When you really want to make a difference at your school and bring in some extra funding that will help go towards making a better environment for the students, you might have considered holding a fundraiser to help reach your targets.

There are many different sports teams within the school that could use some extra funding, but with golf fundraising you will be doing something good for a group that is often left in the dark. The golf club often needs money for things like golf clubs and transport costs to the local golf green, and with golf fundraising you can really make a difference.

So let’s get started.

If you are part of the school’s golf team, it might be a good idea to rally together the support of your peers in helping to organize your golf fundraising event. This is a great way to get other people’s perspectives on the whole event and may bring some ideas to the table that you hadn’t thought of. It is very important that you plan out every aspect of your event before putting more time and money into it.

Taking care to note the budget and time frame you have to work with is a good way to making your plans run smoothly. If you feel that you have planned out your golf fundraising ideas sufficiently and are ready to get started in raising money, you might like to consider selling some golf fundraising products to help you reach those financial goals.

A Golf Scratch Card Fundraiser is a perfect option for fans of golfing and offer great profit margins (up to 90%). If you want to go with something sweet, you might prefer our $2 Chocolate Fundraiser, which is also incredibly easy to set up. Simply visit our product pages to get started.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Kevin McKinley, who is the director of golf and skiing at Treetops Resort in Gaylord, Michigan, which was voted one of the top 25 golf resorts in America according to Golf Digest. Kevin has been working in the golf industry since 1996 and has been at the helm of Treetops’ golf courses and ski hills for the past four years.

Kevin has incredible experience when it comes to planning, organizing, directing, and even playing in charity golf outings. I am very grateful to him for taking the time to sit down and answer a few of my questions.

JB (Jim Berigan): Thank you, Kevin, for spending some time with Step By Step Fundraising. We greatly appreciate your time, and we are grateful for the expertise you can share with us. First off, let me ask you, are golf outings still a popular form of fundraising?
KM (Kevin McKinley): Yes, they’re definitely still very popular. I can tell by two different indicators that this is true. First, we here at Treetops have many, many golf outings scheduled for this summer. Secondly, we are constantly being asked by other golf courses and non-profit groups to make donations to their golf outings at other courses. This is a reciprocal arrangement we have with them. They’ll donate to us when we ask, and we’ll donate to them when they ask.

JB: Why do you think that golf outings make good fundraisers?
KM: First of all, golf outings are very flexible and can be added onto in so many different ways. This means that a charity’s ability to raise money is higher. For instance, a golf outing could include a “skins’ pot”, a “beat-the-pro” hole, a “closest to the pin” contest, a longest drive competition, raffles, silent auctions, and mulligan sales to name just a few of the money making opportunities that can be added to the basic package. Not all fundraisers have this kind of room for growth.

The only concern with this opportunity is the question, when does too much become too much? Each group has to find the right balance between adding on revenue-making activities without overwhelming their golfers.

In addition, a golf outing is an excellent opportunity to have a great time, be outdoors in a beautiful setting, mix and mingle with old friends, make new acquaintances, and even do some business. I would even say that many non-profits use this networking angle as a selling point when they are trying to recruit teams.

But, sometimes, a golf outing is just a good excuse to take a day off from the office!

JB: What is the average crowd that attends a golf outing?
KM: In this area (northern Michigan), we typically get a lot of non-profit groups. So far this year, the major local events we have hosted have been the United Way, our local hospital, and the chamber of commerce. By and large, these groups do their best to recruit teams from within their service community.

However, some groups have a wider draw. For instance, the hospital can pull not only from its own staff and regular donors, but also from all of their outside vendors. Therefore, their scope broadens somewhat and their profit increases.

Then, we at Treetops also run our own golf outings, as well. The Pepsi Fall Charity Invitational is a monster-sized event that we hold each in September, going back for twenty years now. This benefits a number of local charities that we select.

Over Labor Day weekend this year, we’ll be holding our very first “Patriot Golf Day”, which is a nation-wide initiative of the PGA of America, and that raises money for families of fallen soldiers. We expect this outing to be very successful, as well.

The outings that we run on our own are very large. For instance, the Pepsi event that we host each year averages anywhere from $35,000 to $50,000 each year. The local non-profit totals fluctuate from year to year, depending on the economy. I have noticed the sad trend that as the charity’s need increases, their ability of supporters to give decreases.

From an overall perspective, I’ve seen groups earn as little as $1,000 and as much $50,000 in one day. How successful a group is has a lot to do with their ability to recruit a large number of teams, add on numerous cash raising events, and sell corporate sponsorships. The course it’s hosted at also has something to do with the group’s ability to raise significant money.

I’ve also noticed that more and more women are attending golf outings. In fact, there is an organization called the Executive Women’s Golf Association. They are very strong right now and growing. If you’re looking for a way to increase the number of golfers at your outing, try to recruit some of these all-female teams.

