Posts tagged skins games
Product Alert: New GolfStatus App Makes Live Scoring Easier Than Ever
 

The GolfStatus mobile app has been completely reimagined to make live scoring golf tournaments—from miniature golf events to massive, multi-day tournaments—easier and more seamless than ever before.

Screenshots from the newly updated GolfStatus app are shown on a smartphone.

What’s New?

  • Updated Design. The app has gotten a facelift, with a modern and updated look and feel that enhances usability.

  • Simplified Navigation. The app’s menus and features have been consolidated for quicker, easier navigation.

  • Enhanced Tournament Features. Easily find your upcoming tournaments and start live scoring your round with just a few taps. See starting holes and scorecards for all tournament rounds.

  • Light and Dark Mode. The app automatically defaults to light or dark mode, based on the set mode for the device.

  • Tournament Recommendations. GolfStatus will share tournament recommendations based on your location. You can also explore tournaments in your area and register right from the app.

  • Updated Map Views. Find golf courses in your area with ease using the updated map view. 

  • Additional Details & Tracking. Explore detailed scorecard breakdowns for all leaderboard types, plus the ability to edit scores and advanced stats and add notes as you play.

  • Elevated GPS. Customize your map settings to show the distance to the front and back of greens, fairway runouts, and bunkers.


Download the updated app today!

Learn how to use the app to
live score a tournament


Powerful, user-friendly &
no upfront cost

The GolfStatus mobile app remains free to download and is incredibly easy to use, with reliable live scoring for golf tournaments of all types and sizes and tools to track statistics for every round that help you play better golf. Tournament organizers and golfers can also lean on GolfStatus’ in-house support team to answer questions and troubleshoot any issues.

Two men look at their phones to live score a golf tournament using the GolfStatus app.

The GolfStatus app is part of its robust tournament management software that helps event organizers run better tournaments that raise more money. Qualifying nonprofits (or those holding a third party event to benefit a nonprofit or charity) can use GolfStatus at no upfront cost through the Golf for Good program. Learn more and get qualified!

 
 
23 Fun Golf Tournament Fundraiser Ideas to Raise More Dollars
 
Golfers walk on a golf course on their way to participate in a putting contest, which is a classic golf tournament fundraiser idea.

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 add-ons that bring in more dollars and enhance the overall event experience for golfers and sponsors.

1. Donation Appeal

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.

Start by providing 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.

Next, 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.  

Finally, 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!

2. 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.

3. Longest Drive Contest

Another type of contest you can easily incorporate into your tournament is a 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. Work with a sponsor to donate or underwrite the cost of the contest prize.

4. Closest to the Pin contest

A closest to the pin 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 for a premium sponsorship.

Four people stand on a golf course next to a sign for a putting contest, a classic golf tournament fundraiser idea.

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

5. Putting Contest

Unlike the three other contests discussed above, 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 can try their hand at sinking a long put, even tournament spectators.



6. 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. This can empower more businesses to participate.

7. 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. Golfers who know they need a little extra wiggle room in their game can purchase one or more at the time of registration, or you can sell them the day of the event as well.

Pro Tip: To allow more people to purchase mulligans, ensure you’re using a mobile-friendly event website. This makes it easy for folks to purchase mulligans right from their phones on the day of the event, and eliminates the need to handle cash payments.

8. Skins Games

Skins games encourage friendly competition between golfers while raising more dollars for your cause. In short, skins games 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. This keeps golfers engaged and makes the skins games more competitive. Be sure to choose a software solution with reliable live-scoring that automatically syncs to live leaderboards that display on your event website and a mobile app.

Ready to plan your best charity golf tournament?

Click here to book a GolfStatus demo today!

9. 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 for raffles in your state.

One golfer hits a shot while three others wait their turn at a charity golf tournament.
 

10. Matching Donations

Golfers are a generous bunch. A matching donor can exponentially multiply their generosity and supercharge your golf tournament’s fundraising efforts. This can work a couple of ways. 

One, sell a “Matching Gift Sponsor” that pledges to match donations made to your event. Depending on how the donor/sponsor would like to structure the match, these are often capped at a specific dollar amount (essentially the top amount the sponsor is willing to donate) or limited to a certain number of donations. Recognize this sponsor the same way you would any other high-dollar sponsor—on your event website, tournament signage, social media, email campaigns, etc. It might also be beneficial to send a standalone news release to local media contacts about the matching donation, giving even more exposure to the sponsor and inviting members of the community to contribute to your event.

