As golf season moves into high gear, tournament organizers are exploring avenues to boost revenue from their golf fundraisers. A popular and lucrative complementary activity to your tournament is an auction. With the right strategy, auctions deliver strong ROI and can generate significant additional revenue for your organization. This guide will explore how to seamlessly add an auction to your golf event and maximize income.

• Frequently Asked Questions about Charity Golf Auctions

• The Benefits of Running a Charity Golf Auction

• How to Add an Auction to a Golf Event

• Best Practices for Running a Charity Golf Auction

• The Best Golf Charity Auction Items

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Frequently Asked Questions about Charity Golf Auctions

Why should my nonprofit run a golf charity auction?

Auctions and golf tournaments go hand-in-hand. Both combine high-net-worth networking with a popular, engaging activity that, when done well, can result in meaningful revenue for organizations of all types and sizes.

What types of auctions complement golf tournaments?

• Silent auction. The vast majority of golf tournaments incorporate a silent auction. In a silent auction, participants write their bids on a piece of paper or, more commonly, submit their bids using an online bidding platform. Silent auctions work well with golf tournaments because of their flexibility, and thanks to mobile bidding platforms, golfers can place bids from anywhere on the course.

• Live auction. Live auctions utilize a professional auctioneer who leads the bidding process, encouraging competition amongst attendees. One item is auctioned off at a time, in front of the entire group. Live auctions are particularly effective for high-value items or experiences, but can be time-consuming at the end of a long day on the golf course.

• Online auction. An online auction extends the auction beyond the golf tournament itself, reaching a larger audience and broader participation.

When is the best time to hold the auction during a tournament?

An online auction or silent auction that utilizes bidding software can be launched before the start of the tournament to maximize reach and bids. In fact, golfers can bid from their phones during the round! Bidding usually concludes following the awards ceremony or banquet, and golfers or guests take their winning items home with them. Live auctions are often held during the post-round cocktail hour or dinner, and often coincide with the announcement of the tournament’s winners.

How do we handle bidding while golfers are out on the course?

Paper bid sheets are outdated and create more work for you and your team. Instead, use an auction platform that offers a mobile-friendly interface to:

• Keep the auction running smoothly and professionally

• Allow golfers to browse auction items and place bids during the round

• Automate finalizing bids

• Quickly collect payments and send receipts

How many items should we have for our charity golf auction?

The number of items you offer in your auction is dependent on the number of participants and guests at your tournament. You want to ensure every item is sold, while also creating scarcity that drives higher bids. A good rule of thumb for silent auctions is to have one silent auction item for every five to 10 guests.

Are charity golf auction purchases tax-deductible?

Yes. According to the IRS, “Donors who purchase items at a charity auction may claim a charitable contribution deduction for the excess of the purchase price paid for an item over its fair market value.” Read more.

How do we prevent “auction fatigue” at the end of a long day?

Keep the energy high for your golf event’s auction by:

• Limiting the live auction to just a handful of big-ticket items to keep golfers engaged, and using an experienced, entertaining auctioneer.

• Opening bidding for a silent auction a day or two prior to the tournament, so golfers (and guests!) can browse items before they tee off.

• Ensuring there is plenty of time and there are plenty of volunteers to facilitate item pickup and payment when the auction closes.

How much revenue can your tournament raise?

Use this auction ROI calculator to help determine your charity golf auction’s potential net revenue!

Auction ROI Calculator

Estimate your charity auction's return on investment and maximize fundraising impact.

Number of Auction Items

Total items in your silent & live auction combined.

Avg. Item Fair Market Value ($)

Average fair market value of each donated item.

Expected Sell-Through Rate (%)

Percentage of items that sell. Golf auctions typically see 60–80%.

Avg. Winning Bid (% of Value)

Winning bids as a % of fair market value. Charity auctions often see 50–100%+.

Total Procurement Costs ($)

All costs: purchased items, display, software, printing, shipping, etc.

Calculate ROI

Gross Revenue

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Net Profit

$0

ROI

0%

Items Sold

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Revenue Breakdown

Total Inventory Value $0

Auction Revenue $0

Costs $0

The Benefits of Running a Golf Charity Auction

An auction can significantly increase your golf event’s overall revenue and further your nonprofit’s impact. Here’s why you should add an auction:

• Drive significant revenue from your event. An auction adds another income stream to your tournament, in addition to team registrations, sponsorships, contests, mulligan sales, raffles, on-course games, and other add-ons. Competitive bidding, especially in a live auction, can drive up the final sale price of items, leading to better fundraising outcomes.

• Attract new participants. An auction can draw a wider audience to your tournament, including those who may not be interested in playing golf but want to support your cause, like spouses or guests of golfers and sponsors. High-end items can also draw additional teams to play in your tournament, so be sure to publicize the auction in your event marketing.

• Add excitement and engagement. Auctions add fun and excitement to your tournament, encouraging golfers, sponsors, and guests to stay longer—and spend more.

• Low-cost, high ROI. Keep your auction’s overhead costs low by securing as many donated items as possible. Items purchased outright or on consignment come with a cost that eats away at your overall take from the auction, so engage your donor base, partners, vendors, and sponsors to solicit auction item donations and boost ROI.

• Opportunities to connect with local businesses. An auction is another opportunity to engage with area companies and businesses. If a business isn’t able to financially sponsor your tournament, invite them to donate an auction item as an in-kind sponsorship. This opens doors for future sponsorships and helps keep auction costs low.

How to Add an Auction to a Golf Event

An auction can easily be added to your tournament at any time, but planning early can help ensure a smooth experience that encourages higher bids. Here’s how to add an auction to your golf tournament:

• Determine the type of auction that best suits your tournament, either live, silent, or online.

• Procure auction items. Work with sponsors, local businesses, your planning team, board members, and corporate partners to secure donated goods, services, and experiences that appeal to your audience.

• Choose an auction platform. Much like your golf tournament, using tech will help it run smoothly and save you time and hassle. The most important feature is a mobile-friendly interface so golfers can browse auction items during the round and place bids right from their phones.

• Promote the auction on all your communication channels and as part of your tournament’s marketing campaigns. Use your GolfStatus event website to promote your golf tournament’s auction—highlight top-tier items, recognize donors, and share the link to browse items.

• Establish bidding processes. Determine the starting bid for each item and the bidding increments. If you’re planning a live auction, secure a high-energy auctioneer experienced in engaging guests.

• Secure volunteers to help with setting up the auction, answering questions, and finalizing payment and item pickup at the end.

• Finalize the details. Add items to your auction platform (making sure to include who donated each item), create baskets or groupings, and touch base with volunteers and the auctioneer.

ADD AN AUCTION TO YOUR GOLFSTATUS EVENT WEBSITE

Find out more!

Best Practices for Running a Charity Golf Auction

To ensure your auction is a success, here are a few best practices to keep in mind:

• Plan early. Start organizing your auction well in advance of the tournament so you have ample time to secure high-quality items and experiences that appeal to your audience.

• Set clear guidelines. Clearly outline the rules and communicate these before bidding begins, including bidding increments, payment methods, and pick-up procedures, to avoid confusion and ensure a seamless process.

• Utilize technology. Online bidding platforms for silent or virtual auctions streamline the process and help reach a broader audience. Include a link to the auction on your golf tournament’s website.

GolfStatus’ event website include an auction integration to easily link to your online auction.

• Secure donated items. Partner with local businesses for donated items or experiences, reducing costs, fostering community involvement, and improving fundraising outcomes.

• Engage attendees. Provide frequent updates and reminders about the auction during the tournament, highlighting selected items to keep attendees engaged.

