BEARDSLY GOLF, golf school, golf store, golf books, and buyers club in Tampa, Florida

Tampa Bay’s Premier Outing Golf Course

Tournament Planning Tips Page

Plan your golfing fundraisers carefully!

You just got nominated to raise money for a favorite charity or facilitate a corporate event for the boss. What to do? What could be more attractive than a beautiful day on the links, playing golf while helping to raise money for a good cause? That is exactly why there are thousands of charity golf tournaments held throughout Florida each year. It appears that golf tournaments are becoming the "choice of charities" for raising revenue, but what does it take to run one successfully?

Rob Spiars, Head Golf Professional for Cheval Golf and Country Club, has worked on hundreds of charity golf tournaments and has helped raise literally millions of dollars, so he has a good idea of how to run a successful charity golf tournament. "There is no one aspect that can be identified as most important in making a charity golf tournament successful," says Spiars "It's a combination of planning, volunteers, good budgeting, corporate partners and general organization, which makes a memorable event."

Know your audience to create a unique event

"A great deal of research and preparation is needed to run a fun and successful tournament," says Spiars, tournament coordinator for Cheval Golf and Country Club. He organizes the club’s golf tournaments, in which they have raised money for various charities. "You must know your audience and create a unique tournament that suits the group involved. Some tournaments need to be more fun, and others are geared towards more serious golfers. As an organizer, you need to know the needs of your participants," he says.

Some tournaments use celebrities to draw in a greater number of participants and find it helpful in their marketing and promotion. For example, University of South Florida, a long time client of Cheval Golf and Country Club, use active and retired Major League Baseball players to help sell out their event. It has proven a successful strategy, as they have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years from golfers wishing to play with major leaguers. Other charity events at Cheval Golf and Country Club have enlisted celebrities such as Lee Roy Selmon, Derek Jeter, Fred Mcgriff, Rhonde Barber, Lou Pinnella, Wade Boggs, and many more to help raise money for their event. In short, special guests can be a big draw

Sponsors are crucial

Although people may come to these tournaments to play golf and hob-nob with celebrities, one of the most important aspects of ensuring the event raises money is sponsorship. "Based on their individual goals, tournaments should go after new sponsors every year and focus on the ones which can add local or national exposure. Part of the attraction for corporate sponsors, however, is that it's a feel-good thing for an organization that not only cares but wants to show that it cares about social issues," says Spiars. Sponsors are not just for donations, they need to be recognized for their contribution in a tournament program, a media release, through verbal announcements or signs on the golf course.

Establishing good relationships with corporate partners is essential. For example, United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) worked in conjunction for years with Outback Steakhouse and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. Outback provided food, passes and a plethora of sports memorabilia, which helped bring in special guests to UCP Tournaments. Without this arrangement, organizing the tournaments and arranging for special guests to appear would have become tremendously difficult.

Add-ons and in-kind gifts can make a difference

Financial donations from sponsors, however, are only one aspect of raising revenue at a benefit golf tournament. Rob Spiars suggests items, which can be raffled or auctioned off. "Many people who attend these tournaments are sports buffs who would pay a lot for a collector's piece or signed memorabilia, so it's a great way to generate more money."

Putting contests, closest to the pins, long drives and "Mulligans", where guests can pay to improve their score are some other on-the-course options. Another source of donations can be in-kind gifts, where sponsors can donate beverages or food, rental vehicles, books or small prizes. All these donations can make a difference in your tournament's success.

Volunteers - the key to success

Much of the success of a tournament rests on the shoulders of volunteers, who are responsible for everything from finding hole sponsors from local businesses to registration when the golfers arrive and directing cars in the parking lot. "A lot of the real work is done at the grass roots level, with strong volunteer committees who focus on special tasks unique to their particular tournament," says Spiars.

The volunteers, of course, not only serve on committees, but also help on the day of the tournament. When participants are paying $200 to attend a tournament or a corporation has put a substantial amount of money into a sponsorship, they expect an organized, well-run event without many hitches. Based on participation, Spairs estimates at least 10-15 volunteers are required the day of a tournament to make the event run smoothly. "You need to make your event memorable, so it's paramount that you have enough man-power to answer questions, provide directions and help with golf carts. You want people leaving the event with not just a positive feeling about the tournament, but also about the cause, which will encourage them to come back next year," says Spiars.

Getting people out to the tournament year after year is one of the challenges, Spiars points out. "You need to let enough people know about your event and generate enough interest to make the attendance substantial and not just cover the cost of running the event, but to make money."

Don't forget the follow-through

After the event, it's crucial to plan for good follow-up. Spiars emphasizes the importance of sending out letters of appreciation to sponsors and guests. "Send thank-you letters after the tournament and make sure you take advantage of the opportunity to remind them about next year's event."

Spiars also finds that after the tournament is the time to find out what can be improved for next year's event. "You'll get invaluable information about your tournament if you survey the participants to see what they liked and didn't like about your day, so you can gear your next tournament to them."

Organizing a great day is of course only one of the aspects of charity golf tournaments. Another mission, naturally, is to raise awareness about the cause for which you are raising money. "We have found that one of the most powerful elements of our tournaments is the dinner event, when we have a person who has benefited from the cause give a five-minute testimonial to reinforce the reason why everyone has come out for the tournament," says Spiars. No matter what fund-raising endeavor is being taken, it is important to highlight the reason for your efforts. The participants must be must be given a sense of the cause and the importance of their support. As the trend of using golf tournaments as fundraisers grows, it is becoming increasingly important to plan ahead and be prepared for the event, so your tournament will stand out from the dozens of other charity events vying for support. "Charity golf tournaments are a great way for people to have fun and take an active role in their contribution to a good cause, but in the end, it is the well-organized and smoothly-run tournaments that raise the most revenue and ensure continued support for their causes," says Spairs.

Eight tips for a successful golf tournament

Choose carefully when organizing your tournament committee to ensure they have both the interest and time to get involved; assign committee and sub-committee tasks early.
Always book your golf course as soon as possible.
Always give advance notice, and respect that the participants may have very busy schedules.
When budgeting, keep in mind the balance between income and expense. Income can be generated from golfers' registration fees, hole sponsorships, on-course activities and merchandise sales. Expenses can include green fees, accommodation and travel (guest host), food and beverages, mementos for the guests, trophies or a photographer. Try to adhere to the general rule that all expenses associated with fund-raising events should not exceed 50% of the total revenue.
Be creative when organizing on-course activities and any other fund-raising efforts at your event.
Follow proper accounting procedures. Keep an accurate accounting of expenses and income to evaluate whether the effort was an effective fundraiser.
When issuing receipts for tax purposes, deduct from the ticket price the cost of the green fees, meals and other pro-rated costs (the chance to win a prize).
Maintain a current and accurate database of golfers, sponsors and other contacts. Remember to send thank-you letters, and if you prepare a report on your event, make sure your sponsors are sent a copy so they know where their money is going.

Cheval Tournaments and Outings Contact Information

Rob Spiars – Head Golf Professional

813-949-4231 ext. 4