JB: What are some of the more interesting golf outing formats you’ve run or played in?
KM: Really, the best format for a golf outing is the tried and true “Scramble”.

A scramble is usually played with 4-person teams, but 2-person scrambles are popular, too. At a 2-person scramble, handicaps are usually applied; at a 4-person scramble, handicaps are usually not applied.

In a scramble, each player tees off on each hole. The best of the tee shots is selected and all players play their second shots from that spot. The best of the second shots is determined, then all play their third shots from that spot, and so on until the ball is holed.

(Definition of golf scramble provided by Brent Kelly at About.com)

One of the most important advantages of a scramble is that it really doesn’t matter how difficult the golf course is. With four people playing, you’re bound to get at least one good shot each time the team addresses the ball. It really makes it so the course isn’t too tough.

One of the common lines I hear at golf outings is “This is the only time I golf each year.” When I hear this I assume that this person isn’t very good or serious about the game. The scramble format allows this person to participate and enjoy the day without feeling too frustrated at himself for holding the team back. It also speeds up the day for these kinds of golfers.

Also, scrambles increase the level of camaraderie at the event, because the players always hit from the same spot instead of being spread out .

Besides the scramble, there is a format called the “Best Ball Event”. This is often confused with the scramble, but the difference is that all four team members play the hole individually, but only the best score on each hole is recorded.

I’ve also seen an event called “The Shamble”

A shamble is a type of golf tournament that combines elements of a scramble with elements of stroke play.

Like in a scramble, all members of a team (usually four) tee off and the best ball of the four tee shots is selected. All players move their balls to the spot of the best ball. From this point, the hole is played out at stroke play, with all members of the team playing their own ball into the hole.

So: select the best shot off the tee, move all balls to that spot, then play individual stroke play until each member of the group has holed out.

(Definition provided by Brent Kelly at About.com)

The major drawback I’ve found when you leave the traditional scramble format is that not everyone is as familiar with the rules. Because of this, I’ve seen a lot of confusion, which leads to an unpleasant experience. When I run golf outings, I want everything to be as fair and consistent as possible. Therefore, I personally like to stick with the scramble.

JB: Can you tell us a bit more about some ways to pump up the profit at a golf outing?
KM: At Treetops, we try to get pretty creative. We want groups to make as much money as possible, so we’ll offer to help structure the day to maximize their income.

One of the events that has become very popular is called “Beat the Pro”. Here, we will station one of our golf professionals at a selected hole for the entire day. When players reach this spot, they can choose to challenge him. In order to do this, the golfer has to make a wager based on his chances of beating the pro. If you have a pretty good pro, the charity can make some great money in this manner.

Another opportunity to make some extra money is to select one hole and draw a chalk circle, maybe eight feet in diameter, around the hole. People will bet that they can land the ball in the circle in one shot. This is usually done on a shorter par three hole.

We have also set up an event where we take our pro who is a long distance driving specialist and place him on one of the hardest and longest holes. Players can pay him $20 or $40 to drive their balls for them, so they get in a much better position than they could probably get themselves.

We’ve also had a lot of success in setting up tournaments on our practice putting green. We’ve actually taken golf tees and string and created our own miniature golf course! It’s a lot of fun, and we make money for the group.

Another option we’ve been working on lately is to invite groups to turn their one day event into a two day event. We like to set this up over a weekend. So, while the main golfing would be done on Saturday, we could host a smaller event on Friday evening- maybe a par three course or just nine holes. It makes more money for the charity, plus we get to have the guests stay in our hotel!

JB: Can you tell me a little bit about how important corporate sponsorships are to the overall success of a golf outing?
KM: Yes. Corporate sponsorships can really put an organization over the top in terms of financial success. There are many different ways to structure sponsorship packages, but no matter which level a company chooses, I think it is vitally important that you really take care of the sponsor. You want to make sure that the signs are professionally done and very attractive. You want to make sure that all spellings and logos are correct.

One of the things I like to do when I’m directing an event is surprise the teams. For example, if I know that a team is sponsored by a specific company, I’ll get their company’s logo ahead of time and put it right on their cart sign. I’ve heard nice comments from the players when they see this. It’s nothing earth-shattering, but they do appreciate it this extra touch. You do hear a bit of buzz about that and people appreciate that.

Also, if there is a title sponsor for the event, I’ll put their logo on every single rule sheet, and if there are banners, we’ll make sure we move them from the golf course to the banquet afterwards.

JB: What’s the worst horror story at a golf outing you’ve ever heard?
KM: I personally haven’t experienced it, but I’ve heard that some courses have double booked two outings on the same exact course and at the same exact time. That would be a nightmare. You are going to have a lot of unhappy people at the point. I’m glad that I’ve only heard about that and not experienced it!