• Follow up with bidders. Promptly reach out to winning bidders to confirm payment and item delivery, and thank them for their support. Include them in the invite list for next year’s golf tournament.

Your auction strategy shouldn’t be set in stone. It should evolve based on the feedback you get from your supporters and golf event participants.

The Best Golf Charity Auction Items

One key to a successful auction is offering items that are appealing, attractive, and valuable to your audience. When procuring items:

• Ask your supporters ahead of time what type of auction items they would like to see.

• It’s a good idea to have three to five “big” items in the mix that guests would splurge on, plus small to mid-sized items to round out the slate and attract more bidders.

• Include golf-related items to appeal to golfers, and consider items that match the tournament's theme.

• Invite sponsors to contribute in-kind gifts for auction items. If a prospective sponsor says no to a monetary sponsorship, ask for an in-kind donation.

Our Favorite Golf Charity Auction Items

• Experiences. VIP tickets to sporting events, concert passes, exclusive golf packages, vacations or travel packages, dining experiences.

• Memorabilia. Autographed sports gear, collectibles, pieces of art, branded merchandise, golf equipment.

• Luxury items. Designer goods, handmade jewelry, high-end electronics, gourmet food baskets, high-end spirits or wine baskets.

• Local business services. Spa packages, local dining experiences, home improvement services, golf lessons, local boutique packages.

Hope Strengthens Foundation partners with NHL Hall-of-Famer Ray Bourque as the auctioneer at their golf charity auction.

Golf-Related Auction Items

• Custom golf club set

• Golf rangefinder

• Personalized golf bag

• Exclusive lessons with a golf pro

• Golf apparel (hat, shoes, gloves, shirts, pants)

• Golf cart 

• Golf course membership package

• Golf weekend getaway 

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Pro Tip:

GolfStatus’ giving partners at Dormie Network Foundation offer in-kind donations that level up nonprofits’ fundraising efforts.

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Physical Auction Items

• Custom artwork

• Standing desk/walking pad

• Chef set (knives, kitchen supplies, etc.)

• Gourmet gift basket (luxury chocolates, wine, snacks, and other gourmet foods)

• Coffee lover gift basket (coffee mugs, French press, beans, etc.)

Experiential Auction Items

• Sporting events tickets

• Concert tickets

• Vacation/travel packages 

• “Night on the Town” (dinner and a show)

• Ultimate city experience (tickets to all the fun things to do in a certain city)

Run a Golf Auction with GolfStatus

In addition to industry-leading software for charity golf tournaments and fundraisers, GolfStatus offers an auction add-on. The GolfStatus in-house team will work closely with you to set the auction up on the platform and activate the “Auction” tab on your golf tournament website so you can start collecting bids alongside golfer and sponsor registrations. Curious about how GolfStatus can help save time, raise more money, and streamline your auction? Click below to get in touch with our team.

Work With the Golf Fundraising Pros

Book a Meeting to Get Started

by Jen Wemhoff, Communications Manager at GolfStatus

Golf tournaments are ripe with ways to build in revenue-generating components, both by leveraging the generosity of golfers and providing extras that make the tournament more fun and exciting. While sponsorships will likely make up the bulk of your tournament’s revenue, you can level up your fundraising power with these 22 add-ons that bring in more dollars and enhance the overall event experience for golfers and sponsors.

Jump to:

Top Golf Fundraiser Ideas

Golf Fundraiser Revenue Calculator

Golf Tournament Fundraiser Ideas FAQs

How to Make a Donation Appeal to Golfers

Final Thoughts

Top Golf Tournament Fundraiser Ideas

1. Hole-In-One Contest

One of the most popular golf tournament fundraiser ideas is a hole-in-one contest. Golfers get the chance to ace a par-three hole or holes. Golfers love the excitement a hole-in-one contest brings to a tournament, and sponsors love the high visibility they earn for sponsoring the contest.

2. Longest Drive Contest

Work with the golf facility staff to identify a hole (or holes) that is long and straight, and have one contest for men and another for women. As the name implies, the winner is the person who hits the drive the farthest within the fairway. The golf course will provide a marker to mark the distance of drives. It’s a good idea to secure a sponsor for the contest. Make an ask to businesses to either provide an in-kind donation or underwrite the cost of the prize.

3. Closest to the Pin contest

This contest is held on a par three hole and can be run alongside your hole-in-one contest, if desired. The winner of the contest is the golfer who hits a tee shot the closest to the hole. Much like the longest drive contest, you’ll want to have separate contests for men and women. And much like the previously mentioned contests, it’s a great opportunity to sell a premium sponsorship.

4. Putting Contest

A putting contest is typically held before or after your golf tournament, though it can be held during the round if that’s what works best for your event. A putting contest has the potential to boost revenue, as participants pay to enter the contest and qualify for the grand prize. Plus, you can encourage anyone to try their hand at sinking a long put, even tournament spectators.

Pro Tip: Sell entries or tickets for golfers to participate in contests, both when they register and on event day, to drive revenue.

Ken’s Krew

Ken’s Krew, a nonprofit that serves adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities, raises additional dollars with a putting contest at their golf fundraiser.

5. Auctions

Silent and live auctions are popular components of golf tournaments—and for good reason. They leverage the generosity of golfers, the euphoria of spending a day on the golf course, and a friendly desire to beat out their friends or colleagues. Whether you choose an on-site auction following the golf tournament or an online silent auction, you’ll want to promote it and any special prizes on your event website.

Pro Tip: Donated items are key to raising the most money possible, so put out calls to your networks and challenge the planning committee and board members to secure auction items. Also, try offering in-kind donations to your auction as a sponsorship option.

6. Mulligans

Mulligans are essentially a “do-over” that lets golfers retake a shot they weren’t happy with. Mulligans are an easy add-on to any registration package and are popular among golfers of all skill levels. Include them with team packages or sell them as a standalone item ahead of time and on event day.

Pro Tip: Ensure you’re using a mobile-friendly event website to make it easy for golfers to purchase mulligans right from their phones on the day of the event and eliminate the need to handle cash payments.

7. Skins Games

Skins games encourage friendly competition between golfers while raising more dollars for your cause. They create mini-competitions where teams (or individuals, depending on the event’s format) opt to compete against each other based on their score on a given hole, in addition to their overall score. Event organizers can use skins games to fundraise by setting a dollar amount for participants to buy in to compete. 

To up the ante, display skins results on real-time digital leaderboards to keep golfers engaged and make it more competitive. Choose a software solution with reliable live scoring that automatically syncs with live leaderboards on your event website and mobile app.

8. Raffles

Approach businesses, sponsors, and the community for in-kind donations to use as prizes for a fundraising raffle or host a 50/50 cash drawing (in which the total prize money is split between the raffle winner or winners and the benefiting organization). Much like mulligans, raffle tickets can be built into team packages or offered as a standalone item. And also like mulligans, you can offer them for sale on the day of the tournament on the event website.

Pro Tip: Be sure to check for any legal requirements or restrictions on raffles in your state before incorporating one into your tournament. Laws and limitations vary by state.

Ready to plan your best charity golf tournament?

Click here to book a GolfStatus demo today!

9. Matching Donations

Matching donations can supercharge your golf tournament’s fundraising efforts. This can work a couple of ways:

• Sell a “Matching Gift Sponsor” that pledges to match donations made to your event, likely capped at a certain dollar amount or number of donations. Recognize this sponsor the same way you would any other high-dollar sponsor, and consider sending a news release inviting the community to contribute to your event.

• A generous donor who wishes to stay anonymous or just doesn’t want to be considered a sponsor. Work with the donor on how or if they would like to be mentioned or recognized for their support.

