  Renewed with GolfStatus for 2024!

OCTOBEr Update

We did it! And it was an amazing day. We hit the jackpot in terms of weather—low 80s, plentiful sunshine, and a slight breeze. Set up and check in both went smoothly. People were eager to buy the games package and raffle tickets through the event website, and we raised $1100 the day of the event just in add-on purchases! Best of all, we were able to make a big check presentation to Capital Humane Society for over $8000! We heard from so many golfers and sponsors about how much fun they had and how they hoped we would do it again.

Lessons learned:

  • As much as we tried to plan ahead so the week of the event wouldn’t be hectic, there were just some tasks that had to wait until close to the event, such as printing alpha lists and making hole assignments.

  • It’s a good idea to avoid mentioning a specific time for post-golf happenings, since the round might take longer than anticipated. We planned an hour for golf, but the round on the Backwoods course (which is significantly more difficult than the Blue course) took close to an hour and half. Those on the Blue course finished in just over an hour, and thankfully were content to mingle, enjoy dinner or a drink, hit the batting cages, and soak in the beautiful weather while waiting for the raffle drawing and awards presentation.

  • Having QR codes for folks to buy raffle tickets and the all-in games package made it super easy to do. We also had QR codes to download the GolfStatus app for live-scoring, since we didn’t use paper scorecards. Live-scoring was a big hit, and sponsors loved seeing their logo in the app.

  • Giving ourselves plenty of time for setup was helpful—we arrived at Adventure Golf about 12:30 so we weren’t pushed to get everything ready before registration opened at 3:30.

  • Running everything through the GolfStatus event website was so helpful in reconciling expenses. Some golfers preferred to pay via cash, but that added a level of complexity for accounting purposes.

  • Getting proofs for printed items is imperative to ensure there are no errors and all items are up to our high standards and make sponsors look good. We had some difficulties getting accurate proofs from a vendor, but our persistence paid off and everything turned out fine (though it did add some unnecessary stress).

  • We truly couldn’t have done without GolfStatus. From easy registration, instant sponsor exposure, premium sponsorships, and the hands-on help from the client success team, GolfStatus was a key part of our success.

We crossed these last-minute to-dos off of the list in the weeks and days leading up to the event:
  • ✓  Held bi-weekly meetings with the planning committee to discuss logistics
  • ✓  Re-opened registration for waitlisted teams
  • ✓  Created QR codes for golfers to purchase raffle tickets and all-in games and to download the GolfStatus app
  • ✓  Created a rules sheet outlining the format and rules for each of the on-course games
  • ✓  Assembled pin flags, hole signs, and golfer swag bags
  • ✓  Worked with our GolfStatus client success rep to make hole assignments
  • ✓  Confirmed and communicated volunteer assignments and committee roles
  • ✓  Finalized the event day schedule
  • ✓  Wrote talking points for the welcome
  • ✓  Pulled together registration table supplies and odds and ends
  • ✓  Communicated with sponsors and registrants to remind them of all-in games packages and raffle tickets

September Update

Lessons learned: Our tournament date is rapidly approaching and we’re in final prep mode. Our promotional push paid off, as we officially sold out the event! It was super exciting to see every sponsorship and team slot sold. As our GolfStatus client success rep had explained to us a few months ago, the majority of teams tend to register in the month or so leading up to the event, and that was the case here. We had a few additional teams inquire about registering after all the slots were filled, so we opened a waitlist. There are currently nine teams on our waitlist, so we’re figuring out a plan for potentially doubling up teams on some holes or even opening the third course at Adventure Golf. As we plan for all the final details and logistics, some of our sponsors have stepped up to provide things like tote bags and swag for player gift bags.

Here are the tasks we accomplished in September:
  • ✓  Sold out our teams!!!
  • ✓  Opened a waitlist for additional teams
  • ✓  Held our monthly tournament planning meeting and set bi-weekly meetings through the tournament date
  • ✓  Worked on recruiting volunteers to run games
  • ✓  Designed and ordered a bunch of items: sponsor banners, hole signs, pin flags, koozies, and golf balls
  • ✓  Checked with Adventure Golf on logistics like A/V equipment and tables
  • ✓  Tracked donated game and raffle prizes

AUGUST Update

Lessons learned: Our summer focus on sponsorships has paid off, as we are officially sold out of sponsor packages! We worked with a couple businesses who were interested in participating in the event to create custom sponsorships, based on their goals and capacities for being part of the tournament. We’re super excited about selling our presenting sponsorship to Sinclair Hille Architects! The presenting sponsorship included GolfStatus’ exclusive Technology Sponsorship. With less than two months to go until event day, we’re working on determining details for on-course games, soliciting in-kind donations for prizes, and most importantly, pushing team registrations. Our team has been posting flyers around Lincoln, reaching out to friends and family who have expressed interest, pushing out email promotions, and utilizing targeted ads and organic social media to get the word out. 

