Uncertainty has many nonprofits wondering what to do with in-person fundraisers in the upcoming event season. Golf events have proven to be especially important amid COVID-19, giving organizations the flexibility to quickly adapt to local circumstances and comfort levels to hold a successful fundraiser. Socially distanced in-person events as well as virtual and hybrid tournaments provide event organizers with options and the flexibility they need to move forward one way or another. Here’s how they work and what you need to know to start planning.

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WHAT’S A VIRTUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT?

A virtual golf tournament isn’t a video game, Zoom call, or online experience—it’s real golf that’s played remotely and leverages technology to collect registrations, scores, and digital sponsorships. Rather than gathering at the same golf facility at a specific date and time, golfers or teams play when it’s convenient for them and essentially donate their round to a good cause.

Virtual golf events have several innate advantages, safety and social distancing being key in the age of COVID-19. But the appeal of virtual events goes well beyond the pandemic. They present substantial fundraising opportunities, they attract more supporters, there are little to no overhead costs, and there’s essentially no limit to the number of people who can golf in support of your organization’s mission. With the right technology, virtual golf tournaments are easy, lucrative, and fun.

how a virtual event works:

1. One or more courses are chosen for the event and a duration is set (typically a weekend, week, or month).

2. Players and teams register online. Their registration is essentially a donation directly to your cause, and you collect their information to add to your donor database. 

3. Sponsors purchase packages online and get broad digital exposure, all through the event website.

4. Golfers book their tee time directly with the course and play when convenient.

5. Players and teams check in to the tournament via a mobile app and submit their scores using the app’s scorecard. Aggregate leaderboards appear on the event website, which can be shared through your organization’s digital channels to keep supporters engaged throughout the event.

6. Winners are announced. Use this opportunity to thank players and sponsors and perhaps even make an additional ask.

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WHAT’S A HYBRID GOLF tournament?

A hybrid event gives you the best of both worlds. It’s as simple as running a virtual round alongside your in-person event, perhaps the week or weeks before or after the tournament or over the whole month. The hybrid option gives golfers who would rather support your organization by playing a round on their own, have a scheduling conflict, or missed registering for the on-site event before it sold out the chance to participate. 

The hybrid approach also gives your organization a built-in backup plan. Best case scenario—both events move forward and you attract even more players and sponsors than a traditional one-day outing. But if the in-person event needs to be canceled or modified, the virtual round can proceed without interruption. Further, adding a virtual round to a traditional event gives you another way to grow your golf fundraiser. If your event typically sells out, adding a virtual round lets more supporters play for your cause without having to add a second day to the traditional fundraiser and incur additional costs.

Here’s how a hybrid event works:

1. One or more courses (including the course being used for the traditional event) are chosen for the event and a duration is set (typically the weekend or week before or after the event, or the whole month in which it occurs).

2. Players and teams register online. When the field for the traditional event sells out, players and sponsors can still support the event via the virtual round. Those interested in only the virtual round also register online.

3. Sponsors purchase packages in support of the traditional event, virtual round, or both with broad exposure. 

4. Virtual round golfers book their tee time directly with the golf course and play when convenient. 

5. Those participating in the traditional event play their round on the specified date with social distancing protocols in place. Folks registered for the virtual round play on their own time and submit their score via mobile app to the aggregate leaderboard.

6. Winners are announced for both the traditional event and virtual round, keeping the overall event fair and competitive.

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WHY SHOULD MY ORGANIZATION CONSIDER A VIRTUAL OR HYBRID EVENT?

If 2020 taught event organizers anything, it’s that they need to be able to seamlessly pivot events and that backup plans are more valuable than ever. The beauty of a virtual round, whether it’s the primary focus of the tournament or held in tandem with an in-person outing, is that it gives you options, flexibility, and the ability to quickly change formats if it becomes necessary. 

A virtual event is also low risk, with the potential for high reward. Golf is more popular than ever, and a virtual round allows you to engage more supporters over an extended period of time. The ability to offer broad digital exposure makes sponsorships attractive to a wide variety of companies who want to get their brands in front of an affluent demographic of golfers. What’s more, the costs of a virtual round are minimal because there is often no need to rent the entire golf facility and incur green fees.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

Technology is crucial to a successful virtual or hybrid event. It all starts with a professional event website, where you can collect registrations, list and sell digital sponsorships, and easily communicate information and updates to supporters. You’ll also need live scoring functionality, online leaderboards, and the ability for supporters to make donations before, during, and after the event. 

With golf event management technology available to qualifying nonprofits through GolfStatus.org’s Golf for Good program at no cost, it’s simple and low-cost to add a virtual option or go completely virtual. Get qualified for Golf for Good by clicking below or email us at [email protected] to get started.

Corporate support is key to moving the needle for nonprofits of all sizes. From development staff seeking national program sponsors to local organizations looking for an in at businesses in their communities, these relationships are vital to increasing exposure—and funding—for nonprofits’ missions. The introduction to these relationships is often the hardest part, but the golf event presents an especially attractive entry point to corporate entities. Indeed, the golf fundraiser often opens the door to high-level donor relationships that can be stewarded to secure support for programs and future events and developed into strategic long-term partnerships. It’s a snowball effect quite unlike any other.