Either way, communicate this opportunity to golfers leading up to and throughout the day of the event:

• Include it on your event website’s home page

• Add a QR code with a direct link to your event website on any printed materials or signage

• Mention the opportunity when golfers check in, during any kick-off address, or awards ceremony speeches

• Send push notifications and emails to golfers through your tournament management software. 

Be sure to stress that their donation will go even further, thanks to the generosity of your sponsor or donor, and that donations must be made that day.

10. Virtual Round

Adding a virtual round lets golfers play in support of your cause from anywhere without being present at the actual tournament. Golfers register for the virtual event via your event website, choose the date and location where they want to play, and submit their scores via a live-scoring app. If yours is an event that typically sells out, a virtual round opens doors to additional participants playing for your organization without the risk and costs of adding a second day to the tournament.

11. Food and Drink Tickets

After a day of golfing for a good cause, your participants will likely be parched and hungry. Sell them food and drink tickets and put that money towards your campaign. Consider asking local restaurants and supermarkets for in-kind food and drink donations (check with the golf course on their policies for outside food and drink).

12. On-Course Games

The possibilities for games as golf tournament fundraiser ideas are endless. Golfers and sponsors alike will remember the fun they had shooting a golf ball cannon, putting blindfolded, or using a seven iron to play the entire hole. Golfers pay to participate, boosting tournament revenue and making people more likely to return year after year.

Pro Tip: An all-in games package is a simple option for entry—golfers pay one flat fee to participate in all the games. Use wristbands or something similar to signal to the volunteers working the games on the course that those golfers have already paid.

13. Technology Sponsorship

This unique sponsorship gives the sponsoring business unparalleled exposure across the tournament management platform and accompanying mobile app. The Technology Sponsorship is only available to GolfStatus clients and, on average, raises an additional $4,000 or more for your mission. Sell it as a standalone sponsorship or build it into your title or presenting sponsorship to provide even more value.

GolfStatus’ Technology Sponsorship offers premium exposure and touchpoints across the platform.

14. Pin Flag Sponsorship

This high-end sponsorship gives your tournament a professional feel. Sell one pin flag sponsorship for all 18 holes and premium exposure, split it into a front nine and back nine sponsorships, or sell them individually. No matter how you approach it, sponsors will appreciate seeing their logo on high-quality pin flags that make a great keepsake.

15. Celebrity Appearance

Celebrities raise visibility for your tournament and your cause. You’ll likely need a sponsor to cover the hard costs associated with bringing a celebrity to your tournament (unless you have direct connections with a celebrity), but it’s a great chance to raise the income potential for your golf tournament. You don’t necessarily need an A-lister to have an impact—consider local celebrities, such as the mayor, college athletes, local news anchors, or well-known business owners.

16. Ball Drop

This golf tournament fundraiser idea can be done in several ways. One easy way is to structure it like a raffle. Sell balls that have a unique number on them, like you would raffle tickets, using your golf tournament website to process payments to simplify post-tournament accounting. Balls are then dropped from something like a helicopter or crane, and the closest ball to the target wins the prize. Securing a sponsor is a great way to ensure you’ll come out ahead.

17. Golf Clinic 

Adding a clinic is a solid golf tournament fundraiser idea that grows the game and encourages those who aren’t golfers or are interested in improving their skills to participate. There are several ways to approach a clinic. You can work with the golf pro and the host golf facility to host a clinic the day before or the morning of your tournament, or work with local college teams to volunteer their time to run the clinic. Take it a step further and try to land a professional or semi-professional golfer to run the clinic, if it’s feasible.

18. VIP Package

Sell a specific VIP package as an add-on to regular team or sponsor registration packages. To make it appealing enough that folks want to upgrade, consider including things like:

• Premium parking spots

• Exclusive tournament merchandise or gift packages

• Meet-and-greet with organizational beneficiaries or any celebrities in attendance

• Discounted entries into the contests or games mentioned above

• Complimentary raffle tickets, food and drink tickets, or mulligans

19. Event-Specific Merchandise

Offering exclusive tournament merchandise creates an element of scarcity among attendees to make a purchase. They won’t want to miss out on the chance to commemorate the event with special items. Pick merchandise that’s useful and likely to be popular among golfers and tie it to the event theme, such as golf shirts, t-shirts, head covers, golf balls, golf towels, water bottles, or hats. Incorporate your organization’s or tournament’s branding into the merchandise design, and work with a partner that can handle the logistics of producing the merchandise on time.

20. Pledge Drive

A pledge drive gets your donors and their broader networks involved, even if they can’t play in the tournament. Donors ask their friends, family, and colleagues to pledge to donate money based on their participation in the tournament. For example, someone would pledge $10 for every birdie or $5 for every par that the golfer achieves. 

Pledges could be tied to contests, such as pledging a donation of $50 if your golfer wins the longest drive or closest to the pin contest. Another idea is to base pledges on overall performance, perhaps $100 if the team finishes in first place or $25 if they finish in last place. Use the donate button or build a specific package on your golf tournament website to easily collect pledge payments.

21. Beat the Special Guest Challenge

Having a special guest play in the event and offering folks a chance to go head-to-head against that person is a great golf tournament fundraiser idea. Whether it’s a well-known golfer, local celebrity, executive director of the nonprofit, or president of the board of directors, the special guest can be stationed on a specific hole. Participants pay to compete against the guest on the entire hole, or see who can hit a longer drive or sink a longer putt to win a prize.

22. Golf Tournament Bracket

Before the event, give participants the chance to buy into a “fantasy golf” bracket to predict the tournament’s overall winners, specific scores, or winners of contests. If your tournament’s field is close-knit or well known to each other, you might offer a Calcutta pool, in which participants “bid” on a specific team. If that team wins, the winning bidder gets part of the overall prize money, with the rest going to your organization.

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Golf Fundraiser Revenue Calculator

Get an idea of your golf tournament’s potential revenue by using this calculator!

Estimate Your Charity Golf Fundraiser Revenue

Revenue Estimates

General Event Expenses

Number of Golfers

Venue & Course Fees ($)

Entry Fee per Golfer ($)

Food & Beverage Budget ($)

Number of Sponsors

Marketing & Print Budget ($) Excludes specific GolfStatus pin flags & hole signs.

Average Sponsorship Amount ($)

General Liability & Admin Fees ($) Excludes GolfStatus processing fees and HIO insurance.

Estimated Add-on Revenue (raffles, mulligans, etc.) ($)

GolfStatus Services & Processing

Technology Sponsorship ($899)

Pin Flags ($899)

Hole-in-One Insurance None $499 Package $899 Package

Hole Signage Quantity ($25 per sign) Minimum of 10 signs required if purchasing.

Payments Received via Credit Card (%) Calculates processing fees (Credit Cards: 5% | ACH: 2.5%).

Calculate Net Fundraising

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Golf Tournament Fundraiser Ideas FAQs

What are the benefits of charity golf tournaments?

• High revenue potential: Golfers tend to have a high net worth and give generously, especially when the experience is top-notch.

• Easy to manage: The right event management tool, built specifically for golf, streamlines everything from registration to sponsorship management to logistics. 

• Flexibility: From contests and games to sponsorships and auctions, there are opportunities to layer in multiple revenue streams.

• Relationship-driven: Tournaments create meaningful face time with donors, sponsors, and supporters, which builds and strengthens relationships. 

• Broad appeal: Golf is more popular than ever, and with the right mix of golf and non-golf activities, you can engage a wide audience.

• Sponsor-friendly: Golf events provide natural, high-visibility branding and engagement opportunities, such as hole signage, pin flags, and your event website.

Do we need golf tournament software to run a successful event?

