GolfStatus’ on-staff PGA Professionals—Cash Dinkel, PGA; Jason Meininger, PGA; and Paul Murcek, PGA—have years of experience running golf tournaments from the facility point of view, in addition to working with nonprofits to plan and execute golf fundraisers. Their insights have been shared in our PGA Q&A blog series. This installment touches on how to narrow down and choose a tournament date and how to integrate live scoring into your event.

Cash Dinkel, PGA

Jason Meininger, PGA

Paul Murcek, PGA

Q: What’s the best way to negotiate a good price with the golf facility?

Paul Murcek: In my experience, most facilities don’t do any kind of negotiating on price. If you are able to get them to negotiate at all, that’s a win for your nonprofit, in my opinion.

Cash Dinkel: Since the pandemic, golf has exploded in popularity, with the number of rounds played annually setting records. Because golf facilities can fill their tee sheets with normal play, they may be less likely to give discounted prices to events. That being said, look at ways to bundle offerings from the facility to get a better price. For example, if you're getting food and beverage, player gifts, or anything else extra from the facility, it’s worth asking if you can bundle that into player pricing to see if you can get a better rate.

Jason Meininger: This can be difficult, as most courses have a set price they charge for outside outings like charity golf tournaments. And with the popularity of golf right now, it’s unlikely they will be willing to come down on price. My best advice would be to see if the course has a slow day during the week that’s typically not filled with an event, and see if they are willing to negotiate on price just to fill the tee sheet for that day.

If you’re using the golf facility for food and beverage, player gifts, or any other extras, you might be able to negotiate a better rate.

Q: What are some factors I should consider when choosing a date for my golf fundraiser?

Jason Meininger: First, check with the course on their availability. Spring and fall event dates may be more readily available—and can be the best options weather-wise to have a tournament.

Paul Murcek: Reach out to the golf facilities at least six or so months before your event date to get the best availability. Keep weather in mind—the best weather months for a majority of the country are June and September. Another thing to keep in mind is that these months generally have the most tournaments, so there could be added competition for golfers and sponsors.

Cash Dinkel: I’d say these are the biggest aspects to consider when picking a tournament date:

• Other local events: Check local event calendars to make sure you aren’t hosting your tournament on the same day as other large community events.

• Pricing: Pricing will be higher in the summer months and on weekends.

• Weather: Shoulder season (spring and fall) may be less expensive, but the weather can be unpredictable.

• Other organization events: If your organization hosts other fundraising events, make sure there’s adequate time between them to avoid donor fatigue.
  

Q: In your experience and opinion, what’s the best day of the week for a charity golf tournament?

Cash Dinkel: Friday. You may or may not get charged weekend pricing, but a lot of golfers are willing to take a Friday off and make it a three-day weekend, and you’re likely going to see higher participation. Monday is also a great day, but without the chance of weekend pricing and the same benefits as a Friday tournament for a three-day weekend.

Jason Meininger: If you can find a course with availability, I’d say a Friday afternoon or Saturday.

Paul Murcek: I agree with Cash on Mondays or Fridays and giving your golfers the opportunity to have a three-day weekend. That being said, Friday can be considered a weekend day and will cost more. If you are booking a tournament at a private golf facility, likely the only day available is a Monday.

Shoulder season—spring and fall—can be a great option for your charity golf tournament.

Q: How do I determine the tournament’s schedule?

Cash Dinkel: The golf facility can help you pick the ideal starting time and slot out the schedule. In the hot summer months, morning starts are ideal. During shoulder season (spring and fall), later starts help ensure the warmest temps for play. Once you have determined a starting time, you can build out the schedule for the day. I recommend allowing two hours for check-in, registration, and warm-up. Most facilities will allow volunteers to arrive two hours early to set up. Some golfers like to arrive early to give themselves extra time to warm up, mingle, or check out auction items or raffle prizes. It’s a good idea to schedule announcements for 15-20 minutes before the start time. Post-event timing depends on when the round finishes—most likely four-and-a-half to five hours to play the round. Any meal and awards can take place after golf concludes.

