Posts tagged software

GolfStatus meets tournament planners where they are, both in terms of planning status and their desired level of interaction with our team. To that end, we’re excited to roll out a new function that gives users who don’t want to wait for a product demo the ability to get started in the software right away.

Tournament organizers simply fill out the demo request form and follow the instructions provided via email on how to create a GolfStatus account, explore the software, and create a tournament on their own.

This option is great for folks who might be in a time crunch to launch their tournament’s registration, those who are happier exploring a platform independently instead of listening to a demo, or individuals who just can’t wait to get started. The platform will use the information provided in the demo form to create an organization and auto-populate basic tournament information. Once you create an account, you’re free to explore the platform and its capabilities!

It’s important to note a few necessary steps you’ll need to take after the tournament is created in GolfStatus to get it live and ready to accept golfer and sponsor registrations:

1. Create or add a round

At this point, you’ll enter your tournament’s format, date and time of the tournament, type of start (shotgun or tee time) and golf facility information to further flesh out the tournament’s details.

2. Set Your Tournament Status to Active

Now you’re cooking! Setting your tournament to active means it will appear in GolfStatus’ tournament listings and you’ll be able to sell packages once they’re created.

3. Update the Event Site Homepage

The event website is where you tell your story, so customize it with content, imagery, and media. Share what your tournament is raising money for, share photos or videos of your nonprofit’s impact, and explain to prospective participants what they can expect from the event.

The home page for a golf tournament website is displayed on a laptop.

4. Create Custom Team & Sponsorship Packages

Develop packages based on your event’s unique needs and goals! Common package types include team or individual golfer registrations, various sponsorship packages, and add-ons such as mulligans, dinner tickets, on-course challenge entry, or raffle tickets.

5. Explore Tools to Raise More Money

Maximize your tournament’s fundraising potential by learning more about GolfStatus’ revenue-driving opportunities, such as the Technology Sponsorship, Pin Flags, and Hole-In-One Contests. Browse the GolfStatus Marketplace for add-ons from trusted vendors and partners or purchase add-ons from the Revenue Enhancements tab in the software.

A pin flag on a golf course in the foreground and a man putting a golf ball in the background.

6. Connect with GolfStatus’ Team

It’s time to make sure all your i’s are dotted and all your t’s are crossed before you go live! Email the support team, use the chat bubble at the bottom right in the software, or book a meeting with an account manager to connect. Check in with them as much or as little as you like!

prefer to get a demo?

Of course, our team is happy to provide a demo that highlights how GolfStatus can help you hold your best golf event yet. You can book a quick 15-minute call or a full demo with one of our knowledgeable account managers, then work directly with a dedicated client success rep who can walk you through the software’s backend and provide coaching for a successful tournament.

You can choose your own path in how you work with GolfStatus. Click the button below to get started!

Get Started

Software UpdatesJennifer WemhoffOctober 14, 2024software, golf tournament management, tms, event websites, live scoring, live leaderboards, sponsorships, digital sponsor exposure, golf for good, support, event website, digital sponsorships

Putt Putt Fore Puppies is Back!

The event planning team poses in t-shirts from the tournament and a big check for Capital Humane Society.

Year two of Putt Putt Fore Puppies was a resounding success!

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

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

Thank you tournament sponsors!

Presenting Sponsor - Sinclair Hille Architects

Koozie Sponsor - Red Robin

Swag Sponsor - Raising Canes

Certified Piedmontese - Dinner Sponsor

Golf Ball Sponsor - UNICO Group

Batting Cage Sponsor - Pinnacle Bank

T-shirt Sponsor - Dormie Network

Grand Prize Sponsor - Belmont Veterinary Center

Refreshment Station Sponsor - Firespring

Snack Sponsor - Pillar Restaurant Group

Music Sponsor - Prairie Dental

Hole Sponsors:

3rd quarter / Post-Tournament update

We did it! The second annual Putt Putt Fore Puppies was an even bigger success than last year. Our goal was to donate $12,000 to Capital Humane Society, and thanks to the generosity of our networks and the Lincoln community, the event raised over $15,000 to help care for homeless pets!

event day & post-tournament recap

The tournament sold out, with 54 teams on all three courses at Adventure Golf. We made some changes to the tournament’s set up, moving check in and add-ons closer to Adventure Golf’s entrance to clear up a bottleneck we saw in that area from last year. Things ran smoothly for the most part, though we may add another station for folks to purchase add-ons next year to keep things moving. Over $5,000 went through our GolfStatus event website on tournament day for purchase of all-in games, raffle tickets, t-shirts, and donations, along with nearly $500 in cash. Golfers browsed raffle prizes, visited sponsor booths, decorated pet bandanas, interacted with adoptable dogs from Capital Humane Society, and enjoyed dinner while waiting for the shotgun start.

Emails were sent to all participants prior to the event reminding them to check their hole assignments and encouraging them to download the GolfStatus app ahead of time. Most teams were ready to go with the app, but QR codes were posted at registration and on the clubhouse for folks to easily download the app if need be.

We adjusted the day’s schedule based on 2023, allowing additional time for the teams on the more difficult Backwoods course to finish (even though it wasn’t quite enough time!). Thankfully, live scoring helped our team finalize the results on each of the three courses in just a few minutes so we could move onto awards quickly.

Overall, the event was a resounding success and Capital Humane Society was overwhelmed by the response to the event and the amount the tournament was able to donate. The planning team met to debrief and have some ideas to make the event even better next year! We sent out a post-tournament survey and will use those suggestions to improve for 2025.

3rd quarter update

The third quarter was a race to sell sponsorship packages, promote the tournament, recruit teams, and handle the final details to ensure a successful event. As we experienced last year, the bulk of the team registrations came in during the month leading up to tournament day.

Having a larger planning team than last year paid dividends in sharing the load of sponsor outreach, tournament prep, and day-of event execution. We continued to meet monthly but increased the frequency to bi-weekly leading up to the tournament. GolfStatus’ downloadable Timeline and Checklist kept our planning and task on target.

