Coalition 4 Kids, a Tennessee-based nonprofit that serves vulnerable youth in low-income, high crime areas, has been chosen as the winner of a $10,000 donation as part of GolfStatus’ 2024 Play it Forward giveaway.

For the fourth year, the giveaway was presented in partnership with Dormie Network, a collection of luxury, private destination golf clubs, and its charitable arm, Dormie Network Foundation. The goal of Play It Forward is to celebrate those who use golf for good. Golfers, nonprofits, and the general public were asked to nominate a golf tournament fundraiser for a $10,000 donation, and the nominator was entered to win a Stay and Play package from Dormie Network.

Empowering Kids

Coalition 4 Kids began in 1998, offering after school and evening activities for vulnerable children in one of the lowest-income and highest crime areas in Johnson City, Tennessee. Since then, the organization has expanded into all Washington County and Bristol, Tennessee schools, providing a nurturing environment for over 1,200 students every day to achieve academic, physical, spiritual, and social growth. Its annual golf fundraiser, The C4K Golf Classic, helps raise operational costs for their programming.

The annual C4K Golf Classic helps raise funds for the organization's after school and summer programming.

Executive Director Randy Hensley says the $10,000 donation will immediately be put towards supporting and serving under-resourced children after-school. “We are the safety net for these kids—their family, their education system, their mentor,” he says about their program that provides help with homework, math, reading, character building, spiritual guidance, healthy extra-curricular activities, afternoon snack, and a hot supper—all at no cost to families. “You can change somebody’s whole life if you simply love them where they are and walk with them,” he says.

Golfing for good

Over 700 organizations and golf events were nominated for Play It Forward in 2024. The runner-up, Idaho Golf Fellowship’s Hope House Shamble, received a complimentary hole-in-one contest insurance package from GolfStatus to be used as an additional fundraising opportunity.

Since its inaugural campaign in 2021, Play It Forward has been a hallmark of GolfStatus and Dormie Network’s commitment to give back to those who use golf for good. Past winners include:

• 2023: Avery’s Hope

• 2022: Sisters Across America and Make-A-Wish Foundation

• 2021: Cameron Steinberg Foundation

Nonprofits like Coalition 4 Kids can qualify to use GolfStatus’ golf event management platform at no upfront cost through the Golf for Good program. It’s built just for golf events, with baked-in tools and automations to save busy tournament organizers an average of 40 hours per event and help raise an extra $10,000 or more. There’s no risk and a ton of reward. Click below to learn more and get qualified.

by Jen Wemhoff, Communications Manager at GolfStatus

Combining an auction with your charity golf tournament adds an engaging and lucrative fundraising component to the event. Your organization has a lot of flexibility when it comes to planning an auction—you can choose between:

• A silent auction

• A live auction

• An in-person, virtual, or hybrid auction

• A combination of the above

Once you’ve determined the auction’s format, the most important (and often most challenging) part of the auction planning process is procuring items that appeal to your tournament’s participants while keeping upfront costs low. One of the best ways to strike this balance is to request in-kind donations of auction items from event sponsors.

Here are  three tips for requesting auction item donations from your tournament’s sponsors.

1. Know What Types of Auction Items to Ask For

Before you start requesting auction item donations, bring your planning team together to collaboratively create a wishlist that will guide your solicitation process. As you make this list of desired auction items, prioritize those that tend to sell well at auctions and that appeal to your event’s target audience.

A stay and play experience at a luxury golf club is a great choice for a live auction at a golf fundraiser.

According to Winspire, the top 10 types of charity auction items include:

• Vacation Packages. In addition to sightseeing tours or cruises, golf fundraiser participants will likely also enjoy a stay and play experience at a luxury golf club.

• Gift Baskets. Popular auction gift baskets are typically designed around creative themes or related to golf in some way.

• Event Tickets. These might be to shows, concerts, or even professional golf tournaments.

• Signed Celebrity Memorabilia. Ideas might include golf balls, pin flags, or other golf equipment signed by famous golfers. Don’t feel like you have to limit yourself to golf memorabilia—golfers are likely also interested in other celebrity items.

• Artwork and Antiques. Include pieces with ties to your local community or by local artists.

• Gift Certificates or Gift Cards. Sponsors are often happy to donate gift cards for goods or services ranging from personal training to auto detailing.

• Family-friendly Activities. These items are an opportunity to engage golfers with children or grandchildren.

• Fine Food and Beverages. Items should cater to a variety of preferences.

