GolfStatus’ on-staff PGA Professionals—Cash Dinkel, PGA; Jason Meininger, PGA; and Paul Murcek, PGA—continue to share their insights and experiences in this ongoing PGA Q&A blog series. They’re back for another installment, this time talking about a popular revenue enhancer at charity golf tournaments—on-course games.

Q: We want to have games on some of the tournament holes. How many is too many? How many do you recommend?

Cash Dinkel: I would say keep it to six or fewer. Four is a great sweet spot. You don’t want to have too many games that it impacts the pace of play too much, but games can be a great way to earn some extra money from golfers.

Paul Murcek: I wouldn’t recommend doing more than six, especially if the games will slow down the tournament’s pace of play.

Jason Meininger: I would say between three and six games is about right. If you have too many, it will slow down the pace of play, and no one likes getting stuck waiting at a hole.

Q: What are some of the best on-course games you’ve seen at charity golf tournaments? What made them great?

Jason Meininger: A few I’ve seen work well at charity tournaments:

• Beat the Pro. On a par three hole, a Pro (could be the course’s golf pro, a professional golf entertainer, or other person) hits a shot and golfers pay to hit the same shot. They win a prize if their shot is closer to the hole. Golfers feel great if they can beat the pro!

• Air cannon. Golfers pay $20 (or other amount) to shoot the air cannon as their tee shot. This is really popular—it’s fun to shoot the cannon.

• Chip into a small pool. Golfers pay to hit a chip shot to land in the pool to win a prize.

Cash Dinkel:

• Use the Pro’s shot. Each team pays $20 or so and gets to hit their next shot from where the Pro hits their shot. This is very popular on par threes and par fives if the Pro hits the ball a long way.

• Closest to the pin, long drive, or longest putt contests. Sell a sponsorship to pay for the cost of the prize (and a little extra revenue), and the winners get golf shop credit or another prize.

• Beat the Pro. Another variation on what Jason mentioned is that each team pays $100 to go against the pro. If the team is closer than the pro on the tee shot, the team gets a one on that hole; if not, the hole is played normally. Another option is to give additional raffle tickets to teams who win.

• 50/50 putting contest. Set up a medium difficulty putt, maybe 20 to 30 feet. Golfers pay $20 per attempt with unlimited attempts. Everyone who makes the medium difficulty putt then gets to attempt a very difficult putt of 40 to 50 feet. If a golfer makes the difficult putt, they split half the entry fees with the host organization.

Habitat for Humanity of Columbus, Nebraska features a putting contest at their annual golf fundraiser, in which golfers use various building tools (two by fours, levels, sledgehammers, etc.) to putt.

Q: How about the worst on-course games? Why were they the worst?

Paul Murcek: Any game games where there’s too much time between golf shots. An example is where a golfer has to spin around and make themselves dizzy before hitting a golf shot. Although it is funny, it slows down play, and in the end, slow play is the biggest killer of repeat golfers and sponsors at a golf event.

Cash Dinkel: The String Game. No one wants to hold onto and cut a string throughout the day. Most people don’t grasp the game, and a lot of teams use it differently, making it not ideal.

Q: How do we maintain the pace of play with on-course games?

Jason Meininger: Bottom line—don’t overdo the games, or it will slow down the pace of play.

Cash Dinkel: Make them simple and easy to understand, and don’t do more than six. Games that are a part of normal play (like tee shots or putts) mean it won’t take more time than needed to play the hole.

Paul Murcek: I echo what Cash said about having games or contests that are part of normal play, like closest to the pin, beat the pro on a par three, or longest drive, to not affect the pace of play. Utilize volunteers who understand golf and suggest a window of no more than 15 minutes for a team to play a hole to keep a brisk pace of play (15 minutes per hole on an 18-hole golf course means a round of about four hours and 30 minutes).

When done properly, on-course games won’t slow down the tournament’s pace of play.

Q: Will golf course staff help run on-course games, or do I need volunteers?

Cash Dinkel: More often than not, your team will be tasked with staffing those contests. It’s a question to ask the golf facility, but I wouldn’t expect them to do that. They can usually assist you with setup.

