Most people register for a charity golf tournament because someone invited them to play. They may know someone who has a connection to your organization, but don’t know a thing about your mission or work.

Tournament day is the first meaningful interaction many participants have with your organization, presenting a huge opportunity for nonprofits to raise awareness and connect with potential donors. Thoughtfully planned mission moments help transform a fun day on the course into an experience with purpose.

Mission moments don’t have to be lengthy presentations or emotional speeches. They can be small, intentional touchpoints that remind golfers why they’re there and how they’re making a difference. While they’ll certainly remember the golf, food, contests, and prizes, they’ll also remember how the day made them feel. Mission moments create stronger emotional connections, inspire generosity, and even help turn first-time participants into long-term supporters.

Here are 10 mission moments to incorporate into your next charity golf tournament.

1. Let Your Mission Shine on Your Event Website

Your golf tournament’s website often serves as a golfer’s first introduction to your organization, so don’t make it all about registration. Instead of just listing the event’s details, answer the question every participant is asking: What difference will my registration make?

Use the site to introduce your mission with compelling photos, videos, impact statistics, and beneficiary stories. Help visitors understand what you do, who you serve, why your work matters, and what tournament proceeds will do. Even a short impact video or photo gallery can create an emotional connection before golfers ever arrive at the golf course.

Your event website is often the first interaction a new supporter has with your organization, so help them understand what your tournament is raising money for.

2. Open the Tournament with an Impact Story

Few mission moments are as memorable as hearing directly from someone whose life has been changed by your organization. Invite a beneficiary, volunteer, family member, client, or community partner to share a brief story during the welcome remarks. Alternatively, or in addition, invite a speaker to share their story at the luncheon, awards ceremony, or banquet.

For example, Riverside Ranch, a therapeutic horse riding program, invites parents of riders to speak at their golf tournament’s luncheon and share what the Ranch meant to their family.

Personal stories like this help golfers connect faces to fundraising dollars, and remind participants that the event is about much more than birdies and mulligans. Keep it conversational and authentic rather than overly scripted, and aim for five minutes or less—long enough to inspire, but short enough to keep the energy high.

3. Put Your Mission on Display on the Course

The golf course itself offers dozens of opportunities to reinforce your mission. Place mission-focused signage in high-traffic areas like registration, driving range, putting green, and inside the clubhouse (near the bar or front door are good choices). Share:

• Impact statistics

• Success stories

• Photos of the people or communities you serve

• Quotes or testimonials from beneficiaries

• Milestones your organization has achieved

Rather than using every sign for sponsorship recognition, dedicate a few to reminding golfers what they’re helping make possible. Add QR codes that link to your event website’s donation page, volunteer opportunities, or a short impact video as a call to action.

Putt Putt Fore Puppies adds information about adoptable pets to its hole signs to add a connection to the event’s mission and beneficiary.

4. Include a Mission-Focused Gift Bag Item

Player gift bags don’t have to be filled exclusively with sponsor swag. Include one meaningful piece in swag bags or on golf carts that tells your organization’s story. This could be anything from a one-page flyer or brochure with photos and outcomes to an annual report summary or beneficiary success story. If your golf facility has carts with video capabilities, inquire about showing a video or photo slideshow on the screens.

The goal isn’t to overwhelm golfers with information, but to provide a memorable takeaway they can read during downtime or take home after the event. Be sure to include a QR code on any printed materials with a direct link to the donation page of your event website, where golfers can donate right from their phones.

5. Introduce Golfers to the People Behind the Mission

Whenever possible and appropriate, invite the people connected to your mission to participate in the event. Personal connections are incredibly powerful, so provide opportunities for them to engage with golfers and sponsors throughout the day.

For example, if your golf tournament benefits a school, teachers, or administrators could greet golfers as they arrive or even be added to teams. A pet rescue organization could have adoptable pets at the golf course and hold an accompanying adoption drive. Or, your nonprofit’s staff members could run an on-course game or contest to interact with golfers throughout the round.

These types of simple interactions often leave lasting impressions and create authentic conversations that no brochure can replicate.

6. Make Downtime Meaningful

Every golf tournament includes natural pauses and waiting—to check in, on the tee box, for a turn on the driving range, for meals, or for final results to be announced. Rather than viewing these as empty moments, use them to deepen engagement with a captive audience.

• Ask your organization’s staff, board members, beneficiaries, or volunteers to mingle with golfers and chat about your mission while they wait.

• Strategically station people on various tee boxes throughout the golf course (perhaps on a par five that typically gets backed up) to talk with golfers and answer questions.

• Display a looping impact video in the clubhouse that golfers can watch while they wait for a drink or dinner.

• Intersperse photo displays that showcase your programs throughout the year among silent auction items or raffle prizes.

These quieter moments during the golf event can lead to meaningful conversations that build new and lasting donor relationships.

Ask staff, board members, beneficiaries, or volunteers to interact with golfers during the golf tournament’s downtime. Chat about your mission, invite them to ask questions, and share stories while they wait.

7. Create an Interactive Mission Experience

Whenever possible and practical, give golfers the chance to experience or see your mission in action instead of simply hearing about it. Interactive experiences create memorable moments that drive home what your organization does and why you do it. These experiences are also good opportunities to involve non-golfers in the event.

Some examples:

• An animal rescue hosts an adoption event alongside the golf tournament.

• A food bank organizes a mini-meal packing activity before play.

• A nonprofit arts organization showcases artwork created by local artists or teaches a painting class.

• A corporate tournament hosts a blanket-tying activity for non-golfers and guests during the round.

8. Share Digital Mission Moments Throughout the Day

If your golf tournament management platform includes a mobile app, use push notifications to share timely mission moments throughout the event. These notifications should be brief, positive, action-oriented, and strategically timed not to interrupt the golfer’s experience. For instance:

• “So far, we’ve raised enough money to provide 500 meals to local families.”

• “Meet today’s featured beneficiary, Name, during lunch!”

• “Help us get to our goal to raise $25,000—we only need $5,000 more! Donate here.”

• “Adoptable pets are in the clubhouse! Meet your new family member after your round.”

Include a link back to your event website, particularly if the message includes a call to action to donate.

9. Honor the People Behind the Cause

Many charity golf tournaments exist because someone wanted to honor a loved one, celebrate survivors, or remember an individual whose story inspired the event. Connect golfers to your mission by creating a dedicated space that recognizes those people.

Display photos, handwritten notes, memorial boards, or tribute signs that explain why the tournament matters. Invite participants to write messages of encouragement or remembrance. These types of displays become natural gathering places and often spark meaningful conversations among golfers who may have personal connections to your cause.

For instance, the Pat Neal Memorial Golf Tournament raises money for brain cancer research in honor of the tournament’s namesake, Pat Neal. A photo of Pat was placed on the course, and golfers were encouraged to sign the photo as a keepsake for Pat’s family. Another example is Project Purple, which includes a hall of fame induction at the tournament’s post-round dinner as a special moment of honor and recognition for individuals who have battled pancreatic cancer. Inductees or their families receive a purple jacket, and their picture hangs in the organization’s offices as a reminder of their fight against the disease.

Project Purple includes a hall of fame induction its golf fundraiser’s banquet to honor individuals who have battled pancreatic cancer.

10. End with a Clear Call to Continue the Mission

The end of the tournament is just the beginning of your relationship with participants. Before they leave, provide them with easy next steps to stay involved and support your mission:

• Set up a donation station where golfers can make a gift before they walk out the door

• Offer the chance to volunteer at an upcoming event or other opportunity

• Have a pop-up shop that sells branded merchandise or products

• Share links to sign up for your newsletter and follow you on social media

• Offer an early-bird rate for golfers to register for next year’s golf tournament

Missions moments are the most effective when they don’t simply inspire people, but encourage action while enthusiasm is still high.

Final Thoughts

Creating memorable mission moments doesn’t make your tournament longer or more complicated. Effective moments intentionally weave your organization’s impact throughout the participant experience.

Technology makes this easier than ever. Your event website, mobile app, signage, online donation tools, email communications, and fundraising platform all work together to help tell your story before, during, and after tournament day.

Golfers that understand the impact of the tournament are more likely to become repeat players, loyal donors, enthusiastic volunteers, and passionate advocates for your organization. The golf tournament may only last a day, but the relationships it creates can help support your mission for years to come.

Your Best Golf Event Starts With the Best Tech—at No Upfront Cost!