Jason Meininger: Definitely speak to the golf staff to see what the options are. Most likely, they will offer an early morning or early afternoon shotgun start. You can guesstimate that the round will take around 5 hours, so plan your meals and post-golf festivities accordingly.

Use your event website to share the tournament’s schedule with participants, as well as information about live scoring.

Q: I want to live score my tournament. How do I make sure my golfers participate in live scoring?

Jason Meininger: One way is to tell golfers that their team’s score will not count unless they use live scoring, or you could offer a separate, valuable prize to one of the teams that live scores.

Cash Dinkel: Overcommunicate to the field leading up to the event about scoring. Send multiple emails to registrants giving them instructions on what app to download and how to use the app to score. It’s a good idea to encourage them to download the app ahead of time, if possible. Also, make sure information about live scoring is communicated to players as they check in for the tournament and during announcements right before the start.

Paul Murcek: I say make it mandatory! Tell golfers that you won’t be accepting paper scorecards, and if they don’t live score with the mobile scoring app you choose, they aren’t eligible for prizes.

Communicate information about live scoring to golfers ahead of the tournament, including where to download the app, how to use it to submit scores, and where to find a team’s live scoring code.

Q: My host golf facility has its own live scoring software, but we’ve sold a leaderboard sponsorship, so I want to use GolfStatus’ mobile scoring. What should I do?

Jason Meininger: Simply have a discussion with the golf course and explain the situation. More than likely they’ll be willing to work with you in one way or another, either using your chosen platform or finding a way to add the promised logo placement to their system’s leaderboard.

Paul Murcek: Remember, you are the customer at the golf facility, so they should be willing to do what they can to accommodate. As long as it is not in the contract that you must use the facility’s software, then it shouldn’t be an issue. In the rare instance that you’re forced to use the golf course’s software, make sure they are aware of what you need to have done to meet what has been promised to your sponsors.

Cash Dinkel: This is something that should be communicated to the golf staff right away. As soon as you decide to live score your tournament, connect the golf course staff with the app and platform’s staff to ensure golf staff understands the tools they have at their disposal on event day. Stress to golf staff that you’ve sold sponsorship recognition through live scoring. If the facility is truly interested in helping you put on the best possible event, they will accommodate. If they aren’t willing to use the live scoring system, make sure they know they MUST add logos to the materials that you’ve promised your sponsor.

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This installment in our PGA Q&A blog series discusses a popular topic for charity golf tournament planners: food and beverage. Food and beverage can play a major role in elevating the tournament experience, but many tournament organizers aren’t sure how to tackle this part of planning. Get insights from GolfStatus’ on-staff PGA Professionals: Cash Dinkel, PGA; Jason Meininger, PGA; and Paul Murcek, PGA.

Cash Dinkel, PGA

Jason Meininger, PGA

Paul Murcek, PGA

Q: where do i start in choosing food and beverage for my tournament?

Cash Dinkel: First, determine whether or not you want to have any food and beverage (F&B) associated with your event. Most tournaments we work with offer F&B, and to be honest, it’s become an expectation when playing in these events. Your best bet is to start with the golf facility. Many facilities will have F&B operations on site and will bundle F&B into your tournament package, which makes coordination much easier. Next, determine your budget. You can either wrap the F&B costs into player registrations or sell a sponsorship to cover the costs. Finally, you’ll need to determine if you’ll offer a grab and go/boxed lunch or a sit down meal and if you’ll distribute F&B during play or post-round. Don’t forget to ask about food allergies during registration if you’re offering F&B.

Jason Meininger: Your host golf facility should have a banquet menu for you to choose from and they can offer suggestions on what meals are good options for golf outings. Cost will also be a factor to consider.

Paul Murcek: Start with the facility hosting the event. Some will require that you use their F&B service. Other facilities may allow you to cater a meal or have a sponsor like a local restaurant provide lunch in the cart. Be sure you ask questions when outlining your contract so you and the facility are on the same page with F&B.