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Why the Golf Event is Attractive 

There are many factors that make golf tournaments especially popular among sponsors. Golf offers people the chance to be outdoors and participate in an activity they genuinely enjoy while supporting a worthy cause, making the golf outing a fun community event with a ton of brand lift for corporate sponsors. Charity golf tournaments, particularly longstanding events that benefit a well-known organization, also tend to attract press coverage, giving sponsors even more mileage for their investment in your golf event, and subsequently, your cause.

It’s also no secret that business gets done on the golf course. Business professionals are keenly aware of how much can be accomplished in the four hours they have with potential partners and clients on the golf course. These opportunities are priceless from a networking standpoint, so be mindful when assigning teams to holes for the event. You might, for example, pair a board member from your organization with an executive from a business that is a potential corporate sponsor to help advance the relationship.

Soliciting Event Sponsors

Businesses are looking for a win-win when it comes to sponsoring events. They want to get in front of potential clients and customers with premium brand exposure. What makes golf events unique is their demographic: golfers are generally affluent and influential members of the community. Target businesses in industries like food and beverage, healthcare, sports and fitness, business and financial services, home services, luxury brands and services, and travel. Start with existing relationships and lean on your volunteers and board members. Local businesses are great, but don’t be afraid to reach out to regional and national companies, particularly those that may be headquartered or have offices in your area.

While brand exposure is certainly important, it’s not always the driving factor in why a sponsor chooses to invest in your event. In many cases, they simply want to support a community event and a great cause. Keep this in mind when seeking sponsors. Look for organizations with a track record of community involvement or give-back initiatives. Use your network and contacts for a first contact if possible, but if you’re making a cold ask, look for individuals in public relations, communication, human resources, community engagement, or marketing positions at larger businesses.

Collect Donor & Sponsor Data

There is a great deal of power in the donor data that comes from players and sponsors supporting your golf event. The simple reality is this—you can’t onboard and steward the donors and sponsors that are introduced to your organization from your golf event if you don’t know who they are. Collecting this data is imperative, and luckily, doesn’t have to be a headache. Technology can make this simple and painless. An event website with online registration and secure payment processing makes capturing each golfer and sponsor’s information easy. Look for a platform that allows you to track and manage registrant and sponsor information in real-time, with an option to export data to your donor CRM and/or donor database. Consider using tags or notations to track the years donors and sponsors participated in your golf event and at what level. This background will be helpful in the future, when you return to these relationships to make asks for future events and steward them into larger corporate partnerships.

Event Follow-up & Stewardship

One of the best—and easiest—ways to steward corporate donors is through a genuine thank-you. Publicly thank your event sponsors on your event website, your organization’s social media, in promotional emails about the golf event, and at the event whenever possible. You can also express appreciation for sponsors in press releases and media interviews; be sure to mention them by name.

In the weeks following the event, be sure to send a sincere, personal thank you to your contact at the sponsoring business. Recruit board members, planning committee members, or other volunteers to hand-write thank you notes and make phone calls that also express the impact made by their support. This personal touch goes a long way in establishing a foundation for a longer-term relationship.

The next step is to follow up about working with the sponsor in other ways. Depending on the work your nonprofit does, this could include in-kind donations, employees volunteering with your organization, or exposure for your cause to employees and partners. Ask if they have a workplace giving program and if your organization could be designated as a recipient or if there are matching opportunities for donations. Aligning their business with your cause helps lift their brand, so be generous in sharing their contributions on social media, your website, in newsletters, and other appropriate places. Invite them to participate in other events, programming, and fundraisers, setting the stage for future commitments.

It All Starts With a great Golf Event

The foundation for long-term corporate relationships starts with a well-organized, professional outing that businesses want to put their name on, sponsorship tiers that encourage them to do so, and a process that’s easy, sleek, and professional.

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Get qualified for no-cost access to GolfStatus’s event management technology through the Golf for Good program.

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The calendar has flipped to 2021 and, while a return to normalcy looks to be on the horizon, social distancing and other safety requirements are likely to linger into spring and summer. Uncertainty makes it tough to know how to proceed with in-person fundraising events, but there’s good news on several fronts when it comes to golf fundraisers. With record interest and participation in golf (one of few pandemic-friendly activities) and the ability to seamlessly modify events for social distancing and virtual participation, golf fundraisers are more viable and more important than ever before. With all the uncertainty ahead, you’ll need flexibility and options. Here are four ways to approach a golf fundraiser in 2021 and what you’ll need to make it happen.

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1. Modify A Traditional Golf Tournament for social distancing.

Golf tournaments are surprisingly easy to adapt for social distancing and safety. Tournaments are, of course, largely held outdoors in an open environment that can be made almost entirely contact-free. Start by implementing online registration, which allows your organization to collect payment and registrations online ahead of the event (instead of by mail or the day of the outing). Be sure to leverage your event website to market your outing and spread the word, and also to provide sponsors with additional exposure.