Using a dedicated platform significantly improves both efficiency and results. The right tech saves time for your team, creates a better experience for golfers and sponsors, and improves fundraising outcomes:

• Streamline registration and payments

• Centralized sponsor management

• Mobile scoring and live leaderboards

• Fundraising enhancers and add-ons

• Real-time communication with participants

What are the most common formats for charity golf tournaments?

For most nonprofit golf events, simplicity and fun should be the priority.

• Scramble: By far the most popular option for charity tournaments. Each player hits from the best shot, making it fast-paced and beginner-friendly.

• Best ball: Each player plays their own ball, and the best score on each hole counts for the team.

• Alternate Shot: Golfers take turns hitting the same ball, making it more competitive and less common for fundraisers.

• Shamble: A hybrid format that combines a scramble off the tee shot, then individual play afterwards.

Pro Tip: If your audience includes casual or first-time golfers, stick with a scramble format to keep things fun and inclusive.

How long does a typical golf tournament take?

Most charity tournaments take four to five hours to complete 18 holes, plus additional time for pre- and post-golf activities. Timing can vary based on:

• Number of golfers and groups

• Format

• Course difficulty

• Pace of play

• Weather conditions

Pro Tip: Build buffer time into your schedule to account for delays, especially before dinner or your awards program. 

How much should we charge per golfer?

Pricing depends on your market, your audience, and your overall fundraising strategy. Consider these factors when establishing pricing:

• Course quality and prestige

• Included value (meals, gifts, contests, games, etc.)

• Local market and audience expectations

• Your fundraising goal

How do we attract non-golfers to the event?

• Promote non-golf options clearly on the event website so people not interested in playing understand that they’re welcome to attend.

• Offer dinner-only or social tickets for networking and post-round activities

• Include on-site experiences like putting contests, raffles, or auctions

• Provide golf clinics for beginners or those wanting to learn more about the game

How far in advance should we start planning a charity golf tournament?

For best results, start planning at least six to nine months out, which gives you enough runway to secure sponsors, fill your field, and build momentum. 

• 9 months out: Secure your course and date.

• 6 months out: Launch your event website and begin outreach

• 4 months out: Open registration and start promotional campaigns

• 2 months out: Finalize sponsors, contests, and on-course details

• Event month: Confirm logistics, communicate with participants, and drive last-minute engagement. 

It’s important to note that it is possible to plan a successful tournament in just three or four months with the right tools and an expedited planning timeline:

• 3 - 4 months out: Secure your course and date.

• 2 - 3 months out: Launch your event website and begin outreach, open registration, and start promotional campaigns

• 1 - 2 months out: Finalize sponsors, contests, and on-course details

• Event month: Confirm logistics, communicate with participants, and drive last-minute engagement. 

How to make a Donation Appeal to Golfers

Your golfers attend your fundraiser for a reason: they’re passionate about your mission and want to help your cause. Appeal to this generosity both on and off the green, and you’ll be surprised at how much more money you can raise. Here’s how:

• Provide context about your mission, fundraising goal, and initiatives on your event website and invitations so new donors understand the purpose of the event. Ensure your content is emotional, impactful, and tangible by featuring stories, photos, testimonials, or videos of your work. 

• Keep people updated on your progress during the event with email, in-app, or push notifications. This will up the urgency of your cause and encourage your donors to contribute to your goal.  

• Set up a donation station near the registration area or somewhere on the course to remind donors why they’re there: to make a difference. Leverage this opportunity to encourage your golfers to give certain amounts of money, such as an amount equal to their final score or the winning team’s final score.

Pro Tip: If your event includes an awards ceremony, it’s a great time to make a donation ask, particularly the option to donate the final score. A platform with the ability to collect donations is key!

Final thoughts

Once your event ends, your work isn’t done yet! Immediately after the golf tournament, crunch some numbers and see which components of your golf event raised the most money. Factor in time spent by staff or volunteers on each part to determine the cost beyond its monetary face value. Then, look at ways to improve for next year, whether it’s raising the price of specific sponsorship packages, approaching new and/or different businesses to sponsor the event, or trying out different fundraising ideas.

Pro Tip: When you use GolfStatus for your golf event, you can simply copy this year’s event for next year, eliminating the need to set the event up from scratch. Update the date, time, and location and you can start promoting the event right away!

Whichever golf tournament fundraiser ideas you end up using, you need a powerful software solution on your side. GolfStatus offers solutions for charities and event organizers with its industry-leading golf event management and fundraising software. Its full-featured platform streamlines golf fundraisers to save time and raise more money, and its responsive support team is there to help every step of the way. Click below to get started with GolfStatus at no upfront cost.

Ready to plan your best charity golf tournament?

Click here to book a GolfStatus demo today!

Putt Putt Fore Puppies has kicked off planning for year four of the mini golf fundraiser for Capital Humane Society (CHS). The event is planned by the GolfStatus team to bring the Lincoln community together to raise operating funds for CHS and help more pets find families.

2026 Event Details & Goals

📅 Friday, September 18, 2026

🕞 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. (shotgun start at 4:30)

📍 Adventure Golf, Lincoln, Nebraska

🔗 Event website

Goals for 2026 are similar to years past:

🎯 Donate $13,000 to CHS

🎯 Cover tournament costs with sponsorships and in-kind donations

🎯 Sell out all three courses at Adventure Golf (54 teams / 216 golfers)

🎯 Provide a fun community event and a great experience for participants

Swag Sponsor: Raising Cane's

Welcome from Presenting Sponsor Sinclaire Hille Architects

Pin Flag Sponsor: Ross Eickhoff State Farm

Putt Putt Fore Puppies

Putt Putt Fore Puppies

On-course games included Plinko

Putt Putt Fore Puppies

Putt Putt Fore Puppies

Golfers check out the live leaderboards

Winners of the Backwoods Course

Winners of the Red Course

Golfers used pet toys to putt for one of the on-course games

Putt Putt merch for sale

Adoptable friends from CHS joined the fun

Pet Spotlights

Golf Ball Sponsor: Company Cam

Putt Putt Fore Puppies

Golfers check out raffle prizes

What’s New in 2026

• Sponsor outreach. We’re leveraging a newly developed GolfStatus resource, the Golf Tournament Sponsorship Pitch Deck Template, to facilitate sponsor outreach with a customized deck with Putt Putt’s brand colors and content. It’s already paid dividends, as Sinclaire Hille Architects renewed their support as presenting sponsor for the fourth year!

• New package names. Because we didn’t need to make any fundamental changes to team or sponsorship packages, we decided to have some fun with package names that leaned into the tournament beneficiary: animals. Say hello to the Best in Show Presenting Sponsor, Fetch Champion Golf Ball Sponsor, Hydration Station Sponsor, Tail Wagger Pet Toy Sponsor, and Paw-ty Break Sponsor (and many more). Golfers can choose from an All-Star Pack or Paw Print Team Registrations.

• Paws of Fame Pet Spotlight. Every pet deserves to be in the “Paws of Fame,” so this package also got an upgraded name. The pet spotlights were a huge hit with golfers last year, with many oohs and aahs over the adorable pets, and the team is excited about featuring even more furry friends on signage.

• 50/50 ball drop + sponsor. The ball drop (attendees purchased numbered balls for $10 each, giving them the chance to win half of the total dollars raised from the ball drop) was a late addition to the tournament in 2025, with the planning team deciding to include it just a couple of weeks before event day. It was incredibly popular, but having more time to market it to golfers will be helpful. A sponsorship was added to this fun tournament add-on, and it sold within a few days of registration being opened. Thanks, Belmont Veterinary Center!

• New golfer gifts and raffle prizes. To keep things fresh for returning supporters, the planning team is exploring new golfer gifts and finding sponsors to underwrite costs, like t-shirts and a Frisbee pet toy. We’re also connecting with organizational partners and business owners in our personal networks to secure high-value raffle prizes to provide even more value to participants.