• Popular Technology. New smartphones, tablets, headphones, fitness trackers, rangefinders, or other gadgets are popular auction items.

• High-end Goods. Some ideas for golf tournaments include new golf clubs, golf bags, or gift cards for brand-name golf apparel.

Realistically, you only need to procure five to 10 items for a live auction, while silent auctions can feature 100 items or more since bidding can happen before, during, and after the round. Keeping this in mind, prioritize your wishlist of items based on which items you consider “must-haves,” which ones would just be nice to have, and backup ideas to fill out your slate of auction items as needed.

2. Craft Compelling Donation Pitches

Whenever possible, approach potential golf tournament sponsors by meeting with them in-person or via video chat. This way, you can work out the exact details of the sponsorship agreement together and create a better partnership experience for both parties. 

However, it’s still a good idea to put together a donation request letter for every potential sponsor you contact. This document serves as the ask itself in case you can’t meet with a sponsor personally, and it can help guide the conversation if you can set up a meeting.

In each donation request letter, make sure to include:

• Your Organization’s Branding. NXUnite’s nonprofit branding guide recommends incorporating your logo, color scheme, and brand fonts into donation requests to build trust with potential sponsors and make the letters look more professional.

• Mission Information. This section will vary depending on whether you’ve worked with this sponsor before. If not, provide a broad explanation of your organization’s mission and work, supported by impact stories and statistics as appropriate. If they’ve partnered with you previously, explain the purpose and goals of your event.

• A Specific Request That Aligns With the Sponsor’s Business Model. This shows the sponsor that you’ve considered how they can contribute to your event and helps them make an informed decision. For example, instead of asking a sporting goods store owner, “Would you be interested in donating a prize for our auction?” say, “Would you be willing to contribute a complete set of golf clubs as an auction prize?”

• Donor Recognition and Benefits. The most effective sponsorships are mutually beneficial, so let businesses know what’s in it for them if they donate auction items to your event. Typically, your organization will provide sponsors with publicity before and during the event, but elaborate on the channels and number of materials you plan to feature them in in your pitch.

• A Response Deadline. This helps ensure you receive a response well in advance of your event without pressuring sponsors to commit immediately.

In addition to the request letter, provide each sponsor with an in-kind donation form to make it as easy as possible to collect key details about each item (description, estimated value, etc.). Once you start getting responses, use an auction management platform to keep all of your items organized and facilitate online bidding.

An online auction platform makes it simple for golfers to bid on desired items 

3. Be Prepared to Pivot

Even if you present well thought out, professional auction donation requests to potential golf fundraiser sponsors, some of them may turn down your initial solicitation—which is completely normal.

However, when you receive a rejection, you need to be ready to adjust your strategy so you can still make the most of your efforts. Determine the sponsor’s reason for turning down your ask, then use the following strategies to adjust your approach:

• If the sponsor isn’t willing to provide the specific item you requested but is still interested in donating an auction prize, present a few backup offers that also align with their business model but are potentially lower-value or lower-demand. For example, if the aforementioned sporting goods store owner says no to your request for a set of golf clubs, see if they’re willing to provide a voucher for golf shoes in the winning bidder’s size or a general store gift card instead.

• If the sponsor wants to contribute an item but won’t let it go for free, try to negotiate a discounted price for fundraising purposes to maintain low upfront costs.

• If the sponsor is interested in supporting your event, but not via an auction item donation, discuss alternative sponsorship options with them. Review your golf tournament’s monetary sponsorship tiers with them so they can choose an option that aligns with their budget. Or, if the business could provide other supplies or a service for the event (such as a restaurant donating catering services), present them with that option.

• If the sponsor doesn’t want to contribute to your event at all, thank them for their time and move on to other sponsors or individual donors who might be able to provide the item you’re looking for.

Make sure to digitally track all sponsorship requests and responses so that when you host your next charity golf tournament, you can reference this information and approach sponsors even more strategically.

Donated items from sponsors significantly reduces overhead costs and ensure more revenue for your nonprofit.

Wrapping Up

Once you’ve secured a variety of auction item donations from your golf fundraiser sponsors, remember to follow through on your donor recognition promises—whether you shout your sponsors out on social media, include their logos on your event signage, mention them in your introductory speech, or other means of recognition. You might also consider going the extra mile and providing a small token of your gratitude for their support. This commitment to showing appreciation and looking out for their interests will contribute to longer-term, stronger partnerships with your nonprofit’s corporate sponsors.