Be aware of rule changes at your facility. You can expect clubhouse capacity limits, field size limits, rules like one person per cart and no touching the flag stick, additional sanitation efforts, mask mandates, and social distancing requirements. Implementing simple modifications like switching to a tee time format and skipping a banquet or other post-round gathering (or limiting capacity and holding it outdoors) can mitigate contact and provide a way to safely hold an event.

You’ll also want to implement mobile scoring to not only remove the touchpoint of paper scorecards, but to facilitate live leaderboards for another high-visibility sponsorship opportunity and the chance to prompt players and online spectators to donate before, during, and after the event.

2. Go Completely Virtual.

A virtual golf event is played over an extended period of time at one or more golf courses, using technology to collect scores and track them on live leaderboards. Golfers play on their own time (individually or on teams) and submit their scores via mobile app. Unlike traditional golf tournaments where golfers gather at a course at a specific date at a specific time, virtual events don’t typically require you to reserve an entire golf facility, eliminating green fees (typically the event’s most significant cost). The course also remains open for regular play.

To pull off a virtual golf event, you’ll need technology for a few key reasons. You’ll need to be able to collect registrations online over an extended period of time. Live scoring functionality is a must, not only to display scores in an aggregate leaderboard, but also keep golfers and spectators engaged over the course of a week- or month-long outing. Be sure to take advantage of website and leaderboard exposure by offering sponsors a Technology Sponsorship.

3. Add a virtual round to a traditional outing.

Adding a virtual round to an in-person event is another great option. If you go this route, you’ll plan a traditional in-person event (likely modified as advised above for social distancing), then simultaneously run a virtual event over the course of the weekend, week, or month that your event takes place.

When you add a virtual round to a traditional event, you still enjoy a traditional on-site event by capping the field size (i.e. limiting the number of participants) to stay safe without disappointing folks who didn’t register in time but still want to support the outing. Whether it’s a scheduling conflict or a sold-out event, it’s often the case that people who want to participant don’t get to do so. A virtual round gives them an opportunity to register and play on their own time and, because virtual rounds can include multiple courses and an extended period of time, there’s essentially no limit to the number of supporters they can add to your event.

It’s also worth noting that there are typically no green fees with virtual rounds, so the additional dollars raised are rarely offset by costs. If you’re using GolfStatus, a virtual round can be added to any tournament at no cost. You can also sell digital exposure for virtual rounds on the event website, through the live-scoring app, and on the virtual event’s leaderboard.

This is a great option for larger nonprofits with an established presence in the community and a long-standing event because it allows folks across the community to engage with the event, without forcing your organization to incur the costs and risks associated with renting the golf facility for another day to expand the event and having to fill an entire additional field. It’s also a great option for smaller, lesser-established nonprofits and first- or second-year fundraisers that are trying to gain more support, because it removes challenges and barriers to entry for participants, making the tournament easier and more convenient to play in for first-timers.

4. Hold a Traditional Tournament with a virtual back-up plan (just in case).

The beauty of a hybrid golf fundraiser—especially in an era of uncertainty—is that it lets event organizers adapt quickly and easily. If you’re hoping for an in-person event, but hesitant to put all your eggs in one basket, consider a virtual event as a back-up plan in case local restrictions change and the event has to be canceled or modified. GolfStatus makes it surprisingly easy to set this in motion. With a free event website and access to its golf management platform, you can update event details instantly. Use GolfStatus’s messaging functionality to email all registrants for a specific tournament to keep them up to date on plans to go virtual as needed. The ability to manage registrations and teams in real-time keeps you and your committee organized. If you decide to go virtual, you’ll simply issue teams and individuals a live-scoring code and ask them to submit their scores through the free GolfStatus app before the deadline you set for the event.

Get started

Even amid uncertainty, know that with the right technology, your organization has options. And, with GolfStatus’s Golf for Good program and top-rated in-house customer success team, you have all the tools, tips, and help you need—no matter which path you take.

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Planning a golf fundraiser that benefits a 501(c) organization? You likely qualify for no cost access to GolfStatus through our Golf for Good program. Email [email protected] or click the button below to learn more.

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Born largely out of necessity, virtual golf tournament fundraisers bring donors and sponsors together to enjoy a round of golf in support of a great cause—just not all at the same place at the same time. A virtual golf event is played over an extended timeframe at one or more golf courses, leveraging technology to give golfers the flexibility to play when it’s convenient for them while supporting a great cause. Indeed, virtual golf events have kept many tournaments from being forced to cancel. But the advantages of virtual golf events go well beyond social distancing. Event organizers have found that these virtual events—whether an entirely virtual outing or an additional virtual round added to a traditional golf tournament—hold tremendous possibilities for fundraising, connecting with supporters, and further expanding your organization’s donor base. The right technology makes them lucrative—and fun! Here are a six advantages of virtual golf events.

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1. You have more options—and opportunities.