JB: Let’s talk a little bit about prizes. How important are they to the golfers? Should groups put a lot of money into them?
KM: It really depends on the event itself. At the recent hospital outing at Treetops, they pulled a local crowd, but they also had all the outside vendors. There were 200 players at that event spread over two courses. The prizes, which were trophies, were awarded for 1st 2nd 3rd place, and I would guess that they only spent around $300 on them, which is not a lot considering all of the people in that event and how much they ended up making. Speaking from experience, that is not a high amount at all. But I’ll tell you, I don’t think it mattered.

On the other hand, our Pepsi event goes to the other extreme. It is a pro-am tournament, which means that there is one golf pro and three amateurs on each team, and prizes are much more expected. One of the main draws is our skins pot, which can get very rich very quickly.

We have two divisions and there are 15 to 17 teams total that receive prizes. Each player on one of these winning teams receives a prize that has a retail value of at least $100 for each player. Now, fortunately, many of our prizes are donated by our regular vendors, but we still do kick in some money ourselves.

For the average nonprofit, though, I can truthfully tell you that I don’t think prizes are that important. If you can get them donated, that’s great, because prizes can cost a lot of money and in my experience, I haven’t seen them make or break the reputation of an outing.

I can say that one of the most common prizes at golf outings are free rounds of golf at that or another course.

JB: How important is the food at a golf outing? Does this play a part in golfers deciding if they’ll attend an event or come back to it the next year?
KM: If the golf outing in question is a high-end event, I would expect that food is much more important. For the average non-profit, though, my expectation is that I’m going to eat a hot dog that day.

But, an organization can use food as a surprise. By being creative, we’ve been able to give a group a very nice luncheon, with chicken or beef for not much more money than a hot dog/hamburger meal. In this case, the golfers were very pleasantly surprised and that reflected well on the non-profit.

In many cases, the main food event comes at the end of the day, so the quality of the meal can leave a lasting impression. In that way, food can be very important.

JB: What’s the best way for a group to handle a weather disaster?
KM: If it turns out the golf is totally washed out, and there’s a dinner planned, that can still happen. But it’s up to the golf course to be fairly creative with you.

Ask the staff at the course if there is a re-schedule date, which is a possibility. But finding a new date can be difficult, since the outings are so tightly scheduled throughout the season. Groups should ask about this ahead of time.

Sometimes, it is possible to turn an 18 hole event into a 9 hole outing.

The good news, at least in this part of the country, is that there aren’t a lot of total washouts. With all the new weather technology, we have a real advantage in having very precise forecasts. On one occasion, we bumped our banquet to the beginning of the day and golfed later because we knew the weather would be cleared-up by then. It’s important to keep an open and flexible mind.

JB: What are the most common mistakes a group makes in running a golf outing?
KM: I would say the most common mistake I’ve seen a group make is choosing the wrong golf course. Not only is an attractive course desirable, but so is connecting with a staff of golf professionals who will bend over backwards to ensure your event is the best it can be.

It is often very tempting to take the cheapest price you can find for a course, but this strategy can actually end up working against you. By getting the cheapest prices, you will sacrifice amenities such as excellent customer service, a staff of multiple golf professionals, and the lure of the course itself.

Actually, in my experience, price isn’t usually that much of a difference, maybe $5 to $10 more per person for a top-notch venue. And, for many of your players, getting to play at such a higher caliber course would actually be a treat for them. The rate for a golf outing will likely be less than if they came out on their own to play.

JB: Do you have any suggestions for ways groups can save money at a golf outing?
KM: As I mentioned before, I think groups can save a lot of money by downgrading the level of their prizes or just going with trophies. For most non-profit groups, the golfers are there to have fun and support the charity. They aren’t going home afterwards, wishing they had gotten a bigger or better prize.

I have also seen many groups add a silent or live auction to the banquet portion of the golf outing. This can be dangerous if you end up spending money to purchase the items for bid. I would suggest staying away from that, because it can really cut into your overall profits.

JB: What are some wise questions a group should ask a golf course before booking an event?
KM: The number one question I think groups should ask the course before signing a contract is if there will be a specific person assigned to your group, who will make sure all the particular details of your event are taken care of ahead of time. At treetops, we have a point person who is called the tournament director. His job is to be in direct contact with all the group leaders to find out well in advance to find out what kind of things they need. Many courses don’t offer this feature, and you end up talking to whoever answers the phone. That can’t make a group feel very confident.