Book a Meeting with GolfStatus to Get Started

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Why the Class 2 Gathering Starts With a Charity Golf Tournament that Raises $100k to Benefit the Boys & Girls Club of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation

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After nearly three decades with Prairie Band Casino and Resort in Mayetta, Kansas, Ashley Bergquist knows charity golf tournaments inside and out. As Promotions, Events, and Entertainment Manager, she’s managed countless golf events at the casino’s golf facility, Firekeeper Golf Course, from VIP outings to charity tournaments.

Today, Ashley also serves on the board of the Boys and Girls Club of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, giving her a unique perspective on both the operational and charitable sides of golf fundraising events. And that experience has helped shape one of the most unique tournaments in the tribal gaming industry.

The Class 2 Gathering raises funds to support the Boys and Girls Club of the Potawatomi Nation.

Class 2 Gathering

The standalone Boys and Girls Club event became part of the Class 2 Gathering (C2G), a nationwide gaming conference, held at Prairie Band Casino & Resort. The result is a golf tournament that brings together casino operators, vendors, exhibitors, and sponsors from the community and across the country—all while raising funds for local Boys and Girls Club programs.

The strategy has proven to be a win for everyone involved. The tournament serves as the kickoff to the conference, giving attendees the chance to network on the course before moving into educational conference sessions. The tournament concludes with a combined launch party and awards celebration featuring raffles, a silent auction, food trucks, sponsor recognition, and additional fundraising.

“It’s really a two-for-one opportunity,” Ashley says. “By combining the conference and the tournament, we’re able to bring people together who might not have attended the golf event otherwise.”

the challenge

Before combining with C2G, the Boys and Girls Club held its own charity golf outing. And like many nonprofit golf fundraisers, much of the administrative work was done manually.

Registrations came in through phone calls and invoices, and credit card payments had to be processed individually. Team rosters lived in static spreadsheets, and any changes required updating multiple documents. Tournament materials, like scorecards, signage, and player lists, had to be recreated with every last-minute change.

Ashley says that because of these manual processes, the tournament could really only be managed by one person. “Otherwise, there were too many chances for things to get mixed up.” When the event was paired with the national C2G conference, those manual processes became even more of a challenge.

The tournament’s audience was different than a traditional community fundraiser. Instead of recruiting local golfers, Ashley needed to coordinate:

• Casino operators from across the country

• Tribal gaming vendors and suppliers

• Conference exhibitors

• National sponsors

• Local business partners

Many participants had to travel to attend, so final player names weren’t confirmed until the week of or even the day before the tournament. That meant materials needed to stay flexible.

What’s more, Ashley wanted the event to deliver an experience worthy of the investment people were making to attend. Every detail matters, from the registration experience and pace of play to sponsor recognition and the post-round celebration. “We’re not trying to be the biggest tournament out there,” Ashley says. “We’re trying to be the tournament that people want to come back to.”

the solution

When C2G assumed responsibility for the annual tournament, Ashley was introduced to GolfStatus by the Firekeeper Golf Course’s general manager. The timing couldn’t have been better.

Instead of juggling spreadsheets and manually collecting payments, the tournament could move to one centralized platform where registration, player management, sponsorships, scoring, and administration all worked together.

An event website eliminated manual registration processes and made it easy to manage teams and sponsors.

The results

Fundraising Outcomes

The combination of thoughtful planning, a built-in conference audience, and streamlined tournament management has helped the event build momentum each year. The fundraiser generated more than $129,000 for the Boys and Girls Club of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, which helps fund:

• Educational opportunities

• Youth trips and enrichment activities

• Scholarships and tuition assistance

• Facility improvements

• Updated equipment and resources

• General operating support that helps local children thrive

Immediate Value

Ashley immediately saw the value in GolfStatus. “Why wouldn’t I use this?” she says. Golfers register and pay online, and update teammates as plans change. “The platform is easy to use. I send the website to people, and they take it from there. I don’t have to take time to enter information.”

For Ashley, one of the biggest advantages isn’t just online registration—it’s flexibility. “If something changes the day of the tournament, it’s easy to reprint signs, alpha lists, scorecards, everything.” Instead of needing to recreate tournament materials manually, the information already exists inside the platform. “It saves so much time, I can literally just click print,” Ashley says.

Each GolfStatus client works directly with a dedicated Client Success Representative and has access to a Fundraising Specialist and live support seven days a week.

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“It’s just so easy. The people are great to work with, they understand golf tournaments, and they can give advice because they’ve actually done it.”

— Ashley Bergquist, Promotions, Events, and Entertainment Manager at Prairie Band Casino & Resort

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Sponsor Opportunities & Management

Thoughtful sponsor recruitment has helped the tournament continue to grow. Rather than cold-calling prospective sponsors, Ashley begins with businesses already participating in the conference. Exhibitors, sponsors, vendors, and longtime business partners become natural prospects because they’re already planning to attend.

Timing also matters. Ashley intentionally releases the event’s sponsorship offerings before companies finalize annual budgets. “By getting sponsorship information to businesses early, they can plan and budget for the tournament ahead of time, giving them a much better chance of securing approval and participating,” Ashley says. This strategy has helped secure significant sponsor commitments, including a five-year title sponsorship from a local Pepsi distributor.

Releasing sponsorship offerings as early as possible has helped the tournament secure sponsor commitments.

GolfStatus simplified sponsor management and elevated the sponsorship offerings with its exclusive Technology Sponsorship, plus a pin flag sponsorship and hole-in-one contest sponsorship.

Custom pin flags are not only used on the course, but also as sponsor recognition pieces. The tournament presents each hole sponsor with a pin flag following the event. Sponsors attending the awards celebration receive theirs in person, while those unable to attend receive their flag in the mail. “Pin flags are a great keepsake!” Ashley says. “I have one hanging on my office wall.”

A Memorable Experience

While many fundraising tournaments focus on maximizing the number of golfers, C2G intentionally limits the field to 144 golfers to create a premium experience. “We could probably squeeze in more golfers, but we’d rather have a great pace of play and have people leave saying it was the most fun tournament they played all year.”

This philosophy has helped the tournament become a highlight of the annual C2G conference. Every player receives high-end gifts, including items like premium sunglasses, Bluetooth speakers, and other golf accessories, plus casino free play and gift cards. Ashley says that in her experience, practical gifts outperform novelty items. “When people actually use your player gifts during other tournaments, it’s free advertising for your event.”

Custom pin flags help elevate the tournament experience for golfers and sponsors.

Fundraising & Engagement

One of the biggest successes has been expanding fundraising opportunities beyond the golf course itself. Because the tournament flows directly into the conference kickoff celebration, participants who only attend the conference still become part of the fundraising experience.

Throughout the evening, attendees purchase raffle tickets, participate in the silent auction, and celebrate tournament winners together. That broader audience of conference attendees creates new fundraising streams and supporters that simply didn’t exist when the tournament stood on its own.

On the course, Ashley looks for engaging activities that everyone can enjoy, including:

• Four hole-in-one contest holes

• A golf ball cannon, which is included in registration

• Closest to the pin competition

• A second-shot hole-in-one challenge hosted by a Charity Golf International professional long-driver (which generated $2,500 for the Boys and Girls Club)

One of Ashley’s goals is to keep golfers there for the post-round celebration. Many tournaments lose attendees immediately after golf ends, but Ashley has built an experience worth sticking around for, with food, drinks, entertainment, and fundraising.

The result? An event that feels less like waiting for scores and more like the official kickoff to the conference and celebration of the golf tournament.

The post-golf celebration and Class 2 Gathering kickoff features performances from members of the Potawatomi Nation.

Advice to Other Casino Operators

For casinos considering launching their own charitable golf tournament or adding one to an existing conference or other event, Ashley offers one simple piece of advice: Play in other tournaments first.

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“Go experience them as a golfer. Figure out what you like and don’t like, then build the tournament you’d want to play.”

— Ashley Bergquist, Promotions, Events, and Entertainment Manager at Prairie Band Casino & Resort

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She also encourages casinos to recognize the unique inherent advantages they have, which naturally support a successful fundraising event:

• Championship golf courses

• Experienced hospitality teams

• Food and beverage options

• Entertainment

• Established vendor relationships

Beyond raising money, a charity golf tournament showcases the property’s amenities, strengthens relationships with vendors and partners, and creates meaningful support for important community organizations. For C2G, that means investing in the next generation through the Boys and Girls Club.

With GolfStatus helping simplify tournament operations, Ashley can spend less time managing spreadsheets and more time creating the experience golfers look forward to every year.

As C2G and the tournament continue to grow, the focus remains the same: offer an exceptional experience, foster relationships across the gaming industry, and generate meaningful support for local youth—one great round of golf at a time.