Particularly in times of uncertainty, organizations need options. Virtual events give you more options to help meet your fundraising goals. You can choose to run a completely virtual event at one course, across multiple courses throughout your city, or even across regions. You can also add a virtual round to a traditional, one-day event—which lets you choose more than one golf facility, increase the field size to an almost unlimited number of players and teams, and extend the event’s duration. A virtual round that extends over the month in which the in-person tournament is held, for example, attracts the whole community to the course to play a round in support of your cause. The best part? This is all in addition to the support your organization receives the day of your traditional event.

2. Virtual events often come with lower overhead costs and more flexibility.

Most virtual golf event formats don’t require reserved use of the golf facility, which keeps costs low for event organizers and allows golf facilities to continue business as usual. Since golfers play on their own time, there are no food and beverage contracts to negotiate, banquets or awards ceremonies to plan, or day-of details to handle last minute. This makes virtual events a low-risk, high-reward option with the flexibility to change course if needed.

3. Live scoring keeps supporters engaged.

Virtual events powered by GolfStatus benefit from its robust golf event management technology, which includes live-scoring functionality. When golfers register for the virtual event, they receive a code to live-score their round via the GolfStatus mobile app to submit their scores to the event’s aggregate online leaderboard. Golfers and spectators love keeping up with the real-time leaderboard standings throughout the event’s duration, and sponsors love the extended digital exposure to an engaged audience of golfers.

Golfers and spectators follow live leaderboards throughout the event.

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4. You can Leverage leaderboards
to Raise more money.

You’ll want to promote your virtual event heavily once it goes live and players and teams can register and submit scores—not only to keep it in front of potential players and supporters, but to attract spectators who support your cause to donate through your online leaderboards. GolfStatus’s live leaderboards have the built-in ability to accept online donations before, during, and after any event, including virtual tournaments. Get creative and leverage this feature to raise additional funds. Challenge supporters to donate an amount equal to their score or ranking, match the winning team, or give another specified amount. In addition to targeted asks, it’s also a great idea to share live leaderboards on your organization’s social media accounts and encourage supporters to help spread the word.

5. Virtual events use Digital exposure
to bring in sponsorship dollars.

Sponsors appreciate meaningful exposure to an affluent, influential demographic and they especially appreciate when their brand looks good. GolfStatus’s virtual event options provide tons of digital exposure, through professional and prominent branding across multiple channels (including online and mobile). This means not only more sponsorship options, but options with minimal overhead and value for sponsors. Event organizers can include digital exposure as part of other sponsorship packages, or list it as a standalone technology sponsorship.

6. Technology makes virtual events easy, lucrative, and fun.

Virtual golf events powered by GolfStatus start with the buildout of a free custom event registration website and include access to its full-service golf event management platform. We make every detail—from live-scoring to digital sponsorships—easy and stress-free with user-friendly technology and full access to our top-rated, in-house customer success team. What’s more, GolfStatus is available at no cost to qualifying nonprofits through our Golf for Good program. Contact us at [email protected] to get qualified, or follow the link below.

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If 2020 has taught fundraisers and event organizers anything, it’s that they have to be able to adapt on the fly. Organizations pivoted traditional golf fundraisers to virtual events and leaned on technology to adapt in-person golf tournaments and salvage them as fundraising opportunities. This approach paid dividends, providing a much-needed revenue boost in an already challenging financial year for nonprofits and paved the way for event fundraisers to head into another uncertain year with more options. With spring events still up in the air, many are going completely virtual, considering virtual elements, or simply looking for a back-up plan in case they have to. For golf tournaments, it turns out that all three scenarios are surprisingly easy to plan for. Here’s what you need to know about virtual options for golf tournaments and how to leverage them.

How Virtual golf Events Work

A virtual golf event powered by GolfStatus doesn’t get played online; instead, it takes place at one or more golf courses over an extended period of time. Golfers register online to donate their round in support of a cause, play when it’s convenient for them instead of congregating at one facility on a given date and time, and enter their scores into the virtual event’s online leaderboard, all without the typical crowds of a one-day in-person event. Virtual events present more fundraising opportunities through digital sponsorships, and organizers share the event’s leaderboards over the course of the extended-play tournament to drum up online donations from participants and those following along.

Golfers submit scores via the GolfStatus mobile app that instantly syncs to an aggregate online leaderboard to keep supporters engaged.

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Given the uncertainty ahead for traditional gatherings and fundraising events, options and flexibility are especially crucial. Indeed, virtual formats can be leveraged in a number of ways, including going completely virtual, running a virtual event in tandem with a traditional on-site event, or keeping the virtual event in your back pocket in case you need to change directions last-minute and cancel your traditional on-site outing. 

In fact, adding a virtual option to a traditional, in-person tournament is a built-in backup plan. In the best case scenario, both events move forward and you’re able to attract more players and sponsors to the outing than you would normally be able to with a regular one-day outing at the course. Golfers who feel more comfortable playing a round in support of the tournament on their own, have a scheduling conflict, or weren’t able to register for the traditional outing before teams filled up are still able to participate and purchase a team or individual registration. Sponsors can also support the live leaderboards for both the virtual and day-of competition in exchange for digital exposure through the GolfStatus-powered event website, live-scoring app, and online leaderboards.