Here are the tasks we accomplished in August:

July Update

Lessons learned: The team focused on securing sponsorships over the past month, relying on personal and professional connections to reach out to businesses. We’ve heard from a couple of potential sponsors that their charitable or sponsorship dollars have already been allocated for the year, which has reinforced the advice to start sponsor outreach early! We’ve been using our new budget spreadsheet template to track revenue and expenses, which has been helpful to reference, and started outlining volunteer needs and the details of the extra games we’ll have on the course.

Here are the tasks we accomplished in July:

June Update

Lessons learned: While we were initially discouraged about the lack of team registrations thus far, we’ve discovered that folks are interested in playing in the event—they just don’t want to commit this far out from the tournament date. Our Client Success team assures us that most team registrations occur within 30 days of the event, and since our tournament isn’t until October 20, we’re still in good shape. That being said, we’re continuing promotion to keep the event on people’s radars and hopefully drive some early registrations and sell additional sponsorships.

Here are the tasks we accomplished in June:
  • ✓  Finalized a promotional flyer
  • ✓  Held a monthly committee meeting
  • ✓  Sold an additional sponsorship (thanks Vanity Fur)!
  • ✓  Determined on-course games
  • ✓  Added a registration package for on-course games to the event website
  • ✓  Continued to reach out to potential sponsors
  • ✓  Continued promotion on social media

May Update

Lessons learned: It was exciting to put on the finishing touches and launch our event website! GolfStatus’ platform made it easy to add graphics, customize verbiage, and set a donation goal. We also worked with Cash, our Client Success rep, to add watch emails so members of our planning team are notified whenever someone registers a team, makes a donation, or purchases a sponsorship. A custom form was added to each registration package to collect preferences on which golf course folks want to play (Adventure Golf has three courses, one of which is definitely more challenging!). We knew that the software was easy to navigate, but have now experienced it firsthand! Now we shift our focus to promoting the tournament and approaching potential sponsors.

Here's what we did in May:
  • ✓  Held our monthly planning committee meeting
  • ✓  Finalized and launched our event website.
  • ✓  Sold our first two sponsorships. (shoutout to 402 Title Services and Certified Piedmontese!)
  • ✓  Had our first team register.
  • ✓  Finalized team registration costs.
  • ✓  Sent our first promotional email.
  • ✓  Started working on a tournament flyer.

April Update

Lessons learned: Divvying up the labor has helped keep planning moving forward at a brisk pace. Monthly committee meetings have been a great checkpoint and opportunity to brainstorm and bounce ideas off of each other. Each planning committee member took ownership of a sponsorship package and determined costs, pricing, and benefits, and will also take point in selling the sponsorship.

At this point, we have two of the three courses booked at Adventure Golf, but are working to price sponsorships so they’re still profitable if we need to scale up to include all three courses (which would be a great problem to have!).

We crossed these items off the to-do list in April:
  • ✓  Field trip to Adventure Golf to scope out the courses’ layout and where we can place signage, registration, tables, etc.
  • ✓  Added imagery and custom text to the event website.
  • ✓  Finalized the tournament logo (and it’s super cute!).
  • ✓  Finalized sponsorship packages.
  • ✓  Finalized team registration costs.
  • ✓  Added details to the budget worksheet to track income and expenses.
  • ✓  Started fleshing out a promotion schedule to implement once the event website is launched.

March Update

Lessons learned: As a first-year event, we’re creating and documenting processes as we go. Without past years’ experiences to draw from, it’s necessary to make educated guesses on a number of components, like fixed costs, expected revenue, sponsor packages, or the number of participants. We also don’t know what we don’t know, but have found that GolfStatus’ online resources and our Client Success team are filling in the gaps. Cash, our dedicated rep, is essentially an extra planning committee member, sharing his experience and expertise.

The good news is that we’re ahead of the game with planning. Cash shared that most tournaments open up registration 60-90 days out from the event date, and we’re on track to open registration sooner than that timeframe, once we determine some details about format and further flesh out sponsorship packages. Our committee members, like most golf event organizers, are trying to balance planning tasks with our full-time jobs and lives.

Here are the tasks we tackled in March:
  • ✓  Finalized a date and locked it in with Adventure Golf (October 20!)
  • ✓  Divided up sponsorships among committee members
  • ✓  Received an education session from our GolfStatus Customer Success rep
  • ✓  Worked on a draft of our event website
  • ✓  Submitted fundraiser information to name Capital Humane Society as a beneficiary
  • ✓  Started working on the tournament logo
  • ✓  Started brainstorming promotion ideas
  • ✓  Created a budget tracking spreadsheet
  • ✓  Started creating a budget
  • ✓  Practiced our putting skills (we do this a lot)

February Update

Lessons learned: Even with a mini golf tournament, there are a lot of moving parts and important things to consider, but the checklist has kept us on task. We’re finding a lot of fun possibilities for a mini golf tournament in terms of add-ons, sponsorship options, and games. After discussions with the planning committee, the original tentative event date needed to be reconsidered due to a conflicting event—which is why it was important to loop the entire team in to help consider decisions from all angles.