Paul Murcek: You will definitely need volunteers or staff members from your organization. In my experience, golf course staff won’t help with on-course games in most cases.

Jason Meininger: Course staff will usually not run the games for you, so getting volunteers is the best option.

Q: Do golf facilities generally have any restrictions on the on-course games allowed? If so, what are they, and how can we work with the facility to make everyone happy?

Cash Dinkel: I’ve never heard of a golf course limiting on-course games. If there are concerns about pace of play or the need to protect the integrity of the course, they may say no to some on-course games. So make a point to communicate with the course what your plans are for games and contests, so there are no surprises on the day of the event.

Paul Murcek: Not to my knowledge, but every golf facility is different and may have different rules. Ask the pro if they have games that are not allowed.

Jason Meininger: I have never heard of a course restricting the number of on-course games, but like the other two said, be sure to talk with the golf staff to be sure.

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Ask & Work With the Golf Fundraising Pros!

If you have a question for GolfStatus’ PGA Professionals, send it in an email to [email protected] with “PGA Pro Question” in the subject line!

Nonprofits, charities, and third parties holding golf events to benefit one can qualify to use GolfStatus’ tournament management software at no upfront cost. Our in-house team of golf fundraising experts, including PGA Professionals and Fundraising Specialists, is here to help save you time and raise the most money possible. Get started with GolfStatus by booking a meeting with our team—click below!

by Jen Wemhoff, Communications Manager at GolfStatus

Sponsorships are the backbone of charity golf tournaments, generating critical revenue, providing added value for golfers, and helping cover tournament costs. But for sponsors, simply slapping their logo on a banner or cart sign isn’t enough to keep them coming back year after year.

To truly partner with your businesses and maximize their participation in your tournament, it’s important to think beyond just the dollars they contribute. Sponsors want meaningful, measurable ROI and authentic connections with your cause and your audience.

These strategies will help you purposefully and effectively engage sponsors before, during, and after your tournament to create a win-win partnership that drives results on both sides.

Before the Tournament: Lay the Foundation

Engaging sponsors starts well before they commit to supporting your event. Laying the foundation and determining your engagement strategy before starting your sponsor outreach helps set your tournament up for success.

Start with a Strategic Fit

Not every business will be the right fit as a sponsor for your tournament. As you create your prospect list, focus your outreach on companies that:

• Align (or at least don’t contradict) with your organization’s mission or values

• Want to reach your tournament’s audience, such as golfers, community members, or supporters

• Want visibility or engagement opportunities

Your pitch should explain how a sponsorship helps them achieve their goals, whether it’s increased brand awareness, lead generation, community goodwill, or supporting a cause that’s important to their employees and/or customers. Don’t be afraid to start the engagement when making your pitch but asking them what they hope to gain from sponsoring your tournament.

Hole-in-one contests give sponsors great visibility and the chance to engage with golfers.

Offer Customizable Sponsorship Packages

Sponsors want options that help them achieve their goals. Move beyond the standard sponsorship tiers and provide customizable packages that meet the sponsors’ needs. Some ideas:

• Hole-in-one contests where the sponsor can be present on the hole to interact with golfers

• Co-branded or sponsor-branded swag or giveaways in golfer gift bags

• On-course games run by representatives from the sponsoring business

• Digital sponsorship exposure on your event website, mobile app, and digital marketing campaigns

• Pin flags bearing the sponsor’s logo that are framed as keepsakes

• Naming rights for the tournament or a component (such as a happy hour, banquet, lunch, or auction)

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Free GuidE

Sample Charity Golf Tournament Packages

Get ideas to build sponsorship packages that businesses want.

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Every package should include both pre-event visibility for the sponsor’s brand (think social media posts, their logo on the event website and live-scoring app, and email mentions) and on-site presence (which could be their logo on signage or the chance to set up a table on a tee box or speak at the awards ceremony).

Communicate Early & Often

Sponsors are making an investment in your event through their dollars and associating their brand, so it’s essential to keep them in the loop. For example:

• Send a welcome email or set up an onboarding call

• Detail what assets you need from them (logos, website links, messaging, swag, etc.)

