What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Leading a Golf Outing Fundraiser (1 Viewer)

Peak

Peak

Footballguy
So I've been asked to lead a Golf Fundraising outing for my son's travel baseball organization.  There are about 10 teams ranging from 8yr olds to 15yr olds.  All money raised will go to the organization to enhance playing fields, as well as split across the teams participating in the event.  I'm new to fundraising, so I'm hoping the collective intelligence of the FFA may be able to help guide me.  I've done some initial research and know that we are looking to schedule this in mid-September 2017 in order to escape the Peak Golf Season rates.  We're leaning towards a Bestball Scramble with a goal of getting 144 players participating (4 man teams, 2 teams per hole, 18 hole course).

What I'm curious about is sponsorships and ideas on how to line these up.  I imagine we could cover much of our costs with the right kinds of sponsorships - food vendors, trophy vendor, sign vendor, etc in order to help cover costs of food, some prizes, and printed material.  Any other ideas?  What were some of the prizes that you liked at a golf outing?  Any memorable experiences that you had?  What made the outing "fun" for those who have attended?  It's our first try at this and I'd like to make it a success so we can continue each year.

 
Contact a couple of golf courses.  They should have event coordinators that have done all of this before.   Ask for proposals - it looks like you have 11 months before the event.

 
if it's a scramble format, make sure you offer:

- mulligans ($5/per)
- entry into Long Drive Contest ($10)
- entry into Closest to The Hole Contest ($10)
- a "signature shot" ($5) on a specific hole before groups hit their shots....see if you can get a local bar/pub to sponsor it, and maybe have some of their more attractive bartenderettes on hand to make drinks and small talk.
 

make sure you offer some kind of "goodie bag" with balls, tees, ball makers, divot tool, etc. and while it is a fundraising event, it would be cool to offer decent prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place (this is where your relationship w/ potential sponsors comes in). also, with that many teams (A and B on each hole) it's gonna be a long day out there...be sure to have plenty of refreshment stations along the course.

 
Probably the more memorable golf outings for me included: 

Nice weather (if you can control that let me know I have a couple other requests)

Beer carts were plentiful on the golf course

Meal at end (nothing fancy burgers and brats are sufficient)

Pin Prize on every hole:  Longest drives, longest put, put a stake in the fairway on par 5 closest to that stake on a drive or approach, closest to flag pin, etc.  

Flight the winnings so everyone has a chance to win something and it keeps people around to keep spending money

Last place prize has to be golf lessons from the club pro, but the other prizes anything from gift cards to restaurants/bars to golf items.  I would try to avoid shirts, because you will never get their size. Unless it is being donated from the course and they will exchange it. 

 
Beat the Pro was fun.  This is how we did it assuming the club pro is game.

It was $10 I think on a PAR 3.  He drew a card from a deck.  He had to tee off with that club.  If you landed inside him you got a ticket entered into 50% of the pot raised for the beat the pro.

 
If you have 144 golfers it will be a 6 hr round and nobody will have fun. You can't start two groups on the par 3s, it will jam up the entir course. 

 
Ignoramus said:
Scrambles are slow enough as it is.  No need to have people taking even more hacks.  
Click to expand...
agreed. but that's an easy way to make money for the organization.

and if they play at a short-ish muni w/out a lot of water and OB, it might not be too bad time-wise.

 
Strippers on each hole.  You'll be able to fly the baseball teams first class to ####### Taiwan to beat their asses.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Nigel said:
If you have 144 golfers it will be a 6 hr round and nobody will have fun. You can't start two groups on the par 3s, it will jam up the entir course. 
Click to expand...
My co-chair played in one recently and didn't have a problem with slow play.  He said they moved along at a good pace with no start/stops.  Playing best ball, it would only take one good player to help keep the game moving.  I would also think we would need a two putt minimum on the greens.  Agree that the pace of play needs to be kept in check.  I don't mind mulligans too much, or teeing off from the Ladies tees.  But I don't want to introduce too many of these kind of things or else it would drag things down.