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Boost Golf Tournament Results With GolfStatus

GolfStatus works with golf tournaments of all types and sizes, from small nonprofit events to massive charity fundraisers. Its tech streamlines and simplifies registration, payment processing, player management, sponsor onboarding, scoring, and much more. The software is backed by an in-house team of golf fundraising professionals, and all tournaments have access to exclusive Fundraising Enhancers and Rewards, as well as consultations with Fundraising Specialists. Get started at no upfront cost by booking a meeting with our team.

By Jen Wemhoff, Communications Manager

If your charity golf tournament is right around the corner but your golfer numbers aren’t where you need them to be, don’t panic. With the right outreach strategy (and a little hustle), you can still drive golfer registrations to fill your field.

Here are seven last-minute marketing tips to attract golfers to your tournament.

1. Segment Your List, Then Target Messaging

Blasting the same generic email to your entire contact list is a fast way to get ignored. Instead, break your audience into segments and tailor your messaging to the interests and needs of each group.

Think about your list in groups like:

• Past golfers. These are people who played in your tournament but haven’t yet signed up. A “We miss you!” note with a specific call to action (maybe a deadline-driven discount code or special rate) can nudge them off the fence.

• Other event participants. They’ve already had a great event experience with your organization, so a “We’d love to have you at the tournament” message with a link to your golf tournament website can go a long way.

• Sponsors and partners. These folks are already invested in your mission, so ask if they have employees or clients who love golf and would benefit from a day on the golf course.

• General supporters. Your broader donor or email list may include golfers who have never played in your tournament. Remind them what they’re missing!

Segmentation takes a little extra effort upfront, but it produces significantly better results than a one-size-fits-all approach. Your messages will feel personal and relevant.

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PRO TIP:

Use your golf tournament management platform to access past years’ participant data.

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2. Send a Text

Email is a great tool to market your golf tournament, but text messages are another opportunity to reach golfers where they already look multiple times a day—their phones. If you have an opt-in SMS list, now is the perfect time to use it.

Keep texts short and direct, and link to your registration website. For example: “Spots are filling up for [Tournament Name] on [Date], and we’d love to have you there. Register today at [website link]. Questions? Reply to this text!”

You can also use SMS for countdown reminders and to create urgency that prompts action:

• “Only 5 teams remain!”

• “Registration closes Friday!”

• “Don’t miss the hole-in-one contest!”

If you don’t have an SMS list yet, start building one now for future events. Add an opt-in checkbox to your registration form, donor forms, mention it at events, and promote it on social media. The investment will pay off every time you need to drum up last-minute interest.

3. Go All-In on Social Media

Between now and tournament day, leverage your social channels to bring in golfers. A mix of organic content and paid campaigns can quickly generate real momentum.

Free, Organic Tactics That Work:

• Create a Facebook event. Invite your committee, board, members, and volunteers to 1. Mark themselves as “Going” and 2. Invite their networks. It’s free, it’s easy, and it’s underused by nonprofit event teams. Facebook Events show up in local search results and the feeds of attendees’ networks, giving you broad, free organic visibility.

• Post daily (or close to it). Share photos from past tournaments, sponsor spotlights, highlights from past tournaments, tournament prizes, raffle prize previews, tease the theme, or even give away a free team to someone who likes and shares the post. Use language that conveys urgency.

• Join relevant groups. Search Facebook and LinkedIn for local groups—golf, nonprofit networking, community events, etc. Post your tournament details (be sure to follow each group’s rules about self-promotion) and let members spread the word.

• Don’t overlook stories or LinkedIn. A well-timed Facebook or Instagram story with a link or a LinkedIn post from your organization’s page can reach people that other channels can miss, especially corporate golfers and potential foursomes from local businesses.

Paid Tactics Worth the Investment

Even a modest Facebook or Instagram ad budget ($100 - $300) can deliver strong results:

• Target ads by zip code so you’re reaching people who are local to your tournament

• Narrow ads to specific interests, like golf, charity, fundraisers, outdoors, and your specific cause (pets, environment, literacy, youth, etc.)

• Boost your highest-performing organic post

• Run a dedicated registration ad with a clear call to action (Register Now!)

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Free Social Media Resources

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4. Pick Up the Phone!

There’s no more powerful outreach tool than a real human asking another real human to show up. In the age of automated emails, social ads, and AI, a personal call or text from someone they know stands out and makes them feel valued.

Here’s how to mobilize your committee for personal outreach:

• Five and Five. Challenge every committee member, board member, staff member, and volunteer to send five texts and make five phone calls asking people to register. Provide a simple script so it’s as easy as possible to execute: “Hey [Name], I’m helping organize [Tournament Name] on [Date], and we’d love to have you join us. It’s a great day of golf for a great cause. Can I send you the link to register?”

• Leverage your past participants. Pull a list of past golf tournament (or other event) participants and prioritize reaching out to people who attended one or two years ago, but haven’t yet registered this time. These are essentially warm leads, since they already know your organization and event, since they liked it enough to come once.

• Make it a group effort. If you’re really close to a target number, consider a focused phone-a-thon day where your team spends a few hours making calls together. Friendly competition (“who can get the most registrations today?”) makes it more fun. People tend to respond to urgency when it feels genuine, so don’t be afraid to use language like “We need six more foursomes to have a full field, and I thought of you.”

5. Use AI to Find Community and Event Calendars

Local event calendars are an underutilized free marketing channel. Local news outlets, community organizations, chambers of commerce, visitors bureaus, and city websites often maintain community calendars that are actively browsed by people looking for things to do. Getting your tournament listed on as many of these as possible is a no-cost way to expand reach.

The challenge can be in finding them all. That’s where AI can help. Use tools like ChatGPT or Claude with this prompt: “Give me a list of community and event calendars in [City, State] and how to submit an event listing for each one.”

You’ll get a solid starting list of calendars where you can post your tournament details. Most of these submissions take just a few minutes to complete and can put your event in front of audiences you’d never reach otherwise. Once you have your list and links, divide them up among committee members and knock submissions out in an afternoon.

6. Offer a Last-Minute Incentive

Sometimes people just need a little push or a carrot to spur them to action. A time-sensitive incentive can convert fence-sitters into registered golfers. Consider offers like:

• A deadline discount. “Register by [Date] to save $25 per foursome”

• A bonus. “Register this week and get five free raffle tickets” or “Register by tomorrow and get an extra entry in the putting contest”

• A complete team freebie. “Include all team members’ contact information to receive a complimentary mulligans package”

It’s a good idea to pair any incentive with a hard deadline, and promote it everywhere—email, social, text, and personal outreach. The combination of value and urgency can be a powerful motivator.

7. Rally Your Sponsors

Your sponsors benefit from a full tournament field as much as you do, so reach out to your top sponsors to ask if they would help you spread the word. Provide quick and easy suggestions to help, like:

• Sharing the event website link on their company social channels or in an internal email to employees.

• Purchase additional teams as an incentive for employees or to entertain clients and prospects.

• Promote the event to their networks of customers, clients, and vendors. Since many businesses see golf tournaments as an opportunity to build relationships, having the sponsor reach out to ask might be the nudge they need to register a team.

Send a quick email or give them a call with the ask, framing it as a mutual win. Use this free Golf Tournament Sponsor Asset Kit, with ready-to-use messaging, graphics, and more, to help turn sponsors into event promoters.

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Final Thoughts

Last-minute marketing pushes work best when they’re focused, personal, and multi-channel. You don’t need to do everything in this list. Choose two or three tactics that best fit your organization’s strengths and capacity, and execute on them consistently and with urgency.

Be sure you have a dedicated golf event website to use in these marketing campaigns. GolfStatus offers a free, professional event website with online registration, secure payment processing, digital sponsor exposure, and more, plus access to its golf tournament management software at no upfront cost. Book a quick meeting with a golf fundraising professional to learn more and get started!

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There’s something powerful about an annual golf tournament that’s become more than just a day on the course and has evolved into a tradition. The same course, the same time of year, the same group of supporters showing up year after year to build community.

That tradition is something to celebrate, but a tradition that doesn’t continue to improve can quickly become stale and a reason for golfers and sponsors not to come back.

If your golf event has been running for five, 10, or even 20+ years, you’ve done the hard part of building something that people care about and trust. Now the challenge is keeping it fresh and exciting enough that last year’s participants can’t wait to register again, while new golfers and sponsors are eager to join in.

You don’t need to completely reinvent your tournament to make it feel new. Small, strategic changes can elevate the golfer experience, keep sponsors excited, improve fundraising results, and keep people excited to show up year after year.

Here are 11 ways to refresh a longstanding golf tournament while honoring the traditions that made it successful in the first place.