What’s more, if the in-person event ends up needing to be canceled or modified, the virtual event can oftentimes proceed without missing a beat.

No Risk, High Reward

With golf’s popularity surging (the National Golf Foundation reports that September 2020 rounds were up 26% compared to 2019 and golf equipment sales topped $1 billion in the third quarter of 2020, an all-time record), people will continue to be eager to hit the links in any way they can in 2021, making now the perfect time to add a virtual element to your golf tournament—with little to no risk and a ton of fundraising potential. 

If you’re working on behalf of a nonprofit, or if your event benefits a 501(c) organization or established social cause, you likely qualify for GolfStatus’s Golf for Good program, which makes it possible to add a virtual round to your existing event or go completely virtual with your tournament at no cost. Further, the costs incurred with virtual events and added virtual rounds are typically minimal, making virtual options low-cost and low-risk. Unlike a traditional golf tournament, you won’t need to rent the whole facility on a specific date and time, which can limit or altogether eliminate green fees (usually one of the most substantial expenses associated with the golf event).

For St. Luke’s Health Foundation (which raises money for St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital in Boise, Idaho) a virtual outing was a way to keep its 35-year golf event going safely and successfully amid COVID-19. “We quickly realized that the number of participants in a virtual tournament is only limited by the number of people that can play at the course each day,” says Maegan Krahn, director of special events and director of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at St. Luke’s Health Foundation. Ahead of 2021, Maegan and her team will use what they learned to add a monthlong virtual round to their usual one-day outing. Live-scoring technology makes both possible, with online registration and in-app scoring to eliminate touchpoints plus the virtual round that allows hospital staff, foundation leadership, board members, and other supporters more opportunities to play in and sponsor the tournament.

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“We quickly realized that the number of participants in a virtual tournament is only limited by the number of people that can play at the course each day.”

— Maegan Krahn, director of special events and director of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at St. Luke’s Health Foundation

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Technology is the Key to Success

The right technology makes successfully executing the add-on of a virtual round or a completely virtual tournament surprisingly simple. GolfStatus makes it easy—with free custom event websites equipped to streamline registrations for virtual and traditional events, plus options for touch-free live scoring, live leaderboards, digital sponsorships, easy event promo, and more golf event-specific features.

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Ready to get started? Email us at [email protected] or follow the link below to learn more about our Golf for Good program and get qualified.

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If you’re planning a golf event for spring, you may be facing a mixed bag of challenges. On the one hand, golf is on the rise. Courses nationwide are seeing a huge uptick in participation; if this pace continues, you’ll likely have an easy time filling teams and attracting support. On the other hand, it’s difficult to make decisions amid so much uncertainty. Either way, there’s one simple step you can take now to set your organization up for success in the spring: Launch a golf event registration website (free for qualifying nonprofits through GolfStatus.org’s Golf for Good program). Here’s why it matters and how nonprofits can qualify for a free custom site build.

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10 Ways an Event Website Sets you Up for Success

1. The event becomes easier to promote.

You’ll want to get in front of donors and sponsors earlier than usual for this spring’s events. A golf event registration website makes it easy; instead of printed materials, you promote your event online and through emails—taking advantage of targeted digital marketing and inviting players and sponsors to sign up through a link to your event website.

2. You can plug it into your existing site.

If your organization has a great website already, you’ll want a way to list sponsorships and teams and plug in the registration component seamlessly. With GolfStatus’s custom event sites and golf event management platform, donors and sponsors click a link and find themselves on a page specifically about your golf event where they can purchase teams, browse sponsorships, and learn more about the outing.  

3. Staff and volunteers save tons of time.

Collecting registrations online streamlines everything. No need to track down mail-in forms, checks, and receipts; manage information across endless spreadsheets and emails; or enter and re-enter information. Instead current registration and sponsor info is accessible in real-time.

4. You have options.

You don’t necessarily need to have every single detail of your event hammered out before launching a website. It can be as simple as listing the date and time, with a note that more details will follow. The key is to get on the radars of donors and sponsors as early as possible. If you end up needing to transition the format of your event, you have options as the event gets closer. 

5. You can even go virtual if you need to.

Use an event website provider specifically designed for golf events—like GolfStatus—so you can seamlessly integrate live scoring and make adaptations like virtual formats and remote participation if you need to.

6. Live-scoring is a breeze.

Players registered through the website are ready to live-score through the free GolfStatus app during the event. Live leaderboards update in real time and can also be used to collect additional donations online and on mobile. They’re also a great sponsorship option.

7. Players and sponsors are more likely to commit.

When registration is just a click away, golfers and sponsors are able to commit to your event the moment they hear about it—whether it’s through email, social media, word of mouth, or other promotion—they’re substantially more likely to register if they’re able to do it right then and there.