 
The one I go to every year we do the golf event then do dinner at a local bar but they hold an additional raffle there.  Usually 1 big prize (used to be a TV but have done $500 cash last few years) and then a bunch of other stuff (maybe a gift basket with a bottle of wine and $100 gift card to a nice steak place, stuff like that) and do you place as many raffle tickets as you want in the bag forward each prize

 
Peak said:
My co-chair played in one recently and didn't have a problem with slow play.  He said they moved along at a good pace with no start/stops.  Playing best ball, it would only take one good player to help keep the game moving.  I would also think we would need a two putt minimum on the greens.  Agree that the pace of play needs to be kept in check.  I don't mind mulligans too much, or teeing off from the Ladies tees.  But I don't want to introduce too many of these kind of things or else it would drag things down.
Click to expand...
Maximum and make it 3

You would be surprised at the number of bad golfers.

 
Peak said:
What does this mean?  I'm not familiar with this option.  I've seen raffles and open auctions - but not a chinese auction.
Click to expand...
Let's say you get 10 prizes.    Baskets, jerseys whatever.

People buy raffle tickets.  Say An arms length for 20 bucks.

Infront of each prize you have a brown bag.

People then put tickets into the prizes they want.  So if I really want that foursome prize I may put 10 ticketcs in there.

5 tickets in the Wine Basket, etc

Then you draw a ticket from each bag for a winner

Make sense?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Peak said:
What does this mean?  I'm not familiar with this option.  I've seen raffles and open auctions - but not a chinese auction.
Click to expand...
Its basically a raffle but you pick where you want to allocate your tickets to increase your odds. that way you win something you are interested in from the start. 

 
Got it.  That's what I've seen before in raffles, but didn't know it was called a Chinese Raffle.  Interesting.  Learn something new everyday!

 
Peak said:
Got it.  That's what I've seen before in raffles, but didn't know it was called a Chinese Raffle.  Interesting.  Learn something new everyday!
Click to expand...
It might have a different name BUT a "regular raffle" is usually they have all the tickets in one drum. Call a number out and you go pick a prize OR they give them out in an order. You don't actualy "bid" on the prizes you want

 
I've organized a few of these and always capped at 128, which is also what the courses have advised, but you may feel differently. And put me firmly in the anti-mulligans group as well. Hate them. I know the golf is not to be taken too seriously in these things, but this makes keeping score and having winners pointless. Turns the entire thing into a joke.

Most people are going to show up with $X in their pockets with the intent to spend it. Whatever they don't spend on mulligans they'll spend on raffle tickets or something else. Get some raffle items donated. Have a silent auction, and a live auction for the top handful of items. Find someone with some charisma to be the auctioneer. That's where money is made if you have some decent items. 

 
Peak said:
My co-chair played in one recently and didn't have a problem with slow play.  He said they moved along at a good pace with no start/stops.  Playing best ball, it would only take one good player to help keep the game moving.  I would also think we would need a two putt minimum on the greens.  Agree that the pace of play needs to be kept in check.  I don't mind mulligans too much, or teeing off from the Ladies tees.  But I don't want to introduce too many of these kind of things or else it would drag things down.
Click to expand...
We do par is your friend. If you can;t make better than a par pick it up and move to the next hole. It'll help but it would be a five hour round at least.  

 
What's a typical time limit for a Best Ball Scramble?

When I go out for a normal round, 18 holes would take us around 4-5 hours depending upon the skill level within the group.  If you are picking up the majority of your shots and always moving to the best shot from the group, I would imagine the pace wouldn't be all that slow.

 
It depends on format.  For example we play in one where everyone has to use a drive 3 times.

I've played in anywhere from 4 to 6 hours

You just need 1 group to be slow and it screws up everything

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Just my opinion, but in a fundraiser golf tourney?  I hate being hit over the head for 5-10 bucks every 10 minutes.  I'd rather pay 25.00 more for the entry fee than get asked for 5 bucks here, 5 bucks there.