1. Debrief After the Event (Every Year)

Before you think about next year’s tournament, gather your planning team and do an honest debrief. Discuss what went smoothly, what felt clunky, and what they heard from golfers and sponsors throughout the day.

You should also build feedback into your planning process so you hear directly from participants through a short post-event survey. Send it to golfers and sponsors to help glean:

• What they loved

• What they would change

• What would make them bring a friend next year

• What experiences or components stood out

Look for insights into which fundraising elements (raffles, auctions, on-course games, merch, etc.) performed best, which sponsor packages delivered the best value, and when (or if) the day lost energy. These responses tell you where to invest time and money for the future.

Make this a formal part of your planning process every year. You’ll find areas to improve because you’re paying attention to what participants are saying, and they’ll appreciate being heard.

2. Evaluate the Golfer Experience

An effective way to refresh a tournament is to consider the tournament—from start to finish—from the golfer’s perspective. Think through every touchpoint of the event:

• Is registration simple and efficient?

• Is communication clear leading up to the event?

• Is check-in welcoming?

• Is signage professional and easy to follow?

• Does the pace of the day feel brisk and organized?

• Is the awards ceremony or program engaging and celebratory?

Big improvements can come from fixing small points of friction. Ensuring the registration process is easy and communication is effective. Making check-in quick and painless. Offering great food and beverage. Keeping a steady pace of play. Maintaining high energy post-round. These details show participants that you want them to have the best possible experience.

Ensuring golfers have a great experience will elevate any golf tournament.

3. Introduce New Contests & On-Course Games

Adding new interactive tournament elements is one of the fastest ways to boost the event’s energy. There’s no need to completely overhaul the tournament’s format. A four-person scramble is the classic choice for charity events for a reason—it’s inclusive, fast-moving, and fun for all skill levels. But small additions can generate excitement. Some popular, low-lift options include:

• Hole-in-one contests

• Longest drive contest

• Closest to the pin challenge

• Putting contests

• Beat-the-pro (or amateur) hole

• Ball drop

• Poker hand

• On-course entertainment

• On-course games or fundraising stations

These activities not only make the day more entertaining, but they also create additional fundraising opportunities. Even introducing one or two new elements each year gives returning golfers something to look forward to and gives sponsors new activation options.

4. Refresh Your Branding & Introduce a Theme

Tournaments often use the same logo and look for years. And while consistency is important, a visual refresh can make your tournament feel updated and exciting without abandoning its identity. Consider tweaks or updates to colors and graphics, a more unified brand across digital and print, and an event website that reflects the caliber of the experience you’re delivering.

Introducing or updating a theme can complement a refreshed brand. You can do as much or as little with a theme as you want. Maybe a patriotic theme, a Masters-inspired tournament, a tropical or beach vibe, or team colors tied to a favorite sports team can all work beautifully. A theme can give golfers and sponsors something new to engage with, creating natural opportunities for fun on-course decor, social content, and creative sponsor activations that feel fresh each year.

Adding a theme, like glow golf, can significantly elevate a longstanding golf event.

5. Upgrade Player Gifts

Golfer gifts are remembered and used long after the tournament ends. If your event has been handing out the same golf balls and koozies for years, it may be time to rethink your swag strategy.

Today’s golfers want high-quality, useful items they’ll actually reach for. Rotating your gifts is a low-effort way to make repeat golfers feel like they’re getting something new, and thoughtful gifts elevate the perceived value of your tournament. Consider items like:

• Premium golf accessories

• Branded drinkwear

• Custom headcovers

• Branded golf towels

• Performance apparel

• Bluetooth speakers

• Portable phone charges

• Local products

• Experience-based prizes (gift cards, tee times)

6. Improve the Sponsor Experience

Sponsors are the financial backbone of your tournament. You can help build strong partnerships with sponsors by helping them feel like active participants instead of just logos on a banner. Each year, think through how you can deliver more value, more visibility, and more engagement to the businesses supporting your cause.

Think beyond static banners and create interactive opportunities for sponsors to engage with golfers:

• Branded tee box activations

• Sponsored contests, on-course games, or giveaways

• Product sampling stations

• Drink or snack stations

• Sponsored text messages or leaderboard placements

• Social media collaborations before, during, and after the event

Digital sponsor exposure is increasingly valuable, so don’t overlook your event website, email campaigns, mobile apps, and live scoring platforms for visibility that extends beyond tournament day.

Consider personalized sponsorship packages instead of the same tiers every year. Add fun, new names to packages and work with the sponsors to design packages that meet the goals of the business and your event.

Give sponsors more for their investment, like digital exposure, to improve their experience with your tournament and keep them coming back.

7. Modernize the Event with Technology

One of the fastest and easiest ways to elevate your tournament is to modernize the experience. Golfers, sponsors, and our planning committee will benefit from tools that streamline management and execution.

It starts with a dedicated event website that gives your tournament a polished, digital home base where golfers can register in minutes, sponsors can purchase packages and upload logos, and supporters can make donations—all without a phone call, paper form, or any effort from your team. This frees you up to focus on the relationships and experiences that make your tournament stand out.

The right tech can also help with:

• Team and sponsor management

• Mobile scoring and live leaderboards

• Auctions

• Raffle tickets and mulligan sales

• Donor tracking

• Payment processing and receipts

• Post-event reporting and accounting

8. Create Memorable Moments

The best tournaments leave people with stories that keep them talking. These might be:

• A surprise guest

• A heartfelt mission moment

• An incredible raffle prize

• A fun on-course challenge

• A unique food or beverage experience

• An emotional speech from a beneficiary

• A dramatic finish

• A hole-in-one contest winner

These transform a golf outing from just another fundraiser to an event that people circle on their calendars year after year. Think intentionally about where your tournament can create emotional peaks throughout the day. The goal is to go beyond simply entertaining golfers to creating memorable moments that they’ll talk about with coworkers, friends, sponsors, and future participants. They don’t have to be expensive; they simply have to be meaningful and well-executed.

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Case Study: Credit Unions for Kids Golf Classic

For 17 years, U.S. Community Credit Union and Enbright Credit Union have joined forces to host the Annual Credit Unions for Kids Golf Classic. Keeping the event fresh and fun every year is a priority for organizers, who have added new games, tech tools, sponsorships, and more, while raising tens of thousands of dollars for Monroe Carrell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

READ MORE

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9. Keep the Cause Front & Center

For nonprofit or charity tournaments especially, one of the biggest opportunities is strengthening the connection between the event and the mission it supports. Longstanding tournaments, in particular, can sometimes get hyper-focused on logistics and tradition that the “why” beyond the fundraiser gets lost.

Golfers are more likely to give generously and keep coming back when they feel an emotional connection to the cause, not just the event. Keep the mission visible and personal to strengthen donor engagement and long-term support:

• Mission-focused signage throughout the course

• Videos or impact stories during meals or awards

• QR codes linking directly to your event website’s donation page

• Beneficiary speakers or testimonials

• Updates on how last year’s golf tournament funds were used

• Live fundraising appeals connected to specific outcomes

10. Use Data to Make Decisions

Every year, your tournament generates valuable data that can help improve future event iterations. The key is collecting, analyzing, and using this data to make strategic decisions instead of guessing.

Track and pay attention to:

• Registration trends (when people register, how they pay, if they use discount codes, if they make an additional donation, etc.)

• Sponsor renewal rates

• Contest or game participation

• Raffle ticket and mulligan sales

• Golfer feedback

• Auction and raffle engagement

• Marketing response rates

• Fundraising outcomes

• Expenses

For example, if certain sponsorship levels sell out immediately, consider expanding or restructuring them. If early-bird pricing consistently drives registrations, invest more in early marketing campaigns. If golfers consistently rate check-in as a poor experience, prioritize fixing it next year.

11. Preserve Traditions While Embracing Change

Don’t worry—not everything needs to change! In fact, some traditions are exactly why golfers return year after year. Whether it’s a beloved course, a signature contest, a longtime emcee or auctioneer, or a post-round awards moment people genuinely look forward to, the goal isn’t to erase what makes the tournament the tournament—it’s to evolve it.

You’ll succeed by balancing consistency with innovation. Preserve what people value most while introducing enough new energy each year to keep the event exciting, engaging, and financially strong. And when participants and supporters feel like your tournament just keeps getting better, they’re the ones who help fill your field.

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Modernize Your Tournament With GolfStatus

GolfStatus’ tech is built to help golf fundraisers stay fresh, relevant, and profitable. Its golf event-specific tools help organizers save time, raise more money, and deliver a professional experience that golfers and sponsors love year after year. Learn how you can get started at no upfront cost and get a free event website by booking a meeting with our team!