Here’s what we accomplished in February:
  • ✓  Finalized the planning committee
  • ✓  Set dates for all remaining committee meetings
  • ✓  Reviewed pricing options for facility rental
  • ✓  Revisited potential event date options
  • ✓  Brainstormed sponsorship and package ideas
  • ✓  Determined a tournament name (Putt Putt for Puppies)
  • ✓  Narrowed down a list of local animal-related beneficiaries
  • ✓  Reviewed several GolfStatus client mini golf events and websites
  • ✓  Started creating a budget
  • ✓  Practiced our putting skills (again)

January Update

Here’s what we did in January:
  • ✓  Set a tentative event date in October 2023
  • ✓  Checked local event calendars for conflicts
  • ✓  Met with the golf facility (Adventure Golf Center in Lincoln, Nebraska)
  • ✓  Received a GolfStatus demo
  • ✓  Brainstormed event ideas with the planning team and our GolfStatus Account Manager
  • ✓  Practiced our putting skills
 
Why GolfJennifer Wemhoffputt putt tournaments, mini golf, software, resources, sponsorships, sponsors, event website, raffles, add-ons, games, live scoring, online registration, hole assignments, waitlists, technology sponsorship, promotion, budgets, teams, planning committees
GolfStatus’ Veterans Are Making a Difference Through Golf
GolfStatus’ Veterans Are Making a Difference Through Golf
 
A collage of military service photos and the American flag

GolfStatus is incredibly proud to work with golf tournaments and organizations that serve our country’s veterans. These extraordinary men and women have served with honor, bravery, and resilience. On this Veterans Day, GolfStatus thanks all those who have worn the uniform of our armed forces for their heroic sacrifices, and recognizes the service of two of our own, Account Manager Ken Boatman and Client Success Director Cash Dinkel.

Ken Boatman joined the U.S. Army in November of 1985, looking for a sense of purpose and structure in his life and seeking to take advantage of the Army’s educational benefits. He was commissioned as an officer in 1988 and was hired full-time with the Nebraska Army National Guard in 2000.

He vividly remembers the events of September 11, 2001. After watching in horror on television as the planes hit the Twin Towers, Ken recalls everyone at the Nebraska Army National Guard headquarters springing into action—locking down buildings, closing the gates, and checking in with armories around the state that were in their command. “We knew our lives in the military were going to change after that, and it most certainly did.” Less than a month later, Ken says his team was prepping units from the Nebraska Army National Guard to deploy.

Two men in military uniforms pose next to a building in Afghanistan

Ken Boatman during his tour in Afghanistan

 

Ken served one tour in Afghanistan for 10 months, with two months of pre-deployment training at Fort Riley, Kansas. He recalls being part of a four-vehicle convoy traveling from Kabul through the dangerous town of Pole-e Alam his second week in country, when the convoy came under gunfire. “That was the scariest time in my military service,” he says. “Luckily no one on our team was hit, but I thought to myself, ‘this is going to be a long nine months.’” He later served a nine-month deployment at Guantanamo Bay in 2017.

Throughout his military service, Ken was an Infantry, Armor, and Logistics officer, achieving the rank of Major. He retired in June 2018 with over 32 years of service, with 23 years of full-time service. He came to GolfStatus in 2021.

Cash Dinkel served in the Nebraska Army National Guard from 2012 through 2020. With a young daughter and family to provide for, the value of military service and its educational and long-term veterans benefits were appealing to Cash, so he enlisted. After basic training, Cash was able to go to school full-time while serving in the National Guard.

Cash Dinkel, Nebraska Army National Guard

 

Cash was an 88M - Motor Transport Operator as part of the Army’s transportation logistics team, where he helped safely transport cargo, troops, and provide advanced mobility. Over his eight years in the Guard, he earned a Sharpshooter Badge along with the Army Badge for Physical Fitness. Cash was also awarded an Army Service Ribbon and National Defense Service Medal.

Though he was never deployed, Cash was part of preparing teams for deployment and trained for a variety of possible missions. “Getting trained on how to shoot the MK 19 grenade launcher was really cool,” Cash says. “It’s a piece of equipment that supports troops in a variety of ways, so we were ready to go if ever called into action.”

