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Putt for profits: How to plan a winning charity golf tournament

Wondering how to host a golf tournament fundraiser? We’ve got everything you need to succeed in eight steps, plus five ways to raise more and spend less.

Rachel Ayotte
November 26, 2024
April 8, 2021
Nerd Mr Butter

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Every year, charity golf events raise billions of dollars for good causes. While golf tournament fundraisers can bring in a lot of money, they are also among the most expensive fundraising events to organize.

In this article, we’ll dive into actionable ideas on how to run a golf tournament fundraiser, along with a handy golf tournament checklist to keep your team organized along the way. With a few high-value sponsorship packages, multiple ticket options, and enticing add-ons, you’ll be on your way to raising some green, on the green. 

How to organize a golf tournament in 8 steps

Hosting a golf outing fundraiser requires careful upfront planning, in-person setup, and ongoing coordination. Follow these eight steps to stay on track for success. 

Step 1: Define your goals and assemble your team 🥇

To start your golf tournament planning, you’ll want to determine your goals and have the right team in place:

  • Establish objectives: Determine your fundraising target along with specific goals for raising awareness or community engagement. Don’t forget to make these goals SMART—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
  • Form a planning committee: Assign at least five roles—such as event coordinator, marketing lead, volunteer coordinator, sponsorship lead, etc.—so that all responsibilities are clearly defined and covered.
  • Bring in volunteers: If you're a small team planning to host a large event, consider recruiting volunteers to assist with check-in, on-course assistance, managing side events, setup, and breakdown. 

Step 2: Manage your money 💰

To maximize the revenue of your golf fundraiser while minimizing expenses, you’ll want to establish a budget. 

When developing your budget, include costs related to the following:

  • Venue: Catering, golf course rental fees, decor/signage, banquet hall/indoor space
  • Marketing: Online advertising (ads, social media), print advertising (local papers, flyers)
  • Prizes: Gift certificates, plaques, charity golf tournament swag
  • Staff and volunteers: T-shirts/uniforms, transportation, meals, lodging
  • Additional activities: Any costs associated with planning a side event like a silent auction, longest drive contest, or putting competition

Step 3: Nail down the details 📅

One of the most important steps in hosting a charity golf tourney is selecting the date, time, venue, and format. How you decide these three crucial details could boost or hinder participation. 

  • Date/time: Select a date and time that avoids conflicts with other local events. Be sure to choose a date far enough away that it allows ample time for planning and promotion and offers the right weather.
  • Venue: Choose a golf course with the right amenities, accessibility, and price point for your budget. This process might also include visiting potential venues.
  • Format: Consider whether you want to host a Scramble, Best Ball, Stroke Play, or another golf competition. 

Step 4: Set up a fundraising event page 🌡️

A fundraising event page is where participants will complete their online registration, find details, and even donate. So, ensuring it’s clear, easy to use, and actionable is essential.

When creating your event page, include features like:

  • Key details such as the name, description, date, time, and location
  • Different ticket types and payment options
  • A fundraising thermometer
  • High-quality images, graphics, and videos 
  • Peer-to-peer fundraising and leaderboards 

Step 5: Develop a marketing plan 📣

Want to make sure that your golf event creates the most significant impact? Bring in as many participants as you can! To spread the word about your event, consider:

Step 6: Get set up ⛳

Once you’ve laid the foundation for the event, it’s time to prepare the venue, which might include the following:

  • Setting up registration: Use an easy-to-use registration system that supports online and in-person check-ins via app, plus ticket sales and additional donations on the event day. Create a specific venue area where participants will check in and get ready to play.
  • Managing logistics: Set up the venue with necessary signage, sponsors’ displays, and more. Plus, provide detailed information on how the golf tournament will be played (rules, formats, etc.).
  • Organizing additional activities: Create space to set up your auction and any side competitions, and arrange for meals and refreshments, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack stations.

Step 7: Swing 🏌️

You’re all set up to have an exciting, impactful day on the green. Now, all that’s left is to:

  • Welcome participants: Offer a brief welcome speech or introduction, highlighting the cause and goals of the event. Remind everyone of your mission and why you’ve gathered—to play for a purpose.
  • Oversee the tournament: Monitor the progress of the game and promptly address any issues by assigning volunteers or staff members to each hole. 
  • Host side events: Conduct side events as planned, ensuring they are well-organized and enjoyable for participants.
  • Bank content: A charity golf tournament is perfect for gathering promotional information for your event follow-up and future campaigns. Have a volunteer assigned to take pictures, and task a board member to ask players for quotes about the event and your cause.  

Step 8: Follow-Up 💌

Once the event is over, there’s still work to be done. Following up with supporters, whether they donated or participated in the tournament itself, will encourage them to come back for your next event.

Send personalized thank-you notes to sponsors, participants, volunteers, and donors to express gratitude for their support. Beyond custom thank yous, highlight the event’s impact with success stories, beneficiary testimonials, and photos on social media and your website.

Evaluating the success of the event is critical for future planning. Gather feedback from participants and volunteers on their experience and assess whether you accomplished your goals so your next fundraiser can be even more successful.