Golf for Good

GolfStatus’ golf event management software can make your charity golf event simpler than ever. And with client-only add-ons like auction software, tournament organizers can save a ton of time and raise even more money for their cause. Nonprofits can qualify to use it at no cost through the Golf for Good program. 

by Cash Dinkel, PGA, Client Success Director at GolfStatus

It happens to the best of us—you’re sure all your i’s are dotted and all your t’s are crossed for your golf tournament, but as the day draws closer, unexpected issues and tasks may pop up and must be handled. Here are 10 commonly overlooked tournament details you might not be thinking of (but definitely should be!):

1. Event Website Updates

Your event website is the hub for your tournament. It can be tempting to set it and forget it, but it’s necessary to keep it up to date. As the tournament gets closer, ensure the sponsor and team package quantities remaining are correct, that expiration dates are applicable, and a registration close date is clearly stated and communicated to prospective sponsors and golfers.

2. Weather Plans

Weather is one of the few factors for your golf tournament that you have no control over. That being said, you can be prepared. Think through an inclement weather plan for all scenarios and work with the golf facility to determine a backup tournament date, if applicable. If the forecast calls for hot weather, ensure you have plenty of water on hand for staff, volunteers, and participants. If it will be uncomfortably cold, think about providing hot coffee or cocoa to keep participants warm. Above all, you’ll want to constantly monitor the weather leading up to the tournament and fine-tune your contingency plans and how you’ll communicate those to participants.

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Pro Tip:

GolfStatus’ tournament management platform includes a messaging feature that makes it simple to send emails or push notifications to registered golfers and sponsors with just a few clicks.

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3. Volunteer Management

Volunteers are a crucial part of your event. Make sure you’ve assigned and communicated clear roles and expectations to all volunteers and have a point person to manage volunteers throughout the tournament. Be sure to take care of them, providing food and beverage, chairs, a shade tent, or other items to keep them comfortable and feeling appreciated.

4. Golfer/Team Waitlist

If you have a cap on the number of individual golfers or teams that can play in your event, game plan how you’ll handle a waitlist. Many tournaments offer a waitlist so teams or individuals can fill a spot left by a cancellation or other circumstances. If your teams are getting close to sold out, determine if you’ll offer a wait list, how you’ll handle registration and payment with folks on the waitlist, or whether or not you’re able to accommodate additional teams by doubling up on holes (if allowed by the golf facility and keeping pace of play in mind).

5. Printing & Order Deadlines

Give yourself enough lead time to order any signage, banners, apparel, player gifts, branded merchandise, or other items to arrive in plenty of time for your tournament. Check with your vendors on production/turnaround times to ensure you’ll have everything you need for tournament day.

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Pro Tip:

Check out the GolfStatus Marketplace for trusted third party vendors on everything you need to make your tournament unforgettable, like signage, pin flags, auction software, hole-in-one contest insurance, and much more.

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6. A/V Equipment

Coordinate with the host golf facility to determine what A/V equipment they have available and what you’ll need to bring on your own. Equipment needs might include a microphone and portable speaker for the welcome; televisions to display live leaderboards (either inside or outside the clubhouse); laptop, screen, and projector for the awards ceremony or banquet; and any necessary cords for power or connections.

7. Day-of Supplies

Tournament day can be hectic, so plan ahead and make sure you have all the supplies you’ll need for a smooth event. These include items for registration, on-course games, signage, raffle prizes, auction items, and A/V items.

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The Complete Event Day Guide for charity golf tournaments

This free guide includes a tournament day checklist of everything you need for a smooth-running event, plus tips on live scoring, using your website to communicate with participants, and suggested reports and documents.

Download now!

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8. Food & Beverage

This deadline often sneaks up on tournament organizers. Whether the golf facility is providing all food and beverage or an outside vendor or caterer is supplying them, be sure to touch base with them to set a deadline to provide final numbers, confirm menus, and talk through the details of when and how food will be distributed. If you’re providing food and beverage for golfers and sponsors, it’s a good idea to ask for any dietary restrictions at registration.

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Pro Tip:

Food and beverage are prime opportunities for sponsorships. Consider a Lunch Sponsor, Beverage Cart Sponsor, Bar Sponsor, Drink Ticket Sponsor, Snack Sponsor, or other sponsor that helps cover the hard costs associated with food and drink.

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9. Parking

Most golf facilities have ample parking available, but you might want to verify plans for overflow parking if you’re expecting a sold out field of golfers along with sponsors, volunteers, staff members, and guests. The last thing folks want to deal with as they arrive for a fun day on the golf course is a full parking lot and no other options for their vehicle. Consider assigning a volunteer to direct traffic to maximize parking lot use, having a spot for golfers to drop their golf bags before they park, and ensuring there is accessible parking available.