We crossed these major planning tasks off the list in the third quarter:

    ✓  Finalized details, logistics, and hole assignments for on-course games.
✓  Discussed a plan for inclement weather (which we thankfully didn’t need!)
✓  Promoted the tournament through email blasts, posts on local event calendars, hanging up flyers in businesses in the area, sending flyers home with local elementary school students, and word of mouth.
✓  Sent an email to last year’s participants with a promo code for $5 off registration on National Adopt A Shelter Pet Day on April 30
✓  Sold all but two sponsorships, both of which already had their hard costs covered. Each team member reached out to their networks to promote available sponsorships.
✓  Placed vendor orders for signage, koozies, golf balls, pin flags, and t-shirts.
✓  Worked with our client success rep to make hole assignments and sponsor hole assignments.
✓  Sent emails to all participants via the GolfStatus messaging tool to encourage them to download the GolfStatus app, purchase add-ons, and review hole assignments.
✓  Coordinated with Capital Humane Society to have adoptable dogs on site at the tournament. 

2nd Quarter Update

Planning has continued moving along smoothly. Getting the event website up and running was much simpler this time around, since all we had to do was copy last year’s event and update the specifics. We decided to offer two team registration packages, one that included a t-shirt for each team member at a higher price point and one that didn’t.

Each committee member was responsible for developing one or more sponsorship packages, which were added to the newly launched event website. We ran a registration promotion as part of National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day on April 30, offering a promo code for $5 off registration, which was sent to last year’s participants via GolfStatus’ email tool.

We did run into one major hiccup which necessitated a date change. The event was originally planned for Friday, September 20, but when the Big 10 conference released the 2024 football schedule, we discovered a home Nebraska Cornhuskers football game the same evening as the tournament. In football-crazed Lincoln, we didn’t think we could compete with the Huskers, so the tournament was moved a week earlier to September 13. We made sure all promotional materials (including the event website, flyers, social media graphics, and email blasts) were updated and that we communicated with the teams and sponsors who had already committed. Adventure Golf continues to be a great partner, working with us to seamlessly move the event date.

Perhaps best of all, after learning about the animals in need of homes, one of our planning committee members decided to adopt a cat from Capital Humane Society!

David and Quynh, his new cat from Capital Humane Society!

Here are the tasks we handled this quarter:

✓ Finalized registration packages and pricing
✓ Finalized sponsor packages and pricing
✓ Launched the event website and opened registration
✓ Sent an email to last year’s participants with a promo code for $5 off registration on National Adopt A Shelter Pet Day on April 30
✓ Created promotional graphics, logos, and flyers
✓ Brainstormed revenue enhancers
✓ Discussed plans for on-course games
✓ Began soliciting donations for raffle prizes
✓ Began sponsor outreach
✓ Sold 12 sponsorships (thanks Certified Piedmontese, Red Robin, Raising Cane's, 402 Title Services, Upland Software, Nexus Marketing, Vanity Fur, Kyson Denker State Farm, Engineering Technologies Inc, Stewart Title Company, Global Golf Post, Prairie Dental Group, and Luly Motors!)
✓ Sold 13 teams
✓ Met with Capital Humane Society staff about event promotion and logistics (and got to meet some of the adoptable pets)

1st Quarter Update

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

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

Here are the tasks we handled this quarter:

✓ Finalized the planning committee
✓ Set dates for all remaining committee meetings
✓ Set a fundraising goal
✓ Reviewed pricing options for facility rental and team registration
✓ Brainstormed sponsorship and package ideas
✓ Brainstormed revenue enhancers
✓ Locked it in with Adventure Golf (September 20!)
✓ Confirmed the date with the Capital Humane Society team
✓ Divided up sponsorships among committee members
✓ Worked on updating the event website so it can launch in April
✓ Updated the tournament’s budget spreadsheet

Organizing a Charity Golf Tournament: Key Tips & Checklist

People participate in a charity golf tournament

If you’ve never planned a golf tournament before or your organization doesn’t currently have a golf event as part of its fundraising portfolio, you’re likely wondering about what it takes to raise money with golf. Planning a successful golf fundraiser starts with a solid understanding of some fundamentals, paired with a golf tournament checklist to keep you on task and on target.

Want to brainstorm ideas for your charity golf event?

Check out this guide.

What to Know Before Organizing a Charity Golf Tournament

You don’t have to be a golf expert.
Most of your fundraising revenue goes to your cause.
Golf events are more popular than ever before.
Golf events bring new donors to the table.
Sponsors are interested in connecting with your donors in new ways.
Golf tournaments are fun and exciting.
Organizing a charity golf event is worth the work.
Use a checklist to stay organized.

1. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A GOLF EXPERT.

Many event planners aren’t golfers—and don’t need to be to hold a lucrative golf tournament. All that’s really needed is a tool that helps organizers, committees, and volunteers navigate the intricacies of a golf event and that’s purposefully designed to save novice and seasoned golf event planners time and resources.

An event management platform designed specifically for golf fundraisers makes things easier and walks you through planning and executing every step on your golf tournament fundraiser checklist. Look for a tool that makes it easy to collaborate and exchange information with the golf facility and one with a responsive customer success team that’s there when you need them.

2. GOLF FACILITIES ARE EAGER TO HOST GOLF TOURNAMENTS.

When organizing a charity golf tournament, make sure your donors, staff, and sponsors have downtime to interact and build connections with each other.

Outside golf outings like memorial tournaments, charity outings, major fundraisers, and small local events are essential to a golf facility’s bottom line. You’re essentially guaranteeing the course that you’ll fill the tee times for the day, plus any additional revenue from the pro shop and food and beverage, not to mention exposure to avid golfers who could become members. This gives you, the event organizer, leverage when it comes to negotiating better pricing for the event. Certainly, the more high-end the facility, typically the higher the green fees will be. That said, here are some things to consider to maximize the cost-effectiveness of the facility:

Tap into your networks. Ask board members, volunteers, and other supporters who are members at higher-end facilities if they have connections and can facilitate a favorable rate.