JB: Kevin, thank you so much for your time. For my last question, I’d like to ask you what makes a golf outing at Treetops so special.
KM: I think there are a couple of things. First is the tradition, the history. 1987 was the first year the course was open but in that short time, we’ve had a lot of golf legends who have played here. I also think that the terrain we have up here in northern Michigan is incredibly beautiful. On most of our holes, the view seems to go on forever. It’s amazing just to be here every day.

This article is part of the Golf Series

Here’s a list of each of the articles in this series:

1.  Three Important Steps to Planning a Charity Golf Outing by Jim Berigan

2.  5 Reasons Why a Golf Outing Can Benefit your Non-Profit by Jim Berigan

3.  5 Money-Making Games to Play at your next Golf Outing by Jim Berigan

4.  Interview with Kevin McKinley, Golf Pro at Treetops Resort, Gaylord, Michigan by Jim Berigan

One of the reasons why a golf outing is such a terrific fundraising strategy is because it is so flexible in its structure. There can be so much more going on at a golf outing than just knocking a little white ball around 18 holes.

In fact, if the actual golfing is ALL you focus on, you’re missing an amazing opportunity to raise loads of money for your cause.

From the minute people start arriving at the course to the minute they leave your banquet you can and should be making money. The following article will describe a number of ways a group can accomplish some of this during the actual play of the event.

Two quick notes about the following suggestions:

First- Each of the ideas below can be tweaked many different ways. Each individual golf course may have its own particular spin on these events. I would recommend consulting with the golf pro at each course and ask him for his thoughts on any of the contests you might be interested in.

Second- Each of the ideas listed below will require the organization to provide volunteers on the course. These volunteers will have to serve as official judges, and since prizes of cash or desirable merchandise are often at stake, I recommend that you find people to serve who are absolutely trustworthy to hold money and who have the ability to maintain impartiality, even if they have close friends who will be competing in front of them.

One of the best and most expected places to hit golfers up for money is on the course itself. Many of the participants at your outing will have played at other outings, so they will be prepared for this means of raising money.

Some of the most common forms of “on-the-course” fundraising would be:

1. Beat the Pro

“Beat the Pro” is a common event at a golf outing. This special contest is held on a par 3 hole, and is run by a golf pro from the course you are playing. Although there are various ways to structure this contest, a common method is as follows.

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The golf pro, who is stationed on the same hole for the entire event, will tee off first, and the individual players can wager an amount, say between $10-$50, that they can hit closer to the pin than the pro on their drive off the tee box. If a player does not hit closer to the pin than the pro, he loses his money. If a player does hit closer to the pin than the pro, he gets his money plus the same amount back (e.g. if a player bet $10, he would get $20 back).

Be sure to have a volunteer on the green with a measuring device to ensure accuracy.

If you have a good pro working for you, your organization stands to make a lot of money from this contest, because all the money made by the end of the day goes to the non-profit hosting the event.

A note: make sure to ask the golf pro in charge of the event how much they charge for this service.

2. Pro for Hire

Here is another fun way for non-profit organizations to make money at a golf outing. This is a service called “Pro for Hire”. The golf course holding the event will provide you with a golf pro, who will be stationed at the longest and most difficult hole on the course. He will be there for the length of the day. This pro should be one who has a particular skill for hitting very long drives.

When a team approaches the hole, individual players can decide if they’d like the pro to take their tee shot for them. Of course, this privilege will cost them anywhere from $10 to $40 (or more) per swing.

However, if the team isn’t very confident, or if they are in the heat of the competition, a professional drive may be very useful to them and worth the money for the distinct advantage.

A team might also feel pressured into using the pro if they know (or at least suspect) that other teams have done so. Why wouldn’t they buy this is the teams they are competing against did so?

Since teams are paying for the service, there is no wager and thus no potential for players to “steal” money away from the pot.

From a money-generating perspective, let’s say you charge players $30 for the pro to hit for them. You have 200 golfers, which makes 50 teams. If every team uses this service just once, that’s $1,500 made at this one hole! Be sure to subtract the amount the course will charge you for the use of the pro all day.

3. Closest to the Pin

Along with “Longest Drive”, “Closest to the Pin” is the most popular of golf outing contests. This event requires two volunteers- one at the tee box to take the wagers, and one on the green to measure and mark the distance. Some groups have teams mark their own putts, but this can lead to disputes and ruin the day, so if at all possible, try to get a volunteer to fill this role.

This event is played on a par 3 hole and the drive that lands closest to the hole/pin (in one shot) wins a pre-determined prize. A hole in one is an automatic winner, of course. Donated items like golf balls, golf shirts, or even free rounds of golf make great prizes for events like this.

In order to qualify for the contest, each player must pay an entry fee. This is usually a lower amount to make sure many players enter, say $3, although you may set this at any level you wish.

If you have enough volunteers, you could have a “Closest to the Pin” competition on the front 9 holes and the back 9 holes. This way, you can double your money!