During his time in the National Guard, Cash earned a PGA Golf Management degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and worked at several golf courses before coming to GolfStatus after he was discharged in 2020.

veterans’ organizations

GolfStatus is proud to work with these, and many other organizations, as they help veterans and their families in a variety of ways, including taking care of their mental and physical health, building bonds with other veterans with shared experiences, and navigating the complexities of post-military life. Learn more about how these organizations are serving those who served our country:

You can find a charity golf tournament powered by GolfStatus in your area that benefits veterans' causes. Browse events by date, location, and register today!

 
 
Why GolfJennifer Wemhoffveterans, charity golf tournaments
GolfStatus Announces Avery’s Hope As 2023 Play It Forward Winner
GolfStatus Announces Avery’s Hope As 2023 Play It Forward Winner
 

Avery’s Hope, an all-volunteer, grassroots organization that provides financial assistance to rare, ultra rare, and undiagnosed pediatric GI patient families, has been selected as the winner of the 2023 Play It Forward giveaway.

The Play It Forward campaign was held in collaboration with GolfStatus’ giving partners at Dormie Network and Dormie Network Foundation and celebrates organizations using golf to do good. Entrants were asked to nominate a golf tournament fundraiser to receive a $10,000 donation and were entered to win a one-year Dormie Network membership plus $10,000 to spend at the Network’s exclusive golf clubs.

Avery’s Hope’s inaugural TopGolf fundraiser was held June 25, and highlights the inclusive approach of the organization’s support of families with pediatric GI illnesses. Co-founder and executive director, Caryl Harris, says, “This year we hosted at TopGolf to be more inclusive for patient families, children, and those who don’t golf. By doing so, this event attracted a number of families who wouldn’t be able to afford or otherwise support a traditional golf outing.”

A young boy wearing a red sweatshirt named Avery, who is the namesake of Avery's Hope.

Avery’s Hope is named in honor and celebration of the founders’ grandson, Avery Harris, who was born with microvillus inclusion disease. The rare, genetically-inherited disease is characterized by an inability of the intestines to absorb nutrients. Avery’s grandparents realized how many other kids and their families were suffering, not only with their child’s illness but with the financial burdens, and wanted to make a difference.

Avery’s Hope has formed partnerships with major national institutions specializing in rare pediatric GI care, including five major children’s hospitals, the National Organization for Rare Disorders, and Patients Rising Now Helpline. The group focuses on alleviating the financial burdens of out-of-pocket and insurance-denied expenses faced by families, which often delay treatment and diminish quality of life.

The $10,000 donation will immediately be put towards supporting families. “Patient assistance organizations don’t always receive the same amount of financial support as those who raise money for research. Avery’s Hope has chosen to help with the immediate needs of families,” says Caryl.

Almost 600 organizations and golf fundraisers were nominated for this year’s giveaway, and two other finalists also received a donated Dormie Network membership to be used for fundraising opportunities: Coventry Reserve and Hope Strengthens Foundation.

Ready to golf for good?

GolfStatus helps streamline and simplify golf tournaments to help organizations save time and raise more money. Through the Golf for Good program, 501(c) organizations and those holding golf events to benefit a charity can qualify for no-cost access to GolfStatus—including an event website, online registration, live scoring, and much more. Click the button below to find out more and get qualified!

 
 
 
Why GolfGuest Userplay it forward, Dormie Network Foundation, Dormie Network, golf simulators, inclusivity
Play It Forward Is Back for the Third Year!
Play It Forward Is Back for the Third Year!
 
 

For the third year, GolfStatus is teaming up with our giving partners at Dormie Network and Dormie Network Foundation for the Play It Forward campaign to celebrate nonprofits and causes who are using golf to do good.

Play It Forward gives individuals the chance to nominate a charity or nonprofit raising money through golf to receive a $10,000 donation to its golf fundraiser, and get the chance to win a one-year honorary membership to Dormie Network (a national network of private golf clubs) plus a $10,000 credit toward onsite golf and lodging.

 

Designed by famed golf course architect Tom Fazio, Dormie Network’s Victoria National Golf Club boasts gorgeous views amid challenging holes.

 

nominate your favorite golf fundraiser!

Here’s how to nominate a golf fundraiser for the $10,000 donation (and for you to be eligible for the Dormie Network membership prize):

  1. Fill out this form and tell us who you are, who’s organizing the golf fundraiser, and why you think they should receive a $10,000 donation.

  2. Follow GolfStatus on social media. Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

  3. Follow Dormie Network on social media. Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn

The campaign launched May 29 and the nomination period closes July 4.

Winners will be announced on GolfStatus and Dormie Network’s social media, so follow both handles for news, updates, and announcements.

 

past winners

Play It Forward began in 2021, awarding $10,000 to the Cameron Steinberg Foundation and its inaugural golf fundraiser. The annual golf event has raised $100,000 for research into congenital heart disease and to help families affected by these defects.