10. Prizes & Giveaways

Don’t wait until the last minute to determine the prizes you’ll provide to the tournament’s champions, winners of on-course games, and contests, as well as golfer gifts. Give yourself plenty of production time for trophies or plaques, and seek donations for auction items, raffle prizes, pin prizes, golfer gifts, and other giveaways to save money on costs.

Stay Organized With Golf Tournament Tech from GolfStatus

Golf tournaments come with enough details to handle—the last thing you need is a clunky event management platform that requires workarounds to function for a golf event. GolfStatus is built for golf and makes it easy for tournament organizers to stay organized, save a ton of time, and easily collaborate with planning teams and the golf facility.

Nonprofits, charities, and third parties holding a golf fundraiser can qualify to use GolfStatus—with a free event website, online registration, client-only sponsorships, an A+ support team, and much more—at no upfront cost through the Golf for Good program. Click below to get qualified and create a tournament in minutes!

Partner Snapshot

Maxwell Tyeryar served six years in the U.S. Army National Guard, including a nine-month tour in Kuwait. He earned a Sergeant’s ranking and numerous service medals, including the distinguished Army Achievement Medal. 

But like many veterans, Max masked his internal struggle, and took his own life on January 29, 2022 at just 25 years old. Max’s father, Wes, launched Max Well for Life to honor Max and help support those who struggle with their path in life, along with the families and friends who have been impacted by the loss of a loved one through suicide.

Michele Mikk’s two sons were good friends with Max and he spent a lot of time with her family, so it was devastating to learn that he had taken his own life. After Wes organized a walk dedicated to Max, Michele’s sons approached her with the idea of a golf tournament. She immediately said yes, and the Max Well For Life Charity Golf Tournament was born.

The Challenge

Beyond raising money, Michele knew they wanted the golf tournament to bring people together and raise awareness about the struggles veterans often face. “Even if we’re able to help one person, it’s enough,” she says. 

Michele isn’t a golfer, but knew she didn’t have to be one to raise money with golf. Her two sons played golf with Max in high school, so as a golf mom, she knew enough to get started.

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“I don’t have to know how to play golf to raise money with it!”

— Michele Mikk, Max Well For Life Charity Golf Tournament Organizer

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She’s good at handling details, but wanted an easy way to collect golfer registrations, sell sponsorships, and handle the bookkeeping side of the tournament—without being mired down with spreadsheets, checks, and emails.

The Solution

A friend of Michele’s told her about GolfStatus, a software platform built specifically for golf fundraisers. She looked further into GolfStatus and found that it checked all the boxes—easy to use, attractive website, online registration, payment processing, and golf-specific features. They signed on right as they started planning the inaugural tournament and used the platform to establish processes and give the event much-needed infrastructure.

The Results

Michele says the planning team, which included Beth Ann Mellott, Kathy Tyeryar, and Wes Tyeryar, had no idea what to expect in terms of fundraising for the event’s first year, and were thrilled with the total of $25,000. Year two saw an increase in the tournament’s fundraising outcome, raising $34,000. “The money is amazing and it helps people, but at the end of the day, the tournament is a chance for people who knew Max to come together and talk about him,” Michele says. She says GolfStatus was a key component of the tournament’s success.

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“It was so great, super easy to use. It’s been a no-brainer to keep using it.”

— Michele Mikk, Max Well For Life Charity Golf Tournament Organizer

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Software Provides Infrastructure & Organization

Once GolfStatus was in place, Michele says they “never looked back.” Having a powerful tool to manage the tournament from the get-go ensured the team stayed organized and didn’t waste time dealing with multiple platforms and logins. 

It all started with an attractive event website where folks could go to find out more about the tournament and learn about Max. Visitors could browse registration packages and sponsorship packages and complete their registration online. “Online is the way you do anything these days,” Michele says. “It was very easy and everyone was receptive to it.”

Once golfers registered, their information dropped into GolfStatus’ intuitive backend. From there, Michele could track teams and sponsorships sold, available funds, and sponsor assets. “We set it up so I got a notification anytime someone registered or made a donation,” she says. “It was super user-friendly.” As the tournament neared, Michele simply downloaded the platform’s pre-formatted printouts, including alpha lists and cart signs, and clicked print, saving herself hours of administrative work to create them from scratch. 