• Share a timeline of key dates, such as deadlines for submitting assets or names of golfers playing in the tournament

• Offer a preview of exactly how their sponsorship will be recognized

• Ask what else you can do to help them prepare for the tournament and help them meet their goals

Effectively communicating with sponsors helps move beyond the sponsorship beyond a transaction to a true partnership.

During the Tournament: Maximize Exposure & Engagement

Tournament day is the chance to put your best foot forward with sponsors and deliver a memorable experience that makes them feel taken care of and want to return in the future.

Deliver a Polished, Professional Experience

Sponsors will notice the little things and want their brand presented in the best possible light. You’ll want to make sure that:

• Their logo looks great on all printed materials

• Signage is correct and well-placed

• On-site reps are greeted and supported throughout the tournament

• They have the materials they need to engage with golfers and stay comfortable during the event (such as a tent, table, or power source)

Work with the sponsor to provide opportunities for them to interact with your tournament’s golfers.

Create Opportunities for Interaction

The best sponsorships go well beyond brand awareness to spark real engagement with golfers. You can help sponsors stand out by providing opportunities for them to interact with participants and create positive impressions that last beyond the 18th hole, such as:

• Running fun games or contests on assigned holes

• Providing branded snacks or drinks (or perhaps staffing the beverage cart)

• Giving product demos or free samples

• Holding raffles or giveaways that collect golfer information for follow-up

Highlight Sponsors in Real Time

Use your social media channels and push notifications in your live scoring app to recognize sponsors throughout the tournament. The goal? Boost the sponsor’s exposure (beyond those at the golf tournament) and show appreciation in real time. Here are some ideas:

• Tagging sponsors in Instagram stories or Facebook posts

• Sharing photos of the sponsors’ reps or logo placements

• Encouraging golfers to visit sponsor activations and post on their social platforms with a custom hashtag

• Sending custom sponsor messages via push notifications for top-dollar sponsors
  

After the Tournament: Show Value & Build the Partnership

Sponsor engagement doesn’t end when the tournament does. Keeping sponsors engaged with your organization is an opportunity for broader support and retention for future golf tournaments.

Say Thank You & Show Impact

Do more than a generic form letter or thank-you email. Send a handwritten note or make a personal phone call to thank them for their support of the tournament. Share the tournament’s impact and outcomes and how their support helped make it possible.

Deliver a Sponsorship Report

A personalized sponsorship report demonstrates the ROI from sponsoring your tournament. It should include:

• Basic tournament information (date, location, logos, event website link)

• Data like the number of golfers, sponsors, and volunteers that participated

• Social media metrics like reach and engagement on posts that mentioned the sponsor

• Email open rates or clicks for campaigns that included the sponsor

• Photos and screenshots of logo placements, on-site signage, or reps in action

• Golfer feedback

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Free GUIDE & Template

Golf Tournament Sponsorship Report Template

Wow your golf tournament’s sponsors! This free guide includes tips and templates to help you prove the ROI of your tournament to sponsors.

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Ask for Feedback

Give sponsors the chance to share what they liked, what could be improved, and what they’d like to see in the future. Their input can shape future tournaments and help deepen the relationship with the business.

A short post-event survey or quick debrief call shows you’re invested in their success, too!

Stay in Touch Year-Round

Don’t wait until next year’s tournament to reconnect with sponsors. Keep them engaged throughout the year so they can see the work they helped support. Some low-lift ideas:

• Make sure they receive periodic updates about your work, such as your quarterly newsletter or annual report

• Invite them to participate in other events or networking opportunities

• Give them early access or first right of refusal for next year’s golf tournament sponsorships

• Give shoutouts on social media for ongoing support

By maintaining and strengthening the relationship, you’ll keep your mission top-of-mind and make next year’s “yes” even easier.

Final Thoughts

Charity golf tournaments are important tools that do more than just raise money—they help build lasting partnerships. When you treat your sponsors as partners, and not just sources of revenue, they’re more likely to invest at higher levels, return year after year, and even become advocates for your cause.

Streamline sponsorship management and boost visibility with GolfStatus!

Book a meeting to find out more

Maybe you recently decided a charity golf tournament would be a great option to raise money for your organization or a nonprofit you love. Or perhaps your nonprofit held a spring golf event that was rained out or was so successful you want to add a second event this fall.