In 2022, two nonprofits were selected for $10,000 donations: Make-A-Wish Foundation of Philadelphia, Delaware, and Susquehanna Valley and Sisters Across America. Make-A-Wish’s Pro-Am for Wishes raises money to grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Sisters Across America provides support and mentoring for young minority women pursuing professional golfing careers and teaching juniors to grow the game, raising money through two annual golf fundraisers.

 
 
 
Why GolfJennifer Wemhoffplay it forward, Dormie Network, Dormie Network Foundation, nonprofits, golf courses, social media
Play It Forward Awards Two $10,000 Donations
Play It Forward Awards Two $10,000 Donations
 

GolfStatus and its giving partners at Dormie Network and Dormie Network Foundation are excited to announce that two winners have been selected for the second annual Play It Forward giveaway: Make-A-Wish Foundation of Philadelphia, Delaware, and Susquehanna Valley and Sisters Across America.

The goal of the campaign was simple: to recognize those who are using golf to do good in their communities and beyond. Golfers were asked to nominate their favorite golf tournament fundraiser for a $10,000 donation and were entered to win their own one-year membership to the Dormie Network (a network of private destination golf clubs) plus $10,000 to spend onsite.

Make-A-Wish’s Philadephia, Delaware, and Susquehanna Valley chapter’s annual golf tournament was held August 15, 2022. The Pro-Am for Wishes raises money to grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Since the chapter’s founding in 1986, more than 7,500 wishes have been granted for children in the local community, helping them build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight their illness.

Sisters Across America provides support and mentoring for young minority women pursuing professional golfing careers, raising money through two annual golf fundraisers. Current mentee Lakareber Abe, a 26-year-old alum of the University of Alabama, recently qualified to play in her first LPGA event. Sisters Across America’s support helps remove the mentees’ concerns for financial viability and allows them to focus on improving their game. The group also teaches juniors, to further expand access to the game.

 

Participant at Sisters Across America’s annual Invitational golf tournament fundraiser.

 

Cassandra Doty, co-founder and President of Sisters Across America, says that the idea for the organization came from a round of golf with a group of friends, who had all taken up the game later in life. “We wanted to support the next era of young players, and because tomorrow is a promise to no one, we decided to start right then,” she said.

 
 

You Can Golf for Good!

GolfStatus helps streamline and simplify golf tournaments to help organizations save time and raise more money, like the 2021 winner of the Play It Forward campaign, the Cameron Steinberg Foundation. The tournament saw an increase of more than 66% in dollars raised when compared to the tournament’s first year, along with half of the administrative work in using GolfStatus. Through the Golf for Good program, 501(c) organizations and those holding golf events to benefit a charity can qualify for no-cost access to GolfStatus—including an event website, online registration, live scoring, and much more. Click the button below to get qualified or email [email protected].

 
 
 
Why GolfGuest UserDormie Network Foundation, Dormie Network, play it forward, golf, golf tournament, charity golf tournaments, fundraising events, golf for good, golfstatus
PLAY IT FORWARD RETURNS FOR ITS SECOND YEAR
PLAY IT FORWARD RETURNS FOR ITS SECOND YEAR
 
 

Golf is an incredible force for good. Whether it’s a brand new tournament or decades old tradition, a small golf fundraiser or a massive charity event, or anything in between, golf brings people together to support the important work nonprofits are doing in their communities and beyond.

GolfStatus is once again teaming up with our giving partners at Dormie Network and Dormie Network Foundation for the Play It Forward campaign to give back to organizations that are using golf to make an impact.

For the second year, the Play It Forward campaign will award a $10,000 donation to a nonprofit or cause raising money through golf. Individuals nominate their favorite golf fundraiser and get the chance to win a one-year honorary membership to Dormie Network, a national network of private golf clubs, plus a $10,000 credit toward onsite golf and lodging.

 

Designed by famed golf course architect Tom Fazio, Dormie Network’s Victoria National Golf Club boasts gorgeous views amid challenging holes.

 

2021 winner

The 2021 Play It Forward nonprofit winner was the Cameron Steinberg Foundation’s inaugural golf fundraiser, nominated by Dr. Michael Gaies (who was the recipient of a year-long membership to the Dormie Network). The Foundation honors the life of Cameron Steinberg, who was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and tragically passed away at just two months old, and helps families affected by congenital heart disease.

The $10,000 donation was made to the Foundation’s second annual golf tournament, held May 23, 2022. The event’s second year utilized GolfStatus’s golf event management platform (which organizers used at no cost through the Golf for Good program) to manage registrations, sponsorships, and live scoring, and saw an increase of more than 66% in dollars raised when compared to the tournament’s first year.

Mel and Sam Steinberg post with Dr. Michael Gaies at the inaugural Cameron Steinberg Foundation’s golf fundraiser in May of 2021.