GolfStatus’ pre-formatted reports and printouts saved Michele a ton of time and effort.

Michele also handled all the bookkeeping, which was made simple by the robust reports available in the software. The tournament raised money to establish a scholarship fund at East Carolina University, Max’s alma mater, for a student pursuing a military career, as well as an endowment at the local community foundation to help support the mental health needs of veterans. She could track tournament income in GolfStatus’ backend to facilitate the donations to these causes in Max’s memory.

Leveraging Networks

Since the goal of the tournament was to remember Max, the vast majority of the sponsors and golfers had a connection to him, his family, or the planning committee members. “It really has turned into a way to bring our community together,” Michele explains. 

The tournament was open to the public, and it was promoted on social media and flyers with a QR code that linked directly to the tournament’s website. When registration opened in January for the May tournament, teams sold out within a week and organizers had a waitlist for foursomes. The event was capped at 34 teams to maintain a comfortable pace of play.

Beth Ann, Kathy, and Wes had deep connections to businesses in the community, which were leveraged to sell sponsorships. Michele says each person reached out to businesses they had a connection to, and nearly every one of them said yes to supporting the tournament. 

Because the event was raising money for a charity, it qualified for GolfStatus’ Golf for Good program and no-cost access to the platform. The one requirement of the program is to list GolfStatus’ exclusive Technology Sponsorship for sale. The sale of the sponsorship brought in an additional $2,500 and further demonstrated Max’s legacy on the community. “When the Technology Sponsor sold to TVAR Solutions, it was one of the only ones none of us were familiar with,” Michele says. She reached out to inquire about the business’ connection, and it turned out they were an old neighbor of Max’s parents who heard about the tournament and wanted to be part of it. 

“The money is amazing and it helps people, but at the end of the day, the tournament is a chance for people who knew Max to come together and talk about him,” says Michele Mikk, Max Well For Life Golf Tournament Organizer.

Add-Ons Drive Revenue & Connections

The planning team wanted to make the tournament memorable while incorporating elements that connected golfers to Max. Max loved disc golf, so on two holes, golfers threw one of his discs as their drive. “People loved it, because it meant something to Max,” Michele said. 

Merchandise bearing the Max Well for Life logo were sold at the event to raise additional funds.

The tournament incorporated several contests, including longest drive, closest to the pin, putting, and hole-in-one. GolfStatus’ Bundled Hole-In-One contest package was a great fit for the event, offering a seamless option for tournament planners looking for an additional premium sponsorship offering. “It was so easy—I didn’t have to do anything!” Michele says. “I set up what we wanted to sell the sponsorships for and GolfStatus took care of the rest.”

Beyond contests, the tournament generated additional revenue by selling mulligans, Max Well for Life apparel, and raffle tickets for items donated by sponsors.

Looking to the Future

After year one, the event moved golf courses and had a top-notch experience at P.B. Dye Golf Club in Ijamsville, Maryland. “We had a great experience there and plan to keep the tournament there,” Michele says, especially now that they’ve built a strong relationship with the course. The tournament has experienced great success, so no major changes are planned for the next couple years, except perhaps adding an additional game or two to make it even more fun. 

“Folks told us it was the best tournament they’ve ever played in, and we want to keep it that way,” Michele says. She credits GolfStatus for keeping the planning team organized and letting them focus on things like sponsorships and fun add-ons instead of worrying about administrative tasks. She says having a good committee is so important, with people who are willing to handle the details and others who will go out and sell sponsorships. 

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“Planning a golf tournament is a lot, but staying organized with GolfStatus makes it easier.”

— Michele Mikk, Tournament Organizer

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Golf for Good

GolfStatus is the leading event management platform for charity golf tournaments and fundraisers. It streamlines and simplifies golf events to save organizers a ton of time and has built-in tools to raise even money for your cause. Through GolfStatus’ Golf for Good program, nonprofit organizations (and those planning golf events to benefit one) can qualify to use GolfStatus at no cost. Get an event website, online registration with secure payment processing, the ability to collect donations, exclusive sponsorships and exposure, live support seven days a week, and golf-specific tools to make your tournament the best one yet. Click below to book a meeting and get qualified.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Ask the Pros!

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

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

Our guest on this episode of The Chicago Golf Report podcast is Logan Foote from GolfStatus, a leading event management platform for charity golf tournaments and fundraisers. GolfStatus allows you to accept registrations, sell sponsorships, collect donations on your custom event website, and manage information in the software’s intuitive backend.