Two, you may have a generous donor who wishes to stay anonymous or just doesn’t want to be considered a sponsor. In this case, work with the donor on how or if they would like to be mentioned or recognized for their support. 

Either way, it’s imperative that you 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; and 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.

11. Virtual Round

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

 
Two golfers chat while sipping drinks bought with a drink ticket as part of a golf tournament fundraiser idea.

12. 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. To make the most money possible off of the tickets, 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). Thus, you’ll have fewer operating costs and the money you make will be put to good use in your fundraising campaign.

13. 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. Your organization will reap the benefits of pure tournament revenue and make folks 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.

14. 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 for your mission. Sell it as a standalone sponsorship or build it into your title or presenting sponsorship to provide even more value.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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 closet ball to the target wins the prize. There are some definite logistics involved with a ball drop, but finding a sponsor for the ball drop is a great way to ensure you’ll come out ahead.

18. 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 morning of your tournament. Alternatively, you might 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.

Three golfers chat before the start of a golf clinic at a charity golf tournament.

19. 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

20. 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, 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.

21. 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 make a 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 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.

Three people hold a large check with money raised from a charity golf tournament.

22. 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.

23. Golf Tournament Bracket

Prior to 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.

 

Wrapping Up

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. Through the Golf for Good program, nonprofits and organizations doing social good can qualify for no-cost access to the technology. Click the button below to get qualified or email [email protected].

 

Ready to plan your best charity golf tournament?

Click here to book a GolfStatus demo today!

 
 
Product Alert: Tournament Management Software Gets An Upgrade
 

GolfStatus’ powerful tournament management software (TMS) has gotten an upgrade, with a refreshed, easily-navigable interface and additional features to make your next golf event the best one yet.

The software’s core functions remain the same, saving tournament organizers time and providing built-in tools to save more money. But the newest version of TMS has a number of notable improvements and new features to better streamline golf tournaments and fundraisers, including:

  • Intuitive organization and workflows. The refined layout of the software makes it easier to navigate between workflows. Prompts and alerts help users move from section to section quickly and seamlessly.

  • Work in TMS on any device! The new backend is completely responsive, so you can make edits to your event website, review registrations, check payments, and more, all from your phone, tablet, or computer.

  • Custom event site URLs. Improve SEO and branding with a custom URL for every tournament’s event website.

An event website with a custom URL improves branding and SEO for your golf fundraiser.
  • Improved image editing. There’s no need to hassle with graphic design programs or websites—now you can resize logos and images and make necessary edits right in TMS, saving you valuable time. Plus, you can customize the overlay on the event website’s hero image.

  • Now processing Canadian dollars! Canada, we’re here to make executing a lucrative golf tournament easier and more efficient. 

  • Simplified organization management. Manage user access and permissions and standardize settings, imagery, logos, and links across tournaments.

  • Improved skins games management. It’s now simpler to start a skins game and manage players and teams that want in on the action.

  • Additional paid features. Send sponsor invoices through the platform and set up discount codes for registrants. Tournaments can access these premium features for a fee.

All of this (with the exception of the paid features), plus GolfStatus’ professional event websites, live scoring and leaderboards, exclusive sponsorships, digital sponsor exposure, and more, is still available at no upfront cost for qualifying nonprofits and charity golf tournament organizers through GolfStatus’ Golf for Good program.

And like always, GolfStatus’s in-house support team is here with live support seven days a week to answer questions and troubleshoot issues.

The GolfStatus support team is here to answer questions and guide you along the way.
 

Ready to Find Out More? 

Get in touch with the GolfStatus team to find out how you can start saving time and raising more money with your golf tournament today. Whether you’ve got a tournament on the calendar or are just exploring the idea, GolfStatus can help. Click here to connect with our team and get qualified for the Golf for Good program.

Already a GolfStatus Client?

Get in touch with your Client Success representative to learn more about the updates and make the switch to the newest version of TMS!

 
 
Case Study: Volunteer Youth Hockey Organization benefits From no-cost technology for its annual Golf Fundraiser
 

Like many volunteer-run organizations, the Grand Rapids Hockey Golf Classic is keenly aware of the value of every second of its volunteers’ time. Hundreds of volunteer coaches, administrators, and personnel have served thousands of boys and girls through its programs. Hockey is a way of life in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and the annual golf event raises money to offset travel and equipment costs for high school teams and provide free equipment for first-year players.