 

nominate a fundraiser today!

The golf fundraiser can be any size or format—a memorial tournament raising money for a favorite cause, alumni golf event, celebrity pro-am, nonprofit fundraiser, or corporate golf outing. The event simply must be raising money for a charitable cause to be eligible for the $10,000 donation. Tell us about the event, what it’s raising money for, and why it’s important to you.

The campaign launched May 31 and nominations close July 4.

The winners will be announced via a press release and on social media, so make sure you follow GolfStatus.org (Facebook and Instagram) and Dormie Network (Facebook and Instagram) for the latest.

Don’t miss out on this chance to make a difference and use golf for good!

 
 
 
Why GolfGuest Userplay it forward, Dormie Network, Dormie Network Foundation, golfstatus, contests, charity golf tournaments, event management, golf tournament management, golf fundraisers, corporate events, charities
Golf Fundraisers Help Nonprofits Stay Nimble amid Uncertainty
Golf Fundraisers Help Nonprofits Stay Nimble amid Uncertainty
 

If the past 18 months have taught fundraisers anything, it’s the importance of being nimble. Indeed, fundraisers have had to find new ways to pivot over the past 18 months, a theme that looks like it’ll continue into the planning season for Spring 2022 events. Fundraisers will need to stay nimble if changes in local circumstances necessitate modifications to in-person gatherings and create approaches to event fundraisers. Options and flexibility are perhaps more important than ever.

Golf tournaments can be easily adapted for distancing and reduced contact, giving event organizers more flexibility than perhaps any other fundraising event, while attracting the right donors and sponsors to effectively help your organization expand its donor network. Here’s a look at six distinct advantages of a golf tournament fundraiser, plus tips for launching a first-year tournament or adapting an existing event (ahead of time or at the last minute).

GolfFundraisersHelpNonprofitsStayNimble-01.jpg

1. Golf is something many donors genuinely enjoy.

Golf saw a sustained rise in popularity throughout 2020 and so far in 2021, attracting both veteran and first-time players and amassing over 24 million active, on-course golfers, according to the National Golf Foundation. The surge is expected to continue, particularly given golf’s innate social distancing, which gives donors the opportunity to safely participate in your fundraiser through an activity they enjoy. Charity golf events are unique in that they attract everyone from serious golfers to loyal supporters of your organization. These supporters often use their personal and professional networks to field a team and end up coming back year after year because they enjoy the chance to play a round for your cause.


2. Golf tournaments can be easily adapted for health and safety concerns.

It’s no surprise that golf has been dubbed the official sport of social distancing. The fact that golf is played outdoors and is an individual sport makes it possible to easily remain distanced while still convening. In fact, rounds are up nationwide for the second straight year; overall, play is up 22.8% through June of 2021 compared to 2020. With broad support from the golf industry as a whole via its 2020 Back2Golf initiative aimed at organizing a safe return to play at courses nationwide, event organizers have taken several steps to maintain distancing throughout golf tournaments. This includes using tee times instead of a shotgun start, adapting or foregoing post-golf banquets, limiting carts to one golfer, adequately spacing tables for check in, and switching from paper scorecards to mobile live scoring and real-time leaderboards.


3. A contact-free event is easier than you might think.

Converting to a contact-free in-person event is quite simple with the right technology. You’ll need an event website to market your event and collect registrations, eliminating the need for paper registration forms, checks, and receipts. You’ll also want to get rid of paper scorecards, making live-scoring a must. Doing so gives you more sponsorship options and sets your event up for a seamless transition to a virtual round (where participants can play at the course on their own time in support of your cause instead of gathering for a formal event) should you have to pivot last-minute. If you’re already set on a virtual golf fundraiser, online registration and live-scoring are crucial, ensuring that supporters commit to the virtual round and submit their scores to the leaderboard, which you can also use to keep supporters following your event and submitting online donations before, during, and after the virtual event.

GolfFundraisersHelpNonprofitsStayNimble-02.jpg

4. Golf events attract high-capacity donors.

Veteran fundraisers and event planners know that it’s not always about attracting supporters to a fundraising event, but the right supporters. The golfer donor is especially important for many organizations because these supporters typically belong to an affluent and influential demographic. The average golfer’s net worth is over $768,000 with a household income exceeding $100,000 (nearly double the national average). These folks also have noteworthy ties to potential sponsors: one in three golfers are top level managers and 90% of Fortune 500 CEOs are golfers. These are the types of supporters who can move the needle for nonprofits in terms of major gifts, and who organizations want to have in their donor database. They can also help organizations connect with local, regional, and even national brands and businesses, making the golf event a seamless entry point to corporate donors and partnerships.