Either way, you may be asking yourself: Is it too late in the year to plan a golf event? Absolutely not! With the right tools in place, a successful, lucrative golf fundraiser can be planned in just a few months. Here’s why now is a great time to plan a fall golf event and how to get started.

Fall is a fantastic time to hold a golf fundraiser for your organization or a cause you care about!

Tech Makes Prep & Planning Simple & Efficient

The right tech is key to quick-paced planning. An event management platform built just for golf lets you automate planning tasks and keeps everything organized so you can successfully plan a golf event with less lead time. Opt for a web-based software solution that keeps everything in one accessible place, making it easy to collaborate with your team and the golf facility staff. You’ll also want baked-in tools to handle golf-specific details, like hole assignments, scoring, handicaps, team pairings, and more.

With tech built specifically for golf events, you’ll avoid clunky workarounds for your CRM or standard ticketing software and the need to track down and manage siloed information so you can focus on attracting players and selling sponsorships.

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PRO TIP:

Share access to your event management tech with your planning team and the golf facility so everyone is working with the same up-to-date information.

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You Can Start Promoting THE Event Right Away

An event website is the promotional hub for your golf tournament. And since a website for your golf fundraiser can be built and launched in a matter of days, you can start promoting it right away!

An event website makes tournament promotion as simple as sharing a direct link to the site where golfers can register a team, buy add-ons, or make a donation, and sponsors can commit to your event as soon as they hear about it. Plus, moving promotion online means you can skip the time-consuming process of creating registration materials and processes, collecting addresses, mailing flyers, and waiting for people to call, email, or mail in their information. So not only does a website save you time, but you’ll also save hundreds of dollars in printing and postage costs.

With an event website, you can start promoting your fall golf tournament right away by sharing the link with potential golfers and sponsor.

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PRO TIP:

Share the link on all your organization’s digital channels and ask your planning team, board members, volunteers, and supporters to do the same.

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SAVE TONS OF TIME WITH AUTOMATED WORKFLOWS 

Your event website should have online registration and secure payment processing built in. Online registration is truly a game-changer for busy event organizers, automating manual processes to save a ton of time. It eliminates the need for multiple platforms and spreadsheets, processing paper forms, manually sending receipts, cashing checks, and chasing down payments on the day of the tournament.

Instead, when someone registers or purchases a sponsorship, all pertinent information is collected and accessible in the software’s backend, and they automatically receive a payment receipt and registration confirmation. When it comes time to manage hole assignments, team pairings, handicaps, and other unique details of a golf event, each golfer’s information is right in the software, so there’s no need to bounce between platforms or worry about working with out-of-date information.

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PRO TIP:

Offer a variety of price points for sponsor packages to attract the support of businesses of all sizes and budgets.

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Fall is Great for Golf

Fall is an excellent time for golf events, with favorable weather, appealing course conditions, and lower, off-peak season facility costs. It’s a good idea to keep the shorter days that fall brings in mind when setting the tournament’s schedule, but that can easily be addressed by a shotgun start, a shorter nine-hole event, or even a putt putt tournament to maximize playable hours. If you’re located in a warm-weather location, you have even more of the year to work with and can even get a tournament on the books for November or December.

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Pro Tip:

The staff at the host golf facility can help you determine the optimal start time for your fall golf event.

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Fall can bring great course conditions, nice weather, and lower facility costs for a charity golf tournament.

a fast start is possible

Since you have a condensed planning timeline, you’ll want to get off to a fast start with planning to pick up some momentum. Here’s how and when to start:

in the next week:

• Connect with GolfStatus

• Form a planning team

• Look at potential tournament dates

in the next two weeks:

• Set a fundraising goal

• Reach out to potential host golf facilities

• Get a handle on revenue and expenses

in the next three weeks:

• Finalize a date and sign a contract with the golf facility

• Set team pricing

• Build sponsorship packages and determine pricing

• Launch your event website

in the next few months:

• Market the tournament

• Reach out to potential sponsors

• Build in revenue enhancers

• Stay organized

• Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

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Free Golf Tournament Fundraiser Checklist & Planning Timeline

Get a comprehensive checklist and detailed tournament planning timeline to keep you on task and on target.

