Posts made in August 2019

Ready or not, here they come! Make the first impression for your golfers a good one: Have plenty of volunteers ready to check them in…no one wants to start their day off standing in a long line! Give them LOTS of reason to give you their money: Raffle tickets, mulligans, contests, etc. Have LOTS of cool drinks close at hand; it’s still pretty hot out there! Give them things to do while they’re waiting for the tournament to begin; putting contest, driving range…and plenty of stuff to eat! Have the auction items in a highly visible spot that will wear on the golfers minds as they play (“I gotta have that picture!)”. Once the tournament begins, keep play moving at all costs: it shouldn’t take 6 hours to play a round of golf! You want these folks in a good mood at the awards ceremony…and not rushing out the door before they can purchase that auction item they’ve been thinking about getting all day! Lastly, do NOT ply them with too many alcoholic beverages before the dinner (and their upcoming drive home). And for those that have overindulged, time to find that designated driver…or Uber. Make it fun, make it fast…and make it safe!

While the average net profit for the tens of thousands of charity golf outings that occur across the country each year may only be $5000, there are organizations that make 20X that amount…and more! Which means there are too many events out there LOSING money, let alone raising less than the $5000 national average. This is unacceptable! If you’re one of the events keeping the average down…it’s time to do your part in raising it!! And it’s easier than you think: Start early, way early. Form a committee…you can’t go it alone! PLAN! PLAN! PLAN! Perhaps you need some fresh blood….look for some NEW people to join the committee. Maybe move the event to a nicer course, maybe a private venue that folks would love to play, but can’t! Look to add an auction, raffle, contests…whatever it takes! Advertise and market the event well in advance! Get something to the local radio and newspapers: Alert the media! Sure…all of this takes work…but if you’re going to go to all the trouble of having a charity golf outing, why be average?!?

For the golf outings that do it right…everything! So your goal is simple; be one of those events 🙂
To that end, you need to:
1. Start planning early
2. Create a committee of responsible people…and hold each member accountable!
3. Give away a GREAT t-prize/player gift (first impressions are the key!)
4. Keep play moving; your volunteers should all be thinking that first and foremost!
5. Have lots of fun contests…that include prizes for the not-so-talented among the players!
6. Have plenty of drinks…and food!
7. Make the awards ceremony fun…and not too long!
And when everyone is having such a good, MEMORABLE time…sign them up for next year’s tournament 🙂

Top 10 Do’s…
1. Have plenty of volunteers assigned to the registration table
2. Put the player gift (the one thing every golfer wants!) at the END of the registration line
3. Sell a “contest package” that includes EVERYTHING so there’s no collecting $ out on the course
4. Entertain–and feed!– the players during registration; contests, snacks, drinks, etc
5. Start ON TIME
6. Make sure the volunteers out on the course KEEP PLAY MOVING!
7. Have auction and raffle going on white players are waiting for dinner
8. Make the awards ceremony light on the speeches and heavy on the awards!
9. Sign people up for next year!
10. Don’t let anyone drink and drive!

DON’T…not do any of the do’s 🙂