4. Longest Drive

This event is very similar to “Closest to the Pin” in the way it is run. A prize is awarded for the longest drive off the tee to the fairway. This is generally played on a par five hole.

Again, an entry fee is set to make a player eligible to win the competition. A volunteer is at the tee box to collect the fee and another volunteer stands to the side of the fairway to mark the longest drives.

With a low entry fee, the volunteer collecting the money should have an easy time convincing everyone to enter and really building up the pot.

For instance, if there are 200 golfers and you charge $3 to enter and you hold two such contests (one on front 9, one on back 9) and everyone enters, you can make $1,200, just on Longest drive itself. If you do the same thing with closest to the pin, that’s another $1,200!) These amounts can rally add up!

5. Straightest Drive

In the same family as “Closest to the Pin” and “Longest Drive”, this is an opportunity for players to win a prize.

Since the ability to hit the ball a certain distance is not an advantage here, the only requirement for this hole be that it is straight from tee box to green.

Before the event, ask the golf pro to chalk a straight line, right in the middle of the fairway, from the tee box to the green.

A volunteer who is at the tee box will collect the entry fee. Another volunteer who is in the fairway marks and measures each shot to determine which lands closest to the chalked line, regardless of how far it traveled. A winning drive may have only traveled 50 yards, as long as it is closest to the line.

I would once again recommend setting a low entry fee to maximize the number of players who participate. Also, do your best to get all prizes donated, so that 100% of the pot goes to your organization.

Conclusion

There are many more ways to earn money both on and off the course at a golf outing. This list just scratches the surface of what’s possible.

If you would like to learn more about these and the other opportunities to make you golf outing into the highlight of your fundraising calendar, please stay tuned for information about an e-book to be published by Step by Step Fundraising in the coming months.

This article is part of the Golf Series

Here’s a list of each of the articles in this series:

1.  Three Important Steps to Planning a Charity Golf Outing by Jim Berigan

2.  5 Reasons Why a Golf Outing Can Benefit your Non-Profit by Jim Berigan

3.  5 Money-Making Games to Play at your next Golf Outing by Jim Berigan

4.  Interview with Kevin McKinley, Golf Pro at Treetops Resort, Gaylord, Michigan by Jim Berigan

If your non-profit organization does not have an annual golf outing as a major component of your overall fundraising strategy, I would strongly recommend re-considering your plan.

While some may protest and claim that golf outings are a “dime a dozen”, I would argue that there are dozens of very good reasons why so many charitable organizations have gone this route.

Here are five really good reasons to consider hosting a golf event, or partnering with another organization to plan a golf outing.

1. The Earning Potential is High

The first reason your organization should have a golf outing is that these events are money makers, if they are done right. Golf outings are very well suited to these kinds of additional revenue streams.

Here is a list of eleven ways you can earn money at a golf outing:

1. Golfer/team fee
2. Corporate sponsorship fees
3. Underwriting opportunities (meal, beverage cart, course fee, etc.)
4. Merchandise sales (your organization’s t-shirts, hats, hoodies, etc.)
5. “On the Course” contests
6. Mulligan sales
7. Raffles
8. Auctions
9. General donations
10. Separate dinner tickets for those who don’t play golf but just come for the meal
11. Revenue from an add-on of a walk-a-thon (held at the same time as golf outing and both groups come together at a shared banquet)

(In an upcoming article in this series, “5 Money-Making Games to Play at your Next Golf Outing” there will be details on some of these.  This series is posted each Wednesday in July.)

2. People are Familiar with Golf Outings, So It’s a Natural Sell

Another reason that your organization should have a golf outing is because they have become so popular. As a result of this popularity, you will have an easier time convincing people to attend. Certain incentives like an awesome course, a good crowd to network with, the ability to win some cool prizes, and the chance to escape the office for a day are all reasons people will be very open to your invitation. Of course, people will also want to support your non-profit, as well.

When it comes to fundraising, it’s best to stick to known entities. For the creative people who run non-profits, I know it’s sometimes frustrating to do what everyone else is doing. Where’s the originality? Where’s the stamp of your own unique personality? “Everybody has a golf outing. How boring!”

While the spirit of this thought may have validity, the fact of the matter is that if you want to ensure you raise money, you should stick to the events that are proven to do that very thing. Golf outings are designed to do exactly this.

3. It Offers Opportunities for Golfers to Network

This reason can be a real selling point when you are trying to recruit teams to golf. Not only will your participants want to support your organization, but many of them will also look forward to networking with other golfers who will be in attendance.

I realized this point very early in my non-profit career. I would be making calls, trying to get folks to commit to playing in our outing, and more than a few people would specifically ask me if certain individuals had already signed up or if it was likely they would be signing up. I came to see myself as a kind of a golf outing match maker.