Q: I’m trying to decide between a public facility and a country club. Is there a difference when it comes to food and beverage?

Jason Meininger: Yes, there will likely be a difference in both the quality, available options, and cost. I recommend getting menu options from private and public golf facilities so you can compare offerings and costs.

Paul Murcek: More than likely a private country club will have more top-tier options for F&B (but they’ll also come with a higher price tag).

Cash Dinkel: Most country clubs have high-level F&B operations in their facilities, which typically mean a higher quality of food and presentation. Because of that, costs are also typically much higher per person. You can also expect a higher level of service at a country club.

Post-golf dinner, drinks, and entertainment help enhance the overall tournament experience for golfers and sponsors.

Q: If my host facility doesn’t offer food and beverage, what recommendations do you have?

Paul Murcek: At the golf facilities where I worked that didn’t have F&B options, we had recommendations for several local catering companies to offer multiple price points and food options to meet the needs of all events. So definitely ask the golf facility for ideas and recommendations for caterers.

Jason Meininger: When I ran tournaments, we would work with a dedicated catering company to provide a meal for the outing, or give the organizer the choice to find their own provider. We would often see nonprofits work with a sponsor to donate a meal.

Cash Dinkel: Reach out to local restaurants and catering companies to see if they can provide the F&B the day of your event. They may even be willing to donate food and time for some extra exposure at your event. Be sure to check with the facility to see if they will allow you to bring items they don’t offer on property.

Food and beverage is important at all golf events—even mini golf! Participants of all ages enjoy complimentary snow cones at this putt putt event.

Q: What are some ways you’ve seen of tournaments using food and beverage to enhance the tournament experience?

Jason Meininger: Some fun ones I’ve seen:

• Bloody Mary bar on the range for morning events

• Mobile food truck with drinks and light food

• Kegs of beer on designated holes

• Margarita machines on designated holes 

Cash Dinkel: F&B can really change the tournament and make it memorable for golfers and sponsors. Here are some ideas that I’ve seen work well at charity golf tournaments:

• Coolers with water, Gatorade, and snacks on all par three holes that are free to grab.

• Very high-end sit-down plated meals either the night before the tournament or the evening of the event.

• Grab-and-go breakfast before the event starts, or lunch if it’s an afternoon start.

• On-course tasting stations of food and beverages. This is great for local restaurants and caterers, and another sponsorship option.

• Chick-fil-A delivered on the course to golfers as they were playing.
  

Q: Should we offer food and beverage to volunteers? What about golf staff?

Cash Dinkel: 100% for volunteers. They are donating their time and energy to help your event, so definitely make sure they have food and drink available to them throughout the tournament. It’s also nice to offer the golf staff food and beverage, but definitely not expected.

Jason Meininger: Yes, definitely to volunteers. If there’s enough available, I would offer it to golf staff as well.

Paul Murcek: In my experience, it’s a courtesy to provide food for the tournament’s volunteers, as well as the golf staff.

Tournament organizers can opt for a sit-down meal or grab-and-go options.

Q: What is the standard range I can expect for gratuity on food and beverage at my golf tournament?

Paul Murcek: I’d say you can expect a charge of 18% to 20% on large orders at a private golf facility.

Jason Meininger: It really does vary from facility to facility, but I’ve seen 18% to 20% as a standard.

Cash Dinkel: This is totally up to the facility. Most will have gratuity built into the pricing and should be discussed before signing a contract. While I agree with my colleagues that 18-20% is a fairly standard range, be prepared for a wider range depending on the facility.

Q: Do you recommend having drink tickets, complimentary beverages (alcoholic or nonalcoholic), or a cash bar?

Cash Dinkel: Yes to any of the above. Making sure your participants have access to beverages the entire time they are at your event is a must. Most events will have a traditional cash bar. The next most popular option is giving each player one or two drink tickets with their registration, then they can pay for anything from the cash bar after using their tickets. I would say it’s not very common to have complimentary beverages, simply because of the cost. That being said, finding a sponsor to cover the cost of drink tickets for players is a great way to get that cost covered and provide an additional sponsorship opportunity.

