Golf tournament fundraising events are very popular when it comes to helping organizations raise much-needed funds. And while these events tend to be successful, we have a few extra tips to help you increase their success. Yes, you could say that these tips will lead to a “Hole in One” golf event!
1. Include a Dinner Component. Many golf fundraising events make the mistake of making the entire day only about golf. After all, it is a golf tournament, so it’s an easy mistake to make.
Why not invite the husbands and wives of the golfers, dinner is an enticing add on that will increase your evening crowd. Sell a golf ticket and a separate dinner ticket. *Extra tip: In addition to announcing golf awards, offer a "best dressed" or "best hat" award to encourage the women to join their husbands for dinner and add a fun element! Perhaps elevate the event call it the "Golf Ball" or "Birdies and Ball Gowns".
2. Create an Event at the Clubhouse During the Day. This idea is similar to the first idea we mentioned above. Stop and think about your event for a moment. You already have the venue reserved for the day and the clubhouse is not being utilized for much once the golfers take to the green.
The idea is to get the husbands, wives and other non-golfers out to your event and increase your attendance. Make use of the clubhouse by offering shopping, a luncheon or a tasting event. Take a page from the Bagged Ladies Luncheon supporting the Patriot Military Family Foundation and host a designer handbag auction for your ladies during the day! Again, this gets a large number of non-golfers involved in your event. And while they are there, you might as well invite them to dinner! Learn about a unique way one of our nonprofit partners made use of their venue the day of their golf tournament in our vlog.
3. Advertise to Non-Golfers Ahead of Time. This may sound a bit obvious, but it really does take some extra effort to get these non-golfers out to your golfing event. If you have a separate dinner at night, make it clear and obvious that EVERYONE is invited. It is not just a golf tournament with an evening awards ceremony. Or, if you do a wine tasting at the clubhouse during the day, you need to make it very clear that this event is open to EVERYONE, not just the golfers. If you don’t advertise properly, you will still end up with golfers only! Think of it this way, the goal is to have essentially three events throughout the day: Golf Tournament, Lunch event of sorts for non-golfers, and an evening dinner/gala event for everyone to join.
Many organizations often sit back and think that these types of golf tournaments are guaranteed successes. But it takes time, planning and a few creative ideas to really make a golf tournament worth your while. Remember: think of create ways to get those non-golfers involved to increase the amount of donors that step foot in your event.
If you are looking for more tips to help raise more money at your next golf tournament, reach out to us at AmFund.