At the time, I was relatively young and working at a summer camp, and I didn’t realize it, but many of the campers’ parents were very aware of who the other parents were in the camp community. Our golf outing was the perfect vehicle for them to get to know one another and potentially create some new business connections.

Once I opened my eyes to this reality, I saw it happening over and over and came to view our golf outing not only as an excellent fundraiser, but also as a service to the parents of our campers and the camp alumni.

Once we actively started to help people make these introductions, the value of our outing increased and in the long run, greatly benefited our non-profit.

4. It’s a Great Chance for You to Have Personal Contact with Donors

From the moment you arrive at your golf outing (as the leader), there are literally dozens of items that need your attention. It is very easy to get pulled into handling one crisis after another. Before you know it, half the day is gone and you’re already exhausted.

If you are the leader of the organization, your first responsibility is to find capable underlings to run your outing. Of course, you will be intimately involved in the pre-planning process, and you can be available for quick questions during the event, but the “day-of” operation should be lead by someone other than you.

On the day of the golf outing, the best thing you can do for your organization is to be an incredibly gracious host. Golfers will be looking for you when they arrive. They’d like to feel welcomed by the “boss”. So, this is exactly where you should be. Greeting people when they arrive, seeing foursomes off at the tee box, milling around the cart corral – these are the hot spots for mixing and mingling for you.

Once players are off and away, a good place to visit would be one of the contest holes, like “Closest to the Pin” or “Longest Drive”. There is always a lot of fun going on at these special holes. You can encourage the players to bet high and really have a good, relaxed time with the players. They will really appreciate the time you spend with them in this way.

(If it makes you feel better, you can take a walkie-talkie or cell phone with you so that you can be reached by your staff in case of a planning emergency.)

I’ve always found that golf outings provide an excellent opportunity to share a few quality minutes with my important (read: bigger) donors. I can run new ideas by them, ask them for advice on a particular project and just make myself exclusively available to them for a few minutes. This has always been well received.

It’s also a chance to build better relationships with those who could become bigger contributors. A few laughs and some sincere camaraderie can go a long way toward developing your donor base.

However, if you’re back at the club house, working on organizational details, you’ll miss these incredible opportunities and in the long run hurt your cause.

5. It’s a Great chance to Honor People at the Banquet Afterwards

Since golf outings usually attract a large number of people from your community, it is a fantastic time to use the banquet after a day of golfing as a time to hand out some of your organization’s most prestigious awards. In fact, if you establish the post golf-outing banquet as your organization’s premier ceremony, you could draw people just to this event itself.

The mood is perfect for it. Everyone is gathered, they’ve spent a day in the great outdoors, having fun, and enjoying each other’s company. At the banquet, all the participants come together to share a meal and swap stories from the day of golfing.

As the leader, you can first hand out all the golf-related awards from the contests like “Closest to the Pin”, “Longest Drive”, and of course, all the teams who won the different divisions. This will be a good segue into the more serious recognitions.

When I worked for the summer camp, this is when we passed out our “Thomas Bean” award, which went to the person who best exemplified the ideals of a servant leader for the year. We would always have some wives and even mothers who would come to the banquet just to see the “Bean” award passed out. It became a great tradition.

I would recommend that you have a volunteer whose sole job it is to take pictures all day long. Of course, many pictures should be taken during you award ceremony.

Conclusion

If a golf outing is planned and run correctly, it can be a day filled with joy, excitement, humor, good will, and generosity. You can improve existing relationships with donors and develop new friendships that could lead to future support. You can also help develop the bonds that exist between people inside your community, and at the end of the day, you can raise thousands of dollars for your non-profit.

If you’re not running an annual golf outing, I would strongly urge you to get in touch with some local golf pros and leaders of other non-profits to inquire about their experiences and suggestions.

This article is part of the Golf Series

Here’s a list of each of the articles in this series:

1.  Three Important Steps to Planning a Charity Golf Outing by Jim Berigan

2.  5 Reasons Why a Golf Outing Can Benefit your Non-Profit by Jim Berigan

3.  5 Money-Making Games to Play at your next Golf Outing by Jim Berigan

4.  Interview with Kevin McKinley, Golf Pro at Treetops Resort, Gaylord, Michigan by Jim Berigan

One of the most common non-profit fundraisers is the golf outing. The main reason why this method has become so popular is that it combines the benefits of having fun, getting exercise, and raising lots of money for the organization.

There are many “moving parts” that you have to consider when you plan your own golf outing. If you get any one of these parts out of order, or if you skip one all together, you will be missing huge opportunities to have a top-notch fundraising event.

Below, I have written about three critical decisions you will have to make right at the very start of your planning. By no means are these the only three, but they are important ideas to get you started.