Jason Meininger: Most events I’ve seen provide drink tickets. If you can get a sponsor for the beverage cart or bar service, then you could provide complimentary drinks.

Paul Murcek: If you can find a sponsor or sponsors to pay for complimentary drinks, this is a great way to increase the fun of the tournament and keep golfers and sponsors coming back.

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Planning a charity golf tournament can feel like a big undertaking, but with the right guidance and tools, it’s easier than you think. In this blog series, the PGA Professionals on staff at GolfStatus are sharing their insider knowledge and tips for success. With years of experience running tournaments of all sizes, Jason Meininger, PGA; Cash Dinkel, PGA; and Paul Murcek, PGA know exactly what it takes to organize a successful event.

In this installment of GolfStatus’ Q&A blog series, these Pros break down the basics of tournament planning—from creating a timeline and working with the golf course staff to must-have tools and advice for first-time organizers. Whether you’re new to tournament planning or looking to streamline your process, their tips will set you up for success.

The PGA Professionals on staff at GolfStatus, from left: Jason Meininger, PGA; Paul Murcek, PGA; Cash Dinkel, PGA.

Q: what’s a typical schedule for a charity golf tournament?

Jason Meininger: Start with your tee off time and build the schedule around that. Here’s an example for a 1:00 p.m. shotgun start:

• 11:00 a.m.: Check-in and registration, driving range open

• 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.: Lunch served

• 12:45 p.m.: Call to carts, welcome, and instructions

• 1:00 p.m.: Shotgun start

• 6:00 p.m.: Dinner and awards

Cash Dinkel: In my experience, morning starts are most common and a great option for charity tournaments. For example, open registration at 8:00 a.m. for a 10:00 am shotgun start, with a meal and awards following golf (if applicable). I usually recommend advertising to golfers that announcements will begin 15 minutes prior to the start of the tournament so people aren’t getting there late.

Q: What does the golf staff typically take care of on tournament day?

Paul Murcek: Usually they’ll take care of getting the golf carts set up and ready to go before kickoff and help you with any format or scoring announcements. They’ll also help with scoring and finalizing the results for awards.

Cash Dinkel: Golf staff will take care of printing materials like cart signs, scorecards, rules sheets, and live scoring instructions and getting them placed on golf carts. They often help with contest set up, scoring the event, and determining the winners. Depending on the facility, they may also make sure any necessary tables, chairs, tents, hole signs, pin flags, etc. are set up and ready to go.

Jason Meininger: It really varies from course to course. At a municipal, public course, they likely aren’t able to help as much as at a high end private golf club. Private facilities will do pretty much anything you need—set up carts and the driving range; produce scorecards, cart signs and rules sheets; make announcements; figure out winners; and hand out prizes after the round, if needed.

Q: in your experience, what tools are the most useful for planning a successful golf tournament?

Jason Meininger: Number one is an event website. It makes it so much easier to track payments, registrations, sponsorships etc. Number two is having a realistic budget and fundraising goal. This helps you set your pricing and get an idea of all of your tournament’s costs so you can see if it will be profitable.

Cash Dinkel: Online registration is a must-have, both for the time-savings involved for the organizer and to make it easy on the golfer or sponsor to register. I’d also say planning guides and resources from golf fundraising experts, plus live scoring to improve the overall player experience.

Paul Murcek: I’d say learning from others that have had tournaments is a great help in being successful. Lean on your Golfstatus client success rep and register for a couple of GolfStatus’ monthly webinars to hear from golf and fundraising experts.

Q: What are some things you wish organizers knew when planning a golf tournament for the first time?

Cash Dinkel:

1. It takes a team. Organize a committee to help shoulder the load, and don’t be afraid to delegate responsibilities.

2. Use your networks! Ask anyone and everyone you, your committee, staff, board, and volunteers know to play in the tournament, become a sponsor, volunteer to help, or just spread the word about the event.