• Refreshed on-course games. On-course games have been popular with golfers, so this year we’re giving them a refresh and working with sponsors to build a game around their business. For example, the presenting sponsor is Sinclaire Hille Architects, so the team is exploring games that incorporate building.

• Merch is back! Ball markers and magnets featuring Pete, the Putt Putt Puppy; stickers with the event logo and likeness of several of the pet spotlight animals; and additional event t-shirts will all be on sale to boost revenue.

Planning for year four of Putt Putt Fore Puppies is much different than year one. Instead of building the tournament’s infrastructure as we go, we can simply draw upon what we’ve already established and find ways to improve the experience and fundraising outcomes. We reworked and streamlined our tournament planning project based on the recently revised Golf Tournament Fundraising Checklist and Planning Timeline and lessons learned from the event’s previous years, which has helped clearly define team members’ roles and responsibilities.

The planning team felt like we hit our stride in 2025 and didn’t make any significant changes to the tournament’s core components—time, location, format, main sponsorships, and team packages—for 2026, which made it easier than ever to copy the event and have our event website launched sooner than in previous years.

Learn more about Putt Putt Fore Puppies, register a team, make a donation, or become a sponsor on our event website.

Thank you 2026 sponsors!

Best in Show Presenting Sponsor

Paws & Prizes Swag Sponsor

Lucky Dog Ball Drop Sponsor

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Tournament Results

Three-year Totals

💰 $37,000 raised for CHS

🏌️ 576 golfers

🤝 87 sponsors

♥️ 56 volunteers

Year 3: 2025

• Golfers / Teams: 200 / 50

• Courses: 3 of 3

• Sponsors: 28 (plus 9 Pet Spotlights)

• Outcomes: $13,000 donated to CHS

  • $2,000 raised on tournament day

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Year 2: 2024

• Golfers / Teams: 216 / 54

• Courses: 3 of 3

• Sponsors: 31

• Outcome: $15,000 donated to CHS

  • $5,500 raised on tournament day

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Year 1: 2023

• Golfers / Teams: 164 / 41

• Courses: 2 of 3

• Sponsors: 21

• Outcomes: $9,200 donated to CHS

  • $1,100 raised on tournament day

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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!

by Andrew Herbert, CMO / Professional Golf Entertainer & Fundraiser at Charity Golf International

Planning a charity golf event can get overwhelming fast—especially when you’re trying to set fundraising goals that are ambitious, but achievable. Ensuring your goals are realistic and pricing teams and sponsorships accordingly sets your tournament up for success from the get-go.

Andrew Herbert, far right, provides professional on-course entertainment and fundraising at a charity golf tournament.

The best approach to setting your tournament’s fundraising goals is simple: start with your baseline information and costs, then layer in proven revenue multipliers that increase giving without slowing play or creating donor fatigue. Here are five strategies to help you set realistic fundraising goals—and actually reach them.

1. Start with the baseline: player count + entry fee

It’s important to start with the basics. The most reliable place to start is to determine:

• How many golfers you’ll have

• What each golfer pays to play

So if you’re expecting a full field of 144 golfers for an 18-hole event, the entry fee for a foursome to play is $1,000, and the facility cost per foursome is $600 ($150 per golfer), you can realistically set a goal of $14,400 from golfer entries.

• 144 golfers / 36 teams X $1,000 entry fee per team = $36,000

• 144 golfers / 36 teams X $600 facility cost per team = $21,600

• Net of $400 per team X 36 teams = $14,400

It’s important to remember that higher entry-fee events typically have an audience that’s already bought into the mission, meaning they’re more inclined to give on the course, too.

2. Add Revenue Multipliers That Reliably Increase Giving

Once you’ve established your baseline, you can multiply your revenue by:

Adding Professional On-course Contests + Entertainment

When contests are professionally run and fun, giving feels natural rather than forced. Always keep the on-course donation requests to no more than three (two is the sweet spot), as doing more will create “donor fatigue” with your guests. It’s important to note that this does NOT include the games you host on your own that are included with event registration.

Accepting Credit Cards

Events that make donating or purchasing upsells easy tend to raise significantly more. Cash-only giving leaves money on the table and can complicate post-tournament accounting.

Choosing the Right Venue + Day

The right golf facility and tournament timing can influence turnout, sponsor interest, and overall spend. Consider your audience and networks when choosing the host golf facility, date, and day of the week.

Male and female long-drive professionals from Charity Golf International can help boost on-course fundraising and guest satisfaction.

3. Use Resources to Help Set Goals You Can Justify to Your Board & Sponsors

Your organization’s board is likely looking for tournament goals that are as close to reality as possible. Those goals also help you set appropriate pricing for sponsorship packages.

Instead of blindly guessing, use your baseline information in a planning tool to provide models for:

• Conservative outcomes

• Realistic outcomes

• Stretch outcomes

Charity Golf International has developed a golf tournament donation calculator to help tournament organizers map out goals and the path to get there. Input your baseline information to get an estimate on outcomes.

A Practical Goal-Setting Framework

Use this practical framework to help you set your goals and targets.

• Conservative: Entry-fee revenue + ~50% more from on-course + raffle/auction

  • Example: $14,400 + $7,200 (50%) = $14,400

• Realistic: Entry-fee revenue + ~75–100% more

  • Example: $14,400 + $12,240 (80%) = $26,640

• Stretch: Entry-fee revenue + 125%+ more with strong execution

  • Example: $14,400 + $18,000 (125%) = $32,400

Using a golf event management tool like GolfStatus supports this effort, making it easier to create targets, track progress, and meet your tournament’s goals.

4. Think Beyond One Year

The strongest events build momentum. When you retain golfers and sponsors year over year, fundraising becomes easier—and grows faster. As you set your targets for this year, think about how they will impact future golf events’ potential revenue.

Selling a sponsorship for long-drive entertainers is another way to help drive additional revenue from your golf event.

Maximize Fundraising With Charity Golf International & GolfStatus

CGI isn’t just “another contest vendor.” We help golf events increase revenue and maximize your fundraising goals by delivering:

• Professional-led Par 3 + Par 5 experiences that create high-energy giving moments

• Smoother operations, with less burden on volunteers and planning committees

• A premium guest experience that supports bigger donations

• Zero upfront cost to the charity (CGI is performance-based)
  

Why GolfStatus Matters for Your Goal

GolfStatus helps event organizers run a tighter tournament—from registration to sponsor management—so the fundraising plan you set is actually executable. In other words:

• Better organization = better sponsor experience

• Better sponsor experience = more renewals + higher dollars

• Smoother logistics = more time/attention on fundraising moments

If your goal is to raise more without adding chaos or gimmicks, CGI can help. Get in touch to find out more about CGI.

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Book a Meeting with GolfStatus

Get started with GolfStatus’ golf tournament management software at no upfront cost!

Few fundraising events check as many boxes as a charity golf tournament. Golf is unique in that it serves as a powerful business connector, built around relationship-building and strategic networking. Unlike traditional networking events or mixers that last 60 to 90 minutes, golf tournaments provide five-plus hours of uninterrupted face time and engagement, making them one of the most valuable formats in professional member programming. Plus, golf events have the potential to raise significant dollars.

Members love golf tournaments for the opportunity to connect with association decision-makers and industry partners, vendors, and suppliers in an informal setting like the golf course. It removes the stiffness of meeting-room introductions and replaces them with shared experiences, friendly competition, and hours of interaction throughout the tournament.

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Start planning!

Download a free golf tournament planning timeline and checklist for a roadmap to a successful golf event. Plug in your tournament date and get a detailed list of to-dos based on your time to plan.

