How to Plan a Golf Tournament Everyone Will Love

Golf is grand. Americans played 441 million rounds of golf in 2019. That's more than one for every person in the country. 

Many people like to go and play for fun. But others want more of a thrill. If you know some players that love a good competition, you should plan a golf tournament. 

How can you start planning a golf tournament? Who should you plan one with? What format should you adopt, and how can you attract players? 

Answer these questions and you can create the best golf tournament in no time. Here is your quick guide. 

Make a Plan 

Golf tournaments are large operations. Even if you will only have a few players, you need to make preparations so everything goes smoothly. 

The best golf tournament has a goal. It may be to raise money for a charity. It may be to increase exposure for your course or a specific organization. 

It can also be for pure entertainment purposes. Whatever the goal may be, determine one and describe it in detail. 

Break the goal down into a few steps. Consider how much money you want to raise if the tournament is a fundraising event. Evaluate how many players are needed for a good atmosphere. 

Write down concrete actions you can take that will build toward your goal. Determine how you will go about attracting donors and players. You may need to make phone calls or set up meetings with potentially interested parties. 

Find a Committee 

A committee will help execute your plan and oversee your tournament. You may be tempted to tap your best friends. You can do that if they are experienced administrators and golf players. 

But it is a better idea to hire people who don't have a close relationship with you. They will remain impartial and do what is best for the tournament, not their own interests. 

Hire people from different courses. See if there is a local golf organization you can draw people from. 

If you have connections to famous golfers, use them. They may not be interested, but they may find someone else who is. 

Each person on your committee can have a specified role. You should have at least one person with a good financial background. They can be your budget chief who has the final say over all expenses. 

Your committee can be roughly six people. The more people you have on your committee, the harder it can be to handle dialogue. 

Develop Your Budget 

It never hurts to be as specific as possible when drafting your budget. Get an exact cost per golfer. Divide how much you plan on spending by how many golfers will attend. 

It may be high. Rather than cut down on amenities, evaluate the different income streams you can draw from. 

You can ask golfers to register for a fee. This is ideal if you plan on having many golfers at your event. You can schedule other contests, including tennis events. 

If you are drawing a lot of interest from the local area, you can sell advertising. You can recruit sponsors who will cover certain costs for you. 

If you are drawing in members of the public, you should sell food. Make sure to have options so many different people can attend. Hamburgers and pizza are cheap and popular. 

Select the Right Format 

There are several different formats you can adopt for your tournament. Medal play is basic golf. Players play by themselves, and the winner is the one with the fewest strokes. 

Best Ball involves two-person teams. Each player plays their own ball. The one with the lowest score on a particular hole serves as the team's score for that hole. 

Scramble involves teams of four. All four players tee off, and they continue based on the best of the four drives. This is a great format for tournaments that are designed for networking. 

If you are looking to raise money, you can hold a golf tournament at night. The balls glow in the dark so players can see them. These balls tend to be expensive, so you can justify higher registration fees. 

Promote 

Golf appeals to many different people. To get a large group of players, you need promotional techniques that will appeal to everyone. 

To get young players, you can engage in Internet marketing. Start a website focused on your tournament. Provide details on when and where the tournament will take place and what the prizes are. 

Advertise the tournament on social media. Share golfing tips and photographs of the course you will be using. 

To attract older players, send out a press release. Target local sportswriters and columnists. Promote the tournament with television and radio ads, especially on sports channels. 

Make sure to let the regular players on your course know about the event. Post posters in the clubhouse and distribute fliers by hand. 

If you have a lot of money, you can make merchandise for your event. Design hats and shirts with the logo of your tournament. This keeps the memory of it fresh in people's minds. 

How You Should Plan a Golf Tournament

You need to know a lot to plan a golf tournament. Develop a plan with a goal for your event. Most golf course events raise money or awareness for a company. 

Find a committee that can run your tournament. Draft a budget that itemizes your expenses. Find multiple income streams to raise money. 

Select an appealing format, including night golf. Then promote your tournament to as many people as possible. 

Find a course that meets your needs. Laurel Oak Country Club provides the best course in Sarasota. Contact us today.