Hold the event on an off day. Try to avoid busy holiday weekends and other high-traffic dates for courses. Ask about slower days of the week; rates on Mondays, for example, are typically lower than rates on Fridays or Saturdays.
Consider adding a virtual option. A virtual tournament extends the event to multiple days or weeks and/or across multiple courses. With this option, players and teams participate on their own time, scheduling their tee times directly with the facility, so your organization doesn’t actually need to occupy the facility on a specific date for a specific period of time. You can also consider holding a virtual event in tandem with a traditional one-day event to allow for more participants and revenue.

3. GOLF EVENTS ARE MORE POPULAR THAN EVER BEFORE.

Golf has seen record-setting popularity over the past few years. Nationwide, the game has seen a net game of more than 2.3 million on-course golfers since 2020. More than 123 million Americans consumed golf in some way in 2023, an increase of 14% over the past five years. Retail equipment sales continue to remain strong.

Golf fundraisers have enjoyed a similar surge in popularity, with nonprofits of all sizes launching first-year tournaments to capitalize on golfers’ eagerness to get on to the course. These fundraisers are now building on their success as third or even fourth-year events! Golf outings may have emerged as a viable option for in-person fundraising events, but organizations discovered how these events connect them to exactly the types of donors and sponsors that turn into sustainers and long-term corporate partners.

Active Golfers
1 in 9 Americans

Average Golfer's Net Worth
$768,000

4. GOLF EVENTS BRING NEW DONORS TO THE TABLE.

In general, golfers tend to represent an affluent, influential demographic. Its participants report higher household and discretionary income (more than double the national average) and thus a higher capacity to give. Younger golfers are also increasingly taking up the sport, with more on-course golfers between the ages of 18 and 34 than any other segment.

When golfers tap into their personal and professional networks to field a team (particularly in tournaments with a scramble format that allows for a wider range of skill levels), it instantly broadens your prospective donor base and exposes new people to your mission. What’s more, your tournament’s sponsors give your development and major gift teams an “in” to potential high-capacity donors and corporate partners. Indeed, golf presents an opportunity to connect with new sponsors and supporters through a sport that people want to play. There’s never been a better time to get in front of golfers and sponsors eager to support golf events.

5. SPONSORS ARE INTERESTED IN CONNECTING WITH YOUR DONORS IN NEW WAYS.

High quality, professional golf course signage certainly has its place in terms of sponsor recognition, but sponsors are increasingly looking for avenues to both support organizations and get their brands in front of the affluent golfer demographic. The good news for both nonprofits and sponsors is that the same technology that streamlines golf events opens doors for digital sponsorship exposure. Digital sponsorships can be sold at a premium, giving sponsors exposure to an audience they can’t get anywhere else and offering a high return on their investment.

Corporate partners and sponsors have a vested interest in supporting the tech that helps organizations streamline clerical tasks and eliminate duplicative work. Plus digital exposure is easy to manage—just plug in a logo on a website, in a mobile app, or on your event’s live leaderboards. These methods take less time and effort, have little to no overhead costs, and have substantially lower expenses compared to traditional branded pieces.

What’s more, golf tournaments offer sponsors high engagement over the course of several hours on the course. Whether it’s sponsoring a golfer-favorite hole-in-one contest, setting up a booth on a tee box as a hole sponsor, or running an on-course game, golf events give sponsors the opportunity to engage with participants in meaningful ways.

6. GOLF TOURNAMENTS ARE FUN & EXCITING.

The difference between a good golf event and a great golf event is the overall experience. There are many ways to add fun and excitement (and raise a few more dollars along the way). On-course competitions like hole-in-one contests, longest drive contests, closest-to-the-pin contests, and putting contests let golfers test their luck (or skill) to win great prizes—and are premium sponsorship opportunities.

For example, you can add a buy-in to your tournament’s skins games, which creates mini-competitions between individuals or teams. Displaying skins results on real-time leaderboards keeps golfers engaged.

Other fun add-ons might include:

A celebrity appearance

A professional long-driver on a designated hole or holes
Games or demonstrations on each tee box
Custom player gifts
Live or silent auctions
Post-golf entertainment

The options are endless—but the key is to choose components that contribute to a well-executed event and memorable experience that will keep golfers and sponsors coming back year after year.

7. ORGANIZING A CHARITY GOLF EVENT IS WORTH THE WORK.

Three golfers chat in a golf cart during a charity golf tournament

Golf’s fundraising capacity is unmatched. And while golf events have a number of moving pieces and unique details to handle, the right tools can ease the administrative burden as you tick items off of your golf tournament fundraiser checklist. Golf event management tech eliminates manual registration and payment processes and siloed information, making it easier to collaborate and delegate tasks to teams, board members, volunteers, and even staff at the golf facility.

Your golf event management software should have robust reporting capabilities so you can easily track payments and who is supporting your cause. It should also handle golf-specific tasks, such as:

Building custom sponsorship packages
Syncing GHIN handicaps
Simplifying team pairings
Streamlining hole assignments and hole-by-hole sponsor exposure
Making live-scoring super simple

Truly, a fundraising platform designed specifically for charity golf tournaments ensures that no detail is missed. Look for the solution that leaves organizers free to recruit players and sponsors, solicit donations, and upsell and steward donor relationships in ways that advance the event and the organization forward.

Get a GolfStatus Demo

Golf Tournament Fundraiser Checklist

Two organizers reading papers at a charity golf tournament

A checklist, with an accompanying timeline of tasks, is a tried and true method to staying organized throughout the golf tournament planning process. Depending on the size, scope, and goals of your golf event, a good recommendation is to give yourself at least four to six months to plan. An event management platform built for golf is also a must-have to streamline the process and keep everything organized in one place.

Here’s a quick checklist of important tasks and to-dos to get you started.