Get the Guide

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resources are available to help

Don’t worry—tournament planning resources are available to get you off on the right foot and stay on track, even if you don’t know a thing about golf. Sample timelines, planning checklists, sponsorship packages, templates, and more can help take the guesswork out of planning, especially on a shorter timeline. When choosing an event management platform, be sure it’s supported by a knowledgeable, responsive client success team that knows the ins and outs of golf events and can respond to questions and resolve issues seven days a week.

The right tech—at no upfront cost!

GolfStatus’ golf event management tech is specifically designed to make golf tournament fundraisers easier than ever to plan, market, and execute. Our in-house client success team is made up of golf fundraising experts, Fundraising Specialists, and PGA Professionals, there to guide you every step of the way, from building your event website and creating sponsor packages to helping you select a tournament format and working with the golf facility. Nonprofits can qualify to use GofStatus’ tech—including a free event website and online registration—at no upfront cost. Click below to book a meeting to get started!

Use GolfStatus at No Upfront Cost

Book a Meeting to Get Started

by Jen Wemhoff, Communications Manager at GolfStatus

Golf tournaments remain one of the most powerful tools for third parties—like corporate partners, passionate supporters, and volunteers—to raise money for nonprofits and causes they care about. Golf’s continued popularity and its capacity as a fundraising tool make it an ideal fit for folks who are passionate about golf and a good cause.

Golf is a great way to mobilize passionate supporters or corporate partners to raise money for your nonprofit.

More than most fundraising events, charity golf tournaments offer unique advantages for the benefiting nonprofit and the organizer. For nonprofits, these events create a passive income stream that doesn’t require significant internal bandwidth like a dedicated staff member or line item in the budget. What’s more, they also build awareness and expand visibility for your mission and programs. For event organizers, particularly companies and corporate entities, there’s a major brand lift from supporting a good cause and high engagement with a typically affluent and influential demographic.

By empowering third parties to run golf tournaments on your behalf and equipping them with the right tools, you can grow your nonprofit’s impact with minimal lift. Here’s how:

1. Start with your network

Your best bet is to start with what you already have: past event participants, sponsors, volunteers, donors, and board members. If your nonprofit has hosted golf tournaments before, revisit those participant lists. Consider sending a dedicated campaign inviting those who supported your organization through golf in the past to organize a tournament that benefits your organization. The campaign could include email, direct mail, individual phone calls, a survey, or a mix based on your team’s capacity. You might also:

• Use social media to ask your audience who plays golf or who simply likes organizing events.

• Include a call to action in year-end giving appeals to get in touch if they’re interested in event planning or golf.

• Create a dedicated page on your organization’s website that outlines how supporters can host a golf tournament to benefit your cause.

Do some pre-planning before you start your outreach so you have some pieces and resources already in place to provide to people who are interested. Beyond just making the process easy (see #2 below), you want to set these third-party tournaments up for success, so make sure you’re prepared to be a partner in the process.

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Pro Tip:

GolfStatus’s online resource library is packed with free guides, templates, checklists, and other downloadable tournament planning tools. Share these with current and potential event organizers to help get them started.

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Provide tools—like golf event management software—to make planning a golf fundraiser as easy as possible to people and businesses in your network.

2. Make It Easy for organizers

Even the most passionate supporters will appreciate tools that make planning a golf tournament easier. That’s where golf event-specific technology comes in. The right platform streamlines planning, automates administrative tasks, and includes built-in fundraising features, making it easier for anyone to launch, run, and repeat their tournament year after year.

Your event management platform should be able to function as the “bank” for your golf tournament, facilitating how you collect, hold, and disburse the funds raised from your event. When some registers a team, becomes a sponsor, makes a donation, or purchases an add-on, those funds should be securely processed and held in escrow until after the event. Once it concludes, those funds can be distributed directly to your organization, so both your nonprofit and the event organizer have peace of mind and clear financial accountability.

You might also consider providing the organizer with a media kit full of logos, brand guidelines, and key messaging to help your brand stay consistent. When it’s easy, it’s more fun, more rewarding, and more likely that they’ll keep the effort going.