8. Communication is super simple.

As details for your event are firmed up, simply update your website with pertinent information. GolfStatus’s tournament management platform also makes it easy to send emails to all registered participants with a few simple clicks.

9. No need for duplicative work and tedious data entry.

When golfers register on your event website, there’s no need to enter and re-enter information, which creates more opportunities for errors and takes tons of valuable staff and volunteer time. Online registration keeps everything updated, accurate, and accessible.

10. You capture crucial donor and sponsor data.

It’s common for more familiar donors to fill a team with friends, family, and colleagues. These members of donors’ networks are incredibly valuable to your cause. Collecting their information at the time of registration ensures that no existing or potential donor goes untraced—so you can forge valuable relationships.

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Get Qualified for a Free Event Website for your Golf Event

In addition to custom golf event registration websites, GolfStatus has everything event organizers need to save time in planning golf outings large and small. It’s powerful technology that gives you options like easy player and sponsorship management, digital sponsorships you can sell to raise more dollars, live-scoring and leaderboards, and the flexibility to go virtual if you need to. 

Best of all, access to GolfStatus is available at no cost to qualifying nonprofits through GolfStatus.org and the Golf for Good program.

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There’s no doubt about it: COVID-19 has changed the way we live, work, and fundraise. Its long-term impact remains to be seen, but as health and safety restrictions and guidelines remain in place heading into the end of the year, organizations large and small are tasked with the challenge of planning amid the uncertainty of the year ahead. Here are eight predictions for golf fundraisers in 2021 and how to prepare so you’re ahead of the curve.

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1. Golfers Will Be Eager to Play

For years, the golf industry has reported incredibly high latent demand (that is, tons of people who report that they want to golf, but haven’t or don’t regularly). The pandemic, almost at its immediate onset, poured fuel on the fire—challenging folks to get out and play. In fact, the industry as a whole has reported a record season with tee times booked consistently by golfers of all skill levels. This is good news for charity golf outings. Golf fundraisers traditionally use the scramble format, which means golfers don’t necessarily need to be extremely skilled at the game to participate in a charity tournament. 

With a huge uptick in rounds played by both new and experienced golfers in the 2020 season, event organizers can expect to have an easier time filling teams, especially by spring, when winter will be clearing up and folks will be eager to get out of the house.

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2. Expect to See More Tournaments on the Calendar

With many organizations forced to cancel their other fundraising events, a lot was riding on golf fundraisers in 2020 and many long-standing annual events were able to safely press on thanks to some creative modifications and the use of technology. At the same time, many organizations that ended up making the difficult decision to cancel will have high expectations for 2021. Coupled with first- and second-year events born out of necessity during this time, organizations can expect to see not only a renewed interest in golf from donors and sponsors, but a renewed interest in golf fundraising events across the board and more events taking place overall. 

This makes early planning more important than ever. You’ll need to get save-the-dates out with enough time for players and sponsors to act. That means, if you’re planning a spring event, you should get a quick notice out to supporters ahead of year end (especially sponsors, who will be planning budgets). It’s also a good idea to get an event website for your golf outing set up so you can list available packages and supporters can start to actually commit. If you end up needing to postpone or modify the event, an event website designed around the nuances of the golf outing also makes it easy to do so.

3. Social Distancing & Other Safety Protocols Will Linger

No one can predict with certainty what’s ahead, but there’s definitely some merit in the old adage: Plan for the worst and hope for the best. It’s likely that event organizers and golf facilities will need to continue to modify events to meet capacity limitations, mitigate contact, and ensure social distancing. For golf events, this means using online registration, modified formats where necessary (i.e. tee times as needed), touch-free mobile scoring, and other adaptations that keep your event safe.

4. Extended Play & Multi-Course Events Will Be More Common

Virtual golf outings are another trend that has taken root in 2020 and will likely continue into 2021. Instead of an on-screen gaming experience like many virtual events, virtual golf outings are played remotely. The event is extended over multiple days and/or across multiple courses so players can essentially donate their round and participate in an aggregate leaderboard without being in the same place at the same time as 100-plus other golfers. One benefit of these modified virtual outings is that they’re particularly convenient for participants, who sometimes can’t make a one-day event due to busy schedules. Virtual events also broaden the scope of the outing so it can include more supporters (i.e. there’s a much larger field size limit). Lastly, these events often require minimal overhead and less planning—making it possible to hold them without a ton of costs, time commitments, or months of advanced notice.

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5. Leaderboards Will Become More Common

Mobile scoring solved the problem of paper scorecards and the need to touch and pass them around, and there’s likely no going back. Live leaderboards allow tournament participants to score their round in real-time, so players and spectators can see standings at all times. The benefits are numerous: the event becomes instantly more competitive, golfers playing remotely in virtual outings are connected by a central scoreboard, and event organizers are able to sell exposure on the live leaderboard at a premium. What’s more, event leaderboards are a great place to collect additional online donations from event participants and those following along.