3-6 Months Out: Laying the Foundation

Outline goals and objectives for the tournament based on your mission and fundraising goals

Assemble a planning committee
Get your golf tournament management software in place
Set a budget based on how much you aim to raise, income streams, and estimated expenses
Choose a date and host golf facility for the tournament
Start outlining team and sponsor pricing
Launch an event website
Create a marketing plan for the event
Determine whether you’ll have any add-ons, like contests, on-course games, raffle drawings, or an auction

2-5 Months Out: Big-Picture Finalization

Finalize sponsorship offerings and team packages

Get quotes from vendors
Meet with your planning team
Reach out to prospective sponsors
Promote the tournament

1-2 Months Out: Countdown Preparation

Continue promotion and marketing to sell teams

Meet with your planning team
Finalize on-course games and purchase hole-in-one insurance
Determine a contingency plan for inclement weather
Recruit volunteers and determine roles
Continue sponsor outreach

2 Weeks Out: Final Touches

Meet with the planning team to tie up any loose ends

Finalize details and food and beverage with the golf facility
Check on outstanding vendor orders
Close registration

1 Week Out: Crunch Time

Collaborate with the golf facility to finalize team pairings, hole assignments, logistics, vendor deliveries, and setup

Gather supplies and materials (registration items, signage, banners, golfer gifts, raffle prizes, auction items, etc.)

The Big Day

Set up registration, signage, contests, screens for leaderboards, and awards
Take photos and post on social media
Take time to connect with sponsors to build donor relationships

1-2 Weeks Post-Event: Following Up

Export the donor data from your event management software to include in your nonprofit’s CRM

Debrief with your planning team to review goals, outcomes, and improvements for next year
Report on the event’s success to donors, volunteers, and sponsors
Send thank yous to event sponsors and participants

For a more in-depth list of planning tasks with a customizable timeline, download GolfStatus’ free Golf Tournament Fundraiser Timeline and Checklist.

Final Thoughts & Next Steps

Golf tournaments offer a ton of fundraising potential. Understanding the basics of charity golf events and staying organized and on track are keys to planning a successful golf tournament. Start by getting a golf event management platform in place as soon as possible, then outlining all your priorities and to-dos in a golf tournament fundraiser planning checklist.

Get qualified to use GolfStatus’ tournament management software at no upfront cost through the Golf for Good program! You’ll save 40 hours or more in planning time and get access to tools to help you raise thousands more dollars for your cause. Click below to connect with our team and get started.

Level up your next golf tournament!

Get a demo of GolfStatus today!

A Q&A With PGA Professionals: Choosing a Golf Facility

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

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

Image of three men hitting golf balls. — The PGA Professionals on staff at GolfStatus, from left: Paul Murcek, PGA; Cash Dinkel, PGA; Jason Meininger, PGA

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

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

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

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

An aerial view of a golf course with mountains in the background. — Several factors play into choosing a golf course for your golf tournament, including cost per golfer, location of the facility, and the demographics of your tournament's target market.

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

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

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

Pricing
Set up on the day of the event
What the course provides (things like tables, chairs, meals, scoring, contest setup)
Schedule for the day,
If range balls are provided

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

Golfers enjoy lunch at a charity golf tournament before heading out to play. — It's a good idea to review the contract's list of charges with golf course staff prior to signing and checking on details like adding an automatic gratuity to food and beverage.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Golf carts are lined up prior to the start of a charity golf tournament. — Check with the golf facility on what the price per golfer includes, such as greens fees and cart fees.

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

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

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

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

Ask the Pros!

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

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

Get qualified

Best PracticesJennifer WemhoffSeptember 9, 2024software, tms, event websites, sponsorships, digital sponsor exposure, golf for good, support, charity golf tournaments, sponsors, golf, contests, golf tournament management

A Q&A With PGA Professionals: The Ins & Outs of Contests

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A golfer hits a tee shot on a par three as part of a hole-in-one contest.

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

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

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

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

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

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

A PGA Professional provides guidance while a golfer takes a swing.

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

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

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

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

A sign announcing the sponsor of a hole-in-one contest at a charity golf tournament.

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

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

Ask the Pros!

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

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

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Best PracticesJennifer WemhoffJuly 18, 2024software, tms, event websites, sponsorships, digital sponsor exposure, golf for good, support, charity golf tournaments, hole-in-one contests, sponsors, golf, Dormie Network, contests, golf tournament management

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

Quick Start Guide

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!

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Software UpdatesJennifer WemhoffJuly 11, 2024software, golf tournament management, tms, event websites, skins games, live scoring, live leaderboards, sponsorships, digital sponsor exposure, golf for good, support

Mastering Corporate Golf Events: How to Launch Your Own

If you’re looking for a fresh idea to engage employees, clients, and the community at large while raising awareness about your brand in a unique and meaningful way, a corporate golf event is the perfect answer. Corporate golf outings—especially when they’re well-managed and organized—offer a variety of positive outcomes for a company.

Golfers high five during a corporate golf event.

What Are Corporate Golf Events?

A corporate golf event is a tournament or outing planned and hosted by a business. Corporate events often raise money for a corporate foundation or favorite nonprofit, but don’t have to include a charitable component. Such events are used as an opportunity for team-building across departments, to entertain clients or prospects, or as a give-back initiative.

For example, a credit union is looking for a new way to support the children’s hospital in its community. The credit union organizes a corporate golf event targeted at credit union employees, partners, and vendors, and hospital personnel. The event connects people across organizations while raising money for the hospital.

Learn How to Plan a Corporate Golf Event

What Are the Benefits of Corporate Golf Events?

Enhance Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is becoming increasingly important to employees, partners, and clients who want to work and spend their dollars with businesses that prioritize community impact. Consider these CSR statistics:

93% of employees think companies should lead with purpose
77% of consumers want to purchase from socially-responsible companies
94% of major US corporations plan to increase or maintain their corporate giving over the next few years

CSR initiatives should be strategic, genuine, and multifaceted. A corporate golf outing that benefits a charity or cause is a great addition to your company’s CSR portfolio, providing not only a philanthropic opportunity, but the brand lift and awareness that comes from a fun community fundraiser.