I think closest to the pin and long drives should be included in your entry fee.
I think you should have raffle tickets for sale when you check in and one more chance to buy them right before the raffle. 
Make sure coolers are full or cart girls with shots are out and about.
Hole sponsorship is a huge moneymaker.  You can go silver (50.00), gold (100.00) or platinum (150.00) sponsors and for a little league?  I'd imagine plenty of businesses would jump on that.  You're collecting money for really nothing there.

Good luck!

 
Peak said:
What's a typical time limit for a Best Ball Scramble?

When I go out for a normal round, 18 holes would take us around 4-5 hours depending upon the skill level within the group.  If you are picking up the majority of your shots and always moving to the best shot from the group, I would imagine the pace wouldn't be all that slow.
Click to expand...
it depends. we played in a 4 man scramble two weeks ago, with a much smaller turnout (only 52 players). we played in 4:45, never waited on a hole, and shot 56 (14 birdies, 4 pars, par 70) with mulligans. our squad had indexes of 17, 15, 12 and 10....so i guess we'd be considered "real" golfers compared to the field. most of our time was spent on the green lining up putts, and we maintained a BAC of about .12 as a team for most of the round.

i can imagine a full field (i.e. 144) would be at least a six-hour round, especially when you add in alcohol and a wide variety of skill levels between entrants.

 
belljr said:
It depends on format.  For example we play in one where everyone has to use a drive 3 times.

I've played in anywhere from 4 to 6 hours

You just need 1 group to be slow and it screws up everything
Click to expand...
Hate that format.  Why hurt a team that brought only one long hitter while a team with 4 long hitters is gravy.  Stupid.

Much rather play the "you can't follow your own shot" rule.  At least that one speeds up the tourney a bit and doesn't punish a team of hackers just for being bad golfers.

 
To speed it up with that many players just implement bogey max per hole. It'll be quick and allow you to sell mulligans still.

 
I helped a buddy do a golf tourney fundraisers for years for his Legion baseball team. In general, he focused on having businesses donate things that add value for the tourney participants. Most of the actual cash raised came from steep entry fees (I did the food for free, so they all got a nice meal it saved him money).  Business donated prizes for the winners, contest winners, and raffle stuff. Tee sponsorships too, of course.

No idea if it'll work for you, but we did night golf a few times. It's a little expensive up front, but it's a hell of a lot of fun. Golf courses are willing to give a little on the price as you are using the course when nobody else is, and the players really enjoy it. It can also draw in some people that might already be getting hit up for a lot of charity tourney's already. It's different, and it's possibly at at more convenient time for them.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
belljr said:
Beat the Pro was fun.  This is how we did it assuming the club pro is game.

It was $10 I think on a PAR 3.  He drew a card from a deck.  He had to tee off with that club.  If you landed inside him you got a ticket entered into 50% of the pot raised for the beat the pro.
Click to expand...
Did you come inside the pro?

 
From the money perspective:

Try to have the entry fee cover your cost of golf and dinner.

The money you will make as fund raising will be from sponsors and contests (on and off the course). People expect to spend $20+ on contests. 

 
Deepster said:
Hole sponsorship is a huge moneymaker.  You can go silver (50.00), gold (100.00) or platinum (150.00) sponsors and for a little league?  I'd imagine plenty of businesses would jump on that.  You're collecting money for really nothing there.

Good luck!
Click to expand...
Keep in mind you'll have to spend 30 bucks or so on hole sponsorship signs (at least that's pretty standard). 

