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Producing a successful charity golf tournament can be fun and rewarding. But it also can be a nightmare. Whether your charity event is remembered for the right or wrong reasons depends on a number of factors. Here are 18 that, if handled correctly, will lead to a successful event. 1 Purpose and goals Define your purpose and make sure the entire committee is on the same page. Once you have a plan, stick to it, and be specific with your goals. If fund-raising is your goal, decide how much money you want to raise and where the money is going. Sponsors and golfers are more willing to write checks if they know the money is going to a good organization with a solid business plan. 2 Staffing Golf tournaments are fun, and there are many volunteers who would love to get involved. They just need to be asked. Most prospective committee members can be found within your industry. When recruiting volunteers, tell them your goals and instructions in writing, and have them turn in weekly progress reports. It's also important to reward committee members with gifts, incentives, exposure and recognition. Treat them right and they'll be happy to help again at future events. 3 Format The caliber of players should determine your tournament's format. Beginners are more comfortable in a scramble; good golfers enjoy a best-ball format; and a mixture of the two like modified scrambles. Get feedback and use it to modify future events. Pro-ams, night golf or including celebrities are some of the possibilities. 4 Course Find out what your golfers want - new, private, traditional, easy or difficult - and which golf course will combine the preferred elements with good customer service. Golf courses want your business, and many are willing to make a deal. 5 Sponsors The more sponsors you have, the more money you'll make. Sponsors want to give to your cause and build relations with your members. They also want a return on their investment, so tell them what you have in mind and let it be known that their support is a win-win situation for both parties. 6 Recruiting Golfers will play in your event if you show them a good time and give them value for their buck. Nine committee members attracting four foursomes will sell out your event. 7 Networking Spending money on promotions isn't necessary if you have a good committee and you produce a good event. The best promotion is relationships. Golfers and sponsors will return if they're happy. 8 Games and contests Additional activities on the course add to the enjoyment of an event. Games and contests also give you an opportunity to announce more winners. Everybody wins when that happens. 9 Prizes A quality tee package upon arrival will have golfers feeling good before the round even begins. Be sure to include nice contest and winner prizes, in addition to raffle and auction items. 10 Tournament operations Sweat the small stuff. Watch everything from the spelling of everyone's name to starting on time. Inform the committee of all of the details so they can be as helpful as possible. 11 Planning Start six months in advance, reserve the golf course five months out, contact sponsors as soon as possible, and contact golfers 60 days in advance. 12 Budgets Don't spend more than you bring in. Charge for all playing spots. Sponsors are your profit. 13 Additional revenue Mulligans, a gambling hole, contests, raffles and auctions can take your event to a new financial level. 14 Food and beverage Give them great food, but not too much before the tournament, and pay for their drinks. 15 Lodging Find five to 10 hotels within 10 minutes of the course for out-of-area guests. 16 Signage Four-color, quality signs show class. Sponsors like to see this. 17 Photography and video Team and individual photos will build memories. Include photos in all of your packages. Consider a video. It's a great opportunity for a sponsor to get exposure. 18 Wrap up and follow up Pay your bills, clean up and write thank you letters. Your thoughtfulness will help build relationships. n Phil Immordino is author of "How to Produce a Successful Golf Tournament" and president of the Golf Tournament Association of America. He can be reached at pimmordino@gtaaweb.org. |
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