5. Golf tournaments are both fundraisers and outreach opportunities.

Most charity golf events are scrambles, which means that players must tap a few friends or colleagues to join them in participating, making the event a natural outreach effort. If you’re planning an established annual event, you’ll of course want to start by engaging participants from years past. If your field tends to sell out each year, consider adding a virtual round to the traditional in-person event to involve more supporters and give folks who might not feel comfortable playing in the event an opportunity to still participate on their own time. Golf tournaments also tend to attract coverage by local media outlets, which spreads awareness for your cause throughout the community. It’s a good idea to reach out to newspapers, online news outlets, radio stations, and television stations with information about your event and invite them to cover it.


6. Virtual tournaments give you a built-in back-up plan.

Whether you decide ahead of time or need to pivot to virtual leading up to your event, it’s easy to add a virtual option for a hybrid event or go completely virtual with your golf tournament if necessary. Flexible technology makes it simple to collect registrations online, provide touch-free mobile scoring during the event, collect donations, and share live leaderboards to keep golfers and spectators engaged with the event and your cause. Not only does a virtual round give golfers the choice of when and how they play to support your organization, it also provides an avenue to grow your fundraiser. Best of all, you have options, including a completely virtual tournament, a hybrid event that includes an in-person round as well as a virtual round, or a completely in-person event that’s touch-free and safely distanced.


How to Get Started 

The right technology is key to a successful fundraiser, whether it’s a distanced in-person event, a virtual round, or a hybrid tournament. Launching an event website is a great place to start—simply outline a few key details like date and facility and get it on your supporters’ calendars sooner rather than later. 

You’ll need to be aware of any guidelines or regulations that courses are requesting to keep golfers safe, such as not touching the pin flag, wearing masks in the clubhouse, and restricting carts to one golfer or those in the same household. In addition, be cognizant of capacity limitations at the golf facility and adjust accordingly. You’ll also want to be ready with a back-up plan if local conditions change. Having a virtual round in your back pocket is a great option so you’re ready for changing circumstances. Technology makes it easy to adapt and pivot and keep your golf fundraiser moving forward.

GolfStatus’s golf event management software is designed specifically for fundraisers (including traditional and virtual outings). It’s available to qualifying nonprofits at no cost through GolfStatus.org and the Golf for Good program. Get qualified by clicking the button below or email us directly at [email protected].

 
 
 
Why GolfGuest Usergolf tournament, virtual rounds, golfer donor, event websites
Play Yellow’s Ben Parker on Using Golf to Raise $100 Million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Play Yellow’s Ben Parker on Using Golf to Raise $100 Million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
 

For Ben Parker, Senior Director of Play Yellow at Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals, golf has been a constant. His passion for golf stems from playing competitively in high school and college, going on to become a PGA Professional. He found ways to stay connected to the game throughout his career, hosting a golf television show and producing celebrity golf tournaments. Eventually, he landed at CMN Hospitals to spearhead the Play Yellow effort, in partnership with Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, with the goal to raise $100 million in five years for children’s hospitals.

Jack and Barbara Nicklaus

Ben has long believed in the power of golf to do good in the world. “Supporting kids reaches the soul of the golfer,” says Ben, who has seen firsthand the sport’s impact in the outpouring of support at all levels of golf for CMN Hospitals. “When we can combine something they love—golf—with helping kids, it creates a meaningful connection. We give it an identity with Play Yellow.”   

“When we can combine something they love—golf—with helping kids, it creates a meaningful connection. We give it an identity with Play Yellow.”
— Ben Parker, Senior Director of Play Yellow at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

CMN Hospitals & Golf Fundraising

When Ben came on board at CMN Hospitals, there were thousands of golf events across the country raising money for local children’s hospitals. Organized by hospital foundations, corporate entities, community organizations, and dedicated supporters, these tournaments essentially happened, as Ben describes it, in the background, without CMN Hospitals knowing who was organizing, sponsoring, or playing in them. 

“The more I worked with my teammates, I realized there was a massive opportunity to cultivate, grow, and simplify golf fundraising with our network,” Ben says. His experience working with charity golf tournaments of all types and sizes gives him a unique perspective on how tournament organizers operate and what motivates them. He explains that the majority of volunteers who organize a golf event aren’t typically golfers themselves; they’re passionate supporters and volunteers who are willing to jump in and make things happen. They see how golf is a very powerful mechanism for bringing people together and raising money. 

Ben Parker (center), Senior Director of Play Yellow at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, poses with legendary golfers Jack Nicklaus (left) and Arnold Palmer (right).

Ben Parker (center), Senior Director of Play Yellow at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, poses with legendary golfers Jack Nicklaus (left) and Arnold Palmer (right).

Ben and his CMN Hospital colleagues on the Innovation team dug in to look for a solution to expand and strengthen golf fundraising and make the process easier for organizers across the board. “We want organizers to be able to spend less time on the minutiae of planning a golf tournament and more time on the fun stuff,” Ben says. 