Download Now

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What it is: A golf tournament presents a chance for your members, people from their networks, and member prospects to build connections over a round of golf. Charge a registration fee for teams to participate and sell sponsorships that cover the event’s hard costs, provide in-kind support, and support your association’s mission.

Why it works: Golf’s popularity continues to surge, and golf tournaments provide great engagement and brand visibility for sponsors. Plus, tech makes planning a successful golf tournament easier than ever, making it an all-around great fundraising idea for associations.

Here are four reasons golf events work so well for associations.

1. Generate Non-Dues Revenue

A golf outing is an ideal way to generate non-dues revenue. Whether your outing channels its fundraising dollars solely back into the association or parts them with a nonprofit beneficiary or beneficiaries, fundraising dollars can be collected from registrations, sponsorships, add-ons like mulligans and raffle tickets, on-course games, and other donation asks. The golf event can also be paired with a luncheon, dinner, a more formal gala, or an auction.

2. Improve Association Member Recruiting & Retention Efforts

Golf outings require participants to field a team, which encourages them to reach out to their networks and naturally leads to new member prospects. If membership growth is a primary goal for your organization, let golf event participants know so they can build their teams accordingly. You can also make the event a member-guest-style outing, so teams include both members of your association and non-members (i.e., prospects). Because of the inherent networking value golf events offer, and the fact that attendees tend to genuinely enjoy them, they’re a great way to keep members engaged and invested in supporting your organization year after year.

Golf events hosted by an association are a great opportunity to engage with members and prospects.

3. Forge & Steward Corporate Partnerships

Golf events are great opportunities to secure corporate support and further existing relationships. Golf’s inherent connection to business keeps it on the radars of business professionals and in the sponsorship and marketing budgets of corporate entities large and small. The event itself provides focused exposure to your members, which is a great value to corporate partners looking to sponsor and participate.

4. Build Goodwill & Spotlight Community Efforts

Golf is a fun community event that brings people together to enjoy a great day outdoors. It’s also inextricably linked to charity. As an association, your goals are to align interests and support causes that matter to your members, and you can leverage a golf outing to do both while also building goodwill for your organization and advancing its positive reputation in the community.

If your event benefits a specific cause or nonprofit organization, let players and sponsors know how much of their investments will go to this cause and what kind of impact those dollars make. Not only are you raising mission-critical funds for a great organization, you’re also building your association’s reputation and brand as a whole.

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Case Study: Louisville Chapter of ASHRAE

The Louisville Chapter of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) provides education to members, promotes students' interest in HVAC&R engineering and technical fields, raises funds for research, and supports the establishment of engineering standards.

ASHRAE has held a golf tournament for several years as a fundraising event, but also to engage existing members and attract new ones. Sponsors from the HVAC industry have jumped at the chance to sponsor the event each year, thgaanks to the valuable exposure they get to their very specific target audience. Tournament organizers leverage the digital sponsorships provided by the event management platform that offered each sponsor much more visibility. Plus, the fundraiser is centered around an event that both the association’s members and sponsors truly enjoy.

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Tips for a Successful Association Golf Event

Reduce staff workload with technology. Association teams are often lean, so manually managing registration, team pairings, sponsorship sales, and coordination can quickly overwhelm staff capacity. Event management tech can automate and streamline prep and planning, freeing staff to focus on member engagement and building relationships with sponsors. Be sure your event has a dedicated website and offers online registration. Association members are busy and expect a simple, sleek way to register for any event. They don’t have time to fuss with forms, checks, and mail-in registrations. Plus, everyone’s online these days; it’s the fastest and easiest way to reach both existing and future members and supporters.

Match your goals with the event’s caliber. Consider the venue, price points, sponsorship options, and other key items as you start planning, and be sure they align with your goals. If your association has the opportunity to attract high-capacity members and big-time sponsors, be sure the caliber of the event is aligned with that opportunity. Be aware that positioning your outing as a high-end corporate entertainment event ensures that members gain substantial value from attending, making them willing to invest in supporting and participating in the event.

Make it inclusive and low-pressure. Choose a scramble format to appeal to golfers of all skill levels. Scrambles remove the intimidation factor for first-timers and ensure healthy competition for seasoned golfers. You might even add a fun theme to the tournament to drive excitement and make it memorable.

Turn up the fun. Incorporate on-course contests like longest drive, closest to the pin, hole-in-one, best-dressed team, or games to boost the fun factor. Add prizes for tournament and contest winners to help increase engagement and give members plenty of shareworthy moments for post-event conversation.

Boost revenue: Build on-course games, challenges, and contests into the tournament. These additional tournament components add more fun, draw additional attendees, offer more sponsorship opportunities, and boost revenue. A hole-in-one contest is a great example—a high-end prize is most certainly a draw for golfers, and you can sell a sponsorship to cover the cost of the hole-in-one insurance in case someone hits the lucky shot.

Offer sponsorships that businesses can’t resist. Your association’s membership is premium access for industry suppliers—and they know it. Corporate partners want visibility with your membership base, making golf tournaments ripe for high-dollar sponsorships. Offer high-end sponsorship opportunities like branded pin flags, hole-in-one contests, hole sponsorships, and tech-based exposure. Provide exposure through physical and digital channels so sponsors get quality, cross-channel impressions that drive tangible results like web traffic and genuine inquiries.

Branded pin flags are a high-end sponsorship that offers unique visibility at your association’s golf event.

Tailor sponsorships to meet business goals. Businesses likely have specific goals or outcomes in mind when it comes to sponsoring events. You can help them meet those goals by working directly with them to create a tailored sponsorship opportunity that’s mutually beneficial and features options for their involvement. For instance, you might offer the chance to mingle with golfers before, during, or after the event. It’s essential to keep lines of communication open and not take a one-size-fits-all approach. Be willing to be flexible and design sponsorships that fit everyone’s needs.

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Work With the Golf Fundraising Pros—At No Upfront Cost

The right tech makes golf events easier and more lucrative than ever. GolfStatus’ golf event management platform seamlessly handles everything from registration, payment processing, sponsor onboarding, and digital exposure to team pairings and hole assignments, golfer communication, and promotion. Get started with GolfStatus at no upfront cost and get a free event website, access to Fundraising Specialists, live support seven days a week, and much more. Book a meeting to learn more!

After two years of success, the Putt Putt Fore Puppies mini golf tournament came back for an even bigger and better year three! Planned by GolfStatus staff, Putt Putt Fore Puppies brings the community together to raise funds for Capital Humane Society (CHS), which cares for homeless pets in Lincoln, Nebraska, and helps them find their forever homes.

2025 Recap

• Golfers / Teams: 200 / 50 

• Courses: 3 of 3

• Sponsors: 28 (plus 9 Pet Spotlights)

• Outcomes: Nearly $13,000 donated to CHS

  • $2,000 raised on tournament day

The 2025 Putt Putt Fore Puppies Mini Golf Tournament was another resounding success! While the final amount donated to Capital Humane Society was less than in 2024 (2024’s event benefited from a very generous day-of donation that skewed the final numbers), the tournament actually raised more than in previous years. Here’s how we boosted overall revenue:

• Sponsorships. New packages were added (Tennis Ball Pet Toy Sponsor, Doggie Bandana Sponsor, Drink Ticket Sponsor, Trophy Sponsor), and prices were slightly increased to drive income. 

• Team packages. Two team packages were offered—an “all-in” package and a standard package. Both included t-shirts, dinner, gifts, a drink ticket, and a round of mini golf for each golfer, but the all-in package includes entry into on-course games and 12 raffle tickets. Pricing was increased to cover costs and better reflect the experience.

