What is the Best Format for a Charity Golf Tournament?

Charity golf tournaments can be fun, lucrative fundraising events. But how do you make a golf tournament fun while at the same time raising lots of money? It all starts with the golf tournament format you choose. Read on to find out the best formats for charity tournaments.

Get the Team Together

Choosing the right golf tournament format can make or break your fundraiser. You will want to consider your audience, as some formats are fun and laid back, while others are more formal and serious. Talk to your golf planning committee members and the hosting course for suggestions about popular formats. Your best bet may be to choose a tournament format and rules that players are familiar with, so they will thoroughly enjoy your golf fundraiser.

The 3 Best Golf Tournament Formats for Fundraising

The best formats for a charity golf tournament make everyone feel welcome and put less emphasis on being a golf pro. But remember, golfers are often competitive and enjoy winning trophies and prizes in their sport.

Golf Scrambles: The Most Popular Golf Tournament Format

The most common golf tournament format used with fundraising events and corporate golf tournaments is a golf scramble (often called the four-man scramble or Florida scramble). This popular tournament allows a team of four to select the best shot in each individual series of hits. Then, the entire foursome takes their next shot from this location. This pattern continues to the end of each hole. When playing a scramble, players can drop their ball within one club length from where the chosen ball lies but not closer to the hole.

The advantage of a scramble golf tournament format is that each team will get its best possible score while wasting no time trying to locate balls hit into trees, sand traps, creeks, or lakes. A Scramble is most often played with teams of four for charity events but can be played with more team members or as few as two golfers per team. Typically, foursomes can register together for this type of tournament.

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Best Ball: Another Popular Option for a Charity Golf Tournament Format

Another favorite charity format is the Best Ball. This tournament format is popular with more advanced golfers who like to play their own ball. This format is also called Four-Ball Format and 1-2-3 Best Ball Format. Just like a scramble, Best Ball is usually played with foursomes. Each player on the team plays his or her ball for each hole, just as you would in a typical game of golf. However, at the end of each hole, the lowest score among the four players counts as the team score.

There can be two best ball formats, where you must count two balls on each hole. The more balls counted, the more involved all the players are in the team’s fate.

Golf Marathons: The Most Lucrative Charity Golf Tournament Format

Here is another idea that you may not have thought of that can be a winning golf tournament format. Golf marathons (also called 100 holes of golf tournaments or golf-a-thons) have become popular fundraisers for charity golf events. A golf marathon is organized so the golfers play 100 holes or a similar feat worthy of the marathon title. This format generally means that there are far fewer golfers on the course, but for a longer period of time.

The key to a successful golf-a-thon is getting each player to collect pledges and donations for a charitable cause. Participating golfers register and create a personal fundraising page with our crowdfunding platform for golf marathons. They then contact friends, colleagues, and family via email or social media and solicit donations in support of the golf marathon. With this golf tournament format, the golfer is often not charged to play if they meet the minimum donation standards (which can be quite high).

More Golf Tournament Formats

These popular formats are not commonly used for charity golf tournaments, but they may work for your cause.

Alternate Shot

This golf tournament format involves two-person teams and is a competition where the team alternates who hits each shot while playing the same ball. The first player hits the drive, the second player hits the second shot, the first player hits the third shot, and so on, until the ball is holed. The team also alternates who tees off on each hole, so the same player doesn’t hit every drive. Other variations of this format are Odds and Evens and Scotch Foursomes.

Chapman (Pinehurst) Foursome

When the Chapman (or Pinehurst) System is chosen as the format for a charity golf tournament, it means that 2-person teams will be competing against one another. Chapman is really a melding of several formats into one. In a Chapman event, both golfers tee off and then switch balls for their second shot. Teammates then select the one best ball after their second shots, and continue to play alternate shots until the ball ends up in the hole.

Bingo-Bango-Bongo Golf Tournament Format

This tournament format is popular for golf associations and league tournaments. Bingo Bango Bongo rewards players for three things on each hole:

1. The first player in the group to get onto the green = 1 point
2. The closest player to the pin once all group members are on the green = 1 point
3. The first player to hit the ball in the cup (or hole out) = 1 point

All shots are taken according to who is furthest from the pin.

Making the Golf Tournament Fun with Raffles and Prizes

Whether you have a participant joining your tournament for the first time or returning from last year, making your fundraiser stand out from the crowd of charity events is essential. It’s the best way to ensure that participants will be back for more in the years to come. To this end, be sure to include games and prizes no matter what tournament format you choose. Prizes can be won via golf contests or fundraising raffles. Popular golf contests include Hole in One contests, Beat the Pro, and Longest Shot. Raffles are a great way to engage non-golfers in your tournament and get everyone to give and have fun.

More Charity Golf Tournament Ideas and Resources

Still looking for golf tournament fundraiser ideas? See our golf tournament fundraiser checklist for a month-by-month view of the tasks required to plan a successful charity golf tournament.

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