Nonprofits relying on events have been hit especially hard by COVID-19 with cancelled conventions, luncheons, galas, and other key fundraisers. With the fate of summer and fall events uncertain, many nonprofits are evaluating virtual options and making hard decisions about next steps. Among those decisions: What to do with the golf event. It turns out, in many cases, golf events can be modified to be made contact-free and safe. All it takes is some forethought and the right tools. Here’s how your organization can adapt the golf event to move forward.
Online Registration
Event logistics are consideration number one when it comes to planning a safe event. Be aware that the golf facility will inevitably have different protocols in place that you’ll need to plan around, including rule changes and capacity requirements. With courses reopening nationwide, most must observe capacity limits and require social distancing at all times. Online event registration eliminates this issue. Players purchase teams, sponsorships, and even add-ons like mulligans and raffle tickets through an event website (qualifying nonprofits can get a free custom-built and hosted event website through GolfStatus.org’s Golf for Good program), so they’re ready to tee off when they arrive on event day and don’t need to check in or congregate in the clubhouse.
Staggered Tee Times & Extended Play
You may need to consider some format changes, including tee times instead of a shotgun start and twosomes instead of foursomes. This keeps players properly distanced at all times. Extended play is another option to consider. This allows event organizers to reap the benefits of a large field size and well-attended event, but keeps everyone safe by extending the duration of the event so it happens over several days or even weeks to spread out attendance. Players attend the event when they feel safe and when it’s convenient, so the event can have a potentially massive turnout without putting players, sponsors, and course staff at risk.
Live Scoring & Online Leaderboards
To accommodate extended play options (and even if you’re not extending play), you’ll need a contact-free way to collect scores from players participating in the event and a way to post them online to keep supporters engaged; that’s where live leaderboards come in. GolfStatus provides live scoring through its free mobile app. Players can use it to check into an event at a specific course, enter a unique code, and submit scores to an online leaderboard for the event. Your organization can then share the leaderboard online and through social platforms to engage a global audience of donors. In fact, online spectators can donate directly to your cause from the leaderboard. Plus the leaderboard sponsor gets unprecedented exposure—which means you can sell that sponsorship at a higher price point.
Invite Only
On the opposite end of the spectrum from extended play is an event with a limited field size. Depending on the goals for your event and the participants it traditionally attracts, this option—though it may sound counterintuitive—may be best. Limiting the size of the event to invite-only guests allows your organization to narrow in on its highest-capacity donors and corporate contacts. This not only increases dollars per donor, it increases the value of the event’s sponsorships because it provides exposure to a hard-to-reach demographic with substantial spending power. This is another opportunity to sell sponsorships at a higher price point.
Digital Sponsorships
When it comes to sponsorship options, these digital and virtual elements allow organizations to take advantage of digital exposure. There are several inherent benefits here: first, you save on the costs associated with printed materials and logo-printed merchandise. Second, your organization can provide more exposure during a time when everyone is online. Sponsors get exposure through your event website and live leaderboards—so online, in the app, and through any social and email promo you do for the event. Because sponsorships can be customized and listed online and registration is also online, you won’t need to mail print materials and packets. Just engage players and sponsors through digital channels and provide the added-value of ongoing exposure through them to your sponsors.
Communication
From the planning stages, it’s especially important to communicate clearly with players and sponsors. Be sure to let them know that modifications have been made to this year’s event to ensure the health and safety of all. Supporters are often happy to oblige, so long as they know what to expect. An event website is a great place to clearly outline changes to schedules, rules, formats, and other standard operating procedures. Be sincere and be honest. Let supporters know that their health and safety are of the utmost importance. Be sure to send email updates and other timely notifications when changes happen or an update is needed. GolfStatus.org’s technology makes this easy, too, with the ability to email all event participants with one simple click at any time. You can also send push notifications leading up to, during, or after the event.
Use Technology, Stay safe
With the right technology, a safe and successful golf outing is not only possible—it’s easy. GolfStatus.org streamlines every single adaptation your organization needs to make in order to safely host a live golf event or virtual golf fundraiser. What’s more, no-cost access to this technology is available to qualifying nonprofits through GolfStatus.org’s Golf for Good program.
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