• Pet showcase. Pet owners had the opportunity to purchase a “sponsorship” to show off their beloved pets on the event website and signage at the tournament. Pet owners got to take their pet’s sign home at the end of the day!

• 50/50 ball drop. Attendees purchased numbered balls for $10 each, giving them the chance to win half of the total dollars raised from the ball drop. Over 50 balls (out of 100 possible) were sold, and all 100 were dropped on one of the holes before the shotgun start. Two balls made it in the hole, and the winners split the pot with CHS. One winner donated half of his winnings back to CHS! This was a relatively late addition to the tournament, with limited time to promote it ahead of event day. Because it was well-received, the planning team will continue it in 2026 and start selling balls when registration opens.

• Merch. A merch sales table was another new addition to the tournament, including ball markers and magnets featuring Pete, the Putt Putt Puppy; stickers with the event logo and likeness of several of the pet spotlight animals; and additional event t-shirts. 

• Additional raffle prizes. This year’s raffle was extremely successful due to the quality and quantity of prizes. Attendees purchased more raffle tickets for the chance to win high-dollar prizes, including an espresso machine, photography packages, gift cards, attraction tickets, and more. And since all prizes were donated, there were no overhead costs.

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2025 Changes

Based on feedback from last year’s participants, the planning team implemented a few changes for the 2025 tournament. 

• New planning team. Planning team members included: Ashley Stahr, Chief Marketing Officer; Payton Prall, Digital Media Manager; Jen Wemhoff, Communications Manager; David Li, Graphic Designer; Dane Stahr, Product Designer; Ty Perkins, Account Manager; Paul Sanger, Account Manager; Alex White, Fundraising Specialist; Brenden Holling, Client Success Specialist; Jack Burmeister, Client Success Specialist; Cash Dinkel, Director of Client Success; 

• New schedule. Additional time was built into the schedule to accommodate the extra time required to complete the Backwoods Course and the raffle drawing.

• New tournament day layout. To better facilitate golfer check-in and avoid bottlenecks around the registration area, the layout was revamped. We leveraged some additional green space at Adventure Golf for a smoother flow from check-in and add-ons to dinner, sponsors, and raffle tables.

• New on-course games. New game options were added to each course, including a pet putter (golfers putted with a dog toy, tennis ball launcher, or pooper scooper), alternative ball (putting with the tennis ball dog toy instead of their golf ball), and animal trivia.

Past Tournament Recaps

Here’s a quick rundown of what the tournament accomplished in its first two years:

Year 1: 2023

• Golfers / Teams: 164 / 41 

• Courses: 2 of 3

• Sponsors: 21

• Fundraising Goal: $3,000

• Outcomes: $9,200 donated to CHS

  • $1,100 raised on tournament day

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Year 2: 2024

• Golfers / Teams: 216 / 54

• Courses: 3 of 3

• Sponsors: 31

• Fundraising Goal: $12,000

• Outcome: $15,000 donated to CHS

• $5,500 raised on tournament day

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Thank you sponsors!

Presenting Sponsor

Flag Sponsor

Golf Ball Sponsor

Doggie Bandana Sponsor

Tennis Ball Pet Toy Sponsor

Flag Sponsor

Dinner Sponsor

Music Sponsor

19th Hole Sponsor

Swag Sponsor

Trophy Sponsor

Batting Cage Sponsor

Hole Sponsors:

Signage Sponsor

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by Jen Wemhoff, Communications Manager at GolfStatus

There’s an important golf tournament to-do that often gets lost in the shuffle of securing a golf facility, promoting the event, recruiting sponsors, registering golfers, and finalizing details: branding. And while it might just seem like just one more task to cross off your list, branding plays a critical role in the success of your golf event.

Branding your tournament is a key factor in its success! Project Purple uses consistent brand colors and the organization’s logo in its golf tournament branding.

Branding your tournament is more than just slapping your logo on a flyer and calling it a day. Strong, consistent branding can elevate your tournament in big ways, building credibility, making your event more recognizable, helping attract sponsors and participants, and giving you a more professional, polished look. 

Let’s break down why branding matters for your tournament and how to build a cohesive brand—no design degree required.

Why Branding Matters for Your Golf Event

1. It Builds Trust

A clean, consistent visual identity helps people take your tournament seriously. When your materials look polished, potential sponsors, golfers, and donors are more likely to want to be part of it. They see that you’ve put care and thought into your event, and they can assume the overall tournament experience will reflect that, too.

2. It Creates Recognition

If someone sees your tournament’s logo on a flyer, then again on a social media post or in an email, and again on a t-shirt—guess what? They’re more likely to remember it! Branding keeps your tournament top-of-mind, helping grow participation and support for your mission.

3. It Makes Your Event Stand Out

There are a lot of charity golf tournaments out there. And while that’s certainly not a bad thing, it does make it a bit harder to stand out. That’s where branding comes in. Good branding makes your tournament pop. Whether it’s a clever logo, a bright color scheme, or a unique event name, these elements help make your tournament memorable.

4. It Improves Your Marketing

Clear branding makes it easier for you and your team to create marketing materials that look good and work well. From social posts to printed flyers to digital ads, branding helps ensure your marketing efforts are cohesive and easily recognizable by potential golfers, sponsors, and supporters.

Your Tournament’s Brand: What It Should Include

There’s good news for tournament organizers who don’t have access to a designer or a creative team: you don’t need a huge style guide or agency-designed logo to build an effective brand for your charity golf tournament. Simply start with these key elements:

Event Name

Give your tournament a name that’s fun, catchy, and theme or mission-related to help the event stand out and be remembered. Some examples from tournaments powered by GolfStatus:

• Fairway to Heaven Memorial Golf Scramble

• Survive & Thrive Golf Classic

• Drive Out Hunger Golf Classic

• Tee Off for Hope

• Habitat FORE! Humanity

• Putt Putt Fore Puppies

• Drive to Cure Cancer Golf Classic

• Drive for Hope Golf Outing

• Teeing Up Tomorrow

• Chip In for Children’s Charity Golf Outing

• Birdies for Bravery

If your cause doesn’t lend itself to a punny name, don’t sweat—simply including your organization’s name or mission in the name can be just as powerful for branding.

Your tournament’s name and logo should appear on all promotional materials, including your event website.

Logo 

Use your nonprofit’s existing logo or create a unique one for your tournament. Keep it simple, scalable (so it looks good no matter where or what size it’s used), and legible. If you choose to create a separate logo specifically for the golf tournament, be sure that it complements your organization’s overall branding if and when they’re used together.

Color Palette

Choose two to three colors and use them consistently in all materials. Online tools like Coolors or Canva’s color palettes can help you narrow in on colors that look sharp and work well together. Again, it’s a good idea to choose a palette that’s in harmony with your organization’s logo so they don’t clash when used in tandem.

Typography

Stick with one or two fonts that are easy to read. You don’t need anything fancy, but it’s a good idea to avoid ornate script or overly decorative fonts. Consider using bold or all caps for headlines, and a clean sans-serif font for body text.

Imagery

Use consistent imagery, such as golf-themed icons or graphics, mission-related photos, or high-quality shots from previous golf tournaments. Bonus points if you can feature people having fun on the golf course!

Assemble imagery from past years’ golf tournaments that emphasize the event’s brand, like the above image from a glow-in-the-dark golf fundraiser.

Branding Tips for Non-Designers

You don’t need to be a design pro to create a great-looking brand for your charity golf tournaments. Try these tips:

Use Canva (Or a Similar Tool)

Canva is a non-designer’s best friend. It’s free (with an upgraded paid Pro version), easy to use, and packed with great-looking templates for flyers, social posts, email graphics, posters, and much more. You can upload your logo, save your colors and fonts, and keep everything consistent across your tournament’s promotional materials.

