What do you think makes a charity golf tournament a success?

Callaway Girl

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I am considering hosting a charity golf tournament at my home course this fall. What would you make you come to a charity event? I would like to know everyone's thoughts? Thanks.
 
I am considering hosting a charity golf tournament at my home course this fall. What would you make you come to a charity event? I would like to know everyone's thoughts? Thanks.

Even though it is a Charity tournament, everyone is a little greedy inside. Good prizes is key to attract people. I know it sounds harsh, but it's the truth. Also, having Closest to the pin, closest to the line, longest drive, and a putting contest makes the tournament really special.

A dinner afterwards sums up the tournament, everyone really enjoys that. Also, the charity you are donating to makes a difference as well. Some people support different charities than others.
 
Even though it is a Charity tournament, everyone is a little greedy inside. Good prizes is key to attract people. I know it sounds harsh, but it's the truth. Also, having Closest to the pin, closest to the line, longest drive, and a putting contest makes the tournament really special.

A dinner afterwards sums up the tournament, everyone really enjoys that. Also, the charity you are donating to makes a difference as well. Some people support different charities than others.

Thanks Dent. You and I are thinking along the same lines.
 
For me, I'd be more likely to play in a charity event that was a scramble, but that's because I enjoy playing stress-free like that. Also, food is always good, if you can have a BBQ or something like that along with it for the participants and volunteers.
 
For me, I'd be more likely to play in a charity event that was a scramble, but that's because I enjoy playing stress-free like that. Also, food is always good, if you can have a BBQ or something like that along with it for the participants and volunteers.

D-Rock has a good point as well here, I forgot about playing type. Single stroke play will take way too long because you will have golfers of all skill levels. Playing together with teams is a great idea. A scramble is usually the basic tournament format.

Maybe get people to sign up in teams so they can play together. Or make a seperate signup for players who don't have a group, and wouldnt mind getting paired up with other players who don't have groups.

Also! To Raise more money, give the option for teams to "buy" mulligans. I know some tournaments do that, you purchase a mulligan for a set price, and then use it on a hole to do over your shot. It is actually really successful and nobody really thinks its a gimmicky rip.
 
Good prizes, that's exactly right. I'd make it a little gimmicky too. Pick two holes and have a closest to the pin contest, maybe optional skins, all those kinds of things I've seen work well. If you can make the whole day have a fun theme to it (revolving around what day you pick or who the charity is) that makes it a little more memorable and not another run of the mill tourney. Oh, and a fun shotgun start!
 
D-Rock has a good point as well here, I forgot about playing type. Single stroke play will take way too long because you will have golfers of all skill levels. Playing together with teams is a great idea. A scramble is usually the basic tournament format.

Maybe get people to sign up in teams so they can play together. Or make a seperate signup for players who don't have a group, and wouldnt mind getting paired up with other players who don't have groups.

Also! To Raise more money, give the option for teams to "buy" mulligans. I know some tournaments do that, you purchase a mulligan for a set price, and then use it on a hole to do over your shot. It is actually really successful and nobody really thinks its a gimmicky rip.

The last one I went to sold red tees for $15. If you bought one you could use it once to tee off on the forward tee box. Best used on a par five.:act-up:
 
The tournament will be held on an exclusive course. The normal green fees are around $60. I am planning on having a great lunch (BBQ, sides, drinks, etc). Will also have door prizes, a HIO contest for a car or $1M, long drive/closest to the pin contest, putting contest, mulligans, strings, best ball format, etc. However, with the economy situation, I have some concerns regarding whether or not people will pay $90-$100 per person to play in this tournament. Also, I am concerned with acquring sponsors for the event, holes, contest, etc. Any thoughts?
 
The last one I went to sold red tees for $15. If you bought one you could use it once to tee off on the forward tee box. Best used on a par five.:act-up:

Great Idea! Didn't think of that one.
 
The tournament will be held on an exclusive course. The normal green fees are around $60. I am planning on having a great lunch (BBQ, sides, drinks, etc). Will also have door prizes, a HIO contest for a car or $1M, long drive/closest to the pin contest, putting contest, mulligans, strings, best ball format, etc. However, with the economy situation, I have some concerns regarding whether or not people will pay $90-$100 per person to play in this tournament. Also, I am concerned with acquring sponsors for the event, holes, contest, etc. Any thoughts?

That's it? With those ideas, hell you will get a huge turnout CG!
 
You are off to a great start already. The suggestions we've given you are more than enough to have a huge blast. I wish you luck on the tournament, let us know how it goes!
 
If you get the sponsors to put up those type of prizes, that entry fee per person will be a huge draw.

My cousin puts on a tournament for the Susan G. Komen foundation, I believe this will be the third year. It seems like the first year he had a hard time filling all the teams, but the second year it was full. The most important part is getting word out and aligning yourself with a well known foundation. It takes a lot of work and a good team of people to pull it off.
 
Dont forget HIO Insurance.
Making sure that the sponsor (by sponsor in this case I mean charity) is on hand if you expect more than 100 players, if its smaller than dont sweat the sponsor not being there.
An exclusive course helps, but an exclusive course with greens fees of less than $75 are new to me. Maybe speak to a private or atleast semi-private club and see if you can hold it there.
 
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Also ask the golf pro to hit balls off one of the long par 5's for each group and charge the group $20 to use the drive.......If you plan on making this an annual event don't let players sign up as a team or set up a handicap system for the team (so you don't have a team that is 4 players with handicap under 10).
 
Being someone that plays about a dozen charity tournaments a year, most of what you mention is perfect. Here are a couple things that spoil charity tournaments for me:

1. Purchased mulligans. Yes, I understand it is all for fun and charity, but aren't scrambles easy enough? Just another way for the people who already cheat at these things to cheat even worse.

2. Gross scores only. Yes, people cheat at these things and it drives everyone crazy. But at least having gross and net makes people feel like they have two chances to win ... even when 4 scratch golfers are playing together.

I love charity scrambles, but the ones I don't go back to are the ones where the foursome of 30 handicaps wearing jeans, sneakers, and have carts full of empty beer cans come in 17-under. I like to have fun too, but I'm competitive by nature.
 
a lot of these i go to use the Callaway Scoring system to spread out the prizes.
 
I think everyone has covered the basics. Making sure everyone has fun is key.

Picking the right charity will draw a lot of people. Kids really pull at the heart strings. You might check with your local childrens hospital. You might even be able to get a couple of the kids to show up that way the players can put a face with the donation they are giving.

I was planning a tournament but have since stopped and I was going to have it in the $100 range. That included golf, lunch, and possibly a shirt. The charity I was going to be donating to sells shirts with their logo so it would have fit perfectly. As long as everyone feels they are getting something more than golf out of their "donation" then it should work.

You might even do a 50/50 raffle. Sometimes you will get that generous winner that will give the money back to the charity.

Good Luck.
 
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