While many golf tournaments have already been postponed or canceled due to COVID-19, other organizations are still on the fence or looking forward to upcoming events. After all, your organization still needs to raise money, perhaps now more than ever. Fundraising golf tournaments can be very lucrative events when done well. The good news is that many golf tournaments can be modified to be made safe in these difficult times. It will certainly take some work on your part and the right tools, but charity golf tournaments can still be successful.
Here’s how your nonprofit or business can adapt your golf tournament to move forward in 2020.
Clear Communication is Key
Like all businesses, many golf courses have changed rules and capacity requirements this year. So don’t forget to consider that the golf course will inevitably have different protocols in place that you’ll need to plan around. From the beginning planning stages of your event, it’s especially important to communicate with the course, as well as your players and sponsors. Be sure to let players (especially those that come back year after year for your tournaments) know that modifications have been made to this year’s event to ensure everyone’s safety. If the course now requires players to wear masks, walk instead of using a caddie or take other precautions, golfers should know in advance. Providing goodie bags that include antibacterial gel and masks, along with the standard sponsor swag, will also make it easy for golfers.
Utilize a Golf Tournament Website & Online Registration
Utilizing a golf tournament website will be even more important than ever. Register players, take donations, promote tournament sponsors, and more online. No handling money or checks, with our easy and secure payment processing.
With our golf tournament software, golfer capacity limits can be enforced. Changing your tournament from foursomes to twosomes? No problem. Again, you will need to work with your golf course and perhaps limit attendance this year.
Your fully customizable golf event website is a great place to clearly outline all changes to schedules, rules, formats, and other standard operating procedures for this year’s tournament.
Implement Staggered Tee Times
Your pandemic-proof golf tournament will certainly need to consider some format changes, including utilizing staggered tee times instead of a shotgun start. These measures will help to keep players properly distanced and safe. As well, capacity may need to be limited, so consider this when planning entry fees.
Consider Extended Play or Virtual Tournaments
Virtual golf tournaments and extended playtimes are additional options to consider. This means that your tournament will happen over several days or a weekend, instead of an afternoon. You won’t have everyone together at the end for an awards ceremony, but you can certainly update your tournament website and create virtual awards.
Boost Revenues with a Peer-to-Peer Event
Peer to Peer golf tournaments (golf marathons) is another option to consider. Golf marathons challenge players to golf 100 holes or see how many holes of golf they can play in one day (or over the weekend, depending on the duration of the golf tournament). Golf marathons are usually smaller, more intimate events with only 20-40 players participating. But since each golfer reaches out to their network of friends and family to raise donations, they can be very lucrative events.
With Golf Marathons, golfers create a personal fundraising page where they can:
- Upload photos and videos to personalize the page
- Create and share a personal statement, explaining their reason for participating in the golf marathon
- Create a fundraising goal – and see progress tracked by an event thermometer
Supporters choose to make a pledge per hole or a donation towards the cause. They can show their support by making a comment along with their monetary donation. Golfers share the link to their personal fundraising page via email or social networking sites, creating an easy way to spread the word and collect online donations.
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