6. Sponsors Will Be Eager for Digital Exposure

With virtual elements and the adoption of technology, there comes digital advertising and opportunities for sponsor exposure. Digital logo placements are helpful for event organizers in that they’re easy to manage (just plug in a logo on a website, in a mobile app, or on leaderboards) and often have little to no overhead costs compared to signage or branded merchandise. Sponsoring businesses have also shown a propensity to support the technology that helps nonprofit organizations run more efficiently and effectively, making digital sponsorships a key opportunity for events that are evolving to leverage technology.

7. Organizations Will Focus on Capturing Event & Donor Data

Data has been the big buzz word in the sector for years, but there are some events and programming that seem to escape data capture and tracking mechanisms. The golf tournament has historically been one of those events, but it shouldn’t be. Indeed, the golfer demographic is, statistically, an affluent one. When golfers field a team, they tend to call on their networks and sphere of influence to do so. Perhaps most importantly, the golf outing can be a key entry point for corporate sponsors and partnerships. But none of this works if you don’t know who’s fielding teams, who’s being invited to play as a guest, who’s sponsoring your organization, and where the tournament falls into that supporter’s larger giving history.

The easy fix here is to use a platform that offers an event website with online registration and secure payment processing so you can capture and export that crucial information into your donor CRM. If your organization is fortunate enough to be the beneficiary of peer-to-peer fundraising or events run by third party organizers, capturing this data can be even more tricky, but it’s a huge missed opportunity if you’re not doing it. And, it’s still possible so long as your supporting events use the right technology.

8. Time Savings Will Be a Crucial Consideration

With many organizations facing budget cuts and staff consolidations, fundraising professionals have more on their plates than ever before heading into a high-stakes year. That means constant cost-benefit analyses, it means the ability to delegate is more important than ever, and it means organizations have to get creative to adopt technology to save time without adding more line-item expenses.

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GolfStatus.org offers no-cost access to the technology that’s leading golf fundraising forward for qualifying nonprofits through its Golf for Good program.

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Event Organizers Adapt to Hold Safe & Successful Traditional, Virtual & Hybrid Events

Whether you’re looking for a way to hold an event postponed from the spring or hoping to keep your annual golf tournament safe and successful, you’ll need to adapt. That means social distancing, eliminating touchpoints, offering new sponsorship options, utilizing technology to potentially go virtual, and finding ways to attract donors and sponsors. Here are a few actionable options to consider for your upcoming outing.

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1. Adapt a traditional in-person event to minimize contact and allow for social distancing. 

With this approach, you will still host teams at a designated golf facility on a particular day at a particular time, but with some rule changes, potential format changes, and technology to allow for social distancing and minimize contact. Communicate with the golf facility about any pertinent rule changes, especially those that might affect the format or field size for the event. You’ll need to streamline registration and minimize mailers, check processing and handling, and other touchpoints. Do so with an event website, where you can list all pertinent information about the event alongside all available team packages, individual registrations, and sponsorships. You’ll likely need to plan to skip a banquet or other gathering after the event, which means you’ll need to find new sponsorships to sell. You’ll also need touch-free scoring options. Use a reliable live-scoring app with an option that will make it possible to sell additional digital sponsorships (such as a leaderboard sponsorship and in-app exposure) so you don’t miss out on critical sponsorship dollars. 

2. Hold an extended play event over multiple days, a weekend, a week, or longer. 

An extended play outing extends the length of time over which your outing is played to limit the number of players at the facility at once and keep everyone safely distanced. You’ll need to introduce some technology—namely online registration and an aggregate live leaderboard that collects scores as participants get out to the course and play for your cause. Leverage a holistic communications plan to share the leaderboard, collect online donations, and keep participants and spectators engaged before, during, and after the event. Not only does this ensure a good turnout and more sponsor exposure, but it also casts a broader net to bring in donations from folks following along online. Digital sponsorships will also be important here, as some of the traditionally used sponsorship options for your outing may not be possible (such as dinner sponsors and on-course hole signage).

3. Hold a virtual event across multiple courses. 

Another virtual/hybrid option is a multi-course outing that allows organizations to designate several courses where participants can play in support of your organization—essentially on their own time. Like an extended play outing, participants schedule and play their round when convenient. One key benefit of this approach is that your organization is less limited when it comes to the number of participants. Live leaderboards are also crucial here; you’ll need options that display scores at each course and across multiple courses and you’ll need to implement a thoughtful communications plan to keep people interested in the relevant geographic area interested in your outing. Take advantage of online registration to keep information organized and process participant information, and be sure to sell digital sponsorships—another great source of revenue. 

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Whether you host a modified traditional outing or get creative with formats, scheduling, and locations, the right technology makes all the difference. GolfStatus.org can help! Our technology streamlines golf outings to save you time and keep your organization flexible.

Are you with a nonprofit or planning a golf outing that benefits one? No-cost access to our technology is available to qualifying nonprofits through our Golf for Good program.