Grand Rapids Hockey Team On Ice In Rink 03.jpg

“For a small community, this program has produced a lot of college and pro hockey players,” says Roger Mischke, chair of the golf committee. He volunteers his time to head up the Golf Classic, which keeps the program thriving and gives kids the best experience they can get. In search of a way to streamline the planning process for this year’s golf tournament, and safe options for the event amid COVID-19, Roger found GolfStatus’s Golf for Good program, which provides access to golf fundraising and event management tools at no cost to organizations like his.


Dollars Raised

$13,000

Golfers

220


changes, adaptations & improvements

Health and safety measures and restrictions on in-person events led the golf committee to make several adaptations to the annual tournament. In a year when most in-person events had to be canceled, its loyal participants were particularly thrilled that the Golf Classic could be held. “I think everybody was just so happy that the event could happen that they were willing to adapt,” says Roger.

Through GolfStatus.org and the Golf for Good program, the Grand Rapids Hockey Golf Classic qualified for a free event registration website, built by the GolfStatus team, and no-cost access to GolfStatus’s golf event management technology. Roger and the committee simply shared the link to the event’s website through emails, social media, and other channels so teams and sponsors could register instantly. The simple upgrade to secure online registration was a game-changer for the volunteer organizers in terms of eliminating duplicative work. “We had tried to do online registration in years prior, but it didn’t function very well,” Roger says. “Registration through the GolfStatus event website was definitely an improvement and eliminated a lot of work.”

In fact, many modifications ended up making the event even better. For example, the committee made the decision to switch from a traditional shotgun start to tee times to reduce crowding at the golf course. “Going with tee times might be the way to go moving forward because we can have more players,” Roger says, noting that this year’s tournament attracted 220 golfers, comparatively more than in previous years.


Registration through the GolfStatus event website definitely worked out better and eliminated a lot of work.
— Roger Mischke, chair of the Grand Rapids Hockey Golf Classic golf committee

When a team or sponsor registered through the event website, all their information automatically populated into the GolfStatus event management platform, which meant there was no need for Roger or other volunteers to enter and re-enter information into multiple spreadsheets or systems, maximizing every volunteer’s time and effort.

Another change the committee made was the addition of live-scoring and leaderboards, effectively eliminating paper scorecards to reduce touchpoints and keep golfers, volunteers, and course staff safe. GolfStatus makes live-scoring especially simple: Each team is assigned a unique team code, then one person simply enters the group’s score for each hole into the app with a couple quick taps. Scores populate the event’s leaderboards in real-time, so they can be shared through social media to engage new and existing supporters. In the case of Grand Rapids Hockey, sponsors loved the additional digital exposure offered through the leaderboards and the in-app scorecard. “Sponsors definitely liked having their names and logos in the mobile app,” Roger says.

Left: Live Leaderboards; Right; In-App Registration

Left: Live Leaderboards; Right; In-App Registration

Competitive Add-Ons Bring Fun & Engagement

Many of the golfers who play in the annual tournament are program alumni, some of whom have gone on to play hockey at the NCAA Division I level and even in the NHL. Naturally, they loved the competitive aspect of the live scoring feature. Not only do these folks want to support Grand Rapids Hockey, but they also want to compete and enjoy the outing. When players know their score in real-time, it’s a better overall experience. “It was great to not have to rely on golfers turning in paper scorecards or wait on the golf professional to calculate final standings, since everything was done through GolfStatus,” Roger says.


It was great to not have to rely on golfers turning in paper scorecards or wait on the golf professional to calculate final standings, since everything was done through GolfStatus.
— Roger Mischke, chair of the Grand Rapids Hockey Golf Classic golf committee

GolfStatus’s platform also facilitates skins games as a fun add-on and side competition that can easily be added to any tournament. Typically in a skins game, each hole is played separately and is won by the player with the lowest score on that particular hole. If two or more golfers tie for the low score, the skin carries over to the next hole. At the end of the round, the player with the most skins is the winner.

GolfStatus makes it easy to keep track of skins games; tournament organizers can quickly select who is in and out on any type of skins game—gross, net, team, and/or individual. For the Grand Rapids Hockey Golf Classic, Roger and the committee offered a Team Skins (Gross) option. “The skins feature worked really well,” Roger says. “It was great how the software kept track and calculated that for us.” The software instantly compares all hole-by-hole scores of golfers in the skins game against one another to give live skins results during score entry, adding more engagement, competition, and enjoyment to the round.