In this interview, we discuss:

• Why automating tasks like creating a custom event website, managing registrations, and collecting payments can save golf event organizers time and money.

• How technology sponsorships can easily help events raise more money.

• The top reasons why golf outings have seen a surge in popularity.

• Why golf is a great fundraising vehicle for just about any cause or organization.

• An entertaining option that GolfStatus provides that can add an element of competition to your event.

• Creative strategies and ideas event organizers can use to maximize their fundraising efforts.

• The powerful tool that golf outing managers should be using to promote their events and tell the story of the charity they are supporting.

Source: Chicago Golf Report

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

What’s New?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Download the updated app today!

Learn how to use the app to
live score a tournament

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Powerful, user-friendly &
no upfront cost

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

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

Partner Snapshot

When Dino Verelli’s father, Giovanni, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2008, he found very little in terms of support or resources for pancreatic cancer families. Dino decided to take action to rewrite the story of this formidable disease. He launched Project Purple in 2010, fueled by a commitment to his father and the countless other patients and families affected by pancreatic cancer. Sadly, Giovanni passed away in 2011, but his memory is honored through Project Purple’s work to raise awareness, drive crucial research into early detection, and provide aid to patients and families battling pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer has just a 13% five-year survival rate. Its symptoms often don’t present until the disease has advanced and spread to other organs, making early detection—when the chances of successful treatment are the greatest—even more of a challenge. Vin Kampf, Program Director at Project Purple, lost an uncle to pancreatic cancer within just six months of diagnosis, inspiring him to join the Project Purple team.

“One of the most important things we do is build community,” Vin says. “It trickles down into our other areas of focus.”

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“Fostering a community of support helps patients connect with others who are in the same fight. It’s been life-changing!”

— Vin Kampf, Program Director at Project Purple

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The Challenge

Vin oversees the marathon program at Project Purple, which raises funds through individual runners in marathons and races across the world. The program has helped build the community that’s become so important to the organization, joining together with the pancreatic cancer patients, their families, and the institutions conducting crucial research into a cure.

Vin also loves golf. He’s played in a number of golf fundraisers and helps with a tournament organized by an aunt in memory of his uncle. He saw the fundraising potential and reach of such an event, and wanted to bring that to Project Purple. “Who doesn’t love being outside, being together with others working toward a common purpose, and connecting with them on new levels?” he says. He started to think about how a golf tournament might work for Project Purple—and then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

“All marathons were canceled, but we were able to move forward with a golf fundraiser,” Vin says. “It was the one fundraising event we could do safely.” They threw the first tournament together in just a few months for a fall event, then had a quick turnaround when they opted to move the tournament to June. He used the organization’s CRM and multiple spreadsheets for the first two tournaments and ran into roadblocks. “It felt clunky and inefficient, and the registration site didn’t look good or work very well,” he says, and began looking for a better way to plan and manage the tournament that was structured to handle golf.

Organizers wanted to make its annual charity golf tournament a marquee fundraising event for Project Purple.

The Solution

In the middle of planning for year two of the tournament, Vin started researching software options and came across GolfStatus.“We really wanted the golf tournament to become a marquee event for us, and we needed a solution that reflected that,” Vin says. He downloaded a handful of tournament planning resources from the online resource library and connected with the GolfStatus team. 

Once he learned more about the software’s capabilities, the premium sponsorship and add-on options, and the top-notch customer service, Vin realized GolfStatus was what was missing from the golf tournament. 

An event website made it simple for golfers and sponsors to purchase teams and sponsorships.

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“We really wanted the golf tournament to become a marquee event for us, and we needed a solution that reflected that.”

— Vin Kampf, Program Director at Project Purple

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The Results

The tournament has grown every year since it began, and Vin credits GolfStatus with helping reduce costs and opening doors to additional revenue streams. The 4th annual tournament brought in $130,000, which will fund patient financial assistance programs and research grants for early detection.

Boosting Revenue With GolfStatus Exclusives

Vin and his planning team are constantly looking for ways to boost revenue from the tournament, and GolfStatus provided a menu of options that elevated the tournament. GolfStatus’ Technology Sponsorship was folded into the tournament’s Title Sponsorship, providing additional value and touchpoints across the platform. The tournament also sold a Pin Flag Sponsorship that provided high-quality, TOUR-caliber pin flags on all 18 holes. “The flag sponsor was ecstatic!” Vin says. “He was over the moon about how great the flags looked and the exposure they got.”