Keep Golfers and Sponsors Coming Back

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Charity golf tournaments are opportunities for fun, connection, competition, and above all, fundraising. While team registrations and sponsorships typically drive the bulk of the event’s revenue, the most successful tournaments don’t stop there. They layer in thoughtful, well-timed donation asks before, during, and after the tournament to maximize impact and leverage the generosity of golfers.

The key? Make giving easy and aligned with the tournament experience. When done strategically, your asks won’t interrupt the round; instead, you’re simply enhancing the reason people showed up in the first place.

Here are 10 actionable ways to ask for donations during your next golf fundraiser.

1. Use Your Event Website as Your Fundraising Hub

Your golf tournament website should be the central engine for donations. Every ask, no matter where it happens, should point back to a simple, mobile-friendly donation site. This way, there’s no hassling with cash, reconciling Venmos, or processing checks after the tournament. Instead, all funds are kept in a centralized repository for easy post-tournament accounting.

Remove barriers to giving by making sure your event website:

• Clearly communicates your mission, what the tournament is raising money for, and its impact

• Includes a prominent “Donate” button across the site’s pages

• Works seamlessly on mobile devices

• Includes a donation tracker

• Connects to and displays your live leaderboard with a donation call to action

PRO TIP: Incorporate storytelling on your golf tournament website.

Use photos, impact stats, and a clear call to action so visitors understand why their donation matters before they ever even set foot on the course.

Every donation ask should link to your event website, where golfers can donate with just a few taps and see progress toward your goal.

2. Send Strategic Asks Throughout the Day

Communication is one of your most powerful fundraising tools, so use it wisely. You’ll need an easy way to get in touch with golfers and donors at the right moments during the event, like email or push notifications. Timing matters, so spread your messages throughout the day so they feel helpful, not overwhelming.

Use your event management platform to:

• Link to the donation page of your event website

• Announce fundraising milestones

• Highlight contests or challenges

• Share any matching donation campaigns

PRO TIP: Pair donation asks with updates.

Fold your day-of donation appeals into useful updates, like lunch announcements, current standings, or on-course game or contest reminders. This makes them feel like part of the event flow, rather than a disruption.

3. Set a Day-of Fundraising Goal & Rally Around It

A clear, tangible tournament day fundraising goal gives golfers and sponsors something to rally behind and can motivate them to make an additional contribution. Instead of a vague ask, be as specific as possible. For example:

• “Help us raise $5,000 today and feed shelter pets for three months.”

• “We’re halfway to our goal of $7,000—help us close the gap!”

Leverage your event management platform’s donation tracker to keep attendees up to date on your progress, building momentum and urgency. What’s more, when the overall tournament experience is top-notch, golfers are much more likely to chip in to help you reach the day’s goal.

PRO TIP: Tie your goal to a specific outcome.

Donors tend to be more motivated to make a contribution when they can visualize its impact on your mission.

4. Use a Compelling Story to Help Make the Ask

Not every golfer at your event will have a deep connection to your cause. Many are there because they were invited to play by a friend or family member or to fill their company’s foursome.

Your golf tournament is an incredible opportunity to connect these new potential donors to your mission. Consider these ideas:

• Share an impact story during the tournament’s kickoff

• Feature a beneficiary’s story during the awards ceremony

• Display signs, banners, or posters around the course that describe your work

• Include brochures or handouts in golfer gift bags

Follow these up with an ask that helps attendees understand how their donation makes a difference.

PRO TIP: Keep mission moments concise and emotional.

A brief two or three-minute story from a beneficiary or your nonprofit’s executive director with a clear takeaway is much more effective and memorable than a long presentation.

Tie donation asks to compelling stories to help the audience connect with your mission.

5. Have Donation Stations Around the Course

Make giving accessible—and visible—with designated donation stations in strategic locations at the golf facility. Staff them with knowledgeable volunteers, staff members, or even beneficiaries who can answer questions, share stories, and assist with donations.

Place donation stations in high-traffic, but unobtrusive, areas, like:

• Registration/check-in

• The turn or comfort station

• A par five tee box that’s likely to get backed up

• Near the clubhouse

• Near the bar at the post-round gathering

PRO TIP: Use QR codes that link to your event website.

Place signage with QR codes that link golfers to your event website’s donation page at every donation station. This way, golfers can donate using their phones (and you won’t have to hassle with handling cash) and instantly get a receipt.

6. Leverage Live Leaderboards for Real-Time Giving

Live leaderboards aren’t just for tracking scores—they’re a powerful engagement and fundraising tool. Anyone, anywhere can follow along with the tournament’s progress via online and in-app live leaderboards, expanding your reach beyond the course and keeping people engaged in real time. Encourage giving by:

• Sharing leaderboard links on social and via email before and during the event

• Inviting spectators and remote supporters to donate while following along

• Creating fun pledges (donate a specific amount for every birdie, eagle, or bogey)

PRO TIP: Use social media to engage donors.

Give social media shoutouts to online donors, consider having a special prize drawing for day-of donors, and be sure to follow up after the tournament with a thank you.

Live leaderboards are a great way to engage donors throughout a golf tournament.

7. Turn On-Course Moments Into Giving Opportunities

Your golf tournament is full of natural pauses, so take advantage of these lulls (and captive audiences) to ask for a donation. Keep these asks light, fun, and optional. The goal is to invite participation, not pressure it.

Consider adding donation prompts at:

• Contest holes (hole-in-one, longest drive, closest to the pin, putting)

• High-traffic wait areas

• Comfort stations

• Driving range

• Practice green

PRO TIP: Pair donation asks with games or incentives.

Keep the energy high and the atmosphere casual by pairing donation asks with on-course games, drawings, or other incentives.

8. Introduce a Score-Based Giving Challenge

Tie donations directly to the tournament by asking golfers to donate based on scores. It’s simple, memorable, and easy to execute! Some ideas include:

• Donating an amount equal to their team’s final score (if they shot a 72, they would donate $72)

• Matching the winning team’s score

• Using the last-place score for a fun twist

PRO TIP: Make this ask during awards.

The awards ceremony, banquet, reception, auction, or other post-golf gathering is a great time to make this particular ask. When you announce the winning teams and scores, challenge attendees to get out their phones and donate.

A tournament’s post-round meal, ceremony, or reception is a perfect opportunity to make a donation ask.

9. Add a Post-Round Call to Action

Golf is over, but post-round gatherings are prime opportunities to raise additional funds. People are relaxed, engaged, and reflecting on the fun they had during the event, making it an ideal moment to ask for contributions.

Share impact stories, progress toward the day and overall event fundraising goals, celebrate the day’s successes, and make a final, direct donation ask.

PRO TIP: Display a live fundraising total during the reception.

Project your event website’s donation tracker on a screen during the reception, showing real-time updates towards your goal to encourage last-minute donations.

10. Follow Up After the Tournament

Some of your best donation opportunities can happen after the tournament. Not everyone will give on tournament day, but many will once they’ve had time to reflect. Within a week or so after the tournament, send a follow-up email that includes:

• A thank-you message

• Event highlights, photos, and videos

• Fundraising totals

• A clear link to donate

PRO TIP: Segment your follow-up messages.

Tailor your asks specifically for players, sponsors, and non-attendees who engaged online.

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Raise More Money With Your Golf Event

When it comes to donation asks, success isn’t necessarily about doing more—it’s about doing it better. Strategic timing, clear messaging, and seamless tech make all the difference. The easier you make it to give, and the more connected people feel to your mission, the more likely they are to support your cause.

GolfStatus’ full-service golf event management and fundraising platform helps you do exactly that. From mobile-friendly event websites and live leaderboards to built-in donation tools and communication features, everything works together to create a smooth, engaging experience for your supporters.

Click below to book a meeting with GolfStatus’ team of golf fundraising experts to find out how you can get started at no upfront cost.

Save Time & Raise More Money

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partner snapshot

For Beazer Homes, building communities extends far beyond the act of construction. Beazer Homes has become one of the nation’s leading homebuilders, and its philanthropic roots run deep. Across its divisions across the U.S., the company has embedded giving back into its culture, even establishing nonprofit title and mortgage insurance companies to help fund its charitable initiatives.

Charity is a core business principle for Beazer Homes, which uses golf as a tool to raise money for Fisher House.

In the Maryland division of Beazer Homes, that philanthropic mission is brought to life by Jennifer Eastman, Sales and Marketing Coordinator, who is the driving force behind the team’s charitable and employee engagement efforts. After 13 years with Beazer Homes, she has become the go-to leader for anything related to charity, including creating meaningful opportunities to make an impact.