Download a free charity golf tournament fundraiser checklist

Organizing and running a charity golf event can be overwhelming—and without a handy golf tournament checklist, it’s easy to forget a thing or two. To make sure nothing slips through the cracks, and you make the most of your event, download this free checklist for running a charity golf tournament!

5 ways to raise more and spend less at your charity golf tournament 

Golf tournaments are high-cost events—you raise a lot, but you can all too easily spend a lot. To funnel as much money to your cause as possible, try cutting costs using these foolproof methods. 

1. Make sponsorships irresistible 

Many companies will donate to golf outings. When it comes to raising money, corporate sponsorships may make the biggest difference toward your event’s fundraising goal. 

To boost sales, be sure to:

  • Create food and drink packages 🍹 Let's face facts—the best events include food and adult beverages. The Goose Flights Celebrity Golf Tournament gave sponsors prime promotions on all lunch materials.
  • Provide hole sponsorships ⛳ Invite corporate sponsors to set up a booth, host a BBQ, or create another customized experience at each hole.
  • Offer title sponsorships 💸 Honor your biggest sponsors by naming the event after them!

2. Design different ticketing options

Different formats can help bring in additional funds—that’s why many nonprofits offer multiple entry options. For example:

  • Allow for single players and teams 👫 The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Haverhill's Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser allowed golfers to purchase a single ticket or a foursome package.
  • Offer a mix of competitions 🏌 Why not hold a competition for the longest drive, a hole-in-one contest, or a putting contest to foster even more friendly competition?
  • Design VIP tickets 🎉 Offer premium, top-dollar ticketing options that include a golf cart rental, food and drink tickets, and a coveted tee time. 

3. Offer activities besides golfing

The best golf tournaments don't just target golfers themselves. They offer activities for families, spouses, friends, and other people from the community of all different skill levels, such as:

  • Food and drink experiences 🍟 BBQs, cocktail hours, and tournament breakfasts are a great way to draw a crowd. For example, the Odyssey Charter School Annual Golf Outing offered a deluxe breakfast, lunch, and cash bar!
  • Kid's mini-golf tournament 🧒 Set up a pop-up mini-golf course for kids to participate in the fun.
  • Raffle or silent auction 🏆 Selling raffle tickets or hosting an auction of donated items is fun and effective for raising funds at your tournament. 

4. Don't forget your add-ons

Your fundraising efforts don't end once the tickets are sold! To boost revenue further, offer day-of purchases—and easily accept payments with Tap to Pay, Venmo, or text-to-donate options—such as: 

  • Mulligans 🆓 A mulligan in golf is essentially a do-over or a second shot after a putt gone wrong. You can offer mulligans for $10 to $30, allowing players to pay for a second shot.
  • Towels, water, and other supplies 📍Station volunteers at every hole to offer players sweat towels, water bottles, extra tees, or golf balls in exchange for an onsite donation.
  • Better putts 💎 The Believe in Me Charity Golf Tournament offered “cheat packages” in which a golfer could pay $150+ to access a combination of assists (mulligans, grenade, red tee, and more!). 

5. Start fundraising for next year's event

Making your tournament an annual gathering will reduce your expenses and workload (as you can replicate your processes each time)—all while creating a community around your event.

To ensure you host a successful event year after year while keeping costs low, try these strategies:

  • Offer early-bird packages ⏰ Selling early-bird tickets for next year's event can help garner excitement for your fundraiser (and offset some of those upfront expenses).
  • Slash costs for repeat sponsors 💰Thank your sponsors by offering them a discounted package to support next year's tournament.

Launch your best charity golf tournament yet

Planning a golf tournament fundraiser is one of the most impactful ways to raise money for a good cause, but it can also be the most costly. Givebutter offers nonprofits free fundraising tools that make the process as smooth as butter, from event pages and ticket bundling to team fundraising and email marketing—not to mention a built-in donor management system to keep all your data in one place. 

Free fundraising event pages to fuel your mission

Ready to plan a profitable charity golf tournament? Sign up today and start creating a hole-in-one event.

Frequently asked questions

What is a charity golf tournament?

A charity golf tournament is an event where participants play golf to raise money for a specific cause or nonprofit organization. To raise more for these fundraising efforts, nonprofits often secure corporate sponsorships and add activities like auctions, raffles, and contests. 

How much can a charity golf tournament make?

The amount a charity golf tournament raises varies widely based on factors such as the number of participants, the level of sponsorship, and additional fundraising activities. On average, small tournaments can make a few thousand dollars, while larger, well-organized events with strong sponsorship can bring in tens of thousands or more than $100K.

How long does a charity golf tournament last?

A charity golf tournament typically lasts one full day, often from early morning until late afternoon. Tournaments usually begin with time for registration, a round of golf (which can take 4-6 hours), and post-golf activities like awards ceremonies and dinners.

What is the format for golf tournament fundraisers?

Popular formats for golf tournament fundraisers include:

  • Scramble: Team members each hit a tee shot, and the best shot is selected for the next play. This activity continues until the hole is completed.
  • Best Ball: Each player on the team plays their ball, and the best score among the team is recorded.
  • Stroke Play: Individual players complete each hole, and the total strokes are counted to determine the winner.
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