As a business, this could mean connecting with an existing golf event to support it as a sponsor. Or, if you choose to take it a step further by hosting your own corporate event, you can be strategic in choosing nonprofit beneficiaries while also reaping a reputational boost.

Connect With Your Community

Golf events are unique in that they can be designed as communal activities. If community engagement and outreach are among your goals for the outing, you’ll want to ask and answer a few questions as you get started:

Who would we like to attend the outing?
What’s our goal for turnout?
What do we want our attendees to take away from this event?
Does it make sense to open the tournament up to the broader community?

You may invite specific community members to participate, such as the mayor, community outreach group leaders, school administrators, or other stakeholders. Or invite staff or beneficiaries from the charity the outing will raise money for. Either way, be thoughtful about how the event might be a win-win for your business and the community.

No matter the audience you choose or the objective at hand for your business, having an easy way to register and track interested participants and sponsorships is crucial. Online registration with secure payment processing as part of a broader golf event management platform makes it easy to collect participant information, manage it in real time, and facilitate communications before, during, and after the event.

A group of golfers watch a shot while playing at a corporate golf event.

Provide a Competitive Edge

Creating positive social impact has increasingly become a competitive advantage for businesses. As a community event that tends to attract attention in addition to raising dollars, a corporate golf event that’s dedicated to supporting a cause helps set your brand apart from your competitors and attract socially responsible customers.

An event website makes it simple to spread the word about your event while also getting more support from the community. A professional event site also elevates your brand, cause, and case for support. A website provider like GolfStatus, that’s powered by a golf-specific software platform, lets you manage players, teams, and hole assignments with just a few clicks.

Build & Foster Relationships

Golf outings are unique in that they give participants four or five focused hours on the golf course—a rarity in today’s busy world. That means several hours of facetime with colleagues, vendors, clients, prospects, or others to network and advance important business relationships. This also means that your business development team gets quality time to engage with current and prospective clients and partners to thank them for their continued involvement or advance a new relationship.

If fostering business relationships is among your goals for the event, you’ll want to ensure a smooth and seamless experience for participants from the time they hear about your event to the thank you they receive for supporting it. Every touchpoint should be seamless and professional, including online registration, clear communication in the time leading up to the event, high quality branded cart signs and scorecards, and TOUR-caliber live leaderboards.

Boost Employee Engagement

In today’s competitive job market, businesses need to find ways to attract and retain top talent, which means demonstrating that business priorities include more than just the bottom line. Studies show that team bonding events can boost employee retention and performance at work. A golf outing can be used to engage employees, reward them for a job well done, build morale, and encourage team retention. Best of all, holding a charity event satisfies the 71% of employees who think it’s important to work at a company that gives back.

A group of coworkers celebrate a successful putt at a corporate golf event.

Allow Your Company to Do Good In Your Community

Golf has deep ties to the nonprofit sector, evidenced by the $4.6 billion that the sport raises for charity annually. It’s a game that brings people together in a memorable way to raise funds for a good cause. Golf’s popularity continues to grow, making it a great time to use it to give back—to your employees, your community, and an important cause.

For instance, in the example mentioned above, a credit union hosted a golf tournament that raised money for the local children’s hospital. Organizers sold sponsorships to the credit union’s partners, vendors, and industry associations who share an interest in advancing children’s healthcare. Golfers represented sponsors, employees from the host credit union and competing credit unions, members of the city council, and hospital staff. Hospital patients and administrators attended the event and helped run on-course games that allowed participants to connect with the “why” behind the event. The event raised $50,000 which provided financial assistance to patients and their families and built strong connections within the community.

How to Host a Corporate Golf Event

If you’ve never planned a golf tournament before or don’t know much about the sport, don’t worry—you can still hold a professional, memorable event that engages employees and the community. Here’s how:

1. Use the Right Tools

It’s likely that planning a company golf outing isn’t your full-time job, or even something you do on a regular basis, so you might not know where to start or how to maximize efficiencies that save your precious time. Most event management systems aren’t able to intuitively manage the intricacies of a golf outing (hole assignments, player pairings, scoring and leaderboards, flighting, handicaps, etc.) so look for one that’s built specifically for golf tournaments and includes:

A screenshot of the online registration process for a corporate golf event is displayed on a laptop computer — Online registration is non-negotiable when planning a corporate golf event. It gives the event and your brand a professional feel and is a time-saver for tournament planners.

Online Registration. This is a must-have—golfers seamlessly submit their information and payment online, saving hours of dealing with spreadsheets, checks, and receipts.

Customizable Event Website. The site should present your event in a professional light and make it simple to promote the event, provide digital sponsor exposure, and share detailed information about the event.
Shared Access. All registration information should populate into the platform’s back end, which means all the event’s information is stored and accessible in one place by organizers and even staff at the golf facility.
Communication Tools. Need an easy way to quickly communicate with all registrants? Your platform should have built-in communication tools like emails and push notifications.
Pre-formatted Printouts. Want to print branded scorecards and cart signs? Use a platform that comes with pre-formatted, professional printouts.
Live-scoring & Leaderboards. Golfers submit their scores with an easy-to-use, reliable live-scoring app that syncs to live leaderboards. Live leaderboards give the tournament an even more professional look and feel and allow teams to track current standings.

Ready to start planning?

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2. Set Goals & Outline the Specifics

Once you have your management tool in place, you can determine goals and specifics. The goals for the event will help other key details fall into place, so start by thinking through what you hope to accomplish. Keep in mind that goals don’t have to be mutually exclusive—you can engage employees while also raising money for charity.

If you are planning to include a fundraising component in the outing, work directly with the chosen nonprofit partner from the beginning to ensure everyone is on the same page and to collect logos and messaging.