The primary recipient of Beazer Homes’ outreach is Fisher House, which Jennifer describes as a “home away from home for military families” traveling for medical care. Stays at these “comfort houses” are free of charge while a loved one is in the hospital or undergoing treatment at a military or VA medical center. The very first Fisher House was built near Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, right in the heart of Beazer Homes Maryland’s territory. The division donated $500,000 toward the renovation and upkeep of the original house, raised from division employees, donations from friends, family, and vendors, and support from the Beazer Charity Foundation.

the challenge

When Beazer Homes acquired a community with a golf course, a charity golf tournament seemed like a natural fit to support its work with Fisher House, which now has 100 comfort houses that serve 570,000 families. Jennifer and her colleague, David Jacques, began work to launch a charity golf tournament in 2024, believing that it was the best opportunity to raise significant funds, enjoy a day of camaraderie with partners and sponsors, and have the potential to grow and scale year over year.

The biggest hurdle wasn’t enthusiasm or effort—it was managing the finances. The division couldn’t mix fundraising with internal funds to run the tournament, so they needed an easy, transparent way to collect and distribute the charitable dollars. Jennifer was prepared to manually manage everything, piecemealing systems and processes for everything from registration to logistics, but holding tournament funds remained a hangup.

Fairways for Families brings together Beazer Homes employees, partners, and friends for a fun day on the golf course raising money to support military families through Fisher House.

the solution

The IT team at Beazer Homes came to Jennifer with a better option for collecting registrations, selling sponsorships, and managing payments: GolfStatus. Best of all, they could get set up in the software at no upfront cost. Within a week of connecting with GolfStatus, Fairways for Families had an event registration website ready to go.

The primary driver for adopting GolfStatus was simple: a secure, efficient way to collect, hold, and disburse funds. The additional features and capabilities were icing on the cake.

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“The biggest benefit was being able to run all the money through the platform. Everything else was a bonus!”

— Jennifer Eastman, Sales and Marketing Coordinator at Beazer Homes

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The tournament website simplified promotion, registration, and sponsor onboarding.

Those “bonuses” helped streamline nearly every part of tournament planning and management, while elevating the tournament experience for golfers and sponsors:

• The event website gave golfers and sponsors a professional, centralized hub to find out more and get involved.

• Online registration streamlined sign-ups, payment processing, and receipts, while the tournament funds were held securely until the tournament’s conclusion.

• Add-on packages like mulligans and raffle tickets were added to the site for purchase, keeping funds in one place.

• Responsive support from the GolfStatus team whenever Jennifer or David needed help or had a question, plus access to Fundraising Specialists with ideas to boost revenue.

• High-end sponsorships from GolfStatus, like hole-in-one contests, pin flags, hole signage, and the Technology Sponsor, became powerful revenue generators.

“We used all of GolfStatus’ add-ons,” Jennifer says. “We were able to sell sponsorships for each one, and even gave all the top sponsors custom pin flags.”

The results

With the right systems and strategy in place, Fairways for Families has seen consistent growth and success with its golf fundraiser. The funds raised from the tournament provide general support for Fisher House’s mission to serve hundreds of thousands of service members, veterans, and families dealing with a loved one in the hospital.

“Raise more than the year before”

Jennifer’s goal for the golf event is simple: “Raise more than we did the year before!”

In 2025, the second year of Fairways for Families netted nearly $70,000 for Fisher House from 36 teams and 35 sponsors. Its success led Jennifer to create a golf tournament playbook for other divisions, with suggestions for pricing and sponsorship packages, detailed screenshots, golf event ideas, best practices, and who to contact at GolfStatus.

Beazer Homes divisions around the country have adopted golf tournaments as a fundraising tool, leveraging GolfStatus’ tech, tools, and support to save time and raise more money.

In 2025, Fairways for Families grossed over $100,000 and donated nearly $70,000 to the Fisher House Foundation.

elevating the tournament experience

Beazer Homes didn’t just focus on fundraising. They prioritized creating a memorable, engaging experience for participants, which included sponsor representatives, division business partners, local avid golfers, and employee families. “We wanted to add little things to make the experience better and more memorable for everyone,” Jennifer says. Thoughtful touches included:

• Snack bags for golfers

• Portable fans in gift bags and extra shade tents (lessons learned from a sweltering 101-degree first year)

• A marshal to improve the pace of play

• Pre-paid food on the course

• Walk-up music for golfers at contest holes

On-course activities also made an impact, both in terms of experience and fundraising outcomes.

• Closest-to-the-pin challenge. Golfers paid to participate and contribute additional funds to the Fisher House.

• Hole-in-one contest, staffed by division employees to chat with golfers.

• Raffle drawing, with prizes generously donated by sponsors and the host golf facility’s pro shop.

• Cornhole challenge, with winners earning the right to take one stroke off their score.

On-course games, like the cornhole challenge, boosted fundraising outcomes and improved participating golfers’ scores.

lessons learned

The best advice Jennifer can give to other golf tournament organizers is to start planning as early as possible. “In our first year, we started a little too late, and we felt pushed because no one had bought the top sponsorships,” Jennifer says.

A major takeaway from that experience is to talk with potential sponsors to ask what they’re specifically looking for and how a sponsorship can fit their needs. “I ask what they want, and modify the package accordingly,” Jennifer says. “Some want logo placements, some want more golfer spots; it all depends on their perception of value. So we work to give them what they want.” That flexibility and willingness to tailor packages to what sponsors actually value have helped the Maryland division build loyal, returning golf tournament partners year after year.

Jennifer plans to continue to use GolfStatus as she builds for the future of Fairways for Families.

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“GolfStatus solved our biggest problem of how to track funds, and everything else worked so well, I can’t imagine trying to do all of it manually.”

— Jennifer Eastman, Sales and Marketing Coordinator at Beazer Homes

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Get started with GolfStatus at no upfront cost

GolfStatus’ event management platform is built specifically for golf events, with solutions that save tournament organizers time and effort and tools that help raise more money. Our in-house Client Success team is there seven days a week to answer questions, provide coaching, and make the most out of the software. Tournaments can get started with GolfStatus at no upfront cost, with a free event website launched within a week. Book a meeting with GolfStatus’ team of golf fundraising pros to get started!

partner snapshot

Without officials, high school sports wouldn’t exist. And without the Nebraska High School Officials Association (NHSOA), there wouldn’t be an organization to provide support, training, and advocacy for high school officials across the state.

Through clinics, certification programs, and professional development opportunities, NHSOA helps officials gain the skills and confidence needed to officiate varsity and postseason contests through the Nebraska High School Activities Association (NSAA), the state’s governing body for school activities.

High school football officials attend a clinic organized by the Nebraska High School Officials Association.

Jeff Schwartz, a longtime official and active NHSOA advocate, has been involved with officiating for nearly two decades. While he’s stepped away from on-court and on-field officiating in recent years, he’s still deeply involved, assigning officials, supporting clinics, and helping lead one of the association’s most impactful initiatives: its annual golf fundraiser.

the challenge

The Bill Lewis Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance to dependents of current and past NSAA-registered officials who have been active in NSAA programs, attend or plan to attend accredited post-secondary schools in Nebraska, and demonstrate a commitment to involvement and leadership. The dwindling fund had been offering two modest $500 scholarships each year, but association members knew the need was greater and wanted to make a more meaningful investment in the next generation.

Then came the golf fundraiser.

The idea for a golf event emerged organically. During the early years of the annual NSAA Official Summit, a small group of officials, including Jeff, decided to play a casual round of golf the day before the conference began. As conversations unfolded, so did the realization that golf could be more than a social outing—it could be a powerful way to bring people together to boost the scholarship fund’s impact.

Turning this idea into a sustainable fundraiser came with challenges:

• Volunteer tournament organizers with full-time jobs and limited time to devote to planning.

• No formal background in planning a golf fundraiser.

• The need to grow revenue without increasing complexity.

• A desire to avoid manually collecting and managing funds.

In short, NHSOA needed a solution that made golf fundraising easier, not harder.

An event website, powered by GolfStatus, made collecting golfer and sponsor registrations and payments easy and efficient.

the solution

A dedicated committee of about seven volunteers, including Jeff and some of his officiating buddies, took ownership of the event and committed to making it successful. Weekly Zoom meetings, a strong division of responsibilities, and a shared passion for the cause laid the groundwork for success.

Next came the right tech to plan and manage the tournament’s specifics. Several committee members were familiar with GolfStatus through various professional connections, and the platform provided the infrastructure the group needed. From registrations to sponsorships to auction management, GolfStatus helped NHSOA centralize operations and remove friction for both planners and participants.

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“Since we all have full-time jobs, we love how simple GolfStatus makes everything.”