Skins shown in the GolfStatus app

Maximizing Volunteer Time & Outcomes

Maximizing the time and effort of its volunteers is critical to the success of volunteer-run organizations, including many youth sports clubs and associations. Implementing GolfStatus’s technology for the annual golf tournament not only saved volunteers many hours of work, but it improved the event’s professionalism, kept sponsors happy, and further engaged golfers to maximize fundraising outcomes. Though the committee had to make the difficult choice to eliminate some of the extra components of the golf fundraiser—like the live auction, banquet, and some on-course competitions—the additional golfers and sponsors the tournament attracted raised crucial dollars for youth hockey programs.

In the end, this year’s golf fundraiser allowed program alumni to connect with current players, families, and supporters in a safe way, enjoy a round of golf, and raise money to draw—and keep—more kids in the sport.


 

Learn more about the Grand Rapids Hockey Golf Classic at www.grhockeygolfclassic.com.

GolfStatus.org is proud to serve youth sports organizations. To learn more about how GolfStatus’s technology can help nonprofit organizations of all sizes and types run a successful golf fundraiser—and how you can get no-cost access through the Golf for Good program—contact us or get a demo.

 

 
5 Easy Day-of Digital Fundraising Options for the Golf Outing
 

Certainly teams and sponsorships make up the bulk of the fundraising revenue for your golf outing, but let’s not forget day-of efforts. Whether you’re keeping things traditional or planning a modified or virtual outing, the funds raised in the moment can quickly take an event from good to great. Digital options keep costs low, minimize extra work for organizers, and provide more opportunities to engage players, sponsors, and their networks. Here are some often-overlooked day-of digital fundraising options to consider for your upcoming outing.


1. Skins Games

Skins games are a great way to encourage friendly competition among golfers while simultaneously raising more dollars for your cause. In short, skins games 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 where participants can buy in to compete. Displaying skins results on real-time leaderboards keeps things competitive and provides an easy way for participants and online spectators to instantly donate from their mobile device.

Two smartphones showing the Newman Center Golf Tournament in a mobile view.

2. Live Leaderboards

Whether your event is traditional, virtual, or a hybrid format, be sure to promote and display the live leaderboards for the outing online. This is as easy as posting a link to your organization’s social channels and sending an email to your supporters the day of the event or during the week of an extended play/virtual tournament. This opens the event up to a broad audience of online spectators, who can not only follow the event in real time, they can make a donation to your cause directly from the online leaderboard with the click of a button.

3. Consider extended play in comms plans

If you’re planning an extended play and/or virtual outing, be sure to outline a communications plan that capitalizes on the fact that the event will occur over a longer duration—so you can raise dollars the whole time. Start in the months and weeks leading up to the event by explaining the modified format. Leverage social media, your organization’s website, and the event registration website to keep players and sponsors informed and clearly outline when, where, and how they can participate and support the event in other ways. Leverage opportunities to thank sponsors and acknowledge their commitments. Put out a press release and aim to engage local media in the creative approach your organization is taking to the golf fundraiser. Time a communication in the days leading up to the event announcing its kickoff, and periodically share news about rankings as the event happens over multiple days/weeks. The key here is to get people engaged and following the outing; certainly, the easiest way to do that is with live, shareable leaderboards. Unfamiliar with live leaderboards and how they work? Check out this article on live scoring.

4. Mobile Sweepstakes

The mobile channel is the most viewed and, when utilized properly, the most effective exposure avenue for brands. Work with sponsors to go mobile with on-course prizes that add a little excitement and help bring in more dollars. With the right technology, you can time in-app, sponsor-branded exposure to engage participants at specific moments during the round. When you’re working with sponsors, ask them for in-kind donations of services or gift cards that can be given away through mobile sweepstakes the day of the outing. Use this as a way to further engage with sponsors and raise more dollars through digital placements.

5. Timely Asks & Thank Yous

Remind participants to make a donation during the event through in-app messages either delivered to all participants at a certain time or triggered during a key moment in the player’s game. In app messages are also a great way to thank participants for supporting the cause and remind them of the impact their generous donations make. When you post final results, be sure to link players directly to the event’s leaderboard, where they can instantly make a donation from mobile with a few simple taps.

Get Started

GolfStatus offers all the technology event organizers need to capitalize on each of these opportunities, and it’s backed by an in-house customer success team that can help you get any and all of these options up and running quickly and easily.

Through GolfStatus.org’s Golf for Good program, this technology is available to qualifying nonprofits at no cost. Follow the link below to learn more.

 
 

 

Submit an inquiry here to get qualified or email us directly at

[email protected].