1. Choose the Right Format

One of the very first things you should think about in the early stages of planning your golf outing is what kind of format you would like to follow. The most common by far is the “Scramble”. This is popular, because it allows a team of four to select the best shot in each individual series of hits.

For instance, imagine a team is teeing off on the first hole. Player One hits the ball 100 yards. Player Two hits it 200 yards. Player Three hits it 300 yards. And Player Four hits it 350 yards, but it lands in a sand trap. The group decides that even though player four hit it the farthest, it’s not the best shot, since it’s in a bunker. The consensus is that the best shot for that series of hits came from Player Three. So, the entire foursome goes to where ball #3 landed (after picking up their own shots) and hit their next shot from there. Then, after all four have completed their second hits, they do the same thing- pick the best shot and hit their third round from there. This pattern follows straight through to the end of the hole.

The advantage of a scramble format is that each team will get its best possible score, and it will take the shortest amount of time, because the team is technically hitting only “great” shots. No time will be wasted trying to locate and hit out of trees, creeks, ponds, or sand traps.

There are other formats, such as “Best Ball”, “Shamble”, and the “Golf Marathon”. I would suggest talking to people on your organizing committee and also pros at the golf course itself for further information and recommendations about your format.

2. Make Corporate Sponsorships a High Priority

Besides recruiting as many foursomes as you can to actually play the event, perhaps the biggest money making opportunity comes from corporate sponsorships. There are a few different ways to go about this revenue-generating strategy.

First of all, you should offer companies a sponsorship with the foursome option and a sponsorship without the foursome option. There should also be different levels of sponsorships. A common example would be to have platinum, gold, silver, and bronze categories, although these names can be customized to fit your particular organization if you like. This is always a good place to show some creativity.

It is acceptable to give a slight discount on hole sponsorships if the company selects the foursome option.

A hole sponsorship should include a professionally made sign. This can be made from a variety of heavy-duty and weather-proof materials. Also, be absolutely sure to get all details on the sign correct, like the logo and all spellings. It can be very embarrassing if you spell the name of a sponsor’s company incorrectly!

The cost of the signs can add up, so make sure you get an accurate quote ahead of time and build that cost into the price of each sponsorship.

Sponsorships can also be sold for things like the rule sheet (company logo printed on all rule sheets), and many organizations seek sponsors to underwrite the cost of major expenses, like the food for the banquet, any alcohol, or even the cost of the golf course itself. My advice when it comes to sponsorships is “If you can stick a logo on it, sell it!”.

Of course, this means that “corporate sales” is going to be a very important part of your planning operation. Make sure you pick a person (or a team) for this job who has experience, connections, personality, and the ability to make a sale.

2. Don’t Underestimate the Importance of the Golf Course Itself

Very early in the planning process, you will need to decide where you will be holding your golf outing. Very quickly, you will learn that different courses charge vastly different rates and offer many different menu options.

For most non-profits, the first instinct will be to save money and go with the lowest bid. While this makes sense on the surface, there are many reasons why this might not be the best choice in the long run.

First of all, the lowest bid will usually mean that you will be golfing at a local municipal course. You’ll get 18 holes, a hot dog, and a club house, but not a lot more than that. While all golf courses are nice, some are just rather basic. And that’s what you’ll be getting with your low bid. In addition, most of your potential golfers will have already played that course or one just like it. If a person has even a slight conflict at work, your outing at a very common location won’t do much to convince him to make the sacrifice. However, if you choose a high caliber course with a great reputation, you’re giving potential teams much more incentive to skip out on work that day.

Other things that you will sacrifice by taking the lowest bid will be a much higher level of customer service, including a tournament director assigned to your organization, nice banquet facilities, and a staff of golf pros to help you maximize your “add on” profits during the event.

Conclusion

There’s an old expression in the house painting field- “Preparation is 80% of the job”. The same is true with a golf outing. Most of the hard work is done in preparation for the event. There are literally dozens of decision that must be made before the first player tees off.

What you do before that time will indicate what kind of a profit your organization is able to make.

Remember, for more information on this very important topic, be sure to keep an eye out for the new golf outing eBook from Step By Step fundraising that will be appearing in the next few weeks.

This article is part of the Golf Series

Here’s a list of each of the articles in this series:

1.  Three Important Steps to Planning a Charity Golf Outing by Jim Berigan

2.  5 Reasons Why a Golf Outing Can Benefit your Non-Profit by Jim Berigan

3.  5 Money-Making Games to Play at your next Golf Outing by Jim Berigan

4.  Interview with Kevin McKinley, Golf Pro at Treetops Resort, Gaylord, Michigan by Jim Berigan

Spring is in the air and so it is charity golf tournament season. Perhaps your group is in the process of getting ready for your own tournament, or maybe considering one for the future. (Fall is also a good time for tournaments as well!)