Create a “Mini” Brand Guidelines Document

Put all your tournament’s visual elements, including logos, colors, fonts, and a few sample images, in one simple document. This makes it easier to keep everything aligned and share with volunteers, board members, or sponsors helping with marketing. You might also consider creating a shareable Google Drive folder (or other file sharing platform like OneDrive or Dropbox) where the guidelines document and all the branding elements are stored for easy access.

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Free Templates

GOLF TOURNAMENT PROMOTIONAL FLYER TEMPLATES

Save time and create polished, professional-looking flyers to market your golf tournament with these free templates. These editable Canva flyer templates are designed to help you drive participation, boost event visibility, and make your tournament look great—no design skills required. 

Get the Templates

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Stick to Your Chosen Colors & Fonts

Resist the urge to go rogue with your design choices! Consistency is what creates a recognizable brand, so use the same colors, fonts, and design style everywhere, from your promotional emails to your event signage.

Make it Legible

Design rule number one: If people can’t read it, it doesn’t work. Use high contrast (think dark text on a light background), avoid crowded layouts and clutter (white space is your friend), and don’t overuse fancy fonts to make all your pieces as readable as possible. 

Use Your Branding Everywhere

Include your tournament logo on player gifts like koozies to reinforce the brand and make your event more memorable.

You’ve gone to the effort of creating a brand for your event, so make sure you use it everywhere! It should be front and center on:

• Your tournament website

• Flyers and posters

• Social media graphics

• Sponsorship packets

• Event signage and banners

• Staff and volunteer shirts

• Cart signs and scorecards

• Swag and giveaway items

Branding & Sponsorship Go Hand-in-Hand

Your tournament’s branding doesn’t just help you look good—it can also help you raise more money. A strong, professional look makes your event more attractive to sponsors. It gives them confidence that your tournament will be well-run and their logo and brand will be presented in the best possible manner.

When pitching tournament sponsorships, consider using branded mockups when possible to show how their logo will appear on signage, cart signs, or social posts. The better your branding, the easier it is for sponsors to picture their brand alongside yours.

Final Thoughts

Branding your golf tournament doesn’t have to be complicated. With a few simple elements and a little bit of consistency, you can create a strong, professional visual identity that builds trust, attracts attention, and sets your event up for success.

Even if you’re not a graphic designer, tools like Canva and clear intention can go a long way. And remember: good branding isn’t about being flashy, it’s about being clear, consistent, and authentic to your mission.

Need help streamlining the rest of your tournament? GolfStatus makes it easy to build out a professional-looking event website (complete with your branding), manage registrations, and handle sponsor visibility all in one place.

by Jen Wemhoff, Communications Manager at GolfStatus

If your organization isn’t using an event website for your charity golf tournament, you’re missing out on a powerful tool that saves busy organizers like you time, enhances the professionalism of your tournament, and attracts more players and sponsors. Here are six reasons why an event website is a must-have, how to maximize its impact, and how nonprofits can get one at no cost.

An attractive, professional event website is the hub for your charity golf tournament.

1. Event promotion is as simple as sharing a link

A dedicated event website makes promoting your tournament quick and easy. Simply include the link in all your communications—emails, social media, sponsor outreach, even printed pieces. Attendees and potential sponsors are directed to a professional, mobile-friendly event site where they can register a team, purchase a sponsorship, or make a donation with just a few clicks and on any device. Your website should be powered by an event management platform that’s built for golf events and allow you to efficiently capture golf specific details like team members, player handicaps, and more.

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Pro tip:

Add QR codes that link directly to your event website in any printed promotional materials—flyers, postcards, mailed invitations, etc.—to make it easy for golfers and sponsors to commit as soon as they hear about your tournament.

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2. Your tournament gets more credibility & professionalism

An event website presents your tournament—and your organization—in the best possible light. It keeps information organized and showcases your nonprofit’s mission and work, helping attendees and sponsors better connect with your cause. Linking your event site to your organization’s main website strengthens credibility and makes it easy for visitors to learn more and get involved. Sponsors also appreciate the added professionalism and digital exposure that a well-designed event site provides.

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Pro tip:

Choose a platform that allows you to customize your event website with images, videos, and compelling storytelling about your cause.

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Free guide:

the essential guide to golf tournament event websites

This comprehensive guide provides golf tournament organizers with strategies and best practices for using an event website to streamline planning and raise more money from your golf event.

Download the Guide

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3. Online registration streamlines everything

People expect to register and pay for events online these days. An event website makes it easy for golfers and sponsors to commit the moment they hear about your tournament—whether through word of mouth, digital channels, or a personal invitation. Plus, collecting registration and payments through the site means no more manually processing registrations and payments, keeping multiple spreadsheets up to date, or sending receipts. Secure online transactions automate data collection (i.e. donor and sponsor data) and streamlines event planning, reducing administrative work and ensuring your donor database stays up to date for post-tournament stewardship. You’ll collect funds upfront, so you’re not chasing down payments on tournament day, or worse, stuck covering the cost for someone who registered but never paid.

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pro tip:

Use a golf event management platform that includes built-in, secure payment processing and robust reporting features.

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4. sponsors get maximum visibility & exposure

A professional golf tournament website makes it easy to list and sell sponsorship packages that are custom-built to meet your event’s needs, while giving sponsors premium visibility before, during, and after the tournament. Sponsors love the impressions they earn every time someone visits the website to register, check their hole assignments, and see the day’s schedule. Look for a platform that simplifies sponsor onboarding, so logos and assets are submitted right at registration and automatically appear on the site. Sponsors also appreciate additional exposure on live leaderboards and live scoring apps.

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Pro Tip:

Send a final round of promotional emails and social media shout-outs recognizing sponsors a few weeks before the tournament. This provides extra exposure for onboarded sponsors and can even encourage other sponsors to get involved.

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An event website gives sponsors broad digital exposure with every site visit.

5. you’ll save a ton of time & stay organized

Gone are the days of manually processing paper forms, deciphering credit card numbers, cashing checks, reconciling Venmos, and juggling receipts and spreadsheets. With an event website, registrations, add-on purchases (like raffle tickets and mulligans), sponsorships, team pairings, and donations are all managed in one easily-accessible place. It also makes coordinating with your planning team and the golf facility simple and efficient. Staff at the host golf facility can access real-time event details and participant information and print pre-formatted cart signs, score cards, and alpha lists so they’re focused on serving your event and not on back office work. When everything is organized and accessible, everyone saves time (to the tune of 30-40 hours) and effort.

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Pro tip:

Share access to your event management platform with golf staff for easy handling of last-minute logistics like hole assignments, flights, and team pairings.

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6. it’s easy to communicate updates & engage participants

Need to add details or make last-minute changes? An event website makes it simple to keep attendees informed. Whether it’s updating tee times, promoting a hole-in-one contest or high-end auction item, or sharing weather-related changes, updates are made in real time. If your platform includes live scoring and digital leaderboards, you can keep golfers engaged throughout the event while providing extra visibility for sponsors. And you don’t necessarily need to have every tournament detail hammered out before you launch your site—it can be as simple as the date and location, with a note of more details to follow. This lets you get on the radars of donors and sponsors as early as possible.

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Pro Tip:

Ask each of your organization’s board, planning committee, and staff to email or text a link to the event website to at least five people who might be interested in either playing or sponsoring your golf event.

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get a free event website

Nonprofits or third parties hosting a golf fundraiser can qualify for a free event website and full access to GolfStatus’ powerful event management platform at no upfront through the Golf for Good program. Our team can work with you to build a site or guide you through the process. Click below to get started.

Launch An Event Website In Minutes

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