3. Don’t set expectations too high for the first year of a tournament. You can absolutely make money in year one, but be realistic in your goals.

Jason Meininger:

1. Start planning early, at least six months before the tournament date.

2. Have a committee to help with promoting and running the event, especially on tournament day.

3. Recruit volunteers to help.

4. Golf tournaments can be a lot of work—remember you’ll get out of it what you put into it.

5. Marketing your tournament is essential. Use free channels like social media and email campaigns.

Paul Murcek:

1. Start early—procrastination is your worst enemy!

2. Create a sponsorship for every expense you have.

3. The more sponsorship options you have available, the better chances you have to appeal to potential sponsors.

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Ask the Pros!

If you have a golf tournament or fundraising question for our PGA Professionals, email it to [email protected] with “PGA Pro Question” in the subject line! It just might make a future blog post or be answered on an upcoming GolfStatus webinar.

GolfStatus makes charity golf tournaments easier and more lucrative than ever. Whether you’re planning an event for the first time or looking to upgrade an existing tournament, GolfStatus’ tech and golf fundraising experts are here to help. Best of all, nonprofits can qualify to use GolfStatus’ tournament management software at no upfront cost through our Golf for Good program. Click the button to get started!

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When it comes to running a successful golf tournament, choosing a host golf facility is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make. Having the right expertise can make all the difference—PGA Professionals are experts in every aspect of the game, including event management, facility operations, and ensuring everything runs smoothly.

This blog series will continue to tap into the collective knowledge of the PGA Professionals at GolfStatus—Cash Dinkel, PGA; Jason Meininger, PGA; and Paul Murcek, PGA—to explore how to choose and work with the host golf course.

The PGA Professionals on staff at GolfStatus, from left: Paul Murcek, PGA; Cash Dinkel, PGA; Jason Meininger, PGA

Q: My organization has decided to move forward with a golf fundraiser. How do I pick a golf facility?

Jason Meininger: There are really three main factors in choosing a golf course: location, cost of the course, and the demographics of your target market.

Cash Dinkel: Most often, the biggest factors are pricing per player and the demographics of your potential sponsors and players. A private, high-end country club is going to charge a much higher price, but hosting at that type of facility lets you charge more for registrations and sponsorships and may attract higher net-worth individuals to participate. It’s important to keep your expenses in mind with this type of facility—your overall fundraising goal needs to be higher to ensure expenses are covered. Location is another important factor. You want to make sure players and sponsors are located close to the facility to drive maximum participation. When looking at courses, I would recommend reaching out to two or three options and ask staff for contacts of previous event organizers to see if they enjoyed hosting their event at that facility.

Paul Murcek: This can be a tough decision. It comes down to a combination of affordability and golf course name recognition. Having your tournament at a course or a club that most people can't typically play at can equal more golfers, but if the cost is too high, it can also price out potential golfers. So it’s definitely about finding the right balance.

Several factors play into choosing a golf course for your golf tournament, including cost per golfer, location of the facility, and the demographics of your tournament's target market.

Q: What questions should I ask golf staff when looking at potential host facilities?

Paul Murcek: What is included in the fee per golfer (greens fee, cart, range balls)? Is there a minimum number of golfers or teams required? Can they provide pro shop credit? How does the facility typically handle scoring the event?

Cash Dinkel: The best advice I can give tournament organizers is that if you don’t know, don’t be afraid to ask. Golf staff are experts in hosting great events and they are willing to answer any questions you may have. Some important things to ask them about include:

• Pricing

• Set up on the day of the event

• What the course provides (things like tables, chairs, meals, scoring, contest setup)

• Schedule for the day,

• If range balls are provided

Jason Meininger: Beyond general pricing, I recommend asking what’s the normal golfer rate at the course at the time of your tournament. If the price is higher, be sure that it includes things like drink tickets or gift cards for prizes. You should also ask about food and beverage options—do you have to purchase from the course or can I bring in my own? Are beverage carts available? Other big topics are the course’s rainout or cancellation policy, required deposit to hold the date, and when final payment is due.