— Jeff Schwartz, Nebraska High School Officials Association Tournament Organizer

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key solutions

• Online registration and payment processing. GolfStatus allowed NHSOA to collect all golfer and sponsor information and payments online, eliminating the need for volunteers or the golf course to handle money. All funds were collected and held by GolfStatus until after the tournament. For a committee with busy schedules, this was a game-changer.

• Sponsor-friendly event website. The GolfStatus event website made it simple to promote sponsorships to businesses and partners, like pin flags, hole-in-one contests, and the Technology Sponsorship. Clear visibility and a streamlined checkout process helped drive sponsor confidence and conversions.

• Strategic sponsorship add-ons. The planning team leaned into the proven revenue drivers offered by GolfStatus, including:

  • Hole-in-one contests, with sponsors covering the cost of the insurance and boosting fundraising.

  • A pin flag sponsorship, which featured quotes from the scholarship fund’s namesake, Bill Lewis, a past NSAA Director of Officials and a school administrator who dedicated his time and talents to improving the quality of and respect for sports officiating throughout Nebraska.

  • Dormie Network Stay and Play Packages led to larger donations and the growth of the tournament’s auction.

• Robust online auction. The auction quickly became a cornerstone of the fundraiser. Hosted online via GolfStatus’ auction platform to draw more bids, it opened in July and closed during the post-golf gathering, creating urgency and excitement.

• Branded printables. The planning team utilized GolfStatus’ preformatted score cards and cart signs, branded with sponsor logos to broaden day-of visibility and exposure.

• Tournament day simplicity. Perhaps most importantly for the team of volunteers, GolfStatus removed stress on event day. With registrations, payments, and the auction already handled, they could focus on engaging with golfers and celebrating the mission and outcomes.

Jeff says running everything through GolfStatus has made everything easier. “I don’t know how else you would do it, especially on the day of the tournament.”

Pin flags bear quotes from the scholarship fund’s namesake, Bill Lewis, past NSAA Director of Officials.

The results

What started as an informal round of golf among friends grew into a high-impact annual fundraiser and a meaningful touchpoint for the NHSOA community. “Golf is how we bring people together,” Jeff says.

scholarship impact

The Bill Lewis Scholarship Fund historically awarded two $500 scholarships, which are certainly helpful, but not transformational. Due to the success of the golf fundraiser and auction, the fund now awards two $5,000 scholarships, chosen from an applicant pool of nearly 300 students. Jeff says the goal is to grow the fund to add a third scholarship or to expand the current scholarship to a two-year award of $5,000 per year.

Hosting scholarship recipients at the post-golf celebration gives golfers and donors a tangible connection to the impact of their support, something Jeff says makes the event especially rewarding.

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“It’s one thing to ask for donations, it’s another to show people exactly what those dollars are doing.”

— Jeff Schwartz, Nebraska High School Officials Association Tournament Organizer

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Scholarship recipients received pin flags signed by golf tournament organizers.

Consistent Year-Over-Year Growth

The tournament’s revenue has grown each year, starting at a net of $14,000 in year one, $16,000 in year two, and growing to $18,000 in year three. This consistent growth has been driven by sponsorships and the success of the auction.

The auction drives the bulk of the tournament’s revenue, doubling its profit from $8,000 to $16,000 from years two to three. Donated auction items, including Dormie Network Stay and Plays, outings to Nebraska golf courses, and tickets to Husker and NSAA sporting events, attract bids from beyond their networks.

Improved Efficiency

Processing registrations, sponsorships, and auction payments through GolfStatus saved Jeff and the rest of the planning team hours of manual labor and simplified post-tournament accounting, since all funds were held in one place. “We wanted to stay as far away from the money as we can, so having GolfStatus to collect it has been great,” Jeff says.

The GolfStatus support team was there to help every step of the way, walking Jeff and committee members through the software’s back end, answering questions, and assisting with auction setup. “Brenden has been great,” Jeff says. “He is so responsive and always gets right back to us.”

What started as a casual round of golf has been transformed into an impactful fundraiser for scholarships.

Looking Ahead

NHSOA plans to keep refining, not reinventing, the tournament. Future discussions include adjusting start times, simplifying food options, and continuing to grow the auction by soliciting donations earlier in the year.

Thankfully, they have a solid foundation. For Jeff and the planning team, GolfStatus has become a trusted partner, one that removes logistical headaches and allows them to focus on what matters most.

“I’m not sure how we’d make this happen without GolfStatus,” Jeff says. “We don’t have to worry about the golf or auction side of things; we know it’s all handled through GolfStatus. It just works.”

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Use GolfStatus at No Upfront Cost

GolfStatus, the industry-leading platform for charity golf tournaments and fundraisers, makes planning, managing, and executing golf events easier than ever. With golf-specific tools, exclusive Fundraising Enhancers, and an A+ support team, GolfStatus saves organizers time and helps raise more money. Get started with GolfStatus at no upfront cost—book a meeting with the team to learn more!

partner snapshot

The First Responders Foundation’s (FRF) mission is to serve and honor all First Responders, Veterans, and their families while building appreciation and respect for their work and enhancing public safety. Based in Omaha, Nebraska, the Foundation’s programming supports the mental, physical, and emotional wellness of first responders.

The First Responders Foundation provides support and resources for first responders, including police, fire, and veterans.

For Police Captain Max Hubka, who oversees the wellness programs for the Lincoln, Nebraska Police Department, a Lincoln chapter of the FRF was the perfect opportunity to expand the services available to the more than 1,000 first responders in Lincoln and Lancaster County. “First responders face unique trauma, leading to sleep disruption, chronic stress, and other challenges that traditional healthcare providers aren’t always equipped to treat,” Max says.

He spearheaded the creation of the Lincoln Chapter in 2022 to offer access to trained mental health practitioners, peer support programs, chaplaincy services, social outings, and family resources that help first responders stay healthy and connected at home and on the job. But to fund the chapter's ambitious, holistic programming, Max knew he needed to find a sustainable funding option.

the challenge

Years before the Lincoln Chapter of the FRF existed, the Lincoln Police Memorial Foundation held a small but meaningful golf event to raise funds for a memorial honoring fallen police officers and provide a way for the community to gather, remember, and support one another. Max had helped run that event, and when the new FRF chapter was formed, Max saw an opportunity to evolve the Memorial Scramble into a new, expanded annual golf fundraiser dedicated to supporting first responders’ overall wellness and safety.

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“Golf is a vehicle I can just about guarantee will bring us a significant amount of funding for the Foundation.”

— Captain Max Hubka, Liaison, Lincoln First Responders Foundation

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The golf tournament offered exactly what the chapter needed: a reason to bring first responders together outside the uniform, a relaxed setting to build community, another opportunity to celebrate Police Week in May, and a high-impact fundraiser that could quickly establish the Foundation’s credibility. “People see that we run this legitimate event, and it helps them recognize the commitment the Foundation has and how their donations are doing something positive,” Max says. But with most of the planning falling to Max, he knew he needed technology that would streamline the work—rather than add to it.

The tournament website added instant credibility and professionalism to the golf fundraiser.

the solution

Max knew he needed a platform that was simple to use, easy to navigate, and didn’t come with a major price tag. Because Max had used GolfStatus in his time organizing the Memorial Scramble, returning to it was an easy decision for the FRF event:

• Online registration was a game-changer. Max remembered how simple it was to set up registration, accept online payments, and manage player information. GolfStatus automated registration, so Max wasn’t drowning in spreadsheets and hundreds of emails and could focus his time on outreach, donations, and player experience.

• An event website provided credibility and professionalism. The tournament’s website was built quickly by the GolfStatus team, with custom content that highlighted the chapter’s mission and goals. It allowed sponsors to browse available packages and golfers to register with a few clicks.

• Custom pin flags impressed participants. Max says the custom pin flags, which had the FRF logo on one side and sponsor branding on the other, elevated the look of the tournament. “People are shocked at how high-end the flags look!” Max says.

• Tech offered a smooth golfer experience. GolfStatus’ tech helped everything run smoothly for golfers and tournament organizers. Max loved that his dad, who he describes as “not computer literate,” could easily register online without help thanks to a frictionless process.

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“The website and registration process are so great. It’s such a slam dunk and requires so little effort on my end. I send the link out, and people know what to do from there.”

— Captain Max Hubka, Liaison, Lincoln First Responders Foundation

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The results

With technology handling the logistics, Max and a small team of board members focused on growth—building sponsorships, strengthening relationships, and creating an event that first responders and community members look forward to all year.

Over 80% of the tournament’s golfers are first responders.