“We want organizers to be able to spend less time on the minutiae of planning a golf tournament and more time on the fun stuff.”
— Ben Parker, Senior Director of Play Yellow at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

The amount of work that goes into a successful golf tournament isn’t lost on Ben and his team, which is why they make every effort to simplify the process and help organizers see the impact of their time and dedication. He points out that when tournaments are organized as Play Yellow events, they’re part of a larger CMN Hospitals ecosystem that has deep ties to corporate sponsors, individual hospital communities, and media partners, which gives their event instant credibility, tools, and support. “For someone whose day job is something else, to suddenly be charged with making a massive impact in a golf fundraiser, it can be overwhelming,” Ben says. “But we’re there to help organizers see how the golf community loves to support kids in need and connect them to this larger network so they can be successful.”

The $100 Million Jack Nicklaus Challenge

Play Yellow’s humble beginnings include a plate of cookies and a kind gesture for a child dealing with cancer. Jack Nicklaus, the legendary golfer who won 18 majors over the course of his illustrious career, befriended a young fan in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, named Craig Smith. Craig was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, that would tragically take his life at the age of 13. During one of their many conversations, this one following one of Jack’s tournament wins, Craig said he knew Jack would come out on top because he was wearing a lucky yellow shirt. 

Jack would continue to wear yellow on Sundays over the years in honor of Craig. When he won his sixth Masters in 1986, he wore yellow for the final round. Ben explains that this story didn’t surface until some 20 years later, when Jack was asked if there was something different about that particular day of golf—when he had a career round and won the tournament—and he pointed out that he was wearing yellow that Sunday.

Jack and Barbara Nicklaus were already dedicated supporters of children’s hospitals in Ohio and Florida and wanted to further amplify those efforts with CMN Hospitals and their influence in the golf world. To that end, Jack called PGA TOUR Commissioner, Jay Monahan, to meet with them at their home in Florida over a plate of Barbara’s chocolate chip cookies. Jack set the audacious goal of raising $100 million for CMN Hospitals in just five years through golf, and Play Yellow was born.

Getting to the Goal With Technology

Prior to the pandemic, Play Yellow had raised about $24 million for CMN Hospitals through golf. “When COVID hit, all these golf events that we had built momentum behind went into shutdown mode,” Ben says. “There was some panic because we knew that hospitals needed this unrestricted funding to care for kids, and we knew there would be a huge fundraising gap to close in 2020 because these events weren’t going to happen.”

Creating efficiencies and better supporting tournament organizers with user-friendly tools, while at the same time strategizing how to get tournaments back up and running, led CMN Hospitals to a partnership with golf technology company GolfStatus. The platform puts powerful fundraising technology built for golf in the hands of individual event organizers, while also providing key insights at an enterprise level, broader sponsorship opportunities, and a central event directory for larger organizations like CMN Hospitals that have hundreds or even thousands of events that benefit them.

GolfStatus’s tech solved many challenges right off the bat, with built-in features to live-score tournaments, send in-event messages to golfers and sponsors, and an in-house customer success team to build a website for each tournament and provide support every step of the way. The platform greatly simplifies registration and payment collection and processing, which saves organizers a huge amount of work, making the prospect of putting on a tournament less daunting. In the face of COVID-19, GolfStatus’s features also allowed tournaments to mitigate touchpoints by moving registration, scoring, coordination, and other logistical tasks online and providing options for virtual and hybrid events.

What’s more, the value of using a common technology for Play Yellow events goes well beyond saving organizers time and effort. Indeed, one of the strongest arguments for such a platform is the ability to securely and responsibly collect donor and sponsor data in an efficient manner, helping CMN Hospitals as a whole and its member hospitals and foundations gain a better understanding of who is supporting them through golf. “Hospitals may not have the oversight they need for these events or even know who is organizing golf tournaments on their behalf,” Ben points out. “The power of this information, and how best to support these third party events, is crucial to making fundraising decisions.” 

Ben is excited about the future of CMN Hospitals’ golf fundraising using GolfStatus. “GolfStatus fits the unique needs of golf event organizers,” says Ben. “As a partner, GolfStatus sees the long term vision of what we want to accomplish with Play Yellow and for CMN Hospitals.”

“GolfStatus fits the unique needs of golf event organizers. As a partner, GolfStatus sees the long term vision of what we want to accomplish with Play Yellow and for CMN Hospitals.”
— Ben Parker, Senior Director of Play Yellow at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

To support CMN Hospitals through golf, you can play in a tournament near you or even organize your own golf fundraiser.

 
Why GolfGuest Usergolf, cause connection, charity golf tournaments, fundraising, technology, virtual rounds, event management