It's a good idea to review the contract's list of charges with golf course staff prior to signing and checking on details like adding an automatic gratuity to food and beverage.

Q: What are some fees or costs I should be aware of or watch out for before signing a contract with the golf facility?

Jason Meininger: Check to see if there’s a fee or penalty for not meeting the minimum number of golfers, if there are costs for extra cart rentals, and if they add an automatic gratuity to food and beverage.

Cash Dinkel: Read the contract closely for price per player, if there’s a minimum number of players required, if there are any fees for using the course’s software or scoring (be sure to mention you’re using GolfStatus to avoid any such fees), or fees for using the facility’s equipment (tables, tvs, chairs, tents, etc.). I recommend going through the list of charges in detail with the golf course to fully understand what you're going to be charged for the day of the event.

Q: What’s typically included in the price to hold a tournament at a golf course?

Cash Dinkel: The main things are green fees and cart fees. Some courses might also include food and beverage or credit to the golf shop to give as player prizes.

Jason Meininger: Most courses I’ve worked at and with include green fees, cart fees, range balls, shop credit, and food and beverage.

Check with the golf facility on what the price per golfer includes, such as greens fees and cart fees.

Q: A lot of tournament organizers are concerned about inclement weather on the day of their event. How do you suggest planning for the weather?

Cash Dinkel: Plan for the worst and hope for the best! Always have a backup plan just in case. If it looks like the weather will affect your event, start communicating with golfers and sponsors earlier rather than later. Check in with the golf course to see what their policy is and start thinking about possible dates to reschedule (this is also something to check on before you sign a contract with the golf course). Communicate with your players and sponsors that inclement weather may be present on the day of the event and more communication will come the morning of the event either way.

Jason Meininger: This is a difficult one, but I usually tell organizers to look for a makeup date and reschedule the event if at all possible. As long as there is no lightning, I would move forward and play the tournament. I’ve worked with several events that were shortened to nine holes (instead of the full 18) holes based or canceled due to the weather.

Paul Murcek: Definitely check with the course to see if they allow a makeup date for the tournament. I worked with the Parkinson Association of Central Florida who had to reschedule their tournament in 2022 when Hurricane Ian hit Florida. They communicated with their field and everything worked out well.

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Ask the Pros!

Do you have a golf tournament question for our PGA Professionals? Email it to [email protected] with “PGA Pro Question” in the subject line and it might make a future blog post or be answered on an upcoming GolfStatus webinar!

GolfStatus’ team is ready to help you make your next golf event the best one yet. Nonprofits can qualify to use GolfStatus’ tournament management software at no upfront cost through our Golf for Good program. You’ll get an event website, online registration, communication tools, exclusive sponsorships and add-ons, and much more—plus access to our knowledgeable client success team. Click the button to get started!

No one knows the ins and outs of a golf tournament like a PGA Professional. These individuals bring a high level of expertise to all aspects of golf, including facility operations and management, customer service, finances, event management, and, of course, the game itself.

This Q&A blog series will share the collective wisdom and experience of the PGA Professionals on staff at GolfStatus—Cash Dinkel, PGA; Jason Meininger, PGA; and Paul Murcek, PGA—about topics relevant to charity golf tournaments. This installment will take a closer look at contests and how to work with the PGA Pro on staff at your event’s host golf facility to make them a success.

The PGA Professionals on staff at GolfStatus, from left: Paul Murcek, PGA; Cash Dinkel, PGA; Jason Meininger, PGA

Q: My planning team made the decision to have a hole-in-one contest at our upcoming tournament. What’s next?