Once you’ve determined the outing’s goals, it’s time to think through event specifics, including:

Target audience (employees, clients, partners, community members, etc.)
Tournament budget
Host golf facility
Planning team roles and responsibilities
Marketing and communications strategy
Sponsorship packages (if applicable)
Contingency plan for inclement weather
Prizes and awards
Add-on activities and contests, such as on-course games, hole-in-one contests, raffle drawings, or a silent auction

Step-by-Step Golf Tournament Planning Guide

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3. Promote the Corporate Golf Event

It’s time to get the word out about the event! How you do this is dependent on the target audience for your outing. For instance, if the tournament is open to employees, you might include a link to the event website in internal newsletters or mention it in company meetings. If the event is open to the community at large, send promotional emails, include in client newsletters, and mention on your social media channels. And if you’re raising money for a nonprofit, work with them to promote the tournament to their supporter base.

Particularly if your golf outing has a charitable component, consider drumming up some positive PR for your company and what the event is raising money for. Invite members of the press and the community to participate and work together to raise awareness for a good cause (and give your brand a substantial lift).

If you’re live scoring the event, post a link to the live leaderboards on your social media channels to get even more exposure for your company and brand, the benefiting charity, and the leaderboard sponsor (if you have one).

Golfers warm up on the driving range before a corporate golf event.

4. Provide a Memorable Experience

What sets a great event apart from a good event is the overall experience. Folks will remember if the event was chaotic and plagued with snafus—or if it was well executed. Using technology tools to manage the event holistically frees golf facility staff up to assist and cater to golfers instead of scrambling to handle last-minute tasks like hole assignments, scorecards, cart signs, and alpha lists. It also streamlines prep and planning so event planners stay organized and can execute a seamless event.

Yes, your event needs to be well-run, but it should also offer a memorable, top-notch experience that advances business goals:

Include add-ons and extras like contests, on-course games and entertainment, auctions, and custom player gifts.
Live score the event to add an element of professionalism that’s unlike any other and let spectators (as well as event organizers who are keeping an eye on the round’s progress to facilitate an awards ceremony, banquet, reception, or other post-round gathering) follow along on live leaderboards.
Build in ways to connect with employees and/or clients, such as through a pre- or post-round meal or reception, on-course interactions, the opportunity to volunteer, or informal networking.
Be strategic when making hole assignments and how they might further business objectives. For example, you may want to pair your company’s top executives with their counterparts from a major partner or prospective client to spend the day on the course talking business and potentially even closing deals. Or group staff or board members from the benefiting charity with potential partners or donors to help advance their mission and open doors for additional support.

One woman putts while three look on holding golf clubs at a corporate golf event.

5. Track Data & Gauge Success

It’s important to demonstrate the overall success and impact of the event, both to prove its value to decision makers in your company and demonstrate your commitment to giving back if your tournament includes a fundraising component. Your golf event management platform should include robust reporting that helps you see at a glance:

The number of teams or individual golfers
The number of sponsors that signed on to support the event
The dollars that were processed through online registration and donations

You might also gather further information to gauge the event’s success by:

Sending surveys to participants to garner impressions and feedback, and the event’s impact on employee satisfaction
Having informal conversations with golfers to see what they like and how you can improve in the future
Meeting with the benefiting nonprofit to determine fundraising outcomes and next steps for donor stewardship

If your corporate golf event becomes an annual tradition, consider tracking and analyzing long-term trends, such as employee retention and the event’s impact on the company’s culture.

Powering Corporate Golf Events with GolfStatus

Whether you’re at a Fortune 500 company, a socially-responsible local business, or a corporate foundation raising money for a dedicated cause, GolfStatus’ golf event management and fundraising platform is the solution for the best event possible.

GolfStatus’ powerful, user-friendly tech saves organizers time and effort, helps raise more money, boosts your brand, and ensures a professionally planned and executed tournament from start to finish. Plus, if you’re planning an outing that benefits a nonprofit or cause, you can qualify for no-cost access through the Golf for Good program. Not only do you get an attractive, professional event website, but you also get golf-specific tools and features, access to sponsorships and add-ons only available to GolfStatus clients, and a dedicated client success rep to coach you along the way. It’s a win-win for everyone!

Use the Tech That’s Built for Golf events

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Best PracticesGuest UserJuly 1, 2024corporate events, fundraising, nonprofits, networking, businesses, charity golf tournaments, charities, community, virtual rounds, software, donor data, golf fundraisers, event websites, golf for good

5 Ideas to Make Your Golf Event More Inclusive

Golf’s ongoing popularity has led nonprofits and charities of all types and sizes to jump into the sport as a fundraising mechanism. But as popular as golf has been over the last few years, there are parts of the population—non-golfers, beginners who might not feel confident enough to register for a tournament, or individuals that have another barrier to participating—that might be left out of a standard golf tournament.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can structure your golf tournament to make it more inclusive, involving those missing folks who can be converted into donors. No matter how you choose to make your event inclusive, a golf-specific event management platform is a necessity to streamline planning for you and your team. Here are five ideas to consider for your next golf tournament.

1. Choose non-traditional events

Not every golf tournament has to be 18-holes at a traditional golf course. Yes, the vast majority of charity golf tournaments fit that mold, but you might consider an additional golf event, this time with a non-traditional spin. You’ll connect with new segments of your community to raise awareness about your mission and bring in funds for your work. Consider these examples:

Putt Putt / Mini Golf Tournament: A mini golf tournament can have many of the same elements as a regular golf tournament, just on a smaller scale. With fewer barriers to entry, a putt putt event is a great option to involve families, non-golfers, and the community at large. The Putt Putt Fore Puppies event, a first-year mini golf tournament, raised over $9,200 for the Capital Humane Society. The tournament sold out both teams (41 four-person teams) and sponsorships (21), with the top sponsorship selling for $4,000. The planning team incorporated on-course games and a raffle to raise extra dollars.
Golf Simulator Events: Golf simulators like TopGolf are extremely popular among golfers and non-golfers alike. Much like a mini golf event, there’s a broader audience for a golf simulator event and options to sell sponsorships, charge an entry fee, and leverage add-ons like a raffle or auction. Avery’s Hope, the 2023 winner of Play It Forward, chose TopGolf as an inclusive option to allow the families they serve (those dealing with rare and undiagnosed pediatric GI conditions) to participate.

