Keeping it Fresh

When participants see your commitment to making the event fun and different, they’ll keep coming back— and bring their friends!

Colorado AvidGolfer

It’s not enough to distinguish your event from other tournaments. At some point, you have to distinguish your event from the one you did last year—and the year before that and…

While it would be nice to think that everyone attends a charity tournament to support the cause, philanthropy can be fickle. You’ll always have your loyal players, but even the most charitable golfers will think twice before opening their wallets for the golf equivalent of the movie Ground Hog Day.

So, how do you keep your event from becoming stale?

Switch Courses
The relationship between the personnel involved with a charity and the golf course can be like a “Same Time, Next Year” love affair. But instead of a titillating and fun rendezvous, the annual encounter becomes predictable and uninspired.

Consider switching to a course in the same geographical area that might give a better deal or has a better reputation.

A change in venue also gives you an exciting story to pitch to participants.
Of course, you may feel like you’re cheating on the team at the course that’s “always” hosted your event, but the goal is to generate as much money as possible for your charity, not make as many friends as you can. And if you decide to change again, you now have added leverage.

Change the Itinerary
If, say, you’ve always done a morning shotgun, move it to the afternoon. Or vice-versa. That may not be so extreme but what about having dividing the afternoon shotgun into nine holes before sunset, and nine-holes with glow-in-the dark balls and flagsticks at night? Have dinner and drinks take place between the nines.

Here’s some food for thought. Instead of everyone waiting around for the last groups to come in for a plated dinner, set up food stations and just have heavy hors d’oeuvres or a casual buffet during the awards.

Make Everyone A Winner
Every winning team creates dozens of losers. The tried-and-true ways to make everyone feel like a winner are to have on-course contests like longest and/or straightest drive on a par-5, closest to the pin and/or longest putt on a par-3.

Here are some other suggestions.

• Putt-Putt. Not every attendee at your event is a golfer, but everyone’s played miniature golf. Check if the course can customize a natural turf putting green with mini-bunkers, water hazards, “trees” made of branches and other obstacles. Complement the contest with cocktails and a satellite bar or appetizer station. Offer bonsais or a putter for the winner.
• Target Practice. While people wait for the scores to be added, How about renting a Golfzilla, Golf-A-Roo or one of BirdieBall’s other inflatable AirTargets? Have participants—and, maybe, their kids—compete in an après-golf chipping contest using BirdieBalls, the limited-distance golf practice balls that resemble napkin rings.
• Bet with Chips. Similarly, players can chip at inflatable AirTargets set up by the clubhouse and bar. Each target has numerous pie-shaped holes assigned different values. Players can compete in a variety of games, all of which involve wagering in the name of charity. Visit birdieball.com for more information.
• Get It Close. At the end of the event, have a closest-to-the-pin competition from 165 yards to the 18th green. Entrants pay an optional fee (as they would if buying mulligans, etc.) and the winner keeps 50 percent of the total. Better yet, if you can afford the hole-in-one insurance, make it a prize like a car or trip.
• Chopper Drop. This is an oldie but a goodie that people love to talk about. Before the round, players buy numbered golf balls as if they were raffle tickets. After the round, players gather at the practice range to watch a helicopter drop the balls on a designated target green. The person whose ball lands closest to—or in—the hole wins a prize donated by a sponsor.

Entertain Them
Theatrics at golf events can range from skydivers to celebrity appearances. Other entertainment options include:

• Music. Hire a local band to perform a after the dinner and auction. An intimate performance leaves a great impression.
• Comedy. See someone you liked at Comedy Works? Chances are, he or she has a website and you can book them to appear.
• Trick-shot artist. Nothing gets a golf crowd oohing and aahing like a golfer who can crush 300-yard drives while kneeling on a Swiss ball— and does it off a tee held between the teeth of one of your participants. The creativity and entertainment value of someone like Dan Boever (danboever.com) is well worth the price.
• Long Driver.  Hire Charity Golf International (charitygolfintl.com) to station a couple of their long-drive champions on a par-5. For a donation, every team can use the bomber’s drive, which usually results in eagles, birdies and faster rounds.

Vary the Format
Not all scrambles are the same.

• Change yours to a Texas Scramble, and at least four drives must be used from every player.
• Play a Florida Scramble and the player whose shot was chosen cannot play the next shot.
• Used at The International at Castle Pines, the Modified Stableford System format counts a double-eagle as 8 points, eagle as 5, birdie as 2, par as 0, and bogey or worse as-1.  Use full handicaps and watch those numbers add up fast!
• Alternate Shot: Also called Foursomes, this golf tournament format is for two-person teams. Playing the same ball, the two players alternate hitting shots until the ball is holed.

Make Up Your Own Rules
Allow beginning or very high (30-plus) handicap players to tee from 150 yards (or closer on par-3s) on every hole.
Make one or two holes 15 inches wide (as famously suggested by TaylorMade’s Mark King). The birdies and eagles will fly, and so will the pace of play!
Designate one or two par-3 as FootGolf holes. Four soccer balls wait on the tee and the players kick, scramble-style, to the 21-inch-wide hole on the green.
Give each team a FlingGolf FlingStick. On each hole, one of each team’s players must take his or her shots with the FlingStick, which suggests a lacrosse stick with a golf-ball-sized plastic basket. Visit flinggolf.com for more information.
Shorten the course. Turn it into 12 par-3s, four par-4s and two par-5s. Players won’t grumble about a par-52 course when every par-3 features a hole-in-one prize. 

Sweeten the Swag
How many towels, golf hats and balls does one person need? The more creative and purposeful a logoed gift is, the more it will mean to the recipient. He or she will think of your charity when he or she uses it. Gifts that fall into this category are:

• Etched wine or beer glasses
• Golf travel bag
• Golf glove
• Leather gym bag
• Flask
• Thumb drive with event photos
• Folding chair
• Deck of cards and poker chips
• Embossed leather head cover
• Cigar torch
• Fleece vest
• Hand-rolled cigars with logoed rings
• Rangefinder
• Sunglasses

Alternate Years
If you’re losing participants or your tournament feels stale, take a year off and stage a concert, themed dinner, casino night or some other gala to raise money. Nobody ever said golf tournaments had to take place every year. Just remember to tell those in attendance to sign up for the following year’s new and improved golf event.

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More from the 2016 Tournament Planners Guide presented by GolfSquid.com:

How to Create a Can't-Miss Golf Event

Squid Pro Quo – The site with the odd name is taking over the way people plan golf events.

Keeping it Fresh – When participants see your commitment to making the event fun, they'll come back year after year!

A Course in Charity – As the Sanctuary nears $100 in money raised, here's a list of 2016 tournaments

Long Live the ROI – At the end of the day, how to get the most for your charity from your golf tournament

12 Planning Pitfalls of Golf Tournaments – Avoid these 12 costly mistakes with your next tournament

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