Golf tournaments make a timely and profitable summer fundraiser—but courses fill up fast.
We can’t believe it’s already August, either! Time flies in the summer months as fundraising professionals prepare for upcoming fall and winter events, so it’s easy to overlook plans for next year.
But if you’re planning to host a golf tournament fundraiser in 2024, start reserving your space now! While the best courses disappear quickly if your ideal date isn’t available you still have plenty of options.
The Perfect Socially-Distanced Fundraiser
No matter what the coming year holds, a golf tournament is the ideal summer fundraiser—it’s naturally socially distanced, and can be a big money-maker to fill out your revenue stream between spring and fall event seasons. Golf attracts a particular audience that you may not have fully tapped yet, offering the opportunity to widen your nonprofit’s reach and audience. And a great venue for your golf tournament can be advertising in and of itself.
Golf tournaments also require a little less planning than your typical black-tie gala, leaving event organizers free to focus on other tasks. All you need is a team of great volunteers, a handful of high-quality prizes, some fun, branded swag to hand out to your golfers, and a golf course to partner with. (See our post for last-minute golf tournament tips for day-of-event ideas!) And always get someone knowledgeable about golf to help plan the rules of the tournament.
What Kind of Golf Course Should I Choose?
Be selective about your venue. This is an important partnership between your nonprofit organization and the golf course that may last for years to come. Consider these questions when trying to decide:
1. How difficult is the course?
Know your audience! If this is your first golf tournament, making it accessible to a wider range of players is a good place to start. If you have held golf tournaments in the past, ask your past players how they felt about the course difficulty.
2. How many golfers can play at once while allowing a safe distance?
If it’s your first tournament, you may not know how many players to expect. Set your player cap at a level that ensures no crowding on the green, while also selling enough registrations to cover your costs and raise money for the cause.
3. Do you communicate well with the course owners and staff?
Throughout the organization of a golf tournament, you’ll be working closely with the golf course to execute it, so make sure to meet the staff first to know whether or not it will be a pleasant cooperative experience.
Scheduling a Golf Tournament Fundraiser
You may find that the perfect golf course has already been reserved for your chosen dates—and that’s okay!
Consider a less popular date than the one you have picked out. Almost everyone will want a weekend day for their golf tournament, so they’ll be the first dates to go. You may find a weekday costs significantly less to book. With most other golf events happening on weekends, there’s a better chance charitable golf players won’t have another event scheduled for the same day.
Look around at when other golf tournaments in your area are happening, and schedule yours on a date that won’t conflict. Not only do overlapping tournaments then have to split potential players, but those big donors who already gave at an event on Saturday may not be interested in donating again on Sunday.