 
The best scramble tournament that i played in was for my mom's work.  It was usually a pretty big group, up around the 144 or so players.  Things that i remember from it (haven't played in it in a few years because my mom retired and it did get a little expensive)

Not sure how the cost was calculated, but I believe the cost per player covered the round of golf, a steak dinner and a hot dog/chips/drink ticket for the turn.  And i'm also going to guess beer as it was 'free' not sure if mixed drinks were 'free' but they may have been as well.  This was held at a good course which also had rooms for weddings and such, so, i think they may have a 'scramble' list that gives you price per player. We also got a gift of tees, ball markers, divot tool and a USGA bag tag with your name on it.  And a bigger gift, one year was a golf towel, another year was a golf shoe bag.  All logo'd with my mom's work.

There were drink cart girls driving around and there was also an area out away from the clubhouse that had a keg set up.  It was set up at a storm shelter and was near quite a few greens/tees so it wasn't hard to get to.

All par threes had a closest to the pin contest, There were a couple of longest putt contests on par 4s/5s and there was a longest drive contest on a par 5(i think it was the longest/straightest par 5 on the course).  I believe these were all sponsored prizes.

On one of the par 3s, I think they had a hole in one contest and you could pay extra money for extra chances...i think it was $5 per chance.  I think that prize was a new car or a vacation.

They did have top prize for men's team, ladies team, and co-ed team.  I think there was a trophy for worst team that had a plaque that the team members names were engraved on.

 Everyone got a ticket for door prizes (raffle).  There were TVs, golf clubs, bags, shirts, towels, golf balls, free rounds at the course, pro shop gift certificates and other stuff that i have seen at say a Sam's Club/Costco, like a car wash set, some type of wheel barrow, garden hose.

I think they also ran a 50/50.

Since you have almost a year, you can probably sell tickets to help offset some of the costs especially in buying the raffle prizes if you cannot get everything donated.

Something else that i have gone to was a Golf Bash, put on by a fire department.  Buy a ticket for a set price, every so many minutes a prize is given out to a ticket holder.  Free food and beer.  There would be side raffles that would be purchased on site.  a $3 table, $4 table, $5 table. Price was for the ticket/number if you number was called you got to pick the prize from that table.  

 
Ignoramus said:
Scrambles are slow enough as it is.  No need to have people taking even more hacks.  
Click to expand...
If it's a fundraiser, absolutely sell mulligans. Maybe $20 per team max for 4 or 5. The time it adds is not much at all. I'd also have a skins game. And I've seen some where you can purchase maybe 3 feet of string and use it to finish short missed putts. I've also seen throws purchased. 

If it's a fundraiser and everyone knows that, I say go for it on the money-making. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
T J said:
If it's a fundraiser, absolutely sell mulligans. Maybe $20 per team max for 4 or 5. The time it adds is not much at all. I'd also have a skins game. And I've seen some where you can purchase maybe 3 feet of string and use it to finish short missed putts. I've also seen throws purchased. 

If it's a fundraiser and everyone knows that, I say go for it on the money-making. 
Click to expand...
whether you include this in the price or add it later this is always fun strategy piece and will get the scores down.  Goal is to have fun and make money I agree with TJ.  If I was signing up for a little league fundraiser tournament I'm not expecting scratch golfers and fast pace.  I know right away what I'm signing up for.  Just keep the beer carts rolling on the course and everything will be fine. 

 
Peak said:
My co-chair played in one recently and didn't have a problem with slow play.  He said they moved along at a good pace with no start/stops.  Playing best ball, it would only take one good player to help keep the game moving.  I would also think we would need a two putt minimum on the greens.  Agree that the pace of play needs to be kept in check.  I don't mind mulligans too much, or teeing off from the Ladies tees.  But I don't want to introduce too many of these kind of things or else it would drag things down.
Click to expand...
Remind them not to putt for bogeys. If they don't make par take a bogey, pick up and move on

 
I have done a number of these events and a couple of things.

Contact a local beer distributor and explain it is a charity outing.  I have had great success with them giving logoed balls, tees,towels and even providing beer for on the course.  Do the same with a wine and liquor distributor. It is advertising for them and you get things people enjoy.  The Bud distributor I dealt with gave me some nice beer mirrors and tickets to a Tiger and Redwing game to give away as gifts as well.