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Thoughts on the Current Fundraising Climate, the Challenges ahead & Golf as a Fundraising Mechanism

The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)—the world’s largest community of fundraisers—recently announced a new partnership with GolfStatus.org. We sat down with AFP President and CEO Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA to discuss fundraising, golf, partnerships, challenges, and the future.

AFP President and CEO Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA

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GolfStatus.org: Thanks for sitting down with us to talk about this new partnership and fundraising in general.

Mike: Thank you for inviting me—more than happy to talk with you. We’re really excited about collaborating with GolfStatus.org and what you can bring to our members. Plus, personally, I don’t ever mind spending a little time on a golf course, especially given the times we’re in. It can be very relaxing.

GolfStatus.org: Speaking of, how are fundraising professionals overcoming the challenges of the current fundraising climate? 

Mike: This is one of the most unique and challenging environments the fundraising profession and charitable sector have ever been in. We don’t know how long COVID-19 will last, and there are economic, social, and personal impacts that may be with us for a long time. Dealing with COVID-19 was already a rollercoaster of emotions, and then we experienced the anger, frustration, sadness, and pain of the last several weeks, watching the U.S. and the world respond to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, and countless other people of color.

There’s been a lot of change, but the one thing that hasn’t changed is the need for fundraising. Yes, we need to approach people with empathy and sensitivity. But we still have to approach them. We cannot turn down our fundraising when the needs of our communities have only increased, not decreased.

We have to remember that our donors want to support causes. They want to let their principles and values be known. They want to have a voice and create impact. And with many in isolation, they will want to talk with us about everything—how they’re feeling, how they have been impacted, what they think we should do. Fundraisers can be an important outlet when we communicate with them.

I like to say, fundraising is the IMPACT profession, and now we have an opportunity to show just how important our organization is and the impact we create. But more than ever we need to understand our donor base. Who’s most in jeopardy for not giving anymore this year? Who could use a little personal contact in order to ensure their gifts? And how do we best communicate with them all? 

I would suggest three things. One, take a deep dive into your database and separate donors by group and who needs to be contacted. Two, this is the time to ASK your donors what they want and need during these times. How awesome will they feel to be sent a communication that doesn’t ask them for money, but instead what they’re thinking about what’s happening in their life and how you can be their partner. 

Third and finally, develop action plans for every three months or whatever works for your organization. It’s very easy to get bogged down, with just the pressures of working from home, trying to keep in touch with everyone remotely, and the constantly changing environment. One way to help keep staff, donors, and others focused and energize is to have shorter plans (three months, for six months out, and for the rest of the year). What can you accomplish in three months that you can then celebrate and use the momentum from for the next three months?

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“There’s a natural connection between fundraising and golf—both in terms of reaching out to donors and providing supporters with sponsorship opportunities.”

— AFP President & CEO Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA

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GolfStatus.org: When it comes to fundraising, what value does the golf event bring? 

Mike: I think there’s a natural connection to fundraising and golf—both in terms of reaching out to donors and providing supporters with sponsorship opportunities. What’s interesting is that during the pandemic, golf courses are reporting significant increases in usage. Playing golf is a way to get outside and be social but in a smaller, more confined group. I think golf and golf events are important opportunities that charities and fundraisers should consider as they think about their development plans moving forward.

GolfStatus.org: What impact can technology have on the operational, budgetary, and time-management challenges nonprofits face?

Mike: Technology is absolutely critical when it comes to fundraising, and there are two main aspects. One is using technology to comb through your database and find the donors and potential donors who could really make an impact on your organization. Charities miss out on significant opportunities if they don’t have the appropriate technology to really make use of their database and all of the information it contains.

Second, we as a profession have to use technology better when it comes to automating processes and making our lives easier. Whether it’s for shepherding online donations or managing all of the aspects of a special event like a golf tournament, we can be so much more effective and efficient with better technology. I think anytime you work with a partner like GolfStatus.org that can provide event management software and mobile apps which help event organizers streamline outings to save time and raise more dollars can be really powerful.

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“Technology is absolutely critical when it comes to fundraising.”

— AFP President & CEO Mike Geiger, MBA, CPA

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GolfStatus.org: How does the partnership between GolfStatus.org and AFP align with AFP’s efforts to help fundraising professionals and the sector as a whole? 

Mike: AFP’s goal is to provide our members with the programs and resources they need to raise funds and create impact in their communities, and one of the most critical ways we do that is by working with outstanding partners who share our values. GolfStatus.org has a unique niche in the philanthropic world, and they understand both what fundraisers need, as well as the ethical principles and values that support their work. That’s really important to me and to all of AFP. Golf events can be valuable fundraising and donor stewardship events, so the resources, technology, and tools that GolfStatus.org can provide will help our members in reaching their goals and creating impact in their communities. 

GolfStatus.org: We’re looking forward to our partnership and are so excited about working with AFP members. Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, Mike.

This article first appeared on AFPGlobal.org in a July 2020 blog post.

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GolfStatus.org is a proud partner of the Association of Fundraising Professionals

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Interest in learning more about GolfStatus’s Golf for Good program? Submit an inquiry here to get qualified or email us directly at

[email protected].

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