Cash Dinkel, PGA: To start, list a Hole-In-One Contest Sponsorship. This covers the cost of the insurance and offers a unique sponsorship. I always recommend allowing the sponsor to set up a tent or table on the contest hole. Sponsors are looking for ways to interact with golfers and there’s no better way to do that than being on the course on the most exciting hole of the day. Once you list the sponsorship, work with your contest/insurance provider to get all the rules and details around the contest.

Q: How can the golf pro help us with the hole-in-one contest?

Jason Meininger, PGA: You’ll want to get in touch with the golf professional so they can help you determine which hole or holes you should use for the hole-in-one contest. This makes sure you have the proper distance requirements for the hole-in-one insurance.

Cash Dinkel, PGA: You should definitely loop the golf professional in so they know exactly what’s going to be happening the day of the event and help you choose the contest hole. You should go over the contest rules with them so they can help ensure the hole is set up within the insurance company’s guidelines (hole yardage, number of players, etc.). In the final days leading up to the event, the pro can help you double-check that the hole-in-one contest is set up correctly and ready to go.

Q: I’m interested in GolfStatus’ Bundle Hole-In-One Package. What are some ways you’ve seen tournaments effectively split up the contest holes?

Paul Murcek, PGA: The most common way I’ve seen it done is to split the contest into two holes, one on the front nine and one on the back nine, with $10,000 cash and a Dormie Network Stay and Play package as prizes.

Jason Meininger, PGA: I’ve worked with a few 27-hole events and facilities. They typically split it up over three holes, one on each of the three nines, with a $7,000 prize on each. That way no matter what nine holes are being played, every golfer has a chance at a hole-in-one contest.

Cash Dinkel, PGA: I see a lot of events that run two contest holes, with a $10,000 cash prize on each hole plus a Dormie Network membership. I’ve even seen it split over four holes, with $5,000 cash for each contest hole. That’s the cool part about that package, it gives the organizer a lot of flexibility.

Q: What does the golf pro usually take care of in terms of other contests, like longest drive or closest to the pin?

Jason Meininger, PGA: When I was the head pro at a golf course, I would primarily take care of making up and setting up the flag prizes and picking them up after the round (if the players didn’t bring them in). I would also provide the event organizer with a document listing the holes and each winner’s name.

Paul Murcek, PGA: Most golf pros will set out proxy markers or hole contest signs for the organizer. Some golf facilities that I’ve worked with build in prizes with pricing, such as prizes for flight winners of a free round at that course or a gift certificate to the pro shop. This removes the burden of finding prizes for the tournament winners from the organizers.

Cash Dinkel, PGA: Some courses will set everything up for you, provided you let them know the details about the contest, and let you know the winners’ names after the event is over. Some facilities might require you to select the holes, but they’ll still take care of putting out the proxy markers and provide you with the winner’s information. Very rarely will the organizer have to handle everything from selecting the hole, setting out proxies, and collecting them post-event.

A: What type of contest do you think has the most revenue potential and why?

Cash Dinkel, PGA: A hole-in-one contest for sure. If it’s sold as a sponsorship, the contest can generate a few thousand dollars of revenue even after the insurance premium has been paid. Most events I work with bring in around $1,500 in revenue from a hole-in-one contest sponsorship.

Jason Meininger, PGA: Other than hole-in-one, I’d say a putting contest. It’s fast, easy to run, and you can have every golfer putt at the same hole at the same time.

Paul Murcek, PGA: I think next to a hole-in-one contest, a closest to the pin contest on a par three or a hit the green on a par three. In my experience, people are generally willing to pay the money to move their ball up a few yards.

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Ask the Pros!

Have a question for our PGA Professionals? Email it to [email protected] with “PGA Pro Question” in the subject line and it might make a future blog post or be answered on an upcoming GolfStatus webinar!

Ready to get started with no-cost golf event management tech? Nonprofits can qualify to use GolfStatus—with an event website, online registration, communication tools, premium digital sponsor exposure, revenue-boosting add-ons, and more, plus access to GolfStatus’ in-house client success team (including knowledgeable PGA Professionals)—all at no upfront cost through our Golf for Good program. Click the button to find out more and get qualified!