Hit up the local restaurants in the community for gift cards for raffle giveaways. Even if it is 25.00  People like to walk away with something. Ask the course you are having it at to donate a couple of golf packages to raffle off. When you have 144 players they usually are more than happy to do so.  I did an outing two weeks ago for 72 players and the course gave me 2 foursome deals for 18 holes and cart to raffle off as well as a couple of Nike Golf shirts and assorted tees, balls, and driving range passes.

If you have 144 players on one course count on a 6-7 hour round..so it is going to be a long day.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
bigbottom said:
Keep in mind you'll have to spend 30 bucks or so on hole sponsorship signs (at least that's pretty standard). 
Click to expand...
One thing I'm looking at is to get a local sign company to be a sponsor and donate some of the signage.  We would then purchase flyers and materials from him in return.  I'm talking to the Team's Organizer to see who they've used in the past for our Team Signage on the ball fields.

 
Da Guru said:
I have done a number of these events and a couple of things.

Contact a local beer distributor and explain it is a charity outing.  I have had great success with them giving logoed balls, tees,towels and even providing beer for on the course.  Do the same with a wine and liquor distributor. It is advertising for them and you get things people enjoy.  The Bud distributor I dealt with gave me some nice beer mirrors and tickets to a Tiger and Redwing game to give away as gifts as well.

Hit up the local restaurants in the community for gift cards for raffle giveaways. Even if it is 25.00  People like to walk away with something. Ask the course you are having it at to donate a couple of golf packages to raffle off. When you have 144 players they usually are more than happy to do so.  I did an outing two weeks ago for 72 players and the course gave me 2 foursome deals for 18 holes and cart to raffle off as well as a couple of Nike Golf shirts and assorted tees, balls, and driving range passes.

If you have 144 players on one course count on a 6-7 hour round..so it is going to be a long day.
Click to expand...
Great stuff!  Thanks!   :thumbup:

 
My wife is the development director for a non profit. We have done a lot of these things. Here are my thoughts off the top of my head. 

Find the course you like - check to see if they allow outside food. You need to serve food to people - lunch or something. It is as much about the experience for them as it is about you raising money. 

Gift bags - Again the experience for the players. Check to see what you can get donated form balls, tees towels etc. A lot of times the course will donate some stuff as well. Maybe there is a play back where the course will give the players a free ticket to play the course on a different date. 

Sell Mulligans - We had a Package that included mulligans, an entry into the hole in one contest and a couple of other things. Also sell mulligans on the course - This is about raising money not winning the PGA tour. Players understand it is a fundraiser. 

Get hole sponsors. We did hole sponsors at 100.00 a hole. You can get a decent little sign for each hole - put a picture of a player on each hole and say x corporation wishes little joey the best or something like that. 

Create sponsorship packages and see if you can sell them  - Gold Silver Bronze or Single Double Triple Home Run - or a Perfect Game one for the top level - whatever, make it creative and relevant though. 

Get as much donated as you can - booze etc. We always called the distributor for AB and they would always donate beer. You have to prove your 501.3C status. 

Get a silent auction going - you don't need a ton of stuff but get some interesting items. There are some places that specialize in this where you can get autographed gear for a price - set a min bid - if it doesn't sell then you send it back not risk. That is a way to make 3-4K alone there though. 

Insurance - Make sure you get insurance. You are most likely providing alcohol to these people and you don't want them driving home killing someone and then being sued. Make sure you are insured!

That is all i can think off of the top of my head. If i come up with some more i will edit the post. 

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

DJackson10
Proper etiquette while being a customer in Retail
3 4 5
Replies
222
Views
8K
DJackson10
DJackson10
GregR
Greg's Useless Trivia #50 - 100 questions (75 greatest hits, 25 new)
Replies
19
Views
2K
GregR
GregR
(HULK)
Reminder: Planet Aid (Yellow Donation Bins) a scam that funds a cult&#
Replies
18
Views
3K
Freelove
F

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top