What’s more, GolfStatus’ Bundled Hole-in-One contest package added two more premium sponsorships. “The Dormie Network prizes alongside the cash prizes made a ton of sense for our tournament,” Vin says. “We split the contest to two holes to capitalize on another sponsorship.”

Project Purple’s golf event raises funds for patient assistance and early detection research.

Increased Efficiency & Streamlined Tournament Management

Vin says the first year of the tournament felt like “organized haphazardness.” Between trying to get their CRM to function effectively for the golf tournament to creating processes that maximized the small planning committee’s time, Vin says they learned a lot, but knew planning and management could be improved from top to bottom.

“GolfStatus immediately saved us time and kept us organized,” he says, and laughs that “the spreadsheets could finally go away!” They simply share the link to the golf tournament website in all promotional materials where golfers purchase their team and any add-ons. Sponsors can browse available packages and submit their logos and messaging right through the event website, saving a ton of back and forth. “No one had any issues, it was super easy to get golfers and sponsors registered.” All golfer, sponsor, and payment information is accessible in the software’s back end, which Vin says was easy to navigate. And if he did have questions or needed guidance, GolfStatus’ in-house client success team was available whenever Vin needed them.

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“GolfStatus was transformative for our golf tournament. Everything is so streamlined and seamless.”

— Vin Kampf, Program Director at Project Purple

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Project Purple unlocked GolfStatus’ invoicing feature to work with some of the tournament’s sponsors, and says that was a huge time-saver for Vin. “I could send invoices right through the software, which freed up a ton of time for me to work on getting sponsors.”

The pre-formatted printouts saved even more time. Vin says a few days before the event, he was able to find the documents he needed—alpha lists, hole assignments, rules sheets, and scorecards—and just click print. “It was all ready to go!” Vin says.

The Hall of Fame ceremony has become a special part of the golf tournament. It recognizes people who have battled pancreatic cancer and had an impact on the Project Purple community.

Creating Cause Connecting Through the Project Purple Hall of Fame

Perhaps the most impactful part of the tournament is the addition of a hall of fame induction ceremony to the post-round dinner. It’s become a special moment of honor and recognition for individuals who have battled pancreatic cancer and had a deep impact on the Project Purple community. Inductees or their families receive a purple jacket and their picture hangs in the organization’s offices as a reminder of their fight against the disease.

“The hall of fame ceremony is such a meaningful part of the tournament,” Vin says. “People hear from those who have fought pancreatic cancer or family members of someone who passed away from it. It helps everyone understand the importance of what we’re doing.”

Building Momentum

Vin hopes to use the lessons learned from the Golf Classic for Pancreatic Cancer to build momentum and empower supporters to plan golf tournaments that raise money for Project Purple. “GolfStatus has helped us build the template for that—we just have to plug and play,” Vin says.

They’ve built a strong relationship with the host golf course, Shorehaven Golf Club in Norwalk, Connecticut, and are looking to broaden their volunteer and sponsor bases. “We have a great story to tell and more to offer sponsoring businesses,” Vin says of the digital exposure provided by GolfStatus, coupled with other ad space and exposure opportunities on the organization’s website. 

Project Purple’s golf fundraiser has grown every year since it began, and organizers credit GolfStatus with helping reduce costs and opening doors to additional revenue streams.

As Project Purple continues to build momentum for a cure, they’re building momentum for the 15th anniversary of the organization and the 5th annual golf tournament. Vin says he has big plans to mark the occasion—and big goals. He says he hopes to raise $200,000 in year five, bringing in more dollars to help patients cover bills and expenses so they can focus on fighting their cancer and fund early detection research that boosts survival rates. 

Vin is already planning for next year and looking for ways to elevate the experience for golfers while also raising more money. He knows $200,000 is a lofty goal, but is confident they can get there. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s been so rewarding at the end of the day. When everything comes together, and I’m driving around the course and seeing so many smiles, it’s all worth it.”

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See how their 2025 event went

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Golf for Good

As a nonprofit, Project Purple qualified to use GolfStatus’ golf event management software at no upfront cost through the Golf for Good program. Nonprofits can get an event website, client-only add-ons and sponsorships, access to Fundraising Specialists, time-saving tools, and much more. Click below to book a meeting with our team to learn more and get qualified!

by Jen Wemhoff, Communications Manager at GolfStatus

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

What Are Corporate Golf Events?

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

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

Learn How to Plan a Corporate Golf Event

What Are the Benefits of Corporate Golf Events?