A woman hits a golf ball into the hole on a mini golf course. — A putt putt or mini golf tournament is a great addition to your fundraising calendar, involving those who aren’t able to participate in a traditional golf tournament.

2. include adaptive elements

If your nonprofit serves an audience or has a supporter base that requires specific adaptations, there are ways to incorporate them into a golf tournament. The key here is to know your audience. Start by thinking through any barriers they might face to participating in a golf tournament, physical or otherwise. You could even survey a subset of your donors or constituents to gather information to help guide you in what adaptive elements to offer.

For example, Outlook Enrichment is a Nebraska-based nonprofit that serves the visually-impaired. They paired sighted golfers with visually-impaired golfers to serve as their eyes on the course. What’s more, they offer a blind golfers clinic in conjunction with the golf tournament, with coaches that specialize in working with the blind and visually-impaired. They worked with GolfStatus to make their event website and the entire registration process as accessible as possible to those with vision impairments.

A visually-impaired golfer is helped by a coach on a golf course. — Outlook Enrichment is a nonprofit that serves the visually-impaired. A blind golfers clinic is held with the annual golf fundraiser to help those with a vision impairment try their hand at golf.

When choosing a golf course for your tournament, you might also consider accessibility for those that have mobility issues. Ensure ramps are available, restrooms are handicap accessible, and work with golf facility staff to have golf carts available to accommodate different abilities.

3. use beginner-friendly tournament formats

The vast majority of charity golf tournaments utilize the scramble format. Here’s how it works: Each golfer tees off, then the team chooses the best shot and each player hits their ball from that spot. This continues until the ball is holed. The beauty of this format is that it makes the tournament approachable for golfers of all skill and experience levels, from beginners to scratch golfers. One roadblock to participating in a golf tournament, particularly for those who have never played golf before or don’t play often, is the intimidation factor. They have the perception that they’re not good enough to play so they don’t even consider it. The scramble format, whether it’s two or four-person teams, levels the playing field a bit and makes the round much more fun for all golfers.

Another way to encourage beginners or non-golfers to participate is by flighting your tournament. There are several approaches to flighting, which organizes teams into different groups, or flights, based on skill levels so teams or players of similar skill levels are competing against each other. This can happen before or after the tournament, depending on your preference. You might offer a women’s flight or beginner’s flight so folks can choose those options when they register, or you can flight results at the end. Whatever way you choose, flighting can help create an inclusive and enjoyable experience for all golfers. You’ll want to use a tournament management software that allows for easy flighting, so golf staff doesn’t have to manually sort through paper scorecards at the end of the round to finalize the results.

The scramble format is a great choice for charity golf tournaments because it makes the event more approachable for golfers of all skill and experience levels.

4. offer golf clinics or lessons

Tacking on a golf clinic or lessons to your golf tournament is a great way to target beginners. Whether you schedule it for immediately before the tournament or a day or two prior, a clinic working on basic golf skills gives beginners the confidence boost they may need to commit to playing in your golf fundraiser. You have the option to include the cost it in the registration fee (after all, even more experienced golfers can use a few pointers to improve their game), charge an additional fee to participate, or find a sponsor to underwrite the whole thing (and give them exclusive naming rights to the extra event!).

Work with the pro at the golf facility you’ve chosen to see if they’re willing to lead the clinic. You could tailor it specifically for beginners or offer a series of clinics for beginner, intermediate, and advanced skill sets.

5. add other activities

To include non-golfers in your golf tournament, consider adding supplemental activities that attract families, spouses, partners, or friends of those playing in the event or members of the community who want to support your organization but don’t want to play golf. Some ideas include:

Putting contest
Live and/or silent auction
Wine tasting event
Cocktail hour
Movie screening
Musical performances
Crafts
Volunteer activities
Meet and greet with nonprofit beneficiaries
Speaker or workshop

Two men hold guitars and sing as part of a performance at a golf tournament. — A musical performance can help attract non-golfers to your golf tournament.

These add-ons can occur during the round or just prior to any post-golf awards ceremony or banquet. Pitch the add-on activities to a local business as a sponsorship and highlight the additional exposure they’ll get—both to golfers and to the non-golf attendees.

Final Thoughts

Inclusivity is a big deal, especially for nonprofits. Making your golf tournament more inclusive not only gets more folks involved to support your mission, but shows that your organization seeks to involve all segments of your community. As you start planning your charity golf tournament, think through how you can incorporate these ideas to remove barriers for people to support you through golf.

Hit the easy button for your next golf fundraiser

GolfStatus’ tournament management software makes golf fundraisers—of all types and sizes—easier and more lucrative than ever. Save a ton of time with online registration, built-in automations, and auto-generated printouts and raise even more money by leveraging GolfStatus’ exclusive sponsorships, add-ons, and built-in fundraising tools. Plus, our industry-leading support team is here to help every step of the way. Click below to get qualified to use GolfStatus at no cost through the Golf for Good program.

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Best PracticesGuest UserDecember 19, 2023putt putt tournaments, charity golf tournaments, software, golf simulators, accessibility, scrambles, flights, auctions, add-ons, inclusivity

Plan a Golf Tournament With Us!

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

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

A big THANK YOU to our tournament sponsors!

Presenting Sponsor

hole sponsors

Yankee Hill Veterinary Hospital Website Link

Post-event update

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

We worked on these post-tournament tasks in the last month or so:

    ✓  Sent a thank you to all attendees via GolfStatus’ platform
✓  Sent handwritten thank you notes to sponsors
✓  Provided hole signs to sponsors
✓  Updated the event website
✓  Reconciled final expenses and income and presented a check to Capital Humane Society
✓  Debriefed with the planning committee
✓  Renewed with GolfStatus for 2024!