Here’s some resources for charity golf tournaments that may be of help to you.

Hole In One International offers golf contest insurance, plus you can get 2 free how-to guides from their website: “Run a Successful Tournament”and “Run a Million Dollar Shoot Out”

Make A Wish Golf Fundraiser Success Story

The event planning started 1 year in advance to secure the golf course and about 8 months in advance to secure the band. The event took about 6 months of detail planning before the event.The event had a major sponsor for the event, which received a TMA (Top Of Mind Awareness) advertisement campaign for the event. They also secured the Casino as a secondary major sponsor, the casino also sponsored the Texas Hold-em’ game, and Vic Ferrari band.

Here is a run down for Friday 6-25-04:

Entry fee for each golfer was $70.00, which included golf, meal and 2 tickets to see Vic Ferrari. Golfers could register on line at the radio stations web site or the golf course it was held at.

Our team started to arrive on the golf course around 5:30 am to get the holes set up.

7:30am shotgun start and breakfast. Golfers received goodie bags full of stuff from local businesses. Most holes had some type of sponsor doing some type of business networking, food, beverages, games and prizes. Members of the sales team drove around the golf course all day long selling raffle tickets to guests to help raise more money.

12:30 pm another shotgun start. Some of the band members also golfed at this time. Those people were just a riot on the golf course. They kept all the guests in stitches, which really made for a fun time. The radio station also had their best early morning talent golf at the 12:30 time for good PR on the course.

The course held 288 golfers total, however our first shotgun start was not completely full. Next year we decided not do the early bird shotgun start as the band drew in a lot more people. The team chairing the event was also dead tired by the time 1:00am rolled around after the band ended.

1:30-4:30pm Texas Hold-em game – to hold over the early 7:30 am golfers so they wouldn’t leave the event. We asked people to make a donation to the charity to play. The Casino also offered incentives for player to join their Rewards Club. The Casino also gave away prizes during the game.

5:00 PM, The radio station purchased a $5,000.00 and 1 Million Dollar insurance policy for a hole in one. The $5,000.00 policy was for a 50 feet putt that was on a very difficult green. They had 2 people make the hole in one. The Radio station is currently playing a radio spot from the winners thanking the station and Casino for sponsoring the $5,000.00 hole in one. Make A Wish foundation is also receiving additional mentions, which is great PR for all people involved.

The Million Dollar Shoot out was a hole in one on the #5 hole. On the hole the Casino sponsored golfers played a game called Beat the Dealer. If the golfer pulled an Ace they received one entry form for the drawing. The Casino was only using 26 card and all 4 Aces for the game so more golfers had a chance at the drawing. The drawing was held after the 5,000.00 insurance putt was done. Once all the golfers were done golfing 3 names were pulled out of the eligible golfers who pulled an Ace earlier. The 3 golfers were taken back out to the golf course with the stations top radio talent and a crowd of people to see if they could make a hole in one. None of the golf’s made a hole in one.

6:00 PM Pig roast dinner and raffle prizes give away. Golfers had to be present to win. (Great marketing tactic to keep your crowd around for the events) They also gave away prizes for the team with the best score and the team with the worst score. And they also had some other goofy prized for crazy things that happened on the golf course throughout the day.

8:30 PM the band started. A majority of the golfers stayed and they opened it to the public. They charged $8.00 in advance for tickets and $10.00 at the door. All the ticket sales were profit as the Casino paid for the band. The band set up under a huge tent that was brought in and set up on the driving range. They played from 8:30 until a little after midnight.

Budweiser was one of the major sponsors for alcohol consumption. A can of beer was $3.00 or 4/$10.00 they brought in 2 very large trucks (what I could call Ryder Trucks full of Beer and beverage) Bottle water $2.00 and Soda $2.00. Guests could go into the clubhouse or the main building to get a mixed drink if they wanted.

Results and Evaluation

All the totals are not in yet, but they think they sold over 1,500 tickets for the band not to mention all the beverages that were sold. The clean up crew started around 6:00 am Saturday to start to clean up the driving range from all the trash so the tent company could come in and take the huge tent down and the Port-A-John people could come in and take those off the golf course. Of all the events I have ever chaired before this was the most fun I have ever had at an event but the most exhausting in terms of time commitment for almost 2 very long days for the event. However the reward was well worth not getting any sleep for almost 2 nights.

Over all the event was a huge success for the charity. We all agreed by midnight that the double shotgun start had to go for next year as the band brought in tons of people who consumed a lot of beverages. (Translation… more profits) The event had around 15 members from the station running the event and myself. They used 2 way radios and cell phones all day long to communicate, which really helped all the staff members that were working the event.