By the Numbers

• Fundraising outcomes: $130,000 raised for first responder support since the tournament began in 2023

• Number of teams: On average 36-39

• Demographics: More than 80% of golfers are first responders
  

help, support & fundraising tools

Even with Max out of state for training during the 2025 tournament, everything ran smoothly. The team followed the established playbook, and GolfStatus provided the infrastructure and setup needed to keep everything on track.

Max says the responsiveness from the GolfStatus team is incredible. “If I send them an email with a question, they get back to me right away and make things happen,” he says.

Working with GolfStatus unlocked a series of fundraising enhancers that helped maximize revenue with minimal lift. Plus, Max says the add-ons like the Technology Sponsorship, hole-in-one contests, and pin flags add yet another layer to make the tournament feel like it’s a high-end scramble.

Max also says that GolfStatus didn’t just support planning and managing the tournament, but helped him learn more about fundraising, sponsorships, and branding. “I learned quite a bit about the importance of branding and logo placement,” Max says.

The tournament is more than a fundraiser—it offers an opportunity for connection and community for first responders.

tangible outcomes for first responders

The funds raised from the tournament have been transformational for Lincoln’s FRF chapter. Because the tournament revenue goes towards the general fund, it remains flexible and can be used to respond to emerging needs. In its first three years, the golf event has helped support:

• Access to culturally competent mental health providers who are trained in trauma and first responder care.

• Sleep and stress-management training for overnight-shift officers and their families.

• Spousal and family programs to help loved ones better understand the emotional realities of first responders’ work.

• Updated fitness rooms and equipment at stations across Lincoln, replacing aging equipment with modern gear, which boosts morale and physical and mental health.

• Water rescue equipment to assist with water rescues across the departments.

• A benevolence fund to support first responders and their families during medical crises or significant emergencies.

• A K-9 retirement fund that ensures service dogs receive proper care when they leave duty.
  

advice to other tournament organizers

Max’s advice to his fellow tournament organizers is simple:

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“Use GolfStatus! For as long as I’m running this tournament, I’m using it.”

— Captain Max Hubka, Liaison, Lincoln First Responders Foundation

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He says GolfStatus’ platform frees organizers from the more tedious parts of tournament management, allowing them to focus on what truly moves a fundraiser forward: building relationships, securing sponsors and donations, and creating a memorable experience for the organization’s beneficiaries.

golf for good with golfstatus

GolfStatus is purpose-built tech for charity golf tournaments and fundraisers. It saves organizers like Max 40+ hours of administrative time and effort with built-in automations and golf-specific tools. Tournaments can get started with GolfStatus at no upfront cost and get a free event website, coaching from Fundraising Specialists, access to exclusive fundraising enhancers, live support seven days a week, and much more.

partner snapshot

Lisa Matthews has played golf with the same group nearly every weekend for years. The group has become a tight-knit circle of friendship, family, and support. When Lisa’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2011, the family reached out to the Alzheimer’s Association for resources and support. Her golf group also rallied around her family, so it was no surprise that they were all in when Lisa pitched the idea of a golf fundraiser as part of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Longest Day campaign.

At first, Lisa wanted the event to be small, manageable, and rooted in the circle of friends who knew and loved her mother. They started in 2013 with just seven tee times and a handful of donated prizes, raising $680 for the Alzheimer’s Association’s work to support patients and caregivers. For several years, the group was content with the event’s size and scope, but after Lisa connected with more and more people who were impacted by Alzheimer’s, she wanted to make a greater impact.

Lisa Matthews, center, at the annual End ALZ golf fundraiser.

the challenge

At the heart of her desire to expand the tournament was a deeply personal mission: to create a meaningful experience for families navigating Alzheimer’s, connect them with helpful resources, and continue to honor her mother’s legacy.

Scaling the event brought several challenges. Although they had tiptoed into sponsorships in 2023 with hole sponsors, higher-dollar sponsorships were new territory, but Lisa knew they were key to expanding their fundraising potential. Managing payments, registrations, and communications manually was becoming increasingly difficult. Lisa also wanted to introduce elements like pin flags, hole-in-one contests, and more structured sponsorship packages, but needed tools and infrastructure to handle them effectively.

And though Lisa had a dedicated group of volunteers behind her to share the workload, it was clear that they needed better systems to collaborate and allow everyone to contribute—without burning out.

the solution

In 2024, Lisa received an email from the Alzheimer’s Association with information about GolfStatus as a resource for golf tournament organizers. “The Alzheimer’s Association doesn’t typically recommend third parties, so I thought it must be good,” Lisa says.

After meeting with the GolfStatus team, Lisa realized she had found exactly what she needed to modernize and scale the fundraiser without needing to create her own nonprofit and all the red tape that came with it. “I wanted to focus my efforts on raising money, not building the infrastructure to take payments. GolfStatus made it simple for us to do that,” Lisa says.

The event website simplified registration and golfer communication.

the results

The End ALZ golf event has become a powerful example of how purpose, people, and the right tools can elevate a mission-driven fundraiser. Adopting GolfStatus enabled Lisa and the planning team to streamline planning, elevate sponsorships, and grow fundraising in tangible ways.

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“Everything just went great. People had a great time. And GolfStatus made it super easy.”

— Lisa Matthews, The End ALZ Golf Event Tournament Organizer

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By the Numbers

• 2013: 27 golfers, $680 raised

• 2025: 120 golfers, $17,000 raised

A Modernized, Professional Event Hub

An event website became the central communication point for golfers and sponsors, making it easy to register, become a sponsor, donate, or purchase add-ons. The ability to accept credit cards online simplified and automated payment collection, which was especially useful as the field grew and sponsorships expanded. And with the GolfStatus platform preparing pre-formatted cart signs, scorecards, alpha lists, and other printouts, the event felt more organized and polished than ever.

Stronger, More Visible Sponsorships

With GolfStatus in place, Lisa was able to introduce new sponsorship opportunities that had previously felt out of reach, including pin flags, GolfStatus’ exclusive Technology Sponsorship, and a hole-in-one contest.

“I was immediately drawn to the pin flags,” says Lisa. Lisa’s family and her in-laws came together to purchase the pin flags in honor of her mother and in memory of her father-in-law, who also suffered from Alzheimer’s.

Custom pin flags honored Lisa’s mother and father-in-law.

The Technology Sponsor had a personal connection to the cause, with parents in a care facility due to Alzheimer’s. “They loved their logo on the cart signs and scorecards!” Lisa says, plus the exposure on the event website and live scoring app. “Their connection to the cause made their support even more meaningful.”

Smoother Tournament Day Logistics

The increased efficiency, access to real-time information, and simple collaboration provided by GolfStatus have helped tournament day run smoothly. Lisa’s dedicated team of volunteers handles check-in, allowing her to interact with golfers and sponsors during breakfast and thank them for their support. And because golfers register and pay online ahead of time, there’s no need to track down payments, keeping the morning less hectic.

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“I knew everything would continue running smoothly, since we were so prepared.”

— Lisa Matthews, The End ALZ Golf Event Tournament Organizer

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Live scoring made finalizing results quick and easy, as golfers submitted their scores via the free GolfStatus app. The golf facility staff appreciated the time savings as well, and were able to click “print” on pre-formatted printouts instead of creating them from scratch.

More Ways to Raise Money

Boosting revenue was a key part of the tournament’s growth. The new sponsorship opportunities brought in thousands of additional dollars for the Alzheimer’s Association, and the event website simplified collecting donations, selling add-ons, and holding funds until after the tournament’s conclusion. The team also introduced a hole-in-one contest, with hole-in-one insurance through GolfStatus, and strengthened their raffle and silent auction offerings. And having quick access to funds after the event simplified post-tournament finances.

Hole sponsorships were a great way for the End ALZ golf tournament to boost revenue.

Beyond Revenue

The tournament has created meaningful connections among people who are dealing with the realities of Alzheimer’s disease. “I hope people can find comfort and community through the tournament,” Lisa says. Lisa has become a strong advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association, directing newly impacted families to the group to take advantage of its expanded caregiver tools and educational resources.

Lisa’s passion for the cause is the driving force behind the tournament’s success, along with the overwhelming response from her friends, family, and community. “We started with just some people playing golf together and going out to dinner, and to see where it has gone has just been amazing,” Lisa says.

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Launch a Golf Event With GolfStatus

Whether you’re a passionate advocate like Lisa, a nonprofit event planner, a development professional, a corporate partner, or a dedicated volunteer, you too can launch a golf event to raise money for a cause important to you. Get started with an event website, online registration, digital sponsor exposure, golf event-specific tools, and best-in-class support—all at no upfront cost. Book a meeting with our golf fundraising experts to get started!

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