Enhance Corporate Social Responsibility

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

• 93% of employees think companies should lead with purpose

• 77% of consumers want to purchase from socially-responsible companies

• 94% of major US corporations plan to increase or maintain their corporate giving over the next few years

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

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

Connect With Your Community

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

• Who would we like to attend the outing?

• What’s our goal for turnout?

• What do we want our attendees to take away from this event?

• Does it make sense to open the tournament up to the broader community?

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

No matter the audience you choose or the objective at hand for your business, having an easy way to register and track interested participants and sponsorships is crucial. Online registration with secure payment processing as part of a broader golf event management platform makes it easy to collect participant information, manage it in real time, and facilitate communications before, during, and after the event. The platform can also function as the “bank” for your tournament, collecting and holding funds that can be distributed directly to the benefiting charity after the event to simplify accounting.

Provide a Competitive Edge

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

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

Build & Foster Relationships

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

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

Boost Employee Engagement

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

Allow Your Company to Do Good In Your Community

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

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

How to Host a Corporate Golf Event

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

1. Use the Right Tools

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

Online registration is non-negotiable when planning a corporate golf event. It gives the event and your brand a professional feel and is a time-saver for tournament planners.

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

• Customizable Event Website. The site should present your event in a professional light and make it simple to promote the event, provide digital sponsor exposure, and share detailed information about the event.

• Shared Access. All registration information should populate into the platform’s back end, which means all the event’s information is stored and accessible in one place by organizers and even staff at the golf facility. 

• Communication Tools. Need an easy way to quickly communicate with all registrants? Your platform should have built-in communication tools like emails and push notifications. 

• Pre-formatted Printouts. Want to print branded scorecards and cart signs? Use a platform that comes with pre-formatted, professional printouts.

• Live-scoring & Leaderboards. Golfers submit their scores with an easy-to-use, reliable live-scoring app that syncs to live leaderboards. Live leaderboards give the tournament an even more professional look and feel and allow teams to track current standings.

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Ready to start planning?

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2. Set Goals & Outline the Specifics

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

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

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

• Target audience (employees, clients, partners, community members, etc.)

• Tournament budget

• Host golf facility

• Planning team roles and responsibilities

• Marketing and communications strategy

• Sponsorship packages (if applicable)

• Contingency plan for inclement weather

• Prizes and awards

• Add-on activities and contests, such as on-course games, hole-in-one contests, raffle drawings, or a silent auction

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Step-by-Step Golf Tournament Planning Guide

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3. Promote the Corporate Golf Event

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

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

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

4. Provide a Memorable Experience

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

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

• Include add-ons and extras like contests, on-course games and entertainment, auctions, and custom player gifts.

• Live score the event to add an element of professionalism that’s unlike any other and let spectators (as well as event organizers who are keeping an eye on the round’s progress to facilitate an awards ceremony, banquet, reception, or other post-round gathering) follow along on live leaderboards. 

• Build in ways to connect with employees and/or clients, such as through a pre- or post-round meal or reception, on-course interactions, the opportunity to volunteer, or informal networking. 

• Be strategic when making hole assignments and how they might further business objectives. For example, you may want to pair your company’s top executives with their counterparts from a major partner or prospective client to spend the day on the course talking business and potentially even closing deals. Or group staff or board members from the benefiting charity with potential partners or donors to help advance their mission and open doors for additional support.
  

5. Track Data & Gauge Success

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

• The number of teams or individual golfers

• The number of sponsors that signed on to support the event

• The dollars that were processed through online registration and donations

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

• Sending surveys to participants to garner impressions and feedback, and the event’s impact on employee satisfaction

• Having informal conversations with golfers to see what they like and how you can improve in the future

• Meeting with the benefiting nonprofit to determine fundraising outcomes and next steps for donor stewardship

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

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Powering Corporate Golf Events with GolfStatus

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

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

Use the Tech That’s Built for Golf events

Click Here to Book a GolfStatus Demo!

About the Author

Jen Wemhoff - Communications Manager at GolfStatus

Jen Wemhoff accidentally discovered her passion for nonprofits in college. An internship while earning a degree in Communications from Doane University led to a 20 year career in the nonprofit sector, where she found a strong desire to be part of something bigger than herself. Her vast nonprofit experience includes roles in marketing, fundraising, and direct programming. When Jen came to GolfStatus as Communications Manager in 2020, she was struck by the power of the sport to raise money to power nonprofit missions. She tells GolfStatus’s story across platforms and channels and develops educational tools and resources to help nonprofits tap into golf’s giving power. Jen, her husband, and two daughters call Lincoln, Nebraska home.

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