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PRO
TIP:

Say thank you whenever and wherever you can to these third-party organizers. Public shoutouts on social media, in newsletters or blogs, or on your organization’s website are powerful, but a personal touch will go a long way in expressing your gratitude. Send a handwritten note and follow it up with a phone call.

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3. Standardize with golf-specific technology

Fundraising or event management platforms aren’t one-size-fits-all. Golf tournaments have unique needs that require specialized tools to manage effectively. Look for a platform that offers an attractive event website with online registration (which saves organizers a ton of time and effort), plus easy access for all members of the planning team and the golf facility to work together and keep everything organized in one place.

It should be built just for golf events, with features to handle everything from hole assignments and live scoring to digital sponsor exposure and pre-formatted scorecards and cart signs. A dedicated landing page listing all events that benefit your organization makes it easy for folks in your network to find and support them.

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PRO
TIP:

Standardizing tech across all third-party golf fundraisers means your donor data is uniformly collected (see #4 below) and reported for easy integration into your CRM for additional donor stewardship.

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A dedicated landing page listing all events that benefit your organization makes it easy for people to support you through golf.

4. Capture & Manage Data

Donor and participant data are essential, especially when a third party is planning and managing the event. You can’t use the information you don’t have! Seamlessly collecting this information during the registration process is crucial to understanding who is supporting your organization through golf. This way, both organizers and your team can access robust reporting tools to see who’s playing in, donating to, and sponsoring golf events tied to your nonprofit.

This valuable data helps your nonprofit build stronger relationships, grow donor pipelines, and make data-driven decisions that maximize future fundraising efforts. Using golf event management technology makes collecting and managing this data simple and efficient.

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PRO
TIP:

Use this donor and participant data to segment follow-ups and personalize donor stewardship efforts. Add tags, source codes, or other identifiers to your CRM to track who came through third-party golf events.

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built for golf, built for good

GolfStatus is the industry leader in event management tech built specifically for charity golf tournaments. Nonprofits can easily activate third parties to run successful, lucrative, and data-rich golf fundraisers without having to oversee every detail. Through our Golf for Good program, 501(c) organizations and those hosting tournaments to benefit them are eligible for no-cost access to the platform.

From acting as the “bank” to holding funds until post-event disbursement, to providing dedicated support, customizable websites, and donor data capture, GolfStatus makes it easy for supporters to turn a round of golf into real impact.

Book a Meeting With Our Team to Learn More

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

Cash Dinkel, PGA

Jason Meininger, PGA

Paul Murcek, PGA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Ask the Pros!

If you have a question for GolfStatus’ PGA Professionals, email it to [email protected] with “PGA Pro Question” in the subject line!

GolfStatus’ in-house golf fundraising experts, including Fundraising Specialists and PGA Professionals, are here to help your tournament raise as much money as possible for your cause. They’ll help you use GolfStatus’ software to drive revenue and save you and your team time, and offer suggestions and best practices to make your tournament a success. Get started with GolfStatus—with a free event website, revenue enhancers, golf event-specific tools, and much more—all at no upfront cost. Click below to book a meeting with our team to get started!

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

Registration is open and live for 2025!

📅 September 12, 2025

🕓 4:00 - 6:30 p.m. (registration opens at 3:30, shotgun start at 4:30)

📍Adventure Golf Center, Lincoln, Nebraska

tournament recap

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

Year 1: 2023

• Golfers / Teams: 164 / 41 

• Courses: 2 of 3

• Sponsors: 21

• Fundraising Goal: $3,000

• Outcomes: $9,200 donated to CHS

  • $1,100 raised on tournament day

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Year 2: 2024

• Golfers / Teams: 216 / 54

• Courses: 3 of 3

• Sponsors: 31

• Fundraising Goal: $12,000

• Outcome: $15,000 donated to CHS

• $5,500 raised on tournament day

what’s new for 2025

Based on feedback from last year’s participants, the planning team is implementing a few changes 2025 tournament. The scope and format of the tournament will remain the same, but we’re exploring the feasibility of adding an auction and have decided to remove the playoff from the event. Other notable changes:

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

• New sponsorships. Nature calls, so a Portapotty Sponsor was added, along with sponsorships for new pet-friendly player gifts to replace koozies.