OCTOBEr Update

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

Lessons learned:

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

It’s a good idea to avoid mentioning a specific time for post-golf happenings, since the round might take longer than anticipated. We planned an hour for golf, but the round on the Backwoods course (which is significantly more difficult than the Blue course) took close to an hour and half. Those on the Blue course finished in just over an hour, and thankfully were content to mingle, enjoy dinner or a drink, hit the batting cages, and soak in the beautiful weather while waiting for the raffle drawing and awards presentation.
Having QR codes for folks to buy raffle tickets and the all-in games package made it super easy to do. We also had QR codes to download the GolfStatus app for live-scoring, since we didn’t use paper scorecards. Live-scoring was a big hit, and sponsors loved seeing their logo in the app.
Giving ourselves plenty of time for setup was helpful—we arrived at Adventure Golf about 12:30 so we weren’t pushed to get everything ready before registration opened at 3:30.
Running everything through the GolfStatus event website was so helpful in reconciling expenses. Some golfers preferred to pay via cash, but that added a level of complexity for accounting purposes.
Getting proofs for printed items is imperative to ensure there are no errors and all items are up to our high standards and make sponsors look good. We had some difficulties getting accurate proofs from a vendor, but our persistence paid off and everything turned out fine (though it did add some unnecessary stress).
We truly couldn’t have done without GolfStatus. From easy registration, instant sponsor exposure, premium sponsorships, and the hands-on help from the client success team, GolfStatus was a key part of our success.

We crossed these last-minute to-dos off of the list in the weeks and days leading up to the event:

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

September Update

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

Here are the tasks we accomplished in September:

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

AUGUST Update

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

Here are the tasks we accomplished in August:

✓ Sold out our slate of sponsorships (shout out to Sinclaire Hille Architects, Ross Eickhoff State Farm, 402 Creamery, Allo Fiber, Raising Cane’s, Luly Motors, Pioneer Greens Dentistry, Nexus Marketing, Amigos/Kings Classic, Vanicek Dental, Yankee Hill Veterinary Hospital, Prairie Dental, Armature)
✓ Sold 10 teams
✓ Continued posting promotional flyers at businesses around Lincoln
✓ Worked on a promotional strategy to drive team registrations
✓ Held our monthly tournament planning committee meeting
✓ Created a spreadsheet to track volunteers, on-course games, prizes, and donations
✓ Started recruiting volunteers to help run the tournament
✓ Got to know some of the furry friends available for adoption at Capital Humane Society
✓ Continued outreach for in kind prize donations

July Update

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

Here are the tasks we accomplished in July:

✓ Onboarded five new sponsors (shout out to Upland Software, Global Golf Post, Five Nines, Nicki for Nebraska, Allstate Agent Ty Shearman)
✓ Sold 11 teams
✓ Dropped flyers off at businesses around Lincoln to promote the tournament
✓ Held our monthly planning committee meeting
✓ Got to know some of the furry friends available for adoption at Capital Humane Society
✓ Continued sponsor outreach and asks for prize donations
✓ Selected a photographer to capture images of the event

June Update

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

Here are the tasks we accomplished in June:

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

May Update

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

Here's what we did in May:

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

April Update

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

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

We crossed these items off the to-do list in April:

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

March Update

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

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

Here are the tasks we tackled in March:

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

February Update

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

  
    Here’s what we accomplished in February:

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

January Update

Here’s what we did in January:

✓ Set a tentative event date in October 2023
✓ Checked local event calendars for conflicts
✓ Met with the golf facility (Adventure Golf Center in Lincoln, Nebraska)
✓ Received a GolfStatus demo
✓ Brainstormed event ideas with the planning team and our GolfStatus Account Manager
✓ Practiced our putting skills

Everything you need to know about using golf to fundraise, make connections, drive support, and do more good.

1. Create or add a round

2. Set Your Tournament Status to Active

3. Update the Event Site Homepage

4. Create Custom Team & Sponsorship Packages

5. Explore Tools to Raise More Money

6. Connect with GolfStatus’ Team

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3rd quarter / Post-Tournament update

event day & post-tournament recap

3rd quarter update

2nd Quarter Update

1st Quarter Update

Want to brainstorm ideas for your charity golf event?

Check out this guide.

What to Know Before Organizing a Charity Golf Tournament

1. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A GOLF EXPERT.

2. GOLF FACILITIES ARE EAGER TO HOST GOLF TOURNAMENTS.

3. GOLF EVENTS ARE MORE POPULAR THAN EVER BEFORE.

4. GOLF EVENTS BRING NEW DONORS TO THE TABLE.

5. SPONSORS ARE INTERESTED IN CONNECTING WITH YOUR DONORS IN NEW WAYS.

6. GOLF TOURNAMENTS ARE FUN & EXCITING.

7. ORGANIZING A CHARITY GOLF EVENT IS WORTH THE WORK.

Golf Tournament Fundraiser Checklist

3-6 Months Out: Laying the Foundation

2-5 Months Out: Big-Picture Finalization

1-2 Months Out: Countdown Preparation

2 Weeks Out: Final Touches

1 Week Out: Crunch Time

The Big Day

1-2 Weeks Post-Event: Following Up

Final Thoughts & Next Steps

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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What Are Corporate Golf Events?

Learn How to Plan a Corporate Golf Event

What Are the Benefits of Corporate Golf Events?

Enhance Corporate Social Responsibility

Connect With Your Community

Provide a Competitive Edge

Build & Foster Relationships

Boost Employee Engagement

Allow Your Company to Do Good In Your Community

How to Host a Corporate Golf Event

1. Use the Right Tools

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2. Set Goals & Outline the Specifics

Step-by-Step Golf Tournament Planning Guide

3. Promote the Corporate Golf Event

4. Provide a Memorable Experience

5. Track Data & Gauge Success

Powering Corporate Golf Events with GolfStatus

Use the Tech That’s Built for Golf events

1. Choose non-traditional events

2. include adaptive elements

3. use beginner-friendly tournament formats

4. offer golf clinics or lessons

5. add other activities

Final Thoughts

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Everything you need to know about using golf to fundraise,
make connections, drive support, and do more good.

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