• New team packages. Two team packages are offered this year—an “all-in” package and a standard package. Both include t-shirts, dinner, new player gifts, a drink ticket, and a round of mini golf for each golfer, but the all-in package includes entry into on-course games and 12 raffle tickets.

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

• Pet showcase. Pet owners can purchase a “sponsorship” to show off their beloved pets on the event website and signage at the tournament.

• New t-shirts. T-shirts are included with each team package this year, as well as a standalone option. The adorable design features the pets from the Pet Showcase! Stay tuned for a preview on the event website.

Follow along on our tournament planning journey here and on Facebook and Instagram!

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Thank you sponsors!

Presenting Sponsor

Doggie Bandana Sponsor

Tennis Ball Pet Toy Sponsor

Swag Sponsor

Trophy Sponsor

Hole Sponsors:

Signage Sponsor

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

Cash Dinkel, PGA

Jason Meininger, PGA

Paul Murcek, PGA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jason Meininger: Some fun ones I’ve seen:

• Bloody Mary bar on the range for morning events

• Mobile food truck with drinks and light food

• Kegs of beer on designated holes

• Margarita machines on designated holes 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Ask the Pros!

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

Get started with GolfStatus at no upfront cost! Get 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 and fundraising specialists). Click the button to book a quick 15 or 30-minute meeting, a full demo, or get started in the software on your own!

GolfStatus’ golf tournament websites have been completely revamped, with new enhancements that give nonprofits advanced tools to streamline golf event management, engage participants, and boost fundraising efforts.

The updated site design reflects feedback and input directly from our clients and our commitment to continued innovation and improvement to help nonprofits raise mission-critical funds through golf. The new look was rolled out to all event websites powered by GolfStatus on January 20, 2025, and includes:

• A clean, inviting interface. GolfStatus’ mobile-friendly websites engage site visitors and prompt action, whether it’s to register a team, purchase a sponsorship, or make a donation. A continued focus on mobile ensures organizations have the ability to collect funds from anyone, anywhere, anytime.

• User-friendly navigation. The new look provides visitors with a more organized and consistent layout, clearly labeled buttons, and easy exploration throughout the site.

• More opportunities to tell your story. The updated design gives tournament organizers even more space and options to share your cause through imagery, text, and video. Site updates can be made quickly and easily in the software’s back end.

• Additional sponsor exposure. Sponsors enjoy increased visibility on the site’s home page that adds value to sponsorship packages.

• Improved checkout experience. Registrants, sponsors, and donors will enjoy a more streamlined and intuitive checkout experience. A new page footer helps guide users through the registration process, showing them what information they need to complete before they can move forward in the process.

• More visible donation calls-to-action. Organizations can take advantage of additional donation calls-to-action, specifically once registration for the event has closed, to further boost tournament revenue.

These updates complement the core functionality of GolfStatus’ event websites, designed with fundraisers in mind, that save time and offer revenue-boosting opportunities:

• Online registration and donations with secure payment processing

• Easy tournament marketing and promotion

• Simple sponsor onboarding and premium digital exposure

• Professional live leaderboards

• The ability to quickly share tournament information and updates

As usual, GolfStatus’ in-house, responsive support team is available to help tournament organizers navigate the site’s updates and answer any questions with live support seven days a week.

get a free event website

Nonprofits can qualify for a free event website and no-cost access to GolfStatus’ suite of tournament management solutions through the Golf for Good program, a give-back initiative that supports organizations using golf to do good. Tournament organizers can book a demo with GolfStatus’ team to learn more and get qualified for Golf for Good or to get started in the software on their own.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• 1:00 p.m.: Shotgun start

• 6:00 p.m.: Dinner and awards

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cash Dinkel:

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

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

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

Jason Meininger:

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

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

3. Recruit volunteers to help.

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

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

Paul Murcek:

1. Start early—procrastination is your worst enemy!

2. Create a sponsorship for every expense you have.

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

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Ask the Pros!

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

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

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